Life slows down for us when we are in Sablet. So grateful we can be here.
Showing posts with label Lou Canesteou. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lou Canesteou. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 28, 2021
Petit Dejeuner (Breakfast) in Sablet
This is living! Breakfast on the terrace in Sablet. Baguette so fresh and hot out of oven from Festival Des Pains it was hard to hold. Nutella, lavender honey and butter from Normandy secured from Chez Mimi et Alain in Sablet and cheese (Banon and Roquefort) from Lou Canesteou in Vaison-la-Romaine.
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Lunch under the Castle at Bistro du'O in Vaison-la-Romaine
We go often to Vaison-la-Romaine, sometimes it seems almost every day. We go for Tuesday morning market, buy basic household supplies at "Brando Vaison Ménager", pick up cheese at an amazing shop called "Lou Canesteou", visit friends, or simply pass through on the way to Nyons and other destinations in the Drôme Provençale.
Vaison-la-Romaine is a short (6 mile) drive from Sablet along a winding road. As we near Vaison-la-Romaine, we see the castle built by the Counts of Toulouse in the 12th century sitting on a cliff above the town.
Vaison-la-Romaine only got its current name in 1924 when excavations undertaken by Abbot Joseph Sautel in the early part of the 20th century uncovered ancient ruins and "la Romaine" (the Roman City) was added to its name. A substantial part of the original Gallo-Roman town, including the forum, lies under today's modern town and cannot be excavated.
Vaison-la-Romaine is divided into two parts by the Ouvèze River; on the right bank is the ancient Roman colony and modern town and on the left bank on top of a rocky spur is the old medieval town, topped by the aforementioned castle.
One day last fall, we dined at Bistro du'O in the old upper town. The entry street is lined with a few tourist shops and cafes. If you are going to continue into the heart of the Medieval upper town, you must enter through a deep, fortified gateway at the base of the tower shown below. The base of the tower dates from the 14th century and the wrought-iron campanile was added in the 18th century.
There are quite a few eating establishments in Vaison-la-Romaine but not many that we think are great. One restaurant that we have frequented over the years that we think is very good, is Bistro du'O.
This restaurant is located in what is said to be a former stable belonging to Lords in the upper town near the Roman bridge. It has been under ownership of chef Philippe Zemour and his wife Gaëlle who selects the wines and attends to service in the dining room, since 2013.
Like most restaurants in the South of France, Bistro du'O offers a variety of fixed priced menus including a moderately priced, you might even say bargain price, 3-course menu with choice of starter, main course and dessert for 29 Euros, which is what I chose. Shirley went with two courses, starter and main course for 25 Euros. I should mention this menu is only served at dejeuner (lunch) during the week.
After refreshing ourselves with hot towels and mushroom broth and made our choices from the Menu du Marché, we nibbled on the selection of amuse-bouche brought to the table. Amuse-bouche is a single, bite-sized hors d'œuvre. They are different from appetizers in that they are not ordered from a menu but are served free and according to the chef's choice. Amuse-bouche can be as simple as a glass of olives or small bowel of olive tapenade to more elaborate selections as served by Bistro du'O.
To complete our meal, the chef sent out a complimentary platter of mignardises, bite sized desserts served at the end of a meal in some more high-end restaurants.
In early 2019, the couple opened Maisons Du’O, a small, 3 bedroom bed and breakfast and O'Grill, a more casual restaurant, that offers a variety of grilled plats (main courses) across the street from Bistro du'O.
If you head back to the lower modern town on the other side of the Roman Bridge, you will pass the very large war memorial in the photograph below.
The bridge in the photograph below was built by the Romans in the 1st century AD and is the oldest surviving Roman bridge. It may even be the oldest stone bridge in existence in the world. It was built with a single arch, spanning 56 feet of large course masonry, resting directly upon the rock. It is classified as a historical monument and links the lower modern town and the upper medieval old town.
If you have comments or questions about Vaison-la-Romaine or elsewhere in Provence, please leave your comments below or send me an email at my address below.
If you are thinking about a trip to the South of France including spending time in Provence, we invite you to visit our website. Our house is available for rent by the week or more. You can reach us for further information by sending an email to chcmichel@aol.com.
