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French Food & Lavender

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Olives and Olive Oil… French and Italian Treasures

2006-11-03 4:54am



The climate of the Mediterranean is ideal for olive trees as the terrain is sunny and mostly dry. They have been propagating this section of the world for centuries. Two prime growing regions are Italy and France. Many recall the beautiful images of olive trees in Tuscany, Italy and Provence, France. Healthy olive trees olea europea upwards of 100 years can be found within both countries. They are easily identified by their height, as mature trees reach as high as 45 feet; the older trees are also noted for their artful looking trunks as the trunks become increasingly gnarled with age. Perhaps this is why artists such as Renoir incorporated the beauty of these trees into their landscapes.

Olive trees begin bearing fruit anywhere from 4-10 years in maturity and continue to do so plentifully until they reach around 75 years, then the amount of fruit produced falls off significantly. Harvesting within both Italy and France is similar. Olives are harvest just when they are beginning to turn purple. In Italy this period begins in November and continues into the spring depending upon the type of olive. In Provence the harvest begins in October, with the black olive harvest continuing into January. Within both countries olives are harvest either by hand, by an 'olive picker' or by knocking or shaking the olives from their branches into nets carefully laid upon the ground. Hand harvesting ensures the least amount of damage and bruising to the fruit. A good picker can manage up to eight pounds in a day, the equivalent of approximately 20,000 olives! The amount harvested varies by maturity of the olive tree but is generally in the range of 20-60 pounds which may then be turned into to 2-6 quarts of olive oil if they are to be pressed.

Olives are too bitter to be eaten straight from the branch. To best enjoy a raw olive, they are usually lightly crushed by hand or stones and then soaked in water rinses for a few days. The crushing helps to release the oil and the soaking washes away the bitter acidity. Next the olives are cured in brine or oil.

Olive oil has been a staple in Mediterranean diets since Roman days. It is easy to digest and known for coating the stomach, preventing gall stones, reducing the risk of heart and circulatory problems due to it high content of unsaturated fats, as well as reducing bad cholesterol and speeding the metabolism. It is also being reviewed for it potential cancer prevention benefits due to its high levels of antioxidants. These same antioxidants provide for olive oil's stability when heated upwards of 395 degrees. It does not break down or emit unhealthy elements as other oils are known to do. For this reason it is a popular choice for cooking.

Fine olive oil is produced nearly immediately upon harvesting. Just as with fine wine, it is important to press the fruit shortly after being picked. The first day at the mill is spent washing and sorting through the olives. Remaining days are spent on the actual pressing. While the process is now industrialized to produce the greatest quantities in short time frames, the pressing process is still done according to traditional manners with a granite millstone. These large circular millstones are a sight to behold, crushing the olives to a paste in a pan grinder. The paste is then spread out and pressed further, the yield of which is mostly oil and water. During ancient times the yield was allowed to separate based on natural density over time. Now in modern days, the yield is put through a centrifuge to avoid the oil being exposed to unnecessary amounts of air prior to bottling.

The first pressing is the best quality. Connoisseurs often seek out unfiltered first-press varieties, which may be cloudy or containing minute remnants of the fruit. The first press is classified as "Extra-Virgin". Due to its caliber and often higher price it is generally recommended for use in bread dipping, dressing and finishing dishes. The second and third presses product "Virgin" olive oil of "fine" and "medium fine", both of which are excellent for daily cooking preparations and marinades.

Raw Honey… delicious and Sweet

2006-10-13 7:46pm


Photo courtesy of National Honey Board

What is it about honey that captivates us so?

As the founder of Splendid Palate I have often been intrigued by the mysteries of bees and the delectable golden gift they produce. This is why gourmet honey has always been a staple on our shelves. I've chosen it as the topic to launch our new gourmet email series. Bi-weekly we will be offering up recipes and brief articles related to various gourmet intrigues. I hope you will enjoy these tid bits; if you do, please pass along to a friend.

Honey is one of the first foods utilized by mankind for nutrition and energy. Scientists estimate that it has been eaten for up to 3 million years, though the history of the bee dates back as long as 50 million years and corresponds to the beginning of the first primates in Africa. Beyond its sweetness honey provides a great source of energy and nutrition. It contains natural sugars, mostly fructose and glucose which are easily absorbed into the bloodstream as well as minerals, trace elements, amino acids, enzymes and lysozymes (a natural antibiotic capable of breaking down cell walls of bacteria) that all work to strengthen the health system. These components are found in honeys that are extracted naturally, often referred to as "cold extracted" or "raw". The extraction takes place with minimal heating as temperatures above 120 degrees alter the nutritional properties.

