How To Give Good Bread

 

I love French bread but don't love the calories....and some bread definitely tastes better than others....so why waste the calories on sub-standard bread....here's a great video and tips on how to buy the best bread in your neighbourhood. http://frenchforfoodies.com/2012/08/05/how-to-give-good-bread-buying-the-perfect-baguette/

Faire du Bois

A monster wood pile

Well into November and we have been lucky with the weather so far in Le Morvan, but...it's time to start cocooning. The first winter essential is wood. Our supply arrived a couple of months ago - not nearly as big as the wood pile in the photo!

Living surrounded by forests doesn't mean that finding wood is easy. Wood needs time to dry properly before it is ready for burning and that could take 12-15 months. Wood is the main source of heating for most of us, either open fires with traditional Morvan style stone fireplaces but more usually wood burners that pump out lots of heat. 

Wood is always a topic of conversation, where to buy it and who from. Mr B went with Marc a couple of months ago on a bumpy journey on the back of a tractor to collect our wood. It is chopped and stacked in the barn ready to use. 

I love these stylish ideas of making wood an indoor feature. 

What do you think?  Lovely but not practical?

 

La Touissant, All Saint's Day

We had some Trick or Treaters knock on our door last night - which was a big surprise. Halloween in France isn't a French holiday and it is mostly seen as a new, American idea. Over the last couple of years supermarket chains have been stocking Halloween sweets and fancy dress and a few of the international brands like Macdonalds and Apple use Halloween motifs in their marketing. But it is refreshing to see that not everyone is "taken in" by commercialism. In fact the French have been celebrating the original idea of Halloween, respect for the dead, for centuries. The 1st November, La Touissant, All Saints Day, is a public holiday and it is the tradition for families to go together to visit deceased relatives and place chrysanthemums on their graves. The markets and flower shops are full of chrysanthemums in every colour - but don't be tempted to give them as a gift - here in France they are associated with death.