Sleepy Saturday

Today has been a rest day to catch up from all the activities we've been doing, and make sure our batteries are charged for Paris tomorrow! We slept in, and then my sister and I made Pain Perdue (lost bread, or as we know it French toast). We had bought some delicious bread at the bakery the day before, and cut it up the night before so it could get a little stale. Then we soaked it in vanilla infused milk for an hour, then dipped it in the egg cinnamon mixture before throwing it on some butter in the frying pan. The result? Delicious custardy inside and crispy outside, add homemade apricot or quince jam, or some Nutella and voila! The most delicious breakfast to be eaten while looking out over the lovely valley today. Then we took a short drive into the nearby town of Castallene where we gave the kids time to explore and we did some serious food shopping at the Saturday market for the feast tonight. We bought cheeses, olives, sausages, tons of veggies (fennel, carrots, lettuce, tiny potatoes, onions, etc.), bread at the bakery, three tarts at the Pattiserrie (chocolate pear, apple, and pine nut- a local speciality), and some fresh chickens at the butchers. We came back and did laundry, read, slept (the kids slept most the day!), and gathered fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage in the nearby hills. The last hour or so we've been cooking up a storm and are now waiting while the potatoes and chickens roast. Is your mouth watering yet? Mine is! Tomorrow we have an EARLY start to get to Aix-En-Provence where we will drop off the cars and take the train to Paris! I think all the kids are very excited to get to the big city. While I have loved being in this tiny village surround by glorious mountains, I think they have been a bit bored with a more simple and slow pace. But, I told them this is a very real part of France and now they can say they've experienced real French living, and cooking!