DavidandBevTravel.com

Morning spilled shards of sunlight into our troglodyte room at  Riboto, waking us from a sound and restful sleep.

Riboto has two troglodyte rooms, each fashioned from an ancient cave dating back to Roman times. The cave forms the back half of the room – the back wall and ceiling, if you will. A shed roof on the front shelters the rest of the room. We stayed in “Mirielle”, one of the two rooms, on our first visit to Riboto, and it became “our room” over the years with return visits. It was nice to stay there again.

We packed our few things and headed down to the dining room for coffee and conversation, a chance to catch up with all the news of our friends, Christine & Philippe and Jean-Pierre. But first, breakfast! (What would our blog be without descriptions of each and every bite and swallow we take in France?) With the coming of Spring, fresh fruit and produce flood the markets and tables of Provence. This morning, a plate of fresh fruit contained wonderful cherries, pears, apples, pineapple, and melons. Unlike the year-round but almost tasteless specimens we have gotten used to, these are crammed with flavor – reminders of “the old days,” when you ate things when they were in season. Fresh-squeezed orange juice was wonderful – obviously not “made from concentrate.” Ah, enough disparaging of how we live at home. Better just to enjoy the moment here.

While we seldom drink coffee at home, the aroma of fresh coffee here leaves little choice but to have a cup…or two.

If all this weren’t enough, Jean-Pierre had spent his morning baking, filling the basket with everything from croissants to mini-baguettes and earthy brown breads. And to top it off, this morning he decided to make some crepes, light and airy and perfect with some melted butter.

While breakfast was wonderful, better still was the chance to relax with Christine & Philippe and Jean-Pierre to catch up on everything in their lives. Fred, the recent canine addition to the family, apparently has adopted David as a best friend and ran right to him when we arrived, rubbing him like a big, disheveled ball of fur with high-speed tail attached. As we both miss Lucy, it was wonderful to get some doggie love.

We spent more than an hour talking about everything from French and U.S. politics to art, to local news. We made plans to get together several times while we are here, then, we hopped in the car to make our way home.

We made a stop in Maussane at Moulin Jean-Cornille to get a half-liter of their olive oil, one of the best in the world, then decided to take the “mountain” route home so I could take photography. The winds of the last two days had swept the skies crystal clear, so it seemed a perfect choice.

From  Maussane to Eygalieres you wind your way up into and through les Alpilles (mini-alps). These are what David calls “foothills,” too small to qualify as mountains. They are ancient granite structures thrust upwards centuries ago, now worn and rounded by centuries of wind and water. The grey rock is spotted with patches of foliage, and the small valleys are now carpeted with vineyards and olive groves. At the peak, the sparse brush and occasional tree gives way to shady pines. Then, it’s back to more vineyards as you reach Eygalieres.

As it was now one o’clock, it was time for another meal, and we decided to try a new place that Patrick had recommended, Cafe de la Gare. This tiny bar/restaurant is located about five minutes from the mas at Gare Molleges, the roundabout near the old train station. A pizzeria, a boulangerie, a wine cooperative, and a couple of businesses also surround this small intersection. We made our way through the bar (being careful to greet everyone – not doing so is considered rude) and sat at one of the tables in the tiny dining room, which was crowded with people enjoying the midday meal. Two chalkboards gave the a la carte choices and today’s menu – salade nicoise to start followed by mignon of porc. The friendly waitress dropped some bread and water on the table, and reviewed the choices. We ordered a half carafe of local rose, salade nicoise for me and (what else) pave de saumon for David. There was a cute little puppy at one of the tables – all feet and folds of fur waiting to be grown into. It came up to me and nuzzled my hand, so I obliged with some rubs and under-the chin chucks. Then “dad” left, and the pup scurried to catch up.

The food was good. The salad was meant as an appetizer so omitted the traditional tuna and added more fresh vegetables – haricot vert, fennel, etc. Being still full from breakfast, it was perfect. David’s salmon came with ratatouille, which looked and tasted wonderful. We polished the meal off at a leisurely pace, then made our way to the bar to pay the “comptoir” (cashier.) The tab was  only 32 euro. David spoke to him in his best French, and the gentleman responded in English, again crushing David’s dream of being multi-lingual. He asked where we were from, and let us know that he had family in Tampa. We told him that Patrick had recommended them, and he seemed pleased at the referral. Another place to return to for a good, informal meal.

