Baking in January - Madeleines

Continuing the great comfort eating marathon that is January, and possibly February, I have replaced the need for biscuits by indulging in the odd madeleine with an afternoon cup of tea or coffee. Unlike making pastry, where one can afford to be slap dash and be rewarded for it, a little care is needed to produce the petites madeleines, but with a little practice the confidence grows to such an extent that the blending and folding of the ingredients achieves an artform akin to a sacred ritual.

Madeleines are traditionally flavoured with vanilla, however I am rather partial to the subtle lemon and almond variety. To make approximately 24 lemon and almond madeleines you will need the following:
3 medium eggs, a pinch of salt, 140gs of sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon extract, zest of 1 lemon, 90gs flour, 60gs ground almonds, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 125gs of clarified butter.

Melt 125gs of butter in a saucepan and allow it to bubble for a few minutes, whereupon it should be strained and allowed to cool. Whip the eggs with a pinch of salt until thick and two or three times their original volume. Still beating the eggs slowly add the sugar and then fold in the lemon extract and lemon zest. Once well combined fold in the ground almonds, flour and bakng powder. Next, slowly pour the butter into the mixture in stages, stopping to fold the mixture carefully each time. Do not become too impatient at this point, because you will find the butter has a habit of eddying down to the base of the bowl. It is important to continue carefully folding and stirring the mixture until the butter is fully absorbed.

Prepare the scalloped madeleine moulds by buttering and dusting them with a little flour. Then spoon the mixture into the moulds. As the mixture will rise when cooked, the moulds should only be filled by two thirds. Put the madeleines into a preheated oven at 200C for approximately 15 minutes or until well risen and browned. Once taken from the oven allow them to cool for 10 minutes before releasing them from the moulds. Thereafter they can be placed on a wire rack to fully cool. If you wish they can be sprinkled with a little icing sugar before serving.


Madeleines entered the pantheon of French traditions and achieved a particular iconic fame when referred to in the poem entitled "A la recherche du temps perdu" (In search of times past) by Marcel Proust. Proust's poem examines a moment of truth as he consumed his madeleines. Likewise, if an opportunity arises and you finally get some time to sit down and sip some tea with a madeleine, you too might escape to a place where you find a little musing revererie. Gerard Manley Hopkins may have no connection with madeleines but the opening verse of his peom "As Kingfishers Catch Fire" might inspire you during your next quiet spell.

As king fishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame;

As tumbled over rim in roundy wells

Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell's

Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;

Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:

Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;

Selves goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,

Crying What I do is me: for that I came.

Roman mosaic found in Cotswolds

Photo: Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard

The Wiltshire and Gloucestersire Standard reported on Tuesday, 20th January, that a Roman Mosaic had been found in the Cotswolds near Kemble by a pair of metal detector enthusiasts. They made their discovery on Sunday after returning from a day’s unsuccessful metal-detecting but noticed the field, which they had covered previously, had been freshly-ploughed.
After noticing several tesserae, which are small tiles used to make a mosaic, the pair got permission from the landowner to dig a one square foot hole, and uncovered the edge of the mosaic. The article went on to state that the mosaic which has been uncovered is believed to be the biggest Roman mosaic discovered to date in north west Europe, and there is a suggestion that the mosaic could be 40 foot in diameter.

The mosaic is described as depicting an Orpheus scene. The fragment of mosaic pavement published in the Wiltshire and Gloucestershire Standard reveals an animal's foot and thorax as it walks around an arc or circle. Orpheus was represented in a number of ways on mosaic pavements during the Romano-British period, but is typically portrayed seated with a lyre on his left knee, and wearing a Phrygian cap. Uniquely in the Roman world the Romano-British mosaic workers portrayed Orpheus at the center of their mosaics surrounded by concentric circles depicting animals and birds. It will come as no surprise that this mosaic follows in that tradition but it remains to be seen how big and elaborate the mosaic is. The part uncovered is reported as being undamaged, however the fact tesserae were found alerting the two men to the possible existence of the mosaic suggests the mosaic will not be in perfect condition. Furthermore, the story clear illustrates the mosaic is not buried deep enough to prevent damage from ploughing.

The most noted and elaborate of these Romano-British Orpheus mosaics was first referred to in 1695 in Gibson's "Camden". It was not until 1797 when Samuel Lysons published his work on the this particular mosaic pavement entitled "An Account of the Roman Antiquities discovered at Woodchester". Woodchester is situated off the Roman road that connected Gloucester (Glevum) to Cirencester (Corinium), where the mosaics were found in a graveyard. It is interesting to note the Woodchester mosaic is approximately 9 kilometers from Kemble (as the crow flies).

