France et Moi with author Jamie Cat Callan

Welcome to ‘France et Moi’ where this week I am talking to author Jamie Cat Callan about what France means to her.

Jamie, inspired by her Grandmother who was French, has traveled extensively in France talking to inspirational French women whose secrets she shares in her books French Women Don't Sleep Alone, Bonjour, Happiness!: Secrets to Finding Your Joie De Vivre and Ooh La La!: French Women's Secrets to Feeling Beautiful Every Day. You can read my review of her most recent book here.

Firstly, I think France is a special place and it is famed for many things including its cheese, wine and diverse holiday locations plus, dare I say it strikes and dog poo littered streets. What do you think makes France so very unique and ‘French’?

Jamie: Ah, La Belle France! In America, we have Uncle Sam, but in France, you have Marianne - a beautiful woman as the national emblem.  And I do believe this feminine sensibility permeates the culture, from the voluptuous statues in the Tuileries, to the artfully arranged macarons at Ladurée, and let’s not forget the luscious lingerie at Cadolle.  Everything in France conspires to please the feminine eye, and I believe this is what makes France so unique and so “French.”

2) What is your first memory of a trip to France? What is your favourite holiday location in France?

Jamie: I first arrived in France in 1976.  I was just out of college and I was on an exchange program.  I arrived in February and Paris was cold and grey and my French was terrible.  I was miserable.  I thought this place is not for me!  And then something happened.  Yes, I fell in love—not just with a boy, (although I did do that too), but with the city of Paris.  Slowly, but surely, the City of Lights got under my skin and seduced me, changing me forever.  And yet, she never quite revealed all her secrets to me and so even now, over thirty years later, I must return to Paris again and again.

And while, I will always be faithful to The City of Lights, my favorite holiday location in France is a little village in the southwest called Auvillar.  I’ve been there several times on writing and teaching fellowships. (The Virginia Center for the Arts has an artist residency program there and they have generously awarded me several fellowships.)  I love the slower pace of the Midi-Pyrénées, the sunshine, the fig trees, the outdoor markets and the people themselves.  They are all so warm and open and welcoming!

3) Have you ever spent time studying in France, or on a school exchange in France? If so what was the best thing about being immersed in French life and the scariest thing?

Jamie: I studied French at the Alliance Française in New York City and again while in Paris.  That said, I was never great at learning a new language!  And I guess this is the scariest thing about being immersed in French life.  I always (and often, still do) feel as if I am a child surrounded by grownups who know how to act and speak properly.  Like a child, I want a cookie (or a croissant or a glass of wine) and I am forced to use up all my vocabulary in a short time, and I am left feeling so vulnerable.  And perhaps this is not just the scariest thing about being immersed in French life, but ironically, it’s also the best thing.  I love that feeling of seeing and hearing the world with new eyes and the challenge of searching for the words and the struggle to express myself.  It’s delightful.  I love feeling so alive to the world.  And because my French is not what it should be, when I’m in France, I know I must be completely attentive or I will surely miss something.

4) Do you have any top tips for learning French?

Jamie: I love the classes at the Alliance Française.  Currently, I visit with my French tutor, Madame M. every Wednesday and we speak French for two hours.  I do believe that if you’re not in France, it’s important to find fellow-francophones in your hometown.  Also, it’s helpful to rent French films and watch French tv shows.  Oh, and I love Laura K. Lawless and French Lessons on About.com.

5) Do you have any embarrassing language mishaps you are happy to share?

Jamie: Oh dear.  Okay.  I was once in a restaurant in Auvillar with my friend Denise, who speaks much better French than I do.  I wanted to ask the waiter for a bottle of water, so I said, je voudrais un boîte d'eau

And Denise looked at me, a little crosseyed and told me I had just asked the waiter for a box of water.  We had a good laugh over that.  He must of have thought—those crazy Americans, they drink their water from a box!

Note to self:  Bottle of water is bouteille d'eau.

6) Imagine you are sitting outside a French café at 10.00am on a sunny morning watching the world go by, what do you order from the waiter?

Jamie: An espresso.  If it’s really warm, I’d order a citron pressé.

7) What is your favourite regional French dish? Do you ever cook French food at home?

Jamie: My French friend, Isabelle gave me an amazing recipe for Salted Cake with Bleu Cheese and Prunes. At home, we make it with bleu de Bress.  Yummy!  And be sure to use dried prunes, not fresh prunes.  Even though Isabelle calls it a “cake”, it’s really a savory bread and goes great with a crispy green salad.  Isabelle comes from the countryside near St. Etienne, and this recipe was handed down to her from her grandmother.  The full recipe is in my book Bonjour, Happiness!: Secrets to Finding Your Joie De Vivre

8) France has many different cheeses, a silly question, but which French cheese are you? A hard and mature Tome, a soft, fresh and lively goat cheese, the creamy and rich Camembert or maybe the salty and serious Roquefort?

