Maybe I’ve got things a little barse-ackwards here, but, for my ‘foodie’ readers, I wanted to get to the nitty-gritty of cooking at the French House Party as soon as possible. But, before we could cook, we needed ingredients, so our first task of all was to accompany Chef Robert to the market in Revel.For a long time, I thought the idea of the chef doing his marketing personally was a figment of the imagination of the producers of TV food programmes, but this is the second time in just over a year that I’ve been to the market with a chef. So, I’d imagine this may indeed be the practice in some places. So, I’m happy to stand corrected.

Unfortunately, my French wasn’t good enough to understand the discussion … maybe even haggling? … that went on between Chef Robert and the stallholders, but we came away with basketfuls of provisions that could have been entered in a competition in any County Show at home.

As I’ve pointed out in previous posts, markets, especially Continental ones, are extremely good ‘camera fodder’. Added to which, Revel is a charming, old-world town, and the market is mostly held under cover in an oak-beamed, open plan hall. The weather wasn’t too kind to us, but that was of no matter … we were dry, and with colour and bustle all around us.

This is my entry for the WordPress Thanksgiving video competition:

Since I’m restricted to 30 seconds, I couldn’t credit the music: it’s a royalty-free piece called ‘Rocket’ by Kevin MacLeod. Visit Kevin by just clicking on ‘Music’ in my blogroll.

Warwick, 13^th August 2009.

On this tour, we’ve come across various connections to Sir Walter Scott. On Ullswater, we passed a steamer called the Lady of the Lake several times, and we saw the Scott Monument in Edinburgh. That’s the long spiky tower thing you see near the Waverley Bridge … (‘Waverley’; that’s another Scott connection)… known to irreverent locals as ‘Thunderbird Three’

So, we came to another Scott association, Kenilworth. Now, if my memory serves correctly … I last read Kenilworth over 50 years ago … it was a fictitious account of how Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester had an affair with Queen Elizabeth I.

Now, as it happens, Dudley did actually seek the hand of the Queen … and I often wonder what sort of place England would be if he’d been successful, and she’d borne healthy children to succeed her.

However, we hadn’t really come for a history lesson. I suppose I could say something like see one ruined castle, you’ve seen ‘em all, for this is ‘one of the ruins that Cromwell knocked about a bit’. But, he did leave a considerable amount standing, which gives a good idea of what the castle was like when it was inhabited … as it had been since the 12^th Century.

‘Leicester’s Gatehouse’, built in the 1570s especially to receive the Queen on her many ‘progresses, through the country, remains intact … and, indeed, was modified as a private house after the Civil War, and now houses an exhibition called ‘Queen and Castle’, which explores the relationship between the Queen and Dudley.

Another of Dudley’s tributes was the garden he planted here for the Queen’s visit in 1575, which has recently been restored to how it was thought it might have been originally. An interesting place to visit and photograph, especially with the ruined castle in the background.

More of my ‘stuff’:

http://www.travelthruhistory.com/html/historic41.html　

At the World Travel Market last week, one of the guys on the stands asked me if I’d like to try some Cyprus wine. I had me doubts; in the RAF, I was stationed in Cyprus once, have done several detachments there and have ‘passed through’ countless times.And, my memory of Cyprus wine was of stuff like Kokinelli and Panteleimon which experience taught was better cut with lemonade or soda water … this was long before the word ‘spritzer’ came into general use.

But, this was really very good; the demonstrator explained that much of it came from ‘boutique wineries’ mainly on the southern slopes of the Tröodos hills, to the west of Lemesos (Limassol). He gave me a book of ‘Wine Routes’, which contained some stunning photos of an area I didn’t know, but just invites exploration … and that’s a ‘must’ to visit if I ever spend any length of time in Cyprus again.

But, thinking back, there must always have been more available than ‘Cocky’ and ‘Panty’. There was Commanderia, of course, probably the most famous Cypriot wine there is, which we often served after dinner instead of port.

And, of course, there was the Cyprus Wine Festival of 1968 … the picture of Lorraine was taken before we tasted any of the wine. We bought a bottle and a glass for 50 mils (that’s 5p!) and refilled them for nothing at the wine stalls. So, naturally, we don’t remember much about the wine ….

I recently had a Press release from my friends at Karibuni, with whom, you may remember, I spent an enjoyable weekend walking in the Aravis Mountains last year. They’re now also involved with the recently-launched Aravis Transfers (www.aravis-transfers.com ) who will provide transfers by car or minibus to hotels and chalets within the Aravis ski area from any local airport or rail station.

The big plus is that all their drivers are English-speaking … some are English … and all live in the area. So, they all have extensive local knowledge, and can help with ski hire and lift passes, if required.

And, finally, a commercial! My latest piece is live at

http://www.travelthruhistory.com/html/historic41.html 　

It might be asked what I was doing on a cookery weekend; my signature dish is spaghetti bolognese, and my cooking has been described as sacré bleu rather than cordon bleu.This weekend saw the launch of the French House Party’s ‘Cuisine in Brief’ weekend, and I’d been invited to report on it. But, I wasn’t going to sit around making notes, taking photographs and looking all writerly. I’d be expected to muck in.

Before I get carried away by the scenery and the décor, I’d better focus on the kitchen, where our main business went on. It’s really well equipped, having been only recently finished, with the happy knack of being practical and tasteful at the same time. The Chef, Robert Abraham, presided over it, ably assisted by sous-chef Debbie Hargreaves and her wine expert husband, Carl.

