francofiled

A lovely lunch back at La Maison in Dublin.  Wrote about a previous experience here and this visit was just as good. Whatever way you look at it, La Maison is worth a visit and we'll be back again soon.

This space is reserved for an upcoming post on San-Antonio / Frederic Dard.

As I mentioned in a previous blog on Arab Jazz  here  , the author Karim Miske did come to Belfast for the Belfast Book Festival. There was a good crowd, around 40, and it was a relaxed and intimate evening at the Crescent Arts Centre.  Karim was interviewed by local broadcaster Malachi O'Doherty who felt that Arab Jazz was a wonderful book and it wasn't long before we had a couple of readings... again no spoilers... so if you haven't read it yet, go get yourself a copy. For my part, I got myself a copy of the original in French and it's great to see what a great job was made of the translation. All the same, I know how it ends!

................ Arab Jazz ................ By Karim Miske Translated by Sam Gordon Maclehose Press, 2015 ISBN: 9780857053114 Arab Jazz is Karim Miske's first novel and it got me hooked from the word go. I am a fan of detective fiction and although books are not supposed to be judged from their covers the artwork on this one was particularly a propos. The blend of religious symbolism on the cover cleverly suggests the interplay of cultures and that's just what we get.  The scene is set with a tethered hand, blood-stained orchids - here is a murder on a Parisian balcony.  For a little more information on the storyline check out the Maclehose Press  page here .  No spoilers. Notice that in my picture of the cover, I have added a pair of earphones.  That's because the novel is supplemented with a playlist.  Karim Miske is also a film maker and it's the first time I have come across such a technique in a book. I was a good...

It was a first visit to OXCave in Oxford Street, Belfast and the good reports that we had heard turned out to be fully justified.  It was great. As a cheese lover it was nice to be informed about each variety and to pick a selection from the large board: Over on the counter, under a glass cloche, sat a huge tranche of Comte. The staff member said that the way it was served had proved to be very popular - it came grated with truffle honey. Here's the tranche: and the plate of the prepared cheese with truffle honey: It certainly was an interesting combination, packed with flavour. As a wine lover, with a strong preference for European, and as you would expect from the title of my blog, especially French wines it was equally good to have a knowledgeably offered choice.  This one was very nice indeed: A nice first visit... We'll be back again soon.

La Cocotte, Cafe and restaurant Poulet basquaise with dauphinoise Hachis parmentier, confit de canard

It probably has nothing to do with Paris, so how did it get its name? I remember these from growing up in Belfast and Van Morrison mentions having one with lemonade in his song Cleaning Windows. They seem to be associated with poorer times in Ireland and Scotland and maybe the reference to Paris was a way to make them sound a bit grander than the simple ingredients of flour, milk, sugar and oil would suggest. They were made to look a bit fancy too, with a cherry on the centre mound and rock sugar sprinkled on top. Any ideas on where the name comes from?