holidays | The Rambling Epicure

Celebrate the Chartres Festival of Lights & Autumnal Equinox with a Food & Wine Tasting Masterclass

Published by Jonell Galloway + Monday, August 5, 2013 Permalink 0

Join us at the Chartres Festival of Lights 2013 & Autumnal Equinox for a
Food and Wine Tasting Masterclass, given by Jonell Galloway, master food taster, and James Flewellen, master wine taster

The Beauce and the Loire Valley: Taste Unlocked

19 to 22 September 2013

A romantic getaway, a tasting Masterclass, and a big dose of
Druidic and Christian history, all in one long weekend at the autumnal equinox

Package:A 4-day Food and Wine Tasting Masterclass in the romantic, historical setting of Chartres. Classes are held in a 1,000-year-old chapel converted into Jonell’s home, just 2 minutes’ walk from the world-renowned Chartres Cathedral and 10 minutes from the train station. The Masterclass is held during the spectacular Chartres Festival of Lights, celebrated every year since 2003 on the weekend of the autumnal equinox.

Date: 19 to 22 September 2013

12 – 14 hours of instruction and workshop tasting, including discussion periods and Q&A

Lodging is in B&Bs and hotels within walking distance of the event, but lodging is not included in our price. Click here to find accommodations in all categories.

All meals and wine are included, except breakfast.

Price per person: 750 Euros

Limited to 12 participants. Early booking strongly advised.

Down payment: 250 Euros on reservation, remainder 30 days before event.

Possibility of purchasing the wines tasted during the weekend.

See details of programme and wine below.

Click on the Paypal button at the top right of the sidebar to pay by Paypal or credit card, or the blue Contact Us button at the top right of the home page to pay by bank transfer.

[wp_paypal_payment_box email=”jonell@theramblingepicure.com” options=”Down payment 250 Euros|Full payment 750 Euros”]

We love: Top 10 Free Luxury Experiences in London – Best Budget Hotels

Published by Jonell Galloway + Thursday, July 4, 2013 Permalink 0

//

We love: Top 10 Free Luxury Experiences in London – Best Budget Hotels

We love A Luxury Travel Blog, and they often have tips for budget travels. Since we all seem to be on a budget these days, here’s a great link: Top 10 luxury London freebies.

And while on the subject of budget, here’s The Guardian’s list of the 10 best budget hotels in London.

Finding discount hotels in London is not difficult
London is the Height of Luxury
Can You Afford To Stay in Luxury Hotels in London
London Five Star Hotels
Comfy Yet Cheap hotels Near Marble Arch London

Gareth Jones: Memories of Old Belgium & Malmedy’s Gooey Kisses

Published by Jonell Galloway + Wednesday, July 3, 2013 Permalink 0

//

Memories of Old Belgium and Malmedy’s Gooey Kisses, including Recipe

by Gareth Jones

IMG_0047 (250x188)

When two chewy, gooey meringues come stuck together either side of a slather of butter cream or crême chantilly, the pâtissiers of Malmédy call this a ‘kiss’. Their description is obvious – it’s a fond embrace. Such is its fame, the Baiser had a place in the original Larousse Gastronomique compiled by Prosper Montagné in 1938.

The story goes that the Baiser de Malmédy started life in the late 19th century in this region of the Eastern Ardennes that many still prefer to call ‘Old Belgium’. The name appreciates that here, in the small towns like Malmédy, Stavelot, Bastogne, Spa and Francorchamps, the old ways continue and courtesy comes before all else – much as continues in Norfolk and Suffolk, Dorset and Somerset, where people living here still have time for each other.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Paris to the Pyrenees: David Downie Eats His Way Down the Way of St. James, Interview by Elatia Harris

Published by Elatia Harris + Monday, April 22, 2013 Permalink 0

Left: Cross with Rocks, copyright Alison Harris.
Right: Forest Cathedral, copyright Alison Harris

Interview by Elatia Harris

Their 50th birthdays in sight, the acclaimed travel and food writer David Downie, and his wife, the photographer Alison Harris, decided that trekking from Paris to Spain, would be just the thing. They are based in Paris, so the Way of St. James, for a millennium one of the world’s most celebrated pilgrimage routes, was right at their back door. Neither Alison nor David is religious — the classical pilgrimage experience was not what they were seeking. What were they seeking? Renewal, changed perspectives. Perhaps to test themselves, over 72 days and 1100 km of — at times — very rough terrain. And thereby hangs a tale.

