From inside the house it's clear that outside the house there's the most wonderful sunrise.
Angus and Sophie saunter along the lane enjoying the light come up and the dark disappear. For a few minutes Sophie glows bright salmon pink. The ultimate diva. The horses wander over to see us. Sophie picks up pace and we pass them without her looking up. She makes sure Angus is between her and the horses. You can never be too sure with horses.
This morning we go to the cafe by the motorway. The cake selection is humdrum .....
.... but the croissants are as good as anything you'd get in Paris. In our time in France we've become great croissant snobs. You'd think that all croissants here would be great. Not true. Some taste like processed white bread. Others like brioche. Most are on the right side of acceptable. It's something to do with the way the dough is folded and refolded. At this cafe they're just right. Having them still warm from the oven may be a major factor in how we rank them. Sophie is less fussy. For her all croissant ends score a hearty 11/10. Two croissant ends score 12/10.
'The Font' has been in Scotland making sure the wee house is ready for our next group of visiting American academics. The last tenants had two lively young children. Nothing the decorator wasn't able to see to with a couple of quick touch up coats.
It is that time of the year when 'The Font' thinks it would be a good idea to leap in the car and head north to a new Swedish hotel. It has a spa but even Sophie might find it chilly. There is a great day out with the 'Moose whisperer' : https://arcticbath.se/
As music goes this is very innocent :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x7g1ynrvAM
15 comments:
Croissant commentary: ANGUS - did you know that the 'straight' croissants are all butter. And the 'curved crescent-shaped' croissants are not butter at all, but made with margarine or oil. It took me some fifty years of travels to France, when I finally learned this fact some decade ago.
So - 'straight' is the way to go! I am certain your PONS figured this out long ago. Regards from the windy rainy snowy Westcoast of Canada.
Gail thinks the 'Arctic Bath' hotel sounds wonderful, but is slightly disappointed that the options for getting there don't include a sled pulled by huskies (under the Northern lights of course).
Angus, in France how do you prefer your croissants? Plain or with some type of sweet or savoury filling or preserve? Reheated (if not straight out of the oven) or cold. Here in NZ I most often see croissants at cafés as a lunch item filled with salad, cheese and meats! At a conference I was at recently the hotel's morning tea hot croissants were filled with warm avocado and tomato which seems very far away from the French cuisine I imagine you enjoy!
Oh boy, your post and the comments really sent me down a rabbit hole today! First, I had to figure out where Harads, Sweden actually is and then I was fascinated to learn there is a pizzeria there and had to read the menu. And then I read the comment about croissants and had to go off and research the straight vs. curly thing. Supposedly French law does mandate that a croissant that is straight must be all-butter. The curly ones might be butter but might not - I don't suppose you could ask without risking a lifetime ban for suggesting the baker might be using anything else?
I think that locals would not approve of their morning croissant having a filing or being adulterated in any way. It will be some time before warm avocado and tomato make it onto any menu here. Conservatism is writ large in this part of the world. Madame Bay doesn't have a croissant for breakfast ( unless she's visiting us ). She has a slice or two of freshly baked baguette with blueberry jam.
Angus and generations of PONs are united in their belief that anything other than a butter croissant is inedible ( come to think of it the PONs aren't that choosey ). As for the shape of a croissant it is often difficult to tell whether they're straight or curvy. Margarine croissants just don't cut it.
If you and the Font are ever as far east of Toulouse as Carcassonne, do let me know and I will introduce you to the most heavenly croissants in the universe, at the new boulangerie in our village. Everything is made sur place. The croissants are buttery, flaky yet chewy perfection, and, needless to say, straight. I just polished off two and am covered in crumbs. Everyone in the village is in despair because of our looming weight gain as a result of now having such delicious bread and other baked goods.
Croissants were my downfall for a while when we first moved to France. I have a favourite boulangerie in St Geniez, that I always visit when I am there. My mother is also partial to a cake called Tasse Nougatine, which I have struggled to find anywhere else. She wouldn't forgive me if I didn't take one or two back to the UK for her.
Hari OM
Good grief. Had brekky, not yet lunch, but all I can think about now is choclatines, pastry 'snails' and croissants - any shape will do!!! YAM xx
How I would love to enjoy a perfect or even near perfect freshly baked croissant, or for that matter anything from the bakery - And of course I'd share with Sophie.
You made me think I will go and find a croissant tomorrow for my lunch. Thanks.
Just yesterday for some reason I was thinking about the wee house since news of it has been absent from your posts for quite some time. Plus Scotland's in the news with all the rumblings about a new independence vote.
So much for Sophie's not wanting to ever again hear the name Lev Parnas. Over here at least his face is on all the cable channels. More info from him tonight in Part 2 of his interview. Speaking of Sophie, you got the trim around her eyes just right. She's looking especially appealing this morning
Thanks for this info! I wil now only buy straight croissants. Hello from cold and snowy Duncan, Vancouver Island.
You had me at 'Moose Whisperer'!
https://arcticbath.se/activities/moose-calling/
More my style than the spa
Post a Comment