AzurAlive

La Motte: La Nuit des Vignerons

Provence loves its wines                                                       .

A wine soaks in the know-how of its makers but also whiffs from its terroir of origin, from the soil, the orientation of the plot of land relative to sun, wind and sea. In essence, a wine reflects a region.

So who wants to wait for harvest season to celebrate the Côte de Provence wines.

Eleven wine makers are expected this Saturday evening, June 6, 2009 in La Motte, Var to show-case the Côtes de Provence appelation.

Who will be there?

Some of La Motte's best, including a number of organic wine producers such as Domaine de L'Eouve, Domaine du Jas d'Esclans (my personal favorite), but also Domaine de La Maurette, Domaine Sensation, Valbourgès, Domaine des Grands Esclans, Château des Demoiselles, Château d'Esclans with its high-sensation top end Rosé wine the Garrus, Domaine de Canta Rainette and the association of the Vignerons de Saint-Romain.

To taste, you will need to purchase your "La Nuit des Vignerons" wine glass at the village entrance. Then carry it around to sip to your heart's content. The group La Pena Pescalunaire will provide music and entertainment. For kids, donkey will ride around the Place de Tresavaou.

 Saturday, June 6, 2009 in La Motte beginning at 7PM.

French Riviera Restaurants: Gourmand Treats

If you've bought the Guide Michelin 2009, you've discovered a little red and white slip inserted among the book's back pages.

It's a "Pass Privilège" and it lets you in on gourmet menus with very digestible prices.

From March 9 to April 5, 2009 some 800+ restaurants participate in the program.

With a magic Pass Privilege in hand, two can feast on the restaurant's Mois Gourmand treat, typically offered for a portion of their regular menu prices. 

Who participates in the Mois Gourmand on the Western Côte d'Azur?

Here's a taste of the main participants on the western side of the French Riviera:

• Lou Galoubet in Draguignan

• Grain de Sel in Cogolin
• Le Gourmandin in Le Luc
• Eric Maio in Montauroux
• L'Ecurie du Castellas in Ramatuelle
• Le Bretonnière in Grimaud
• Le Castellaras in Fayence
• La Table d'Yves in Fayence
• La Farigoulette in
• La Gloire de Mon Père in Seillans
• Le Relais des Moines in Les Arcs
• Le Logis du Guetteur in Les Arcs
• Le Chrissandier in Lorgues
• La Bastide des Magnans in Vidauban
• Les Potiers in Fréjus
• Le Sud in St Raphael
• La Table d'Emi in St Raphael
• La Cave in St Raphael
• Le Relais des Maures in Rayol-Canadel
• Mathias Dandine in Le Lavandou

As many participate on the eastern side of the Riviera. In Nice, one we know and can highly recommend:

• Au Rendez-Vous des Amis, Nice

but also:

• Auberge de Madone in Peillon
• Les Terraillers in Biot

Can you give an example of these Mois Special deals?

As an example, the charismatic Logis du Guetteur in Les Arcs (set among the interior arches of a 11C donjon in medieval Les Arcs sur Argens, Var) offers a special Mois Gourmand menu for around 25 euros until April 5, 2009. If you've missed it, check out their web site or call as they regularly offer other treats such as Plat+Dessert that are gentle on the wallet.

More info?

For more info on the Michelin Guide, see our post: http://www.azuralive.com/2009/02/stars-a.html

For the full listing of participating establishments, see http://www.guide-michelin-centieme.com/

Wineries That Don't Vegetate

 Spring has sprung and so will cork bottle stoppers, this weekend at the Château Sainte-Roseline vineyard in La Motte, Var, France. 

As with a growing number of wineries in France, Château Sainte-Roseline runs busy year-round by hosting celebrations & seminars at the Domaine. In the Fall, the château celebrated the vengandes; in the Winter, they showed-off local specialités du terroir such as truffles, for example. It's a nifty way to rally potential customers around the Château's Côte de Provence wines while supporting local arts and crafts.