Paris to the Pyrenees: A Skeptic Pilgrim Walks the Way of St. James, launches this week. Scroll to the end to see book tour information. Permission to post on TRE the superb photos from the book was granted by Alison Harris.

ELATIA HARRIS: There has been a lot in the news lately on pilgrimage, however one understands the phenomenon. People who do it talk about needing to lose their routine and find themselves. Most set out alone, meeting others en route. You and Alison started together.

DAVID DOWNIE: Our choice to walk together happened organically. I had planned to do this on my own. Alison came along to keep me out of trouble. If you ask her, she’s likely to say it was her idea about 25 years ago, when she suggested we do something similar.

EH: Readers cannot but wonder how they would hold up, in these circumstances. I pictured a long leisurely walk through a French countryside movie. Cows, chateaux…oh, perhaps a few mildly strenuous stints. I was so wrong. This was a test of all your combined resources. It would be for any couple. 72 days of togetherness and real physical hardship. And you had already spent years collaborating on your books.

DD: Like some old couples, we have merged in mind and spirit — if such a thing exists — while remaining very different people, and very pig-headedly independent. So, while we were together on the pilgrimage, we were often apart both in our mental spheres and physically. Alison stopped constantly, ran ahead, took detours, disappeared, got lost—often, though not always, in pursuit of a photograph. She probably walked twice as many miles as I did. By the end of the pilgrimage, my regard for her had only deepened. I can’t speak for her, of course.

Food Art: Rumanian Painted Easter Eggs, The Resurrection

Published by Jonell Galloway + Sunday, March 31, 2013 Permalink 0

Faberge Mosaic Egg from the Royal Collection

Published by Jonell Galloway + Saturday, March 30, 2013 Permalink 0

“The 1914 Faberge Mosaic Egg is one of four Faberge eggs among the Tsar Nicholas II of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth ll. Four jewel-encrusted Easter eggs dominate a lavish display of works by Russian Imperial jeweler Carl Faberge that went on public show in Buckingham Palace on Friday. The four eggs, three of which were commissioned by Tsar Nicholas II and are among only 50 Imperial Eggs ever made, are included in 300 Faberge works from the Royal Collection” in London. Click here to read more.

Where to See The Imperial Fabergé Easter Eggs
Food Art: Taste and Light, a photo exhibit by Rob Stewart
Food Vocabulary: Are You Foodwired?
Swiss Travel: Hotel Basel, an Excellent “Base” in Basel
The Art of Tasting Wine with James Flewellen: The Waipara Wine Region

Swiss Travel: Hotel Basel, an Excellent “Base” in Basel

Published by Jonell Galloway + Tuesday, March 26, 2013 Permalink 0

Swiss Travel: Hotel Basel, an Excellent “Base” in Basel

by Peter Heller White

Belying its unassuming 1970s exterior, the quality of the Hotel Basel‘s reception, the room (spacious and totally soundproof in our case, at least), and the food make this an excellent choice for enjoying and exploring the vibrant, fun city of Basel. A minute’s walk to the Marktplatz (Market Square) where you will find food stalls, the historic and lovely Rathaus (City Hall) and tram links to take you wherever you wish to go in and around the city (for free, since you only need to show your hotel reservation confirmation or free pass available at reception). We had a perfectly prepared four-course dinner in the Brasserie (there is also a restaurant that we didn’t try) and the breakfast, which is served in the barrel-vaulted basement, was copious and leisurely. All-in-all a most pleasant choice for a weekend break in Basel.

English: Basel City Hall Deutsch: Rathaus Basel

Basel City Hall or ” Rathaus Basel”

A Summary of All the Top 10 Cookbook 2012 lists in the U.S.

Published by Jonell Galloway + Saturday, December 22, 2012 Permalink 0

Kathleen Finn pointed out this roundup of 2012’s Best Cookbooks: A Meta List of Listicles. It’s a nice, brief overview, so I thought I’d share it.

Kathleen Flinn (Photo credit: NCBrian)

What to Eat in Switzerland: A Geneva Christmas: Longeole Sausage

Published by Jonell Galloway + Friday, December 21, 2012 Permalink 0

by Jonell Galloway

From the archives

Christmas traditions in Switzerland

One should never think that everybody in Switzerland eats the same thing for Christmas dinner. With four languages and a multitude of “mini-cultures” tucked away its various mountain niches, and with a huge international population, Switzerland may well have more Christmas menus than any other country in the world.

