Moulin Castelas, Provence - olive oil at its best!

Image from http://www.espace-provence.fr

It`s now one and a half year ago, that I made my last trip through South France with my boyfriend.
I really miss it already.
But there is this one thing I remember most:
We stayed in a nice little Guesthouse in the middle of the Provence, it was awesome! For the last day of our trip, I had this special thing in my mind....I`ve read about an olive oil mill that produces extremely fine oil, pre-priced all over the world. And it should be located in the middle of Provence...

You can imagine, when this mill is not too far away from me...I HAVE to go there. And it was to hope, that it is not a big thing, no factory in a huge manner (I would turn around immediately!).
So we jumped in a car and started our search.

To search something while driving through the beautiful provencal landscape is not really bad, but I was CRAZY when we discovered it, hidden between so many olive oil trees : CASTELAS!...my personal Disneycastle.

I want to show you the webpage of them, so click in, probably there is a dealer in your neighbourhood or town. If not, this oil is not horribly expensive or something like that. You can find some friends and order together. Or order just for your own.
I already wrote an email to the family of Castelas, and they wrote back that they send their olive oil for sure by mail, wherever you are.

And I can assure you:
This oliveoil...it`s worth the effort! It`s so f***ing worth!

So make yourself your own gift :
MOULIN CASTELAS

here is the Shop:
CASTELAS SHOP

image from www.castelas.fr

Wir haben es satt! DEMO

People of Berlin, or just everybody who is around Berlin or wants to come!
Berliner oder Berlinreisende oder Vorbeikommende oder Gleichgesinnte.

It`s -again- about the shit that happens in the agro policy, and it is about taking a stand, it`s about saying NO to that idiocy!

Es geht mal wieder um den Mist, der in der Lebensmittelbranche/Agrarbranche gebaut wird, und es geht darum, Stellung zu beziehen und NEIN zu sagen.

More information/Mehr Info findet ihr hier: WIR HABEN ES SATT

Valley of Aosta, Italy.

Quart Formage Festival in August.
Every visitor can buy this slat with knife & glass to enjoy cheese & wine.

Before we leave to Paris, where I SURELY explore more wonderful foodstuff than I will be able to write about, I will show you a beautiful region and some yummyumm-pictures I took last summer.
Since then, I always wanted to post them, but I never could decide, which picture I should chose.

Today, I won`t worry about it. I just post as many pics as I want.

Timo and me were on our summer holiday trip. We spent the last years by driving through the South- or West States, but round about every second year, I get an immense longing for the Provence and the South of France. Since I was little, I went to France every single year with my family, mostly to the region of the Languedoc/Roussillon -  I already wrote about it HERE.
So, this time, we decided to stay on our continent and do a roadtrip from Hamburg to the Provence, passing Switzerland.
(BTW: As we had to realize...a roadtrip through Europe is completely different to one in the States. the roads are much more smaller and full of cars. It is not at all as relaxed as in the U.S.!)

When I saw our route through these countries, I recognized...OH! We are verrrry close to Italy!!!
I really would love to get to know Italy. I only have been there once, in Florence, but I was 19 and we went there with school. I can`t remember a lot. The only thing I could remember was the icecream, which was absolutely gorgeous!!

We have a lot of italian restaurants here in Germany. A LOT!
Some are bad, some are very good, most of them are, what we call it here, "solid". Basic. Okay.
But everybody enthuses about the italian kitchen in Italy itself.

That was the chance for me...
I wanted to know: IS the kitchen really much better as the italians cook in Germany? Or are they just braggers?
So I decided we make a side trip to the Valley of Aosta!
I booked a room in a very cute little Hotel ("Nuits De Rêve", adress below) and wrote on my list:
"Check food:
> 1 x Pizza
> 1 x Tiramisu
> 1 x Lasagne
> 1 x Icecream
...I couldn`t add risotto and that other classical stuff. We were jzst two days in Italy, and I didn`t want to go fatty just because of my curiosity.

My dear people, what can I say?
Apart from a surprise about that beautiful landscape and that friendly friendly people, I had to recognize: Yes, the Italians LOVE food. And yes: you can taste that love!

