You will please excuse me for this mess of a post. I have so much to share here that I don’t even know where to begin. Too many pictures too, but I didn’t have the heart to split the post…
Mimi from Chef Mimi Blog came to spend a short holiday in My French Heaven with her lovely daughter Emma. We only had 4 days together so I wanted to design the perfect itinerary for them. Mimi had purchased these Foodie Days with me as a Christmas present for herself. So much to see, so much to taste and so much to share… Four farmers’ markets and 8 meals together. We focused on cheese and seafood as they are Emma’s favorites.
I could write on and on about Mimi and Emma and the kind of women they are. I’ll just say that they are both gorgeous and mad about life, living each moment to the fullest. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone as in love with good food as Mimi is. What an absolute joy to watch her eat the dishes we had prepared together.
On Thursday we first stopped at my butcher’s shop to get the fresh foie gras I had ordered. We’d prepare a foie gras and Armagnac terrine we would enjoy on Sunday evening. We then went to the market in St André de Cubzac. There we picked up some delicious strawberries and wild sea bass that we cooked in a salt cocoon for lunch. The fish was served with warm potatoes and an olive oil vinaigrette made with capers, pine nuts and dill. That evening we walked through the vineyard to my favorite restaurant and had drinks on the terrace as we watched the sun set.
On Friday we went to the market in my hometown and got loads of cheese from Pierre as well as super fresh langoustines and a live lobster we would boil for Saturday lunch. We also bought some calamari that we would cook in Cognac and tomato sauce for that evening. We went back to the townhouse for lunch and made a salad with mixed greens, the sea bass left over from the day before, wisteria flowers and a raspberry vinaigrette. That afternoon, we had a tour of the monolitic church in St Emilion and then a private tour and wine tasting at a friend’s château nearby.
Market again on Saturday morning, but this time in Ste Foy La Grande. Ste Foy is located a little further East and the feel and contents of its market are quite different. We went home and gorged ourselves on langoustines and home made mayo. In the afternoon, I took the lovely ladies to visit the “La Sauve Majeure” abbey and then Le Château de La Brède, where writer Montesquieu lived. Montesquieu wrote L’Esprit des Lois (the spirit of laws) which inspired the French revolution. We ended the afternoon walking though downtown Bordeaux. Our lobster was on the menu that evening. I made it broiled with a garlic, parsley and walnut butter. DELICIOUS!
Finally on Sunday, we celebrated both Mimi’s birthday and mine by drinking good wines and eating loads of cheese and cakes from my favorite pastry shop in town. We had seafood bouchées à la reine for lunch and duck confit and sauté potatoes with ceps for dinner. We also went to the brocante that afternoon where Mimi bought a stunning vintage lace table cloth and I finally found the seafood silverware I had been looking for for months…
I can’t tell you how much fun this has all been and I cannot wait for my dear Mimi to come back. Now we have to explore all the meat options…
Note: I will share all of the recipes for the dishes I mentionned later this month. This post is already way too long…
MY FRENCH HEAVEN 
The pictures, the happy faces, and the wonderful foods make me happy, too. I”m so glad to find your blog thanks to Mimi. I really wish I could visit your place someday. ^^
I’m sure you will Jessie! It’s just a plane ride away you know 😉
Yeah, you’re right. I can even dine with you tonight, if I take a plane today due to the time difference. haha
I’m jealous! The scenery, the food, the wine, the company.
Don’t be jealous Dorothy. Just come over 😉
G O R G E O U S!!! A big HELLO to you and Mimi – by the way, I love her genuine, wonderful smile!!!
Genuine is the perfect word. She has a great soul…
Wow, what gorgeous photos. It sounds like you guys really had an amazing time. It was so cool to see Mimi really having fun. It looks like you guys ate and drank like true royalty. Your photos really captured a dream. I want to be a part of it!
I hope you are soon my dear Amanda!!!
magnifiquement reposant
😉
Your photos and posts always transport me to a beautiful place, Stephane. Lovely!