The Gloucester countryside and the Cirencester hinterland have yielded a number of significant finds such as the Roman villas at Chedworth, Barton Farm, Withington, Frocester Court, Great Witcombe, not to mention the individual finds in Cirencester (Corinium) and Gloucester (Glevum). It is clearly evident the region supported a prolific demand for mosaics and mosaic workers. Scholars researching and studying the Romano-British mosaics are in general agreement that there were up to three workshops, or officinae, working in this region during the 4th century. They are as follows; the Corinian Orpheus officina operating circa 300 A.D. - 320 A.D., the Corinian saltire officina operating circa 320 A.D. - 350 A.D., and finally the Durnovarian officina operating 340 A.D. - 370 A.D.

I am always captivated by these stories relating the discovery of mosaics and other archaeological remains. They invariably give a little extra insight into the romanisation of the tribes, lands and provinces of north western Europe. On a more personal note, my university thesis examined Romano-British mosaics and the existence of evidence to suggest economic and cultural links to other provinces in the Roman world. The adoption of Roman culture by the Gallic, Germanic, and British kingdoms and tribes was to some extent universal with theatres, amphitheaters, fora and richly decorated houses and villas appeared in most of the new settlements developed under Roman control.

I would subscribe to the view that the ebb and flow of the Roman army's superiority and control of the Rhine frontier caused economic uncertainty in the Gallic and German provinces towards the end of the third century, and consequently some mosaic workers may have have fled to Roman Britain, which they saw as a safe and strong economic haven. Many mosaic pavements can be dated with some certainty to the second and third centuries in Roman Britain, however the the size, quality, and subject matter of many of the pavements that date to the late third and fourth centuries reach a new level, enriched by the availability of newly arrived mosaic craftsmen and workshops with the latest designs.

To illustrate the speed with which traditions and fashions spread throughout the Roman Empire, it is interesting to note that following the official toleration of Christianity in the Roman Empire in 312 A.D. archaeological evidence suggests the Christian faith was flourishing in Roman Britain within a very short period of time. Mosaics discovered at Hinton St Mary and Frampton in Dorset are decorated with Christian symbols and iconography. Only 16 miles apart, these mosaics not only depict the Chi Rho symbol, but images of Christ, alongside a repertoire of traditional mythological pagan images.

A number of questions arise. Were the Christians in Roman Britain mono-theistic? Can these mosaic pavements truly represent a flourishing of Christianity? The romanisation of Roman Britain was in many respects a thin veneer of Roman culture applied or imposed on the Celtic tribes and the practice of indigenous pagan gods does not appear to have been fully suppressed by the Romans. Druidism was an notable exception. It could be said that the subject matter of these mosaics are more likely to be a barometer of a desire for religious subjects than the practice of an official religion. The historian and biographer Aelius Lampridius records in his life of the Emperor Alexander Severus, who reigned between 222 A.D. and 235 A.D., the fact images of Christ, Orpheus, Abraham and Apollonius of Tyana were to be found in his lararium [XXIX].

Worship in the Christian faith throughout the empire may have changed in the hundred years that separate the reign of Alexander Severus and the production of the mosaics at Hinton St Mary and Frampton, however one cannot escape the enduring contradiction that over this period the pagan repertoire of Greco-Roman mythology, including the depictions of Orpheus, remained current in many mosaics connected with the Christian faith. Moreover, and using the example of the lararium of Emperor Alexander Severus, one can easily support a theory that the typical wealthy Roman-British villa owner would commission an overall moral theme for the rooms to be decorated with mosaics, which could be represented by depictions of Christ, Orpheus and the Belerophon and Chimera scenes.

One might think that the discovery of Romano-British mosaics was a frequent event across southern England. It is true that the discovery of mosaic pavements is not infrequent but they are rarely as dramatic and potentially significant as the one discovered near Kemble. John Paddock, curator of Corinium Museum, stated: "The discovery of any mosaic in Britain is a significant one... It’s a new site which is very exciting and in an architectural career spanning many years I have never discovered a mosaic." Indeed, Romano-British archaeology is going through a period of exciting discoveries as I note in August 2008 the Telegraph newspaper reported another significant find on the Isle of Wight, following the commencement of further excavations at Brading Roman villa.