Jamie: Ooh La La!  Jacqui, this is a great question!  I think I’m some sort of goat cheese from the sunny southwest.  I’m a bit soft, sweet-natured, creamy, but I can also be unexpectedly zesty and very lively.  I get along with everyone, so I’m a good compliment for any occasion.

9) France has some beautiful cities and there are a few that constantly battle to be my favourite, what is your favourite French city and why?

Jamie: J’adore Toulouse, also known as the Rose City.  The light is so lovely and I so enjoy sitting in a café at Place du Capital and people-watching.  I love the ancient parts of the city and walking through the cobble-stoned alleyways—which is actually how I broke my ankle and ended up staying at the hospital there for nine days.  I think it was this very unique experience that truly made me fall hopelessly and forever in love with La Belle France.

10) How does France inspire your writing?

Jamie: All three of my books French Women Don't Sleep Alone: , Bonjour, Happiness!: Secrets to Finding Your Joie De Vivre and the soon to be released Ooh La La!: French Women's Secrets to Feeling Beautiful Every Day are about French women and France.  I find that every trip to France gives me new information and inspiration.  With each new book, I meet more and more French women who are happy to share their thoughts on love, romance, joie de vivre, fashion and style.  That said, when I return to America and have time to process what I’ve experienced from the perspective of being far from La Belle France, I see the differences and the similarities with great clarity.

11) When you are writing about France, if possible do you prefer to write in France and if so do you have a favourite location?

Jamie: When I’m in France, I take copious notes during and after my interviews. I take tons of photographs.  I collect meaningful objects.  I even draw pictures of things.  And then, I go home to Cape Cod (where I live with my husband—he’s a scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) and I sit at my table, looking out at the water, and I slowly piece all these things together and write my books.  I should say, that my studio is filled with pictures from France, metro maps and little souvenirs I picked up along the way.  Tangible things inspire me and bring me back to my time in France, but truthfully, I need to be home to write.  Plus, I think my husband likes me around!

12) Do you have any current projects you would like to tell my readers about?

Jamie: Yes, Ooh La La!: French Women's Secrets to Feeling Beautiful Every Day  is about to come out.  Please buy a copy and write to me if you like it.  Or, find me on Facebook!  Merci beaucoup!

Jamie.

Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions about France and you.

Caves Charlemagne Angouleme

There is an exciting event marked in our diary this weekend that I thought I would share with you, just in case you happen to find yourselves anywhere near Angouleme, here in Poitou-Charentes.  Our favourite Angouleme wine cave, the Caves Charlemagne, have a fête celebrating their rosé wines this Saturday.

We first discovered Charlemagne last April and have since returned twice and despite them no doubt having more regular customers (and those with bigger budgets) we have always felt welcomed back. Last time we were even given a free bottle to compare with the ones we bought.

I will admit it is not the easiest place to find (even our SatNav had problems), but I’m so glad we persevered. Just out of town and tucked away at the end of a cul de sac, to find yourself in a Champagne cave set in the Angouleme limestone cliffs is a little unusual. M. Charlemagne, born in the Champagne region of France, set up his business here in 1921 as the cave offers the perfect conditions for storing wines and the local white Charentais grapes (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir) are perfect for Champagne method wine.

On our first visit, we were interested in their sparkling wines (identical to Champagne, but can’t be called that as they aren’t made in the Champagne region of France) and were greeted (in English) by Sarah who talked us through the different varieties. She was friendly, knowledgeable, helpful and generous with her tasting offerings. In addition to the sparkling wines, they also bottle a local vin de pays Charentais wine, Mainart, some of which are Paris gold medal winners. It is not the largest or most celebrated wine region of France, but we had to return to buy more of the 2009 Merlot which at 7.20€ a bottle well deserved it’s gold medal. We can recommend a visit to anyone in the area and especially this Saturday, as they will be offering discounted prices on their rosés. Here are some photos to whet your appetite.

Charlemagne Sparkling and Mainart wines

Tasting with Sarah

Mainart Vin de Pays Charentais

Mainart 2009 Gold Medal wine

Book review of Ooh La La! by Jamie Cat Callan

The beautiful envelope my pre-published copy arrived in

My Book Worm Wednesday review this week is of Ooh La La!: French Women's Secrets to Feeling Beautiful Every Day by Jamie Cat Callan that celebrates it’s publication on 28th May. Jamie has already written two other books on a similar theme, French Women Don't Sleep Alone and Bonjour, Happiness!: Secrets to Finding Your Joie De Vivre and was kind enough to pop a copy of her new book into the prettiest envelope ever and post it off to me, thanks Jamie. The minute it arrived I could tell Jamie was someone who thought about every detail to give the best impression. 

