It’s nowhere to be seen – but I’m sure that we can make it up.

I’m happy that my faithful Delia has a recipe for Black Forest Gateau (a bit of retro always goes down well). But from the faces E is pulling at a vintage 1980 Time Life Snacks and Canapes book – we won’t be going down the route of cheese pinwheels (to quote: a scultptured mound, fancifully garnished …”) and many other “delicacies” that have decidedly not stood up to the test of time.

I hadn’t known that it was originally set up as an offshoot of the Monastery of Cluny in Burgundy. But I did know its associations with the Marquis de Condorcet, who though an aristocrat was pro-equality – including the emancipation of slaves and of women.

And there’s a view of Mont Ventoux from the site as well.

Fortunately, the garden and the house seem to have survived the wintry weather. Soon spring will mean that I’ve got to be out gardening, not sitting around.

There was a wonderful sunset over Nyons yesterday evening (en route to see the Coen Brothers A Serious Man) – and trusted iphone in hand, here’s a view of the witchy fingers of the pollarded plane trees.

I’m converted already! I had thought that I was being lazy when I pruned or weeded and just left the debris around the plants. Nope – that’s one of the secrets of permaculture. If the plant has grown it, cutting it back and leaving the cuttings around the plant lets the nutrients back into the soil.

I’ve already been a happy composter – but this takes composting out of the pile and under the mulch. And now – I don’t have to think about the chore of pruning, deadheading or weeding. I’m doing permaculture composting and mulching.

No more waiting for horse manure to rot down for a year – you just water it and spread it along with the fresh cuttings, cardboard etc.

Pictures and more learnings to follow.

No, I haven’t written a cook book – yet! But I am intending to keep a record of meals (and recipes here). So perhaps the book will write itself. And I’ll add photos as and when.

So today’s lunch menu included goats cheese and caramelised onion quiche (flavoured with thyme) served with beetroot and orange salad, and a plate of home grown tomatoes dressed with local olive oil and basil.

Dinner was started with sorrel soup (from the garden; and as the nights are now getting cooler it was the first warm soup for months). Then on to chicken with mozzarella and basil/pesto, wrapped in prosciutto (or equivalent). I’ve found the secret here is to prepare the chicken breasts by poaching them in seasoned stock. Let them cool then assemble them. It means you don’t end up carbonising the ham while trying to ensure that the chicken is cooked. Also, you can do a lot of the preparation in advance – essential if you’re single-handed in the kitchen.

This was served with Tipiak – a mixed grain a bit like couscous; and fresh ratatouille. Cheese – with grapes from the vine; then the autumn apple and cinnammon special.

Yesterday we started with spiced pumpkin and feta verrines served with pumpkin muffin; then lemon and thyme flavoured veal medallions served on with goats cheese and onion ravioli, and braised carrots. Cheese board. Then profiteroles – some with a chocolate filling, some with vanilla creme.

Now all I’ve got to do is the washing up! Where’s a sous-chef when you need them?

Amongst the freezer-load of muffins and cupcakes we have a variety with apple and cinammon added to the basic yoghurt cake mix (with a sprinkle topping of crystallised cinnamon sugar). Good on their own for breakfast and picnics. But they also work really well as a dessert:

Fry rounds of apple in butter/brown sugar and cinnamon until cooked and caramelised. Allow to cool a little. Assemble:
vanilla creme anglaise, slice of apple, and top with an apple and cinnamon cupcake (yes, take it out of its paper first! warm through gently in the oven or microwave). Add a dusting of cinnamon icing sugar and a sprig of somthing green from the herb garden.

I’ll be serving it to the next walking group table d’hote in a couple of weeks time.

Sun-dried Tomato, Olive and Basil Bread
(source – the lady, July 2009 from Lazy Days and Beach Blankets, Ryland Peters and Small)

SUN-DRIED TOMATO, OLIVE AND BASIL BREAD

SERVES 6

6oz (175g) plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 large eggs
3½ floz (100ml) olive oil
3½ oz (100ml) milk
3½ oz (100g) mature Gruyere cheese, grated
3½ oz (100g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and roughly chopped
2½ oz (60g) stoned black olives marinated with herbs, roughly chopped
a small handful of basil leaves, roughly sliced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

You will also need:
a 8¼ inch (21cm) x 4¼ inch (11cm) non-stick loaf tin, lightly greased and floured

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350˚F or Gas 4.
2. Sift the flour with the baking powder and season well with salt and black pepper. Whisk the eggs and whisk in the milk and oil. Tip two-thirds of the liquid into the flour, beat well then add remaining liquid.
3. Mix in the Gruyère, tomatoes, olives and basil, then tip into the loaf tin. Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
4. Leave to cool, remove from the tin and wrap in aluminium foil. Keep in the fridge.
5. Serve at room temperature, sliced and cut into halves or squares. You could also serve a plate of chunky, handcut slices of salami to eat with your fingers.

