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Day trip to Lille

August 24, 2009 24 Comments Filed Under: Uncategorized

.. Souviens-toi
Ça parlait

De la Picardie

Invited by Eurostar, food bloggers were invited to take a ‘little break’ to encourage us to visit nearby European cities such as Paris, Brussels and Lille for the reasonable price of £59 return. Lille is probably the least known of this trio.

Lille is situated in the North-West corner of France. The coal and mining industry there, like in the North of England, was decimated in the 70s. Statistics show that the Northern French are poorer and drink more. On the route from Paris, the architecture gradually changes as you near Calais. Buildings are made with red bricks and you see terraced houses with gardens, unknown in the rest of France. The people are known as ‘ch’timis’; they add a ‘sh’ sound to anything beginning with ‘c’ (eg ‘ch’est =c’est). The Picardie or ch’timi dialect springs from early French with Flemish influences. One of the biggest comedy hits last year in France was the film ‘Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis’ poking gentle fun at this unloved area.
As the best of British manhood, soldiers, come home from Aghanistan, in ever increasing numbers, rotting in their bodybags, sent by politicians so that their own sons can continue to live consumerist lives, I remember also that Picardie was the scene of some of the worst carnage of World War I.
Yves Montand, the French Frank Sinatra, famously sung ‘Dansons la rose (Les roses de Picardie)’ although the song was originally written by a British officer in 1916, inspired by his love for a French widow while staying under her protection in that area.
Our trip lasted 12 hours, taking the 7am train and returning at 7pm. The point of this promotion is to show that even in such a short period of time, you can take a break, have a change of air, and return refreshed.
You can spot a food blogger a mile off: they aren’t slim (bar the Asian food bloggers such as the thorough and hard-working WorldfoodieGuide, who have a horridly unfair genetic advantage). We were a sight with our muffin tops, beer bellies, double chins, pudgy hands, chafed thighs and flat feet. We didn’t so much tour Lille as waddle around it. Give us another year and Eurostar will have to provide wheelchairs for a similar trip.
This was our schedule:
6.59 Eurostar leaves St Pancras. We met romantically under the enormous bronze statue of a couple saying farewell to each other. I tried to encourage food blogger duo ‘Dinner Diary’ to replicate this pose. I noted that Krista of londelicious was wearing sexy but impractical patent leather wedges.
On train: we weren’t in First class but some sort of Club class. Nice. Big bucket seats, copies of Paris Vogue, and breakfast: tiny sliver of smoked salmon, two tiny blinis, bit of creme fraiche, coffee or tea, yoghurt, orange juice, rolls etc. Helpful staff. I didn’t eat much, had a feeling I might have to pace myself.
On the way I talk to two bloggers/mothers: Margot of coffeeandvanilla, who is Polish, married to a Dominican, hence the ‘ebony and ivory’ style title of her blog. She creates Eastern European/Caribbean fusion food. Also Michelle of greedygourmet who plans to set up a site for food bloggers to sell their food, a gastronomic ‘Etsy’. Great idea! Sign me up!
9.27: Arrival in Lille: the young French PR girls lead us around Lille. It’s sunny and the shops aren’t open yet. We are shown a belfry, very typical here, and a building with cannon balls wedged into the walls, result of a siege. We are shown Benoit Chocolatier. I thought we would taste some chocolate but the girl behind the counter backs away looking nervous when faced by 15 food bloggers photographing manically.
We discover a cake shop that sells multi-coloured macarons. We get a bit in trouble with shop owner because we help ourselves. I buy two cakes because I never liked macarons. Kang gives me a macaron to try. Amazing. I now love them.

11.00: Coffee and Patisseries at Meert: set in a beautiful 18th century tearoom with high ceilings and an enormous chandelier. Some of us order the speciality ‘gauffres’ or waffles. But these are not the large waffles you might imagine, they are tiny, slim wafers filled with Madagascan flavoured butter cream. Nice. Up the other end, they’d ordered ‘Merveilleux’ cakes which were like giant Ferrero Rocher. They were about 1o cms high and 6cms in circumference. Eventually they were passed down for the rest to taste, the summit of gluttony only partially reached.