We then meandered home and put some time into prepping salad ingredients. David made some hard-boiled eggs and croutons from stale baguettes and olive oil. Together with some shrimp, and slices of ham and cheese, this will make a great evening meal.

As it was now six o’clock, it was time for the Cafe du Centre, so we motored into the village and grabbed a table in the shade. Being Monday, most things are closed, and people stroll up and down the main street with their dogs, so we enjoyed people watching and greeting a few people we have come to know. Chrystelle appeared with a carafe of white wine, and Patrick drove in on his motorcycle for a cup of coffee. He discussed his work for the upcoming week, and seemed delighted we had gone to Cafe de la Gare. After a bit, we drifted home.

A light meal, an episode of Poirot on the tube, and it was off to bed.

Saturday May 12th — I think we were still jet-lagged as we slept late before pushing ourselves to get a move on the day. As it turned out, noon time rolled around quickly. We decided no sightseeing over the weekend as we’ve visited most of the landmarks in the area. We thought Monday might be a good starting point to visit a few we haven’t seen before.

With it being lunchtime we thought about where to go. Lunch in St. Remy was out as it was market day, and Maussane was out because we would have to go through St. Remy to get there and, with the market traffic, it would be a the usual headache to navigate. We decided to try La Galine, a small cluster of buildings on the road to St. Remy. The speed limit drops from 90 to 60, and the parking lot of the little bar/restaurant is always packed, so we figured it was worth a stop. We took a table on the sunny terrace and relaxed despite the wind which occasionally blew everything off all of the tables. We had a kir to start, then a carafe of local rosé. The menu was appealing and very inexpensive. David ordered the “Menu Galine,” an appetizer and main course for 18 euro, opting for a shrimp croquillant to start followed by beef tartare. Both were terrific. I had an entrecote with Roquefort sauce and frites. Heaven! As we ate, cars trickled into the lot until it was full, as was the tree-shaded terrace we were dining on. We finished with coffee, and gazed around at the bar next door, which was becoming lively. The signs said that La Galine had been there for 100 years, and that the bar hosted live music, including some fairly big names. We’re glad we stopped by, and it will be on our “must” list from now on. The ultimate treat came when the bill came, under 50 euro!

Being now mid-afternoon, we wound our way back home, stopping to refresh our euro supply at the lonely ATM in Eygalieres. The day was spectacular, so we sat outside the mas in the sun and chatted with Patrick for a bit. We pondered dinner plans, but in the end, being still full from lunch, we opted for a light snack, then some TV and to bed.

Sunday, May 13th — Today we decided on only having dinner at our friends’ warm and welcoming Inn,  La Riboto de Taven. Initially, we thought we might squeeze in a quick tour somewhere but the winds arrived, and the weather turned quite cool, so we thought it best to get the blog updated and ready to upload.

Around 6:30, we tossed some overnight things in the car and headed off to Les Baux. As usual, St. Remy was buzzing, the sidewalk bistros filled with folks enjoying a wine or café and conversation. After St. Remy, it was up and through the Alpilles and down into Les Baux. In short order, we pulled into the parking lot at La Riboto de Taven. We were greeted by Christine and Philippe, and their now fully grown doggie, Fred. Fred took an immediate liking to David and snuggled with him as we sat in the reception area chatting.

Dinner was the usual delight. We started with a kir, then left the wine to Philippe, who - as  always – came up with something different and delightful, a Domaine Hauvette rosé that was distinctive and refreshing, the perfect choice to go with our dinner. We both ordered the same thing, a royale of asparagus to start (fresh green asparagus in a light sauce together with a mousse of asparagus). Light, flavorful, and delicious. We then both opted for the Noix du veau, small medallions of veal in a beet sauce with celery root. David had a few cheeses before dessert, then we both enjoyed a rhubarb tarte with a merengue topping. It was light and tangy, the perfect close to the meal. We chatted with Christine and Philippe for a bit, and then with Jean-Pierre, before heading off to bed in our troglodyte cave.