While honey may seem more commonplace nowadays, production is far from a simple process. It takes up to 500,000 journeys to a flower for bees to collect enough nectar to create a single liter of honey. Bees favor a single variety of honey and will travel several miles within their environment to feed off the same type of flower continuously. They transport pollen from one flower to another thus fertilizing and pollinating the plants at the same time as dining. The life span of a bee is relatively short and can be counted in distance of flight. A bee can travel approximately 500 miles prior to his wings becoming tattered and useless, ending the ability to fly and thus maintain a life. For bees actively collecting nectar, this amount of flight often doesn't last for more than two months during a summer season.

The finest honeys are monovarietal (single variety) honeys, produced by bees that have fed on wild flowers or fields that have not been exposed to extensive amounts of pesticides, fertilizers and pollutants from commercial areas. This is why the honeys procured from small country towns of France and Italy tend to offer an exceptionally pure flavor. The taste is immediately related to the elements of the flower, of the soil and all factors impacting its quality. The nectar that bees collect is 75% water and as many know, the taste of water is reflective of the source, the same can be said of honey. Bee keepers actively record the flowering seasons of flowers and plants in their area, utilizing their notes as a reference for when to harvest honey. Knowing that the bees will feed from a particular flower during one time over another, harvesting between the flowering times enables the collection of a monovarietal honey (single variety). Many of the smaller gourmet bee keepers will transport their hives to the isolated fields of neighbors and families, thus ensuring a quality product from beginning to end. Honey is traditionally harvested from May to July.

A Great Fall Recipe:

This recipe is more of a general gourmet idea which is derived from a Mohawk Indian tradition known as "Ogwissiman". The Mohawk tribe's presence is well documented in our area of New England.

Small pumpkins were cleaned of their seeds and then stuffed with honey, apple, cider and butter and baked in the embers of their fires. We think this would make a delectable fall dessert and encourage experimentation! Please share your thoughts and successes with us. Subscribe to Splendid Palate's gourmet email list to receive more articles like this one... and special savings.

Lavender Honey

2006-8-01 2:44pm



I first fell in love with lavender honey while on my honeymoon in Provence. My husband and I were dining in a small restaurant in Moustier Ste. Marie and I had ordered a chicken dish which was sweetened by lavender honey. It was perfect. In addition to the lavender honey, buds of lavender were visible in the herb mixture which dressed the skin. The taste of lavender was pronounced, yet perfectly balanced.

That meal inspired my love affair with culinary lavender and lavender honey, it made me want to experiment and find even more spectacular flavors. Since then I make an effort to sample every jar within reach from les producteurs de miel lavande of Provence. While all are similar, apart from the varying ranges of taste and texture, no two are really the same. Some are sweeter, others more floral, deeper in flavor or denser in texture. There are heat extracted varieties and cold extracted varieties. Personally I always seek out cold extracted varieties, as the heat extraction alters the properties of the honey and near eliminates the nutritional value. This said however, our American customers do seem to like the heat extracted liquid varieties. I think this is because of the types of honey many Americans were raised on (thinking of the squeezable honey bear seen in many American pantries).

I am very excited about a new lavender honey that we are working to import and distribute from Les Ruchers du Mont Ventoux (pictured). It is a delicious, medium bodied honey from Vaison la Romaine in Provence. We intend to carry multiple varieties of this producer's honey in addition to the lavender. Among the varieties you will soon be able to find: chestnut, rosemary, forest, Provence flower and Cevennes in 250 gram (8.8 oz) and 500 gram sizes (17.6oz). In addition to the great flavors, Les Ruchers du Mont Ventoux honeys offer lovely Provencal labels and lids. These will make excellent items for the pantry and gifts. We already have plans for honey samplers and plan to wholesale these honeys as well.

There is a wonderful confection that is derived of Lavender honey that is known as Boules de Miel. These round hard candies have soft lavender honey centers. They can easily be summed up with one adjective... divine. We carried a variety of Boules de Miel a while back and the price increased so much that we became weary of offering them to customers. Les Ruchers du Mont Ventoux produces this wonderful confection along with Pastilles de Miel which are hard candies made from honey (no soft center). Honey confections are terrific for multiple reasons. In my experience, they offer a nice sweet treat without going over board, are wonderful for soothing sore throats and can be used to sweeten tea by dropping one or two in a cup just as you would use a sugar cube. I eagerly await their arrival from France.

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Provence, Lavender and Currants

2006-7-31 2:33am


I have just been reading a stunning blog called La Tartine Gourmande... The author is a French woman who is currently based in Boston, Massachusetts. She has a wonderful way of writing about food and an incredible technique for photographing it. Please take a few moments to check out her blog, among the entries is one on Lavender and Currant. Her blog is captivating... Photographs stunning and her recipes will cause you to salivate.