13.00: Cooking course at L’Atelier des Chefs. We were divided into groups and asked to cook Northern French specialities: Pavé de cabillaud au miel de fleur de bière, palette colorée de légumes de saison: cod sautéed with honey and beer eau de vie/a fricasée of finely cut seasonal typically Northern vegetables and Ch’tiramisu, a ch’timi version of the classic dessert.
I learnt things:
  • start with a cold pan and the skin of your fish doesn’t burn
  • you can cook radishes (treat them like little turnips)
  • Not all food bloggers can cook. Some of them are more gifted at going to restaurants and eating other people’s food.
I signed my fish plate with my own signature in balsamic glaze. We all sat down and ate together, family style. This was my first ever cooking lesson, very enjoyable and even though this was pitched at beginners, you can always learn more.
I bought a flat pastry brush and some fizz bomb sprinkles at the shop. Eatlikeagirl’s bag was getting heavier, she can shop like a champ.



16.00:Beer and Cheese Tasting at La Capsule. Entering into the damp dark cavern of this typical corner bar, which also has a specialist beer shop, even the greediest of us were flagging a little by now. The owner, Aymeric, prodded us through the beer tasting.
Beer is roughly divided into three categories:
Belgian: syrupy, sweet, round
German: lagery, light, refreshing, clear
British: bitter, warm, hard minerally water
Aymeric jokes:

“we have a phrase in French about English food …’if it’s cold it’s probably soup, if it’s warm, it’s beer'”

The beers of Northern France are Belgian in style. For this tasting I sat next to Liz Upton and Andrew of Spittoon. A good idea because I know sod all about beers and they were slurping and sniffing knowledgeably and saying stuff like “coriander!'”and “hoppy!” I tried to join in with words like “aspirin” and “horlicks” but I don’t think they were fooled.
Andrew doesn’t really look like a wine blogger because he has facial hair, doesn’t wear a neckerchief/cravat and isn’t gay. Beer bloggers look like Bill Bailey, I imagine.
This joint reminded me of Garlic and Shots, that goth restaurant in Soho. I once had a date there. The bloke had waist length black hair, was dressed head to toe in black leather and kept biting my lips to the point of drawing blood! Nice guy but didn’t want to join the undead.
The Lilleputan Aymeric giving us the tasting asked if any of us are members of CAMRA, the campaign for real ale. Liz put up her hand. He is trying to start a French version. Beers are rather swamped in France by wine. Many of the beers we tasted not only could not be bought in England, but wouldn’t be available in the rest of France either. The beers were local and distributed within a 20km radius.
1) Page 24: rhubarb, coriander, made ‘à la chicorée’ which doesn’t mean it was made with chicory. It’s a ‘faux ami’ between French and English: chicorée is endive and endive is chicory.
2) La Bavaisienne: darker, caramel, oldest beer, made in 19th century copper tank.
3) Etoile du Nord: a bit like Jenlain, hoppy, bitter, 60 IBU. For comparison Stella is 3/4 IBU.
4) Kaouet pronounced [cowet]: made 20 kms from Lille. Blackcurrant. The owner says the name comes from a village festival which celebrates a Giant in the shape of a cat called Kaou. It all sounds a bit Wickerman.

Goths at the bar


The Batcave

Marcus of Big Brother beer mat
The beer was accompanied by some local cheeses which matched well.
1) Cremet du cap-blanc-nez..ok but bland compared to the others…
2) Maroilles …really strong, like two day old socks, but my favourite. There is also Vieux Lille also known as Lille Stinker which we didn’t get a chance to try.
3) Mimolette Francais, Extra Vieille, dark orange, a bit like Edam
4) Crayeux de Roncq, creamy pungent, strong
These cheeses are available from Phillipe Olivier’s cheese shop.

17.45: Shopping and leave for Eurostar. We go to a beer shop which also sells sweets, violet liqueur and gauffres from the region.