All in all, a lazy but wonderful weekend.

Market day in our little village is a delight.

The block-long main street is closed to traffic so that scores of booths can be set up, selling everything from produce, olives, cheese and meats to fabrics, plants and knickknacks.

We grabbed our Intermarche shopping bag and headed into the village. First stop was the produce stall with garden-fresh fruits and veggies. I got all that we needed – lettuces, onions, garlic, etc. – and (reluctantly) passed on the fresh green, white, and purple asparagus that is now in season. We’ll have it a bit later with a roasted chicken.

Then it was time for cheeses – aged Comte, Reblochon, Emmenthal for sandwiches, Roquefort, St. Marcellin, and Italian Parmigiano. At the olive stand I got black olive and artichoke tapenades, and David picked out an anchoiade (garlic and anchovies). David waited patiently at the little booth that sells smoked meats and salmon, as they had a fantastic pave du saumon that I thought we could cook for dinner. I checked out more booths while David waited as the animated gentleman at the booth sliced and talked and served great looking smoked ham and salmon. With success in sight, the woman before him in line bought the last pave. Ah well! Another time.

We strolled to the Cafe du Centre, pulled up two chairs, put down our bags, and Chrystelle appeared with a carafe of wine. We relaxed in the sun (the weather was glorious), and people watched for a bit. David popped into the boulangerie for a baguette and some breakfast pastry. The young woman behind the counter recognized him and welcomed him back to Eygalieres.

We decided to have lunch at Aubergine, a nice restaurant just off the main street – the food and wine are always good. David started with fresh green asparagus with ham. I passed on the starter and went right for the scallops, which were wonderful – perfectly done. I could not help myself and ordered frites to go with the scallops. David had tuna, also perfectly done, with sautéed spinach. A bottle of chilled Mas St. Berthe rosé from Les Baux was perfect with the meal.

The couple that sat next to us turned out to be from Belgium, with a vacation home in Maussane – one of our favorite villages. we hope to meet them later in our trip in Maussane for a glass of wine in the square.

After lunch we returned to the Mas to put our purchases away and puttered the afternoon away getting everything organized.

Later it was back to town for dinner at La Petite Table, a nice restaurant that we have been to several times before. It is owned by a Belgian family that moved here a few years back. Papa is in the kitchen, and mom and the kids take care of the patrons. The meal was – as always – superb. They should be candidates for a Michelin star. I had a wonderful cut of beef, while David opted for Merlan (fish). Everything was done perfectly, with a very creative presentation. A bottle of Romanin rosé went well with everything, and we returned home full and happy.

Lucy knew we were leaving as the dreaded “black bags” were by the front door. We tried to bribe her with treat-treats, but she ignored them to follow us around.

At about 9:20, the town car showed up, and it was time to leave. More treat-treats and a bunch of kisses, and we headed off to Miami.

No traffic, so we arrived quickly at the Delta terminal and checked our bags to CDG. Killed some time in the Crown Room, then it was off to JFK. The flight arrived early, so we strolled to the International terminal, cleared security, and ensconced ourselves in the Air France lounge next to our gate. We had three hours to kill, but the time passed quickly and soon we were on board and on our way.

In-flight meals continue to get worse, and this one was no exception. We both opted for salmon, which tasted like it had died of natural causes. After a bite or two, and some salad, we passed on the rest of the meal and it was time to try to get some sleep. I took an Ambien, and actually got about six hours of good sleep, waking about an hour before our landing.

We arrived at 7:15 am on Thursday morning at the “new” Air France terminal, which is so far from the main terminal we think it is actually in Andorra… After walking for five minutes, you arrive at a train terminal that takes you to the main terminal. Then you walk some more and go through Immigration, which is quick and friendly. Another hike to Customs, where we picked up our luggage, then off to the TGV (train) station that is in the airport. It’s a bit of a hike, but not as bad as we feared, so in due course we were there. David had allowed for 2.5 hours before our train in case we were delayed, but we were actually early, so had a lot of time.

