Tasting the real France…

We’ve wasted no time at all in diving head first into the lusciousness of this region. Try as we might, the Baronesses have just not been able to resist the many gastronomic temptations. After all, that is why we’re here, to taste the real France – and with a wholehearted determination, that’s exactly what we’ve begun doing – right here in L’Isle Sur La Sorgue – the prettiest village you could imagine.

Every one of our mornings here commences with the trot down to the boulangerie, then it’s either off on one of our Baroness Magical Mystery Tours or a relaxing ‘rest day.’ Except for the day of The Wedding! Nothing would get us out the house that day.

Heather had wisely stocked us up with all sorts of celebratory bits and pieces and we sat glued to the tele. As Baronesses, what could we do but put aside our republican leanings to ooh and aah a lot and enthusiastically toast everything and everyone’s royal good health and happiness with kir royales – the bride’s dress, the bride’s sister’s dress, the queen’s golden array, Julia Gillard avec cocked hat and Tim, the trees in the Abbey, William’s gloves, the golden coaches, the stupendously excellent music… and gasped in shocked hilarity over ‘that hat’! And of course this all needed to be balanced with an array of fromage, tapenade, saussicon, and various and sundry other niblets.

Although the pics were a direct feed from London, the commentary was all in French, but our trusty Head of All-Things-Technical, Heather, brilliantly managed to set up our laptop to receive BBC radio so we could understand it all. Such a wonderful sight – the ‘youngsters’ looked so much in love and everyone so happy for them and full of hope and best wishes on this gorgeous spring day.

Another gastronomical adventure involved researching the meaning of a new word – gaufre. The Baronesses decided to partake in an afternoon tea by the river on a very windy day. We’d seen the gaufre shop a few days before, promising a visit at some stage, and today was it. (Gaufres, we found are really just waffles with whatever flavoured ice-cream, Chantilly cream or other flavouring you want).

Settling down at a table outside the shop and by the river Baroness Butler began to get stuck into hers in as lady-like manner as a plastic spoon and paper tray would allow. Baroness Ferguson soon joined in with her equally scrumptious-looking indulgence. By this time I’d decided that my reading glasses were surplus to requirements so put them on the table. I think Heather was no more than 2 mouthfuls into hers when whooosh!! A huge gust of wind came through, sending my $600 specs sliding along the table and off into the river while at the same time lifting Heather’s paper tray avec remaining gaufre and Chantilly cream sending it sommersaulting through the air and landing a metre away at the feet of some other patrons.

While Heather leapt to retrieve the mess on the ground, which luckily hadn’t landed on her, I rolled up her pants declaring, ‘We’re Australian! We’re not scared of water – even if it is a 13 degree rushing torrent!’ And in I went – down the steps and along like a crab, holding onto the stone wall till I could retrieve the specs. Luckily they had lodged in a section where the wall kicked out. If they’d been blown out further, that really would’ve been interesting – trying to see France for the next 7 months through blurry eyes.

Tina and Heather

PS The glasses have since been lost. We’re hoping they’ll reappear stuck in a crevice in the car or somewhere…