Sunday, June 26, 2011

Poulet Antiboise and a dog with a chimp on his back



Six thirty in the morning and we're down at the cafe in the market square . Twenty two degrees already. Forty degrees forecast for later today . Wonderful drying weather for the still sodden downstairs bedroom and office . ' The font ' liberates the food section of the British Saturday paper ( it arrives here a day late ). A recipe for Poulet Antiboise. One of those lost staples of French provincial cuisine. Olives, onions, chicken and thyme - best served lukewarm with a salad and good bread .

An interview on the papers inside pages with Jane Goodall , the anthropologist . ' Dogs and humans have forged a shared bond of understanding since man and wolf first joined forces but chimps also seem to get on well with canines '. She tells a true story about a chimp sold as a pet in the Congo who bonds with a dog that carries him everywhere on its back . The sort of gentle , unhurried prose that grabs you gently by the hand and refuses to let you go . Writing as an art form . While we read and chat, Wilf lies under the table listening . He's invisible bar a black nose and two large , fluffy , paws that peak out from beneath the table cloth .

Tonight the mid-summer bonfire in the village . Madame Bay and the ladies of the ' beautiful byeways ' committee are doing the catering . Goats cheese, anchovy, courgette and ground beef quiche the highlight of the menu . Lord preserve us ! The competing 'village fleuri ' folk have been working on the hanging baskets outside the salle des fetes . What the baskets lack in sophistication they more than make up for in orange , red and white , but mostly orange, cheeriness.

The frogs croak, the bees buzz . Another summer Sunday in deepest France profonde. Poulet Antiboise for lunch . Wilf dozes in the middle of the kitchen floor , his nose occasionally twitching . He's dreaming of chicken and thyme .

19 comments:

  1. Ground beef quiche? I have never heard of that before!

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  2. I'm volunteering to become either an honorary gannet or a worker from the women's collective. It sounds like heaven!

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  3. Summer & tourists go hand in hand. I enjoy watching our visitors having fun in AK... what time is lunch?

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  4. I would have liked to have read that Jane Goodall article, how interesting! Only it'd have to be translated back to English as I don't speak French.

    Hope things are drying out now.

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  5. Wilfie Family - wishing you a wonderful sunday - love the picture of Wilf peeking out under the table... beautiful pictures show he is a happy dog - love from Susanne Foxiie and Daisy

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  6. Sunday lunch sounds scrumptious, it has got me dreaming too. I hope Wilf enjoys the delights.

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  7. "Bon appetit" to you three ! and a wonderful Sunday.
    Bisous to my sweet Wilfee, amitiƩs to you, Angus, and the Font.

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  8. It's a good thing that the ladies of the 'beautiful byeways committee' are not competing with you, because your lunch menu sounds just delicious!

    I am remembering last year sometime when the people in the village danced around a bonfire at midnight--Is this the same occasion?

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  9. Ugh, the quiche sounds quite disgusting but you'll have to have some and let us know. Love the description of the hanging baskets!

    Enjoy the bonfire.

    x (for Wilf!)

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  10. oh dear. and envy is one of the deadly sins, right?
    i know you'll take wonderful pictures of the occasion for those of us not 'living the life!'
    i never thought of myself as vicariously living my life thru someone else, but you have changed all that.
    it's hard to make oklahoma seem like france profonde. (insert wistful smile)
    love to you three,
    tammy j

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  11. It sounds wonderful! What time is lunch? Maybe we could make it for the bonfire....sigh

    Wyatt and Stanzie

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  12. Ground beef quiche sounds good to me. What time should I come over?

    Stewey

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  13. The chicken and thyme dish does sound delicious. Please reassure us that Wilf enjoyed a morsel or two.

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  14. That recipe sounds wonderful, are you willing to share it? ;)
    Hugs for Wilf.

    Blessings and Love,
    Janelle and Maggie Mae

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  15. I'll have to look for that Jane Goodall interview and see if I can find it online. Perhaps you'll have a little of that chicken left over from lunch that you can sneak in with you tonight to eat instead! I wonder what rating Wilf would give tonight's fare!

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  16. We'll be over for lunch and certainly stay on for the bonfire. Now, it's 7PM that the Champagne will be served?
    Cuddles to your wonderful boy.

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  17. Not surprised that chimps can bond with dogs, and visa versa. Koko the Gorilla is famous for [among other things] her love of her cats, and visa versa.

    Hope Wilf was able to enjoy some of the chicken. Good luck with the insurance claim!

    Jed & Abby

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