Some days are just right… Do you know what I mean? They start out like any old day but they end up being one to remember. Magical days that happen all too infrequently… days, when the rigours of the everyday are replaced by the beauty around you… when all else is forgotten and we find the time to embrace the moment.
Yesterday was like that… A day that was meant to be full of the practicalities and the administrations of life, turned into a day of pleasure. I celebrated the joys of Provence and focused on all there is to appreciate and to adore in this part of the world… the simple pleasures… the pleasure of companionship, of like-minded souls… and the pleasures of nature and tradition… They were the hours to be truly thankful… to appreciate what is in front, not what is behind or what hasn’t happened. A day to savour the simple… to enjoy good company… and to breathe, without pressure, without guilt for what hasn’t been done… precious moments, just to be.
For some it would seem like an ordinary day… a day that doesn’t deserve my romantic observations… but for me it was not. It was as if I were seeing my beloved Provence for the first time.
I have been helping a friend with her olive harvest… just in small ways… lending this and that… and I agreed to help her transport the olives to a local mill… A record crop for her this year and I was only too happy to drive a load… She invited me to have lunch before our excursion over the Alpilles to her favourite moulin… It wasn’t that we have never shared a meal together… we have, many times… but this meal was special… it was our camaraderie over the olives, her excitement that her olive trees had produced the most fruit of any year… and it was our shared love of Provence… This home away from home for both of us.
Her lunch was heaven.. it was beyond delicious… and she tells me it was so easy to prepare… We ate poussin with sautéed leeks and mixed quinoa… The chicken was one of the most delicious I have ever tasted… I thought you may like to try it over the holidays… Here is the how…
You will need…
I poussin
fresh peeled garlic cloves to taste
a cup of dried raisins
a handful of fresh sage if possible
pepper and salt to taste
olive oil
And then…
Into a saucepan pour the olive oil… a generous pour… add the garlic cloves, the herbs and the pouissin… Make sure the heat is low and gently brown the chicken on all sides… Once it is brown, cover with a lid and let it cook slowly for about 45 minutes… 15 minutes before the chicken is cooked… add the raisons…
To serve…
Cut the pouissin in half, cover with the raisins and remaining sauce and accompany with sauteed leeks and mixed quinoa…
After lunch, we loaded up the cars and set off to the olive mill. On the drive… through our village of Saint Remy de Provence, past the Roman monuments and up and over the Alpilles mountains towards Maussane, I was overcome by the visual beauty around me. On a day such as this my life takes on a dream quality… The leaves from the plane trees were falling, scattering their golden wash all over the countryside… the landscape was bigger and so much brighter without the heady haze of summer… The vines, lined up in precision, were glowing with autumn health and the wood smoke scented the air ever so sweetly… As I wound my way through the mountains towards Maussane I tried to think how I could capture this magical picture… How could I share this glory of nature… I can’t… Nature does not stand still… she won’t reveal her all… she is secretive and only shows her best side in person… Nature is a miracle… an unconquerable force that can love us and hate us at her very whim. She can be cruel but she can also be loving, gentle and kind… She was at her very best, her most generous yesterday…
When we arrived at the moulin… we got out of our separate cars and a look passed between us… we were simpatico, of the same feelings..We both had a look of wonder and disbelief on our faces… We were totally in awe of our surroundings… we were both so thankful for the privilege of having this day…
Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate…may your holidays be joyful, happy, safe and full of love… xv