At around 10 am, we boarded the TGV for Avignon. It made two stops – Euro Disney outside Paris, and Lyon, but still had us in Avignon by 1 pm. I snoozed most the way, while David took in the scenery. At 1 pm, we got off at the Avignon TGV station and picked up our car. It was (again) an upgrade to a Mercedes C series, like mine except this is a diesel. Very nice and (so says David) gets about 40mpg.

We motored the now familiar route to St. Remy to pick up some supplies for the house. The Intermarche store has been remodeled, so we had to search for the stuff we wanted. Got it all except for an item or two and the fresh produce we will get tomorrow at Eygalieres market day.

We were at the house at 3:15, and lugged everything in and put it away. Guy Knox, the property manager dropped by to say hello and brief us on new items. The place looks great, with the grounds green and lush.

We headed down the road to the Valdition vineyards and picked up a six-pack of their excellent white (about $13/btl), then drove to the center of the village to meet Patrick (the caretaker) for a glass of wine. Chrystelle, the waitress at the Cafe du Centre, recognized us from our last trip, and brought over a carafe of local white wine. We talked with Patrick for a couple of hours, catching up on everything and sharing some laughs. One carafe turned to two, then Patrick bought a round, then Chrystelle, then it was time to go.

We returned to the house and had a light snack – a baguette with jambon and cheese – then turned in to rid ourselves of jet lag.

Tomorrow is market day.

Another trip to our favorite destination, and – despite our medical woes – a great time.

The weather was perfect; the scenery wonderful as always; our time with friends enjoyable; and the food and wine terrific.

It only takes a day to get used to our “home” again. David sets up the computer in the den. We stock the kitchen. And we end each day at the Cafe le Centre.

Patrick, who cares for and shares the property, has a great sense of humor, and we enjoy meeting him at the Cafe for a glass of wine. He asks about the U.S., and  tells us about living in France.

Our little part of France is peaceful and pretty, a tiny 900-person village set on the slopes of the Alpilles. Market Day on Fridays is a treat – the main street lined with colorful booths selling cheese, charcuterie, fish, olives, honey, clothes, plants, and just about everything else you might think of. We stroll around, buy a few things, then sit at the Cafe for a coffee and watch all the action. We hope to be back in the Spring, again.

We found some neat new places to eat, and re-visited some favorites. A return to Mas de Capoun in Molleges confirmed that they have wonderful food at amazing prices. It will be on our list to visit again next trip. l’Aubergine in Eygalieres remains a reliable destination for good food and a warm welcome. Bistrot Decouverte in St. Remy continues to serve great  food. La Petite Table in Eygalieres is “new” in that they are now in a larger setting. The decor is terrific, and the food superb. Chez Gus is a new find in St. Remy, ultra casual with terrific takes on fresh seafood and shellfish. Brasserie d’Eygalieres is in the old quarters of Chez Bru, which has moved its Michelin stars down the road a couple of kilometers. The food is fabulous, and the sidewalk setting perfect for people watching. We were sorry to hear of the closing of Bistrot Mogador at Chateau Estoublon. We liked the menu and setting very much and will miss spending lunches and early afternoons there.

At Riboto-de-Taven, Jean-Pierre still has the best food in Provence, Philippe the most intriguing wine list, and Christine the warmest smile and most delectable cheese selection. Our dinner with them at our “home” was a highpoint of our stay, despite putting together a menu consisting almost entirely of things that were out of season. Fred is a treat, chasing his shadow and giving great shaggy kisses.

It’s always a bit of culture shock coming home. There’s a lot we will miss. But, it’s great to have Lucy by our side again, and we can look forward to a return.

The day dawned sunny and cold. Not a great day for roaming the streets of Paris. We grabbed lunch in the hotel and relaxed. David went out for an afternoon stroll while picking up a prescription for me. The weather had warmed a bit, with golden sunlight bathing the city.

With the effects of our illness lingering, and not feeling well, we called Marc and Catherine and cancelled dinner for the evening. We got a light snack in the hotel, packed our things up, and turned in.

