Category Archives: Food and wine

Terrasse

Posted on June 20, 2020 by coteetcampagne

Gorgeous morning, but I really should have styled the terrace a bit better for this blog! Culinary plants now include baby fig tree, avocado plant, lavender, chillies, sweet peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, sage, mint, rosemary, chives, basil, parsley and beets. Better…………

Posted in Art, design and inspiration blog, Food and wine | Tagged culinary, plants, styled, terrace, terrasse | 9 Comments

Chanterelles

Posted on November 28, 2018 by coteetcampagne

Fast Food. We are lucky to know a very knowledgeable guy who picks and sells mushrooms locally. Always super fresh, clean and ready to cook. These were pan fried with butter and black pepper and piled on toast with … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine | Tagged chanterelle, mushrooms | 7 Comments

It’s too hot to cook

Posted on August 4, 2018 by coteetcampagne

Tapas on the terrace. Photo-bombed by Bronte. 21:00 and still 32°. How are you coping with the canicule?

Posted in Food and wine, Renovation and restoration diary- France | 10 Comments

Tuck stop

Posted on June 29, 2018 by coteetcampagne

On the way to Argeles and we won’t make any of the P.O eateries for lunch before two o’clock, so we have stopped at the excellent and underrated Auberge du Chalet on the D117 out of Quillan toward Lapradelle-Puilarens. Cool … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine | Tagged Auberge, dog, lunch, quillan | 4 Comments

Piilu et mon potager

Posted on May 16, 2018 by coteetcampagne

We have our first peapod. Yes I know, it’s only 2cm long. This is a big deal for us though. I have never attempted to grow vegetables on a roof terrace, small pots out front or window ledges before, having … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine, Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged clematis, growing, herbs, pillu, potager, pots, terrace, vegetables | 11 Comments

Apéritif Samedi Soir

Posted on February 18, 2018 by coteetcampagne

We hosted last night. I am ridiculously apprehensive about putting on a full dinner party for our French neighbours but a cosy candlelit apero is fine. Note the Very Good French Dog who did NOT check out the eats even … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine | Tagged aperitif, Blanquette de Limoux, Fitou, Sauternes | 10 Comments

Super veg- some as big as yer ‘ead

Posted on December 16, 2017 by coteetcampagne

Checking out vegetables at the supermarket. These cabbages are even bigger than the one I bought from the market a while back. Trev was reluctant to pose any closer, but trust me, they were as big as ‘is ‘ead. Apologies … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine | Tagged cooking, sea. Christmas eve, vegetables, vegetarian | 9 Comments

Gluten free Tiramisu – and why you should unpack all your kitchen & dining stuff before you try to play hostess with the mostest

Posted on November 18, 2017 by coteetcampagne

Here is a new Handy Hint for Restoration and Renobuddies who are planning to offer “Restauration” Chez Vous. Check if you’ve got enough serving dishes, serving spoons, glasses and appropriate cutlery unpacked before your lunch or dinner guests arrive. (Note … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine, Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged coffee, custard, dessert, diner, french, gluten-free, house, kitchen, madeleines, recipe, tiramisu, vintage | 19 Comments

Friday night out at the Café de Fa

Posted on October 28, 2017 by coteetcampagne

Highly recommended if you are in the Aude. Last Friday night every month at the cafe de fa Very good fish and chips and chocolate moelleux plus Anne de Joyeuse house wine. Music by the Zap Jazz Trio; who last … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, design and inspiration blog, Food and wine | Tagged Aude, cafe, fa, jazz, live, music, rock | 4 Comments

An evening in Argeles-sur-Mer

Posted on October 12, 2017 by coteetcampagne

After a late changeover between a French guest and some friends of friends here, we decided to park by the town hall and walk across the bridge into Argeles village for dinner. The Eglise Notre Dame del Prat (our lady … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine | Tagged Argeles-sur-Mer, Catatan, dinner, Domaine de Prade Jorda, eglise, france, french, L'Hostalet, La Gamate, La Noisette, lunch, Notre Dame del Prat | 5 Comments

Argeles- and the sun set slowly over the shreds of my sanity…

Posted on October 5, 2017 by coteetcampagne

Well it felt like that anyway. With a significant increase in guests at the seaside apartment this season, we have also experienced a few “less kind” reviews. I won’t go into detail but it’s not been very nice. Fortunately, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, design and inspiration blog, Food and wine, Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged argeles, Argeles-sur-Mer, cafe gourmand, catalan, french, pie, seaside | 17 Comments

Lovely building for sale in Limoux

Posted on July 7, 2017 by coteetcampagne

Here is a business opportunity (G & D?) Lovely stone building with historic bones and large two storey space atop a former restaurant/cafe on the corner of the beautiful main square in Limoux, Occitanie, France. I cannot confirm if it … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, design and inspiration blog, Food and wine, Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged building, for sale, france, limoux, occitanie, property, renovation, restaurant, restoration, stone | 17 Comments

