Rallying round

This weekend the streets of Angoulême in Charente will be thronging with crowds to watch the famous rally that takes place around the town.

The Circuit Des Remparts staged in the pretty town of Angoulême is one of only 2 street races in Europe ( the other being Monaco) and every September brings racing enthusiasts flocking to this part of South West France.

Commonly known as 'Monaco without the sea', the race offers spectators the chance to see Bugattis, Rileys, Fraser Nash and MGs as well as post war Porches and TVRs.
The event has been running every 3rd weekend in September since 1939 with only a break during the war years. The demanding course consists of hairpin and right angled bends within the walled town making this a unique spectacle worth a visit simply for the atmosphere.

Quirky collectables

One of the unexpected consequences of the smoking ban in bars and restaurants has been the increase in demand from collectors. Ashtray production was big business and the ban saw manufacturing grind to a halt, putting pressure on prices.

As Ebay regulars will testify, there is a whole category dedicated to 'Tobacciana' or smoking related merchandise. Sounds nerdy right? On a par with stamp collecting, or worse. 

The ashtray has been around since the beginning of the 19th Century when it started to become very popular so some are now genuine antiques and worth a small fortune. Sounding less nerdy now?

Businesses like Pernod, Ricard, Martell and Moët & Chandon saw ashtrays as a cheap and effective way to advertise. Not surprisingly, some were also emblazoned with cigarette brands, the ubiquitous Gauloises and Gitanes being the most recognised. Designs in ashtrays would often reflect the artistic movements of the era, particularly obvious in the stylised art glass of the Deco and Art Nouveau periods. The 1970's saw a move towards very heavy and curvaceous glass. By the 90's, celebrity chefs were commissioning designs for the ashtrays used in their restaurants. Quaglino's, Mirabelle and OxoTower all experienced such a high level of theft of their highly prized ashtrays, some even began to sell them on their websites. Now selling on Ebay of course!

Green majolica frog ashtrays from the 1970's are now highly collectable. L'Heritier-Guyot is 

a manufacturer of Crème de Cassis.

This Mercedes-Benz ashtray is one of my favourites.

Gitanes and Gauloises ashtrays from the 1970's

Pesto alla Genovese

For the last couple of years I have nurtured several basil plants so I can make at least a couple of jars of pesto in late summer. My attempts to sow basil from seed have been rather dismal, so instead I buy young plants which, if planted outdoors and watered well, and not picked to within an inch of their lives, will quickly develop into much larger bushes boasting plenty of deliciously scented leaves. The flavour and aroma of home made pesto puts all the bought ones in the shade. Made in a blender it takes 5 minutes flat. That doesn't include picking the leaves off the stalks, but I guess there are worse jobs for a sunny morning. You will feel more Italian if you use the traditional (harder) method and pound it all up in a pestle and mortar, but your wrist won't thank you. This is the method Antonio Carluccio prefers for his version.

Recipes vary greatly and there are 3 ingredients that are considered non-negotiable. Basil, cheese and olive oil. Whether you add garlic and pine nuts is a matter of taste. I add both. I can't imagine it without garlic and the bashed up pine nuts give the sauce more texture.


The health benefits may not be as well known as it's culinary uses but this article gives us some of the mind/body benefits from clearing up breakouts to detoxing the liver.

BASIL PESTO

50g basil leaves (try to pick fresh green ones, in the morning if possible)
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 clove garlic, crushed
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (better quality will give better flavour)
25g Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, grated

Start by toasting the pine nuts in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Watch them like a hawk. If you turn your back they will burn into little black bullets. A couple of minutes should be enough to lightly brown them.

Pack the leaves, pine nuts, garlic and a pinch of salt into a blender and then pour over the olive oil. Blend with caution, using the pulse button if there is one. Don't over process or you'll end up with green slime. You may need to poke the leaves down from time to time or add a glug more olive oil to get a sauce like consistency.

Scrape into a bowl and stir in the cheese. Spoon into a sterilised jar and seal with a little more oil. Refrigerate and top up the oil after every use.

That's it. Done!

5 DELICIOUS WAYS WITH PESTO

1.Cheese and pesto bread

You can never make enough

2.Pesto marinaded prawns

Gently heat through on the bbq or grill pan

3.Toasted sandwich

Cheese, ham, tomato, pesto. What could be better?

5.Pizza Margarita

Little dollops make a big difference

Book yourself some 'me time' this holiday

Here at Gites and Antiques HQ, we do our best to ensure everyone has a great holiday and that includes you!
All too often the focus is on the children and ensuring they have fun, but parents sometimes need a little break too.
Why not squeeze out a bit of 'me time' this holiday and enjoy some of the new things we have to offer our guests.