I have read a few books that promise to expose the secret of the elusive French woman and enlighten us poor non-French souls, but I often feel they are writing about a different kind of French woman than the ones I see on a day to day basis in rural France. Because of this it would be fair to say that this subject interests me, but I am sceptical, especially as I know French women do get fat, just like the rest of us! However, this book was different. Jamie takes us with her on a journey through France where she meets and chats to some fantastic French women and picks up tips and advice on the way. As well as the chic Parisiennes we also meet French women from the provinces and while they all had something different to say on the subject of feeling beautiful, together they gave a real insight into what makes a French woman. I liked the personal feel of this book as Jamie really shared her travels and adventures with us, even when things didn’t quite go to plan.

Thanks for a really thought provoking book Jamie, we are often searching for ‘something’ in life, but this book showed me you don’t always find it where you are expecting to. We have lived in France for nearly nine years and if I’m honest the longer I’m here the more I feel I will never be one of them. However this book made me realise that just through the simple things I love about my life in France and how being here has changed me, I had already found my ‘Ooh La La’. Maybe I am more French than I first thought, although I may need to rethink my lingerie collection to be really accepted.

Ooh La La!: French Women's Secrets to Feeling Beautiful Every Day is available in paperback and ebook format from Amazon as are Jamie’s other titles. To help celebrate her publication Jamie will also be joining me back here on Friday for my France et Moi feature.

Walnut Bread

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Today in France it is Pentecost Monday and another bank holiday, the forth and final one for May. All these long weekends would usually mean lots of days out for us, lycra-clad and following marked cycling routes, browsing the vide greniers (car boot/yard sales) for a bargain or sampling tasty delights at local food fêtes, but we have been unlucky. The first long weekend and Ade was struggling with a bad back, the second weekend and both Ed and Ade were suffering with heavy colds and this weekend it has rained, rained and rained some more. The bikes are gathering dust, the ducks are turning the garden into a mud swamp, the only things thriving in the potager are the weeds and we are cold, damp and fed up. The weather forecast for the week doesn’t show much of an improvement and we may even have a frost on Thursday (at the end of May!). In an attempt to cheer myself up I have decided to bake and thought I would share my Walnut Bread recipe with you. The oven will warm the kitchen and the fresh bread will smell and taste delicious, perfect comfort food.

Walnut Bread

½ teaspoon of dried yeast

300g strong white bread flour

1 teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon of olive oil

170 ml of water

50g of shelled and chopped walnuts (they do taste better if you toast them first)

Combine the flour, yeast, salt and walnuts in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle and add the olive oil and warmed water. Bring together to form a dough, then turn onto a floured surface and knead for about ten minutes until smooth and elastic. Form into a ball shape and place in a greased bowl or cake tin, cover with cling film and a towel and leave to rise for at least an hour. Pre heat the oven to gas mark 6 (200c) and when risen nicely cook for about 30 minutes, or until golden on top and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Sorry to be vague, but my oven is a little temperamental. This bread is perfect with homemade jam.

Silent Sunday

One of the great things about social media is the ability to chat with people you don't really know and may never meet. This weekend I was chatting with some ladies about the humble French potager, the work involved and the glamour, or lack of it unless you count posh or flowery wellington boots. It got me thinking about my potager, especially as I should have spent the weekend weeding, digging, planting out and watering, but the weather has been horrid, raining all day yesterday, overnight and most of today too. This would have been good news if we had already planted out our summer veggies, but we haven't, mainly due to the weather.

A definition of a potager is an ornamental vegetable or kitchen garden, often planted with herbs and flowers as well as vegetables to enhance beauty. We use flowers in ours mainly to attract the pollinating insects and to discourage the nasty bugs, but I will agree they do add to the beauty too. Here are some photos of our plot taken in different years and different times of year. I hope you like them too.

 

 There is always work to do in the potager from weeding to watering or sowing to harvesting, but despite the work it is a very special place to me. It is better exercise than the gym and comes without a monthly fee, it focuses the mind and gives plenty of time to think and it beats a supermarket for fresh, tasty fruits and vegetables every time.

This weekend I have also uploaded some clips to YouTube of some photo slideshows we have been working on for over a year. One is a lane we regularly walk with the dog, changing from spring through to winter that you can see here. The other is the life of a sunflower field from seed in April to harvest in September and you can see that here.