Articles by Susan Manfull

June 10, 2012 25

BEETS: CAN’T BEAT BETTERAVES CUITES FROM THE FRENCH MARKETS

I was in the Lourmarin market one Friday many Junes ago when I first noticed them. There, in the midst of the gloriously fresh produce—the bright green clusters of lettuce leaves, the plump red tomatoes, the huge heads of perfectly formed cauliflower, and an impressive pyramid of dazzling green cucumbers—were these dark purple bulbous things. The misshapen balls, each encased in what looked like a very thin and slightly shriveled leathery skin, appeared dense and heavy. The outside covering had wrinkled up just a wee bit on a couple of the balls to reveal a very pretty, glossy purple color, reminiscent of... [...]
May 26, 2012 11

THE STEINS COLLECT: AN EXHIBITION OF MATISSE, PICASSO, AND CEZANNE

We had dinner with friends in Manhattan a few weeks ago.  The discussion naturally gravitated to what we were doing for the weekend.  Somewhere between the antipasti platter and my ragu alla Bolognese with fresh tagliatelle, I mentioned that we were going to see the New American Wing at the Metropolitan.  Suddenly, our friend Mary Bartos, a native New Yorker and art aficionado when not running her Upper East Side boutique Pan American Phoenix, sprang out of her chair, saying something about Gertrude Stein.  She was so excited that I couldn’t understand.. [...]
May 20, 2012 6

LOURMARIN HAS A NEW FARMERS’ MARKET ON TUESDAY EVENINGS

If you love markets, now there is one more reason to love Tuesdays in the Luberon. I have already written about Tuesday markets in Aix-en-Provence, Cucuron, and Gordes and haven’t even had the chance to cover two other favorite markets that take place on Tuesdays in Tour d’Aigues and Vaison-la-Romaine. And now, I just found out about another Tuesday market—at least this new addition won’t put pressure on the vacationer to decide which one to... [...]
May 14, 2012 9

GORDES MARKET: I DIDN’T WANT TO LIKE IT…BUT I DID

Gordes, the village, has never been one of my favorite places. Just a little too trendy for my tastes. From a distance, it is a picturesque hilltop village. It is a simply stunning sight as the sun sets and a golden hue is cast on the ancient stone dwellings that climb the hill. (As you approach the village on D15, pull over and get your camera out—it is a picture perfect shot of Provence.) So quintessential, it beckons you to... [...]
May 7, 2012 20

20 FAVORITE RESTAURANTS IN AND AROUND LOURMARIN

While we are in Provence, we spend a lot of time around the table, thoroughly enjoying the food before us. Most of the time that table is our own (although we are also fortunate to often find ourselves around the table in Pierre and Muriel’s home!). Readers of The Modern Trobadors know that we love to go to local markets and fill our baskets with goodies to take back to our own kitchen to cook. But, we also love to eat... [...]
April 30, 2012 5

MAY DAY IN FRANCE: PARADES, DEMONSTRATIONS, AND LILY OF THE VALLEY MARK THIS PUBLIC HOLIDAY

May 1st is La Fête du Travail in France. As in many other countries, it is “the worker’s holiday.” It is a very important day, a public holiday in which public offices, post offices, banks, and many private businesses are closed and some public transportation schedules may follow a holiday schedule. Parades and demonstrations to champion workers’ rights typically cause congestion and delays in traffic in metropolitan... [...]
April 21, 2012 18

THE FRENCH LAUNDRY THAT HANGS IN LOURMARIN

French laundry conjures up all sorts of images. For my friend and fellow-blogger, David Scott Allen, visions of delectable meals from Thomas Keller’s famous restaurant surface…things like Creamy Maine Lobster Broth and English Pea Soup with White Truffle Oil and Parmesan Crisps.

For my friend, Betsy Tabor with whom I have been exchanging gifts, poems, and postcards about laundry for years now —both French and American and, come to think of it, Burkina Fasoian, too—I thought she would say it’s about that crisp fresh smell that emanates from clothes left to dry outdoors. However, when I called to inquire what images popped into her mind when thinking of... [...]
April 10, 2012 7

PAQUES EN PROVENCE: CHOCOLATE FISH, FLYING CHURCH BELLS, BULLFIGHTS, LAMB, AND OMELETS

In our favorite village of Lourmarin, we checked in with friends to see how the celebration of Easter was taking form there. In the predominantly Roman Catholic country of France where there is a church or two in every village, it’s not surprising that Easter is a joyous occasion. Although in Lourmarin, as in other Provençal villages, the celebration is low-key in comparison to other areas of France, most notably the Alsace... [...]
April 1, 2012 11

EASTER IN PROVENCE MARKS THE START OF BULLFIGHTING

La Feria Corridas—the bullfighting festival—is so firmly ingrained in the Easter traditions of the Camarague area that, in this south western area of Provence, “Feria,” which means “festival,” seems to be synonymous, this time of year, with both Easter and bullfighting. In the main bullfighting arenas—Arles and Nîmes—as well as in the many small towns that set up temporary arenas, Easter weekend marks the start of bullfighting... [...]
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