Simple Beauty and Works of Art

May 22, 2016 – Works of Art

Hi, everybody.  Welcome back to Cépage et Cuisine, our wine, food, and cultural blog.

Sometimes we become so enthralled by the novelty and beauty of things we don’t see every day, we forget about the beauty and wonder of life all around us.  I’ll explain below, so read on … both of you.

Sundays in rural France are quiet, much as I remember my growing up experience in north Georgia or my more recent experience in the quiet little town of Raymond, Mississippi.  Most stores are closed, many gas stations, and even some restaurants.  For those that are open, reservations are a must.  Pretty much none of the wine producers, vignerons, are open.  Mary and I just went for a drive in the countryside and relax.

I saw a description on Twitter of a hotel and restaurant in Sombernon, a small mountaintop town a half-hour or so from Magny-les-Villers, so off we went.  The drive is scenic, much of it on roads barely wide enough for two cars to pass.

Just minutes from the gite, the canola is in bloom, carpeting vast swaths of open space, like bright yellow paint was applied next to verdant green forests.  Around every bend in the road seems to await another postcard image.

Canals crisscross Burgundy, slow-moving waterways originally built for transportation, now used for recreation.  Companies offer complete barge vacations on the canals.  Thomas Jefferson famously wrote of using the canals when he toured the wine regions.

Le Spuller is the hotel and restaurant in Sombernon.  

It appears to be where local folks go for Sunday dinner, an old, plain establishment with wood plank walls and floors, but simultaneously elegant place with a beautiful view of the valley below.

In the comfortable rhythm of fine dining in France, lunch began with a glass of sparkling Crémant de Bourgogne.  Gougères, those small cheese puff pastries, still warm, were provided for nibbling (if only I could partake).

I had a first course of Œufs pochés à la crème d’Époisses, eggs poached in a sauce of Époisses cheese, which is one of the finest things I have ever put in my mouth, Lord have mercy.  Sorry I forgot to snap a photo.

We both enjoyed the filet d’eglefin grillé, which is grilled haddock.

The wine was a demi-bouteille, a half-bottle of Christophe Denizot Montagny Le Vieux Chateâu, a Chardonnay from the Côte Chalonnaise region of Burgundy.  It was fresh, crisp, with lemon notes, and complemented the fish perfectly.  The half-bottle is the perfect size for lunch, one glass per person for two people.

The dessert for Mary was a dish called Coupe Bourguignonne, sorbet of cassis with crème de cassis et chantilly (whipped cream, definitely not from a spray can), and a thin wafer.

After lunch we walked around just to see what is dans la ville, in the town.  We walked toward the church, which is always interesting.  

Who is that person lurking near the post office?

Just down the street from Le Spuller, we saw this sign for an art exhibit and went inside.  There must be quite an arts community in town.  Two ladies, Francine and Claudette, had a wonderful display of creativity … quilts, macramé, applique, embroidery and other crafts from local materials.  I immediately thought of my mother and grandmother and their quilts, which were and still are precious works of art.

This display is a clock and the months of the year.  Francine is the fourth generation of her family to produce her art.

Claudette is proud of her family tree.

Starting with the scissors, can you make out the word artiste?  In this piece, Claudette highlights all the materials she uses in her art.

Here’s her Noel display.

These panels represent the four seasons.  Here are a few more.

This shows Claudette’s three generations of handiwork.  It includes her grandmother’s crochet in the upper left, her mother’s larger crochet in the upper right, some of her mother’s wedding trousseau, and Claudette’s flower petals and leaves.

Here is the church in Sombernon, a typical example of the architectural style of Burgundy with the steep bell tower and slate roof.

Every little village in France has a monument to the lives lost in World War I, which was a slaughter that practically eliminated an entire generation of young men.  The names are inscribed on the sides of the obelisk, totaling about 30.  The smaller panel in front is a memorial to the men from Sombernon who died in World War II, which is about six.

The drive home took us through Saint Marie sur Ouche.  We thought the church was interesting, first in its slightly different architectural style of bell tower, more Gothic instead of Romanesque.

The other feature was the figure of Mary and the child Jesus on the bell tower.

The weather was gray and drizzly.  Take a look at these angry clouds gathering over the mountain ridge.

An old community hand water pump.

Wisteria is in full bloom.

                   And so are the iris … my favorite.

Here is what we purchased yesterday at the Beaune market, except for the green beans, which were already on the stove when Mary made the picture.

We made a dinner of the duck confit, green beans, potatoes, peppers, and squash.

The wine was this Domaine des Mouilles Julienas 2014, a delightful Beaujolais, fresh, earthy, fruity.  We picked it up yesterday at the Marché Gourmand.

That’s our post for today.  We hope you enjoy following us on our wine, food, and cultural vacation.  Keep coming back to Cépage et Cuisine. Post a comment and let us know what you think.  In the meantime,

Cheers!

Mary♥Brian