Faire la Bise

Thursday market, Roussillon

When to faire la bise? In southern France you kiss people you know well, when you are invited to ("on se fait la bise?") and friends of friends in an informal setting like a dinner party.  How many kisses you give is determined by region.  Here in the Vaucluse we kiss three times and it is common for men to kiss their friends.  Have a look at this interactive map to see the regional variations!

Season of mist and mellow fruitfulness

I have news of a giant parsnip from our friends Will and Bea who live near Rustrel.  Apparently the mild autumn has produced bumper crops in some things - pears, pumpkins, parsnips and walnuts.

A neighbour generously dropped off a huge basket of fresh walnuts this morning. I have made a delicious light walnut cake for tea!

Walnut souffle cake

6 egg whites
200gr caster sugar
20g plain flour
200gr of walnuts finely chopped
knob of butter for greasing the tin

Heat the oven to 180 C
Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are stiff.
Fold in the flour and sugar and then the nuts.
Generously butter a 20cm cake tin.
Put the cake mix in the tin.
Bake for 30 minutes.

The cake rises but will shrink back as it cools giving it quite a rustic appearance!

No sign of autumn yet

Although there is a chill in the air, there is still no sign of autumn in the fields around Les Bassacs.

Usually the vine leaves would be bright red by now