The Good Life - Wood Hedgehog and Penny Bun Cep

Once again prior to departing the little village of Courviere, in Franche Comté, we decided to take a look at the cattle in the pasture and go for a walk in the woods. The walnut collection program was somewhat miserable, and after targeting a number of places we had collected them in previous years, the collection barely covered the bottom of the basket. Corinne described the experience in French as follows: "nous avous fait choux blanc". The vast majority of the walnuts are still contained within their fleshy skin. The occasional rain and drop in temperatures will cause this skin to break down over the next week or so, and la récolte des noix can begin in earnest.  For the moment we consoled ourselves with a trip to the woods.

Some locations were better guarded than others

The forest is at 850 meters above sea level and largely made up of sapins, or coniferous, with only a few deciduous trees to be found. Over the previous few days there had been light showers, and the forest air and floor was mild and damp. Walking among the neat rows of tall sapins we could see many different varieties of mushrooms; all of different shapes, colours and sizes. In some parts of the forest small mushrooms could be seen growing just about everywhere, in others brigthly coloured mushrooms stood out in an unnatural and eerie way on the forest floor

Amanita Muscaria is extremely toxic and often found growing in similar conditions to boletus edulis

At different levels in the forest, along the slopes, different conditions appear to pervade, and therefore certain types of mushrooms or fungi can be found depending on light, ground conditions, terrain and moisture. The verdant mossy floor of the forest produce some remarkable mushrooms, and the first clearly identifiable mushroom we happened upon was the wood hedgehog, hedgehog fungus or pied de mouton, known officially as Hydnum repandum. The growing pattern was typical of this type of mushroom, growing in small patches not distant from each other. They were quite young and consequently in very good condition. One notable characteristic of the wood hedgehog is that they are resistant to various larvae, and other infestations which plague other edible mushrooms.

The wood hedgehog or pied de mouton among the moss and pine needles on the forest floor

The wood hedgehog is reasonably rare in Ireland and England, but appears to be less rare in France due to its proliferation in markets. The season for this mushroom is from late september to late autumn, or until the first frosts. The cap is quite distinctive because of its irregular shape; it is not flat but as a somewhat undulating, folded appearance to its surface. It is normally found measuring 5 to 15 cms. However, it may be found incorporating one or more caps of its neighbouring mushrooms, because it can often be found growing in compact groups. The colouring of the cap varies over the entirety of the surface, with a mixed colouring of white and downy hue, to a yellow ochre. Underneath the cap can be found white or cream coloured spines where the white coloured spores are released from.

Along the perimeter of the forest we found a number of the much sought after boletus edulis. It is more popularly known as, depending on where you may find them, penny bun cep, cep du Bordeaux, bouchon de champagne, and porcini. This is probably one of the most identifiable mushrooms, however you have to be quite alert to spot them when young, because their bulbous foot is often buried in a thick layer of moss leaving only the small brown cap visible. These mushrooms can grow to be quite sizeable with the cap measuring up to 30 cms in diameter, and weighing in excess of a kilo. Unfortunately, the boletus family of mushrooms can be full of parasites, and are often found in a partially eaten state. Slugs devour them!

A young penny bun cep or boletus edulis growing in moss

We cooked our perfect little ceps à la creme upon our return home. This is a simple recipe, and one which I believe captures their rich characteristics of their flavour very well. We brushed clean our four penny bun ceps and sliced them thinly. Selecting two shallots, they were also sliced thinly, and fried in butter. Once the shallots had softened, the sliced ceps were added to the pan. The pan was covered for a few minutes to allow the ceps and shallots to soften and cook, and thereafter the pan was taken off the heat to add approximately 20 cl of full cream. Once replaced on the heat the contents of the pan were allowed to simmer for a further 5 to 10 minutes to reduce, and salt and a little freshly ground pepper were added to season.

