On days like these

“On days like these when skies are blue and fields are green” it’s hard to imagine that we were ever in winter or in early Spring. That there were ever days when the trees were bare, the vineyards grey and empty. The cherries in our garden have come and gone, the strawberries are retreating, the peonies struggling with the heat. White asparagus is becoming a distant memory and the broad beans are starting to wilt. Right now I’m drinking an iced, herbal tea – a real summer drink. Our tomatoes are just around the corner, as are the plums and peaches. Does life really go this fast? Did spring really happen?

I guess it did because I have photographic evidence. Many weeks ago, just when we were getting very tired of winter, I planned a little spring blogpost. To celebrate early spring and all it brings. The cherry blossoms were at their best and I was playing with a few little recipes I wanted to share. A lot of our energy has been devoted to other things lately, workshop season, developing our new website, travelling. But here it is finally, a little souvenir of spring, of cherry blossoms before they were fruits, of branches before they were green. And two recipes that don’t really rely on seasonal ingredients so they can be made any time of the year. Two crumbles of very different origins.

The opening lines of this blog post are borrowed from the song “On days like these” which features during the opening credits of the film “The Italian job”(written by none other than Quincy Jones). It’s played a big part in our lives recently as my husband loves it (too much). Recently he drove to Holland to pick up our brand new Bracco Italiano puppy and according to him he listened to the song on repeat the whole way up and down Europe. Which probably means close to a thousand times. From an Ipod without headphones or speakers (which probably mean he didn’t really hear it very well – that Land Rover is loud). I’m very glad I wasn’t on that trip but how glad am I that we got that dog. So beautiful and heartwarming. We let him sleep in our bed the other night which is the first time that has ever happened. You’ll see a lot of Monte Cristo in the future.

RUE LOUDENNE

I have been talking a lot about our new online magazine over the past year, made a few announcements that haven’t really come true. But now we’re ready. Within very few weeks we’ll be up and running. First a soft opening over the summer and then in full force from September onwards. This is not a hoax 🙂 You can find us at www.rueloudenne.com The title is borrowed from our address, a simplified version.
We think of our house as a home and haven for our family but it’s also very much a house of food. A place where food, good produce & cooking is of the highest importance. I have been thinking about it for a while now, because people sometimes ask me, what is my message, what am I trying to do, to achieve? Of course I’m very fond of France, proud of it’s culinary traditions and happy to live here. I’m thrilled if people come to our beautiful region because they’ve found out about it through me. I love it when people like my recipes, find my books useful or entertaining. But none of that is really my message.

The one point I would most like to get across is this. Cook real food, then sit down with your family and eat it. Simple as that. Of course it’s fun to get a little elaborate or go to lenghts sourcing the finest produce, even growing it yourself. But cooking doesn’t need to fancy or expensive to serve its purpose. A thoughtful, simple meal, enjoyed with your kids at the end of the day has never been more necessary or more in danger. The family meal needs a home. Rue Loudenne will do its best. But ours is not a preaching site, there are no taboos, no food snobbery, no exclusivity. It’s a “house” of food which is open to everyone who likes to eat and cook.
Rue Loudenne will have entries 2-3 times a week, not just from me but from my friends, from my husband and from all sorts of people I admire and like. We will broaden our horizons, travel a bit. Recipes will be more accessible and better filed (so you can find all recipes for artichokes when they are in season etc). We’ll have current information about our events and activities, such as workshops, our future farmers market, pop-ups and special events we are planning. We’ll have an online shop, we’ll produce more things to sell ourselves. There will be a wine corner, a dog corner. Maybe even a cocktails corner.

Mostly we’ll be there regularly and it will all be delicious.

As for my beloved Manger it will not cease to exist but it will take on a less prominent role. We won’t change a thing but posts will be less frequent (ehrm if that’s possible). My idea is to do 4 posts a year, to celebrate each season. I have always adored writing and cooking for Manger but while our format has proven popular and successful it also comes with restraints. There are times when I simply want to share a lunch I just made, a story I heard.

Manger has brought us together and given me so many opportunities. Without her (of course she’s a girl) I wouldn’t have done any of the things I’ve done, no cookbooks, no rue Loudenne, no tv show.

She will forever be honorary chair lady of the food board – queen of my kitchen.

Merci my friend …

ps Very soon we’ll be announcing the workshop dates for 2018. As always we’ll shake things up a little bit, try new things. I hope you will like what we’re offering.

The girls dresses are from Marie Puce Paris.