Les gauffres/waffles

I adore French sweet packaging

Eatlikeagirl and me get a bit distracted whilst shopping. She is now carrying so many bags, one of which appears to contain a tree trunk, that she is limping. We get a bit lost. We discuss the fact that we don’t actually want to go back but then we imagine the poor PR girl, Sarah Oliver, who organised this, getting in trouble for losing food bloggers. Eventually we find the station. Sarah is looking worried. Eatlikeagirl and me feel like the naughty kids at the back of the coach on a school trip.
18.35 Eurostar departs: we are given dinner with champagne. I’m dead full. But order the dinner anyway. The menu sounds fab:
Tortellini farci aux epinards et a la ricotta avec aubergines, pesto et coulis de tomates.
Which turned out to be: luke warm, been sitting there for hours, tortellini, topped with tinned black olives, under-seasoned vegetables with a rusty salad. I taste it, put down my fork and sigh out loud

“Why is the food so bad?”

Foodstories, the Julie Christie of food blogging, with her heavy blonde fringe and big blue eyes, looks round and agrees. I continue…

“I mean you can understand it on a plane but on a train. How hard can it be to do tasty food?”

Suddenly the people that work on the train come over looking concerned

“You don’t like it? Normally coming from the Brussels end it’s pretty good”

I feel a bit guilty. Sometimes my own food fascism irritates me.

“I know I’m not paying for this, it’s a press trip, but why tinned olives?”

“We will pass your comments on…” he says nicely “have some more champagne”

I turn round and notice the other food bloggers such as Cheesenbiscuits haven’t even bothered with dinner, they are guzzling champagne, free mini bottles of wine and the contents of their beer shopping from Lille.
Once at St Pancras they all go on to the champagne bar…


I’m really tired. But it’s been a great day. Lille is pretty, has plenty of activities, is fantastic for shopping and well worth a visit. Although by the time I arrived home, I realised I had a blister on each foot, nappy rash and two squashed cakes.

Information about @little_break:
Lille:
Eurostar operates up to 10 daily services from London St Pancras International to Lille with return fares from £55. Tickets are available from eurostar.com or 08705 186 186. Fastest London-Lille journey time is 1 hour 20 minutes. Brussels:Eurostar operates up to 10 daily services from London St Pancras International to Brussels with return fares from £59. All Eurostar tickets to Brussels are valid to/from any Belgian station at no extra cost. Tickets are available from eurostar.com or 08705 186 186. Fastest London-Brussels journey time is 1h51 minutes.Paris:Eurostar operates up to 20 daily services from London St Pancras International to Paris Gare de Nord with return fares from £59.Tickets are available from eurostar.com or 08705 186 186. Fastest London-Paris journey time is 2hr 15 minutes. Since 11 August there has not been any extra fee for telephone bookings.
Competition alert!!! Win a pair of Eurostar tickets to Lille… take your own ‘Little Break to Lille’
Eurostar have kindly offered this prize to the reader that writes the funniest or most interesting comment replying to this post. If you are on Twitter, tweet a link to this post and you get extra points!
Small print: make your own way to St Pancras. Replies and comments in by end of September 2009. Winner will be tweeted and posted here first day of October!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. gastrogeek

    August 24, 2009 at 8:48 pm

    Wow, this sounds like it was such a great laugh! Your posts never fail to make me either nod my head in agreement or laugh my head off! Brilliant, wish I'd been there.

    Reply
  2. Kavey

    August 24, 2009 at 10:47 pm

    Loving your intro to the post, you always have your own slant on things, which I really enjoy.

    Sounds like a lovely day.

    I visited Lille by Eurostar several years ago and enjoyed it. Perhaps time to go again.

    Reply
  3. Helen

    August 25, 2009 at 10:12 am

    ooh thanks for comparing me to Julie Christie! I pulled that beer mat out of my bag last night – God that place was SO Marcus.