Our wood hedgehog or pied de mouton ready to be cleaned on a board

For the wood hedgehog, we decided to preserve them in vinegar. The mushrooms must be fresh, of good quality, and preferably young, to make this process worthwhile. Any damage or undesirable parts should be pared away, and the pine needles and soil brushed away.  Many of our mushrooms were small enough not to be sliced, but of the larger ones were cut in half. The cooking process will cause the mushrooms to shrink to nearly half their original size, so if in doubt do not cut them.

To begin the preserving process, bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Place the cleaned mushrooms in the boiling salted water and leave to cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, bring some white wine vinegar to the boil. The vinegar should be diluted with water by one third to reduce its intensity, and there should be enough liquid boiled to cover the mushrooms in the preserving jars. The preserving jars and lids should be clean and sterile. The preserved mushrooms benefit from adding herbs and garlic. You can add a combination of yellow mustard seed, pepper corns, bay leaves, and basil if you choose. Due to a combination of lack of resources and a lack of time, we opted for the simple combination of a slice or two of a garlic clove and a bay leaf. Once the mushrooms have been boiled for five minutes, they should be strained and placed in their jars, and thereafter the boiling vinegar mixture can be poured over them, and the lids put in place. This process should preserve the mushrooms for six months.

The mushrooms preserved in their jars

It is imperative to always positively identify a wild mushroom before you eat it. If there is any doubt about the identification of a mushroom it should not be picked or placed in your basket, because the toxins may contaminate other mushrooms you may have picked. Get a good book or find a good guide.

A short trip to Lyon - Gallia Lugdunensis 1

A view across the Rhone towards Notre Dame de Fourviere

It was 20 years since I had been to Lyon and back then I did not stop for too long before moving on to my ultimate destination to the southeast of Lyon. For this trip, at the end of January, I decided to read up on Lyon to identify a few sights I would like to visit and add to my basic knowledge of the city, and its culture. I decided to refer to Elizabeth David's book on Provincial French Cooking, but I was surprised at her comments. She was of the opinion that one must be a Lyonnais to properly appreciate the local cooking and then proceeded to moan in an unappreciative manner about the anti climax that she experienced from the fountainhead of French cuisine. I suppose I should not be surprised to read this from somebody who ignored the Jura and Franche Comte in the same publication, but it still a good book despite these shortcomings. To assist me on my journey, I decided to travel with three books The cuisine of the Rose by Mireille Johnston, The White Cities by Joseph Roth, and Roman Gaul and Germany by Anthony King.

 

Lyon is not a monumental and decadent city in the mould of Paris. This ancient city has grown up and expanded at the confluence of two of France's most important waterways; the Rhone and the Saone. The Roman colony of Lugdunum was founded in 43 B.C by Lucius Munatius Plancus, a leading officer serving under Julius Caesar during his campaigns and battles to subdue the Gallic tribes. The site chosen by this officer, who is also reputed to have founded Augusta Raurica in 44 B.C. not far from Basel, was previously a Gallic hill fort occupied by the Segusiani, and today this vantage point towers over Lyon and is known as the Fourviere hill. Its significant position on the Rhone and Saone lended this site to being used as an administrative centre with easy and speedy access north and south on the navigable river systems which passed through the city. Over the next three hundred years this settlement would be favoured by a number of Emperors and Lugdunum flourished as a result. Features of this development still visible today are the numerous aqueducts, theatre, odeon and the amphitheatre.

A view looking south across the Roman theatre, Fourviere, Lyon

The steep featured flanks of the Fourviere descend to the Rhone and a number of bridges and passerelles make communication with Presqu'ile quite easy. As the name suggests, Presqu'ile is not quite an island but a strip of land that has been cut and narrows to a point where it finally reaches the confluence of the Rhone and Saone.

