I've Done Some Decorating

Susan has written in the past about her large REG vases. That's not the only REG ceramics she owns.

Yesterday, while she was out shopping, I grabbed my tools, drilled a hole and hung a mirror. I must have been feeling competent, because I didn't stress about it - but it is an over engineered hook.

I'm impressed that 35 years ago Susan bought pottery that perfectly colour matches a house she first saw 19 years ago.

What the Heck is That?

Many Linden trees in the Touraine are currently sporting weird red growths on their leaves, like tiny fingers pointing upwards. 

 

Underside of a leaf.

They are called Nail Galls (Fr. Galles cornues) and they are caused by microscopic mites in the Eriophyes genus. There are not just a few galls on affected trees, but several dozen on the upper surface of each affected leaf. The galls can be up to 15 mm long and range in color from pale green and yellow to red. On the underneath of the leaf you can spot a tiny hole, and inside the gall's hairy centre there will be an invisible worm like mite measuring 0.2 mm long.

 

Upper side of a leaf.

The galls start appearing at the end of spring. The mites are present all over Europe, but particularly in France and Great Britain. Each species of Eriophyes is particular to one, or occasionally two, species of Linden. The galls pictured are on a neighbour's Common Linden Tilia x europeus (Fr. Tilleul commun), so they are probably caused by Eriophyes tiliae. But it's impossible to say for sure without expert knowledge of the group and microscopic examination. Common Linden is a hybrid, so it can be affected by several species of mite, which also affect the parent Linden species.

If your tree is affected, don't worry. There are biological controls (other predatory mites) but they are not very practical to apply, and normally it is not worth employing them. The Eriophyes mites and their activities do not hinder the growth of the tree or harm it in any way. They just make it look a bit weird for a while.

Visiting the Manoir de Clos Luce in June

Recently I visited the Manoir de Clos Lucé, a privately owned historic site in the old heart of Amboise, open to the public and most famous for being the last home of Leonardo da Vinci. 

 

A crowd gathers around the resident peacock.

A reconstruction of a bridge designed by Leonardo da Vinci in the grounds.

Reconstruction of a two storey bridge designed by Leonardo da Vinci in the grounds.

View from the terrace.

Formal gardens on the terrace.

Entrance to the tunnel which links the Manoir de Clos Lucé and the Chateau Royal d'Amboise. After a rockfall in the 1970s access to the tunnel is forbidden.

Raspberry, Rhubarb and Custard Cake

For people like us who love raspberries, rhubarb and custard, a cake that combines the lot seems like a brilliant idea. So I've made it several times and sometimes even serve it with extra custard as a dessert. 

 

 

Ingredients
150 g rhubarb, washed, trimmed and cut into 3 cm lengths

300 g frozen raspberries
Cake release paste (blend equal quantities of flour, vegetable oil and cooking margarine)
250 g butter, softened
200 g custard
250 g flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
250 g caster sugar


Method

1. Heat the oven to 200C.
2. Place the rhubarb and raspberries in a non-stick frying pan and sauté for about 10 minutes, to cook the rhubarb and reduce the moisture content.
3. Allow the fruit to cool.
4. Coat a 30 cm springform ring tin with cake release.
5. Put aside half a cup of custard.
6. Beat the rest of the custard with the butter, flour, baking powder, eggs, vanilla and sugar.
7. Spoon a third of the batter into the tin, top with a third of the fruit, then another third of the batter, another third of fruit, the rest of the batter and finally the rest of the fruit.
8. Dollop the reserved custard around on the cake.
9. Reduce the heat of the oven to 180C.
   
10. Bake the cake for 40 minutes, then cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes more.
11. Cool in the tin.
12. Serves 16.

 

Western Circular Quay (and Beyond)

There's a lot to unpick in this photo.

The long brick building in the centre of this photo is Metcalfe's bond Stores. A bond store is where imported goods are stored, without paying import duty. If the goods are then released from the store for import the duty is paid, or the goods can be re-exported without attracting the tax. It was constructed in the 1870s in brick and stone, and has now been repurposed for modern use, hosting boutique stores, cafes, and galleries.

The low set honey coloured brick building in front of it is Campbell's Store. It was originally built in stages from the 1830s to the 1880s by Robert Campbell, a prominent early merchant and shipping entrepreneur. The sandstone building was part of a larger warehouse complex used for storing imported goods, wool, and general cargo. It reflects the Georgian architectural style and is one of the earliest examples of bonded warehouses in Australia. Today, Campbell’s Store houses restaurants, shops, and art galleries.