One can only hope the site where the mosaic was discovered can be properly excavated and the mosaics preserved. There have been incidents in the past, and in recent times, where the mosaic pavements have been clandestinely removed never to be seen again. An unfortunate incident occurred in 1948 when a mosaic was stolen from Brantingham Roman villa in Yorkshire. On another note, it would be rather nice to see an image of the entire mosaic some time soon, rather than being hidden away for a number of years in a museum storage facility. There is a tendency for these wonderful objects to be stored away from the public view and effectively disappear. An extreme example of this occurred in 1820 following the discovery of an Orpheus mosaic at 11 Dyre Street in Cirencester, Gloucestershire; a drawing of the mosaic was finaly published 66 years later in a "History of Cirencester" K. J. Beecham.

Baking in January - pear and apricot frangipane

Gateaux at Hirsinger, Arbois

December in France is a celebration of food and drink, and in particular there is a focus on the traditional patisseries and chocolatiers which produce decadent cakes and chocolates. Having stayed a few nights in Arbois, in the Jura region, I had the opportunity to see the displays of gateaux, marrons glacees and chocolates at Hirsinger, one of the finest chocolatiers and patisseries in France. Entering the shop you become intoxicated with the heady scent of rich chocolate which lures you towards their counters, and a purchase.

Returning home after Christmas through Paris with Corinne meant I could indulge myself with a brief excursion to gaze at the fashionable creations on display at Laduree and Fauchon. Time did not allow a visit to the Le Notre boutique patisserie, which was a shame because Mr. Le Notre, a legend and creator of the revolutionary "Opera" gateau, had just died at the grand old age of 88.

An iced cake with macaroons at Laduree, Paris

In the busy run up to Christmas in France, the media focus their attention on the patisseries of Laduree and Le Notre, flagships of their art, as they produced their own elegant and exclusive examples of the traditional buche de noel. The interviews gave a brief tantalising glimpse into the kitchens or cuisines of these establishments. The cameras panning around allowed us to see the chefs at Laduree attentively finishing the buches, encrusting the rich butter icing with a variety of macaroons using the skill and care of an instrument grade jeweller.

When I passed Laduree there was a reverent queue outside which was casually organised and watched over by a rather gruesome undignified looking security guard. Why? It appears that no recession on the planet can reduce the demand for the dainty colourful macaroons that are the trademark of Laduree. Fauchon was more sedate and modern displaying its culinary creations with a confident bravado in its wraparound windows.

Carre frambroise from Fauchon, Paris

Installed back in my humble small open plan kitchen dining & living area, I felt inspired by the modern alchemy I had witnessed in the gateaux cares (square cakes) and mignardises (a fancy french word for small cakes), but obviously less so by the English language which rarely does justice to these delicacies. I wanted to make a cake or tart, but gradually realised my limitations in setting out to use the ingredients that were easily available. In my local supermarket I was able to purchase pears from Portugal and apricots from South Africa. It almost felt as disappointing, wasteful and decadent as standing in line at Laduree, but it appears very little locally produced fruit is sold by Irish shops and supermarkets.

The night before baking, I poached 10 apricots in a white wine and vanilla syrup; 250mils of water, 50gs of sugar, glass of white wine and a vanilla pod.

Making pastry is far from difficult. However, some rules apply because if the pastry is poor the tart might be edible but will certainly be miserable. Pastry requires good baking flour and chilled butter, mixed and rubbed together in a 2:1 ratio. If you feel tempted to use something other than butter try to remember the words "edible" and "miserable" and you might be inclined to change your mind. Anthony Bourdain in his book "Kitchen Confidential" chose more caustic remarks to reinforce his viewpoint on this topic.

It is a distinct advantage in making a good shortcrust pastry to have a pair of cold hands. During Winter this is rarely a problem for me, but I ritually runs my hands under cold water during the warmer months. Having rubbed the flour and butter together to a breadcrumb consistency, add two or three tablespoons of cold water and mix until all the ingredients combine (if using 200gs of flour and 100gs of butter). If the mixture remains dry add more water, and if it becomes too moist add some more flour. Then place your pastry in the fridge for half an hour or more.

While the pastry is resting in the fridge you can make the frangipane. For my 8 inch square baking tin I use the following ingredients: Butter -125gs, Sugar - 125gs, Ground almonds - 125gs, Eggs - 3, Flour - 2 heaped tablespoons.