Leeks with hazelnuts and goat’s cheese crumble

25 g/ 5 ounces hazelnuts, ground coarsely
6 medium-sized leeks, washed and trimmed
2 garlic cloves, sliced finely
1 tablespoon salted-butter
1/2 glass glass of white wine
1/2 glass chicken or vegetable stock
230 g/ 8 ounces goat cheese (choose a firmer one, in the style of a brie)
Two shallots, sliced fried until golden and crispy
Olive oil
A handful of salad (I used shiso salad)
Coarse sea-salt and freshly ground black pepper

Trim the dark green tops of the leeks and the roots and remove the outer layer from each one. Rinse under cold water. In a large pot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two. Add the leeks, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes. Pour in the stock, then the wine and simmer to reduce, about 2-3 minutes. Lower the heat, cover and cook until the leeks are tender, about 10 minutes.

In another pan, sauté the shallots in olive oil until golden and crispy. Set aside.

Make the crumble:

In a food processor, combine the hazelnuts and goat’s cheese, add a tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper. Pulse a few seconds until you get a crumble.

In a small bowl,make the vinaigrette. Whisk together the olive oil, mustard and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Place the leeks in an oven-proof dish, and place the crumble on top. Place under the grill for a few minutes until golden. Pour the leek stock into a deep plate or bowl, transfer the golden leeks with the crumble, into the bowl, and scatter the salad (optional) and shallots all over. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and serve immediately.

Cod with gratinée chorizo

(for 6 people)

6 cod fillets
230 g/ 8 ounces chorizo
45 g/ 1/2 cup tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
45 g/ 3/4 cup tablespoons of breadcrumbs
15 g/ unsalted butter
Olive oil
Piment d’Espelette
Coarse sea-salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F/200°C

Fry the chorizo in a pan and cook on a medium heat until it becomes golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
In a food processor, combine chorizo ​​with parmesan and breadcrumbs. Add softened butter and pulse until you get a crumbled mixture.
Place the cod filets on a baking dish, generously smooth the crumbled chorizo mixture on the cod and place the dish in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Transfer the fish in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cod is cooked through and the chorizo is golden and sizzling. Sprinkle a dash of piment d’Espelette and a drizzle of olive oil.
Serve immediately.

125 thoughts on “On days like these

  1. Your words, photographs, recipes are most welcome in our home. Every post is inspirational, charming, endearing. We wish you the happiest Summer in France, from our place in the States, Pennsylvania! Fondly, Dottie

  2. “Cook real food, then sit down with your family and eat it”..

    I haven’t read wiser words in the world of gastronomy in a long while !
    Thank you Mimi for being a constant inspiration.
    xx

  3. On days like these – the perfect road trip tune – sung at the top of your lungs! Looking forward to more news of handsome Monte Cristo , beautiful , beautiful images as usual – what a pleasure as always .

  4. Looking forward to see the new format of your site. We met at the pop up Colette in Paris last year. Wondering is there a pop up in the near future. Planning a trip to Europe. Would be nice to taste your dishes and wine again. Loved your new post, definately will try the recipes. Kally

    1. Thank you Kally! It was a pleasure meeting you at Colette. Our new site will be very exciting, filled with beautiful food, lifestyle and travel features. Can’t wait to share! Mimi x

  5. Thankyou Mimi. You have been a wonderful part of our lives during Lucette’s first year. Because we played your films in french from birth she is now speaking some french! We are pleased we still have an opportunity to meet you next year and Lucette can see your world is wonderfully real Kate xo

    1. Dear Kate, I still remember the video you posted on IG with Lucette watching my TV show! It was the cutest thing ever 🙂 We will be posting lots of videos on cooking and much more on our new site, so stay tuned! Mimi x

  6. Cet article est superbe Mimi.
    Vous êtes toujours aussi inspirante et admirable. C’est à chaque fois un véritable plaisir de partager votre vision de la vie, vos recettes et votre bienveillance. Gaëlle.

    1. Merci Gaëlle pour tant de gentillesse et de soutien. Le partage, la convivialité, la gentillesse, c’est ce que je préfère. Nous en avons tous besoin 🙂 J’espère que vous allez aimer notre nouveau site ‘Rue Loudenne’. Le blog sera toujours là bien sûr! A bientôt, Mimi x

  7. You have place a smile on my face every time I’ve read one of your posts on Manger. My life is hectic now (studying for my financial licenses, raising 3 children and holding down a house while my husband completes his masters degree). I have dreamt and one day I am certain that I will be able to participate in one of your workshops. I have been raised to prepare home cooked meals and you have continued to inspire me since your first post. Merci!
    I support you in your endevours and will continue to support all the you do. Many blessings from Detroit, Michigan (USA).