What a sweet thing to say dear Lesley ann! 😉
As always, loving your pristine photography. Absolutely gorgeous! So inspiring! Will you write a book someday?
Thanks Maria! I’m thinking about it. My baker would like to participate… We’ll see 😉
Lovely people, lovely time, lovely photos. What’s not to like?
janet
You are so sweet Janet! How is your new life going?
It’s going great, Stephane. Thanks for asking. It’s great to be together and were’re planning a few trips for later this year, including one to France. 🙂
janet
A perfect holiday!
:);)
Beautiful post! I love each and every photograph! I would love to see your country some day! Hugz Lisa and Bear
I hope you do Lisa!!!
I read this the other day and was left speechless. I’m back to take a second look (who does that?) What a truly beautiful post Stephane. You are living such a wonderful life! My French Heaven is perfectly suited as a name for your spot in this world.
I think so too! 😉 I am so glad you enjoyed the post. Now you need to come visit me! 😉 🙂
Can’t think of anything else I would rather do! 🙂 Your place is off the charts gorgeous and I can only imagine the hospitality, not to mention cooking with you. I’ll have to live vicariously through your posts and others experiences…like Mimi’s for now!
😉
Thanks for sharing this post Stephane!! this was wonderful and as always your pictures were spell binding…. And a belated but very happy birthday to you
Thank you so much my friend!!!
I’m so envious. What a glorious post. It’s wonderful to feel the genuine bonhomie shared by two of my favourite bloggers. I’d love to visit…as would my entire family. Maybe one day.
I certainly hope so my dear friend!!!
Love the photos and the whole post! How lucky you all were to spend that time together! Mimi is great… looks like she had a blast!
Thanks! I think she really did! Go see her latest post at
Wow! Her post is fabulous too! I feel like visiting France now 😀 Sounds like you run quite an amazing enterprise over there. Wonderful!
You have got to come visit! I am sure you’d love it here 😉 The food, the wines, the country side, the markets…
We would love it! I know it! Really might take you up on that in the future 🙂 France is fabulous and your way of showing it to visitors really seems special 🙂
Oh la la! Les vols-au-vent ont l’air tellement bons!!! What a beautiful short holiday for Mimi and her daughter… and you! If I ever go to that area, you can be sure I will stop by to say hello!
I sure hope you do!! First time I made seafood Vols-au-vent. Absolutely divine!!! 😉
Sounds and looks like the most divine time! The freshness of the food just jumps out at you!
I hadn’t cooked that much seafood in a long time. Very refreshing… 🙂
My French Heaven? No kidding! What an incredible visit. And such a perfect time of year!
April and September are my favorite months…
OH MY the photo’s are incredible and I want to come and visit also. Mimi and Emma look like they were truly in heaven. Fantastic post, I loved every bit of it!
I’m so glad! Thank you for your lovely comment 🙂
What a fantastic selection of photos. Started my day right. A dusting of snow here in Colorado, but seventies promised.
It will get warmer soon! Hang in there dear Sandra!
What an amazing photo journal of what was obviously a fantastic visit. I’m going to save up and come and see you myself one of these days!
I hope you do!!! We’d have such a great time…
I follow Chef Mimi, so I understand what a delight she is. Your pictures just take me to another world…so enjoyable thank you!
Thank you so much my dear friend! I hope you get to meet her too someday. Truly a beautiful soul…
How lovely! Beautiful photographs, fabulous food and great company. Mimi and her daughter are clearly enjoying every minute (no surprises there). So envious!
We’ll do it together someday dear Linda!… I hope 😉
That would be wonderful – and don’t forget, next time you’re in the UK, we’re not a million miles from London.
Next trip will be Japan in November, but I’ll be sure to contact you when I am next in the IK Linda 😉 Thanks for the kind invite!!!
Magnifique !!!
Merci! Venant de toi, ça veut dire beaucoup!
