All the Way from Istanbul - to a Blogger Meeting in Provence

Blogger Meeting in Provence: Claudia and myself

I have been following Claudia's fabulous, informative and delicious blog "A Seasonal Cook in Turkey" almost from the beginning and, knowing she had relatives in the South of France had always hoped that she would find her way to Provence some day so we could meet. Well, that day was today!
It is funny that by following a blog and commenting back and forth you somehow feel you know the person who writes it. But as soon as Claudia and her wonderful husband TT came through our door Robert and I really felt as if we had known them for a long time. A little while and a glas of Rosé later we were chatting away like old friends. I admired photos and the most wonderful video of beautiful little Eva, Claudia and TT's first grandchild, we were talking cooking and garden, Istanbul and Provence and time just flew by. But we promised each other that this would not be a "goodbye", just an "à bientôt". Isn't blogging wonderful?

Bountiful Provence

Just a little still life I arranged on my patio this afternoon

Fig Tart

Many years ago when we planted our garden we absolutely wanted a fig tree in front of the house. When you live in Vaison la Romaine you don't have to think twice where to go for your fig tree: we are very lucky to have Baud, one of the best known (as in internationally best known) fig nurseries right on our doorstep.
So we went to see Monsieur Baud and tasted I don't remember how many varieties of figs, chose the tree, planted it and waited. And waited. And waited. And then got real excited about a measly five or six figs. But this year: OMG! We are drowned in figs! Nice dark little juicy wonderful figs! So I have been cooking fig jam, giving figs away, eating fresh figs for breakfast and today, for the first time I have baked a fig tart.

Actually I am a little bit proud of myself because I improvised the recipe: Because I didn't have much time I took a readymade shortcrust pastry and blind baked it for 10 minutes. I then halved the figs and snugly fitted them into the prebaked shell, drizzled honey and sprinkled a handful of chopped pecan nuts on top and dusted everything with a little bit of cinnamon. Almost as an afterthought I cut some tiny flecks of salted butter all over the figs and baked the tart at 180°C/360°F for 20 minutes.
My guinea pigs approved.