Almost civilised-Pate Pâtes

Posted on June 7, 2017 by coteetcampagne

Been an odd day today. Some achievements, some less successful stuff. In between all this I am trying to work for a living. At least we were properly fuelled last night. Having a temporary plaque to cook on means I … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine, Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged mastic, pasta, saucepans, terrine | 10 Comments

Interesting food and drink available in La France

Posted on May 31, 2017 by coteetcampagne

OK, what are these? Most mysterious variety of veg on the seed display. Wonder if they will go well with this bottle of Blanquette given to us by our remaining neighbours, with flakes of gold leaf in it!?

Posted in Food and wine | Tagged blanquette, drink, food, france, gold leaf | 15 Comments

Episode 153- In which we do some editing and consider what happened to the Great British Pub

Posted on April 16, 2017 by coteetcampagne

I am of the opinion that moving countries and downsizing both your life and your house is not so much stressful as Profoundly Mentally Taxing. I have this button here that allows me to preview changes before I post. Now … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine, Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged Black, change, country, downsizing, france, french, house, life, packing, pub, wall | 10 Comments

À la fin de l’année- the end of a tough year

Posted on December 31, 2016 by coteetcampagne

So we walk into our closest large supermarket (UK) & this bottle of crémant de Limoux is on the shelf with all the other bubbles. A bottle of Premiere Bulles rosé, with that toffee coloured tint that so many Southern … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine, Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged blanquette, french, house, languedocienne, limoux, rose, village, vintage, wine | 12 Comments

Christmas food

Posted on December 26, 2016 by coteetcampagne

A little late, but Merry Christmas blog-buddies. Every year I tweak the family favourites a little. I may have perfected cranberry sauce– 9 oz fresh cranberries 3 fl oz orange juice 3 oz dark muscovado sugar cinnamon stick or half … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine | Tagged blanquette, chilli, Christmas, flaky, food, gammon, gluten-free, honey, lemon, pastry, sea salt, tart, truffle, wine | 19 Comments

Living a double life. Or, me and room service (again)

Posted on December 9, 2016 by coteetcampagne

So, a few weeks ago it was warm enough to sit outside in Limoux, in the autumn sushine sipping cold rosé wine and eating cod poached in Blanquette and finished with crème fraîche. Followed by a coffee/toffee ice cream in … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine, Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged blanquette, france, french, hotel, limoux, lives, renovation, restroration, rose | 20 Comments

Some you win some you lose

Posted on May 27, 2016 by coteetcampagne

It’s a miracle! The last row of insulation batts going under the kitchen floor butted up perfectly against our crazy walls. REE….sult. The last whole plank of wood under the window is tough to get in as no room on … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine, Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged floor, food, insulation, restaurant, village, walls | 17 Comments

Use it or lose it – Best restaurant between Perpignan and Lapradelle-Puilarens

Posted on April 28, 2016 by coteetcampagne

You may recall that we visited Restaurant l’Egrappoir last year on our run down from the Aude valleys to the Mediterranean coast where the apartment is located . We met the new owner, Muriel, who hails from the Alsace, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine | Tagged Aude, carignan, cases, de, languedoc, mediterranean, pene, restaurant, Roussillon, vineyards, wine | 8 Comments

The Thursday Three – On mange!

Posted on February 4, 2016 by coteetcampagne

A little lunch in Carcassonne at Brasserie Le Longchamp on Place Carnot. Recommended. I noticed that there were a couple of mediocre reviews on Tripadvisor criticising the decor. This is France for God’ sake! Actually they have recently redecorated in … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine | Tagged blue, cafe, Carcassonne, cheese, duck, endive, food, gourmand, lentils, lunch, pasta, patisserie, walnuts, wine | 17 Comments

Cafe culture in lovely Limoux

Posted on December 27, 2015 by coteetcampagne

Now, regular readers know that we like our cafe culture and the opportunities for people and place watching that it affords. You have to love a place with a climate that allows you to indulge in this hobby outside for … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, design and inspiration blog, Food and wine | Tagged art, belle, blanquette, cafe, cremante, culture, de, epoque, fin, french, house, limoux, siecle, village | 2 Comments

Christmas ?

Posted on December 20, 2015 by coteetcampagne

So it’s almost Christmas “France says” asks how we all celebrate this – see http://francesays.com/ I have only just got the tree up (don’t ask) and the gifts wrapped (nearly) so am less organised than ever this year. One likely … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine | Tagged Christmas, day, feast, france, kitchen | 7 Comments

The Thursday Three- French copper pans

Posted on December 3, 2015 by coteetcampagne

Three very petite copper saucepans with brass handles. The tin inside is grubby but intact and unpitted which is rare. I can actually use these. Hurray!

