Sunshine after rain

This week I had planned to write about the international kayaking competition that was to be held in Reals this past weekend.  It didn’t happen.  What happened was lots of rain on Saturday and the river swelled and swirled and turned into a raging torrent.  So for safety’s sake the event was cancelled.  I did go on Sunday morning, and there were a few crazy guys in their kayaks going over the biggest of roaring rapids, having fun.  Just a short ride and out they came again and walked 100 yards upstream to do it again.  A bit like children on a slide 🙂

The trees on the left are usually not in the water, by the way!

But fear not, the rain subsided as the weekend ended, and all around St Chinian shone lovely and bright.  And so I thought I would take you on a springtime walk, and perhaps we’ll go for dinner afterwards?  Imagine the birds starting to sing, the way they do, tentatively, when spring starts.  And with all the rain we’ve had, the wildflowers are out in profusion!

Here is a bee on what I think is a dead nettle – great bee-food in early spring!

Unfortunately I do not know the names of the two other plants – weeds to some and wildflowers to others.  Somewhere I read that a weed is just a plant growing in the wrong place.  Well then, I have lots of plants in the wrong place in my potager! 🙂

A little further along is this blowsy blossom – a nectarine tree, flowering its heart out!

Daffodils are called “Osterglocken” – Easter Bells in German – very apt as they generally flower around Easter.

And there are a few tulips out already too….

Dinner tonight is at Restaurant de l’Orb in Cessenon sur Orb.  The restaurant changed hands about 18 months ago, and is now run by Stephane, the French chef, and Patricia, his lovely Belgian wife, who looks after guests in the dining room.  The welcome will be warm, as it has been on previous occasions, and the service will be attentive.  Stephane changes his menu on a regular basis, so we might not be able to have what I photographed the last time…  A few things are firm favourites with the guests, so they generally stay on the menu throughout the year;  the pate is one of those favourites and it’s delicious.  Be sure to have had a light lunch if you’re going!

There were two other starters last time – a mouse of prawns served hot, and the other was leeks in a creamy sauce on puff pastry.

They also do a wicked version of a Croque Monsieur with foie gras and morels, not pictured, just to pique your interest…  My main course was scallops and prawns with a very delicate sauce.

Then there were the other main courses – filet of beef with a tarragon sauce, and filet of salmon with a savoury sabayon.  And look at the vegetables, almost too good to eat!

Ready for your dessert?  You can play it safe and go for ice cream or sorbets; they are very good and always nicely presented.  Or if you still have room (trust me, you’ll find room for the desserts!) you can go for something like the chestnut mousse filled crepe, or the crunchy apple pudding/muffin.  Bonne degustation!!

Hope you all have a great Easter weekend!