In a food processor blend the butter and sugar for a few minutes until well combined. Thereafter add the eggs one by one mixing all the time. At this point you can add some vanilla extract if you wish. Thereafter, add the ground almonds and flour and pulse two or three times, as the mixture should not be overworked with these ingredients. If the mixture appears too runny add a little more flour.

My pear and apricot frangipane tart before it went into the oven

Take the pastry from the fridge and roll it out on a floured surface until the pastry is about 4mm thick. Grease your tin with butter, dust with flour and lay in the pastry. Trim the pastry and neaten the edges. After straining the apricots and reserving the syrup, tear away the fleshy fruit of the apricots from the stones, and place on the pastry in the baking tin. With a spatula spread the frangipane mix evenly over the apricots. Having pealed, cored and cut in half three or four pears, place them neatly on the frangipane mixture. The pears can be fanned by carefully slicing the base of the fruit, which among other things gives a nice effect when glazed. Without further ado, place the tart in a preheated oven at 180C and cook for about 45 minutes. The frangipane is cooked when it has risen and is well browned. You can also dip a knife into the tart and if it comes out clean the tart is cooked.

Once taken from the oven, leave the tart to cool for 10 minutes. In the meantime, place two tablespoons of apricot jam into a small saucepan with two tablespoons of the reserved apricot syrup and bring to the boil. Thereafter, liberally brush the glaze onto the tart and leave to stand and cool. The vanilla enriched apricots provide a wonderful luxurious edge to the standard pear and almond tart and if you are prepared to use just about every piece of kitchen equipment you own I am sure you will not be disappointed with this tart.

The glazed apricot and pear frangipane tart

As a postscript I have to admit that I always make a little too much pastry. This can be put down to a deliberate attempt at gluttony, but it does allow me to experiment a little. I have uploaded a photograph of a few apple and apricot glazed tarts which I made with the pastry cuttings and left overs. The remnants of the apricot glaze also came in handy to decorate these little fruit tarts.

Velvet Shank - Flammulina Velutipes - A Winter surprise

Velvet shanks or flammulina velutipes

Over the last few days there have been very strong winds, and generally wet and cold conditions. These are the typical characteristics of an Irish Winter, which result in people locking themselves in to get comfortable with a log fire, or retreating to a public house with friends to discuss the latest financial crisis that might be griping the nation. I was in need of a little exercise, fresh air and an escape, and decided to brave the elements and revisit the birch forests to hunt around for signs of new life brought forth from the depths of Winter. Patches of snow and ice were still frozen on the grass and dark clouds laden with heavy showers did not deter me in my quest.

The forest was unusually quiet and patches of thick verdant moss extended along corridors where only the sun could reach. Elsewhere, there was a world of darkness, decay and the remnants of brown leafy matter. In a small opening the sun illuminated an old birch stump and upon it two velvet shank mushrooms, glistening as the precious rays caught their caps.

Not much grows during the Winter months, however the velvet shanks or flammulina velutipes are one of the few varieties of fungi to brave the ice and snow. The examples I found had caps which were approximately three to four centimeters in diameter, and had a dark brown stem which was about five centimeters long. The cap was almost flat and was a deep orange ochre colour fading to a pale yellow along the edges. I have added a picture of a mushroom which I cut and turned over to get a view of the gills, which are arranged in a wonderful complex pattern that only nature could create.

View of gill structure of the velvet shank or flammulina velutipes

My identification is not complete and is somewhat premature as I have not tested them for a spore print in order to obtain a positive identification; to that end the velvet shank or flammulina velutipes should leave a white spore print. Once satisfied with my identification I shall begin to collect and dry them for soups and experiment with them in the old reliable and warming stew.

Autun - Augustodunum Roman Theatre

View of the remains of the Roman theatre from the road

On the 23rd December we decided to venture outside the Franche-Comte region and made our way westwards towards Burgundy and the city of Autun. Crossing the Saone you are greeted by the flat Burgundian countryside, however once you pass the quaint city of Beaune the road meanders its way through Pommard and Volnay, and other familiar wine producing towns, the terrain slowly dominated by long sweeping hills covered in vines.

Before I set out for Autun I had some understanding of the towns significance, primarily becauce of the size of the theatre situated there, however I was not prepared for the extent and size of the this Gallo-Roman settlement. Nearby in Burgundy a number of sattelite towns were romanised such as Dijon, Nuits-St-Georges and Chalon-sur-Saone, but they do not appear to have had the same amount of sustained development during the Roman period.

