French Tart

about me

That's me with my Burmese kitty, Willow! (Willow for Pussy Willow - I know, it's bad isn't it?!!)

I am English, well - half Scottish actually (Burns), but I was born in South Africa and have lived all over the world, including Hong Kong, Germany, Cyprus, USA & Singapore.

I used to be an English Literature & Art History teacher & lecturer; before that I worked as a Graphic Designer, but I now live in France with my husband & my daughter who has just started university in September 2006. We also have 2 cats who allow us to live with them here!

My favourite pastimes are: reading, writing, painting & drawing, anything creative, walking, travelling, dining out and of course COOKING! I love all types of cuisine, but especially Traditional British - and NO it is NOT all bad!! I particularly love food associated with the changing seasons plus traditional feasts & festivals, as well as Slow Cooking. I also enjoy French & North African cuisine, come to think of it, there isn't much I don't like!

My husband & I run a Chambres D'Hotes, (Bed and Breakfast) called "Auberge de la Fontaine" here in beautiful South West France; we specialise in Gourmet Food & Wine Breaks, French Antiques & Restoration courses, French Language courses and French Cookery classes. Our home is completely furnished with Antique French furniture that we have rescued & restored ourselves. Our charming village has one of the oldest Churches in the region & it is famous for its connection with the St.Jacques de Compostella Pilgrimage route, as well as being within the Cognac & Bordeaux wine growing area.

We have lived overseas for many, many years now - but we both still love going home to Northern England, near Scarborough & York, to visit our family & friends. We also love indulging in dining out when we are there, in a wide variety of EXCELLENT Gastro-Pubs that we have in North Yorkshire; and popping in to have a Pint of REAL ENGLISH ALE in our local pub is a always a must!!

I really enjoy being co-host of two forums.......The French, Creole & Cajun Forum, and The Spain & Portugal Forum. You are welcome to stop by anytime, we would love to see you all!

French Creole and Cajun Forum

Spain and Portugal Forum

I am also a member of the Wild and Wonderful Gypsy Chicks! And, I have the badge to prove it!!









A "Swish" Slideshow!!





Awards:












I have participated in:

Favorite Foods:

Good Traditional British food, prepared with fresh SEASONAL meat, seafood & vegetables.

North African, Moorish and Spanish cuisine - especially Tagines cooked in a traditional Tagine, which I am famous for!!

French - of course! I especially enjoy discovering regional French recipes - some which are not known outside of France; La Cuisine de Bonne Femme!

SLOW cooking & casseroles, that includes Crock Pot recipes & cooking too.

Asian food - I was practically raised on it! I also love South African cuisine too and I have lots of South African recipes saved in my cookbooks.

Baking - especially traditional English bakes, biscuits (cookies), cakes, scones, tarts, pies & breads.

Cooking with SEASONAL produce & also unusual & rarely used HERBS AND FLOWERS; we grow many different types of lavender in our garden & I regularly use it in the kitchen. Sorrel & Lovage are two more of my favourite herbs that I also regularly use in my cooking.

Barbeques - I love creating & cooking with all manner of rubs, marinades & spicy sauces.

Preserves - I enjoy creating jams, jellies, chutneys & confitures - all made from the fruit from our garden. I sell many of my artisinal products at our Bed & Breakfast; LOTS of my spiced fruit chutneys have made their way back to the USA & Canada!!

Favourite cookbooks? There are too many to list here, I have nearly 500 in total!! But I think most of my favourite recipes are treasured scribblings on scraps of paper, on the backs of napkins, on envelopes & even a match case - all donated and shared by family & friends!! My Mum's first Be-Ro cook book - given to her by her Mum, my grandmother, was the book that I cut my "cooking" teeth on, published in 1938! I still refer to it now and then for old family favourites & basics.

Our favourite local restaurant has to be "L'Ecluse" with views of the Gironde Estuary over to the Haut Medoc on the other side; it serves great French home cooking AND has a fabulous seafood buffet of fresh Oysters, Langoustine, Mussels, Scallops, Sturgeon & Cavair, Herrings and many other Fruit d'Mer specialities.

http://www.aubergefontaine.co.uk