    Reply
  4. Lizzie

    August 25, 2009 at 10:14 am

    Sounds like a great day out – sad to have missed it, though I'd have definitely had to waddle home by the looks of all that was consumed…!

    Reply
  5. theundergroundrestaurant

    August 25, 2009 at 10:28 am

    I will be uploading the pix later, complete with Marcus beer mat!

    Reply
  6. foodsnobblog

    August 26, 2009 at 12:17 pm

    'You can spot a food blogger a mile off: they aren't slim (bar the Asian food bloggers)'

    I beg to differ. Only one food blogger I have ever eaten with is not enviably slim.

    Actually, two.

    Reply
  7. Helen

    August 26, 2009 at 12:18 pm

    I've given the Marcus Mat pride of place on my desk.

    Reply
  8. theundergroundrestaurant

    August 26, 2009 at 12:24 pm

    Food snob: you haven't met me yet!
    Mind, I've got the opposite of anorexia nervosa. I look in the mirror and think "looking good". It's only other people that think I need to be slimmer.

    Reply
  9. Liz

    August 27, 2009 at 1:11 pm

    I'd love to do it again. And I'm not *that* fat – anyway. Thin women have no boobs.

    Lovely day, at any rate, and it was fantastic to meet you at last!

    Reply
  10. Mr Jones

    September 3, 2009 at 10:54 pm

    gauffres totally rock.. I love lille. its cool for a day and great oysters (in season). Go to Bruxelles.. way better, cooler and the choc is divine!

    Reply
  11. Mr Jones

    September 3, 2009 at 10:55 pm

    PS how does one get invited to one of these blogger events?

    Reply
  12. theundergroundrestaurant

    September 3, 2009 at 10:57 pm

    I guess they invite the bloggers that have a high profile/lots of hits/perceived influence?
    I dunno to be honest but it was a lovely treat!

    Reply
  13. Kavey

    September 10, 2009 at 4:19 pm

    Came back to your post to look up some of the places you visited (a friend asked) and enjoyed it all over again.

    I had a strange little day-dream half way through: One day, instead of meeting under a romantic bronze statue of couples kissing, a group of foodies shall start such a day off meeting under a statue of an immense, utterly fabulous model of cheese!

    Reply
  14. Guillaume Foutry

    September 10, 2009 at 4:27 pm

    As a native of the place I regret you have not tried the local cuisine in places such as le Rijsel or la Vieille. And have you tried Mussel and french Fries? Le coq Hardi on the main square is my favourite!

    Plus going there in August does not do justice to the town as it is very quite in summer time.

    You have to get back there ASAP!!

    Reply
  15. Em

    September 10, 2009 at 4:50 pm

    My body fat is pretty much 70% cupcake, 30% cheese…does that help me qualify? 🙂

    Sounds like you had an amazing time and the macaroons in particular look delicious.

    I found your blog after reading about your event for the Domestic Sluts, and I adore it!

    Reply
  16. Nicisme

    September 10, 2009 at 4:56 pm

    What a fabulous trip, you've left me wanting to visit Lille for sure.

    Those huge chocolate covered stack thingies are calling my name – and I'd like to think of myself as 'cuddly'!

    Reply
  17. glutton boy

    September 10, 2009 at 5:23 pm

    I had a lovely trip to Lille last october with mrs gltton. indulged in some ttrue glttony at Meert. Bought some hilariously un PC sweets in a boulangerie called 'les tetons de negresse'. good old fashioned family racism! Also had a vivid meal at la huiterie (wrong spelling?), one michelin star, equivalent I think to an easy 2 in London. Should in obligato plug of sourced market i st pancras if you're going on th eurostar anyway, well worth a visit!

    Reply
  18. Siany

    September 11, 2009 at 6:16 pm

    Bonjuor MsMarmiteLover,

    Je Voudrais deux bille pour Lille Eurostar sil vous plait.

    Merci beaucoup,

    Siany

    PS – If I win, I promise my French will get better. It's rubbish.