This Sunday, Mars 29, 2009, it's the Spring that's being celebrated at Sainte-Roseline's Journée Printanière. Cork stoppers will exit bottles as mini-conferences will be held around the theme of local vegetables. We'll be treated to a visit of the vineyard's own veggie patch, guided by Mr Roget, an avid gardener.

 We'll also have a chance to talk honey with local beekeeper Mr Commencas.

And for the main course... Gui Gedda and his daughter Mireille will concoct a Velouté of Topinambours (Jerusalem Artichoke) with foie gras at 11:30AM and, for the sweet-toothed, a Light Strawberry Torte at 3PM.

Attendance is free, but you need to reserve on location for the Gedda cooking show. A scrumptious Provençal lunch will be served to those who reserved before Wed, March 24.

At 50 euros a piece, I can't afford lunch on the premises. But I'll try to snatch a recipe from Gui and experiment in the kitchen...

By the way, Guy Gedda, known in France as the Pope of Provençal Cuisine, has written a few excellent cookbooks, among which this Provençal Cuisine Cookbook:

Boulouris: La Tortue Reopens

The Tortue beach side restaurant in Boulouris (between St Raphael and Agay, French Riviera) reopens this Friday, March 27, 2009. It closed after being pounded on by an unusual series of winter storms.

This winter, howling winds stirred up the sea with waves that rose as high as 6 meters. We witnessed the destruction of beach-side constructions from St Tropez to Cannes. See this article for details. Most of the coastline is back in spiffy shape - winter has been erased.

We had previously written about the Tortue Restaurant. The seafood restaurant opens every day from March until October. Decent food and prices, and excellent site. Phone: 04 94 83 60 50.

Stars and tripes: The Michelin Guide

Famous and often times controversial, the Michelin "Guide Rouge" offers reviews of generous list of restaurants, hotels and bed & breakfasts in France and across the world.

In France in particular, the Michelin Guide instills fear and respect in the establishments it covers. Why? The book sells like des petits pains (half a million sold each year) and stars equate to prestige and plenty of customers. In France, for 2008, 26 restaurants saw their names glorified with 3 Michelin stars, 68 restaurants with two stars and 435 restaurants with a single shining speckle of light.

Generally, stars also equate with celestial prices, but not always. Lunch is always lighter on the porte-monnaie than dinner and often very comparable in menus. Nevertheless, a Michelin-starred restaurant cannot afford to be inexpensive.

How did our region of South Eastern France do for 2008, culinary-wise?

In Monaco, Le Louis XV by chef Alain Ducasse saw 3 stars
In Monaco, Joël Robuchon in the Hotel Métropole in Monte-Carlo saw 2 stars
In Mougins, the Moulin de Mougins saw 2 stars.
In Cannes, La Palme d'Or saw 2 stars
In Mandelieu, L'Oasis saw 2 stars
In Eze, Le Chateau de la Chèvre d'Or saw 2 stars
In La Turbie, Hostellerie Jérôme saw 2 stars
In Beaulieu-sur-mer, La Réserve de Beaulieu saw 2 stars
Our West at Les Baux de Provence, L' Oustaù de Baumanière saw 2 stars
Further West in Bonnieux, La Bastide de Capelongue saw 2 stars
Further West, Le Petit Nice is Marseille’s one and only three Michelin star restaurant.

OK, so the last three aren't strictly on the French Riviera. Still, 8 restaurants with 2 and 3 stars isn't bad considering we're talking top of the line cuisine, presentation as well as athmosphere.

How do you think we'll do for 2009?

The 2009 edition of Michelin red guide to France is expected on March 2, 2009. Rumors have it that highly tasty the Faventia restaurant with chef Philippe Jourdin in Tourrettes (Var) will reach its second star. It currently holds one prestigious star. Let's see in March. If you, go let us know how you liked it!

