Where oh where are the mushrooms?

The end of the mushroom season is coming upon us quickly now, but, where or where were the mushrooms?

The fact is that this has been a terrible no-mushroom mushroom season. I have been living in Sologne – Loire Valley since 2000 and this is the worst year for fungus lovers.





Generally speaking from May to November Sologne Loire Valley is a Mecca for mushroom enthusiasts. In a “grand cru” year I have found not just the stellar standards such as “girolles” (chanterelles) and “cepes” (ceps) but also “pieds du mouton” (hedgehog fungus), “rosé des près” (field mushrooms), “coprins” (shaggy ink caps), “trompettes de mort” (black trumpets), “coulemelle” (parasol mushrooms) and the list goes on.



Just to name a few of the more exotic species that I have had the luck to find and savour:

“langue de boeuf” (beefsteak fungus) – this mushroom is well named in both languages. Beef’s tongue in French and beefsteak in English it is, indeed, shaped like a cow’s tongue and the size, roughly the same. And I cook it like a beefsteak, sliced thickly and grilled quickly.

“Chou-fleur” (cauliflower fungus) This large sponge-like mushroom is delicious cut into morsels, dipped in batter than lightly sautéed.

“Pézize”
(orange peel fungus) The great thing about this funny looking one is that is lovely to see it’s brightly coloured orange on a drab winter’s in the forest! I throw it into whatever mushroom dish I am making to give colour and add just a bit of difference to the taste.

As for recipes here is one of my favorites, it is unusual, easy and parasol mushrooms (“coullemelle”) grow all over France! Collect just the caps of this mushroom after they have flattened out. They usually need very little cleaning. Depending on how many you will be cooking you will need one or two beaten eggs in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish mix breadcrumbs, herbs of your choice and Parmesan. Dip the whole caps first into the egg then into the herb cheese mixture. Lightly sauté them in olive oil. I serve them like small pizzas as an appetiser or as a side dish with dinner. In the French and English reference guides there are marked differences in the culinary appreciation of certain mushrooms.










































It may not be too late this season, who knows, with just a little rain and sun…we might still have a season.










































If you can’t find an expert to go with you take a reference book. I usually take both a French and an English one with me. Do not go racing through the forest picking every mushroom you see, most will be of no culinary interest or toxic. Pick only those that match what you find in the reference book. If you are picking ones that you do not know be sure to put each type in different bags so there will no contamination from a potentially toxic mushroom.










































Here in France each pharmacist is equipped to be able to confirm your pickings during the season. This service is offered free so remember, if the pharmacist is busy please go back later. Michel, our pharmacist is very knowledgeable but once in awhile one of my finds has searching in his mushroom enclypedia and sometimes even then there are times he is not sure!












































But remember not all mushrooms are edible and never never eat one if there is the least doubt.



Kristi Anderson is the orignal owner of Tea and Tattered Pages and until February 6, 2010 ran a bed and breakfast near Orléans. kristi anderson le saint jacques le coin perdu 15, place de l'église 45240 Ligny le Ribault TheAmericanFrog@aol.com

No news...good news?

I haven't written in such a long time because I have been depressed,  pessimistic and just feeling sorry for myself.  Three moods I don't like to share with anyone. I don't like to write if I can't say at least one funny thing.  And, I know I don't have the right to feel any of these;; I still have a bed and food to eat!

I am back living in the room behind the house.  Don't get me wrong, the insurance will pay for a rental, it's just that I have to decide where I am going to live.  Reconstruction of the house will take at least two years. Soooooooo  I am figuring where I want to live and what I want, or can do.

And, the weather is not all that great.  Cloudy, gray and dreary.  It doesn't even rain which we need desperately.  Maybe if I start singing...

Kristi Anderson is the orignal owner of Tea and Tattered Pages and until February 6, 2010 ran a bed and breakfast near Orléans. kristi anderson le saint jacques le coin perdu 15, place de l'église 45240 Ligny le Ribault TheAmericanFrog@aol.com

The before and afters continue

Now let's go inside...here is the entry from the terrace.

Remember these are the "during" photos; we had already torn off the mint green wall paper but before we had removed the plasterboard to find the beautiful "colombage" (half timbered brick wall) and the well.

The well is in the wine cellar and when we broke down the plasterboard it was evident that, at one time the well had been here. So I put it back.










This what it looks like today.

I don't have a before picture of the staircase.  But boy we were surprised when we ripped up the rug, thinking to find cement and found this wonderful wood.

But wood burns....

The living room during.  Here we had stripped off a dark brown stringy wallpaper, took the plasterboard off the lovely beams, and torn down the red brick fireplace.

I found the stone fireplace in a nearby village,

 my handiman, Gus, made the fire bender.  I was so proud of this room.  I would sit for hours in front of the fire sipping a brandy and chatting with my guests.

Oh, no, another maudlin moment. Don't worry I'll get over it.

Because I don't want to sit on the fire bender any more...

And,I don't have my kids paintings to look at anymore.

The TV room was, if you can believe it, one of the hotel rooms before.  Six rooms shared the same toilet and bath. There were, however, a sink and a bidet in each room--remember we are in France!

The after renovation becomes the before fire.

And the after fire becomes the before renovation.

I will continue this tomorrow, Samantha is back from being with her dad and we are going out for dinner.  I am still trying to master the art of the stove and oven in the appartment.