    Reply
  19. Dan

    September 13, 2009 at 5:36 pm

    First of all, this is certainly the most entertaining post written by any of the food bloggers who attended the Lille trip (Think I've read them all).
    You certainly have a way with words, dropping in some interesting facts to start, a bit of political comment, the foodie bit and then peppered throughout with a few casual backhanded insults.
    Very funny indeed.

    As to why I should have the Lille tickets, first of all – my name is 'Dan' and in fact, I'm actually the only one eligible to win, apart from FoodUrchin, and he hasn't entered…yet. (see the other competition) and secondly, I wasn't frigging invited on the trip to Lille, quite possibly due to some stereotypical view of Essex folk….no I wouldn't have turned up in a shell suit, wearing a baseball cap sporting a massive gold earring and carrying a plastic bag of cheap lager to consume on the journey….

    It would have been cider.

    Reply
  20. canelvr

    September 17, 2009 at 7:15 am

    I love that you dig the war-ravaged bleakness of the Nord that still pervades today. A town I know well, not far from Lille, has a tank as the centrepiece in its town square. Even those old belfries hark back to more bellicose times. While I enjoy the local cuisine, to be honest it's not among my favourite things about the area.

    Reply
  21. Tom

    September 19, 2009 at 7:50 am

    I'd recreate my own carnage trip to Lille with flowing champagne, wine, beer and mariolles. It's a winning combination!

    Reply
  22. theundergroundrestaurant

    September 30, 2009 at 2:30 pm

    Glutton boy wins:
    He works all day at the sourced food market at St Pancras, this is his opportunity to actually get on a train!

    Reply
  23. Anonymous

    October 20, 2011 at 5:17 pm

    Thank goodness some bloggers can write. Thank you for this writing..

    Reply
  24. Anonymous

    December 18, 2011 at 6:23 pm

    At least some bloggers can write. Thanks for this piece!

    Reply

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MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

Chef, photographer, author, journalist, blogger. Pioneer of the supperclub movement.

This is my food and travel blog, with recipes, reviews and travel stories. I also stray into politics, feminism, gardening.

