Eggplant Lentil Stew

We had such a productive garden, right up to the first frost we were still harvesting tomatoes and eggplants, a few peppers, and there were even new blossoms on the plants. This is a perfect hearty dish to use what we have in such abundance right now. 3 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra to serve 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced 1 large red onion, finely chopped (160g) ½ tbsp picked thyme leaves 2 small aubergines, cut into chunks, about 5 x 2cm (420g) 200g cherry tomatoes 180g Puy lentils 500ml vegetable stock 80ml dry white wine 100g crème fraîche or sour cream or yogurt 1 tsp Urfa chilli flakes (or ½ tsp regular chilli flakes) 2 tsp picked oregano leaves salt and black pepper Put 2 tablespoons of oil into a large, high-sided sauté pan and place on a medium high heat. Add the garlic, onion, thyme and ¼ teaspoon of salt and fry for 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and golden. Tip into a bowl, leaving the oil behind. Set aside. Place the aubergines and tomatoes in a bowl and season with ¼ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Add the remaining oil to the same pan (don’t worry about wiping it clean) and, once very hot, add the aubergines and tomatoes. Fry for 10 minutes, on medium high, turning them often until the aubergine is soft and golden-brown and the tomatoes are beginning to blacken. Return the garlic and onion to the pan, then add the lentils, stock, wine, 450ml of water and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Bring to the boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer gently for about 40 minutes, until the lentils are soft but still retain a bite. Serve warm, or at room temperature, with a dollop of crème fraîche, a drizzle of oil and chilli flakes and oregano on top.

Perigeux, Perigord Blanc, France

We chose this region of France to visit based on a murder mystery series written by Martin Walker that is set here. Periguex is a town that the main character visits with some frequency, and we made it our home base for the second half of our trip to the region. We stayed in an Airbnb in the heart of the old town, and I would highly recommend that. The weekly market (which happens twice a week in Periguex) was right outside our door, and had we been staying in France for a more extended period, we would have loved this aspect.

There are really two towns to see at Perigueux, the medieval town and the roman town, as well as an imposing cathedral. We did not seek out the escavated Roman ruins, but from what I have read, they are much like what you would see all over the former Roman Empire--they were builders and engineers, and they took their comforts of home with them whereever they went. The medieval part of town is well worth strolling throu, or staying in and strolling through. I was seeking a place that felt nothing like home, and Periguex was all of that in the very best way.

The Starling (2021)

So many reviews that I read about this movie just hated it, said it was flat and two dimensional and some even said they were embarrassed for Melissa McCarthy for spear heading this effort. I have to disagreee, but then I have two things in my past that may be a bit different from the rest. The first is that my younger brother died when I was ten so I was raised by grieving parents. Then my youngest child had a brain tumor when he was five and spent the year he had surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy in exactly the kind of fog that Lily was in throughout the movie. Lily and Jack (Chris O'Dowd) lose their infant girl to SIDS, and Jack goes in to long term psychiatric care in what appears to be a private hospital. The only unrealistic thing for me is that that is truly unaffordable and he would have probably ended up taking his own life or feeling like he should rather than doing ceramics and therapy for months on end. Lily is left at home, emotionally and physically alone to grapple with her own grief and how to move forward. The story has some twists and turns, but the leadenness of their grief is very relatable for me. Straming on Netflix.

En Cuisine, Brive-la-Gaillarde, France

This is a Michelin Bib gourmand restaraunt (our sweet spot for our Perigord trip)is in an unassuming physical plant both inside and out, but when we looked around, we could see that the food was beautifully displayed and presented, which is more important to us by far. We were almost the last people seated (and would certainly have been turned away if we did not have a reservation), lucky us.

The amuse bouche was both delicious and fun. There were black lentils that resembled caviar, and so forth--I really do love it when it make both me and my mouth smile! The meal was very good--I had a langostine for a started that was spectacular, and my husband's beef tartare was equally delicious for him. The mains were good, and the dessert was delicious and not too fussy.

The sweets with the coffee were also of note. I considered ordering another cup, hoping for a repeat. We savored every bit, and love the European tradition of a nice sweet to go with the bitterness of the espresso. I would definitely return here, and the town has a couple other upscale dining options. Lunch is 35 Euros!

The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes

This is a book full of women heroes, and it is the very thing to crystalize how the cvombination of the Roosevelts and and World War II changed a lot of things for a lot of people, but especially for women. The possibilities for women expanded, as did their ability to see beyond what they knew, it allowed women to dream bigger dreams. This is a story about the Pack Horse Library initiative, which sent librarians deep into Appalachia, was one of the New Deal’s most unique plans. The project, as implemented by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), distributed reading material to the people who lived in the craggy, 10,000-square-mile portion of eastern Kentucky. The state already trailed its neighbors in electricity and highways. And during the Depression, food, education and economic opportunity were even scarcer for Appalachians. They also lacked books: In 1930, up to 31 percent of people in eastern Kentucky couldn’t read. Librarians rode up into the Kentucky mountains, their saddlebags stuffed with books, doling out reading material to isolated rural people, and teaching they and their children to read. It is a wack-a-doodle idea, but as portrayed in this book, it helped people and it gave the women who acted as librarians on horseback a lease on life. There is the liberated Maureen O'Hare who doesn't want a man to place limitations on her. There is Alice Bennett who is in a loveless--and sexless--marriage. There is the Isabelle Brady, who feels deformed, but is transformed on a horse. They all benefit from their work and are of benefit to their communities. Moyes is a good storyteller and this is no exception, and it brings to light a small piece of American history.