Behind the Metcalf Store is the Sirius Building, a brutalist apartment building designed for the Housing Commission of New South Wales in 1978–1979 by commission architect Tao Gofers. Notable for being the only high rise development in The Rocks, Sirius housed 79 apartments with one, two, three or four bedrooms, generally with single storey apartments to two and three storey walk ups. The complex was built to rehouse displaced public tenants after a controversial redevelopment of the Rocks during the 1960s and 70s. From 2015, the Sirius building was at the centre of controversy over plans to remove the residents, sell off the building and possibly redevelop the site, with opponents of the plans seeking to secure its protection as a heritage building. Following the NSW Government's decision to refuse heritage listing in 2017, against the advice of the Heritage Council of New South Wales, the building was put up for sale.

On the right of the photo the dark brown building with the chimney is a former electrical power station, built between 1902 and 1909. The principal building on the site is the Former Mining Museum and Chemical Laboratory, consisting of a six-storey building and a detached 61 metre high chimney stack, which has been recessed into the side of the rectangular plan of the building. In 1996 it was fitted as offices, but it is still mainly empty.

There's a tall building on the left, a very controversial casino/hotel development. Barangaroo hasn't been out of the news since it was first proposed in 2013, both before and after its construction.

Risky Ramparts

 In February 80 people were evacuated by the police from their homes in rue Victor Hugo under part of the ramparts of the Chateau Royal d'Amboise as the ramparts were found to be at risk of collapsing.

At the time experts estimated they wouldn't be allowed back for at least three months.  Work on the ramparts started immediately but they are going to take time. A public meeting was held to inform people.

 

This is the best photo of the works I've been able to get.

The town hall initially issued a warning notice after cracks appeared in the rampart walls, but after the experts had assessed the site they realised that the situation was worse than first thought. Residents affected by the evacuation order only had a few minutes to collect personal belongings and get out. They are staying with friends or in hotels. 

According to the Director of the Chateau Royal the cause is mainly due to the rain in 2024, when we had 30% more rain than average for the year. 

 

Carefree tourists at the other end of the Chateau Royal in Place Michel Debré.

The Chateau Royal has remained open throughout the works and visits can be conducted as normal. Only a small part of the south-east corner of the grounds is out of bounds.

In late May a helicopter was used to deliver a metal 'exoskeleton' to the worksite. Unfortunately we missed that excitement. It took 27 trips to deliver all the elements and modules. The heaviest piece weighed 950 kg. 

This 'exoskeleton' is necessary to stabilise the ramparts sufficiently so they can support a huge drill, which will be used to insert giant metal pins to provide the final anchoring system.

The work is due to be finished by the end of June, and only then will residents be allowed back into their homes, nearly five months after they were first evacuated.

Visiting Chenonceau in June

 I've been to the famous Chateau de Chenonceau multiple times in the past few weeks.

 

Wild native Bee Orchid Ophrys apifera.

Wild native Ivy Broomrape Orobanche hederae.

Floral arrangement in the entry hall.

A small early instar Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis larva.

Roses.

Bee hive. Further reading: Teaching Hive at Chenonceau.

This swathe of pink 'wild flower' or 'prairie' planting is new for this year.

Young Japanese women enjoying their visit. I love how they are channeling their inner 19th century wood block print artist.

On the Sheeps Back

Chateauroux has had its ups and downs, but for several centuries it rode high on the back of its sheep. Chateauroux was wool country and its factories famous for making French military uniforms, and later flags. As I was walking through the city centre recently with Jean-Louis Cirès the City Archivist (on a completely unrelated historical quest) we passed a rather grand building with a carved scene above the door. According to Jean-Louis the building was the headquarters of one of the wool producers syndicates. I need to do much more digging into this fascinating period so more blog posts may see the light of day in due course. 

 

The relief sculpture depicts two women in work smocks and caps with a sheep at their feet. They are bottle feeding a lamb on a bench.

Nowadays one barely sees a sheep around Chateauroux, and the old woollen mill is converted into the University campus. The new mill is out of town and makes carpets, carpet tiles and acoustic tiles. I assume it no longer works with wool but synthetics.

Common Striated Feather Moss

If you've ever taken a walk through the forest in the Touraine Loire Valley then you've probably seen this moss. But because it's a moss, you probably didn't know what it was called. 

Common Striated Feather Moss Eurhynchium striatum (Fr. Eurhynchie striée) is a big bouncy sort of moss, and very distinctive in the way it climbs up the stems of small saplings scattered around the damp shady forest floor.