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Instagram post 2192170307716904689_28574231 Drinking gluvein in Vienna Christmas market on a stopover during the @AMAwaterways river cruise on the Blue Danube. Tonight I’m making mulled cider for my cooking class at Willesden Library, starts 6.30, only £3 to get in. Basically I like anything mulled. Just got @aldiuk coffee cream liqueur and I even mull that- via using it in coffee instead of milk.  What does mulled mean? “Mulled wine originated in the 2nd century. It was created by the Romans who would heat wine to defend their bodies against the cold winter. As the Romans conquered much of Europe throughout the next century, their love for mulled wine spread across their empire and the regions they traded with.” To mull something over is to think about it. To mull wine is to warm it. So it’s something that is slow, steeped, warmed, sweetened, with added spices.  I’ve been travelling so much lately and am slowly writing it all up and testing recipes and dishes that I discovered in various places- my travel is a kind of food anthropology. I love 💓 travelling and discovering new places. I’d happily travel all the time. I’m an empty nester now and while I love london, I don’t need to be here, except to do the odd themed supperclub where I try out all my new recipes on guests.  Discover more behind my travels on Msmarmitelover.com and you can also book for my supperclub there or directly with @edible_exp I’m the original supperclub chef and hostess, the original underground restaurateur! I wrote the book on it- supper club, notes and recipes from the underground restaurant published by Harper Collins. I’m proud to have started a movement that has benefitted female and BAME cooks so much.  Eat the revolution! Long may it continue!  #traveller #chef #christmasmarket #vienna #bluedanube #gluvein #mulledwine #christmasdrinking #supperclubs #supperclubchef #msmarmitelover #travelwriter #foodwriter #recipewriter #christmasselfie #wearingred #travelpr invite me on trips!
Instagram post 2189276090585638215_28574231 Aranzata, a sardinian Christmas treat went down well at last nights supperclub - there are none left! Candied orange peel but candied with honey rather than sugar, mixed with almonds and a little wild fennel.  Recipe:  Peel off the orange peel of an orange, taking care to eliminate any of the white pith. Place in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Do this 4 times, discarding the water each time. Then dry the peel on a tea towel. Put back in the pan and cover with honey. Add peeled almonds finely chopped lengthways. Simmer and stir until the honey is absorbed into the peel. Take a rubber/plastic chocolate mould and press in a teaspoon of the mixture in each hole. Leave to set and cool. Unmould the little pucks of pleasure. I added some candied fennel seeds that I got from @souschefuk , ground them up and scattered over the top. Serve at the end of the meal with coffee.  #sardinianrecipes #suppervlub #christmas #christmassweets #orangesweets #honey #travelrecipes #recipesfromitaly #recipesfromabroad #msmarmitelover #supperclubchef #theundergroundrestaurant #london #inspiredbysardinia
Instagram post 2188551047903786506_28574231 Torta de Santiago, the finished recipe. I will be serving it tonight at my Sardinian supperclub - it isn’t Sardinian but Galician but this is turning into a sardo-Galician fusion event! Recipe up soon on the blog. #gluten-free #cake #msmarmitelover #supperclub #caminodesantiago #travelrecipes #galicia #sardinia #igfood #inspiredbytravel
Instagram post 2186581155877038874_28574231 Made a torta de Santiago today, inspired by doing the Camino de Santiago. It’s gluten-free, made with almonds rather than flour. I ate this as part of the ‘pilgrims menu’ all along the trail. They were vastly different in quality- often rather dry and dull. The best I had in actual Santiago de compostella, made ‘casera’ Spanish for home-made. It was sticky and rich. Equal proportions eggs, almond meal and caster sugar, with a pinch of salt, cinnamon and orange zest. I bought the traditional metal crosses at a hardware store in Santiago, one of my favourite lurking places when travelling. I will place one on top of the tart and powder the top with icing sugar, leaving an imprint of the cross. I bought this yellow bowl, a Galician craft, at a shop in Santiago.
#travel #baking #msmarmitelover #santiagodecompostela #caminoway #walking #hiking #dessert #spanishrecipes #spanishdessert #galicianrecipes #glutenfree @caminoways
