Ask the Sommelier: 5 Great Vineyards to Visit

So many wineries to visit, so little time! How do you narrow the list?

This week I reached out to Ivan Mandelli, head sommelier at the Michelin one-star Maison Hache in Eygalieres, and asked him to recommend five fantastic wineries to visit in Provence. I suggested he choose based on the warmth of the welcome, the beauty of the domaine, the pricing/value of the vintages offered, the creativity of the winemaker or the way the wines express the attributes of the grapes and terroir. 

Just make sure they produce wonderful wines, I said, and that my readers will be happy they went!

Below you’ll find his selection, in his words. But first, a bit about our sommelier…

Ivan comes from the north of Italy, from a small town between Lake Como and Milan called Merate, where his grandmother had a trattoria and his uncle had a restaurant. He left home at 17 and landed a job in a Swiss hotel. There, he remembers being inspired and impressed by one particular maître d’, who encouraged his career goals and pushed him to get as much experience as possible. “He transferred to me so much knowledge and savoir faire,” Ivan says.

Ivan went on to work in many luxury hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants across Europe including the five-star Hotel Palace (Gstaad, Switzerland), Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa (New Milton, England), and the Michelin three-star Restaurant Michel Bras (Laguiole, France).

He met his French wife, Laurence, in 1999 in Bermuda and they married in Italy in 2002.

After many years as a restaurant manager, Ivan's love of wine inspired a change in career direction and he decided to pursue sommelier training. He earned his diploma in Italy in 2009, from the Associazione Italiana Sommelier (AIS). He later became a member of the Union de la Sommellerie Française (UDSF). 

When friends that Ivan had met at Michel Bras left to open a restaurant in Provence, they encouraged him to join them, to be maître d’ and sommelier. The restaurant, Meo, opened in Tarascon in 2012 and earned a Michelin star within a year. It closed three years later, when the owners decided to move to Normandy. But Ivan and Laurence were hooked on Provence and they stayed.

In 2019, Christopher Hache left the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris, where he was the Michelin-starred executive chef, to open Maison Hache. “Christopher and I met just once but we just knew we had to work together,’’ Ivan remembers. The restaurant launched in May 2019 and earned a star the following year; Ivan now oversees a 300-label cellar. Christopher Hache also co-owns three Hache boulangerie/patisseries, the villages of Eygalieres, Molleges and St. Remy. (Love their pistachio cake!)

Please note that many wineries in Provence will welcome you for a drop-in tasting (sometimes free, sometimes for a fee) but it’s always best to check the hours, then phone ahead to reserve. 

To follow Ivan on Instagram, click here...and read on for his winery picks!

Domaine Milan

Located in St. Rémy since 1956, Domaine Milan is one of the original and more eclectic winemakers of the region, now in the hands of the third generation. Theophile Milan and his American wife, Nathalie, work closely with Theo’s father Henri, experimenting with unique grape varieties in an organic and biodyamic style. The large selection of wines will surprise you and you’ll appreciate their new natural wines without sulfites added. The tasting room is small and rustic (but charming)…and their wines are very precise and balanced. Plus, ask to taste their gin!

Château La Nerthe

One of the oldest wineries in Châteauneuf-du-Pape (dating to 1560), Château La Nerthe is also one of the most beautiful. The domaine has natural springs, which makes everything green and lush, and there’s a lovely park around the castle, with 100-year-old trees. This is a beautiful space of nature, only a few steps away from the famous wine village, and they’ve been organic since 1998. Be sure to try their whites, especially the Clos de Beauvenir, but all three are very interesting; La Nerthe is actually known more for whites than reds. Of the reds, I love the Cuvée des Cadettes. Guided cellar visits with tastings are available by reservation.

Domaine Laurens, Vignoble des Templiers

Domaine Laurens Vignoble des Templiers is a family business in the small village of Roaix in the Vaucluse, between Rasteau and Seguret, near Gigondas.  The current estate was created in 2016 by winemaker Bastien Laurens (along with his parents Françoise and Bruno, and his sister, Julia) but the story of the property began centuries before, in 1138, with the Templars, the Knights of Rhodes and later, the Popes. (Read their rich history on their website.) I find their wines to be the most interesting of the region, under the appellation Côtes-du-Rhône Villages. Be sure to try their deep and spicy 100% syrah. To me, the Domaine Laurens looks like a spot of Tuscany in the Vallée du Rhone! (Photo of Bruno and Bastien from the winery's Instagram by Nicolas Bria.)