Early Sunday morning we got up, checked out, and headed for the airport. What a zoo! Lines everywhere, no clear directions as to where to go. After an hour or so, we were done and sitting at the gate.

The gate info said the flight was on time, but when 30 minutes had elapsed after the announced boarding time, it was obvious there was a delay. Countless Air France staff milled around, talking on phones, and with each other, while the folks waiting to board became more restive. Finally, they announced that there was a delay while equipment was being repaired and that people should go back to the lounge until further notice. We chose not to budge, and sure enough, a minute later they started boarding.

Our equipment was a 747 – my favorite plane. Seats were comfortable and the wines and food good. Took a snooze, and awoke as we were approaching Miami.

Immigration and Customs went pretty smoothly, and in less than an hour, we were approaching home and a very happy small black-and-white dog. AFter a load of kisses and tail wagging, we turned in. All-in-all, a great trip. We’ll miss France, but are glad to be home.

Up at 7am, and packed up what was left. Straightened up “our house” and packed two boxes to go into the storage closet for our return next May. Then we packed the car, waved goodbye and headed off for Avignon.

A smooth, event-free drive took us to the Gare TGV, where we turned in the car and waited for our train to Paris. It arrived on time, and we boarded and settled in for the  three-hour 180-mph ride to Paris. In no time we were pulling in. We grabbed our bags, met our town car driver, and headed off for the Sofitel. There was a lot of traffic, for some reason, so it took almost 30 minutes to get there. Once arrived, we checked in and grabbed a quick glass of wine in the Salon to relax.

Around 7:30 we headed down the Ave Friedlander to our dinner at Dominique Bouchet, our favorite restaurant in Paris. A 20-minute stroll put us at our table and a cordial greeting from Yann, the host, and Dominique, the owner/chef. A wonderful kir, and we were ready to put in our order. I went for cream of chestnut soup with truffles, and David had the salmon tartar, which is so beautiful you don’t want to eat it. We both went for the scallops for our main course. Remembering the fantastic bottle of Vougeot blanc we had with our last meal here, David ordered the same.

The food was wonderful, as always. We started with an amusee bouche, a silky carrot mousse. After this came our starters, then a gift from Dominique, shrimp beignets, with a like tempura-like batter. Incredibly light and tasty. The scallops were served on a bed of carmelized onions, tender, with just a light sear on them. Our coffees came with a small plate of sweets, all of which disappeared.

We left Yann and crew with promises to return in May and headed back to the Sofitel. A quick flute of Champagne to wind down, then we turned in. In sum, a nice day, especially with all the travel.

Morning greeted us with a kitchen full of dishes from the previous night. We decided to try the dishwasher (which is a Miele) and it did a fabulous job. David washed up a couple of pans and the place was looking spic and span again.

Driving back from the clinic in Salon, we decided to try to get a table at Mas du Capoun in Molleges for lunch. We have really liked the food there, and the folks who own it are delightful. While David topped of the MB with gazole, I tried to call them, but no answer. An e-mail also got no reply. We were only three kilometers away, so decided just to drop in. As we pulled up, we recognized the reason for the lack of response was they weren’t open. Our other options were to drive into St-Remy or Eygalieres to have lunch, and we opted for Eygalieres as it was nearing 1 pm. As we had eaten at L’Aubergine several time we chose La Petite Table. We had dinner there earlier in the week so we thought we’d give it a whirl for lunch and hoped it was open. We found that is was, and were seated at the same table, “votre table” as the hostess called it.  David ordered the roasted cod and I had the squab — both delicious. To top off the meal I had the chocolate mini-cake with the melted chocolate inside. What a way to finish your lunch.

We had been putting it off, but it was getting down to the 13th hour and we needed to pack our things for the train back to Paris. We reluctantly went back to the farmhouse and started to get our things in order. Once we felt everything was almost done, we invited the property manager, Patrick, who we very much enjoy, to stop by, have a glass of wine and say our goodbyes. And we also bid farewell to Roxie and her two new chicken friends too, spreading pieces of baguette around their coop.

We had a bit to eat, double-checked everything and turned in early as we had an 10 am train to catch in the morning.