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Instagram post 2181973256383167209_28574231 Follow the yellow arrow and the shell. Arrival at #santiagodecompostela ‘st James of the field of stars’ 💫 after doing the pilgrims Camino - 130 kms walking. It’s taken me several days to get over it physically but I feel immersed in autumn and ‘forest bathed’. All my thoughts, photos and adventures coming up on the blog soon. I definitely recommend doing this. But my advice is: even if it’s raining and you aren’t thirsty, drink water. First rule of catering is, if you’re feet are sore, you aren’t drinking enough- I ignored this. Buy waterproof lightweight boots for cold weather but keep them loose as your feet expand as you walk. Buy anti blister socks- yes that’s a thing. Wear 2 pairs of socks: one thin merino wool or anti blister and one thick merino wool. Buy a rain cape which will cover your bag and camera. Train before you go- not just on flat but on hills- much of the Camino is hilly. Take toilet paper or wet wipes. Take a spare pair knickers. Take a walking stick or buy one there . Most things you need you can buy on the Camino. Take a strong bag on a string or a fanny pack for easy access to pilgrims passport for stamps; water; phone/camera. Stretch before and after. Keep to your own pace- sometimes it feels like a competition but it isn’t- we all have our own rythym and pace- when you arrive at the cathedral it doesn’t matter how long it took you to get there- you did it. Don’t rush- if you get injured your Camino is finished. #walkthisway #followtheshell #caminodesantiago #msmarmitelover #msmarmite #hiking #Spain #pilgrimage #santiagodecompostella #theway #fitness #pace #selfcare #travel #blogger #igtravel
Instagram post 2178475417149561889_28574231 We made it! Hemos llegado! #santiagodecompostella #pilgrims #knackered #camino #cava #msmarmitelover #msmarmite #sisters
Instagram post 2177561799364984754_28574231 Not gonna lie, this has been physically very tough. As my sister says ‘ we are from an indoors family from an indoors country’. Yesterday I did the longest day yet- officially 18km- but I did 35,000 steps! I’m small so I have a small step. So I converted steps into km and I did 27 km. that’s what it felt like. My legs throbbed all night, I had to take paracetamol to get to sleep. Have I had any life changing thoughts? Or spiritual revelations? Not a one. Well, maybe one which is I must get fitter. I mustn’t stop after this pilgrimage. I must get my health in order. Being freelance and working mostly on my own, it’s had to give myself time to look after myself. To assign time for fitness. Being freelance means never ending guilt about not searching for work. Never having stress free time off, as you don’t get paid holidays, sick pay or paid during national holidays such as Christmas. There is always a certain level of low key stress. Of keeping your self esteem up when you aren’t earning. The envy of others getting lauded for work you have pioneered. But I love my freedom! My opportunities to be creative. #thoughts #freelance #caminodesantiago #hiking #fitness #pilgrimage #spain #galicia #supperclub #rain
Instagram post 2175408625380307897_28574231 I was going to blog every day but the truth is I’m too knackered. I’m doing insta stories and my diary. Day 6. We are only doing about 14 km a day but it’s hard. I’m hobbling by the end. It’s the whole consecutiveness that is so punishing to the body. Oh to be young again. The youngsters are pounding through 30-40 km a day. We get up have coffee and don’t rest for 6 hours. We arrive around 3pm and have a massive drunken menu del dia with jugs of vino tinto. Then I fall asleep. Then I wake up for a bit and charge everything up, make notes, edit pix and sort out outfit for tomorrow. Which is basically the same everyday. I did wash a lot of knickers in the shower today as I was running low. So weather: raining all day. Puts the grim into pilgrim. But I am loving this. Thanks @caminoways #pushingyourself #msmarmitelover #msmarmite #caminodesantiago #caminofrances #camino #walking #pilgrimage #spain #galicia #greedypilgrim #stjames #followtheshell
Instagram post 2173661800793301108_28574231 Persimon and pumpkin soup, recipe up on the blog now. Msmarmitelover.com the great thing about doing the #caminodesantiago in #November is that the trail isn’t crowded, the weather is cool, and you see #pumpkinpatches everywhere which are always like something out of a #fairytale. Here they serve sopa de Galicia which is always prepared with meat stock, usually chicken. I so want soup on the Camino. When I get home I’m going to devise a #vegetarian #galiciansoup #buencamino #recipe #soup #pumpkin #squash #fall #autumnvibes🍁 #autumnfood #foodietraveller #greedypilgrim @caminoways @spanishpersimon #traveller #hiker #walker
