What a busy day! After our morning coffee, Desmond's friend Matt picked us up for an excursion to the vegetable farm on the outskirts of Orleans. We stopped first at Pat-a-Pain for breakfast. They had a wonderful selection of pastries, cakes, and other delights. I chose a delicious Tropezienne and a cup of hot chocolate. We then drove over to the farm to see what was available for picking. Since it was still a bit early in the growing season, we could harvest only parsley, lettuce, and carrots. There were rows and rows of strawberry plants in bloom, though they would not be ready for a while. There was a chill breeze blowing and we were very glad to have brought along some warm jackets. We dug carrots and picked parsley and also chose a bottle of locally made apple juice from the little farm store.
Our next errand was grocery shopping. We went to Le Clerc, which was very busy with other Saturday shoppers. We weren't able to find everything we needed, so we drove a short distance to Auchan. They were also crowded, but we managed to locate what we had come for. We also checked out the huge new aisle full of bulk items and were very pleased at the variety. I even found some wonderful, soft, pastel marshmallows that are available in flavors like cassis and violet.
We were soon ready for lunch at Mont Fuji. I'm not a fan of sushi, but the restaurant offers a wide selection of other dishes that are wonderful. I am especially fond of the fish that is sautéed without breading; it's mild and has a delicate flavor. The cheese maki is something I also like, as well as the fried noodles.
Upon returning home, we had a nice visit with Craig. We told him that we'll have to take him to Mont Fuji soon! And then, we straightened the house and began to make preparations for dinner that evening. We had invited Arno over for a barbecue, but the weather was still cold and blustery, so we decided to eat indoors. Our friend arrived with the ingredients for margaritas and soon we were all relaxing with a tasty drink as we nibbled on cheese, chips, and some yummy bacon-wrapped prunes that Desmond had quickly made. I helped Des prepare the caprese salads, which were lovely with green, red, orange, and yellow heirloom tomatoes layered with buffalo mozzarella and drizzled with basil-infused olive oil. Our main course was tasty grilled Toulouse sausages and butter-thyme potatoes. By the time we finished all of that, there was no room for dessert! But we certainly had a fun evening talking and laughing and telling funny family stories, which led to looking at old photos. It was a good night.
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