The entry on Provence, lavender and currants caught my eye given that all components feed my own interests. My husband and I were just talking about currants in fact, though I hadn't considered them in conjunction with lavender prior to now. I thank Bea, the author of La Tartine Gourmande for the brilliant connection of these flavors.

Lavender - Harvest Time

2006-7-29 7:08pm


I still owe posts on my recent trip to France, though a detour to the lavender harvest seems only appropriate. Now is the time of year when the lavender fields of Provence, France have reached their full bloom and are being harvested. At Splendid Palate we are eagerly awaiting new inventory of lavender bouquets and bunches, buds and sachets.

These photographs are from this years harvest of lavender, which is currently in process. As you can likely tell, the lavender is full and vibrant blue in color. These will make beautiful bouquets! We are especially excited about the new Lavender sheaths we will be able to offer come Fall. We have seen photographs from a harvest day and they are simply divine. They are quite large, of the Grosso Lavandin variety (not a true lavender, but a hybrid of lavender). A few years ago similar sheaths were offered for sale by home decorating stores; while they were gorgeous, they were also expensive at $60-$80. We are looking forward to offering incredibly gorgeous sheaths at more affordable prices (likely in the range of $40). We are also working to bring back the lavender wands and wreaths that many of our customers admired and purchased as gifts for their friends and homes.

French lavender really is a wonderful thing. It is something of incredible beauty, offering a superb sensory experience; the sight is inspiring, scent breathtaking and taste intoxicating. In addition to all of this, it has been providing a livelihood to French families for generations. While the tradition of family farming has all but disappeared in the United States, the French are working hard to preserve their heritage of Lavender farming. The local farmers and government in France have instituted systems and aid programs to help preserve their lavender farming traditions. There was an interesting article in the International Herald Tribune that speaks of the French farmers' and government's efforts.

There are great memories that I have of experiencing farms in the United States as a child. My grandparents were chicken farmers, at one point having 20,000 chickens on their land! While I was not yet alive to experience this quantity of chickens, I was certainly able to partake in the joys of fresh, still warm eggs each morning. I have great memories of experiences within the farm community in New Jersey... Playing with the animals of one farm and picking cherries and blackberries at others. In addition to this, I remember the milk man bringing fresh eggs and milk from a local farm, straight to our door. While I live in "milk country" of Connecticut, these experiences of family farming seem all but extinct. I mention this, not because it is directly related to the lavender farms of France, but because it represents a dramatic shift in the United States farming industry that I have been witness to over the past 25 years. Without proper support and preservation, the Lavender fields of Provence could easily go the way of my grandparents farm... Subdivided into many parcels and developed into houses and condominiums with the heritage lost to memory and photographs.

Recently we have been finding ourselves educating consumers more and more on French lavender. Lavender has increased in popularity to such an extent that many people are growing and selling various varieties of this fragrant herb. Many of these lavenders are grown in countries other than France; in fact, an astonishing 50% of them are grown outside of France. The multi-country harvesting causes broad ranges in pricing scales and little positive proof of where a bouquet actually originates. While some sellers are touting their lavender as 'French' lavender, it may very well have come from China or Bulgaria. Many of these companies fall back on technicalities, utilizing seeds or plants from France and therefore calling their lavender 'French lavender'. Sure, the lavender may have originated in France, but unless it was nurtured and harvested in the French soil, air and altitude (the factors that help bring out the best attributes of lavender) is it really fair to call it French lavender? So if you wonder why one lavender is cheaper than another... this does have a lot to do with it. The cultivation of lavender hybrids (also known as lavandins) also plays a role with price.

At Splendid Palate we only deal with French lavender, even though it can be more expensive. We believe in authenticity and prefer to support tradition and the French farmers than to seek out lower prices and alternative supplies from other countries.
On our web pages we supply you with photographs of the lavender farms in Provence. Our harvest photos are not stock photographs, they are of the actual harvest of the lavender we sell. We have formally met with our suppliers in Provence, France We bring you the best and hope you will enjoy our selection and the information we present to you.

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Aix-en-Provence

2006-7-11 5:55pm


We didn't make it to Aix-en-Provence on this trip, though it seems while I was drafting my previous entry on Laudun, another traveler was posting one on Aix-en-Provence. It is a lovely blog entry which details the beauty of the town.

Here is an excerpt:
Today it remains as one of the most beguiling towns in the South of France. Its compact, winding streets are filled with small shops and its open central market is filled with the bounty of Provence: fruits and vegetables, local olive oil, wine, and lavender.

As you can likely tell from this excerpt, the author has very eloquently captured the essence of the town. He seems captivated by and passionate about the city Aix-en-Provence. Check out his blog here.