Roman Gaul is proving to be a tourist attraction for the modern town of Lyon and the Roman theatre on the Fourviere hill is the most visible representation of this period of the city's history. When the Roman builders arrived on site in or about 15 B.C. to build the first theatre structure in Gaul, they must have welcomed the prospect of building a theatre structure on this site because the steep hillsides in the vicinity could be easily employed in the construction of a theatre. While the slopes would minimise the need for a freestanding outer wall and a complicated series of vaults, arches and supports there are visible remains of radial substructures supporting the cavea. The theatre measures 108 meters in diameter which makes it a little larger than those built at Arles (Arelate) and Orange (Arausio). The remains of three cavea are visible, the media cavea and summa cavea are only to be identified by the series of vaults and hemispherical wall structures that would have supported them, and the remains of the ruined vomitoria quite immense. The date of the initial construction of this theatre places it firmly within the reign of the Emperor Augustus and there is evidence to suggest it was restored and extended during the reign of Hadrian, and it is suggested the scaena frons was added during this period.

A view looking west towards the cavea of the Roman theatre, Fourviere, Lyon

Although it faces east and overlooks most of the city of Lyon today, the scaena frons structure situated in front of the seating would originally have been approximately 30 meters high, and thus the great panoramic view to be seen today over Lyon would have been not a particular feature of this theatre. The structure would have been ornately decorated and some elegantly carved column bases are to be found on site today.  The hillside has a number of other interesting structures, and just to the south can be found the Roman odeon which is thought to have been constructed during the 2nd Century A.D. This is 73 meters in diameter and also backs onto the hillside for support and its cavea are surrounded by an immense boundary or outer wall, which is quite distinctive and sets it apart from its neighbour the theatre. The orchestra measures 21 meters in diameter and is decorated in opus sectile with porphyry and other exotic stones and marbles from the distant far flung corners of the Roman Empire.

A column base from the Roman theatre site

To the north of the theatre and also nestled into the hillside is the musee de la civilisation gallo-romaine the exhibition spaces of which are sunk into the hillside. It houses an important collection of sarcophagi, inscriptions, decorative mosaics and other materials found in excavations from the area. The mosaic of the circus race is quite well preserved and evidence of the fact that one of the four circus tracks to be found in the Gallic provinces was located not too far from the Fourviere hill, and in close proximity to the Gier Aqueduct. The aqueduct may have been the source of the water used in the fountains along the spina depicted in the mosaic.

Detail of the Circus Mosaic, Musee de la Civilisation Gallo-Romaine, Lyon

The remains of the amphitheatre are to be found to the north west of Place des Terreaux. Leaving this grand square, travelling north, and proceeding towards the district of La Croix Rousse, it was not long before I was walking up a steep hill into which the amphitheatre was built in circa 19 A.D. This is another example of the Roman engineers and builders exploitation of the terrain to construct and support their structures.

 The remains of the amphitheatre, La Croix Rousse, Lyon

The amphitheatre was excavated and investigated in circa 1818, and the quartier was developed thereafter. The remains, which are now incorporated into a garden, are presently covered by roads, modern buildings and indeed cut in half by a tunnel built to alleviate the flow of traffic leading up to La Croix Rousse. The size of the amphitheatre is debatable but is clear that it was improved and extended through the centuries and must have been an impressive sight. Some commentators are of the opinion the structure was smaller than those at Arles and Nimes. However my impression is that, in its most developed state the amphitheatre in Lugdunum would have been as significant as the amphitheatres built at Arles and Nimes. The principal difference in Lugdunum, is that the amphitheatre was both reliant upon and contained by terrain it was built into.

An important inscription was found in 1957 yielded evidence for not only the build date but the people who financed its construction; the inscription pays testament and records the fact that a Gallo-Roman family from Saintes (Santons), most likely seeking to underline its loyalty to Rome and the Emperor, constructed the amphitheatre at their own expense. It must be noted that there is also a magnificent amphitheatre to be found not far form the centre of Saintes.
 