View of the Roman gate from the river Arroux

Augustodunum was founded by the Emperor Augustus and replaced Bibracte, the capital town of the Aedui tribe. Bibracte was, by this time, a modernised but dated iron age hilltop fort settlement. which was situated about 15 miles to the west of Augustodunum. It had the unfortunate fate of being the site where Vercingetorix was nominated as commander of the Gallic forces in their war against the Roman army, which was under the command of Julius Caesar. This may have been a catylist for the founding of the new Roman grid based capital city with all the trimmings such as walls, gates, forum, thermae, theatre, amphitheatre and aquaducts for the Aedui at Augustodunum, and with it the imposition of an urban administrative and political center in the area. However, Bibracte may simply not have suited the Roman requirements to support their model of a "civilised" urban center and hence a new site was selected bording on and serviced by the Arroux river.

It is not simplistic to state that Augustodunum flourished because of an acceptance of Roman power by the Aedui. The Aedui had a long established alliance with Rome and this "bond of brotherhood" is referred to by Tacitus [Annals xi 25.2] and Julius Caesar [Bello Gallico i. 33.2]. The foundation of the Gallic cities in the early empire appears to have been an attempt to define the bounderies of the tribes and a number of these cities received Imperial patronage. Thus there is a distinct difference between the founding and subsequent development of the cities of Gallia Narbonnensis such as Nimes, Arles, Frejus, and Nice. This period of reorganisation in the north under Augustus resulted in the modest naming of cities such as Augustodurum [Bayeux], Augustobona [Troyes].

The development of Augustodunum may not have been swift and there is evidence that the city was developed throughout the 1st century and continued into the second century. In fact archeological evidence suggests that the theatre and amphitheatre may not have been completed until the reign of Vespasian. A possible terminus post quem dating for this building is based upon a bronze coin from the reign of Vespasian which was found in the theatre's structure. It is feasible to suggest that the city's development and exspansion may have been temporarily stalled during a Gallic revolt during the reign of Tibeius in 21 B.C. when an Aeduan named Iulius Sacrovir was stirring up dissent. One contributory factor for the revolt was the overwhelming Gallic dissatisfaction at the extortionate taxes levied by the Romans. Iulius Sacrovir's uprising was dealt with by the German legions and in his flight he was denied entry to Augustodunum. Shortly after Sacrovir chose his own fate. There are contradictory views asa top what extent the city was developed following the end of the 2nd century, and one treatise states that the dwellings and buildings in the city never filled the 6 kilometer walled defences due to the political and economic turmoil that existed in the 3rd century.

The Gallo Roman city of Augustodunum must have been well populated given its size, and the size of the theatre and amphitheatre complex. Scholars warn us that the existence of these large public buildings are not a reliable guide to city population but it seems wasteful to build such structures when they would not have been exploited to the full. From a brief walk around the city today and reading the available text upon the archeological surverys it is clear that there was more than one theatre and an ampitheatre in existance when the Augustodunum was in its hey day.

A fragment of mosaic pavement from the Musee Lapidaire, Autun

We did not get into the Musee Rolin where a number of good Roman mosaics that have been unearthed in Autun are kept. The collection includes fragments of a Neptune mosaic and a mosaic depicting a seated philospher. One theory suggests that the person depicted is Epicurios. During the Roman period Augustodunum became noted for its school of rhethoric and as a seat of learning. Thus the discovery of such a mosaic must not be too surprising. Given the obvious importance of this Roman city one can only imagine what discoveries lie in wait below the streets and buildings of Autun.

A corinthian capital from the Musee Lapidaire, Autun

Augustodunum is said to have embraced christianity earlier than most Roman cities, and certainly by the 3rd century there was a large christian community reported to be there. Some historians attribute this thriving of the Christian community at Augustodunum to Constantius Chlorus, the father of Constantine the Great, who was based in the West under the emperor Diocletion.

funerary stele of a young women embedded into the wall of a building

Many funerary stele are laid out in courtyard of the Musee Lapidaire at the Roman Church of St Nicholas, and some appear built into the walls of more modern structures in the town. The Musee Lapidaire was closed when we were there, however the gates were open to receive some new stones for their collection and we managed to wander in and take a few photographs. Within the small church there is a small collection of capitals and some sculpture, presumably from Autun itself as there was very little information relating to the artifacts. A number of mosaic fragments have also been preserved there.