Bistro du'O Restaurant
37 Rue Gaston Gévaudan
84110 Vaison-la-Romaine
France
website: www.bistroduo.fr
Tel: 04 90 41 72 90
Vaison-la-Romaine is a short (6 mile) drive from Sablet along a winding road. As we near Vaison-la-Romaine, we see the castle built by the Counts of Toulouse in the 12th century sitting on a cliff above the town.
Vaison-la-Romaine only got its current name in 1924 when excavations undertaken by Abbot Joseph Sautel in the early part of the 20th century uncovered ancient ruins and "la Romaine" (the Roman City) was added to its name. A substantial part of the original Gallo-Roman town, including the forum, lies under today's modern town and cannot be excavated.
 |
| Medieval Castle of the Counts of Toulouse that stands over Vaison-la-Romaine |
Vaison-la-Romaine is divided into two parts by the Ouvèze River; on the right bank is the ancient Roman colony and modern town and on the left bank on top of a rocky spur is the old medieval town, topped by the aforementioned castle.
 |
| Vaison-la-Romaine Upper Town |
One day last fall, we dined at Bistro du'O in the old upper town. The entry street is lined with a few tourist shops and cafes. If you are going to continue into the heart of the Medieval upper town, you must enter through a deep, fortified gateway at the base of the tower shown below. The base of the tower dates from the 14th century and the wrought-iron campanile was added in the 18th century.
 |
| Belfry Tower with its 18th Century Wrought-iron Bell Cage |
There are quite a few eating establishments in Vaison-la-Romaine but not many that we think are great. One restaurant that we have frequented over the years that we think is very good, is Bistro du'O.
This restaurant is located in what is said to be a former stable belonging to Lords in the upper town near the Roman bridge. It has been under ownership of chef Philippe Zemour and his wife Gaëlle who selects the wines and attends to service in the dining room, since 2013.
 |
| Bistro du'O in Vaison-la-Romaine |
Like most restaurants in the South of France, Bistro du'O offers a variety of fixed priced menus including a moderately priced, you might even say bargain price, 3-course menu with choice of starter, main course and dessert for 29 Euros, which is what I chose. Shirley went with two courses, starter and main course for 25 Euros. I should mention this menu is only served at dejeuner (lunch) during the week.
 |
| Hot Towels and Mushroom Broth |
After refreshing ourselves with hot towels and mushroom broth and made our choices from the Menu du Marché, we nibbled on the selection of amuse-bouche brought to the table. Amuse-bouche is a single, bite-sized hors d'œuvre. They are different from appetizers in that they are not ordered from a menu but are served free and according to the chef's choice. Amuse-bouche can be as simple as a glass of olives or small bowel of olive tapenade to more elaborate selections as served by Bistro du'O.
 |
| Spoons of Chèvre Cheese, Samosa of Veal, and Croustillant of Fennel and Aioli |
 |
| Velouté (creamy soup) of Cèpes and Poached Egg |
 |
| Nage of Gambas (Prawns) |
 |
| Fillet of Lieu Noir and Puree of Celeri and Spinach |
 |
| Faux (Sirloin) Fillet of Beef with Celeri Puree and Cèpes |
 |
| Shirley Relaxing and Waiting for Lunch to be Served |
 |
| Pain Perdue (French Toast) with Caramel Sauce and Ice Cream |
To complete our meal, the chef sent out a complimentary platter of mignardises, bite sized desserts served at the end of a meal in some more high-end restaurants.
 |
| Mignardises (sweets) of Lemon Meringue Tart, Pistachio Cake with Cherry Jam, and Chocolate Malt Balls |
In early 2019, the couple opened Maisons Du’O, a small, 3 bedroom bed and breakfast and O'Grill, a more casual restaurant, that offers a variety of grilled plats (main courses) across the street from Bistro du'O.
 |
| O'Grill across the Street from Bistro du'O |
If you head back to the lower modern town on the other side of the Roman Bridge, you will pass the very large war memorial in the photograph below.
 |
| Vaison-la-Romaine War Memorial to those who died in wars for France near the Roman Bridge |
The bridge in the photograph below was built by the Romans in the 1st century AD and is the oldest surviving Roman bridge. It may even be the oldest stone bridge in existence in the world. It was built with a single arch, spanning 56 feet of large course masonry, resting directly upon the rock. It is classified as a historical monument and links the lower modern town and the upper medieval old town.
 |
| Vaison-la-Romaine Roman Bridge |
If you have comments or questions about Vaison-la-Romaine or elsewhere in Provence, please leave your comments below or send me an email at my address below.