Instagram post 2172857478425645569_28574231 The Camino to Santiago. While November isn’t the most popular month, and there is certainly rain, the landscape, the nature and colours of the countryside are so vibrant it’s like being on an acid trip. Nature at its most vivid: acorns with their fairy cups, bronze oak leaves and rusty ferns, mushrooms frilly with gills, apples 🍎 on the bough tumbling into sky blue rivulets, giant pumpkins in a patch, moss covered walls, dolmens and menhirs, rooves covered with slate like fish scales, lichen and donkeys, horses, spiney umbrellas like an opened coquille de St Jacques, cows called Luna. I did 14 km today my first day and that was enough. I fell asleep in front of the fire at the #albergue this is a #presstrip with @caminoways #galicia #greedypilgrim #caminodesantiago #msmarmitelover @advantagesofage @imogen_rodgers_1 #autumn #spain #walking #hiking #travel #contemplation #pushingyourself
Instagram post 2169866030516446893_28574231 Persimon Pani puri recipe up on the blog Msmarmitelover.com a street food which includes a flavour spectrum- sour, sweet, salty, hot, spicy, refreshing, crunchy, wet and dry, fruity and carby. Making the Puri from scratch took a couple of goes to get right but actually isn’t hard. #supperclub #msmarmitelover #msmarmite #spanishpersimon #vegetarian #vegan #recipe #chaat #streetfood #indiansnacks #canape #diwali
Instagram post 2169277948175951209_28574231 Overlooking the river at #vallaro in piedmont. Nearby was #sacroMonte, a hilltop religious monument with 45 chapels, each containing strange plaster statues of animals and saints, 800 of them.
Instagram post 2167511482116167199_28574231 Persimon fruit leather (the easiest EVER as it has so much pectin- just purée it, add sweetness spread on a silpat and in cool oven for a few hours), rolled into a pinwheel with bergamot zest and mint and goats cheese, a delicious canapé. This was served at last nights #persimon #supperclub for #Halloween on behalf of @spanishpersimon . Next week I’m going to Valencia to visit the farm.  #msmarmitelover #msmarmite #singleingredientmenus #fruit #vegetarian #canapé #christmascanapes #canapeideas
Instagram post 2166825702523830758_28574231 I’ve been working with persimon fruit for the last 3 weeks, pushing the envelope with what we can do with persimons other than just eat them like apples. And guess what? I still like them, I’m not bored. They are a wonderful autumn winter seasonal fruit. They are also really good for you. #VitC #fibre #5aday, #potassium #iron #calcium #betacarotene #vitA #7aday #manganese #B6 #supperclub #halloween #fruit
Instagram post 2166106717029345626_28574231 The creamy interior of a baked Camembert offset by persimons from Spain. This is the cheese course from my Halloween supperclub for @spanishpersimon this Thursday. #supperclub #persimmon #persimon #sharonfruit #kaki #cheese #camembert #bakedcheese #halloween #spanishfruit #igfood #autumnvibes🍁
Instagram post 2165411211139548124_28574231 Persimon bread, adapted from a recipe by @davidlebovitz. I used fresh persimon pulp and dried persimons with walnuts and @southafricanraisins now I have to decide whether to serve it as canapés, topped with goats cheese and fresh persimon or with the cheese course. 🤔#supperclub #halloween #spanishpersimon #fallfood #autumnvibes🍁 #food #travelandfood #spanishingredients #recipes #vegetarian #desserts #bread #fruitbread
Instagram post 2164809413936743946_28574231 Hazelnut risotto using carnaroli rice from @magicolucedio from piedmont. I used Piedmontese white wine as well as hot vegetable stock, use a moscato or arneis. Keep stirring for 18 minutes until creamy with a kernel of al dente rice. When I visited piedmont, I ate 4 risottos in 3 days! It’s grown in this region, being similar to a sushi type rice- round- rather than long. It’s beautiful stuff- ivory and pure- and I didn’t want to add any colour other than a few local hazelnuts, pecorino and nut oil such as walnut or hazelnut. Warming food for cold rainy autumn days. #supperclub #rice #risotto #hazelnuts #northernitaly🇮🇹 #visitpiemonte #foodandtravel #vegetarianrecipes #igfood #vegetarianfoodporn #regionsofitaly #femalechef
Instagram post 2163915113036239687_28574231 Cinnamon, pistachio and persimon pudding. Persimmon pudding is a southern dish but I added a touch of the Middle East. It’s so easy to make: remove stalks of fruit then blend. Add a cup of flour, a cup of sugar, 50g butter, spices, pinch of baking soda and bake in the oven for 45 minutes at 180c. #persimon #persimmon #kaki #sharon #recipetesting #supperclub #halloween #spanishfruit #winterfruit #seasonalcooking #baking #dessert #foodblogger #chef
Instagram post 2163125821191825243_28574231 I’ve never liked tiramisu. (I’m not really a fan of trifle either). But I thought I’d have a go on the understanding that homemade dishes always taste better. And so it proved. I used #camporelli biscuits and @neptune_rum. @visit_piemonte #tiramisu #savoiardi #pudding #dessert #italiandesserts #italiantrifle #homecooking #supperclub #fridgedesserts #nocookdesserts #coffee
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