 An aerial view of the amphitheatre using Google Earth

Having left Corinne at the ugly Gare SNCF Perrache, (she was going home for the day), I struck out for La Croix Rousse on foot. After viewing the amphitheatre, I descended through the town peering in through the windows of various boulangeries as I went. This city has a number of sweets and delicacies which were invented here, and can only be found elsewhere in specialist shops. The lush red pralines, crystalline crusty coated almonds, appear in most windows in one guise or another; dotted in various types of sweetened bread or tart pralinee or sables pralinees. The choclatier Voisin has a number of stores around the city, and they are responsible for the famous coussin de Lyon; a sugared elegant green marzipan filled with rich chocolate grenache in the shape of a cushion.

I crossed the city towards Fourviere and climbed the steep hill, absolutely breathless and weak by the time I found the theatre in bright winter sunshine. The day was bitterly cold and nobody was there. After spending half an hour wandering around looking for the remains of the aqueducts, and various mausoleums, I was quite conscious of the fact that the bells had stopped chiming in the nearby churches, and lunch would be now available. Wandering back through the streets of St Just towards Vieux Lyon, I eventually arrived at the point where I had commenced my ascent of the Fourviere hill at the top of Rue du Boeuf.

The path of least resistance led me down the narrow cobbled street to a restaurant on Rue du Boeuf called Les Adrets. Being both hungry and thirsty, I entered a long narrow dining room paved with tiles with strained and heavily deflected ,wooden beams overhead. It was full but a space at a table was found and I ordered terrine de gibier to be followed by tete de veau along with a refreshing pot of cote du rhone. Despite being obviously foreign, my choises engendered me to those sitting beside me, and they inquired about my little adventure and what I places I had visited and offered advice on what I should see next.

In the restaurants of Lyon you frequently end up wondering if there is anything that you would like to eat on the menu. You need to be adventurous. The menus can be viewed with some intrepidation if you are anxious about ordering various types of tripe, offal or combinations of both. My tete de veau probably shortened my life by two weeks, but it was unctuous and bitter and satisfying; the mellow sweet flavour of the gelatinous fat was cut by a parsley vinaigrette dressing. This dish would be relished and devoured, without a second thought, by a boatman who had been working his vessel up the Rhone, from perhaps Valence, for the previous 20 hours, against a strong current and a bitterly cold mistral wind. Arriving at the quays in Lyon, with his hands paralysed by the cold wind, this dish would have revived such a man. My meal was finished with a fantastically rich quenelle of chocolate mousse and a coffee, and the knowledge that I would be sentenced to at least three months hard labour for eating everything that put in front of me on this trip.

Opus reticulatum and opus mixtum still visible on a support of the Gier Aqueduct, Lyon

As Lugdunum thrived in the 1st Century A.D. the requirement to augment the water supply became a necessity and it was decided that four aqueducts would be built to attend to this need. The longest of the aquaeducts is 86 kilometres in lenght using the river Gier as its source. Evidence from inscriptions and archaeology has not been of great assistance in the dating of this aqueduct. Some archaeology suggests it could have been constructed during the reign of Augustus but it is more likely that it was operational under the reign of Claudius. Inscriptions found at Chagnon and St Joseph date to the reign of Hadrian and introduce a ban on ploughing and sewing in the vicinity of the aqueduct.

I have already refered tothe lenghty pondering I experienced reading a number of Lyonnais restaurant menus, and my chosen reading prior to the trip had not fully prepared me for this very distinctive cuisine. The books probably were too heavily influenced by Dijon and the Bourgogne and neglected the indigenous fare of the Lyonnais. Over the five days of thisparticular visit I have discovered the Bouchon, which is a type of Lyonnais restaurant serving earthy, homely food, but typically Lyonnais using just about every edible part of a pig, cow, chicken or available fish; lentils, onions and macaroni are a feature of the Lyonnais cuisine.