Treasured Chesnuts: La Fête de la Chataigne

Sweet Autumn Sun

It isn't easy to tell it's Autumn here on the eastern edge of Provence. It's warm. The sun rises a bit groggy in the mornings, but it still shines at least part of the day.

The sure giveaway is the aroma of roasted chestnuts at the open marchés. And the opening days of the Fêtes de la Chataigne festivities all over the French Riviera.

Sweet Chestnut Fun

Like every year, the slick maroon nuts pop out of their spiky covers like shiny balls of mahogany wood.To be honest, not many sweet chestnuts grow around the French Riviera. Many roll in from Italy. But many towns with even a few chestnut trees love to celebrate the nuts. After all, they were once an important food staple especially in regions where wheat and potatoes did not grow plentiful.

One region on the French Riviera, the Maures Mountains, still harvests the fruit-bearing sweet chestnut trees.

During the last 3 weekends of October, the towns of Collobrières, la Garde-Freinet, les Mayons, Pignans and Gonfaron in the Maures Mountains organize a "Fête de la Chataigne" or Chestnut Festival. They're fun and a great chance to taste the chestnut in many of its creative preparations. Try the daube de sanglier à la chataigne dish of wild boar followed by a chestnut ice cream.

Where?

Collobrières: October 12, 19 and 26.
La Garde-Freinet: October 19 and 26.

For more information on what to expect during these feasts & where to buy the best marrons glacés, see here.

Good Honey is Hard to Find

It's sweet and syrupy. It drips with the taste of sunny days when flowers cover fields and bees buzz.

It's emotions in a golden jar.

Where do they come from?

In France, PACA (Provence Cote d'Azur and Alpes) is the country's leading apiary region.

Nothing too surprising if you think about it. It's warm and fuzzy half the year. It's full of romantic fields of lavender, thyme-strewn limestone fields, tender hills with sariette summer savory herbs in the Haute-Provence, tilleul or linden trees in the baronnies and the Alpes-Maritimes. In the Var, sweet chestnut trees (Maures) and strawberry trees (Estérel) cover parts of the Maures Mountains, the Estérel Mountains and the Tanneron hills.

While Paris may be the city of love and France a country for romance, it's in Provence that you'll find the largest numbers of professional beekeepers. Every year 350 beekeepers produce 2000 tons of honey here in Provence.

What are the better ones?

Provence's crown jewel honey? The lavender honey with its delicate tinge of lavender aroma.

But there's a honey for every taste.

On the south-eastern side of Provence, in pockets of land where the soil is acidic, bees are inspired and produce vintage honeys.

You won't find these at the mega-supermarkets. For the most part, they pop up only at local markets, brought by bee lovers who aren't in it for the money.

What's your personal favorite?

My very favorite of these delicacies are the slightly offbeat, the one-of-a-kind, the memorable: the Miel de Chataigniers (Sweet Chestnut Tree Honey) and the Miel d'Arbousier (Strawberry Tree Honey).The first is deep brown like the freshly waxed oak wood floors at an old French library. It's nutty and a touch bitter. The second is chunkier and lies somewhere between raspberry jam and honey.

To be honest, I enjoy the lavender kind too but I can't find enough quirkiness about it for a life-long thing.

Where can I find me one?

With 350 professionals in Provence, the picking is still generous. This isn't so across the world. According to recent BBC news, the UK has witnessed a dizzying drop in local honey production and has to rely almost entirely on imports.

Here are some of my favorite local honey producers in the Var and in the Alpes-Maritimes. This isn't exhaustive by any means. It's a select list from personal tastings. Half the fun will be in finding new ones on your own. If they're tasty, unique and available, please drop us a line.