Posted in Antique and Vintage finds, Food and wine | Tagged antique, brass, copper, french, saucepans, vintage | 13 Comments

Sunday lunch at Cases de Pene.Restaurant L’Egrappoir

Posted on October 4, 2015 by coteetcampagne

Running late en route to Argeles (nothing new there) we have stopped for lunch in a small village on the D117 north of Perpignan. I am having calamari a la Romaine. Trev is having the house duck dish. This restaurant … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine | Tagged restaurant | 2 Comments

The Thursday Three – les cocottes

Posted on August 20, 2015 by coteetcampagne

Actually five today These gorgeous little Le Creuset style lidded iron dishes came from the vide-grenier up the road at Alet-les-Bains. Briefly home to Nostradamus and to a local boy who grew up to be chef to the last Tsar … Continue reading →

Posted in Antique and Vintage finds, Food and wine, Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged abbey, alet, architecture, bains, les | 7 Comments

A little light lunch

Posted on August 17, 2015 by coteetcampagne

This was a little light lunch at the village cafe. I had what looked like a five egg omelette ( I managed two thirds). Trev had a monster duck breast. Both meals came with the usual fresh crusty bread and … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine, Renovation and restoration diary- France | 8 Comments

Happy birthday to me

Posted on February 24, 2015 by coteetcampagne

Yes, it is my birthday today, and a chronologically significant one at that, the big 60! I have a had a number of pleasant suprises today; top of the list at the moment is this huge slab of tiramisu flavoured … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine | 11 Comments

The Thursday Three

Posted on January 22, 2015 by coteetcampagne

I am not an expert on ceramics, too much out there and too many collectors to compete with, but if I see a piece with great shape or colours at a bargain basement price, well it’s tempting. Like my antique … Continue reading →

Posted in Antique and Vintage finds, Food and wine, Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged antique, colours, table, vintage, wine | 5 Comments

It’s fer,ff,fer,fer, freezing

Posted on January 20, 2015 by coteetcampagne

With the UK experiencing the coldest night of the winter so far, I thought I would share my latest slow-cooker recipe. We are big fans of the slow-cooker.We have Trev’s old late 1970’s glazed pottery version at the French house … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine | Tagged cooker, food, french, house, slow | Leave a comment

Old Guys Rule- La règle de vieux mecs

Posted on December 31, 2014 by coteetcampagne

My old guy has just gone off to his last computer trouble shoot of 2014. On his way home tonight he will pick up some logs (it’s very, very cold here) and try and track down a bottle of Blanquette … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine, Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged french, house, languedoc, project, renovation, village, wine, year | 6 Comments

Christmas leftovers with a distinctly French twist

Posted on December 28, 2014 by coteetcampagne

Not the prettiest looking plate ( I am no food stylist) but the second best dinner this festive season. The answer to the question “what do we make with all these left-overs? I can barely shut the fridge door?!” is … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine, Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged festive, food, french, wine | 7 Comments

“I would like to thank ………………………”

Posted on November 24, 2014 by coteetcampagne

“…………… many many people that I have never met, but have amused, inspired, advised and empathised with me over the last year or two via my blog. Graham of A year in Perigord has kindly nominated me for a “Liebster” … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine, Renovation and restoration diary- France | 4 Comments

Why buy in the Languedoc Roussillon?- Part two,living by the sea

Posted on October 25, 2014 by coteetcampagne

Ten true reasons why we bought a little piece of seaside life in the Pyrenées Orientales in Southern France. 1) Because the dramatic mix of snow topped mountains, lush greenery, turquoise sea and sunshine never fails to make us smile. … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, design and inspiration blog, Food and wine, Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged france, french, languedoc, mountains, orientales, pyrenees, renovation, restoration, Roussillon, sea, seaside, South, southern, village, wine | 3 Comments

Episode 81- Food for thought

Posted on August 5, 2014 by coteetcampagne

Renovation, restoration, alimentation….Fresh trout from the river, vegetables that taste of something, cherries, peaches and naughty patisserie, home made ice cream, cuts of meat that you would not normally touch even with a robot arm, a drop of violet or … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine, Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged antique, chic, france, french, house, kitchen, paint, renovation, restoration, South, stone, terrace, village, vintage, wood | 2 Comments

Episode 71- In which I make a few decisions…

Posted on June 1, 2014 by coteetcampagne

Renovation, restoration, visualisation- It’s June 1st, the sun is blazing down outside and I am feeling much more positive and determined to be proactive: I will meet the next obstacle head-on. Decided to get into French mode this weekend as … Continue reading →