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Arriving Laudun, France

2006-7-11 4:27pm


Our journey from Frejus to Laudun took longer than anticipated. We encountered little delays along the way and a three hour trip slowly developed into a five hour journey. It was an interesting drive. The landscape changed dramatically at times, as we weaved our way though small towns and larger commercial areas. Laudun is technically located in the Rhone Valley, the Languedoc Roussillon region of France, though it is at the tip of Provence and displays many of the characteristics of a Provencal town. We found it to be a lovely and quiet place to spend time.

Laudun is a sleepy town. With the exception of market days, each time we went through it seemed so quite. The foot traffic seems mostly limited to the locals, though since there is a good size wine cooperative nearby and the beautiful Chateau de Lascours (detail at right) I expect tourists stumble through. Le chateau et le secteur est beau.

We rented a three bedroom house in a domaine (vineyard). The owners were delightful, the property and our quarters were beautiful and relaxing. We could have not asked for more, but for a warmer swimming pool (at the time we traveled the water was a bit brisk for a swim). We arrived to the house on Saturday many hours later than we expected, which made supplies a bit difficult as markets were already closing upon out arrival to the area. Luckily, I always pack some supplies in case we run into a situation such as this. These supplies combined with gifts of a fresh baguette, butter, fig confiture and a bottle of wine from the domain owners made for a nice evening. We enjoyed a bit of pasta with a red pesto sauce along with the baguette and wine (I find that kids really enjoy red pesto).

The Domaine offered another small cottage which was rented by a French Canadian family. They were also traveling with their two-year old child which provided a nice way to be social. The Domaine was also complete with two cats, a very sweet dog and a fairly new litter of ten puppies. This menagerie provided wonderful entertainment for my daughter. Just look at this picture of her surrounded by these darling French puppies! Les chiots sont si mignons.

Still a bit jet lagged, we awoke and motivated a bit too late on Sunday morning. This nearly caused us to miss yet another opportunity to shop for food as most of the stores would be closing by 12:30. While we missed shopping the Marche U, we were fortunate to have a half-hour to spend at the street market. We determined our needs and quickly separated so we would have time to get everything. We purchased fresh fruits and vegetables, chicken, cheese, eggs, milk and juice all from local farms at the quaint street market. It was perfect. We felt quite fulfilled after our brief shopping spree. Proud that we accomplished so much in so little time we headed back to the house to enjoy some of our purchases on the terrace. A nice time indeed. The rest of the day was quiet. We played with my daughter and settled in. Un temps charmant.

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Arriving Nice, France

2006-7-02 5:07pm


On June 2nd we arrived into Nice, France after a long and difficult flight from New York's JFK airport. The flight was difficult due to the fact that I was traveling with my two year old daughter, Katya who was unable to settle in and get comfortable. She wanted to lie down to sleep and as hard as I tried to provide her options, she was unable to find a comfortable spot. This was compounded by the fact that the flight attendants on this particular Delta flight were horrible. They were short with most parents traveling with small children and failed to offer any courtesies to my daughter, regardless of our paying over one-thousand dollars for her seat. She was a passenger like any other, yet was treated worse. When she cried from the pressure in her ears (at two she doesn't yet know how to equalize) a flight attendant very sharply asked me what was wrong with her (as if to say "shut her up now"). When I requested her child's meal, which normally comes in advance of the other meals being served, it came out late and far too hot for consumption. These types of happenings, along with our very late departure (take off was delayed by nearly two hours) made for a long and difficult flight.

Our arrival to the Nice airport was a welcome change of scenery. Though the skies were overcast and wind a bit strong, knowing we were on French ground made everything seem worth while. It had been nearly three years since I'd been back and I'd missed it. We rented our car from Europcar. This company offered the best rate, though as a preferred rental agency of European travelers it also offered the longest lines. At this point I wished we opted for an Avis or Hertz rental, their lines were near empty. As a result of Europcar's long lines, we waited another two hours to get our car. My daughter exhibited patience normally unknown to a toddler. She was wonderful, though certainly ready to get on with things.

We piled our many bags (mostly my daughters things!) into our Ford Monteo. It wasn't the Peugeot or Renault I'd grown accustomed to from previous trips, though it was a great car for touring the countryside. From the airport we headed to Frejus and Saint Raphael. Two great seaside towns known for their relaxed and family welcome atmospheres. We stayed at a spa hotel in Frejus and prepared for the next leg of our journey to a small town called Laudun in the Languedoc-Roussillon region, on the border of Provence. I wish we had more time in Frejus. It was a lovely town. Very relaxed with well priced shops and restaurants. It was very different from the seaside towns made famous by the Cannes Film Festival, Princess Grace and the Monoco Races. Frejus is not about pretense or lavish lifestyles. It is about true enjoyment of the seaside; a place a family can come to and feel comfortable dressing down and mingling among the locals. The town didn't feel nearly as touristy to me as Cannes can at times. Don't get me wrong, Cannes is a town close to me heart. I have traveled there many times and we even spent the last night of this trip there. I am just referring to fact that the restaurants and shops seem to be geared to the tourist dollars. It feels like you can find anything there, not unlike a big city such as New York. There is an English bookstore, all the big French names such as Hermes and Cartier line the main street and most of the staffers speak very good English. In addition to this, many of the people walking on the Croisette wear t-shirts emblazoned with names of other popular destinations (clearly tourists). These are not features that I can relate to Frejus.