If you are thinking about a trip to the South of France including spending time in Provence, we invite you to visit our website. Our house is available for rent by the week or more. You can reach us for further information by sending an email to chcmichel@aol.com.
Bistro du'O Restaurant
37 Rue Gaston Gévaudan
84110 Vaison-la-Romaine
France
website: www.bistroduo.fr
Tel: 04 90 41 72 90
Saturday, October 29, 2011
We love Cheese
I know that I have told you before that we love cheese! We love warm goat cheese on a bed of butter lettuce lightly dressed with tangy vinaigrette, yummy macaroni and cheese, raclette cheese with warm boiled potatoes, and fondue made with a blend of Gruyère and Vacherin Fribourgeois.
We also love to finish meals with cheese especially when the cheese selections include Saint-Félicien, Cantal, Roquefort or Gruyère. Our favorite cheese from Provence is Banon, a tasty disk of goat cheese wrapped in grape leaves made in the region around the town of Banon.
One of the first things we do upon arriving in Sablet is to head to Vaison-la-Romaine to pick up an assortment of cheese from Josiane Deal at Lou Canesteou, the wonderful cheese shop located on Rue Raspail off Place Montfort, the town's main square.
As you can see on the front of the store, Josiane Deal has been named a Meilleur Ouvrier de France - literally translated as best worker of France, for her cheese knowledge and skill in aging cheese. In addition to her many cheese choices, the store also has a good selection of gourmet products such as wines, locally produced saffron, honey, risotto, pasta, dried mushrooms, locally produced jams and olive oil.
Step through the beaded curtain into Lou Canesteou and you will immediately smell a wonderful aroma from the ripe cheese displayed in the refrigerated cases and on shelves along the back wall. By now, Madame Deal recognizes us and we get a very warm 'bonjour". I always ask her to recommend a variety of cheeses and without fail, she makes selections that we love.
It is not unusual to see on the menus of area restaurants that "fromage sélectionner" - cheese chosen by Josiane Deal. The association with Josiane Deal is obviously an indication of high quality. I once mentioned to her that we had a cheese plate the night before at a local restaurant where this was written on the menu and she told me she didn't think she supplied any cheese to that restaurant. So be aware.
We also love quiches with cheese and tarte au fromage - cheese pie. I must admit that I am intimidated at the thought of making my own pastry dough, especially rolling it out. So although I do most of the cooking when I am around, wife Shirley is a pro with pastry dough and always makes our pies and tartes.
In addition to the fondue and raclette we made while we were in Sablet a few weeks ago, we also enjoyed a tasty cheese pie that Shirley made for us. Here is the recipe, just a few ingredients and easy to make (except for me since I don't do crusts).
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Ingredients
8 ounces grated Gruyère cheese
2 tablespoons flour
1 3/4 cup milk
2 large eggs
2-3 cloves minced garlic depending upon size and taste
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
1. Make your favorite savory pastry dough or buy a good quality store bought crust.
2. Place your crust in a glass pie pan or in a tart pan with a removable bottom. Crimp the dough around the edge of the pie dish or tart pan so that the crust stays at the top of the dish.
3. Take a fork and pierce the dough on the bottom of the unbaked pie evenly over the bottom of the dish.
4. Prebake the crust in the middle of the oven until lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
6. Dredge the flour with the grated cheese and spread evenly in the pie dish or tart pan.
7. Whisk the milk, eggs, minced garlic and salt together.
8. Pour your milk and egg mixture over the cheese, making sure it is evenly spread out and cheese is covered.
9. Bake the cheese pie for 40 minutes. The pie should be golden brown on top and should be pretty set when lightly shaken.
10. Upon removable from the oven, let the baked cheese pie sit for 10 minutes before you slice and serve.
Bon appétit et à bientôt mes amis.