The species is present all over France, but especially in a wide band from the North-East to the Pyrenees. It's not so abundant in the North-West or along the coasts. Its heartland is Central lowland France, right where we are in the Touraine. Our damp clay soil and deciduous leaf litter suits it perfectly and it can form cushions and carpets. It is a species you would expect to encounter in any long established woodland.

If you examine the leaves with a loupe you will see that they are wrinkled, forming lengthwise folds (or striations). Overall it presents as bright green and a bit shiny.

Know Your Cherries

Cherries left to right: the late sweet dark cherry 'Giant' (Fr. bigarreau "géant"); the mid-season yellow blush sweet cherry 'Napoleon' (Fr. bigarreau "Napoléon"); the early sour cherry Amarelles (Fr. guignes).The coins, left to right: Australian 50 cent; British 10 pence; 1 Euro; US dime

A glorious cherry season is upon us and cherry trees all over the Touraine are laden.

The little guignes which are the first to ripen are thin skinned, fragile and sour, with translucent scarlet skins and yellowy flesh. They have a natural spiciness which gives jams and sauces a certain zing. The bigarreaux are large and sweet, with quite tough skin and firm flesh. The Napoléon are by far the best cherry of these three in the photo to eat fresh. The Géant are good, and certainly look the business, being a rich dark crimson, but they don't quite have the flavour of the bi-coloured Napoléons. Both the guignes and the Napoléons cook out to a rather pinky red. Adding Géant or another dark sweet cherry at the ratio of 1 part to 3 of guignes will ensure that your jam comes out a satisfying red-black.

Three from Namadgi

Namadgi National Park is a protected area in the southwest of the Australian Capital Territory, bordering Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales. It covers about 1,060.95 square kilometres, and an estimated 80% of that was burnt in the 2019-2020 bushfires. That's about twice the size of Andorra.

The Gudgenby Valley from Fans Horizon lookout

Late autumn afternoon sun from the Yankee Hat car park

Proof that giants played golf

There Ain't No Flies On Us

Or are there.

When my family moved to Canberra (the bush capital) flies (in this case  Musca vetustissima) were a serious problem. You had to have one hand in front of you face, continually waving. It was known as the Aussie salute.

The problem was cattle, or more accurately, cow pats. Canberra was surrounded by cattle farms - I reckon that nowhere in Canberra were you ever more than 5 miles from a herd of cattle. Australian dung beetles had evolved to deal with Australian dung: mainly marsupial, little hard pellets, not big sloppy wet cow pats. The cow poo was starting to build up, because each beast does 10-12 pats a day, and they were sitting on the ground for up to a year before they were too hard for flies to have any interest in them.

This means there was plenty of places for flies to lay their eggs, and the resulting swarm was starting to cause serious ecological damage.

But all this part is Susan's balliwick. We'll probably talk about the dung beetle program later.

All I was going to say it that there ain't no flies on us. Except maybe on my brother's back.

A Bench With A View

As I was walking back from the pool the other day I took a little rest on the bench that (in school term) is used by parents waiting for their kids.

The view is really rather pleasant.

I won't be sitting on that bench today for a number of reasons: the pool isn't open today, the weather looks awful (a combination of rain, grey sky and Saharan dust), and we have yet more medical stuff to attend to.

Pierre de Ronsard Rose

Pierre de Ronsard is easily the most popular rose planted in the Touraine Loire Valley. For good reason too. It's beautiful, hardy and known by everyone. In 2006 it was voted the World's Favourite Rose. The name is in honour of the famously rose loving French Renaissance poet who lived at the Prieuré de St Cosme near Tours.

Unsurprisingly, it was bred by the great French rose nursery Meilland Richardier, in 1987. More surprisingly though, they apparently passed it over for commercialisation, and it was only when a German nurseryman asked to trial it that it took off. Commercially it is also known as Eden Rose 85, and its officially registered rose varietal 'pedigree' name is Meiviolin.

Pierre de Ronsard is a climbing rose with large globose flowers in groups of two or three blooms. The flower centre is carmine pink, fading to the faintest delicate pink wash on the outer. It will flower from April to October. Supposedly it is delicately scented, but in my experience so delicately as to be undetectable. That is it sole fault in my opinion.

It is a vigorous rose, growing to three metres in height, resistant to disease and cold, but can be susceptible to mites.

Along with several other Meilland roses, Pierre de Ronsard is one of the most sold in the world. It is also one of the most 'faked' roses in the world. Meilland estimate that a third of all sold are unlicenced copies and produced illegally. The Meilland nurseries are best known for their rose Peace.