Brive-la-Gaillarde, France

We ventured out to the very eastern edge of the Perigord after one last morning of wandering through towns on the Bank of the Lot River on our way to the capital of Perigord Blanc, which is Perigeux. This is yet another medieval town, but on a larger scale and with a bit more wear and tear on display.

The tangle of streets in the centre ville has quite a few stone houses from the 15th and 16th centuries, and you may find yourself getting sidetracked into an arcaded courtyard or staring up at an old turret or wrought-iron balcony. I am easily distracted by architectural details, and this wrought iron window dressing was on display throughout the northern part of the Perigord.

This town has several things to visit, which we missed on our first visit, and looked to be worth a return to for further exploration. It also has a number of well recommended restaurants and a weekly market that is supposed to be something to experience.

Supernova (2020)

Two immensely talented actors, Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci, portray a couple in a long standing relationship who are on a real as well as a metaphorical journey. THey are driving around in a camper visiting places and people that hold a lot of meaning to them for one last time as the couple they now are. Tucci is already in the early stages of dementia, and they both realize that soon they will not recognize each other, for different reasons, but the sadness of this realization is palpable. They are entirely believable in these roles, and they are also both quite believable as men, in that they talk almost not at all. The layers of the future losses are unfolded as the movie progresses, and the options that they might consider are also laid out, mostly without dialog. I almost watched it on a trans-Atlantic flight, which would have been a mistake, but it is a well done film on yet another of the sad realities of aging.

Grotte de Font-de-Gaume, Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, France

I cannot say enough about how amazing this cave and the paintings contained within are. It is a deeply moving place to visit, even if you are not a student of Cro-Magnon man, or art, or the civilzations that existed before man largely lived in communities. The caves were not inhabited--even though they were quite warm and cozy on a blustery fall day--perhaps there are quite a few of them, enough for everybody and these were used as canvases to demonstrate the art of the hunt or the behavior of the animals depicted, or something else altogether. They are beautifully rendered, demonstrating prespective and utilizing the bulges in the rock to give three dimentional quality to the animals.

This is the only cave with paintings in the area that you are allowed to go in, and the number of people allowed in each day is limited, even before COVID. No photos allowed, but you will remember this without them, it is simply that beautiful. They do sell tickets on line, and I would encourage doing so, and getting the first tour of the day to lessen the total number of people around.

Roasted Eggplant with Curried Yogurt Sauce

We have had a bumper crop of eggplant this year, with the plants reaching waist high and the eggplant kept growing up to and including the day that we had a frost. So of course it is time to explore the Ottolenghi eggplant repertoire of serving options. 3 large eggplants 5 tbsp olive oil divided 1 cup greek yogurt 2 tsp curry powder divided 1/4 tsp turmeric, ground 1 lime zested and juiced 1 large onion sliced thin 1/4 cup sliced almonds 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1/2 tsp coriander seeds 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds salt to taste pepper to taste Method Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Peel the eggplant in alternating strips. Cut into 3/4″-1″ thick slices. Place slices in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste. Lay slices on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for 35 or so minutes until soft and golden brown. Leave to cool. In a small bowl, mix the yogurt with 1 teaspoon curry powder, turmeric, lime juice and zest and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside in refrigerator. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the onions. Saute’ for about 8 minutes, stirring often, until caramelized and golden brown, lowering heat as needed to prevent burning. Add 1 teaspoon curry powder and the almonds. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 2 minutes to toast the almonds. Heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the cumin and coriander seeds. Toast for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Lightly crush in a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. To plate, arrange a few slices of eggplant on a plate. Spoon some of the yogurt sauce over them, top with the onions and garnish with pomegranate seeds and toasted spices.

Château de Corbiac, Pécharmant, France

First off, the wine. This is a really nice Château to visit. There are a wide variety of wines to taste and the tasting room is set up in a professional manner. The woman who educated us about her family's wines was knowledgable, spoke some English, more than at many places we visited and it was a fun experience to taste the wine and to hear about their hopes and dreams for a bigger audience for their product in the future.

Second is the property itself. The Château is in the early phases of deterioration, with almost everything needing a bit of repair,b ut it is still quite beautiful, none-the-less, and the views are spectacular. Not that it would be encouraged but you really could spend half a day soaking up the atmosphere.

Then there is the legend. Our wine server links herself with Cyrano de Bergerac, not the one that Edmond Rosemund depicts, but rather the man whom the character is based on. He was apparently not from Bergerac, nor is it altogether clear why he was known for Bergerac, but as she tells it, this was his place and she is related to him. If you are in the neighborhood you must stop by.