We slept late and after a breakfast of the usual delightful pastries, Desmond and I set about picking up the house, washing laundry, and doing a bit of shopping. The following day, we had plans to visit Tours, a lovely town located southwest of Orléans. We knew that would be a long day, with no time for shopping or chores, and since Craig would be arriving on Saturday morning, we wanted to have our household duties out of the way.
A small section of the wine selection at the local market.
The highlight of the day was dejeuner at Chez Ming with one of Desmond's colleagues, Chris. They have become friends over the months, working together. I had met him briefly at the university and looked forward to a chat with him over lunch. We met as soon as Ming's opened for the day, so that Mathieu could stop in and have a meal, too, before heading off to his job. Miranda, who is co-owner of Chez Ming with her husband, welcomed us warmly. The restaurant was soon filled with hungry customers enjoying the buffet. The food there is quite good, as I have mentioned in previous posts, and I highly recommend the place.
Chris hails from New Zealand, and talked a bit about his home. We discussed many subjects, including the earthquakes in New Zealand and the tornadoes in Kansas. Perhaps it's only because I have grown up in Kansas, but if I had to make a choice between tornadoes or earthquakes, I'd choose the twisters. At least you have some warning!
I like the brickwork on this house in Orléans.
A beautiful dog on a boat along the Loire.
After lunch, Des and I went shopping. We stopped in at little bargain store (everything 2 euros!) and had a bit of fun there. Desmond found some slates which are perfect for serving sushi or charcuterie. At the food market, we purchased some "paupiettes de veau" which are little bundles of stuffed veal. He prepared them that evening in a mushroom-cream sauce. Served over rice, with veggies on the side, the paupiettes were fabulous! There are many recipes for this dish on the Internet, and I may have to give one a try, after this.
Paupiettes de veau, a traditional French dish.
2 comments:
Sigh, I've never been to Orleans. So many places on my travel list! I love the photo of the beautiful house (and that cute pup, guarding the anchor). Isn't it so true that an ordinary day in France can be wonderful!
In a few years, after my husband has retired, we plan to spend three month each year in France. That will give us more time to explore the many beautiful regions there as well as to experience more of those precious, ordinary days.
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