EP10: J'adore la cuisine francaise!

We've just celebrated 5 months in France and in this episode I want to share with you our favourite food moments during that time! Of course the countryside is stunning and the history is breath-taking but OMG the food is better than I had ever imagined here! And the best thing of all is that food or 'cuisine' unites people here in France and provides an opportunity for enjoyment and celebration.
I compare the food between Australia and France, highlight the differences (in my opinion) and invite you to enjoy the work of my very talented chef, who of course is my husband. We've also had a house full of guests so there have been many occasions to celebrate with many delicious platters and bottles of local French wine and champagne.

[@inabates8919]

You look very happy and relaxed, good onya both. Enjoy 😉❣️

[@DarleneLavett]

Thank you! 😊

[@cherylreid9165]

Market day at Sarlat is always great, but recommend Cabanoix et Châtaigne in Domme as a great local restaurant. Fabulous food.

[@DarleneLavett]

Thanks for the recommendation! Must get ourselves there before everything starts closing down for winter.

[@mlomarechal6877]

oh les gourmands !! 🙃

[@SusieMonk-jh8tj]

Just caught up on another episode, brilliant. Plus you are drinking Gascon wine from the Gers? Auch has a statue of D’Atagnan on the steps from the Cathedral to the Gers River. Donc alors. Looks like you are having fun and still time to make renos and gardening. Enjoy

[@DarleneLavett]

Thank you Susie. The French lifestyle of long lunches and community functions are keeping us very busy indeed but we get to sleep in winter apparently! 😂

[@SusieMonk-jh8tj]

Don’t count on it! BTW Toulouse is not a big city although delightful. I also remembered 2 fabric stores at Portet sur Garonne. Tissus moins Cher and another one across the road. Near Mobalpa Kitchen shop. Sometimes you can get lucky and find just what you are looking for. . We bought upholstery fabric there and lots more over the years. Happy hunting🤞🤞@@DarleneLavett

[@patriciadelsey8793]

Those five months have flown by and look at how much you have accomplished! Bravo

[@DarleneLavett]

Merci beaucoup Patricia! :)

[@JPayne-ul4qd]

@@DarleneLavett Tré Bien Darlene. You should Google free French Lessons. France wants newcomers to learn the language for free. You'll need this if you decide to go for citizenship in five years as you stated in your vlog. You must pass an Oral and Written exam. If you have an iPhone there's an app for the French driving test. The tricky part is although it's multiple choice. There's more than one correct answer to a single question. 🤔🥴🤯🤬🤯😱 If you don't choose all of the correct answers you get the whole question incorrect. I'll see if I can tell you the app name. I no longer have an iPhone so I'll have to borrow one to look it up for you 😀. À la prochaine 🥖🧀🍷

[@DarleneLavett]

@@JPayne-ul4qd thank you so much ☺️ I am going to professional lessons at the moment with the aim to help you pass your citizenship exam but they are expensive so I appreciate any advice you have! Why am I not surprised it’s a driving test with a twist! It’s the French way!

[@SonyaTainton]

Your BESTEST episode yet!!!!!!!! Thank you The interaction with the community....the food...the vino....AWESOME love from Cape Town

[@DarleneLavett]

Thank you Cape Town! I appreciate your lovely feedback and I'm open to suggestions about how to improve these vlogs moving forward too.

[@georgesgohier484]

Sooo much food, soo many tasty treats and beverages and everyone is still so incredibly skinny!!!!!! Let me loose on all that nice cheese, wine, nuts, etc, and I will swell up like a large beach ball. Hmmm such a challenge

[@DarleneLavett]

Haha! I am what they consider middle-aged now so I know what you mean!! I think the key to finding a balance is staying busy and active as I'm am drinking alcohol most days here. It's hard not to when everyone has wine with lunch. And running around a huge property and renovating a Maison certainly allows me the chance to enjoy more food at this age then when I was back in Aus.

[@lollygee172]

Glad you’re back and assimilating so well in your new community. Food looks gorgeous!

[@DarleneLavett]

Thank you!! 😊

[@alisondoughty2194]

Such a beautiful friendly community vlog.Thx for sharing.🎉😊

[@DarleneLavett]

My pleasure 😊

[@susanaspinall6711]

Not sure where you have been eating in Australia, but our food is incredibly fresh! Best in the world!

[@DarleneLavett]

This is just my opinion so I understand if you don't agree. I'm also finding the access to fresh food here is easier. Even at eLeclare they have a huge seafood section that I didn't have access to at my local supermarket. The closest seafood market on the northside of Brisbane was a 30 min drive and all we had available in our local woollies was farmed salmon and limited fish options.

[@JPayne-ul4qd]

France is known worldwide for it's Food, Wine, Champagne and Cheese. They are located near the South of France close to the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest in the world. France doesn't have a lot of "supermarkets" per sa. They have regional markets were a family shops frequently because of space. Homes don't have large refrigerators. This is held over because France is a very old country. So spaces are small compared to modern houses with larger amenities. France is quartered by Wine and Champagne Vineyards, farms for agriculture and cheese. These items are apart of Frances GDP export. So sorry but there are more Michelin rated restaurants in all of France at over 600 than any other country in the world. France is so envious that they are buying lands in Napa Valley California so they can keep their competitive edge with wine and champagne. This region in California is excellent soil conditions for vineyards.