 Furniture Painting

Discover how to transform old furniture using paint and wax during a 3 hour workshop. Learn some of the key techniques used to recreate the French country look. You may want to look at Chateau Chic for inspiration

Unlock your creativity, have fun and go home with a new skill and a pretty jewellery box.

Read more here..

                                                                            

On your bike

I have to admit that I'm not the most enthusiastic cyclist during the winter months but this current warm and sunny spell has had me poking around the garage to dig out my rusty ( and trusty) old bike. It has been hibernating for some time and needed a bit of a dust off. Know the feeling.

Whilst my old banger of a bike may not glide through a cycling 'M.O.T', it does the job and is really all I need. I'm not into torching the calories or a full cardio workout. To be unglued from the computer screen for a while to embrace the countryside, breathing in a few lungfuls of fresh air along the way does me a power of good. I do admire the stamina and drive of the Lycra clad crowd but if like me you enjoy the slow pace and not the race then this area is a cyclist's dream.

Poitou-Charentes is a relatively flat region that boasts over 1000 km of marked cycle trails making it an extremely bike-friendly place to come for your French holiday.

One of the best things about cycling is that you see things. Lots more things in fact than if you are whizzing by in a car. Sheep, birds, flowers, architecture. And you hear things too. Birdsong, the low hum of a lawnmower and, if I'm passing his way, the friendly 'hee haw' greeting from my favourite donk. Being mindful of the beauty surrounding us is a very uplifting feeling. It's good to be reminded occasionally of how lucky we are to live here.

If you are coming to France for a holiday, then cycling is the perfect activity for the whole family. The lovely people at Bike Hire Direct make it ridiculously easy for you by delivering and collecting bikes and equipment direct to your accommodation. It has to be said that their bikes are far more covetable than mine. All of them undergo rigorous testing to ensure that they meet very high standards and are cleaned and spruced up prior to delivery. They supply quality bikes for all ages, helmets, tag-a-longs, baby seats, car bike racks, even paniers to hold your picnic basket. All at very reasonable prices.

One of my favourite quotes from one of last year's gîte guests reads...

"A lovely fortnight! We will always remember the pool water polo, loom bands, boys morning cycle rides to the boulangerie and Grace and Kirsten’s show. Many wonderful memories"

So go on. Aller sur votre vélo!

Rochefort sur Mer

Driving back early on Sunday morning through Rochefort sur Mer, it struck me just how handsome this town is. On a crisp, clear, blue skied morning with not a soul to be seen, the architectural backdrop seemed so much more apparent.
Rochefort might not always feature on a tourists 'to see' list, being a little overshadowed by it's cosmopolitan seaside neighbour La Rochelle, but it is totally worthy of a visit with abundance of cultural and fascinating attractions.
Situated on the Charente river, it was built by Jean Baptiste Colbert as a place to supply and defend the French navy. Place Colbert is the central square where you can pause for coffee ( or something stronger), and ponder which attractions to see. 

Here are my top 5, in no particular order...


Musée Corderie Royale 

An astonishing and very long building built in 1670 that was once the centre of the docks in the town and also the centre of ropemaking for ships across France. At the corderie you can learn about the history of the site and also about the techniques involved in ropemaking. Well worth a short visit. You can even stop for a spot of lunch.

                           

                              

Pierre Loti Museum 

This highly regarded novelist was the French answer to Charles Dickens. He was accorded a state funeral when he died in 1923 and his house has been preserved as a museum featuring collections from his extensive travels. The museum is being renovated so will be looking more polished than ever.

Musée des commerces 

This fascinating museum will take you back 100 years to see superb replicas of shops, chemists, dentists and of course, a boulangerie. Perfect for all ages. I find it invaluable as it helps me to date many of the items on Chateau Chic. If you need further reason to go, it's ranked #1 on TripAdvisor.

L'Hermione 

Twenty years ago, a small group dreamed of reconstructing an exact replica of General Lafayette’s 18th-century ship called the Hermione. Today, the majestic vessel is the largest and most authentically built Tall Ship in the last 150 years. The Hermione has set sail in France, launching an adventure that comes to the USA in the summer of 2015 for an unprecedented voyage. An extraordinary project combining huge talent and dedication.

                           

                           

Pont Transbordeur

Transporter bridge The last of it's kind in France. This will appeal not only to engineering geeks but to the whole family. For a modest sum you can take the 'ferry' across the Charente river, grab an ice cream or cold beer at the café and come back again. 

So that's just a glimpse of what Rochefort sur Mer has to offer, but there's plenty more where that came from!

Of Cakes and Kings

For many of us, today is the day the Christmas decs come down and the house looks a little forlorn. Bereft of sparkle and embellishments, our dining room will be restored to it's former unglamorous self. The upside is that I won't have glitter on my face/hands/clothes for another year. Some even made it's way into my handbag this year?!