Château Mourgues du Gres

The winery Château Mourgues du Grès, in a 16th-century convent, sits in the countryside outside Beaucaire, west of the Rhône, in the appellation Costières de Nimes. There you’ll find the warming welcome of Anne and François Collard, who make generous and elegant wines, labeled organic since 1990. One wine definitely not to be missed is their Terre d'Argence (IGP Pont du Gard), with a dominance of viognier grapes and the taste of fresh yellow fruits…nice and crispy. The Collards love to promote local food producers at special events and welcome visitors to stroll among the vines and orchards; order ahead and they’ll prepare a picnic for you (local products) and direct you to the perfect spot to enjoy it. They offer wine tastings in the vineyard, with a sommelier, and have holiday cottages for rent too.

Domaine Viret

Twenty minutes from Vaison-La-Romaine, just over the border between the Vaucluse and the Drome, Philippe and Alain Viret of Domaine Viret are producing natural wines without sulfites, using more than 100 grape varieties, growing on 30 hectares. Philippe coined the term "Cosmoculture" to describe their unique philosophy while the cellar itself was designed using the divine proportions of the Golden Ratio, inspired by Egyptian architecture and Cistercian cathedrals. There are currently 14 wines in the range. One wine I like a lot is called Maréotis (grenache and syrah).  I also enjoy two of their amphorae-aged wines called Dolia: one red and one orange/amber that’s macerated for nine months. This place is really quite amazing! And if you understand what they're trying to do, you’ll understand and appreciate the wines even more.

You're Invited: Thanksgiving in France 2017

Because I totally live to please you guys, once again I've rounded up a great selection of Thanksgiving celebrations here in the South of France and in Paris. Who attends these gala soirées? The local expat community of course, but also French friends and other Europeans, travelers, house guests and, in one case, invited members of the American military stationed in the area. All nationalities are wanted and welcome!

Over the years, many of my French friends have told me they love the idea of celebrating this very-American holiday...to meet new people, to sample unusual foods, to learn the holiday traditions. At a friend's Thanksgiving in Provence a few years back, the Frenchman to my left said he loved how the various dishes were served all at once, all on one plate, rather than in courses. Another said he was looking forward to his first taste of cranberry sauce, which he called red fruits jam. 

While the literal translation is Action de Grâce, most French just call it Thanksgiving...except for my friend Philippe who refers to it as Merci Donnant, which he says "means absolutely nothing at all." 

If you plan to be in Paris for the holiday rather than down south, I've included a couple celebrations there, including one built around a cooking class.

And for those of you hosting Thanksgivings in France this year or sharing in the food prep, I've provided two great sources for all your ingredients including fresh cranberries, canned pumpkin, pecan pies and of course, the big juicy bird.

If you're hosting or know of a Thanksgiving celebration that's not listed here, email me the info (provenceblog@aol.com) and I'll happily add it.

And finally, while we're on the subject, I'm sending a very heartfelt thank you to all of you: for reading and supporting my blog...for sharing it with your friends....for commenting on the stories you particularly enjoy. I wish you all the most joyous and delicious Merci Donnant, wherever you plan to spend it!

THANKSGIVING ON THE COTE D'AZUR

*The American Club of the Riviera's Thanksgiving is a gala, annual affair...large, elegant and extremely popular. This year it's at the historic Hotel Negresco in Nice on Thursday Nov. 23, starting with a 12:30 Champagne reception under the cupola of the stunning Galerie Royale, followed by a traditional feast of turkey and trimmings.  Prior to the luncheon (at noon and 12:15 pm), the hotel is offering short guided tours of the lobby and its famous art, collected over the years by Madame Jeanne Augier, whose family has owned the hotel since 1957.  This year's special military guest will be Major William Connors, Liaison Officer between the US and French Army, and his wife Sarah. For those who'd like to take this opportunity to join the ACR, there's a special 14-month membership being offered. Book quickly as this even always sells out; 180 people are expected and it's first come, first served with priority going to member families. Last call for reservation payments is November 16th. All the info is on the ACR website here.  

*MonacoUSA will host its annual Thanksgiving dinner at StarsNBars (Monaco) on Thursday Nov. 23, starting at 7 pm. Seating is family style at communal tables. The menu? Stuffed turkey with cranberry sauce, peas, creamed onions, sweet potatoes, corn on the cob and cornbread. Desserts will be apple tart, pecan pie and brownies. Cost: 50€ members, 55€ non members, 25€ for kids under 12. To reserve: rsvpmcusa@gmail.com.

