Beautiful Bourgogne

Hello again! I just returned from a fantastic vacation in Bourgogne and my head is still a little bit in the clouds from all we did (and ate!) in one way too short week. We've all fallen madly in love with France and having to say goodbye is getting harder and harder. So hard, that there has even been talk of a possible move there in the future. For now though, we're just making the most of our time spent there, and believe me...we certainly live it up!

The region where we vacationed is famous for its appellations and in fact, it has more appellations than any other region in the world. Our drives through the vineyards were absolutely breathtaking. Looking at those beautiful bunches of grapes was simply not enough and more than once I had to get out of the car to admire them from close up and feel them with my own hands. It really was a beautiful experience and the thought that these would someday make some of the world's finest wines was quite something. We ended every day with a bottle of the most exquisite wines I've ever tasted and sitting at a terrace and ordering a café au lait instead of a glass of the simpler, but nonetheless delicious Aligoté seemed almost sinful. It goes without saying that a few bottles had to come home with me. I have never had a lovelier chat about wine than I did with the vigneron who sold me a bottle of Bourgogne Hautes Côtes De Nuits Rouge. He pointed out various wines to me, told me about how to serve them, the right drinking temperature and all about the grapes. Out of the corner of my eye, I couldn't help but notice a bottle with a price tag of 300 some odd euros. If the one he sold me (which was much more modestly priced!) was good, I wondered what that particular one would have tasted like!

Wine wasn't the only thing that caused an impression on us though. The weather, as expected, was glorious, the landscape was lush and green and the area where we stayed, which happened to be the Parc Naturel Régional du Morvan was one of total an utter peacefulness. Our house was small but comfortable and it was a true dream come true for Kirstie considering the fact that she had a room full of toys, swings overlooking the hills and to top that off, a horse and a pony at her disposal! Every morning she would wake up and pet them right from her bedroom window!

We spent a lot of time driving around exploring little cities and villages, stopping along the way to see a church or have a drink. Impressive was definitely our visit to L'Hôtel-Dieu in Beaune. This was a hospital for the poor that was built in 1433 by Nicolas Rolin, chancellor of Philippe-le- Bon, Duke of Burgundy. Rolin decided to build the hospital in Beaune, a city that had greatly suffered from war and famine. The poor and sick received quality care at this hospital as Rolin stopped at nothing to make it into a huge statement of wealth and grandeur. During our visit we first walked into the magnificent courtyard where you could admire the hospital's traditional roofs covered in glazed multicolored tiles which created an extraordinary geometric pattern. That alone was already very impressive. The tour that followed through the various rooms ended with something I eagerly looked forward to ever since I knew we were headed for Bourgogne- The Last Judgement Polyptych by Rogier van der Weyden. This exceptional masterpiece was housed in a rather small, dark, cool room which made the bright colors and the greatness of the work all the more phenomenal. Like I said in a previous post, I would probably have a moment when I came face to face with that painting- and I did. It was hard to turn my back on it and walk away. I am so happy that Kirstie took in all this culture during our visit. Seeing her face in complete awe during our various walks through this and other museums, churches and historic places was something I'll never forget.

And the food! I enjoyed some wonderful cheeses and the best breads one could possibly imagine. One time we decided to simply buy a fresh baguette for lunch with some cheese and eat that sitting in a square in the lovely city of Autun . We were lucky enough to be the first to be offered a baguette straight out of the oven, warm inside and with the most beautiful, crispy crust imaginable. When I cut into it, it was still steaming, and the smell! The produce was also outstanding. I purchased a huge cucumber which was locally grown in the Morvan and it tasted like nothing I've ever had before; it almost had a sweetness to it. On a Wednesday we visited the local market in Autun where I purchased deliciously ripe nectarines, apricots, grapes, tomates coeur de boeuf, various bags of fresh spices , bread (of course) and a jar of honey made by the local bees in the Morvan. I also tasted everything and anything made with black currants (cassis), the regional berry. If you are ever in Bourgogne, you simply must buy yourself a bottle of the best Crème de Cassis you can possibly afford. This is a very sweet, liqueur made from macerated black currants and it is usually served with some Aligoté as a Kir or with some champagne as a Kir Royal. I brought back two bottles and also some black currant jams. France, and especially this region, is truly foodie paradise. On our last day, I had to hear from Hans about how worried he was considering the fact that there was hardly enough room for everything I decided to take back! I won't bore you with the loooong list but among other things, I took back lots of different spices (including two bottle of Baies Roses), various bottles of good quality vanilla extract (like only the French can do), an assortment of jams, liqueurs, baking products, jars of fleur de sel and last but certainly not least...mustard! During our trip to Dijon I was fortunate enough to be let loose with my pink credit card at the famous Maille Boutique. This is not just some shop where you waltz in and pick up some mustard, which by the way, is not the only thing they have. It is an exclusive boutique where their fine products are beautifully displayed behind glass. You simply look around and then ask for what you want and they will get it for you and also wrap each and every jar or bottle individually. It is not cheap but truly worth it! I got some cassis vinegar (black currant, of course!), some cider vinegar with honey, a variety of mustards including a jar of the most decadent coconut and spice mustard and some balsamic vinegar.


The food, the country, the people...It was a wonderful vacation. One filled with sweet memories about how life should really be.