Saint-Pierre-d'Aubézies , a commune with 59 inhabitants hosted a wonderful party and due to association by approximation, I was invited. It was a pleasure to be there and to meet some new friends. The gentleman named Bob that sat across from me is from Lupiac. He told us that he has stored away a private collection of his grandmother's recipes from the 18th century and invited us for apéros . The recipes are securely protected and guarded for a reason that I could not quite u

My first guests just left. They were a very sweet French couple from Nimes who were visiting to attend a dog show at the Château Le Haget, a nearby camping site/hotel/sometimes restaurent in a gorgrous 17th cenutry château on 12 hectares of beautiful hiking grounds. If all of my future guests are as polite, I will be a very happy camper! :) Even their hunting dog, which I identified as a Saint-Usuge Spaniel who's competing in the show today was polite and he played very nice

Maybe it was 12 or 15 years ago, but in any case it feels like a lifetime ago that I came to the Gers for the first time. I had always been crazy about foie gras, animal husbandry, gardening, French wine and history in remote places so literally rolled the dice on an Internet search and this region appeared. I signed up on WorkAway , a platform for volunteers to find people with a variety of projects that need to be done. The one that came up that spoke to me most was with a

One of the very first things I did when I moved into my home was to I start a garden. It took a bit of investigation and discovery to figure out where to place it, but I found a good location, just behind the back deck outside of the kitchen. This is my first harvest, and indeed I am proud of these little jewels.

I am very proud and thrilled to be given a full page spread in the Cœur Sud-Ouest Tourisme  brochure for this summer! We are in store for a very big season that has already started off great with the opening of the new restaurant in Bassoues and the Marciac Jazz Festival in the horizon at the end of July. For me personally, it is the beginning of a very important relationship for opening the Gers up to slow tourism and continuing to keep it both a "Welcoming and Leaving Place

People often wonder and ask: "How did you end up in the Gers from New York City?" It's a bit of an existential question, and I sometimes wonder this myself. But in a nutshell, I have always had a "thing for France." Growing up, I recall seeing a painting of Napoleon at the Philadelphia Art Museum on a white horse bucking up on its hind legs at the battle of Waterloo. I bought the poster, stared at it everyday and he became a personal hero who inspired courage and strength i

It took my 84 year old Belgian neighbor-friend to finally show me a walk right outside the door that leads to the Way of St James or Chemins de St Jacques de Compostelle. Prior to this introduction, I had no idea what was beyond the forest and had hardly heard of the Camino. Once again I am very thankful for the people who have appeared as guides to help settle into a new life here, it has proven to me that there are angels living on this earth and they find you when you need

And there they were, the shining black gold of the southwest finally at the local market sold by the mushroom man among his golden trumpets and chanterelles. I learned that unlike our Itailian neighbors to the east, the people of Gascony like to prepare these shaved over crème fraîche and pasta, and this was a very good recommendation!

I both laughed and cried when I read this beautifully written piece. It feels wonderful and surprisingly emotional to see the result of...

Spring has sprung in the Gers and it is a time of many new beginnings. People have often asked "When is the best time to visit." I think there is almost nothing as beautiful as this moment, now in SW France. Everything is in bloom, there maybe a few rainy days, its very unpredictable- the only thing one could depend on from the weather app is that it is consistently incorrect! But the farmers and the grapes love the cool, misty evenings and sunny days, and I think this just

I am excited to welcome visitors on a tour to meet the local artisans. Yesterday we had the great pleasure to meet Sue Ure  a master...

Following the fall of the Roman Empire the construction of walled medieval cities became a strategy for defending the borders of the major feudal lords. This transformative period gave rise to the Renaissance spanning approximately from 476 to 1492, a time characterized not only by the resurgence of art and culture but also by the establishment of fortified settlements that served as bastions of safety and community. These cities, often strategically located on hills or near

It was a pleasure to have been invited to attend the Inauguration of Casa Della at Domaine de Bilé. The space is outstanding, and perfect to host cooking classes and workshops with visiting chefs. I am looking forward to welcoming a few wonderful, innovative chefs and culinary experts here in the spring and summer, please stay tuned. https://domaine-de-bile.com/

One could not ask for a better Taste of Gascony than the Portes Ouvertes today at Domaine Sergent. Such a wonderful, warm celebration of community and cultural pride. Next time, I’m joining in the choir too! https://www.domaine-sergent.com/

Who says your day can’t begin with Champagne, caviar and foie gras? I say that it can, and will on A Taste of Gascony tour! Today we had a magnificent time. Following the morning snacks we visited a local market in a vibrante bastide village that was under siege by the Black Prince of England in the 100 year war during the 15th century. There we had a lovely lunch prepared by a young and enthusiastic chef doing great things with local food. Over lunch we were joined by my Fre

A favorite thing here are the Hunters Dinners at the salon des fête in the village. Since living here I have come across deer, hare and even experienced the magnificence of a herd of wild boar (from a distance) with the big ones in front and the babies in the middle galloping full speed across a nearby field. It is a ritual that the hunters give back to the community from what was taken over the year, and I look forward to this on Sunday to enjoy with neighbors and friends.

Fate sometimes has it when you are turned away from the packed village bistro because you did not make a lunch reservation and the only place that will take you on a random Wednesday is an Abby turned hotel and spa, then we shall be destined to enjoy an incredible meal! I generally feel that the best food is served home style, fresh, local and prepared with lots of love, but then there are those occasions where a little bit of fancy and over the top creations are what is nece

There are many notable women who make wine in the Gers producing excellent Madiran and Cote de Gascogne appellations. We visited the lovely DOMAINE du MOULIÉ for a guided tasting hosted by Michele, and got an insiders look at post production barrel cleaning from Lucie who instructed us to « listen to the wine » inside the barrels by placing our heads next to the ceramic vats to hear the soft gurgle, a little like placing a seashell next to your ear to hear the sea. All of thi

Escargot is the gateway into French food, lord knows I’ve had a ton of it and can not resist when I see it on a menu. It’s that dish that just makes you want to compulsively lick the plate clean of each little chopped parsley flake soaked in that delicious earthy, garlicky oil. But enjoying these little nibbles on the tour from snails that were raised and harvested on the farm next door raised the bar to a whole other, higher level. We got to hear from the master himself how

There is something so magical about first impressions and those that were captured in my morning walk to the Alliance Française de Toulouse - France  for intensive French. I only hope the magic continues and I will be able to hold my own in conversations with friends and neighbors once I return back home.