THANKSGIVING IN PROVENCE

* My great friend Jon Chiri, an American chef with 20 years experience working in Provence, has just taken over the cooking school at Les Halles, the wonderful indoor food market in Avignon. (Jon ran the popular Le Marmiton cooking school at the nearby Hotel La  Mirande for many years.) This is a brand new enterprise for Jon--he hasn't even posted his offerings or pricing online yet--but he does have a name: Cuisine Centr'Halles. On Thursday Nov. 23, Jon invites you to join his family for a special holiday lunch at Les Halles from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm; choose from a Thanksgiving Plat du Jour (turkey with Jon's version of accoutrements) for 20€...or 25€ with pumpkin pie. Wine will be extra; final menu details are still to come. To reserve or be added to Jon's mailing list: jonavandno@gmail.com.

* The Anglo-American Group of Provence once again welcomes the community to celebrate Thanksgiving in Aix "with a spirit of appreciation for all that we share." The party is Sunday, Nov. 26 at 4 pm (aperitif) and 5 pm (dinner) at Restaurant Le Verguetier, 7 chemin d'Eguilles in Celony (Aix), across from the Maison de Ste-Victoire. The'll have all the traditional foods: turkey with stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, green beans, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie with whipped cream. Cost: 29€ members, 10€ for their kids under 12; 36€ for non-member guests and 18€ for their kids under 12. To book: Please specify number of adults and kids, write a check payable to AAGP and send it to Mari-Luz Saboui, 25 Chemin de Masse, 13710 Fuveau. Checks must be received by Nov 20. Questions? Email to: bobkeltz@aol.com. 

* Biocoop - La Coumpagnie in Aix will host two Thanksgivings on Thursday Nov. 23. The first is a lunch which owner Rick Harrison says is "mostly for our curious French clientele - and it's always our biggest lunch turnout of the year!" The lunch will be less than 20€ pp.  (To reserve, see below.) Then comes the main event: a dinner starting at 7:30 pm. "We have a wide diversity of Americans, French and English people excited to attend," Rick says. As they did last year, the Marseille Chapter of Democrats Abroad will have their own space at the event and 40 to 50 of their members are likely to attend.  The meal will be 100% organic, 0% GMOs and 100% homemade from American family recipes! The evening starts with spiced wine and appetizers (stuffed mushrooms, deviled eggs), then moves on to turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, candied yams, green bean casserole (with cream of mushroom soup...yes!), pumpkin and pecan pies and a classic cheesecake. Prices are 27 € adults and 19 € kids under 12; wine and beer are available for purchase. Reservations required for both lunch and dinner: +33 (0)6 81 34 85 74,  rick@biocoop-lacoumpagnie.fr. 

* Near Forcalquier, the restaurant Le Bistrot de Pierrerue in Pierrerue celebrates its annual Thanksgiving on Friday Nov. 24 at 8 pm. On the menu: an amuse bouche, brined and roasted turkey with dressing (made from bio sausage and chestnuts), homemade gravy and cranberry chutney, mashed potatoes, roasted local Brussels sprouts,  pumpkin pie, apple crumble, chocolate pumpkin-seed torte and vanilla ice cream. Price is 25€ per person, without drinks. To book: +33 (0)4 92 75 33, 00, maryvonne.kutsch@orange.fr.

*At the restaurant L'Epicerie de Cecile in Beaucaire, chef/owner Cécile Guillo is all fired up to serve her two annual Thanksgiving fêtes: a dinner for the general public and a lunch for members and guests of the Avignon Chapter of Democrats Abroad.  You can attend either but the DA one is almost full up...just a couple spots left. The public dinner is Thursday Nov. 23 and seating is communal at large tables for 12. Price: 28€ for a three-course dinner with wine and live music. (To reserve for the public dinner, contact the restaurant directly: +33 (o)6 80 04 09 04.) The Democrats Abroad lunch is Sunday Nov. 26 at 12:30 pm. The price is €23 but wine and drinks are extra. To reserve for the DA lunch: joandarcnyc@gmail.com.

THANKSGIVING IN PARIS

There seem to be more and more Thanksgiving celebrations in Paris each year, ranging from the very-casual one at the Hard Rock Cafe to the very-posh one at Ralph's, the restaurant in Ralph Lauren's elaborately appointed store on the Blvd. St.-Germain.  A good list of this year's offerings is here. 