A large gallo-roman necropolis, which was excavated in 2004, is situarted about 600 meters to the north east of the ramparts and some of the stele have made their way into this collection, which appears to be an overflow facility for the Musee Rolin. The necropolis had circa 48- tombs with 79 stele reported to have been excavated intact.

Funerary stele of a women holding a chalice and rod

The Roman theatre, like the one at Mandeure was built into a natural hillside, and consisted of three layers of seating or cavea. The diameter of the theatre is 148 meters making it one of the largest in the Roman world, with a potential capacity of 13,800 (there are higher and less conservativre estimates for the capacity of this structure in the tourist information). The theatre at Mandeure, which was built during the 2nd century faces West, and the theatre at Autun utilises a hilside facing east-north-east. From about 14:30, when I was there, it was almost fully shaded in its current state not receiving any light from the setting sun. The semi-circular orchestra area infront of the scenae is reported to have been reduced in size from 30 to 20 meters. To put this into perspective, the orchestra at Mandeure measures 14 metres.

A view looking south east across the media cava and remains of supports for summa cavea

It is clear from the remaining structures today that the media cavea and summa cavea ie. the second and third layers of seating were substantial and were supported on a series of 49 vaults so that the full height of the structure could be achieved. It appears that each of the cavea were divided by a series of 8 cunei giving access to the rows of seating. Beyond the summa cavea there was probably an arcaded and covered ambulatory or ambulorum. The end structures are largely in ruins but a series of six niches acted as supports or butresses can still be seen. There was a scene building but this no longer exists however, archeological excavations have recorded the existence of some structures below the soil surface which can be conected with a scene building.

A view looking south east towards the orchestra ima cavea and media cavea

Today trees planted around the perimeter of the theatre give some indication of the original shape and to some extent the size of the structure. The vomitoria to either side of the cavea are not as large as those in Mandeure probably because there was access available to the rear of the structure where none was possible in Mandeure.

A view looking north towards the remains of the media cavea and reconstructed ima cavea

Looking down from a tree onto the remains of the summa cavea, orchestra and scaena area

Augustodunum was probably the most western city of an economic group of Roman cities and tribal groupings, which appear to have thrived during the 1st and 2nd centuries; studies of carved and decorated stonework including capitals from Avenches (Aventicum), Besancon (Vesontio), Mandeure (Epamanduodorum), Nyon (Noiodunum), and a little later Augst (Augusta Raurica), share similarities which would suggest a possible common regional link. The reigns of Claudius, 41 - 57 A.D. and Vespasian, 70 - 79 A.D., brought stability and confidence to the region by elevating some Roman cities to the status of colonia, and granting latin rights including citizenship. The fact that these cities have monumental public buildings, some being the largest of their type in the empire, interests me. It is evident there was a concerted effort made to develop these provincial cities that were quite close to the Rhine and Danube borders. I hope future travels will bring me to visit the large Roman theatres and amphithatres at Augst, Avenches and Nyon and to understand a little more about the interaction between these cities during the Roman period.

Malahide Estuary - A Winter sunset

Gislebertus and the story of the three Magi

Detail from a carved capital from the Cathedral of St Lazare at Autun

The Cathedral of St Lazare at Autun sets itself apart from other early 12th Century Romanesque churches primarily because of the extraordinary sculpture and reliefs carved on the capitals and tympanum over the west door. This decorative work was carried out between 1125 and 1135. In a margin bar of the tympanum below the feet of the carved image of Christ enthroned at the last judgment a very public and unique Latin inscription has been carved: "GISLEBERTVS hOC FECiT" , which translated means Gislebertus made this.

This inscription, often interpreted in modern terms as a signature, is the basis for one of the most enduring mysteries in the history of art. Sculpture executed at the Abbey of Cluny and at the Cathedral at Vezelay has been linked stylistically to the carvings executed at Autun. If we are to believe it is a signature of sorts, the obvious assumption is that the reliefs at the Cathedral at Autun are the work of a highly celebrated artist and sculptor. Assumptions are at their weakest especially when there is little or no evidence to support them, and questions remain unanswered. Who was Gislebertus? A monk or an enlightened artist, or both. Was Gislebertus the sculptor responsible for these sculptures and in particular the carvings at Autun? Was Gislebertus a patron of the church or a nobleman who commissioned works such as this? Is the inscription contemporary with the production of the tympanum panel? Was the inscription executed by Gislebertus himself? Would a mere artisan sculptor have been allowed to carve an inscription in such a prominent and visible place?

