France

When Thanksgiving rolls around, naturally one thinks of family, fun and feasting on good old American classics. We were graciously invited to a lovely Thanksgiving dinner, but we decided instead to go to South of France on a hunting trip – no, not to shoot rare breeds of birds but to find a rare breed of fungi called Tuber melanosporum, the rare and elusive winter black truffle. We planned the entire trip around this event; we even selected the right outfits for such an occasion. What does one wear to hunt truffles with dogs anyway?

In the heart of France’s lush and fertile Provence region, along the Routes des Vins des Côtes du Rhône (The Côtes du Rhône Wine Trail), nestled between its two more famous neighbours, Gigondas to the north and Beaumes de Venise to the southeast, is Vacqueyras, a simple French village surrounded by terraced vineyards. The terraces were formed over the millennia by the winding of the Ouvèze River, which left behind a bed of limestone fragments and smooth sandstone and flint pebbles. This is the terroir that produces the generous and elegant flavours of the appellation’s wines.

“Périgordians have a lower rate of heart disease and other cholesterol-related issues because of the high incidence of goose fat in our diets,” boasted my friend Jean-Claude. He and his partner, Jean-Michel, long-time friends from Paris, have often invited me to visit them at their country house in Jean-Claude’s hometown of Saint Cyprien, in the heart of Périgord. At last I was able to accept their gracious invitation, and I was treated to a private tour of the region, by two proud locals, and happily forced to indulge in the culinary splendor of this famous French paradise.

Rarely does a city measure up to its myths and tales, as recounted by other writers. This month, I had the delicious pleasure of reading Julia Child’s memoir, My Years in France, a book I thoroughly enjoyed. The great dame tells stories of the years when she and her husband, Paul, were stationed in Provence, in the maritime city of Marseille. They rented an apartment overlooking the Vieux Port, and she made it her personal mission to discover and immerse herself in the seafood of this coastline.