Euuuuh ben que c’est magnifique ! 😉
Merci Mathias!!
Thank you for sharing all these beautiful pictures and stories, mouthwatering. Thanks to you I have met a new Mimi, I thought it was going to be Mimi Thorisson.
So many Mimis to meet. So little time 😉
Oh so fun. Such beautiful pictures. Thank you for sharing your good times with us!
You are so welcome my dear friend. I hope we get to do all this together someday 🙂
Amazing pictures! Makes me want to come back!
Please do dear Maggie!!!
Mimi has the most beautiful smile. Such lovely, evocative photos. I miss France.
Oh Marie, she is the most genuine and lovely person you’ll ever meet. Her daughter Emma is lovely as well. She was so gracious and patient with the two crazy bloggers 😉 🙂
I’ve been reading Mimi’s blog for ages, so I really enjoyed getting to know her through your pictures and stories. It looks like you all had such a wonderful time. And what glorious weather!
I know! The weather really made it all even better…
Mimi looks so happy in these pictures! Happy birthday Mimi from Enid! And tell Emma hello 🙂
I really think she had a good time.
Wonderful!
Beautiful…Stunning…Amazing…Gorgeous…Delicious…Sumptuous…Heavenly…Truly wonderful post. I am so glad you had a wonderful time with Mimi – she is so lovely 🙂
She really is! Thank you for such a nice comment! I needed that today 😉
I had a wonderful time, too, sharing Mimi’s holiday!
I’m glad you did Sharon. I hope you come too one day!! 😉
Love this post! Chef Mimi looks so happy to be there. 🙂
Thanks! I think she had a good time… Go check her latest post at Chef Mimi Blog
That’s it… We are moving to France. Such beauty in the food, nature and people. 🙂
what lovely pictures. i’m salivating over those strawberries!
I was surprised they were so sweet. It is still a little early in the season…
I can’t find the words…every picture is just beautiful! Sheila
Merci ma chère Sheila!!
Thanks Stephane for the “fly on the wall” view of Mimi’s visit. It really does look like heaven, the food, the markets, the history, the ambience. Hopefully it’s a preview for the future…
It hopefully is dear Sandra!
What a dream holiday Ms. Mimi and her daughter had with you! I too wanted to tag along after all of those photos and itinerary! Great job! Does Mimi or her daughter blog?
Yes, Mimi’s blog is called Chef Mimi Blog
Thank you!
Mimi looks like a wonderful friend to have..
She is truly an amazing human being!!!
Glad you spent time together, this is wonderful! Great pictures, as usual!
Thank you friend! I hope you come visit soon too 😉 😉
Sweet ladies and post!
Indeed!!
Très bel article !
Merci beaucoup!
Great photos! Sounds like you guys had a blast. I enjoyed hanging out with Mimi at REMCooks.
She is so lovely isn’t she?! I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who enjoys good food quite as much… 🙂
What a wonderful post and definitely not too long. It’s especially pleasurable for me as I spent much of the day with Mimi in London and it was a joy to meet her in person after following her blog for a long time. She told me about the great time she had with you so it’s great to read this and see your fabulous photos.
She was very excited to meet you as well Kay! 😉
I am definitely coming over – not only your charming French Heaven but now you provide lifetime memories of gorgeous pictures!!!!
I cannot wait to have you here with me. I am not as fashionable as you, but I make up with decent cooking skills 😉
Envious in Tennessee! Beautiful pics, Stephane!
Thanks for sharing ! You have The power to make me feel part Of your Heaven 😍😍😍you should write a book with Photos & people you invite to live with you your dreams.
Lots of love from your friend in Tuscany,
Miky
You are so sweet dear Miky!! I so hope we get to meet someday!
Me too!! When Will you visit Tuscany? You know you have a friend here 😍❤️👍we could have fun together & of course you Will be My guest by My husband pizzeria restaurant in Pistoia Where we live😉
Thank you dear Tamara!!