We also love to finish meals with cheese especially when the cheese selections include Saint-Félicien, Cantal, Roquefort or Gruyère. Our favorite cheese from Provence is Banon, a tasty disk of goat cheese wrapped in grape leaves made in the region around the town of Banon.
One of the first things we do upon arriving in Sablet is to head to Vaison-la-Romaine to pick up an assortment of cheese from Josiane Deal at Lou Canesteou, the wonderful cheese shop located on Rue Raspail off Place Montfort, the town's main square.
As you can see on the front of the store, Josiane Deal has been named a Meilleur Ouvrier de France - literally translated as best worker of France, for her cheese knowledge and skill in aging cheese. In addition to her many cheese choices, the store also has a good selection of gourmet products such as wines, locally produced saffron, honey, risotto, pasta, dried mushrooms, locally produced jams and olive oil.
Step through the beaded curtain into Lou Canesteou and you will immediately smell a wonderful aroma from the ripe cheese displayed in the refrigerated cases and on shelves along the back wall. By now, Madame Deal recognizes us and we get a very warm 'bonjour". I always ask her to recommend a variety of cheeses and without fail, she makes selections that we love.
It is not unusual to see on the menus of area restaurants that "fromage sélectionner" - cheese chosen by Josiane Deal. The association with Josiane Deal is obviously an indication of high quality. I once mentioned to her that we had a cheese plate the night before at a local restaurant where this was written on the menu and she told me she didn't think she supplied any cheese to that restaurant. So be aware.
We also love quiches with cheese and tarte au fromage - cheese pie. I must admit that I am intimidated at the thought of making my own pastry dough, especially rolling it out. So although I do most of the cooking when I am around, wife Shirley is a pro with pastry dough and always makes our pies and tartes.
In addition to the fondue and raclette we made while we were in Sablet a few weeks ago, we also enjoyed a tasty cheese pie that Shirley made for us. Here is the recipe, just a few ingredients and easy to make (except for me since I don't do crusts).
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Ingredients
8 ounces grated Gruyère cheese
2 tablespoons flour
1 3/4 cup milk
2 large eggs
2-3 cloves minced garlic depending upon size and taste
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
1. Make your favorite savory pastry dough or buy a good quality store bought crust.
2. Place your crust in a glass pie pan or in a tart pan with a removable bottom. Crimp the dough around the edge of the pie dish or tart pan so that the crust stays at the top of the dish.
3. Take a fork and pierce the dough on the bottom of the unbaked pie evenly over the bottom of the dish.
4. Prebake the crust in the middle of the oven until lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
6. Dredge the flour with the grated cheese and spread evenly in the pie dish or tart pan.
7. Whisk the milk, eggs, minced garlic and salt together.
8. Pour your milk and egg mixture over the cheese, making sure it is evenly spread out and cheese is covered.
9. Bake the cheese pie for 40 minutes. The pie should be golden brown on top and should be pretty set when lightly shaken.
10. Upon removable from the oven, let the baked cheese pie sit for 10 minutes before you slice and serve.
Bon appétit et à bientôt mes amis.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Deck the Table with Cheese
I leave for Sablet tomorrow, Christmas; wife Shirley and the rest of the family -- depending upon work schedules -- take off on Sunday and Monday. We decided that I should go early so I could shop and make sure the house is toasty warm when everyone gets there.
One of my first stops will be to pick up a nice assortment of cheese, one or more made from milk of goats, sheep, a blue and one from cow's milk, for a plateau de fromage - cheese platter and others for cooking some wonderful cheesy dishes.
I have to admit, I have started to obsess about the cheese we are going to eat in Sablet. This fixation on cheese started when I read David Lebovitz's post Making Swiss Cheese Fondue and Raclette some weeks back.
Then Sarah in "Sarah in Le Petit Village" wrote I Heart Raclette about eating raclette and then about eating fondue in Sunday is Cheeseday. That was followed by Honey who posted about making tartiflette in her blog "I'm an Outlaw, Not a Hero."