There were three cookery sessions, at which three meals were produced, each one tastier than its predecessor. Duck breasts with apples; scallops with braised parsnips and monkfish with a tartine of fried aubergines topped with mussels. And, those were just the main courses!

Delicate madeleines, crème brulée,(who’d have thought he’d use a blowtorch on it?) tapioca with coconut milk and pineapple … and to think I used not to like tapioca. One taste followed another, and there were more tastes to come, as Carl managed to find just the right wine to complement each course.

We took a hand at preparing all of these, and we noted, as the weekend passed, we were taking on more and more complicated tasks … and our French was improving, as was Chef Robert’s English.

If you are a proficient cook already, you’ll enjoy these programmes. Even if you have only a smattering of cooking skills, there’s room for you, too. And, everyone will enjoy the atmosphere.

You can find out more about French House Party at www.frenchhouseparty.co.uk. There are regular flights from UK to Carcassonne in Summer; to Toulouse all the year round. They’ll provide a free transfer to and from either of these airports. However, the fee does not cover your air fare to these places

More about this at .http://globalfoodie.com/2009/11/french-house-party

Blackpool, 12^th August 2009.

Many cities in Britain have re-instated, or are in the process of re-instating their tramways. In Edinburgh, we found Princes Street dug up, while they laid the rails for the new tramway system … roughly where the old ones used to be.

Only one town never gave up its trams, and that’s the seaside resort of Blackpool, although whether they were retained for utility or just as a tourist attraction is hard to say. Shortly after my visit, I saw a TV interview with the late Keith Waterhouse, aboard a Blackpool tram in which he wondered if the trams, licensed for weddings, could also be used for funerals.

‘You could have the Hammond Sauce Works brass band playing on the lower deck’

he suggested ‘while the mourners scattered the ashes from the top deck!’

Here are trams ancient and modern; double-deckers and single deckers … including an open-topped single decker known as ‘The Boat’. Unfortunately, it was out of service when I visited, but I did manage a ride on an open-sided vintage model called ‘The Toast Rack’.

There’s a scaled-down ‘boat’ operating on the Seaton Tramway in Devon, which features minituarised and cut-down trams from all over the country and I believe that a Blackpool tram found its way to San Francisco, where they operate vintage trams from all over the world on the F Line.

How do you describe a tram ride, though? Rattly and noisy? A ‘step back into yesteryear’? Have a look at my video!

I called at the Lancashire stand at the World Travel Market the other day … mainly, to see if I could scrounge some ‘Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls’ … and they told me there’s to be celebrations to mark the 125^th Anniversary of the tramway from 23^rd-29^th September 2010. See

www.visitblackpool.com for further details.New article live at

http://www.giftedtravel.com/the-little-trains-of-crete

I’ve often wondered why St. Andrew should have been adopted as the Patron Saint of Scotland. Like our St. George, there’s no record of him ever visiting the country he’s Patron Saint of, and both countries have plenty of ‘home-grown’ saints of their own.

However, the fact remains that he is the Patron Saint, and his Day is on the 30^th November, and, since 1996, it’s been celebrated by allowing free admission to Edinburgh Castle on the day.

This year, they’re extending the free admission privilege to three days, the 28^th, 29^th and 30^th November and, in addition, free admission is being offered on the 28^th and 29^th at 47 sites controlled by Historic Scotland right across the country.

Further details can be found at www.scotland.org/standrewsday

Now, I just wonder if English Heritage are planning to follow suit on St. George’s Day?

When I said I was going to Carcassonne, I wasn’t quite accurate. In actual fact, we were staying near the town of Pexioria, which is about 25 kilometres to the west. The Domaine St. Raymond, which is where many different kinds of programmes take place under the banner of the ‘French House Party’.

I was there to see launch of the ‘Cuisine in Brief’ course, which is one of a series of courses grouped together under the title of the ‘Gastro Academy’. But, more about them later; I just want to describe the surrounding at first.

We’re in a valley, where the River Garonne flows westward, between the Pyrenees and the Midi Pyrenees and the Canal du Midi joins it to the Mediterranean. The valley floor is flat and fruitful, with the fields broken up by trees, which frequently are the upward pointing fingers of Lombardy Poplar, giving it the atmosphere of an Impressionist painting. The church spires which are peculiar to the area heighten the effect.

Domaine St Raymond is a 200 year old farmhouse, which has been tastefully renovated in a pleasing art-deco style; the whole thing making for a really relaxing atmosphere. But, they kept the open fire, and, every morning, I was greeted with the nostalgic aroma of woodsmoke from last night’s fire.

The only thing not so great was the weather, but I wasn’t expecting great things in November, anyway. It did remind me, though, of the advice often given to viewers of houses:

‘If you like it in Winter, you’ll love it in Summer’

But, don’t just take my word for it; have a look at my pictures.

I will get around to the cooking side of it eventually … but, if you can’t wait, go and see what they’re about at

www.frenchhouseparty.co.uk

Back home again, & just tidying things up. Off to the World Travel Market tomorrow … I’ll deal with any outstanding replies when I get back from that. Can’t wait to start posting about all that delicious French food!

Bus in half an hour. No internet where I’m going; maybe back online either Monday or Tuesday; DEFINITELY Wednesday! See ya!