Les Ruchers du Bessillon, Lou Camp d'Andiou, 83570 Cotignac. Tél: 04 94 04 69 39. Email: ruchersdubessillon@free.fr

Les Ruchers des Maures, Quartier des Jardins, 83340 Les Mayons. Tél: 04 98 11 49 52. Email: lucien.lamoine@wanadoo.fr

Rucher de la Bouverie, 83520 Roquebrune-sur-Argens. Tél: 04 94 40 01 69.

Le Rucher de Saint Cézaire
82 Chemin de CHautard, Saint-Cézaire. Tél: 04 93 60 20 81. Email: lerucherdestcesaire@free.fr

Les Ruchers des Baous
143 Chemin des Vergers, 06140 Tourrettes-sur-Loup. Tél: 04 93 24 39 54; EMail: payenjerome@wanadoo.fr

Restaurants in Provence Côte d'Azur

It's out!

The Guide Gantié to fine food establishments (and hotels too) celebrated its 17th birthday this year with the launch of its new 2008 guide for the region.

The guide reviews 800 restaurants and bistrots and 500 specialty food outlets in PACA (Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur) and in northern Italy.

What restaurants are included? Mostly those in the upper echelon in quality and in price. It's unique in that it provides actually commentary (not all flattering), not just stars for ratings. Guide is updated once a year which keeps it fresh.

That said, we would love to see more smaller truly home-made style tables included, where food is exquisite and prices reasonable. True, these are few in the more popular spots of Provence Côte d'Azur, but they do exist!

The guide is available in English as well as in French.

We love its online version. After all, online seems like a fine way to go for up-to-date info in an industry that changes so quickly. Click on the icon below to visit the site. Nice web design, with nifty 360" video sweeps of the restaurants and hotels.

 

Cocoa on the Côte d'Azur

Cocoa on the Côte d'Azur:

"Chocolate... is above all helpful to people who must do a great deal of mental work, to those who labor in the pulpit or the courtroom, and especially to travelers." - Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Chocolate ranks as an essential food group here in France. According to the International Cocoa Organization (tasty name), France consumes 6.7 kg (14 lbs) of chocolate per person per year. In the US, for example, it's 4.5 kg (10 lbs) per person/year.

French chocolate wears many disguises. It's in truffes around New Year's. During the Spring, it melts in  the shape of hens, chicks, rabbits, sardine fish wrapped in blue aluminum and lined up in cans and even plain eggs. It wears red, pink, blue bows. On Easter morning, some children here on the Côte d'Azur will be foraging through bushes of rosemary and pots of geraniums looking for the chocolat.

"People who habitually drink chocolate enjoy unvarying health..." - Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Given the criticality of chocolate, we feel it's essential for visitors to know where to find it on the Côte d'Azur. So we went through the arduous task of hunting for great chocolates on the French Riviera. We found many expert chocolatiers sprinkled around the region. Here's a small selection for your enjoyment.

"If any Man has drunk a little too deeply from the cup of physical pleasure; if he has spent too much time at his desk that should have been spent asleep; if he fine spirits have temporarily become dulled; if he finds the air too damp, the minutes too slow, and the atmosphere too heavy to withstand... let him be given a good pint of amber-flavored chocolate" - Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

In Nice:

Maison Auer, has been melting and shaping chocolates as well as candied fruit since 1820. The treats are made the old-fashion way, and the store claims that some of the best old cauldrons are still used. "Princess" almonds and hazelnuts are especially delectable: roasted nut, caramel coating, chocolate
second coating and a sprinkle of cocoa powder that wakes up the palate.