[@shanecrawford6023]

Well done, great to see you so involved in the community.🇨🇦

[@rosewright4605]

Just one word from me... YUM! 😊

[@DarleneLavett]

Thank you 😋

[@ajb1876]

Love your videos, thank you for sharing your Provencal life!

[@DarleneLavett]

Thank you! It’s too much fun not to share 😊

[@robynhudgens7820]

What a great video. Thanks for sharing some of your French life! Would love the videos more often but I know it’s work making them.

[@DarleneLavett]

Thank you! I will try to make them more often. I think these other vloggers have a team of developers behind them as it can be very time-consuming! Perhaps I can drop the production quality a bit to get them out sooner.

[@terri-annemcsweeney3451]

Well I’ve just binged all of your videos and feel like it’s time for another trip to France. I’m loving all that you’ve been doing. Seeing as this is “a foodie” vlog, here’s my question-Do you see much gluten free foods in your travels? Last time I was in Europe I had the symptoms of Coeliac Disease, however I’d not been diagnosed hence I ate whatever I could, now though…might be a sad state of affairs😔

[@DarleneLavett]

Hi there! I think you'll find France has moved on like other countries with gluten free options available in many restaurants. Well that's what I've seen anyway but I'm also in a tourist hotspot and so there is definitely a demand for them here. We have a close friend in the village who is Coeliac and she copes just fine! I've also noticed the boulangeries have many gluten free options. I have a friend visiting soon who is coeliac so I have been paying attention!

[@JPayne-ul4qd]

@@DarleneLavett The Gluten is different in how it's grown and processed than how it's produced in the states (US). Frankly, I'm surprised more aren't Gluten intolerant due to the massive changes in the production and processing of 🌾 Wheat in the US. You will notice that the US doesn't export a lot of wheat food items because of how it's processed. It's illegal in other countries due to it's processing. A lot of citizens don't realize this fact. If it's prohibited for sell outside of our boarders, that should say an awful lot. Most items I find are better made, cooked from the Mediterranean i.e. France, Spain, Italy, Greece and the Mediterranean. The French uses 🧈 butter in EVERYTHING, even simple cooking dishes. You won't find that in the US. Yet the French diet is 1000 times healthier. You are correct that they are being more accommodating. But it's more of people needing to adjust to the difference in how the gluten is processed. Most find it less stomach upsetting when they eat in this part of Europe than the United States. Especially the 🍝 Pasta 🤤. The explosion of Celiac disease is due to the processing of food. What a famous Chef told me was it boils down to the soil. He's absolutely correct. A lot of French Ex-Pats say that the food is delicious in the US but the five quadrants are better. It's the soil plane and simple.

[@deirdrecerasa3932]

You have found such lovey people in your new home.❤

[@DarleneLavett]

Yes we really have. I keep saying it but people here are so friendly and have been so welcoming to us.

[@jean-pascalesparceil9008]

@@DarleneLavettG'day Darlene, the Dordogne people are friendly because you are nice and willing to join them. There are communities of poms who only speak to each other in "Dordogneshire". Thank you for showing that France is not only Paris abd the Riviera!

[@TheStunlaw1]

Good onya! Lovely video presentation.Thank you.

[@DarleneLavett]

So nice of you, thanks :)

[@mysicilycorner]

Tres sympa cet episode!

[@DarleneLavett]

Merci! Et merci aussi d'avoir regarde.

[@ilovebeautychristine]

Fabulous it is all about lifestyle❤

[@DarleneLavett]

Thank you. You've summed it up with one word perfectly!

[@glenismunro7054]

Love watching your videos Darlene from another Aussie😊❤

[@DarleneLavett]

Awesome! Thank you for your feedback Glenis. I'm new to this and never really know if I'm hitting the mark.

[@mjecheverria4197]

Greetings from Department 64 pays basque Darlene.❤😊

[@DarleneLavett]

Bonjour pays Basque francais!

[@daynight4902]

BEST WISHES TO YOU

[@JontyBlue67]

A different yoghurt and cheese everyday for the rest of your lives

[@DarleneLavett]

Hey Blue! I haven’t looked for spam yet but I’m sure it’s there next to the canned foie gras and cannard! The only thing I can’t find is chilli 🌶️

[@jean-pascalesparceil9008]

@@DarleneLavettLook for "Piment d'Espelette" from the Pays Basque (its powdered) or in the "exotic" section in the Leclerc, you will probably find thaï or carribean chili sauce, also "Harissa", a north african chili paste, very hot.

[@lanie-ok]

Sigh!

[@hugovictor4651]

General De Gaulle said: "How do you want to govern a country where there are 258 varieties of cheese?" (there are even more now...)

[@DarleneLavett]

😆