Thijs, Jose and Catherine

Our Dutch friends have been back to La Petite Galerie again.
Thijs and Jose were here for three weeks over the hottest part of the summer, and their English friend,  Catherine,  joined them for a week.
We went to Larressingle to paint one morning before it got too hot.

But the highlights (for us anyway) of their stay were two memorable meals they cooked for us.
A few nights before they left, the food Jose and Thijs prepared was nothing less than OUTSTANDING.
Plus he spoiled us with lots of wonderful wine that Thijs had collected - and a vintage bottle of Champagne they had brought with them.
This probably helped when a storm erupted later in the evening. But we were all enjoying ourselves so much that we ignored the rain and went on eating - and drinking.
Here’s what we ate (in my words which might not be accurate): 3 carrot based 'amuse bouches’, celery and parsley soup, avocado and Ricard puree with crab, white fish with coquille St Jacques and prawns in a reduced bouillabaisse sauce, Guinea fowl in a special jus with cauliflower puree & beetroot. A dessert that I can only describe as chocolate mousse - but it was much, much better than the mundane name I’ve given it.
Not bad hey?

I told Thijs that whenever he got tired of his practice and psychoanalyst role, he’d have no difficulty establishing a five star restaurant anywhere in France - and beyond.