Olives and Truffles and Sheep, Oh My!

I had intended to include the events of Sunday in my last post, but the recounting of the sushi debacle was more draining  and lengthy than expected.  Sunday was a truly wonderful day (which I needed after Saturday night).

I went on a day trip with four other people to experience some of the local traditions in small provençal villages.  The first town we visited was St. Martin de Crau.  We went there for their annual Fête des Bergers (fesitval of the shepherds).  All the people involved get dressed up in traditional costumes which include such things as the Berger (shepherd) and the Lady of Arles costumes.  At mass, the first lambs of the spring are blessed and then the whole town marches down to the city hall for cookies and cider.  The parade includes a flock of sheep, provençal cowboys, donkeys, and of course all the elaborately costumed villagers.  It was a lovely little festival and I think the 5 of us that traveled there from Aix were the only non-locals.  Bonus:  We got to hold the blessed lamb, and I'm pretty sure that comes with an extra dose of grace. 

Next, we went to Pelissane to the Fête des truffes et de l'huile d'olive (festival of truffles and olive oil).  There I ate my first truffle.  I partook of it in the form of brouillards (scrambled eggs).  Did you know that scrambled eggs could be divine?  As in actually endowed with divinity?  Neither did I.  But, it is so.  They were absolutely amazing.  I'm not sure I could ever justify buying a truffle, but if I could, I would serve it in scrambled eggs. C'est magnifique!

First bite of truffle ever!

We also got to do an olive oil testing, which was very enlightening.  Apparently it is possible (though very uncommon) to make olive oil out of a single variety of olives.  Most producers don't do this because it's five times as much work, but the difference is really astonishing.  We tried four different single-variety olive oils, and just like wines made of different grapes, they all had their own unique qualities.  However, the most interesting thing (for me) was the woman who made the oil.  She was from Wisconsin.  She had grown up in the Milwaukee area and lived in Brookfield all her married life until she and her French husband moved to France in 2004 and bought an olive farm.  She heard a couple of us speaking English and insisted on making friends.  She was very...earthy.  I liked her a lot.


Thursday, I went to a liquoristrie near Aix.  They make absinthe there.  We took a tour of the very small distillerie and did a tasting of a couple varieties of alcohol: a melon aperatif, versinthe (the absinthe made there) and a thyme flower disgestif.  Absinthe is essentially pastis.  It is smoother than other anise alcohols I've tried.  It's good, but it's not my favorite. (Chocolat, anyone?)  Plus, they apparently don't make it with wormwood anymore since it causes people to go crazy, so there is no longer the benefit of hallucination that goes with over-consumption.  No lie, I was slightly disappointed to learn this.


Fun Tidbits of my life in France:

1) I cannot speak French or English very well at this point.  Even writing this blog is somewhat of a challenge.  I have decided to focus my energy on speaking fluent franglais.

2)  I kind of love relative time.   Classes, buses, meetings, are never on time.  Even when I'm late, I'm early.

3) While reading a French magazine I learned that Dr. McDreamy and Dr. McSteamy are Dr. Mamour and Dr. Glamour in French.  Awesome.  (If you don't know what I'm talking about, don't worry about it).

4)  I am going to Barcelona for the weekend So excited!