* If you want to join a group rather than do your own thing in a Parisian restaurant, sign up for Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday Nov 22 with the American University Clubs of France. For the 2nd year, they're partnering with the famous Ladurée, known for elegant sweets since 1862, and will be dining in one of Maison Ladurée’s private salons with views on the Champs Elysées. You can have a drink there before but the evening officially starts at 7:30 in the restaurant, which is privatized for the occasion. Everyone gets a small gift to take home. Prices range from €60 to €75 pp and all the info is on the site here. Questions? aucfrance@gmail.com." 

* If you can't decide whether to cook at home or go out, the cooking school La Cuisine Paris has the perfect solution for you: a Thanksgiving cooking class (in English)...followed by everyone eating lunch or dinner together overlooking the Seine. Timing is either 10 am to 2 pm or 4 pm to 8 pm on Thursday Nov. 23;  the price is 160€ pp for lunch or dinner. For more info or to reserve: +33 (0)1 40 51 78 18, contact@lacuisineparis.com.

WHERE TO BUY SUPPLIES

* The Paris shop called Thanksgiving sells a wide range of American foods year round, in person and online, so of course they're the Parisian's go-to for Thanksgiving supplies. But they also stock Canadian, British and Mexican products, too. And now, with new owners, there's an even-greater selection of products as well as a slightly new look to the store. (My sweet contact there, Gemma, says you should definitely pop in and say bonjour!) Orders are being taken now for fresh turkeys, homemade pecan and pumpkin pies and all the other ingredients you need, including Libby's canned 100% pure pumpkin. They also sell hard-to-find kitchen accessories (cheesecloth, roasting bags, pie plates, etc.). Note: Please be sure your online Thanksgiving orders are in by November 18. The store website is here and the online ordering site is here. Thanksgiving is located at 20 rue St. Paul, 75004 Paris, +33 (0)1 42 77 68 29, thanksgivingparis@orange.fr. 

* MyAmericanMarket.com sells pretty much everything you need to prepare your holiday feast, except the turkey: they sell cranberry sauce, canned pumpkin, cornbread mix, stuffing, gravy, corn syrup and more. They also have ingredients and treats for other holidays, too, such as eggnog and candy canes. They are 100% online and will deliver anywhere in Europe. You can order right up until noon on November 22nd and get your goodies shipped to you in France on Thanksgiving Day! "But then you'd need to be a very efficient chef!" Caitlin at the company says with a laugh. Specific Thanksgiving foods are on a special page here.

Above: The much-loved, often-parodied painting is Norman Rockwell's "Freedom from Want" from 1942. Everyone in it was a Rockwell family member or friend; they were photographed individually and painted into the scene. Learn more about the painting and artist here.

The Journées du Patrimoine is This Weekend

It's that time again: The wonderful annual Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days) event takes place September 17 and 18 in cities and villages all over France; a few have activities on Friday the 16th as well. The program was started by the French Ministry of Culture in 1984 and has since spread all over Europe (where it's also called European Heritage Days). This is the 33rd year. 

The idea is that a wide range of historic sites, monuments, buildings, estates, gardens and domaines are open for special visits...along with many sites that are normally closed to the public. Most sites have a guide on hand to enhance your enjoyment of the visit (most tours and talks are in French) and most offer free entry. Some may require you to sign up in advance...but for the most part, you just show up. 

The website with all the participating venues is here but you'll do much better checking in with the Tourist Office or the tourism website of the village or city you want to visit. For example, the main Patrimoine website lists just seven participating sites in my village of St. Remy. But as in years past, the village has published its own terrific guide and map featuring 22 participating sites. You can download it here or pick up a printed one at the Tourist Office or at most of the participating sites.

The best idea is to choose the village you wish to explore, pick up or download their schedule as early as possible and map your route, because some events happen only at certain times.

Here are some additional city and village Patrimoine schedules that I was able to find online: Aigues Mortes, Avignon, Aix, Arles, Beaucaire, Cannes, Cassis, Chateauneuf-du-Papes, Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, Gordes, Isle sur la Sorgue, Lauris, the Luberon, Marseille, Nice,  Nimes, Orange, Tarascon, Uzes, Vaison la Romaine and Valreas.  

And here are listings for various Provence departments: Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Alpes-Maritimes, Bouches du Rhone, the Gard (not really Provence but never mind), the Hautes-Alpes, the Var and the Vaucluse. 

