Provence Confidential | Behind the scenes in Provence

Superfine

Carding or cardage in French is the process of brushing fibers to prepare them as textiles. It’s no surprise therefore that many towns in Provence, which has been sheep ridden since the Romans, have a street called rue des cardeurs or place des cardeurs.

What is astonishing however is the material that was used to comb through the wool. These giant burrs (like the ones you find on your dog after a long walk) are called chardons in both French and English. During the 19th and 20th centuries and as late as 1980 you would see fields of chardons in both the Vaucluse and the Bouches du Rhone. As opposed to using a metal comb, the chardons were lined up together to brush through the wool.

The other day when reading an article on the men’s luxury fashion brand Zegna (www.zegna.com), I discovered that they still have their wool combed using chardons grown in Scotland. It would appear that the finest wool can be produced this way. Zegna’s ultrafine wool is 1/5 the thickness of a human hair which makes for lightweight suits.

In 1989 the last industrial sized comber of textiles located in Tarascon closed down but you can still see loads of these plants growing wild all over the country side.

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Not just another cook book

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Michelin star chef Eric Sapet, La Petite Maison de Cucuron, will be launching his new cook book "Mes Cours de Cuisine" at the FNAC Valentine in Marseilles on May 8, 2010 at 3:30 pm. It’s not just a book signing – it’s a full on cooking demo.

Eric started his career at La Tour d’Argent in Paris before returning south to Herbes Blanches and then the Moulin de Lourmarin. In 2007 he purchased his current restaurant in Cucuron and was awarded a star just 2 years later.

His Saturday cooking classes are booked weeks ahead of time. The success of the classes may have to do with his jovial disposition and his generosity in terms of both the portions served and the time he allocates to each participant. Eric is ready to share his passion with ever food enthusiast who walks into his restaurant. www.lapetitemaisondecucuron.com

This book is a compilation of some of the classes he has offered at the beautiful house now restaurant that overlooks the pond in the heart of Cucuron. Photographer Jean-Philippe Garabedian has captured the most mouth watering photos. It's not just another cookbook - it's a journey into Provençal cooking as you meet some of Eric's favourite purveyors. If you can’t make it to the class, brush up on your French and have a look at his book. You can get them at his restaurant as of April 27th and book stores as of May 6th, 2010.

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