In the last 150 years a number of scholarly works have attempted to tease out theories based upon a combination of assessments and examinations of the social history and orders of Burgundy during the 12th Century, nomenclature, and stylistic comparisons and interpretations. Unfortunately, time has eroded the flesh, blood and memory of Gislebertus, and the inscription remains the only relic of his existence. Ironically, down through the years the Cathedral of St Lazare at Autun is noted for a number of famous relics of celebrated saints which were at first undisputed and then disputed.

It is conceivable that the mystery of Gislebertus will never be solved, but the carvings remain as a group and individually, some of the most outstanding and imaginative interpretations of biblical scenes from the entire medieval era. As we approach the 6th January I set out below images of the carved capitals depicting the story of the Magi.

Angel appearing to the three Magi and the star above their heads

The Magi summoned before Herod

The adoration of the Magi

The flight into Egypt

Cerfeuil tubereux - a vegetable wonder!

In our last trip to France we had a number of little excursions, and true to form I sought out and explored the local and covered markets that exist in most French towns. The main difference between global and national supermarket chains and the local markets is that you stand some chance of discovering local foods, traditions preserved, and presented for sale by indigenous bakers, butchers and farmers.

Visiting Dole was an interesting experience and I was not sure what I would find there. Situated on the border of Franche Comte and the Burgoyne, I was expecting a strange mix of the regions - a crossroads perhaps. The butchers had a strong Burgundian influence selling stuffed snails, andouillettes, boudin noir, and poultry from Bresse, but they also sold the smoked ham and saucise de Morteau from Franche Comte.

Just when I thought I had brushed the dirt off most of the tubers and edible roots known to mankind, I was pleasantly surprised to find a few baskets of cerfeuil tubereux, sorted into batches of small, medium, and large sizes. The largest of the cerfeuil tubereux were about 4 inches long and perhaps 1.5 inches wide. Obviously the imperial system of measurement and weight should be applied to when referring to tubers.

Corrine engaged the lady at the stall in conversation, as she was keen to try a number of the Jerusalem artichokes and other tubers to taste to compare them. Having demonstrated genuine interest, the lady mentioned that she was one of the only producers of cerfeuil tubereux left in France, and that the cerfeuil tubereux were not grown outside the region around Dole. Her enterprise was not a large scale affair, however she was obviously proud of her humble stall and produce.

The cerfeuil tubereux is a very ordinary looking small root vegetable, and you would pass it by without a second glance or thought; it looks like a dirty little parsnip and is not readily presentable. Even carrots can be arranged in attractive bunches, but the cerfeuil tubereux are not big and are at their best just thrown together in a wicker basket. Corrine bought a bag, which managed to carry about 16 ounces of cerfeuil tubereux. In presenting the paper bag and wishing us all the very best, the lady suggested we might boil them for a few minutes and they should be fine.

Upon our return home I lazily scrubbed the cerfeuil tubereux and plunged them into a pot of boiling water, cooking them for about five minutes. I was not fussy about the time, and having drained them I decided to put them into the oven with a small libation of olive oil and a little salt. Don't ask me why I did this, but it just seemed like the right thing to do as I was cooking a few varieties of Jerusalem artichokes in a similar manner.

Once taken from the oven and plated we gazed at them for a moment before tucking in. Breaking through the skin you are faced with a flesh that is not dissimilar to that of a parsnip, but once you taste this little root you are overcome with a sweet nourishing flavour comparable to sweet chestnuts. They were devoured with great relish without any accompaniment. I was immediately struck by how these little gems could have failed to crawl their way onto the foodie radar. In the early grips of an addiction we acquired another little bag of them and had them served with roasted shoulder of wild boar, roasted garlic and haricots; a rich, robust and luxurious combination of flavours.

It is good to be surprised once in a while in this manner; finding something unusual in a market in its raw and dirty form, taking it home and cooking it. The moment of discovery and experience bears no comparison to picking an unknown dish from a menu in a restaurant. I honestly hope we can buy cerfeuil tubereux in Dublin some time in the future at a reasonable price, but given its lack of beauty and a name that reminds one of a non-fatal, but lingering, thyroid condition that may not be likely in the near future!