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PROVENCE: GEOGRAPHY MATTERS
“Provence” has more efficacy as a "brand" than as a place. One rarely if ever hears any residents of the Vaucluse say that they live in "Provence." The word is heard frequently in its adjectival form: provençal.
As geography, the term "Provence" suffers abuse. The French consider contemporary 'Provence' to take in three administrative department:
- Vaucluse
- Bouches-du-Rhône
- Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Confusion pops up due to the administrative region PACA: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.
When "Provence" is employed for the department of the Var (Toulon, St, Tropez) or the department of the Alpes-Maritime (Côte d'Azur) or even the five departments of the Languedoc-Roussillon, it is the "brand" asserting itself.
This is a regional distinction that Peter Mayle buys into 100% in his book Provence A-Z. In fact, if Mayle had been 'geographically-correct,' his iconic best seller would have been titled "A Year in the Luberon."
The Luberon and the Comtat Venaissin, referred to as the “Comtat,” are the two large regions within the Vaulcuse,
Author Archives: BB Kuett
Place Aux Femmes: Fashion Your Own Wine Tour by Tasting the Wines of the Women Winemakers of the Rhone
Wine is a Women’s World: In the U.S., women account for 58.1 percent of wine buyers, according to the Beverage Information Group. A Gallup Poll indicated that among adult drinkers 58 percent of women prefer wine, compared to 20 percent … Continue reading
Provence Pairings: Escalope de Veau and Ravoli Saint-Jean with an “Imagine,” a Red Vintage of Vindemio by Jean Marot
A quick recipe for a warm September evening: grill veal scallops in a pan with a bit of olive oil; cook small Saint-Jean spinach ravioli, a speciality “Dauphiné” (the ancient roman province) from Romans-sur-Isère; sauté mushrooms in olive oil, and mix … Continue reading
PASSAGES: NORA EPHRON. REMEMBERING HER DAYS IN THE WHITE HOUSE WITH J.F.K. AND PIERRE SALINGER
“When you take someone to the airport, it’s clearly the beginning of the relationship” When Harry Met Sally (1989) The cherished screenwriter, director and author Nora Ephron, whose lustrous humor and nimble mind compelled us to laugh and to learn … Continue reading
MENERBES: DORA MAAR AT PASCAL LAINE GALLERY JUNE 23 – JULY 5
An exhibition of DORA MAAR “de Picasso à Ménerbes,“ presented by Laura Pecheur and Pascal Lainé, runs from June 23 to July 5 at the Galerie Pascal Lainé, Rue Sainte Barbe in the center of Ménerbes. Open from … Continue reading
Provence Pairings: Chevre in Search of Locally-Produced Wines with Zippy Acidity
Chèvre, or goat cheese, is an acidic cheese in search of a naturally acidic wine. The white wines of the Southern Rhone often lack acidity due to nighttime temperatures that do not dip low enough for white grape varieties to … Continue reading
Zen Master Meets Gentleman Farmer Meets Saffron Chef at L’Aube de Safran, a Bed and Breakfast Hideaway in Le Barroux
The backstory of L’Aube Safran (“dawn of saffron” alludes to the time of the day when saffron is harvested): A Parisian couple – Marie an interior designer and Francois an architect – check out of the claustrophobic mash of urban … Continue reading
THE DOMAINE DE CAPELONGUE IN BONNIEUX: FOUR GREAT CHEFS CELEBRATE THE SEASON’S END WITH A “GOURMAND DAY” FRIDAY NOV 4
In the Luberon, many restaurants, hotels and resorts close the weekend after Armistice Day on November 11 and the Calavon Valley hibernates — a chilly slumberous sometimes rain-lashed place — until mid-March. In some quarters Anglo-Saxon types hold to the … Continue reading
The Silky Kosher Wines – Cotes Du Rhone – of Les Vignobles David in the Gard Provencal
Within the highly-driven status-infected bourgeois Parisian culture, those who look to make a new life in “Le Sud” may be divided into three categories: those who search out the ‘bling-bling’ life of comfort in the Riveria and tony towns along … Continue reading
A WINE HARVEST SEASON OPENER: “LE BAN DES VENDANGES COTES DU RHONE” IN AVIGNON
In Roman times, no grapes could be harvested before the official authorization to begin picking, an edict called “lever le ban des vendanges,” to lift the banning of harveting. Today, the custom of “le ban des vendages” is respected on … Continue reading