The first Bouchon we dined in was La Meuniere. It was one the most enjoyable meals I have ever had. Most of the prepared food was laid out on a bench in the middle of the very dated and somehow complimentary dining room. It appeared not to have been decorated since the 50s or 60s and was somewhat spartan in appearance, however posters celebrating Beaujolais wine served as a strong suggestion as to what you should be ordering with your meal. The staff engaged with you in a very familiar way, and some diners received a reproach for failing to clear their plates. While I had a terrine to start, I decided to have poulet fermier a la vinaigre for my main course. I did not expect this dish to be as agreeable as it was. It was very good. Thereafter, I received slap on the hand when I thought the canut, a soft cream cheese with herbs and garlic, was my cheese course of preference. Instead I was directed to two large wooden boards full of locally produced cheeses.

The next Bouchon, was the similarly celebrated Le Garet. The menu of the day was noteworthy because it sums up for me what Lyonnais cuisine is all about; Salade de dent lion aux oreilles de cochon (a salad of dandilions with pigs ears); Omlette a la truffe Francaise; Ris de veau a la creme et champignons. I began my meal with an offering of five bowls from the kitchen containing, Lentil salad, mousseau (pickled face of cow thinly sliced), pied de veau, saucisson de veau et cochon, and tripe; collectively known as salad de cochonailles. A pot of Crozes Hermitage worked very well with this selection and the following plate of le tablier du sapeur, which was a section of marinated and fried tripe. The dessert was a homemade blackcurrant ice cream, barely sweetened, which was served with a bottle of vieux marc to use as you pleased, and I did!

 Some of the creations of the Patissier and choclatier Richard Seve

Food forms a very important part of Lyonnais living and they are proud of their traditional servings and just as proud of their influences on the new modern cuisine developing in France today. It is not based upon fusion or any passing weakness for a modish taste but merely a celebration and presentation of French food and its industry at its very best. The master boulangers, patissiers and affineurs that base themselves in Les Halles Paul Bocuse are representative of this ideal. They are some the best boulangers and patissiers in France and strive to produce the best quality food to a very high standard. You rarely witness crowds of people surrounding a butcher stall focusing on a butcher dressing a rack of lamb but this occurs most days at les Halles Paul Bocuse.

Street markets are also a feature of Lyon life, as they are of most French villages, towns and cities. Local producers sell their fresh vegetables and fruit and anything else they think the pubic will purchase. I spotted one vendor selling walnuts, walnut spreads, and huile de noix; the oil produced from the pressing of the walnuts. They also sold the tourteaux de noix, which is the dried remains of the pressed walnuts. It can be used much in much the same way as chestnut flour to flavour flour in making biscuits or in general baking.

My personal preference leans towards the everyday and traditional food of the bouchon which preserves the old dishes in an unglamorous and less ostentatious way. This food is generally consumed with the three princes of Lyon; Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone, or Crozes Hermitage and after a few days my fear and intrepidation has turned, with a little understanding, into a sense of surprise at every menu. This understanding will no doubt encourage me to return and continue my exploration of the Gallo Roman ruins.

Fruit and nuts and other treats!

Pumpkins arranged along a wall in Chateau-Chalon

On the 18th September I went back to the Jura and Doubs regions of eastern France with Corinne. Our visit coincided with a a brief window in time where so much fruit, and indeed nuts, were in season; peaches, raspberries, blackberries and apples were all in abundance.

The apple trees were heavily laden with local varieties such as les Belles Filles de Salins and Rennete. The many bright red fruit coloured and enlivened the otherwise green pastures and trees that board many of the routes in the region. With many of the fruit ripening rapidly, and beginning to fall, we set about assisting with the collection of the apples in an orchard near La Chapelle sur Furieuse. The Furieuse is a small gentle country stream, but its name suggests a propensity and character that might be dramically different at certain times of year.