What:  Maison Auer, 7 rue St-François-de-Paule, near the opera house (tel. 04-93-85-77-98)
Where: In front of the Opera House, 7 rue Saint-François de Paule, one of the old streets that lead you to Cours Saleya. 
Web:   http://www.maison-auer.com/

In Nice and Pont du Loup:

Confiserie Florian concocts perfumes for the palate: fruit sweets and chocolates from family traditions
dating back almost sixty years. Candied petals of violets, roses, verveine, mimosa, but also jams, chocolates, sirups, candied fruit, and free factory tours.
Where: In Nice: 14 quai Papacino, in the Old Nice. Phone: 04-93-55-43-50,
is near the Old Port.
Web:   http://www.confiserieflorian.com

Antibes:

Patissier Cottard creates an edible "Fort Carré", a chocolate ganache version of the town's fort.
Where: 49 rue République; Antibes; Phone: 04.93.34.09.92.
Web:    http://www.patisseriecottard.com/

Cannes:

Schies makes chocolates of all sorts (honey infused, pralined, flowered) in their chocolate lab just above the store. A dream for kids of all ages.
Where: 125 rue d'Antibes, Cannes - 06400, Phone: 04.93.39.01.03.

Saint-Raphael:

Tiny cubic store Calderon makes creative macarons, bite-sized cakes that are works of art for the eyes and the palate, and chocolate creations too. There's usually a line-up of gourmets in the little shop.
Where: 89, place Sadi Carnot, Saint-Raphael, Phone: 04 94 83 63 08.

Fréjus:

Le Provençal's specialty may be the Cloister of Frejus Paves (hard candies) but their candied fruit and chocolates are just as tasty.
Where: 44 rue Jean-Jaurès, Fréjus

Roquebrune-sur-Argens:

Bite into the emblematic rock that stands behind the village of Roquebrune-sur-Argens (not to be confused with Roquebrune, the perched village east of Nice).
Confiserie Courreau, master Chocolatier Gérard Courreau.
Where: 2, Montee Saint Michel; Roquebrune-sur-Argens; Phone: 04 94 45 31 56

To enjoy these delights without guilt, consider a hike or two on the Côte d'Azur!  Click below to see our latest hiking guide: 26 Gorgeous Hikes on the Western Côte d'Azur.

Porquerolles' Bio-Diversified Cauldron

If you've read our hiking guide to the Côte d'Azur, you already know about Porquerolles' many footpaths over rocks and pine needles, the island's forts and its delicious beaches. To read the new guidebook on Côte d'Azur hikes, click below.

In addition to great hikes, the island of Porquerolles fosters smart ideas.

On the Ferme de l'Oustaou de Diou farm, Marie-Claude Cano simmers local fruit into thick syrupy paste in her giant cauldron. In the old-fashioned cauldron bubble in turn summer figs, may blackberries, grapefruit, mandarins and many more plump fruit.

What's special about Marie-Claude's jams? They're simmered in small quantities, with great care. More unique, Marie-Claude harvests the fruit of the island's Conservatoire Botanique de Porquerolles. Many of these fruit are ancient varieties grown here to help preserve regional biodiversity.

"We tend to many of the orchards on Porquerolles' Botanical Conservatory," explains Marie-Claude Cano.
"We also take care of the conservatory's olive trees. In return, we're allowed to harvest some of the fruit trees."

Marie-Claude spreads a little homemade fig jam over a slice of crusty bread. She concocted the fig chutney from the island's figs simmered with onions, vinegar, raisins and tangy spices. She tops the jam-dripping bread with a piece of goat cheese.

"Goutez-moi ça," she says with a smile, handing me the bread slice. It oozes with a tangy sweet and sour taste cooled by the creamy cheese.

On Porquerolles, Marie-Claude also picks olives from the Conservatory's 30 varieties of olive trees. From these insular olives, the mill at La Farlède extracts a thick oil. With this many varieties of olives crushed in the press' millstones, the olive oil must be the only of its kind on the globe. I'm told only about 300 liters are sold.

Got my little 20cl of olive nectar. Too bad the internet won't let you taste it (yet)...

      
                         

Who:          Saveurs des Vergers, by Marie-Claude Cano, Ferme de l'Oustaou de Diou, Porquerolles. Phone: 04 98 04 60 78           Where:       Marie-Claude travels to some of the local food festivals. You can also find her goodies at at Cathy Legumes and Pisani Traiteur on Porquerolles