Beyond that, you're on your own...but here's a list of most of the Tourist Offices in Provence and they should be able to help. Enjoy!

The Journées du Patrimoine is Sept 20 + 21

It's that time again: The wonderful annual Journées du Patrimoine event takes place September 20 and 21 in cities and villages all over France; a few have activities on Friday the 19th as well. The program was started by the French Ministry of Culture in 1984 and has since spread all over Europe (where it's also called European Heritage Days). This is the 31st year. The idea is that many historic sites, monuments, buildings, estates and domaines are open for visits...along with many private sites that are normally, um, private. Most sites have a guide on hand to enhance your enjoyment of the visit and most (but not all) offer free entry. Some may require you to sign up in advance...but for the most part, you just show up. The website with all the participating venues is here but you'll do much better checking in with the Tourist Office or the tourism website of the village or city you want to visit. For example, the main Patrimoine website lists just seven participating sites in my village of St. Remy. But the village itself has published its own terrific guide and map featuring 20 participating sites...you can see it here. 

Here are some additional Patrimoine schedules, or at least the best info I could find online: Avignon, Aix, Arles, Marseille, Nimes, Uzes, Cannes, Beaucaire,  Cassis, Fos Sur Mer, Vaison la Romaine and the Vaucluse. Beyond that, you're on your own...but here's a list of most of the Tourist Offices in Provence and they should be able to help.

Photos: The poster and logo for the nationwide event...and a selection of local posters.

Make Mine Mussels!

In his brand-new book called Cooking from the Heart, chef John Besh tells a wonderful anecdote.

It was 1995 and John had been sent by his boss and mentor, New Orleans chef Chris Kerageorgiou, to visit Chris’ family in Provence. The idea was for John to learn about the roots of Provençal cooking, from real local cooks, at the source. At this point in his career, John thought he knew more than a little about French cooking…“but not according to Chef Chris!”  So John was shipped off to Marseille, with his brother Steve from Memphis tagging along for fun.

So there were les deux Americains, down by the port in Marseille, with Chris’ cousin Pierre and a big bunch of his dock-worker friends, all of whom had been more than happy to take time off work to demonstrate the right way “to make the moules.” (One of the very first things I learned about cooking in Provence is that everyone has their way of doing a dish…and their way is, of course, the right way.)

But first they had to source their ingredients and find something to drink while cooking. And as luck would have it, some things had just fallen off a boat. “The wine, as it turned out, was about to be shipped to Japan,” John recalls. “However since this was French wine, these Frenchmen decided to just keep a palette for themselves. For the sake of national pride, of course.”

Struggling to decipher the thick Provençal accents all around him, John somehow understood that the three large jugfuls of “the finest olive oil produced in France” were apparently obtained the same way, the friendly natives doing their national duty by rescuing it for La Belle France.

Next, it was time to collect the moules: 50 pounds of prized Bouzigues mussels from further down the coast, which someone’s friend had just acquired “from some unknown source.”

And finally it was off to the locale municipale where Pierre had set up large propane burners and enormous “crawfish-boil sized” pots. Using pounds and pounds of garlic, plus shallots, crushed red chiles, fresh thyme and bottles of Vermouth--all the while swigging pastis and that stolen wine—the rowdy locals and their visitors from “Nouvelle Orleans” made themselves a mountain of moules the Marseille way.

“I’ve never had so much Ricard in my life,” John remembers, “nor did I ever consume so many mussels, both raw and cooked.” Meanwhile poor Steve was doing his best to blend in, downing shot after shot of pastis and getting drunker by the minute.

Then word got around that Steve was a doctor and the locals began to line up, everyone ready to be diagnosed for some disease or another. “One by one, those short, stocky dock workers began taking off their clothes to show Steve a scar, or wound, or infection,” John recalls. “That’s when I noticed my brother (who treats cancer patients) had started smoking Gauloises...smoking the cigarettes backwards, lighting up the filtered end. To this day whenever I smell pastis and cigarettes, I think of my brother and the best mussels in the world.”

***

Cooking from the Heart, John’s third book, is a gorgeous 308-page hardcover that comes out in a couple days. (Just like the two books before it, it was produced by Dorothy Kalins, the former editor of Saveur.)  It’s filled cover to cover with memories and tales like the Marseille one above, drawn from John’s years of cooking, travelling and learning, in America and abroad. Provence is featured prominently as it’s one of John’s very favorite places. Among the 140 recipes, you’ll find Provençal leg of lamb, brandade, anchoïade, aïoli, fish soup, bourride, bouillabaisse, fried squash blossoms, lavender honey ice cream and on and on… plus step-by-step cooking lessons, 375 photos and more.