D-Day has arrived. Tonight we cook dinner for our friends from Riboto de Taven. A daunting task, given their culinary skills, but something we want to do to be able to offer them the hospitality of our “home” in France. They work six days a week, serving dinner every night, so it is nice to give them the chance to get out and relax, and we enjoy their company.

We have selected a menu that presents a variety of problems:  the starter is asparagus, which is out of season – ditto the Cavaillon melon. David found some giant asparagus from Peru in one of the vegetable markets, so we will go ahead, but are not sure how to cook stalks this big properly. Raw shrimp is unheard of in this part of France, meaning we have to use cooked shrimp and risk it being overdone, or go with frozen tiger shrimp – we opted for the latter. Panko, or even bread crumbs are not available, so we have made our own from baguettes and a rolling-pin.

Armed with a pound of delicious Isigny St. Mere butter, I started the prep work, putting together the sauce for the tagliatelle, and butter for the garlic bread. The garlic here is wonderful, so soon the house was filled with its delightful aroma. While I worked on that and the filling for the scampi, David got to work on the shrimp, removing the heads, peeling and de-veining them, then brining them for 30 minutes. We arranged them in the dish, and they looked pretty good.

For the asparagus, we trimmed them to a point where they should be tender, then David peeled the stalks. We boiled them until they felt done, then removed, drained, arranged them in a dish, and put in the fridge. Later I will add Buratta (which we found in St. Remy), cooked jambon cru (the French version of prosciutto), and chopped walnuts.

The salad was a snap. We added a bit extra with the addition of smoked bacon, then popped it in the fridge. Our appetizers were simple – slices of pork sausage, anchoiade, and tapenade.

At this juncture we were in pretty good shape – only the wines and dessert left. We headed into town and stopped at the boulangerie, where I picked out a wonderful three-chocolate cake, then strolled down to the wine shop. David picked out a bottle of Deutz Champagne for our aperitif, then two bottles of superb Domaine Trevallon (made by a friend of Philippe’s) for the red. For the white, he picked out one of our favorites, a Coin de Cache from Mas de la Dame in Les Baux.

We now were pretty well set, so relaxed with a glass of wine and a lunch of sandwich jambon, which David kicked up a notch by adding slices of farm Reblochon cheese, and a piece or two of two-year-old Comte.

My phone rang and we were disappointed to hear the Jean-Pierre’s wife, Claire, would not be coming, as she was under the weather. Sorry we will miss her, but it will be nice to see everyone else, and of course Fred.

Table set (and looking nice), dishes prepped, wines breathing and chilled. We were all set when everyone arrived at the mas. They brought a wonderful red wine as a gift, a reserve Rhone bottling done by Mr. Reynaud, owner of famed Chateau Rayas, just for Riboto-de-Taven. We will leave it at the mas and enjoy it with them on our Spring visit. David put out some snacks, and Philippe opened the Deutz. Toasts all around, and the evening was  off to a nice start – everything goes better with Deutz.

David had made a fire, which crackled and warmed the room. and everyone was having a good time. I put out the salad to start. All of it disappeared, which was a real confidence booster. Next, the asparagus, which looked great and was a hit. Everyone loved the Buratta and jambon with it, and almost all of the big stalks disappeared.

The tagliatelle came next and disappeared from everyone’s plate. We turned to Jean-Pierre on the doneness of the scampi, and pulled it out when it was perfect. Plates filled and emptied several times, glasses were filled and re-filled with the wines, and  we all were having a delightful time. Philippe cut and served the cake for a perfect end to a perfect night.

Fred had been perfectly behaved the entire night, but now let it be known that it was time to go home, so everyone hopped in the car for the ride back over the Alpilles.

A wonderful evening.

Monday – With both of us still feeling under the weather (whatever has hit us is really strange, with relapses, ups and downs, etc.) we decided to spend the day around the mas, working on a few items and getting ready for having guests over on Wednesday night.

I made a salad for lunch which David devoured – cheese, shrimp, avocado, shallots, onion, tomato, and several greens. I also put out some sliced ham and cheese to nibble on with a dollop of Amora mustard. The produce here is incredibly fresh, and the shallots very pungent. The Amora also seems to have more of a bite than the jars we get at home. In any event, everything disappeared and we returned to relaxing.

