Cocktails and Cathedrals

After a good solid month of doing nothing particularly exciting, I've just had one of those spectacularly busy weeks, which left me a bit torn about what to write about. There was France, London, wine tasting, not to mention my favourite holiday of them all (ok, maybe apart from Christmas); HALLOWEEN!

I planned to do some Halloween themed tutorials - I LOVE playing with make-up and fancy dress, this year I was a gruesome flapper - and I made a worm-infested Bailey's jelly brain. But it just seems a bit too late now. There's always next year I suppose, or perhaps an unseasonal Valentines post for the single and bitter. In the meantime, I swung for the rest of my holiday in France...

The first week was spent largely lying by the pool and doing the odd spot of painting as the house was finished around me. But who could blame me? As England was being torn apart by storms (or so the news would have us believe) I was cycling to the bread shop in the morning and sunning myself with a good book (Along Came a Spider - brilliant read) in the afternoon. I even braved a swim, although the pool wasn't heated and so was pretty darn cold.

This is not to say, however, that I didn't earn my keep. My cocktail making prowess was called upon almost daily for sundowners, and I was even called upon to host a cocktail party for the local ex-pat friends and neighbours (it was intended to be pre-dinner drinks, but no one left before midnight - I call that a victory for my bartending).

Pimms

Here, Lynda and I are enjoying an ice-cold Fallet Royale - created especially for the occasion and named after the house. It's incredibly simple, similar to a Kir Royale (Cassis and Champagne) but made with Floc, a local liqueur that's a bit like sherry, a bit like port, and quite delicious. Simply pop roughly a single measure into a champagne flute and top with bubbly. Add a blackcurrant or black grape for garnish and enjoy in front of a French sunset. Or an English one. Or Made in Chelsea...

I did also manage to squeeze in a bit of culture during my trip, before you judge me too harshly. On Monday I went on a trip to Auch, a small town west of Toulouse.

 

We stopped here for a bit of lunch. By which I mean three courses of butter-soaked deliciousness, obviously. I had an incredible pumpkin soup with hazelnut foam and roasted hazelnuts that I'm desperate to figure out the recipe for. I'm fairly sure it's largely butter and cream, maybe some duck fat. It is the fois gras region after all. 

The main event however was the Cathedral.

The Cathedral is a little replica of Notre Dame and, despite the scaffolding, is quite beautiful. It's even more so inside...

It may be a bit smaller than its Parisian sister, but it no less impressive. I loved Auch, it's full of beautiful architecture and small winding streets. Big thanks to the Sturtivant family for letting me tag along with them, you wonderful brilliant people.

Sigh. I miss France, and really hope I get to go back soon. At least I made it back for Halloween though.

I couldn't not give you a picture...

Bienvenue au Tillac!

I, at this moment, am a very contented bunny. As I type, I am sat in front of a roaring fire, glass of wine in hand (or at least, very near to hand whilst I type) in the beautiful south of France. Tillac, to be exact. About an hour south of Toulouse. Fantastique!

After spending Friday running around London (literally, and in heels - I had a very overbooked morning!) it was a massive relief to finally arrive in Toulouse, and be chauffeured by the lovely Lynda to her beautiful, secluded house. We got here just in time for a quick tour and a glass of champagne to see the sun go down.  

The house is nestled deep in the countryside, surrounded by corn fields and ducks. It's the perfect place to escape the strains of graduate life (job-hunting is hard, okay!) and get some last minute sun. After a long lie in on Saturday and a quick swim - the pool is freezing now but I'm hard as nails - we all set off to explore.

I wanted to run through the corn fields and re-enact some classic horror film scenes, but it was too darn sunny. Nightmare. Instead we went scrumping for apples to make friends with these handsome chaps. 

They took some coaxing to come over - they're clearly popular around here and well fed by anyone passing by, but they eventually bumbled over to say hello. They seemed to appreciate the effort of our apple theft too...

Charmer. We also managed to scrounge some hazelnuts, figs, and walnuts that Lynda made an amazing cake with. Don't tell the farmers...

We had planned to go to a Repas in Montesquiou for supper - like a big communal meal where people help themselves and sit around chatting all night - but we arrived to find a deserted ghost town. The streets were completely empty, and dimly lit by the kind of lamps you would expect to find Mr Tumnus under, so after a little wander in the moonlight we moved on to a restaurant in Bassous. The food was good, the wine was bottomless, but the real charm was in the company. If you like cats, that is.

 The restaurant was over-run with them, and we were surrounded by watchful eyes as we ate. We eventually caved and gave them our left-over duck, to the amusement of the locals, and had to leave before Lynda got too attached and brought them all home with us!

I do plan to do things while I'm here, but somehow keep getting swept up in doing nothing by the pool. It probably has something to do with all the wine...but I'm in France. It'd would be rude not to...

Red Hot Chicken Noodle Soup

 It's time we all give up the ghost and face it. Summer's over. Pack away your bikinis, dig out your fluffy knitwear and embrace the cold dark months ahead with a bowl of my amazing chicken noodle soup.

It's perfect for colds, warming up after being drenched in the icy English rain, or curing the dreaded 'fresher's flu'. If you've been to uni you'll be familiar with it, and if you're at uni you will have it at least four times before Christmas. I popped up to Reading last weekend for a couple of days of fresher's week (I'm still suffering a bit from the separation) and came home feeling so, so, awful (I blame you LOUISE!). Luckily, I had this trusted recipe to hand. You can make tons of this and freeze it too, perfect for the lazier type. 

Here's what you'll need:

(Mine made about 3 bowls)

•  A few cloves of garlic
• Ginger (about a thumb sized chunk)
• A big teaspoon of crushed chillis/chopped fresh ones
• Zest of half a lime
• Juice of a lime
• 1 pint chicken stock (I'll tell you how to make this)
• Shredded Chicken (as much as you fancy, white and dark meat)
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• Handful of chopped fresh coriander
• Olive Oil
• Fine Egg Noodles
• Spring Onions for garnishing

To Make Chicken Stock

After a roast, take any excess meat off the carcass and put in a large pan on a lowish heat and fill to about half way with hot water. Put in a generous amount of salt (about a tablespoon/just under?), some garlic cloves, flattened under a knife, black pepper, and a couple of red onions cut into quarters. You can also throw in any leftover veg. Leave to gently simmer for a couple of hours, skimming every now and again. Voila. Delicious stock. It keeps for a few days in the fridge, but you can keep it in the freezer for 2-3 months. 

To Make The Soup

Get a big pan, and put a generous glug of olive oil in it. 

Add your chillies, garlic, ginger and lime zest, give them a good stir and fry them off a bit (you want enough oil that they will sit in it and not burn).

Finely chop your onions and add to the mix, and squeeze in the lime juice, keeping it on a lowish heat. 

Shred your roast/rotisserie chicken (great use for leftovers) and throw it in, stir fry for a minute or so and then add the stock...

...which looks like disgusting greyish jelly.

Once the stock has melted in add your chopped coriander and around a pint of boiling water and give it a good stir.

Just before you want to eat it throw in the noodles (if you're going to freeze it I recommend leaving the noodles out until you want to eat it. No one likes a soggy noodle...).

Wait until they're cooked, and serve. 

Garnish with some chopped spring onion, and apply to face.

Consider your cockles warmed my friend. 

You're welcome.