Our fresh tree has been very well preserved, not losing one needle so I am a bit reluctant to dispatch it to the local déchetterie but best not risk any bad luck eh?

Since the beginning of January (and usually until the end of the month), the supermarkets here stock abundance of cakes sold with a gold crown. Why? Well. Twelfth night or Epiphany marks the end of Christmas, when the Magi brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus. In France, this festival is celebrated on or around the 6th January by sharing a Galette Des Rois. This sweet buttery pastry pie is traditionally filled with frangipane but recipes vary according to region. Some are made of a brioche dough, encrusted with sugar crystals and studded with jewel like glacé fruits.

Whichever is your galette of choice, it will contain a fève which, if discovered in your slice, permits you to wear the crown provided and be King or Queen for the day. Originally the 'fève' was a bean but now they are small porcelain figurines which are quite collectable.

In a cold, damp month that doesn't have much going for it, a Galette Des Rois, shared amongst friends or family with a nice cuppa can be a soul soother for a day.

Daily Grind

Vintage coffee mills or moulins à café are familiar sights at the brocantes of France. All shapes and sizes can be found, round, square or wall mounted. It seems every household once owned one. Often uncovered in poor condition now, occasionally we chance upon one that is a little more unusual or appealing to the eye.

This red one was a recent find which has ended up on our 'keep' shelf where it sits with its navy blue partner and I am now on the lookout for a third. Three isn't always a crowd. Art Deco collectors would love the all chrome version.

It may seem surprising to see the Peugeot lion emblem on a coffee grinder when we associate it mostly with cars. In fact, Peugeot Frères started producing grinders in the 1840's long before cars were thought of and they were made up until the 60's when ground coffee became more widely available. This lovely soft green one is sadly missing its label but the colour said ' buy me anyway'.

Below is a beautiful antique one from the late 1800's that is very rare. Any that survived are likely to be in the Peugeot museum or fetching a good price on Ebay. We may stumble across one one day. Here's hoping!

Borage the Wonder Herb

It's easy to see why the beautiful star shaped flowers of the borage plant are such a bee magnet.

This old fashioned plant self seeded in my vegetable garden and since flowering it has been visited all day long by bees busying themselves collecting pollen. I had no idea it was such a useful plant for culinary and medicinal use.

Borage is in fact a herb and has a lot going for it other than it's bright blue petals. It is very undemanding in terms of soil and conditions so will thrive in most gardens and reseeds readily.The flowers are edible and can be used to decorate salads or cakes. Ice cubes made with a borage flower look really pretty in summer drinks, especially Pimms where it was traditionally used before cucumber and mint. The smaller less fuzzy leaves work well in salads and taste very similar to cucumber.

As a companion plant borage enhances the growth of tomatoes by repelling the tomato hornworm and many other fruit and vegetables such as strawberries and squash seem to benefit from nearby planting. Anything attracting bees can only do good as they increase the pollination of neighbourings plants and as we all know, we need bees.

It is worth growing for the flowers alone but in medicinal use borage excels. The seeds are made into GLA, an essential fatty acid which is said to be useful in treating depression, rheumatism, fever, colds and flu. The leaves contains high levels of vitamins A, C, calcium, iron and zinc and can be crushed to relieve insect bites.
I have even heard that it can be used to treat a hangover. Perhaps that's why it's added to Pimms!

Café au lait

Antique café au lait bowls are something I always look for at brocantes. It's rare to find two the same and they come in an assortment of colours, patterns and shapes. Some are fluted with stripes and others have beautiful stencilled floral designs. It's hard to pick a favourite from my collection but I think if I was pushed I'd say the blue stencilled ones. 

I always try to find ones in really good condition so I can actually use them. They are just the perfect size for dips, snacks and soups. At a recent lunch I served gaspacho in them and when the table is laid with each place having a different one they really do look pretty.

Bordeaux Canelés

Bordeaux is not just famous for wine...

The true origins of these little cakes is not known but as with many old recipes there are lots of theories.

The one that most agree on is that they were first baked by pre French Revolution nuns who were given egg yolks by the local wine growers. Egg whites were used to clarify the wine so the nuns put the by-product to good use by making these ridged cakes for the poor children.

The Bordeaux canelés are best bought and tasted in their home town where there is even a confrérie or brotherhood of 88 patissiérs who formed a group to protect the integrity of their canelés. Chocolate or orange flavourings? Mais, non!!

The official recipe is apparently locked away in a vault which makes the little cakes feel even more self important. Notoriously difficult to make, they rely on the exact blend of flour, eggs, rum, milk, vanilla bean and sugar as well as the correct cooking temperatures. Once cooked they are left to rest on a grill which helps form the glossy deep brown crust whilst the interior remains soft and custard like. The overall texture is meant to be slightly chewy to allow the subtle flavours to be fully enjoyed. Best eaten with coffee or wine. Naturellement!