Born in Meridian, Mississippi, and raised in Southern Louisiana, John knew by age or nine or ten that he wanted to cook. He joined the Marines, went to culinary school and cooked in top restaurants across the South. Then he took himself off to Germany and France to learn from local cooks and master chefs…and returned to Europe again and again at different points in his career.

“Those experiences transformed me forever,” he says. Whereas John’s first two books were more about his life and work in Louisiana, the newest one is an homage to all those who inspired, taught and mentored him along the way.

Today John is a wildly successful restaurateur (nine restaurants at last count),  a James Beard Award winner (Best Chef of the Southeast, 2006) and a frequent face on TV.  He and his wife, Jenifer, have four boys. Through his restaurants, books, TV and philanthropy, John works to preserve and promote the authentic and seasonal foods of the Gulf Coast region of the American South, while helping to support the people who make, farm, raise, harvest and cook them.

To celebrate the new book, John hit on a clever idea. He rounded up ten foodie friends (chefs, food bloggers, etc.) and assigned each of us one chapter, asking us to choose any recipe we wanted, prepare the dish, take some photos and write about it. In return, we’d get a link back from John’s website and an advance copy of the book. Since John is one of those folks who’s always jumping in to help others, I immediately replied, “Oui, chef!”

I live most of the year in St. Remy, an hour north of Marseille, so the chapter called “Mussel Madness in Marseille” was an obvious choice for me. Given that mussels are good and cheap in many restaurants all over Provence, I rarely prepare them at home--unless I'm having a dinner party. So let’s just say it’s been some time since any shiny black bivalves saw the business end of my stove. Making John’s Moules Provençal would get me off the computer and into to the kitchen, the perfect opportunity to make a dish I love.

Since cooking is always more fun à deux, I turned to my Belgian friend Catherine Burtonboy, who recently said au revoir to her big fancy job at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. and bought herself a beautiful 19^th-century home in Tarascon, a not-yet-gentrified town on the Rhone River, 15 minutes west of St. Remy. After doing some minor renovation, she’ll be opening it as a B&B and cooking school in January. In addition to teaching workshops herself and bringing in guest chef/instructors, Catherine plans to host cooking parties, ethnic food evenings and all sorts of other foodie festivities. And she agreed that a mussel feast would be a terrific way to inaugurate her new digs.

“I paid to ship over something like 80 boxes of cookware and dishes from the States,” she said, “so I might as well start using it!” Truth is, Catherine looks for any excuse to shop the markets and cook. And since her kids won't arrive until the holidays--her daughter cooks at Daniel in New York, her son’s in the food business in Washington--she's hungry to fill her new home with friends, laughter and good cooking.

Without boxes of stolen shellfish to work with—or drunken dockworkers to boost them for us--Catherine and I had planned to get our mussels at the outdoor market in Tarascon or nearby Beaucaire. But yet another option—and the one we ultimately chose—was to buy them at the grocery store, still alive but vacuum packed. A couple local chef friends encouraged us to go this route as they’re already cleaned and easier to cook. Catherine felt the same way…and far be it from me to argue with a serious Belgian cook when it comes to making moules!

While dry white wine works perfectly well in the dish, John says he favors Vermouth…so that’s what we chose as well. And Catherine likes it because it reminds her of mussels with pastis, a dish her daughter sometimes makes. “Really delicious!” she proclaims.

The rest of the ingredients were easy to find or were things we already had on hand. It’s a simple, straightforward recipe, a dish that’s fun and easy to make; the only real time involved is chopping the green onions, fennel, garlic and herbs. We fired up Catherine’s big Gaggenau range at 12:30 and were tucking into our excellent lunch just after 1 pm, mopping up every drop of sauce with terrific bread we bought in town. We both agreed the dish is a winner and one we would cook again. Then Catherine shelled the leftover moules and popped them in the freezer, happy to have them for mussel soup later or perhaps a seafood gratin.

Our moules adventure in Tarascon may have been less colorful—and was definitely more sober!—than the one John had years ago in Marseille. But the surroundings were sublime and the company I chose was too. And I can’t imagine that their mussels were in any way more delicious than ours: briny, plump, perfectly prepared, pretty-to-look at, deliciously sauced and classically Provençal. To see the recipe, click here.