Montresor in May

Recently I spent an afternoon in Montrésor with clients. I suggested it as part of their itinerary because it is one of the 'plus beaux villages de France' ('most beautiful villages of France').

 

A village cat making itself comfortable. No doubt the stone was warm from the sun, and the railing provided a handy 'box'.

A 19th century hydraulic ram (Fr. bélier hydraulique), to pump water from the river up to the chateau.

View of the chateau from the river Indrois.

View of the chateau from the river.

Looking up a street towards the church.

Looking at the natural rock that the chateau sits on.

One of many lovely roses in the village.

Statue of a young Polish soldier, Mieczislaw Kamienski by Jules Franceschi. Kamienski was killed in the Battle of Magenta in June 1859, at the side of Count Branicki, the owner of the chateau. The same bronze is on his tomb in Montmartre Cemetery.

The small sitting room, full of portraits of the women in the family, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter.

Outside the entrance to the chateau, looking towards the church.

White marble tomb of the Bastarnay family, with three effigies. They are Imbert de Bastarnay (lord of Montrésor in the 15th century), his wife Georgette de Montchenu and their son François. The couple are the maternal grandparents of Diane de Poitiers.

Macarons a l'ancienne

Macarons à l'ancienne (old fashioned macarons) are all the rage at rural fairs in the Touraine Loire Valley. To read the blurb posted on stands selling them you would believe they are positively a health food -- gluten free, made from a few simple nourishing natural ingredients. They are certainly a sweet treat, but at around €2 each, not something you want to be buying in any quantity or very frequently. And they are actually rather easy to make at home.

 

Artisanal macarons à l'ancienne at a food fair in the Touraine.

No one really knows where macarons come from or how they were first created, but the traditional rustic style (as opposed to the refined, colourful and fashionable choice in patisseries all over France) is one of the most delicious specialities of the Poitou region, just to our south and west. They are crunchy on the outside and squidgy on the inside.

 

 Piping macarons.

 

The word macaron first appeared in a book by Rabelais, written between 1548 and 1552. It may come from the Italian ammaccare 'to crush' - after the ground almonds used to make them. According to some historians these little cakes arrived in France in 1533 from Italy with Catherine de Medici when she arrived to marry Prince Henri (later King Henri II). The queen's pastry cooks brought with them the secrets of working with sugar and almonds to make marzipan, and also the more humble macaron. Other culinary historians say that macarons were already being made in French convents of the Middle Ages. Their accounts vary too on how the macaron spread throughout France. Some say that pilgrims on the route to Santiago de Compostella gave macarons as a thank you gift to their hosts at each staging point. Others say that the King loved them (and there is documentary evidence for this) and so pastry cooks throughout the land made sure to learn how to make them when he visited.

 

 A tray of uncooked macarons.

Whatever the truth of the matter, the result is that macarons are now ubiquitious in the Hexagon. They rose in popularity first in Nancy and in Bordeaux, where two nuns made them famous after the Revolution. At the end of the 19th century two sisters in Montmorillon were the last in a long line of macaron makers. Having no descendents themselves they gave their recipe to their kitchen maid, who carried on making the macarons. Her daughter married and in 1920 she and her husband took over the business. It is now run by their grandson, who has expanded to several shops and in 2003 set up the Musée de l'Amande et du macaron. It seems that these days, France doesn't produce sufficient almonds to supply the ever burgeoning macaron market, and they are now made with Spanish almonds. 

 

 Dusted with icing sugar and ready to bake.

So here is an easy recipe for making your own. I don't bother to colour or sandwich them. They are a nice little biscuit with coffee.

 

Fresh out of the oven.

 

Ingredients

3 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1½ cups almond meal

Vanilla extract

Icing sugar

 

Method

1. Heat your oven to 180°C.
2. Beat the egg whites until stiff, for about 10 minutes, ideally in a stand mixer.
3. Beat the sugar in gradually and thoroughly.
4. Add a few drops of vanilla.
5. Fold in the almond meal with a metal spoon.
6. Leave the mixture to rest for 30 minutes.
7. Line baking trays with silicone mats.
8. Put a wide plain round nozzle in your piping bag and load the mixture into the bag.
9. Pipe a spiral from the outside in to fill a 5 cm diameter circle for each macaron.
10. Dust the macarons with icing sugar.
11. Bake for 15 minutes. Be careful not to overbake as they will be too dry, and taste a bit burnt. They should be lightly coloured and have a craquelure on top.
12. Cool completely and store in an airtight container. They will keep a long time -- much longer than they will last...

Makes 25 - 30 macarons. 

 

 Fresh out of the oven.

Fresh out of the oven.