We suddenly noticed that the day had slipped away, and it was almost 6pm. Time to think about dinner.

We decided to go into Eygalieres and try la Petite Table, a small restaurant we had dined at in May when it was located in a tiny old house near the church. The meal and service had been good, and only the limited wine list a drawback. Now they have moved into an old house in the center of town, so off we went.

The dining room has been tastefully done in soft greys and beige, giving a very peaceful feeling. The furnishings are good, very classy, but comfortable. We started with two kirs, and perused the menu, which had a number of excellent choices on it, and reasonable pricing – 39 Euros for a full dinner. The amusee bouche arrived, and was quite unique. First there was cotton candy wrapped around a stick and small piece of foie gras - a wonderful blending of tastes. Then there were three small dishes with a wide variety of tastes: a creme brulee, a pumpkin soup, and sardine, olive, and capers on a light puff pastry. An interesting mix of flavors, and all were excellent.

I skipped a starter, and David had the oeuf parfait – a poached egg with mushrooms, which he thought was very nice. For the main course we both had the cod, which was light and moist with a creme sauce. On the side was a small helping of pomme puree – mashed potatoes with butter. For wine we had a Chateau Romanin white. After having had their nice rosé this was a bit of a disappointment. It lacked any real character.

The service was friendly and efficient, and, all in all, we feel this restaurant will be successful in tiny, upscale Eygalieres .

Tuesday - After dialysis, I was still feeling as though I was in a relapse situation and David had improved somewhat. We decided not press our luck and go sightseeing and opted to finish the shopping for tomorrows meal at the mas with Christine, Philippe, and Jean-Pierre. David had gone out early in St. Remy to look for a few items, and found that the downside of fresh, local-only produce is that when something is out of season, it’s unavailable. He could not get any raw crevettes (shrimp), nor could he find asparagus (pas le saison) except for some interesting looking stalks almost an inch in diameter. We’ll try peeling and splitting them. He found Buratta at Maison Monique, the fromages store in St. Remy, and some good jambon cru at his favorite ham store. He also got some nice sausages for appetizers.

My inspiration was to go to the huge Geant Casino in Salon de Provence that we had found last trip. Anything we needed, we should be able to find there. Lo, we found uncooked frozen tiger shrimp which he will peel, de-vein, and brine for my scampi; fresh taggliatelle; prosciutto (in case the jambon cru doesn’t work), salad stuff, and supplies for the mas.

Then it was in the car, over the Alpilles, and back to toss the stuff in the fridge before having lunch in Eygalieres. All that is left is the right wines, and panko (good luck explaining that in French).

For lunch we grabbed a table at the Bar le Progress on the main street. I ordered beef carpaccio and frites; David ordered an omelette jambon with frites, but decided to try a “light appetizer” of anchoiade (a sort of paste made from anchovy, garlic, capers, and olive oil.) His anchoiade was delicious, but could have fed three for a full lunch, with endive, carrots, cucumber, celery, toast, and more for dipping and scooping. It was too late to cancel the omelette, so we did our best to eat what we could before burping our way back to the mas. The carafe of local rosé was – bland – but for four Euros, who can complain.

after a quick stop at the boulangerie for a baguette and wonderful sacrastain almonde, we wandered back to the mas in mid afternoon, and got our plan in order for tomorrow: what dishes we will make, who will prep what, etc. David will process the shrimp, removing the heads and shells, cleaning and deveining, then brining. Our 1200 grams should yield around 1.5 lbs of shrimp for the dish. He will also peel the asparagus and get them ready for cooking. I will do all of the sauces, the salad, and the garlic bread. We need some nice wines, which we will get tomorrow with a bunch of other last-minute items. Voila.

Still full from lunch, we decided just to head to the Cafe for a carafe of wine. patrick joined us, and we spent more time than we had planned enjoying his company and learning more about France and the French way of life. The cafe  bought us a final round, which we finished with a toast to them. They have become friends and greet us every day. Then we wound our way back to the mas and turned in.