France! Mon Dieu!

Someone asked me why I called this Blog 'Postcards to France'?  How do I explain one of the little mysteries of my life?

A few years ago I lived in France, worked in France, laughed, loved and lost in France and cried a lot in France too! 

But, I love France, love French food, love French clothing and the 'savoir faire' of the french. I like to speak French (when I get the opportunity), I adore the French countryside, and would love to live in France again. In fact I actually feel at home in France! How weird is that!!!!

The other strange thing,   One of the other  strange things about me is that I collect postcards. I probably have over 600 of them, many from and to France and other parts of the world. To me a postcard allows you to write just a little message, but not tell all. You save that for another time, or maybe you never tell. Keeping those special moments safe from prying eyes and write them in your self published memoirs.

So there you go - you now know the reason behind the name! 

In celebration, today is all about France!

Dress like this; How to be a French woman

Read; One Evening in Paris by Nicolas Barreau  2012 - I loved this book! 

Watch ; 'Midnight in Paris'? - Written and directed by Woody Allen who also makes a cameo appearance - great film!

Visit;
In Adelaide; 
Bakery - Boulangerie 113, Goodwood Road, Goodwood, SA
Restaurant - Le Carpe Diem, Grenfell Street, Adelaide, SA
Cafe - L'atelier Gourmand Bistro, , Wayville, SA

Sing;  La Marsellaise - French National Anthem

Cook;Here is a spine tingling French Ratatouille you can eat hot or cold depending on the season.

Ratatouille

Ingredients

Herbs: 2 bay leaves (dried or fresh), sprigs of parsley, thyme, oregano, sage

chopped together.

1/4 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, peeled and squashed

1 medium eggplant chopped into 5cm pieces

2 zucchinis chopped into 5 cm pieces

2 brown onions cut into 8ths

1 red capsicum, seeds removed, chopped

1 yellow capsicum seeds removed and chopped

1 400g tin whole tomatoes and juice

extra chopped parsley and fresh basil

pinch salt and black pepper

Turn your oven on to 180º fan forced.

• In a large pan (suitable to use in the oven and on the cook top) add oil. When hot add bay leaves and rest of herbs and cook slowly for 6 minutes.
• Add onions, pinch salt, garlic. Cover and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes until the onion has softened. Keep checking that it is cooking slowly and not burning.
• Add eggplant, zucchini, both peppers, tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and cook  covered, on high for 5 minutes.
• Transfer to oven and cook for 1.5 hrs. Stir every 30 minutes and check that there is enough fluid to stop it burning. If it looks a little dry add 1/2 cup of water.
• Add chopped parsley and basil and serve either hot or cold. 

Ideal for a spring lunch with some crusty bread.