Kristi Anderson is the orignal owner of Tea and Tattered Pages and until February 6, 2010 ran a bed and breakfast near Orléans.
kristi anderson
le saint jacques le coin perdu
15, place de l'église
45240 Ligny le Ribault
TheAmericanFrog@aol.com

after becomes before

In November 2009 I wrote a post ...and I'll never do that again! showing the "before & after" photos of the renovation.  Unfortunately I didn't even think of taking the real before photos showing it as a dilapidated restaurant and inn so the "before" photos are actually the "during" photos.

Never mind all that because the fire has changed everything. Well, not everything the "during" photos stay the same but the “after” renovation photos have become the “before” the fire photos and the “after” the fire photos will become the “before” photos for the renovation to come! Complicated non?!


It is easy if we just look at some photos.

The house

....way before I bought it

When I bought it

....after new windows, doors, shutters and roof

During the you know what

And this after photo becomes the before photo

Going through these photos have brought back all the blood, sweat and tears that went into the five years that it took us to renovate the house.

 And, Samantha Alexandra and I lived in it during it all!

and Raggy!

With both Alexandra and Samantha at college next year

at least they won't have to live thru it again! 

And I am not quite if I will be up to it! Oh, no, I'm going to get maudlin.....now where is that French therapy....?



Kristi Anderson is the orignal owner of Tea and Tattered Pages and until February 6, 2010 ran a bed and breakfast near Orléans.
kristi anderson
le saint jacques le coin perdu
15, place de l'église
45240 Ligny le Ribault
TheAmericanFrog@aol.com

Sushi and her new friends

Now while the washing machine doesn't work--it shoots out water from the seams! And the electric stove/oven is erratic at best, just 25 little, tiny meters --I think about 60 feet is this...

and this...

So I don't complain that much when I have to take Sushi on her walks--and, yes, I also carry a doggy bag.

But guess who loves it, whines at the door, and wags her tail like I haven't seen since the fire. YES  Sushi!

First because there is water. Where there is water there are

Ducks!

and who spots Sushi?

Who spots the ducks?

I am just sorry I couldn't get them together in one photo it was pretty funny.  The ducks just didn't give a hoot about Sushi and I.  So we went on our merry way.

Kristi Anderson is the orignal owner of Tea and Tattered Pages and until February 6, 2010 ran a bed and breakfast near Orléans.

kristi anderson

le saint jacques le coin perdu

15, place de l'église

45240 Ligny le Ribault

TheAmericanFrog@aol.com

Pissing cows and Mad me

Has been anybody truly missed me?  I hope so.  Anyway tell me so I feel good.  This is the first day that I am in the new appartment and with internet!  It has taken this long to get organised!


Since I have been back in France I have been on a roller coaster of, not only moods, but temperatures as well.

When we left France on February 26th we left behind freezing temperatures of -6°C to arrrive to a balmy 18°C in Santa Barbara.  Granted we did have two days where it rained like vaches qui pissent--we would say cats and dogs but, really, don't you think the idea of pissing cows much more pittersque? --sorry couldn't find any clip art for that image.

When we arrived back on March 6th it wasn't just the march winds that hit us  in the face it was the -8° C!




But finally Spring has sprung!  The birds are chirping, rabbits are frolicking (wish I were!) and flowers are blooming!

The first thing on my agenda was to find Samantha and I, and, of course, Sushi, a place to live. It wasn't so easy.

Samantha goes to school in Orléans which is a 20 minute drive from our Coin Perdu, she is a Senior and will be taking her  BAC (Something like our SATs to receive your high school diploma).  It is an extremely difficult examination and with classes from 8am to 6pm I wanted to find something in Orléans where Sam wouldn't have to get up at 6am and come home at 8pm.  I also didn't want to buy any furniture as I don't know where I will be living in six months.

Sooooo....Orléans isn't exactly Paris, there isn't a whole lot of choice with furnished appartments.  I was finding only furnished studios.  I do love Samantha but the two of us in 25m2...thank you very much but no.

But that wasn't the only problem; the French are very big on justicatif de domicile (proof of address)-why, when you are looking for an address to live you have to prove you are already living at a address?! and we were SDF-sans domicile fixe (homeless). They also like proof that you have revenue, etc, etc all of which I had none. 

 I tried showing them the picture of my office.

But that didn't even work.

That I called in the troops, in this case, AXA, my insurance company.  They wrote a letter guaranting the lease, then I wrote a check for four months in advance then I had the key!

It's not exactly le coin perdu but it will be our home for at least four months.

I've "planted" my herb garden.

I finally have internet and now it isn't letting me download my photos!!!!!  Am I allowed a gros mot - swear word!

It's working!!! Voila my herb garden!

And the two armchairs I "saved" from the fire.

and of course, Sushi's cushion in front of the fireplace.

Kristi Anderson is the orignal owner of Tea and Tattered Pages and until Februrary 6, 2010 ran a bed and breakfast near Orléans.
kristi anderson
le saint jacques le coin perdu
15, place de l'église
45240 Ligny le Ribault
TheAmericanFrog@aol.com

Santa Barbara - Parting Shots

We're outta here!  Today the sun tomorrow the ashes!
One last look at lovely, but very expensive Santa Barbara

So sunny even the cherries need umbrellas!

In the 70's I went out with guys that looked like this!

Corey with Marley

Kristi Anderson is the orignal owner of Tea & Tattered Pages and until Febuary 6, 2010 ran a bed and breakfast near Orléans.
kristi anderson
le saint jacques le coin perdu
15, place de l'église
45240 Ligny le Ribault
TheAmericanFrog@aol.com