This week David Lebovitz has been at it again writing about how farmers bring their cow's milk to fruitières to make Comté cheese in Comté Cheese Making and ripened in fromageries in Comté Cheese Ripening and Tasting. I was interested to find that Comté cheese is made in a different location than where it is ripened and by different artisans.
And then the above mentioned Sarah had a snow day and she and The Husband and some of her French family decided to gather at Brother-in-Law's and have fondue and raclette in the same meal in It's A Cheese Cheese Cheese World. There has been no shortage of tasty cheese posts to stimulate my appetite for cheese.
Luckily for us, we have a fantastic cheese shop in Vaison-la-Romaine, which is a quick 10 km drive north from where we live in Sablet. Lou Canesteou cheese shop is in the center of Vaison-la-Romaine on a side street off Place Montfort, the town's main square.
The shop is owned by Josiane and Christian Deal. She has been recognized as a Meilleur Ouvrier de France for her cheese knowledge and skill in aging cheese. In addition to her large selection of cheese, the store also carries a good selection of gourmet products such as wines, locally produced saffron, honey, dried mushrooms and olive oil.
Lou Canesteou has many cheeses on display in refrigerated cases and on shelves along the back wall. I always ask Madame Deal to recommend a variety of cheeses and without fail, she chooses cheeses that are perfectly ripened and we love.
I don't think I mentioned it but I am bringing a brand new fondue pot with me in my luggage. We are definitely planning to have a fondue one or two times while we are in Sablet. The question is, where do I find de-natured alcohol for the burner in France?
One of my first stops will be to pick up a nice assortment of cheese, one or more made from milk of goats, sheep, a blue and one from cow's milk, for a plateau de fromage - cheese platter and others for cooking some wonderful cheesy dishes.
I have to admit, I have started to obsess about the cheese we are going to eat in Sablet. This fixation on cheese started when I read David Lebovitz's post Making Swiss Cheese Fondue and Raclette some weeks back.
Then Sarah in "Sarah in Le Petit Village" wrote I Heart Raclette about eating raclette and then about eating fondue in Sunday is Cheeseday. That was followed by Honey who posted about making tartiflette in her blog "I'm an Outlaw, Not a Hero."
This week David Lebovitz has been at it again writing about how farmers bring their cow's milk to fruitières to make Comté cheese in Comté Cheese Making and ripened in fromageries in Comté Cheese Ripening and Tasting. I was interested to find that Comté cheese is made in a different location than where it is ripened and by different artisans.
And then the above mentioned Sarah had a snow day and she and The Husband and some of her French family decided to gather at Brother-in-Law's and have fondue and raclette in the same meal in It's A Cheese Cheese Cheese World. There has been no shortage of tasty cheese posts to stimulate my appetite for cheese.
Luckily for us, we have a fantastic cheese shop in Vaison-la-Romaine, which is a quick 10 km drive north from where we live in Sablet. Lou Canesteou cheese shop is in the center of Vaison-la-Romaine on a side street off Place Montfort, the town's main square.
The shop is owned by Josiane and Christian Deal. She has been recognized as a Meilleur Ouvrier de France for her cheese knowledge and skill in aging cheese. In addition to her large selection of cheese, the store also carries a good selection of gourmet products such as wines, locally produced saffron, honey, dried mushrooms and olive oil.
Lou Canesteou has many cheeses on display in refrigerated cases and on shelves along the back wall. I always ask Madame Deal to recommend a variety of cheeses and without fail, she chooses cheeses that are perfectly ripened and we love.
I don't think I mentioned it but I am bringing a brand new fondue pot with me in my luggage. We are definitely planning to have a fondue one or two times while we are in Sablet. The question is, where do I find de-natured alcohol for the burner in France?
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Vaison-la-Romaine
My first visit to Vaison-la-Romaine occurred some years before we bought our home in Sablet. I was visiting cousins Jean Marc and Christine in Montpellier and we had gone together to Chateauneuf-du-Pape to see the vineyards and déguster - taste wines.
Late that afternoon, Jean Marc asked me if I had been to Vaison-la-Romaine. I admit, I had never heard the name. He said "we must go", there is a wonderful Roman bridge that you must see. So off we went. We arrived at dusk and parked at Place Montfort in the center of the lower town. That was my introduction to Vaison-la- Romaine.
