Villefranche-sur-mer 2022 - 1 The Trip

 Dear Friends,

COVID-19 has destroyed and completely disrupted many lives.  Jane and I have been very lucky to have remained healthy and only had our lives inconvenienced.  We were able to complete our 2020 winter visit to Villefranche-sur-mer in February 2020, just as COVID-19 was beginning to be widely known.  We were not able to visit Villefranche again until October 2021.  Our trip last fall was great.  It was a time when the delta variant was sort of under control and before the omicron variant was enveloping the world.  We felt quite safe.  The community transmission was low.  We each had our three shots.  We could eat and be with people outside.

We had our plans for coming to Villefranche from the end of December 2021 to the end of February 2022.  As the omicron variant caused huge spikes in cases in both the United States and France, we began to doubt whether we would be able to visit Villefranche this winter.  By the time we were suppose to leave Minneapolis on December 28, the CDC was recommending no international travel.  Others, however, were saying go.  One of Jane's doctors said of course you should go.  We were not sure that he didn't mean, you better go now because you already have one foot in the grave.  After consulting with our children, who also encouraged us to go, we decide to jump into the abyss.  

We already had our air reservations and had rented our apartment.  After Christmas, we packed our bags and made a reservation for the required COVID test to enter France.  We already had our CDC cards showing all three vaccinations.  We girded our loins and headed to the airport.  We got checked in and went through security.  The airport was rather crowded but all were masked.  The trauma so far was minimal.  We went into the Delta club.  It was packed with people.  Some were wearing masks.  Some were pulling their masks down as they ate or drank and then replacing them.  Some had pulled their masks down presumably to eat or drink and then decided to leave them there for the rest of their time in the club.  It drove us crazy.  We wanted to say to them what the hell are you doing -  put your mask back on and wear it properly.  We were not as aggressive as I sometimes think we should have been.

As our anxiety at being around so many people, some of which were clearly just not wearing their masks, a delay in our departure was announced.  It was only a short delay and would not jeopardize our connection in Amsterdam.  Not long after that an additional substantial delay was announced.  There was no way we would make our connection in Amsterdam nor any other connection from Amsterdam to Nice. I suggested to the Delta representative that he put us on the flight to Paris as it was on time, and there was a connection we could make to Nice. He let me know that it was not possible because of the difficulty working with Air France.  We know from personal experience over many years that for some reason the technical people at Delta and Air France have never been able to make their systems talk very well to each other, or maybe they just don't care.

The Delta representative told me that I did not have to worry that their "Viper" system would reroute us once we were in the air.  I had no confidence in Viper and said I would prefer to go home and try again tomorrow as there was room on the exact same flights the next day.  He reluctantly agreed and made the changes.  We got almost exactly the same seats on the Minneapolis to Amsterdam flight so we were happy.  Delta kept our bags which was of some concern, but there was nothing we could do.  As it turned out they made it to Nice with us.  We returned home, happy to get out of the crowded Delta club and knowing that we would not be stuck in a hotel or airport somewhere of Viper's choosing.  As it turns out Delta ultimately cancelled the flight due to a mechanical problem.

The rule at the time was that your negative COVID test had to be done no more than 48 hours before your flight left.  If our flight were to leave Minneapolis on time the next day, all would be fine.  But if it were more than 1.5 hours late, our test would be invalid.  I immediately went to the CVS website where I had booked our original tests, at no cost, but there was nothing available - same for many other sites.  All I could find were places that wanted money to do the test.  A place in the parking ramp at the airport would do a test for $100 each and have the results in 40 minutes.  I made the appointments and of course paid the fee.  We arrived at the airport an extra hour early, dreading the crowds again.  The test system was very efficient.  We took the tests.  Fortunately, we got negative results.  We received the paper work and were on our way.

The crowds were smaller than the day before but still too big and still with some people believing that they had the right to put everybody else at risk by wearing their masks under their noses or on their chins even though they had not taken a bite or had a drink for quite awhile.  We were actually rather relieved once we got on the plane.  Since it was going to Amsterdam, everybody on board had to be fully vaccinated and have a recent negative test.  Also the mask compliance seemed much better.

The Minneapolis flight left on time, and we arrived in Amsterdam without incident.  The Amsterdam airport was a little crowded but not too bad and the mask compliance was quite good.  We went to the KLM club between flights.  It was not crowded.  It was also set up with much more space between tables, etc.  We felt much more comfortable.  

The flight to Nice from Amsterdam also went off without a problem.  We were reminded how nice it is to have an airline the feeds you not just something edible but good food.  The box snack was a good roll, hard boiled egg, smoked salmon, herbed cream cheese, plain yogurt and a fruit cup with real fruit.  There was also real milk to go with the coffee.  Why can't Delta do something like that?

On arrival in Nice it was sunny, 60 degrees and not dry.  Much of the trauma we had suffered being near all those other people rapidly dissipated.  Maybe this view from our apartment had something to do with that fact.

