Coq au Vin

This is a flavoursome classic Burgundian dish, with red wine playing a major role in the flavour, along with lardons, button mushrooms and tiny onions. The flavour of this dish, like many others, improves when the dish is refrigerated and served the next day. It is traditionally cooked on the stove-top, however, you can also [...]

The tunnel at Pouilly-en-Auxois and the beginning of the Canal de Bourgogne

We are having a sensational trip along this glorious canal. Every-day is blue skies and sunshine and something new to see. For the past two days we climbed a staircase of 36 locks, each about 500m apart so it was busy and tiring getting up and down to do the ropes to secure the barge [...]

By |2020-07-06T17:40:38+10:00July 6th, 2020|Barging on the Betty B, Burgundy, Canal de Bourgogne, Culinary Travel, Culinary writing, France, France - wine, France and cooking, French food, French food, Musings|Comments Off on The tunnel at Pouilly-en-Auxois and the beginning of the Canal de Bourgogne

Le 1131 at L’Abbaye de la Bussière – dinner Sunday 21st July 2018

On the recommendation of some recent cooking school clients, we were looking forward to going to this lovely restaurant for dinner.  Neville had said it was in the Realis et Châteaux group but did not mention it had a Michelin star.  He did say it was just a short walk from the Canal de Bourgogne, [...]

By |2018-08-02T17:57:01+10:00August 2nd, 2018|Barging on the Betty B, Burgundy, Canal de Bourgogne, Culinary Travel, Culinary writing, Food, France, France - wine, France and cooking, French food, French food, French wine, L'Abbaye de la Bussiere, Restaurants, Travel|Comments Off on Le 1131 at L’Abbaye de la Bussière – dinner Sunday 21st July 2018

Dinner at Hôtel de l’Est in Saint-Florentin in the Department of the Yonne, on the Canal de Bourgogne, France

It is a challenge finding a ‘perfect’ restaurant when you are barging along the canals. For me, this means a charming, pretty restaurant with a pleasant ambience and décor, with good quality, flavoursome, well-presented food, with a focus on the region; a small, quality wine list with a variety of price ranges; if you are [...]

By |2016-12-07T19:32:13+11:00August 31st, 2016|Barging on the Betty B, Burgundy, Canal de Bourgogne, Culinary Travel, France, France - wine, French food, French wine, Restaurants, Travel|Comments Off on Dinner at Hôtel de l’Est in Saint-Florentin in the Department of the Yonne, on the Canal de Bourgogne, France

Dee Nolan’s wonderful book ‘A food lover’s pilgrimage to France…’, wine, food, history, people and produce along the way of St James

I loved everything about this book! ‘A food lover’s pilgrimage to France: from the vineyards of Burgundy to the mountains of the Basque country food, wine, walking and history on the French pilgrim paths to Santiago de Compostella’ - it is one of the best books I have ever read. Remember, in my former life, [...]

By |2016-12-07T19:32:26+11:00February 16th, 2016|Books, Culinary writing, France, France - wine, France and cooking, French food, French wine|Comments Off on Dee Nolan’s wonderful book ‘A food lover’s pilgrimage to France…’, wine, food, history, people and produce along the way of St James

Dining at the Cristal Room, Baccarat Museum, in Paris

John’s birthday lunch at the Cristal Room, Baccarat Museum. Michael has talked about taking me the Baccarat Cristal Room restaurant for a long time; usually our visits to Paris are too short. Now, we have time as we are staying for 3 nights in The Arsenal, the barge mooring, right in the centre of Paris, [...]

By |2016-12-07T19:32:26+11:00January 26th, 2016|Barging on the Betty B, Culinary Travel, France, France - wine, French food|Comments Off on Dining at the Cristal Room, Baccarat Museum, in Paris

The Flower Drum and Moët Hennessy join up at Cooking on the Bay and cook.

Last Monday, the front of house and sommeliers from the Flower Drum cooked dishes, at Cooking on the Bay, designed to match Moët's new release 2006 Grand Vintage champagne. What a great cooking class; full of concentration, good chopping and cooking, followed by considered comments and discussions about the food and how it matched the [...]

By |2016-06-16T22:06:35+10:00November 25th, 2015|Champagne, Cooking classes, French food, French wine|Comments Off on The Flower Drum and Moët Hennessy join up at Cooking on the Bay and cook.
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