Camargue/ Aigues Mortes

I do adore Camargue ,it's amazing ! If you come to Provence I highly recommend you to have a trip there . It's wild , and strange ....not easy to get as a tourist :you'll have to be open-minded . The first time I went to Aigues-Mortes it was with my son and we just had a tour : it's a very small city , closed by stone-walls , and I can imagine as it would appear in the Middle-Age coming from the country-side or the sea-side ,emerging from nothing ..... a fortress, with the tower of Constance on one side,emerging powerful. 

The Constance Tower viewed from the Channel

Last year I went to Aigues -Mortes with my love and we discovered a wonderful place that's called 'Papy Moise' ,a sort of "bar à tapas' where the food is simply amazing . But it's not as simple to be accepted there , the first time we waited half an hour before to be served ....but we felt that it was a good place so we had patience and we were rewarded ! Fresh oysters , best quality butter and baguettes were served to us with cold white wine . Now we are friends so every time we go we are welcomed . That is what I love , people just taking care , not disposable to sell themselves just for money . I don't have photos of Papy Moise , but next month we are invited  the owner's birthday , I hope to take some snapshots !

Here's my son ....we were on the way to Aigues-Mortes , and he pretended to make auto-stop .

Still my son ...on the way to Aigues-Mortes

The Tower of Constance

Aigues-Mortes

The walls

Grandmother's Panadea

How many times we throw away bread ? My grandmother used to cook this soup with bread that would be otherwise wasted : she was an amazing cook but she did not have all the facilities we have today , though....she could make a perfect fry in the fireplace ( she knew what kind of wood to use , and how big or little it should be to keep a constant fire ). I love this soup , it's creamy , full of savor , you wouldn't say it's made with nothing more than bread ! It takes long to cook but that's the secret , after 2 hours you'll see the changes , a sort of chemical transformation , a tasteful smell begins spreading out of the kitchen...a smell of home . In the meantime you won't need to stay beside the pan , just mix few times and that's all . Last time I cooked it I added some boiled  spinach that were left in the frigidaire and I must say ....it was even better .

Ingredients : bread , water the quantity you'll need to cover the bread as in the photo below ( or half water & half stock ,vegetable or meat :if you add some  stock it'll be more tasteful)

extravirgin olive oil , parmigiano cheese , freshly ground black pepper

I won't give you quantities , as you can do by yourself , you can calculate half a tablespoon of oil x each  and parmigiano and pepper as you like it .

Cut the bread into pieces ( I had baguettes ) put it into a pan , add water or half water/half stock : bread will raise so you 'd better control the level of water  by keeping it down with a spoon , because if there's too much liquid it won't be good . Let cook gently for at least two hours , till it becomes 'velouté' as in the photo above , while stirring from time to time to help becoming "creamy" . Season with pepper , oil and Parmigiano ( or a Gruyere if you don't find it ) and serve hot . Bon Appetit ! 

French version