Les belles filles de Salins

The walnuts and hazelnuts were in season but in Besancon, the walnut trees had not shed their crop and many trees still exhibited their fleshy unbroken fruit. Further south, at a higher altitude, the situation was slightly different, and the walnuts had begun to fall, and the race had begun to collect as many as possible before the squirrels and other animals ran away with the lot.

Unless planted for commercial purposes, the walnut trees merely dot the landscape randomly. On a warm still afternoon, wandering about collecting the walnuts beneath a tree, you cannot but be overcome with the scent from the tree above. The air that collects and contained by the tree wafts through its branches and leaves is heavy with a rich creamy nutty odour, and can become an oasis of narcotic tranquility.

The fleshy outer coating of a walnut breaking to reveal the nut within

Fresh walnuts released

Fresh reports from our base in Besancon disclosed the squirrels had made off with most of the nuts from the trees in the garden, so we felt we should make an extra effort to offset this loss. Rather stoically, Rene stated that all that was left to do was to find the squirrels grand winter cache. He went on to say that, strangely enough, the clever little (thieving) squirrels only select the best nuts to store away, and these would always be placed in a location where they would dry very well.

Freshly fallen walnuts we collected at Buvilly

Having stayed the night in Arbois, we set out with a view to collecting a few kilos of walnuts at nearby villages such as Pupillin, Buvilly and also close to Chateau-Chalon, a little further south. It quickly became a road trip quest, and we became adept at sighting walnut trees along the side of the road, quickly establishing whether the walnuts were worth collecting, or not. Some walnuts produced are simply too small and not worth the effort, others can be empty and barren. Furthermore, depending on the variety or the tree itself, the walnuts may not dry well and the nut inside may simply shrivel away, simply disappearing during the drying process.

Views of Chateau-Chalon

Travelling through Pupillin, home of the poulsard grape crop, and where the vendage had just commenced, we came across a noisterie, or hazelnut grove, where over a few acres three varieties of hazelnut were planted some 17 years ago. Obviously the collection of the nuts there is a keen contest between the local squirrels and the owners, and clearly one can not underestimate the appetite of these little guys or their ability to collect a vast quantity of good quality nuts.

After meeting and chatting with the amicable owner the groves [Benoit Freres, Noisettes du Jura, 39600 Pupillin] we purchased a few kilos of hazelnuts, and she also gave us a bag of dried hazelnuts from last years crop to sample. The now mature groves produce hazelnuts of a very good size and with good flavour. Among many interesting facts, we discovered that last year's crop yielded ten tonnes of nuts.

A noisterie just outside Pupillin

The groves are well worth a visit at this time of year and to taste fresh hazelnuts was great to experience. To say that it is like a cross between eating a fresh young carrot drawn from the ground and the flesh of a coconut is a little simplistic, but not entirely misleading. While the former comment might betray some of the texture qualities the flesh of the nut is moist and tastes almost sweet. What surprised me was the size of the shells and they nuts produced. In particular the shells had a very fine sheen that appeared to be like dew, and after a closer inspection revealed a fine velvety hair like coating.

Freshly collected hazelnuts

Our little adventure, also took us up to Chateau-Chalon and along the valley of the river Dard to Baume-Les-Messieurs; both medieval villages with connections to the Benedictine monks. We had worked our way well off the beaten track and left little time to get a bottle of wine to have with our dinner that evening. We were not optimistic as we returned to Arbois, we again passed below the steep escarpments where Chateau-Chalon was situated and spotted a sign marked "Ouvert" for a local wine producer.