Thanks for reading and please comment,

The Unabashed Liberal

Villefranche-sur-mer fall 2021 - 6 Mac and Cheese à la Côte d'Azur

 Dear Friends,

Sundays are usually days with nothing on our schedules so we often go out to lunch somewhere.  We particularly like to walk to the marina in Beaulieu-sur-mer.  Over the years we have found that the restaurant that we prefer the most is La Maison de Beaulieu (here).  Last Sunday, we went there again.  

One of our favorite dishes at this restaurant is the "Mi-cuit de thon rouge, sauce Bon'gù", that is to say seared tuna.  Jane really prefers her tuna more like medium and has a hard time convincing chefs that she will not complain if it is a little dry.  In fact the last time we were at the restaurant the chef agreed to cook her tuna a little more and then apologized profusely about the slight dryness.  This year Jane was prepared and told the server that she wanted her tuna more well done.  They then went on to negotiate how well done her tuna would be.  They agreed to half way between mi-cuit (seared) and bien cuit (well done).  So here is how they came out.  Here is the dish done as it should be.

Here is the compromise dish.  You might also notice that Jane ordered the vegetables, and I ordered the salad.  The salad was fine, but the vegetables were great.

Jane's was perfect for her, mine was perfect for me, and the chef and server were happy.  Of course we had to have some wine.  Unfortunately for the rest of our day, I ordered and we drank a whole bottle.

As you can see, Jane was very pleased with the beautiful day and the wonderful meal (as was I).

I splurged and had some mousse au chocolat.  It was just as beautiful, smooth and rich (but not overly sweet) as it looks.

But now to get to the point of the whole blog  -  Mac and Cheese à la Côte d'Azure.  It is clear that if you are on the Côte d'Azure you can't just have Kraft Macaroni and Cheese or even Annie's.  You need something more special.  Well La Maison de Beaulieu has just the dish for you  -  "Linguine dans la meule de parmesan" to which you can add truffles for just another 8 euros.  It is made table side.  The word meule has several meanings in France.  This morning we bought a meule de pain - a round loaf of bread.  In this case it is referring to a whole wheel of parmesan cheese.  In this picture the server has just rolled out the cart with the meule de parmesan on it.  As you can see it is quite big and has been hollowed out a little over time.

The next step is to flambé some Jack Daniels.  

Once you have gotten the Jack Daniels flaming hot and the alcohol burnt off, you add the liquid to the meule de parmesan.

The hot Jack Daniels will melt the cheese, and you begin to scrape it off the inside edge of the meule.

Once you have scrapped most of the cheese that you want, you add the fresh homemade pasta.

You continue to stir the pasta and scrape more cheese off the sides until you have just the right amount.  At which time, you put the pasta and cheese mixture onto the serving plate and add the cream sauce (with truffles).

The final step is a few homemade croutons.  

Et Voilà!!

If you have a meule of parmesan, fresh homemade pasta, some wonderful cream sauce with truffles and a few homemade croutons, you can make Mac and Cheese à la Côte d'Azur faster than Kraft out of a box.

Thanks for reading and please comment,

The Unabashed Liberal

PS The photos of the making of the linguini dans la meule de parmesan were taken by Jane.

Villefranche-sur-mer fall 2021 - 5 Les Trois Corniches

 Dear Friends,

There are three roads that are built into the mountainside that runs from Nice to Menton along the French Riviera.  In this area, the mountains drop precipitously into the sea.  The lowest corniche (Basse Corniche) runs very close to the sea in some places but in some places it moves back a ways from the sea and can be quite high.  The top one (Grande Corniche) runs along the top of the mountains.  The middle one (Moyenne Corniche) runs sort of in the middle of the other two.  They are all rather incredible engineering feats.  They are both dangerous and beautiful.  Hence they have been used in many movies and have had many accidents over time.  Think "To Catch a Thief", "Dirty Rotten Scoundrals" and several James Bond movies.  Probably the most famous accident was the one in which Princess Grace died in 1982.  You can learn more about Les Trois Corniches here.

We get to enjoy the view from the Basse Corniche often, mostly because it is closest to the sea.  However for the most part, we prefer to walk right by the sea because the Basse Corniche can be very crowded with the cars and trucks driving very fast.  If you are in a car, the driver needs to concentrate on driving and if you are walking, you need to pay attention to the cars.  The other day, we were sort of forced to walk along the Basse Corniche between Beaulieu and Villefranche in an area where we can and usually do walk along the beach.  

This panoramic view was taken from almost the highest point on the Basse Corniche (the lowest of the three corniche) between Beaulieu and Villefranche.

This picture was taken at a lower spot on the Basse Corniche.  I include it because it has a nice view of the apartment that we usually rent when we are in Villefranche.  It is circled in blue.  Keep in mind, our apartment is 6 full stories above sea level.

Here is a commercially taken photo that is probably taken from the Moyenne Corniche.  Our apartment is circled in this photo as well.  Notice how much higher it is without going any significant distance inland.  These hills are really steep.

Here is a map of the three corniche which I think gives you a perspective of how steep the hills are as they rise from the sea.

Thanks for reading and please comment,

The Unabashed Liberal