Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Vacation Recap: Part II ('What We Ate')

And now, Part II of my vacation recap: a selection of our food. To be clear, I don't eat like this every day or even often and there are plenty of unpictured packed salad lunches that we had too. I like to take pictures of yummy food because this way I don't forget eating it and can go back and see the photos and think, "Wow, that was a really good indulgence." Plus, food is a big part of vacation/new experiences, why forget it?! This trip was Jon's first time in France, a country and culture that means so much to me and about which I've chosen to focus my life's work (aka teaching)... SO, it was really important to me that he get a chance to really get an authentic experience. That said, France is renowned for it's food, so taste and try food we did. With the exception of pain-au-chocolat (we had it 2x), Jon and I never indulged in the same thing twice and more often than not split all of our desserts.

After that disclaimer, I will admit that I see (even if we walked and biked a lot) exactly how/why I gained 2 kilos, so, I'm going to share the rest of this vacation with you and promptly jump back on my healthy eating bandwagon! Enjoy!

Day 1: Ginette and Marcel's for tartines

Planchette with brie, dried sausage, pâté and pickles

Tartine with ham and mushrooms

Lemon meringue tarte to share for dessert!

Day 2:
No photos... Just picnicked with the students on the field trip. Got wine and shared a dessert that night.

Day 3: Picnic on Ile-de-la-Barthelasse
Hit up the market for some nibbly bits... had a very LIGHT dinner after!

2€ wine? Yes, please.

Sharing a mango/strawberry sorbet

Day 4: Montpellier

Jon's first experience with French pastry... very authentic with McDonald's coffee...

Garlicky steak and fries at Entrecôte in Montpel... Not healthy, but sooo good.

4 macaroons to share. Here are salted caramel and lemon.

Day 5: Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

Jon's first Madeleine at the market... I had a bite.
We also bought some cheese and dried sausage (bull and duck meat) for later picnics

Day 6: Lazy morning pancakes before our hike to Villeneuve

One thing I really missed was boyfriend's pancakes, so he tried to make them for me... Sadly, without baking powder they're really just thick crêpes. How French.

Day 7: Picnicked at the Pont-du-Gard

Sharing 2 crêpes after a day in the sun: nutella (not pictured) and a goat cheese one with fig jam. Om nom nom.

Kept making Jon try new breads here... with the tomme and goat/sheep mix cheese we got at the market in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

Day 8: Wandering around Avignon, then dinner at Amy's

Sharing desserts after risotto at Amy's

Day 9: Picnicking after a bike ride around Ile-de-la-Barthelasse

Post-biking fro yo. I won with a caramel banana combo while Jon opted for nutella

Day 10: Lazy last day in Avignon


Our nice dinner out for Helen's last night... We shared a starter (foie gras w/ fig jam)

Then I got the duck with honey and goat cheese

And we shared a 'moelleux au chocolat' for dessert

Day 11: Wandering around Paris
Picnic by the Eiffel Tower

Day 12: Easter in Paris

Easter falafel with a bunch of salads in Le Marais

Largely unimpressive dinner in Paris's touristy district... Though Jon was happy to have tried snails.

And frog legs

Day 13: Saying goodbye. :(

One last pain au chocolat together before sending Jon through security