Baume-Les-Messieurs

After knocking at the door, and waiting for a minutes, a man obviously tired from work or entertaining (or both), appeared at the door and immediately ushered us into a tasting room. We doused his expectations apologetically, by saying that we only needed a bottle of wine for dinner. The notion did not limit his easy and courteous manner and he proceeded to offer us a glass of his Cotes du Jura Chardonnay [2006] to taste. This was a very nice wine; clean, very light and refreshing which are peculiar traits to have in a Cotes du Jura Chardonnay but I found it very satisfying. Quickly moving through the taste bud gears we were offered the Savagnin [2004], and this was full of flavour and a very good example of the Savagnin wines that I had tasted to date. To close the degustation, and going up a further notch on the flavour scale, we sampled his Macvin. This was also excellent. Our initial plan was to purchase a bottle, or possibly two, but everything we tasted was so good. Consequently, we bought two bottles of Savagnin and one bottle of Macvin and bid our farewells.

Chateau-Chalon and the many vines laid out below from Nevy

Turn a corner, or knock on a door in the Jura countryside and you discover all sorts of new experiences. The unassuming innocuous sign by the side of the road concealed the talents of a great independent wine producer in the region, namely the Domaine De Lahaye at Nevy sur Seille. If you happen to get lost and find this place I heartily recommend a visit.

Besancon - Cherry Harvest

One of my tasks was to assist in the picking of the cherries. These are not the sweet variety that you generally see in the markets or shops. The variety growing on the trees were smaller and less fleshy but scarlet red in colour and they shone like rubies in the sunlight. Their taste is quite tart but very satisfying after a meal or just to pick up and eat during the day.

I was told that the harvest was not as plentiful as last year, where the branches were positively laden with fruit. With one hand you could hook the branches bringing them within reach and then pick the fruit with their narrow stems with the other. Looped over my arm or hooked onto a convenient branch was my woven straw basket for the fruit with a paper bottom to protect them.

A photograph of my basket hanging from a branch before I dropped it!

Once all that could be achieved reasonably at ground level had been completed, we climbed into the trees on ladders and commenced picking the cherries that were within reach and then resorted to the hook once more bringing the red gems closer for collection, hooking the basket onto a branch again for convenience. Casual conversation with Rene related a few stories about bow brittle the branches of a cherry tree could be. He urged, or advised me, not to climb too high into the trees or bear my weight on the smaller branches. He explained that at this particular time of year [July] the accident and emergency departments of local hospitals were full of people who had fallen from cherry trees. Heeding his warning and looking at the steep hillside where the trees were growing, I knew that if I fell, hitting the ground would only be the beginning of a lengthy tragedy, as I would no doubt accelerate down the hillside towards the dry stone wall, road and numerous wild boar that could be waiting for my demise. Obviously though, his concerns were that I might have been a little over the desired weight to be climbing in his trees, and if I became too adventurous I would break a branch of one of his valued cherry trees.

One of the normally aspirated environmentally friendly landmowers used to keep the grass in the orchard in check

Once our baskets had a fairly reasonable collection we retired to a large wooden table and began sorting the cherries , stopping only to taste for quality control and nourishment. Only the most perfect cherries were selected, stalks slightly trimmed and put to one side in a bowl for cleaning. In a large basin of water the cherries were carefully moved around by hand and what pieces of bark or insect that did exist were washed to the surface of the clear water and from there were skimmed off. Carefully dried, the cherries were placed in 1.5 litre jars, and over them was poured a divinely clear eau de vie distilled from plums. Just enough space left for about 450 grams of white sugar to sweeten the mixture and assist in the maceration of the cherries or griottes. The jars were rolled and turned over the next few hours to assist in the dissolving of the sugar. The process is complete and the griottes are at their best after 6 months, after this the quality of the cherries starts to decline.

Fresh green walnuts

At this time of year the walnuts and hazelnuts are still quite green but a walnut wine can be made from the young walnuts using a Cote de Rhone as a base, and this is very refreshing on a warm day or for an aperitif. When the walnuts are harvested in the Autumn they are dried to preserve them, and thereafter bagged up to be shelled later in the year. Once the cherries were finished we spent the rest of the morning shelling dried walnuts, a very pleasant task especially when you knew that they would soon be eaten in a salad or cakes over the coming days.

A basket of dried walnuts with special shelling tool