Foire St. Martin

We went to the Foire St. Martin Angers which happens a month before Christmas each and every year. According to their web page, they are celebrating their 388th anniversary.. for what I know this funfair happens only in every November just before winter comes. For someone who comes from a young country (Malaysia is only 55 years old) and this funfair is.. err 388 years old?? 

This makes me wonder what their games were?? cochon (pigs) race?? but 388 years ago..we are talking about.. let's do some maths, oh boy the first year would be 1624!!

Photo source

I have made a search on the net and this happened even before Loius XIV our most famous and flamboyant Roi Soleil who was born in 1638.

Imagining them wearing their big wigs, white powdered face and a little "mouche" sitting on their upper lip..and didn't know that heels were in for men at that time until I see this picture. (La mouche is housefly in French but is also beauty mark which was commonly used)

Coming from a young country where everything is so instant and recent makes me appreciate how the French blend the old and the new. Example?? La mouche in 1638 and  Lip piercing 2012 ;)


Have a wonderful week...

Love xoxoxo,
Sylvia

Sharing this with Simple things Sunday, Sunday snap shots

October; A month in photo

We had our last harvest of tomatoes from....Ahem, our balcony. They were potted that's why we didn't get many and they were not big. they might be smaller in size compare to store bought but they have all the taste minus all the sprays. Mine were simply yum...

September/October was also the season for Mussels. I cooked mussels many ways, Mussels in garlic herb bread crumbs, the classic Moules Marinieres (as shown in picture) or simply steam mussels with french vinaigrette.

Soup is something we have for every dinner all year round. During the summer it would be something light, mostly vegetable soup or Le Miget/ Migé but came October, we had creamy Lima beans soup with some Chorizo chips to gives textures and saltiness (picture above) and pumpkin soup of course.

I did a few desserts too, mostly tarts apples, pear and chocolates. But the lemon above was a Lemon Curd Tart simply to prolong the taste of summer.

All these were accompanied by a few French country, Ciabatta or Buckwheat sourdough loaves from my own oven.

What about you? what comes out of your kitchen? Wishing you a Happy November...
xoxoxoSylvia

Hopping over to Simple as that - A month in photo

A walk in the woods

Our local community council has organised a walk in the wood and we went along. We were lucky that the storm left and it was a sunny day with crisp cool air.

 I was hoping to see lots of fall colour but there were not many due to a storm and this was what we got..

Logs were piling high.. each tree has an average age of 25 years or more. We were hopping to collect some chestnuts but there were non. Instead, we found mushrooms.. a lot of mushrooms, beautiful mushrooms..

At the end of the trip, we went home empty handed but my camera was filled with beautiful images...

Wish you a beautiful week ahead..
XOXOXO
Sylvia

Hope over to Simple things Sunday