Late Summer 2019 at Nº 42

I’ve cleaned the stairs. I’m exhausted.

Summer girls have come and gone – and their company was utterly wonderful, as always. This year they brought along with them a pair of glorious Victorian cut crystal claret jugs. I was afraid to touch them at first as they’re incredibly fine, but we ended up using them fairly regularly during their stay. They do give the table that little bit extra wow, and they fit about a bottle and a half of wine each, which is practical.

This year they even managed to drag get me out of Mazamet one day for lunch. We went to Labruguière and ate at Lou Lengadocian. Excellent. We then visited St. Thyrs (the tower dates from the 14th century, the interiors were restored in the early 17th, after destruction in the religious wars.)

Now we have a bit over a week before our new guests arrive. Two of Mike’s acting friends who we both really like.

In food news, my biggest success this summer has been vegetable tatin. The original recipe is with leeks cut into 1 inch roundels, but you can essentially do it with any vegetables that you can cook without much movement in an oven proof frying pan. You cook the vegetables, which you’ve arranged in a nice pattern (when you flip the tart the pattern will be seen!). This can be done any way you want. With stock, white wine, a balsamic reduction. Anything where you’ll end up with no liquid. Once that’s done let it cool a bit, place pastry on top, tucking in the edges and put it in the oven until the pastry is cooked. Flip and serve with salad. Couldn’t be easier. It should look something like this.

And I leave you with some pictures of the house (less seen angles and rooms + the new shower room) this summer, which feels more polished and established by the day. Do ignore the “decorative” Cillit Bang on the dining table 😀