Articles by Susan Manfull

December 20, 2014 8

PROVENCE’S VIN CUIT: WINE COOKED IN A CAULDRON, AGED IN OLD OAK, AND STEEPED IN TRADITION

Sometime in early October, after the harvest, winemakers—mostly located in a small area of Provence at the base of Mont Sainte Victoire, between Aix-en-Provence and Trets—begin the annual tradition of making “vin cuit” or “cooked wine." They each build a big fire [...]

December 15, 2014 7

PROVENCE’S LES TREIZE DESSERTS: NOT JUST ANOTHER ARTICLE ABOUT THOSE 13 DESSERTS

Regular readers of The Modern Trobadors know that thirteen desserts—Les Treize Desserts de Noël—are traditionally served on Christmas Eve in Provence, after the big supper—Le Gros Souper—which, actually, is more lean than “big” with its emphasis on herb-laced broths, seafood, and vegetables rather than meat. Ah, dear TMT reader, you can probably recite to your clueless friends what the thirteen desserts consist of and why there are... [...]

December 14, 2014 0

Le Vin Cuit from Mas de Cadenet est Arrivé!

in Cuit is a "cooked wine" that is traditionally enjoyed during the Christmas season in Provence. Although most of this holiday dessert wine never makes it out of the small village in which it is made, it is made and sold to a wider audience by a handful of wine producers in [...]

December 10, 2014 12

RAW AND ROLLE

Oysters are everywhere in Provence this time of year. Often likened to the American turkey at Thanksgiving, oysters—along with foie gras and caviar—are an integral part of the holidays in France. Half of the country’s annual production of oysters is consumed between [...]

December 8, 2014 3

IN PROVENCE, OYSTERS AT CHRISTMAS ARE LIKE TURKEYS AT THANKSGIVING

It’s Christmastime in Provence and there is an unmistakable flurry of activité de Noël throughout the region.

In homes, the wheat grains has been planted in shallow bowls in hopes that it will grow straight and tall, foretelling an abundant harvest and prosperous year; the Santons have been arranged in the crèche; three white table cloths have been ironed in anticipation of le Gros Souper; and preparations are in process for... [...]

December 6, 2014 0

Stephen Cronk Feeling Sanguine about 2014 Mirabeau Rosés

This morning I spoke with Stephen Cronk, proprietor of Mirabeau in Provence, who told me that he and winemaker Jo Ahearne just wrapped up the final blending session of the Mirabeau 2014 rosés. Woo-hoo! [...]

November 23, 2014 10

FOR OUR FIRST THANKSGIVING IN PROVENCE, WE TURNED TO LA RÔTISSERIE DU LUBERON AT THE WEEKLY MARKET

As the days move closer to Thanksgiving, I am thinking of the year we were in Provence—in the charming village of Lourmarin—on that quintessential American holiday. Like most people who are drawn to travel abroad, we love to learn about the traditions of other cultures and are eager to embrace them when we are in those countries. Some, we may even take home with us and celebrate as our own. I’m thinking of the Santon village that will soon grace a corner of our living room and the wheat that, with a little luck, will grow tall in the sunny kitchen window (and bring us a prosperous... [...]

November 16, 2014 9

LE CLOS DE CAVEAU: PIONEER IN ORGANIC VITICULTURE IN SOUTHERN RHONE VALLEY

“Is there alcohol in that [wine]?” was a common question when Gérard Bungener, Henri’s father, first adopted organic practices in his Vacqueyras vineyard. Now, twenty-five years later, it is hard to fathom such a question. [...]

November 9, 2014 3

THE LIKES OF LEONARDO DA VINCI, RAPHAËL, AND MICHELANGELO ARE HEADING TO THE CARRIÈRES DE LUMIÈRES

The quarries in Les Baux-de-Provence were once renowned for their abundant supply of limestone. Over 2000 [...]

November 2, 2014 22

MY DINNER WITH SACHA LICHINE

When the invitation for dinner with Sacha Lichine popped up on my screen, I couldn’t help but think of my grandfather.

Just above my desk, wedged into the middle of a crowded shelf, stands a faded purple book entitled “Wines of France.” The book belonged to my grandfather and the author was Alexis Lichine, Sacha’s father, otherwise known as “the Pope of Wine.” [...]

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