For more info:

Cooking from the Heart (Andrews McMeel Publishing) comes out October 29, 2013. The $40 hardcover and other editions are available from Amazon by clicking here.

The book’s dedicated website with stories from other participating foodies is here. More are being added over the next few weeks. John’s regular website is here and his book tour schedule is here. For more info on John, you can follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Google +, Instagram and Pinterest. The hashtag for the book is #cookfromtheheart. 

Catherine’s B&B in Tarascon will be called Le Mas de Lilou and she’ll be welcoming guests as of January. While her website is under construction, email her (cburtonboy@mac.com) for info and updates.

Photos: 1. Our finished dish. 2. John's new book.  3. Our chapter. 4. On the way to Catherine's...I've always loved this field! The light changes dramatically throughout the day. Sometimes there are sheep here...sometimes horses...sometimes nothing but big sky. 5. No small Provencal town should be without a chateau, don't you think? This is Tarascon's, built between 1401 and 1449, after the previous castle was destroyed.  6. Catherine in her element! The kitchen is definitely the heart of her new home in Provence. 7. Lots of Catherine's little friends moved from DC to Tarascon with her. 8. Our ingredients, ready for their close-up. Yes, that's olive oil from California on the far right. Please don't call the Provence food police...sometimes these things just happen. 9. Almost ready. 10. Cath (with the big camera) shot me (with the small camera) grabbing one last shot before lunch. 11. Let's eat!

The Insiders' Guide to Tarascon

Born in Tunbridge Wells (Kent, England), and raised in a village in Sussex, Angela Billows  and her husband, artist Jake Paltenghi, have had a home in the medieval town of Tarascon for eight years and have lived there full time for four. Angela works as a costume designer for film and television…and blogs about her life in Provence at Provence Calling. Like its sister city Beaucaire, just over the Rhône, Tarascon is close to Arles, Avignon and St. Remy, but remains undiscovered by many Provençale travelers. Angela recently gave us an insiders’ guide to Beaucaire here; now she takes us around Tarascon to share some of her favorite addresses.

People often ask how it is that we came to live here. The answer is that I had friends who lived outside St. Remy, whom I used to visit. One day over a glass of wine, I was saying how much I would like to buy a house nearby, not thinking for a minute that I would be able to afford one. My friend suggested I should look in Tarascon, as it was about 1/3rd the price of a house in one of the popular towns like St. Remy (15 kms away), Maussane (17 kms), or Uzès (35 kms)—all of them well-known destinations for visitors. Tarascon, however, has somehow missed its mark on the tourist map, and yet it sits in the heart of Provence--at the apex of the “golden triangle” of Arles, Avignon and Nimes. 

Things were quite different in earlier times when the Popes lived up the Rhone in Avignon (1309 – 1377) and built their Palais des Papes: The French Cardinals didn’t back the election of Pope Urban VI in Rome and elected instead Clement VII; setting him up in Avignon.  Two consecutive popes reigned on until 1423, causing what is known as the Great Western Papal Schism.

In 1449, Le Bon Roi René or Good King Rene, the last ruler of Provence, chose Tarascon for one of his homes and built the maginificent castle on the banks of the river. It was lovingly restored in the last century and the vastness of it--it has an apothecary garden within its walls--still causes wonder today. You can walk through the grand ceremonial halls, peer into what was once the privy and tempt vertigo on top of the ramparts as you look down on the ancient steeples and roofs of the town on one side and the river on the other. Château de Tarascon, 04 90 91 01 93. From April 1 to September 30, the chateau is open every day, from 9 am to 7 pm.

Opposite the castle is the Église Collégiale Ste. Marthe (St Martha's Collegiate Church), which dates to the 12^th century and is supposedly where St. Martha is buried. It was believed that she came to Provence by boat, arriving in the Camargue (Saintes-Marie-de-la-Mer) with Mary Magdelene, Lazarus and other Saints to spread the word of Christ. Martha travelled inland to Tarascon where at the time, a monster-- half beast half fish called the Tarasque--was terrorizing the locals.  The story says that she managed to tame the monster and tied him up with her girdle, enabling the townsfolk to kill him.  She died in 68 AD and her relics were kept safe until they were found and enshrined in the Church in 1187. The church is open from 8 am to 6 p.m.  Place de la Concorde,  04-90-91-09-50.