The public beach of Frejus was one of the prettiest beaches I've had the pleasure of sitting on. While it was not quite warm enough to swim, it was fun to watch the many locals enjoying themselves. My daughter didn't love the idea of sand between her fingers and toes (this is a new stage) so we chose not to spend too much time there. Instead we utilized this first stop as a way to get our bearings, rest up and prepare for the next leg of our journey.

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Trip to France provides interesting developments

2006-6-27 4:17pm


Well... we are back from our trip to the Southern regions of France. It was quite nice, though didn't provide the free time I anticipated for catching up on this blog. As it turns out, my toddler (she's turning 2 next week) had her own ideas of what a trip to France was all about. The days were full and once free moments popped up, I cherished them for routine tasks such as eating, organizing and being quiet.

I plan to post something of a journal here from our trip. I kept notes and have some neat little towns to make mention of. Also, had a very productive meeting with a French firm which will (if all goes well) end with Splendid Palate representing several great new lines of products. Their items are fresh and exciting and many will be very new to U.S. marketplace.

More to come. Looking forward to the next entry!

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Preparing for a trip to Provence

2006-5-29 4:49am


I am preparing to leave for a trip to Provence and the Languedoc-Roussillon regions of France for some buying and research. My faithful little Treo will be joining me on the trip and it along with a wireless keyboard should enable me to do some regular blog entries. I'm looking forward to sharing my adventures among the vineyards and lavender fields.

The first house we will be renting is located in a vineyard in Rhone country... this area is also favored for its olives and mushrooms and it is just a hop from Montelimar (where nougat is made). There should be all sorts of delicious items to discover. We will make regular visits to the markets and hopefully find some new products for the Splendid Palate website.

The second house will be in the heart of the Luberon... lavender country. From there we will seek out lavender honeys, olive oils, confitures, linens, gifts and new lavender products.

I will be taking my two year old daughter on this trip. Perhaps her being with me will inspire different kinds of finds or a few little treasures for the children!

I hope you will join me on my journey and check in.
à bientot

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A New favorite Cookbook – Provence Harvest

2006-4-06 2:01am



Provence Harvest by Louisa Jones and Jacques Chibois

The moment I read the title at Jessica's Biscuit I knew I had to have it; the moment it arrived, I knew it would quickly become a classic in my library. This book is beautiful in its layout and photography and is packed full of information. The recipes are fantastic for the home chef who likes to take his or her culinary creations to the next level.

I recommended this book to my friend Brigitte Harney, a woman from Paris who manages the retail shop of Harney and Sons Tea around the corner from Splendid Palate. She immediately began stocking this book on the shelves of her store. It is that good!

This book is in essence a tour of the cuisine of Provence, written by two individuals who have lived in the area. It is a breathtaking view of the history and style of Provencal cuisine with definitions and other tidbits thrown in so that you will fully understand the components of cooking a la Provencal. Interspersed throughout every chapter is sound advice from master chef, Jacques Chibois, a Michelin two-star chef who also developed the recipes of this fantastic cookbook. Chef Jacques Chibois was named Chef of the Year in 2002 by the prestigious Pudlowski Guide. He has a restaurant in Grasse, France La Bastide Saint-Antoine.

One of the first recipes that jumped off the page, with an image just as striking was Warm French Scrambled Eggs with mint, red berries and lavender sauce. Have you ever thought of combining lavender with scrambled eggs... or dressing eggs with fresh berries? Sure, presenting berries on the side of the plate... but all three components meshed with one another? An utterly divine idea in my book! Immediately following this recipe is a short respitet on French linens. Such is the design of this book... a bit of food, some history and a lot of style! There are recipes appropriate for all meals of the day in varying degrees of difficulty and taste. The ingredients are certainly indicative of a Provence Harvest... (in no particular order) lentils, verbena, truffles, rose, lavender, berries, quail, tuna, liver, fig, cod, olives, artichoke, etc...

I cannot recommend this book enough. Be sure to pick up your own copy of Provence Harvest. It is the type of book that you will be pleased to use as much as you will want to display it on your coffee table. NOTE: Splendid Palate does not sell this item, we recommend purchasing it at Ecookbooks.com

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Wow... it has been a long time!

