coffee...
mmm... such a feen and i had many a regular fixes at many a different little cafe's around wanaka. one day i popped into the innovative sushi and smoothie shop to grab a quick coffee before i started work and i fell in love with the cute coffee cup art by the coffee brand supreme!
food...
i enjoyed living in my little multi-cultural flat in wanaka during the winter and spring months. my routine turned fairly european whilst sharing the apartment with a 27 year old from france whom i had lovingly dubbed francois (officially he went by julien, however this was a mission for me to pronounce in correct french accentuation). he soon returned the favor by calling me cicciolina, in which he explained meant "the pretty, happy, bouncy girl"... needless to say i wore my new nickname with pride!
many nights i would return home from a late night at work or an evening out to be greeted by the beautiful smell of baking bread wafting down the stairs. as francois' parents were bakers, he too had inherited the passion of baking and cooking authentic european cuisine. to my taste-buds delight (but not my hips) i was treated to fresh bread, crepes, gratin (layered potato, cream and herbs baked) and other french inspired edibles.
my usual night owlness characteristics were well out-shined by francois late night habbits. at first i found it funny that francois ate dinner at 11pm. as i would be getting ready for bed, francois would be getting ready for dinner! but i did find myself rummaging around the kitchen for food later and later each night. francois loved that bambino (the nickname of our third flatmate) and i had adjusted to the european lifestyle he introduced to the house.
after a particularly tiring evening i arrive home to an excitable francois in the kitchen proclaiming that he was going to fix me a french aperitif and a home-made vegetarian pizza (which involved him making the dough for the base also).
the aperitif - or french cocktail - consisted of whiskey mixed with sugar and lemon. admittedly i took a sip straight away and pulled a face from the strength of the spirit, but wait a few moments for the sugar to dissolve and it transforms into a delectable sweet and sour beverage with a kick.
"although, the pizza wont taste like it does back home" francois exclaims (please imagine a french accent)...
"first of all your pizza will have no meat on it!" (he found it hard to believe i don't eat meat when we "have such quality meat in new zealand")
"secondly, it wont be cooked in a wood fired oven like the one my father and i built in my backyard and thirdly, you don't have good cheese! this mozarella was made in australia! pfft!"
.... it still tasted like heaven to me!
many nights i would return home from a late night at work or an evening out to be greeted by the beautiful smell of baking bread wafting down the stairs. as francois' parents were bakers, he too had inherited the passion of baking and cooking authentic european cuisine. to my taste-buds delight (but not my hips) i was treated to fresh bread, crepes, gratin (layered potato, cream and herbs baked) and other french inspired edibles.
my usual night owlness characteristics were well out-shined by francois late night habbits. at first i found it funny that francois ate dinner at 11pm. as i would be getting ready for bed, francois would be getting ready for dinner! but i did find myself rummaging around the kitchen for food later and later each night. francois loved that bambino (the nickname of our third flatmate) and i had adjusted to the european lifestyle he introduced to the house.
after a particularly tiring evening i arrive home to an excitable francois in the kitchen proclaiming that he was going to fix me a french aperitif and a home-made vegetarian pizza (which involved him making the dough for the base also).
the aperitif - or french cocktail - consisted of whiskey mixed with sugar and lemon. admittedly i took a sip straight away and pulled a face from the strength of the spirit, but wait a few moments for the sugar to dissolve and it transforms into a delectable sweet and sour beverage with a kick.
"although, the pizza wont taste like it does back home" francois exclaims (please imagine a french accent)...
"first of all your pizza will have no meat on it!" (he found it hard to believe i don't eat meat when we "have such quality meat in new zealand")
"secondly, it wont be cooked in a wood fired oven like the one my father and i built in my backyard and thirdly, you don't have good cheese! this mozarella was made in australia! pfft!"
.... it still tasted like heaven to me!
the aperitif {insert french name here once remembered} and vege pizzastrategically displayed on our ironing board
it was a sad parting of ways when i left the flat to continue my transient existence, but i can't wait to experience this culture in it's natural environment...
france - i'll see you in a couple of years.
francois - thank you for all your delicious delicacies and i'll see you in a couple of years!
france - i'll see you in a couple of years.
francois - thank you for all your delicious delicacies and i'll see you in a couple of years!
xxx
yum just woke up lying in bed reading this....so hungry for that pizza right now!!!!! also love the cutesy nicknames :) x
ReplyDeleteLovely Ciciolina ! Thank's for this article, It exactly shows how was our 3 months together... Now I understand why you answered me the name of the aperitif ! So it's the Tipunch. But a small rectification : This cocktail is from the French islands, like Martinique, Guadeloupe. Cause the Rhum is orriginary from there. But we use to drink that between friends, it's much more for young people.
ReplyDeleteUsually during the apetizer we drink some wine, like walnut wine, red wine, rosé, or for special occasions : Champagne.
An other correction is that it's not my parents who are Bakers. But my Oncle was, my gran-father and gran-gran Father too.
I really expect to see you in France, to show you our real way of life, as you had a sample for these few months.
Thank you for everyting, It was a real delight to meet you. Hope to see you again !! xxx Julien alias "François" !