Tarascon became an important place of worship with many pilgrims and Kings coming to the town to pay homage to St Martha and up until the Revolution, the town had as many as 15 convents. A lot of these have since been adapted for other uses and some became grand private houses or hôtel particuliers as they are called in French.

One of these is the now the headquarters of Souleïado and also houses their museum and a shop.  In the museum you’ll see the collection of rare and old Provencal fabrics and costumes, and learn how they were printed with wooden blocks and cylindrical copper plates. In the shop, you can buy Souleïado clothing, shoes, bags and linens made with their iconic fabric. A recent addition to the store is the Ciergerie des Prémontrés, traditional artisinal candlemakers  who supply many of the local churches.  There is also a salon de thé and you can sit in the beautiful courtyard and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee with a pastry and muse on times gone by. Souleïado , 39 rue Proudhon, 04-90-91-08-80.

Further on down the same street is another former church, this one dating from the 15^th  century and rebuilt in 1825 to become a theatre. It burnt down and was rebuilt in 1888, with a Rococo-Oornamental 19^th century European-style façade of stone-carved cherubs. It was again renovated 100 years later (1989) and has been entertaining people with its repertoire of comedy, opera, drama and musical evenings during winter months ever since. Theatre Municipal, 2 rue Eugène Pelletan, 04-90-91-51-02.

Opposite the theatre is the Le Theatre Restaurant. The food is traditional Provençale, made from ingredients such as taureau (bull meat), local goats cheese and black Camargue rice. The owner and chef,  Ariana Guilmain, uses only locally sourced organic produce and most of the vegetables come from her own garden. In the summer you can eat out on the patio but make sure to book if you want to eat on a theatre night. Le Theatre, 4, rue Eugene Pelletan, 04-90-91-41-44.

Outside the city walls in the train station square (Place Colonel Berruier) are a number of other restaurants. My favourite is Le Terminus, which serves Provencal fare such as pieds et paquets (lamb trotters and tripe tied into a ‘package’ a local delicacy) and brandade a la morue (salt cod in a white sauce). Menus start at €9.50, definitely a bargain!  And for the film buffs amongst you, the restaurant is part of the Terminus Hotel (though under different ownership), whose lobby appeared in the very-entertaining film Parlez-Moi de la Pluie (Let It Rain) by Agnes Jaoui, filmed in and around Tarascon. It’s worth watching if you live in or are planning a trip to the area. Le Terminus, 6, place Colonel Berrurier,  04-90-96-53-01.  

As our spare room has become The Artist’s studio, our guests often stay at Hotel Provence, just a few minutes from our house. We like to join them for breakfast or a bottle of rosé on the terrace in the evening. The owners are friendly and helpful. Rooms begin at €69 for two people or €85 for a room with a terrace. Hotel Provence, 7 Boulevard Victor Hugo, 04- 90-91-06-43

Another lovely place to stay is Rue du Château where for €75 (single) or €85 – €95 (double), you can stay in the heart of the old town in a hotel dating to the 16^th century. The B&B has five bedrooms and Martine Lavraison is very welcoming and generous with local information. We stayed here when we were buying our house. Don’t forget to tell her I sent you! Rue du Château B&B, 24 Rue du Château,  04-90-91-09-99, ylaraison@gmail.com

My favourite thing about Tarascon is the Tuesday market, which, in my opinion, is one of the best around. You can get everything you want here, from olivewood spoons and spatulas to fabrics, shoes and, of course, food.  I buy most of my week’s food from the market, getting it directly from the producers themselves and paying non-tourist prices!

In May there’s a flower market (Foire aux Fleurs), where plants are sold all the way down the main street. On the last weekend in June (June 22 - 25, 2012), there’s the four-day La Fête de la Tarasque, which celebrates the myth of the Tarasque and the history of Good King René.  On the third weekend in August is Les Médiévales, with pageantry, jousting, falconry and fireworks.

So next time you’re driving past Tarascon, why not explore a little, get lost among the the Medieval cobbled streets and stop for a bite to eat?

The Tarascon Tourist Office is at Le Panoramique, Avenue de la Republique, 04-90-91-03-52.

While Angela and Jake are traveling, as they are now, their home in Tarascon is available for rent, by the week or month. For info, click here.

Photos: Tarascon from the Château. Cobbled streets. The B&B called Rue du Château. Gardens inside the Château walls. Poster for the film shot partly in Tarascon. The Theatre Municipal. Van Gogh's "Painter on the Road to Tarascon," from 1888. A classic Souleiado fabric pattern.