I can't say they are my favourite thing being in the 'no alcohol in sweet food' camp, but I do love their shape and colour. You can see them piled high in the patisserie windows of Bordeaux where they look very appealing. I have found a couple of sets of the aluminium tins on my brocante travels in France and I have been lucky enough to find one beautiful copper set which I now regret not holding onto. They would make perfect mini jelly moulds too!

Flower Juice

We like to keep up our British traditions here in France and so in May and June we go off foraging the blossoms of the elder shrub to make elderflower cordial.

The children love walking around country lanes, snipping the large flowers heads into a basket to make what they call 'flower juice'.
Once harvested, the flowers of this rather ill thought of shrub ( some may say weed),can be infused in a sugar syrup that when combined with sparkling water, ice and a slice of lemon, makes the most refreshingly fragrant summer drink.
Replace the water with sparkling wine or champagne and you will have a classy do,  and I am told that it can be used in a vinaigrette dressing too.
I use Sophie Grigson's recipe which is tried and tested, keeps and freezes really well. Try to pick blooms away from roadsides and those which are in bloom but with no trace of brown.

Ingredients

• 20 heads of elderflower
• 1.8 kg granulated sugar
• 1.2 litres water
• 2 unwaxed lemons
• 75 g citric acid

Method

1. Shake the elderflowers to expel any little critters, and then place in a large bowl.

2. Put the sugar into a pan with the water and bring up to the boil, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.

3. Add the zest of the lemons to the elderflowers. Slice the lemons, discard the ends, and add the slices to the bowl. Pour over the boiling syrup, and then stir in the citric acid. Cover with a cloth and then leave at room temperature for 24 hours.

4. Next day, strain the cordial through a sieve lined with muslin cloth ( or clean tea towel), squeezing out the last drops for maximum flavour. Pour into sterilized bottles. Screw on the lids and pop into the fridge. Use plastic bottles if freezing leaving a gap at the top for expansion.

Mangeoire a poule

I have often glanced at these poultry feeders or 'mangeoires a poules' whilst perusing a brocanteur's stand and didn't really imagine that they could be put to much decorative use. Le brocanteur said that they were now in much demand and highly sought after. 

I could feel the price going up as he spoke. 'Très rare. Ancienne' he said.'Yeah', I thought.

But with a little imagination, they can be reinvented as neat little planters. Perfect for narrow window sills or any outside space. Fill with compost, sprinkle in some seeds of your choice - herbs would be practical. Feed, water, grow.

Or you could get a few chickens instead!

All that Jaz

The Jaz brand was born in the 1920's by a small group of engineers who realised there was a very lucrative market for alarm clocks. Getting the workforce up and out to work on time was not easy without them. The solution was to produce a quality, mass produced product that was still pleasing to the eye.

Why Jaz? Nobody really knows but possibly a cool name reflecting the musical influences sweeping the continent at the time.

These days, the clocks are highly collectible. I have several on Chateau Chic in perfect working condition with an alarm to wake the soundest sleeper. It's worth knowing a little more about the cockerel emblem on the face in order to date them more accurately. The emblem did not exist prior to 1942 and from 1942 -1967 the tail is pointing down. On later editions, 1967 and onwards, the tail is pointing up.

Classic alarm clock 1940's

1920's chrome clock

1940's Cream Bakelite Art Deco

Vintage bottle dryer

Vintage galvanised metal bottle dryers can be used in so many ways. I particularly like them for displaying teacups but I have also seen them used for drying herbs. 

I used this one as a quirky Christmas tree adorned with fairy lights. You can find the one below on Chateau Chic. It's the perfect size to sit on a worktop or counter.

Getting the sack

At first glance vintage agricultural sacks don't look too appealing.

They are rustic and coarsely woven and often have a rather farmyard smell but none of this has ever put me off buying them.

I know that with a little gentle handwashing and care they can be made into the most wonderful, original chair coverings, cushions, table runners and even Roman blinds. There are probably plenty more ideas but I have enough to be going on with...

I only buy them if the mice haven't gotten to them first and I tend to buy unusual and colourful designs and then ponder what to make with them. Here is a chair that I have covered a while back. The stork design in pale blue worked perfectly with the French grey on the chair.

And an idea for my next project...

Vintage soda syphon

You can't help but be attracted to the striking blue of these vintage soda bottles. They catch my eye whenever I see them at the markets and whilst they were a very common sight in the 1920's and 30's very few of them have survived intact.

I now have the beginnings of a collection, well two is a good start. Both of mine are in perfect condition and I waited a long time to acquire them. I place them on the windowsill in my kitchen where they are naturally backlit. They look different throughout the day depending on the light and weather.

Bars and restaurant owners would have taken these to a facility where they would have been recharged. Can you use them? Not really. The pewter tops require special removal but they make a stunning focal point.