When I was 16 I had the great good fortune of doing the “grand tour” of Europe along with my best friend and her mom. We sailed over and spent the summer months in a rental car touring as many countries as we could. It was then that I fell head over heels in love with France – “Sur le pont d’Avignon, On y danse, on y danse, Sur le pont d’Avignon, On y danse, tous en rond” rondelayed in my head and of all the names I heard as we traveled the Loire Valley Diane de Poitiers stuck like glue as she seemed to spend assignation time in almost every chateau we visited. Unfortunately, in my teenage years I didn’t know how important “arte culinaire” would one day be to me, so I didn’t experience the fine dining that defined France, but lived on great bread and cheese.
All of this to tell you about a dream trip organized by my friends Arlene and Chef Alain Sailhac (one of America’s treasured French chefs) through their company, Food-o-Philes, a luxurious culinary travel group, that will take us through the Loire Valley, the garden of France, in late June and early July. I can’t think of another area where everything that exemplifies France can be found – the magnificent chateaus, the centuries-old monuments and vineyards, the cheeses, the wines, the luxe meals. I’m dreaming now, but come summer it can be a reality. If I’ve piqued your interest, call Arlene – she’s fun to talk to – 917-544-5568 or email her at grtcooks@aol.com to learn more.
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