2006-4-05 8:51pm


As any good intentioned, busy person can understand... there isn't time for every thing we would like to do in a normal day, month or year. I wish there were -- I really do! If there were time, not so much of it would have passed since my last entry. My apologies to those who had been intrigued by earlier posts and felt abandoned by my lack of entries.

These past months have been filled with all sorts of adventures in my business life as well as personal... as a mom to a toddler, who, as I am typing is trying to coordinate moving something rather large and heavy for her size... I will be right back to finish this thought.

<<<>>>

What I was starting to write when I stepped away to help my daughter was that since becoming a mom 20 some odd months ago, I've found that adventure lurks around nearly every corner. For example:

CORNER ONE... TODDLER LAND. Culinary adventures no. 1,2,3... creating delicious food for a toddler. Keeping in mind that the food has to be soft, small, easy to eat, packed with flavor (that even a picky eater will not refuse) and healthy. While I've been applying the same techniques and ideas that I do when normally cooking my favorite dishes (most of those being French or related) I'm finding myself coming up frustrated at the end. How to add flavor without adding too much butter, oil, fat or sugar while at the same time avoiding pepper, garlic and other potent spices. Hmmm... if anyone has great recipes for healthy and delicious toddler food -- let me know. I'd like for my daughter to be exposed to good, healthy food right from the start.

CORNER TWO... LAND OF OZ... A.K.A Coordinating Work with Motherhood. Oh how I wish the munchkins and good witch of Dorothy's world were available for a guest appearance in my world. It is a difficult juggle -- balancing work and motherhood, especially given that my daughter and I are together most of time (now perhaps you understand better why these blog entries aren't more frequent). I am forever trying to find balance... often focusing on work into the wee hours of the night or when my daughter is napping. There is no yellow-brick road here, each day is a bit of trial and error instead, discovering which path leads somewhere and which is better left untraveled. For the moment trying to do too many work related activities at the same time as watching my daughter is a path better avoided. This I learned very quickly... my daughter will stand for none of that and my stress level can only tolerate so much (kudos to those mom's who masterfully work at the same time as watching and playing with their children!).

Which brings me to yet another adventure around another corner...Relocating Splendid palate. My what a triumph. It was necessary to relocate the business closer to home so that I can work more effectively and tend to my daughter. So we've left our beautiful old barn in favor of something more convenient that is just steps away. Moving is always something of an adventure. This one was especially difficult, as our operation has grown so much and my time is already short -- figuring in the extra time to pack, move and reorganize was a feat all its own. It's nice to have my office just moments away. I've already found myself to be more productive.

The final adventure that I'll mention has to do with new products for Splendid Palate. I've been designing and organizing a new product line -- which will become our signature series known as Joie de Vivre. To debut soon! This is very exciting. Finding all of the wonderful items, sources and designing the gifts has been fun and challenging. Look for them soon at www.splendidpalate.com.

Reminiscing about Saint Remy de Provence

2005-10-11 12:13am



With the fall season upon us and the holiday season right around the corner, I have been working feverishly on Splendid Palate's newsletter. I recently wrote an article for it about my travels around Provence. Writing the piece was a pleasant experience, as it immediately brought me back to a place I enjoy so much.

Each time I think of Provence my thoughts move to one great place, experience or view to another. This time my mind lingered on Saint Remy de Provence. Two years ago my mother traveled with me and we took an excellent tour of the local area. In We enjoying a nice lunch on the sidewalk and stroll, visiting the local stores of Saint Remy. One in particular stuck with me, Le Petit Duc, located at 7 Boulevard Victor Hugo. It was closed when we first arrived, though the display in the window knocked our socks off. It was filled with great small packages and cookie tins decorated with simple, vintage style labels. Le Petit Duc displayed to perfection, what we in the states consider premium French style. I remarked to my mother that we would have to come back. There were lavender confections on display that I wanted to get my hands on. Additionally, there were some delicious looking shortbreads and cookies that I wanted to bring home for my husband.

When we did finally make it back, the visit was quite fruitful and rather funny at the same time. I immediately remarked to the baker how excited I was to find confections and cookies made with lavender as an ingredient. These weren't the honey drops, pastilles and nougat traditionally found around Provence; they were biscuits, shortbreads and crystallized lavender buds. The baker was amused and yet slightly offended. To her lavender was common. To me it was exotic. She remarked how there are so many other great ingredients, why should lavender be so special. I reminded her that lavender isn't as popular in recipes in the rest of the world. That I consider myself very fortunate to dine somewhere in the US and find lavender creme brulee or ice cream at the end of a meal.

The incredible treats didn't last long! They were a welcome addition to my market bag and I savored each taste for the rest of the trip. I stretch the enjoyment for as long as I possibly could. I still have my little round tin from Le petit Duc that once held crystallized lavender buds inside. What a silly souvenir... the label is worn with tears from opening and closing and the tin was never easy to open! Yet, it brings back fond memories and reminds me of the address and phone number for future visits. While I don't know when that will be, I do know that I look forward to it.

