Friday, June 14, 2013

John & Lynne's second day in France - a visit to Cognac

 After a very good French breakfast, with huge cups of good coffee, made by Claudy, our landlady
 we set off into the countryside
 to a small distillery, P.Boussuet, who make good Pineau de Charentes and a cognac
 We were preceded by a large group of French farmers, who were tasting and buying
 attended by the Bossuet family, headed by Grandpère
 The rules for membership of the Charentes Producers' Association
 Delphine, who attended to us and spoke good English
 A good selections of their products including the renowned local salts
 On our way out, having bought an aged Pineau, we met a local farmer and his dog
 Stainless steel tanks outdoors, much like many of our co-ops
 French shutters are painted in beautiful pastels, walls are usually unpainted
 Then off to Cognac, where we visited an outdoor market
 Everything is fresh and very well displayed. These eggs were delicious
 Unusual fish, so fresh you expect it to flap about
 Tomatoes, as we never see them, and in perfect, unflawed condition, with an aroma that hits you from metres away
and beautiful cherries
 Local farming folk - we see very few smokers on this visit
 Wonderful cheeses
 Cockles
 langoustines
 and beautiful fresh strawberries 
We drove into the centre of Cognac
where we found an indoor market, open six days a week
with more wonderful fresh produce
 
Rabbits and ducks
 Patés
and pies 
 and more wonderful vegetables
 We bought this magnificent brie, it was delicious
 A rather enviable house in central Cognac
 and a rather awful lunch at Flunch - the ham was good, the chips too, but the fish uneatable
 Amazing hams at Auchan hypermarket

 and a good cheese display
 Then the highlight of our day, a visit to Cognac producer Henri Mounier - more in the following blog
After which, on our way home, we passed this sign and  
 had to visit
 They were closing, but we had a look at the products
 including this extravagant bottle of Louis XIII XO
which was surpassed only by this Jeroboam - a snip at €30000 

 Then home to Chérac
 where we shared a bottle of Life from Stone with our friends - it was cold and our French purchases luke warm, but it was excellent and they loved it
After which we ate our supper under the gazebo
 and enjoyed the landscape
 and watched the passing traffic


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© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2013