Lavender Shortbread
(source – the Lady, July 2009)

75g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
175 g butter
1 tblspoon fresh chopped lavender flowers
175g plain flor
75g cornflour, ground rice or fine semolina
shallow backing tin 27 x 18 cm

Preheat oven to 150C/300F/gas 2
Food process sugar and butter till light and fluffy
Add lavender flowers and whizz again
Add half flour and pulse to incorporate, then add rest of flour and pulse again
Add cornflour and pulse (cornflour = smoother; groun rice or semolina = more crumbly and rustic)
Bring together with hands
Sparek onto baking tin, mark it with shortknife into 18 squares and prick lightly with fork
Bake 40 to 45 mins till pale gold; sprinkle with caster sugar, and cooke for another 5 mins
Remove from oven, cool for 10 mins in tin; cut into pieces, remove from tin with palette knife onto rack to cool.
Store in air-tight tin

Rich Fruit Loaf

This recipe comes from my classic Cooking in Colour by Marguerite Pattern. First published 1960 – my copy is the fourth edition published 1974. Recipe number 811

The published recipe calls for candied peel – we used chopped dried prunes (we had them in the cave). I’m never afraid to substitute ingredients (within reason). And on second or third baking will start to play around with spices and flavourings.

100g butter
1kg plain flour (we used an organic wheat flour type 110 – it was almost a very fine brown flour)
pinch salt
125 g currants
125 g sultanas
75 g prunes (we probably used more)
50 – 75 g sugar
really good 25g of fresh yeast (and yes, we found fresh yeast at the boulangerie)
2 eggs
425 ml tepid milk or milk and water
2 tablespoons sugar and water to glaze

Rub butter into sieved flour and salt. Add fruit and all but 1 teaspoon sugar.
Cream yeast with teaspoon of sugar, add to the beaten egs and warm milk and leave for 10 minutes in warm place till frothy
Add to the rest of the ingredients and mix to a dough
Knead on floured board
Leave to rise till doubled in size
Put into 2 large load tins (actually we used 2 x sprung bottom round cake tins)
Leave to prove 20 mins
Bake in centre of hot oven 425 – 450 F, 220 – 230 C, gas 6 – 7, reducing the heat after first 10 mins to 375F/190C/Gas 5, for 40 – 50 mins.
Brush with glaze made with sugar and water as soon as the loaves come of the oven.
Cool on wire tray.

Don’t take a rain-check – book your last-minute bargain break today.

From 22 August – 15th September come and stay at Chateau Colombier at the fantastic low rate of 1,200 euros per week for up to 6 people. Each further guest 120 euros per head. Self-catering.

Or come anytime from 22nd August – 15th September for a mini-break at just 60 euros per ensuite double room, with breakfast; table d’hote available as required.

Do a mix and match. We’re as flexible as you need us to be.

Or 20% OFF WEBSITE PRICES 26th September – 31st October. Quoete “Autumn Leaves”

Bring your hiking boots and get out walking; hire a bike and follow the route of the Tour de France. Explore the markets … visit the vineyards … relax by the pool.

The crowds have gone. But we invite you to share one of the best seasons in our little corner of Paradise.

And I watched the penultimate stage of the Tour de France this year with awe as the guys I’d seen with my own eyes sprinting past the house 4 hours earlier reached the finish line.

But it’s with equal pride that I am thinking of keeping a tally of the Mont Ventoux ascents achieved by my cycling house guests.

The early arrivers of my June group of house guests did all three routes to the top (starting and finishing at Le Colombier).

I’m listening in to the plans. It seems that there will be at least one or two breakaways from choir practice who also have the Mont in their sites. Rachel – my sous-chatelaine for the month with a fitness to die for – is tempted to join them.

Of course I’m encouraging her. What a personal souvenir to take back the other side of the world.

And talking of Rachel – look out for her guest blogs coming soon.

As well as many shots of headless riders, and tarmac (why do cyclists go so fast? – I guess it was a sprint stage) guess who I managed to snap cycling past Chateau Colombier?