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An experiment... Lavender rice to accompany French cuisine

2005-10-01 1:17am


When at home I really enjoy experimenting with French cuisine... especially 'simple French cuisine' as I like to call it. Dishes that are very flavorful, use terrific ingredients but basically take little time or effort to prepare (all the real work is done by the ingredients in the oven). My specialty is 'Easy Provencal Chicken'... more to come on this recipe at a later date as it's being reserved for Splendid Palate's newsletter. When I made it recently I had further inspiration to create a perfect complement... lavender rice. The recipe is far from perfected, though I would encourage some experimenting as the initial results were quite nice (although a bit mild in lavender taste). Here is what I recommend starting with:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup organic lavender buds
1 cup basmati rice
1 TBSP butter
1 TSP olive oilfleur de sel (salt to taste)
2 cups water

In a tall 3-4 QT sauce pan combine the rice and olive oil. Mix so that the rice is coated. Turn the heat on med and briefly saute the rice. Add 2 cups of water and turn heat to med-high. Utilizing muslin herb bag(s) or an extra large tea infuser add the organic lavender buds (lavender should not be mixed in directly with the rice as they will need to be removed prior to serving). NOTE: if muslin or infusers are not available, cheese cloth that is tightly tied off will also work. Bring the rice to a boil. Stir often, being sure to stir the lavender around so that it is contact with all sections of the pot. Reduce the heat to medium, cover. Be sure to check heat and stir often. Ideally the rice should be slow cooked, so that the lavender has a chance to infuse the rice. Once the water is near reduced and rice thickened, remove the lavender. Finish cooking the rice, once complete add in the butter and mix until melted. Finally add fleur de sel to taste. NOTE: I generally like to bake the rice at the end prior to adding the butter and salt for a half hour or so in a covered dish.

The finished product may look a little grey-blue and should have very nice, subtle notes of lavender. This rice makes a wonderful accompaniment to poultry and fish. The amount of lavender needed to get the right level of taste will take a bit of trial and error. This quantity (1/2 cup) does produce a nice result. Enjoy.

P.S. If you'd like to get on the mailing list for the Splendid Palate gourmet newsletter, please email your mailing address. Yes, it's a newsprint, hard copy... not an electronic one.

With Fall Comes Many New Products

2005-9-27 1:43am


Fall is a time of constant change in our part of New England and upstate New York. Each day brings a new hint of color as leaf season approaches quickly. This is always a busy time for me as my mind focuses on the months ahead. September and October are the months in which we receive and finalize all of the winter inventory. Some very delicious items have arrived recently that I'm happy to share with our loyal customers.

Take for example the Black Truffle Infused Olive Oil. It is an exceptional flavored oil from France's Plantin. While it is costly, I can tell you the flavor is well worth the splurge. The essence of black truffles has been perfectly captured and married to a fine olive oil base. When in France, I purchase Plantin products for my own consumption. It is with great excitement that we are now offering their truffle infused oil in addition to the dried mushrooms (morel, chanterelles and forest blend) that we've been carrying for these past several years. For all of the customers who have been requesting truffle products - this one really is for you! Additionally, the Italian Black Truffle and Mushroom Pate from Tuscany that has been out of stock for many months is finally back.

It has been a busy buying season for me. There are many products that I cannot wait to share with customers. Such as the incredible, Aromatic Oil from Provence. It is a blend of sunflower and olive oils with herbs de Provence and roasted peppers. Wonderful for finishing and cooking as well as (my favorite) bread dipping. I've considered this oil for several years, always holding off feeling it wasn't the right time. As you may recall, during the past few years the markets were flooded with a variety of not-so-memorable bread dipping oils. With this in mind, I was concerned this oil might not get the attention it deserves. This year is its year.

By this line you may be thinking we only brought in oils... but don't worry there are plenty of wonderful products to span every gourmet category be it appetizers, ingredients, sweets or desserts. Many, many great products are beginning to arrive, including Single Origin Chocolate Bars from Belgium; Dark Chocolate Truffles, also from Belgium; Herbed French Mustards; Italian Antipastos, including Eggplants in Oil; Mostarda di Uva Grape Chutney - wonderful for cheeses; French Tea Samplers; cookies from Israel and more.

Katrina has dampened many spirits

2005-9-14 2:19am


These days it has been very difficult to focus on business as usual with the knowledge that so many people were absolutely devastated by Hurricane Katrina. As a business we feel for our customers -- many were located in New Orleans, with the French Quarter being such a beloved place.

