One more winetasting in September–here at home. Join us!
Thanks, Sam Gish, for this snapshot taken at our winetasting. The next meetup is September 28th. Hopefully there will still be flowers on the bougainvillea. Email us today and let us know if you can make it! Confirmations to jm.espinasse@gmail.com
le quignon (kee-nyohn)
: heel, hunk, or end of bread
Audio File: Download MP3 or Wav file
Un quignon de pain. Smokey aime bien qu'on lui donne un quignon de pain le matin. A heel of bread. Smokey really likes for us to give him a heel of bread in the morning.
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE… by Kristin Espinasse
Today we're going on a treasure hunt, or une chasse au trésor. So follow the photo captions and keep your eyes peeled for a crusty hunk or heel! We're searching for the tastiest part of the baguette–the one everyone wants, that crisp on the outside soft on the inside QUIGNON.
Somebody's run off with the quignon–and just when I finished making soup! So help me get back the hunk so I can sit down for lunch and enjoy MY end of the baguette!
And we're off! Is that it, barely visible on top of the green mailbox in the garage? No, that's an entire baguette and not un quignon. (I can't use that one. I found it, hard as a tooth, at the back of the bread drawer. But it makes a nice vignette over there on the boîte aux lettres, no? Maybe the postman will think he's lucky.
Meantime, pas de chance, I'm still out of luck. And my stomach is growling away! Quignon, guignon, où est-tu? Where are you?
Hey! Just what has Jean-Marc got in the hand he's hiding beneath the edge of the photo. Nice try, Chief Grape. Hand it over! (Photo by Cynthia Gillespie-Smith)
What? You say the guy facing you, the one giving the talk on wine, is empty-handed? Alright then, which one of you turkeys is hiding my quignon?
Fine! A little patience will surely produce results. I'm hungry–but I can wait….
Comme si de rien n'était (as if nothing was amiss…) Here we are in the backyard, toujours sans quignon. Some very suspicious looking garden visitors, wouldn't you say? (Or is it the photographer? Yah, right, Cynthia. Pretend to be documenting the wine tasting when really all you want is that quignon for your own cup of soup. HAND IT OVER, buddy!)
Meantime, what's this guy doing?! Waiting for lunch, perhaps? Why the anxious look on your face, Smokey? Can't hold the secret any longer? (By the way, thanks, dear readers, for all those crockpot recipes you sent in, here! I've made a few of them already. And this here (pictured) was a suggestion by JoAnna W: "put a whole chicken in the slow cooker…" JoAnna, I will never again cook chicken any other way. Not one gram of meat wasted and broth to freeze for winter!
Bon, chicken soup is waiting. All I need for lunch is that crusty, soft-in-the-middle perfect for dipping quignon!!!
Quick hide the evidence! Is that you woofing down the quignon, Smokey? Well, harrumph! No chicken soup for you!
Off to see about that 5-week-old baguette on the mailbox — that is, if the mailman didn't beat me to it. Salut, and see you next time.
Amicalement,
Kristi
Comments
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Kristin, tks for all your posts who send me 20000 km back to my Belgian childhood!
Your blog is a great place where I cannot help but turn to Franglais!
Kristin, tks for all your posts who send me 20000 km back to my Belgian childhood!
Your blog is a great place where I cannot help but turn to Franglais!
Kristin,
Hope you will be well for your company. So glad to hear you will have wine tastings in 2015, I’m going to try to get there! Loved the blog and pics of Mr.Smokey!
Robin
Kristin,
Hope you will be well for your company. So glad to hear you will have wine tastings in 2015, I’m going to try to get there! Loved the blog and pics of Mr.Smokey!
Robin
Bien sur, j’adore les quignons! 🙂 By the way, I made chicken soup today in my crock pot, using a whole chicken. I have cooked it in that manner in the past, but have never thought of adding more water and making soup. That’s a fantastic idea. Thank you.
Bien sur, j’adore les quignons! 🙂 By the way, I made chicken soup today in my crock pot, using a whole chicken. I have cooked it in that manner in the past, but have never thought of adding more water and making soup. That’s a fantastic idea. Thank you.
Our dear Kristi,
Oh! Your words!
Such beautiful pictures!
You have (once again) wrapped us in hugs!
THANK YOU!
Love
Natalia XO
Our dear Kristi,
Oh! Your words!
Such beautiful pictures!
You have (once again) wrapped us in hugs!
THANK YOU!
Love
Natalia XO
Hi Kristin,
I so loved the “hunt the quignon” photos! And the post with the recipes. I so wish I could be there for your wine tasting, but will savour the reports afterwards. From here in New Zealand at the bottom of the world, where Spring is just beginning, your photos of Summer with your vege garden, sunflowers, and bougainvillea call up thoughts of long sultry days and evenings, the smell of grass and earth.
Best wishes for the wine tasting
Charlotte
Hi Kristin,
I so loved the “hunt the quignon” photos! And the post with the recipes. I so wish I could be there for your wine tasting, but will savour the reports afterwards. From here in New Zealand at the bottom of the world, where Spring is just beginning, your photos of Summer with your vege garden, sunflowers, and bougainvillea call up thoughts of long sultry days and evenings, the smell of grass and earth.
Best wishes for the wine tasting
Charlotte
Love crock pot snap w/ Smokey framed by window. DOMMAGE! Recently I broke glass lid of my black crock pot! Whatsamama to do?
Love crock pot snap w/ Smokey framed by window. DOMMAGE! Recently I broke glass lid of my black crock pot! Whatsamama to do?
Pat,
Go online and google ” crockpot replacement parts”.
Lots of possibilities!
Pat,
Go online and google ” crockpot replacement parts”.
Lots of possibilities!
Yummy post today! Thanks to all who shared crockpot recipes, now saved to sample over the wintry months ahead.
FYI, at no cost, there are tempting recipes to tweak at this website below, which has a special section for slow cooker food. I may have found my favourite pumpkin cake slow cooker recipe here:
http://www.recipe.com/recipes/slow-cooker/
Yummy post today! Thanks to all who shared crockpot recipes, now saved to sample over the wintry months ahead.
FYI, at no cost, there are tempting recipes to tweak at this website below, which has a special section for slow cooker food. I may have found my favourite pumpkin cake slow cooker recipe here:
http://www.recipe.com/recipes/slow-cooker/
J’aime votre blog! It’s like looking forward to hearing from a friend who is living in and loving my favorite place. Merci bien.
J’aime votre blog! It’s like looking forward to hearing from a friend who is living in and loving my favorite place. Merci bien.
I’m reading this at suppertime and wish I had some chicken soup and quignon. Always enjoy your blog with its photos of lovely neighborhood..
I’m reading this at suppertime and wish I had some chicken soup and quignon. Always enjoy your blog with its photos of lovely neighborhood..
I love your blog and always look forward to your posts. I will be in Provence next September and hope one of your wine tastings will co-ordinate!! Love all things French!!
I love your blog and always look forward to your posts. I will be in Provence next September and hope one of your wine tastings will co-ordinate!! Love all things French!!