I worked myself through the list, and OOO MMMM GGG! It was so awesome!
We had a lot of luck, `cause on one day, there was a big foodmarket on the marketplace of Aosta, and the other day, there was a Cheese-and-wine-festival in the ruins of a castle in the Valley of Aosta, called "Château di Quart".
There were only producers from the Valley, and I ate the freshest Ricotta ever!
I normally do not drink alcohol, but there, I drank wine. I had so much tasty fun, and was so dissappointed, because my stomach is so small.

So, I really recommend you that beautiful Aosta Valley. It is beautiful, tasty and friendly!

> Website from the City of Aosta - little and beautiful:
http://www.comune.aosta.it/en/home
> Website of the Valley of Aosta:
http://www.lovevda.it/turismo/default_e.asp
> Website of the charming little Hotel Nuits De Rêve:
http://www.nuitsdereve.eu/en/default.html
> Website of the "Quart Formage Festival", middle of August:
http://www.formagefestival.it/

v

Yes, it was great! Did you see? I ate it ALL!

At the local foodmarket

Everywhere: Pasta! In every form or way.

Sweet artists at work! The town is FULL of those nice babies...

Icecream!

She already gets the best of food at the Cheese (Milk) and Wine-Festival.

At the annual Wine & Cheese Festival - from 5 p.m. to midnight, you can spend your time eating cheese and drinking wine from the surrounding farms. You buy tickets and you get one portion of cheese/wine from one producer for it.

Hello West Coast!: Bacon Martini & lllegal Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Pancake

Hi curious people out there!

The first report here is kind of crazy, for me, as a german girl - probably not so much for U.S. people, don´t know.
Two weeks before, I spent a week by baking christmas cookies (proof and recipes HERE) and working at home. During that time, Timo, my beloved boyfriend, went to Los Angeles and Las Vegas with his best friend to work there and to have fun, for sure.

They sent me SMS a lot, but the best messages were those with photos. From their culinary...let`s say "trips". So ....so "WTF?!"!
There is no recipe. This here is not necessarily the place for recipes, more for beautiful or freaky waifs. For stories that makes you say "Woah!" or "Haha!" (I am not sure if you really would like to have recipes...!)
Timo and Erik gave me their photos and wrote a few words.
Guys, for me this is very "Woahaha!"
(Thx, Timo & Erik!)
___________________________________________________________________

# Trip 1: 

Dear connoisseur, don't look further than the Double Down Saloon in Las Vegas/Nevada/USA for a culinary experience of the highest order: the Bacon Martini!

It tastes exactly how it looks: very interesting, that is. And the bacon's taste keeps returning for hours.

Nobody really wants to know how much other liquor was involved in inventing this exquisite drink.

Another cult favorite at the Double Down is the Ass Juice, served with the catchphrase 'Outta our ass into your glass!'

Also available as a combo: Ass Juice And A Twinkie for 5 Bucks.

See you there, at the happiest place on earth!  **Timo**

http://www.doubledownsaloon.com/

 

Pic from lasvegasdivebartours.com

**********************************************************************

 #Trip 2:
It seemed like a good idea to order something for breakfast that has the word 'chocolate' not once, not twice, but three times in the title, doesn't it?
Like 'Illegal Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Pancakes' at Bald Man Chocolate in Las Vegas.

After you ate it it doesn't seem like such a good idea anymore. Because your freshly awoken stomach asks 'What the f?' or just out of remorse. But it's worth it, it's sooo delicious! Title deserved!

http://www.maxbrenner.com/

All around the world

Hey lovely people,

I collected so many beautiful stories and/or photos the last years, about food, food places, countries and their foodie roots and stories.
I met cooks and people who love food so much, that they made it a bigger part of their life as it is already for everybody of us.
I have been in many countries and saw (and will see) which food is important there and how people prepare and enjoy it. So many fascinating and lovely things!
And I am still travelling and talking to other foodies, so there is still a lot to explore.

All this I always wanted to share with you, but the main page of my blog is mostly for recipes, so that you can find always some yummies spontaneously to cook before big research. Here you will find that "AllAboutFood" soon, with stories, tips and/or recipes from other people and places I had the pleasure to see.

Coming very very soon! I am working on it! <3
See and read you,
love ***
*Fabia*