In the French-speaking part of Switzerland, Geneva’s traditions are quite apart from the Vaud, for example, due to the late date Geneva finally decided to become part of Switzerland. Geneva traditions are often more influenced by their Savoyard and French neighbors, since they share about 100 km of border with them and only 5 km with canton Vaud.

What’s so special about a Longeole?

Many Genevois eat a sausage specific to Geneva called longeole. Every region and many villages have their own sausage recipes, but the longeole is quite apart from the others for several reasons.

Longeole sausage and potatoes cooked in
white wine, a Geneva Christmas specialty.

For one thing, it contains not only ground pork but also ground pork rind. This keeps it from drying out and gives it fuller flavor. The other, and quite major, difference is that that it is speckled with fennel seeds, probably a Savoyard influence.

Any good local butcher makes his own longeole. If not, it is advisable to find one who does. It’s Christmas, so you want to be certain it’s of good quality.

Cooking Longeole

Longeole is easy to cook, but you must allow yourself enough time. It takes longer to cook than other cooking sausages because of the addition of the pork rind, which is harder than simple ground pork.

Use a soup pot tall enough to hold your sausage. Fill with water and bring water to boil. Add a touch of salt. Drop in sausage, lower heat, and let it simmer for 2 hours 45 minutes or 3 hours. The water should be just on the verge of boiling during the whole cooking time. It is then ready to slice and eat.

Some cooks prick the Longeole with a fork before cooking, but purist that I am, I think you risk losing some of the juices, which would take away from the flavor and make the sausage less succulent in the mouth. It is also important not to let it boil, because this too will dry it out.

What do Genevois eat with Longeole?

Like everywhere, different families have different traditions, different favorites, but the most common accompaniments are potatoes cooked in white wine, lentil stew and cardoon gratin, all Geneva specialties as well.

What to Eat in Switzerland: A Geneva Christmas: White Wine Potatoes

Published by Jonell Galloway + Friday, December 21, 2012 Permalink 0

A Geneva Christmas: White Wine Potatoes Recipe

by Jonell Galloway

From the archives

In A Geneva Christmas: Longeole sausage, I think I got your mouth watering talking about longeole, or fennel seed sausage. But did you see the potatoes in the photo? That’s THE essential side dish: potatoes cooked in broth and white wine.

I translated and adapted this recipe from A la mode de chez nous, Plaisirs de la table romande, a book on cooking in French-speaking Switzerland, by M. Vidoudez and J. Grangier.

Recipe

A Geneva Christmas-white wine potatoes-Longeole-recipe-Switzerland-the rambling epicure-jonell galloway-genevalunch-traditional dish

Longeole sausage served with
potatoes cooked in white wine and broth

Ingredients

1 kg / 2.2 lbs type 2 all-purpose potatoes

Olive oil, just enough to lightly coat potatoes

1 tablespoon spelt flour (farine d’épeautre), or otherwise whole wheat

240 ml / 1 cup chicken broth

1 onion, diced

1 laurel leaf

3 whole cloves

300 ml / 1 1/4 cup dry white wine

1 bouquet garni

Fresh parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Fennel-flavored Longeole sausages for Christmas, made by Jacky Bula butcher in Geneva

Scrub potatoes. If you really don’t like potato peels, or your potatoes have lots of black spots on them, peel them. Just remember: all the fiber and vitamins are in the peel.
Chop potatoes into large cubes. Put potatoes in a large saucepan. Coat lightly with olive oil and mix well.
Sautée for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Heat broth. Pour hot broth over potatoes. Add chopped onion, laurel, cloves, salt, pepper and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil. Cover, then lower heat and let it boil gently.
Cook until potatoes are soft, about 15 or 20 minutes, depending on the kind of potato and the kind of pan.
While the potatoes are cooking, mix flour and olive oil in a small utility bowl, until it becomes a smooth paste. Add a couple tablespoons of the hot broth from the potatoes to paste, and beat with wire whip until smooth.
Add paste to potatoes, and beat gently with a wire whip. When smooth, add white wine.
Continue cooking, stirring often so that it doesn’t stick, and gently boiling until the sauce starts to thicken.
Taste. Add salt and pepper if required.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley when serving. Traditionally, in Geneva this is served with longeole sausage at Christmas, but it goes well with many dishes, for example a smoked cooking sausage from the canton of Vaud.

Cooking notes: I use a Kuhn Rikon Durotherm to maintain the vitamins and decrease cooking time. This also allows you to use less liquid, which gives a more intense flavor. In this case, you would use just enough broth to cover the potatoes.