Shirley and I have returned to Vaison-la-Romaine many times since. The wonderful Tuesday morning market is the biggest attraction for us but we also come to shop for staples at Intermarché, for cheese at Lou Canesteou on Rue Raspail and fish at Poissonnerie des Voconces on Rue du Maquis.
Despite the fact that Vaison la Romaine is a quick 10 km drive along a winding road from our home in Sablet, we had never explored the Haute-Ville - upper town. So one Tuesday morning after the market, with our friends from Bistro Des Copains in tow, we set off to hike up to the castle at the top of the Haute-Ville.
Vaison-la-Romaine is divided into two parts by the Ouvèze River and connected by the aforementioned single arch Roman Bridge which has been in daily use for more than 2000 years.
nu%3D3233)535)9+2)2324535+93476ot1lsi.jpg)
On the left side of the rivcr, the lower town - Ville-Basse, the modern side of Vaison-la-Romaine, has two large archeological sites where exceptional ruins of the Roman period have been uncovered. On the other side of bridge, the medieval quarter stands high on the hill in the Haute-Ville.
The entrance to the traffic-free Haute-Ville is through a 14th century fortified gateway with its belfrey tower.
It is said that the fortifications for the Haute-Ville were built partially of stones from the Roman town acrosss the river.
Wife Shirley sitting on a fountain in the Haute-Ville with our friends Kari, Allison, Adam, Lisi and Julia from our Bistro Des Copains.
Narrow cobbled streets wander through the Haut-Ville.
Beautiful fountains can be spotted throughout the Haut-Ville.
Another fountain in the Haut-Ville.
There are ancient doorways.
Pretty facades.
Another enchanting fountain.
A cobbled lane leads up to the castle.
Wife Shirley and friend Julia at the castle ruins.
There is a steep narrow path that goes up to the castle. The castle is closed but the hike up is rewarded by wonderful views out over Vaison-la-Romaine's Ville-Basse.
Late that afternoon, Jean Marc asked me if I had been to Vaison-la-Romaine. I admit, I had never heard the name. He said "we must go", there is a wonderful Roman bridge that you must see. So off we went. We arrived at dusk and parked at Place Montfort in the center of the lower town. That was my introduction to Vaison-la- Romaine.
Shirley and I have returned to Vaison-la-Romaine many times since. The wonderful Tuesday morning market is the biggest attraction for us but we also come to shop for staples at Intermarché, for cheese at Lou Canesteou on Rue Raspail and fish at Poissonnerie des Voconces on Rue du Maquis.
Despite the fact that Vaison la Romaine is a quick 10 km drive along a winding road from our home in Sablet, we had never explored the Haute-Ville - upper town. So one Tuesday morning after the market, with our friends from Bistro Des Copains in tow, we set off to hike up to the castle at the top of the Haute-Ville.
Vaison-la-Romaine is divided into two parts by the Ouvèze River and connected by the aforementioned single arch Roman Bridge which has been in daily use for more than 2000 years.
nu%3D3233)535)9+2)2324535+93476ot1lsi.jpg)
On the left side of the rivcr, the lower town - Ville-Basse, the modern side of Vaison-la-Romaine, has two large archeological sites where exceptional ruins of the Roman period have been uncovered. On the other side of bridge, the medieval quarter stands high on the hill in the Haute-Ville.
The entrance to the traffic-free Haute-Ville is through a 14th century fortified gateway with its belfrey tower.
It is said that the fortifications for the Haute-Ville were built partially of stones from the Roman town acrosss the river.
Wife Shirley sitting on a fountain in the Haute-Ville with our friends Kari, Allison, Adam, Lisi and Julia from our Bistro Des Copains.
Narrow cobbled streets wander through the Haut-Ville.
Beautiful fountains can be spotted throughout the Haut-Ville.
Another fountain in the Haut-Ville.
There are ancient doorways.
Pretty facades.
Another enchanting fountain.
A cobbled lane leads up to the castle.
Wife Shirley and friend Julia at the castle ruins.
There is a steep narrow path that goes up to the castle. The castle is closed but the hike up is rewarded by wonderful views out over Vaison-la-Romaine's Ville-Basse.
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