Wanting this blog to be a spot for very useful information I've been trying to determine what charity sites are best to suggest. There are so many and all really are deserving of attention (well, the legitimate ones that is). As a person, mom, animal lover there is a piece of me that is drawn to each creature affected by the storm. As a mom, a part of me was ready to pack diapers, formula, clothes, food and other necessities into my car and drive down to lend support to fellow mothers who were faced with one of the worst situations of parenthood - not being able to help your child. As an animal lover I wanted to round up the animals to make sure they received proper care as well. As a person I wanted to feed, shelter and hug all that needed it.

Lets all do what we can. After careful consideration I have selected the following charities/links:

America's Second Harvest - Brings meals to those who are hungry and in need, is assisting with feeding survivors of hurricane Katrina.


Habitat for Humanity - Help the survivors rebuild. The majority of those affected earned less than $20,000 a year and lost all that they owned. Habitat for Humanity is working aggressively to build new homes for as many as is feasible.

Network for Good - Perhaps the quickest way to find the charity of your choice. The Network for good categorizes many effective charities that are assisting with relief efforts.

Locating valuable French resources

2005-8-04 1:59am


With this blog being so new, I've been working hard to fill it with valuable information. Expect the lists at right to be filled with interesting, witty and decadently delicious resources. I've been finding some exceptional blogs written by fellow foodies as well as other industry professionals. If you have a favorite blog that is related, please email me or post a comment. My hope for this blog is that it be a great place for locating and posting.

In the meantime, please be sure to check out two of my new favorite blogs: Chocolate and Zucchini and Cucina Testa Rossa. These sites are true resources for Francophiles, those traveling to France and armchair travelers alike.

New Note: September 30th, 2005>>> Check out this Business Week article that mentions the Zucchini and Chocolate blog. Very sweet idea of International food bloggers getting to meet, chat and eat on a random visit. Lovely! These are the things that make life fun!

British reporter reviews simple & refined restaurants of Provence

2005-8-03 7:37pm


Joanna Blythman of the British journal Sunday Herald Online reviews several restaurants in Provence in her article Provence’s stunning range of inexpensive eateries proves French food has lost none of its edge. She provides restaurant names, costs (in British pound) and a sampling of menu options. Her comments might be useful to those considering travel to the Bouche de Rhone area and Vaucluse areas. For those interested in the scenic views of lavender, sunflowers and other harvests the cities the author mentions may not be your first pick. Though the nice thing about Provence is that you can visit many beautiful and very different towns within the course of the day. Be sure to rent a car and explore. Navigating the areas is very easy - just get a good map and follow the signs.

Anyone who has restaurant that they favor in Provence, France , please email me or post a comment. If I receive enough suggestions, I'll do a separate post of just restaurants.

A bit of food and fun when traveling around France

2005-7-30 5:24pm


As owner of a retail shop specializing in French food products and French country gifts I often get asked for travel tips. This past winter and spring brought many such inquiries from customers. Since my business focuses on food, the most popular request is for a great restaurant recommendation for an upcoming trip. Customers see me as a sort of concierge with private knowledge of the finest places to dine in France. Truth be told, when I travel to France I try to blend in with the locals -- often dining at the single restaurant available in a quaint French country town (I prefer the small towns off the beaten path). I don't make a point of going to the hottest spots, nor do I seek out chefs and restaurants that are on the rise or praised by Michelin and other top reviewers. Instead, I dine for the combined enjoyment of good food and company and absorption of the local atmosphere. Don’t get me wrong, I have been know to enjoy a fine meal at a top caliber restaurant such as Le Moulin de Mougins… it’s just not what I choose on a regular basis.

Often my favorite restaurant is not a restaurant at all, but wherever I find myself at the end of a day holding a bag filled with the goodies I've collected at various markets. I very much enjoy making meals of fresh bread, cheese, quiches, tapenade and pates. Picnics with these ingredients often provide a great meal and wonderful memories, especially when combined with a nice bottle of wine, a view and the company of a fellow traveller.

A couple of years ago my mother accompanied me on a trip around Provence, France. She was accustomed to visiting main-stream towns and dining at top restaurants. Her normal day involved taking in breakfast, lunch and dinner at fine restaurants. I warned her in advance that my style of traveling around France may seem to her as if we’re “roughing it”. I think it took her a moment to adjust, though before long she was looking forward to our breakfasts of pastries, croissants and preserves accumulated on a quick trip to the bakery (la boulangerie) and our end of day meals prepared from the day's 'harvest' accumulated from the markets. In lieu of taking in all meals at restaurants we would enjoy coffee and tea at a little cafe and long leisurely lunches at another. In addition to offering an incredible experience and gastronomic delight - dining this way also provided exceptional savings.So when people ask me for suggestions my most popular response is often "visit the local markets, pick up cheese, bread, pate and other delights and make your own fun". In another post I plan to list some of my favorite markets... Since in a way they are the source for my favorite French restaurant.
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