    1. Thank you so much Mana! It is a gift to receive such kindness, such support, I am so grateful, merci. I hope you will enjoy our future magazine, (and the blog of course 🙂 ). And it would be a great pleasure meet you one day at one of our workshops! All the best, Mimi x

  8. Mimi,

    Would you ever consider doing a food podcast ? You are the woman with stories and friends who appreciate food. I am sure your conversations are interesting. Or perhaps a youtube chanel with vlogs ?

    Sorry for all the requests.

    1. What a great idea! I have been asked to do podcasts, so I definitely will. And we will also post videos with recipes on our new magazine site ‘rue Loudenne’. I can’t wait share all this! Have a great day, Mimi x

  9. I love your stories,recipes,pictures and family life.
    Reading your posts while drinking my mint tea and chocolate. Heartwarming!!
    Thank you,

  10. Oh, Mimi…the Fairytale continues…La vie est belle! Thank you for the magical moments and memories that you continue to bring to your readers.
    It is hard to put into words how much you and Oddur inspire me. In an uncertain world you continue to bring Grace and Beauty to all of those around you. I think you said it all when you wrote, “Cook real food, then sit down with your family and eat it. Simple as that.” And yes “The Table Comes First.”
    Family is where it all begins and it is important that we continue to cherish what is and should be the most important “theme” in our life.
    A “heartfelt thank you for a beautifully written post and to Oddur for his “stunning” photography. Yes, indeed, the Fairytale continues…and I can’t wait for Rue Loudenne to open her doors. You are such a Blessing.

    1. Oh thank you Stephanie for such a heartfelt comment, I am incredibly touched. It has been our great pleasure to do what we do with passion. It’s a gift to enrich other people’s lives through food, beauty and kindness. Wishing you lovely summer! Mimi x

  11. Just wanted to thank you and your family for opening up your home and your style to us. Your Manger has been a wonderful distraction from the everyday world. It’s like reading a dream with such beautiful pictures and recipes and I have your cookbooks and continue to read and see what life in Medoc is like. It is on the bucket list of places to visit. I am looking forward to the opening of Rue Loudenne and to continue the culinary and cultural adventures of you and your family. Bless you for your presence. xo

    1. Thank you so much Mel, it has been and will always be a pleasure to share and create a happy for place fr everyone 🙂 I can’t wait to share Rue Loudenne, it will be the next best destination 🙂 Merci! Mimi x

  12. I love Manger and know I will love your new offerings. Food has always been important to me too-some days I will be inspired to go play in the kitchen and it always puts me in a happy mood !
    A very long time ago I read a book about places in the world where people ate a ‘primitive’ diet and were very healthy-that is, real food organically produced. It seems there was no other similarities between the food of these cultures, some were vegetarian, some ate lots of meat. I have seen nothing to contradict that reasoning over my lifetime and It has been my guiding light. Real food, enjoyed with family and friends. Nothing better !

  13. your photos are absolutely gorgeous. Very inspiring. Would love to visit some time for a cooking class!

  14. Oh what a wonderful idea to have an online Magazine. Will look forward to great simple meals to share with family and friends that you have created or approved!!

  15. Hurray, hurray! So excited for your new website–and the online stop sounds very dangerous! 😉 Can’t wait! One question: where are the girls climbing in the very first picture? It looks like an Escher! The part with the trees almost looks as if they are down a well, but the girls are climbing in another direction than if they were…

    1. Hello Kathleen! Thank you for all your kind words, the new website will be a must-read 🙂 And I am so excited to share videos and tutorials! The place where the girls are climbing is just around the corner in the the middle of vineyards. It’s a little mini tour, perhaps to guard the vineyards, and a huge tree grew inside. It’s out of a fairy tale and the girls had so much fun. The light is amazing inside, it’s quite magical 🙂 Mimi x

  16. There you are! You were missed!
    If Rue Loudenne serves a shaken not stired VERY dry Tanqueray martini, I am there!

    Can’t wait to see your new Monti Cristo pup!
    Love your stories,
    Judith

    1. Thank you Judith! Oh yes, it’s been far too long since our last post! But we are back, alive and kicking 🙂 More food, more recipes, more everything! Mimi x

  17. I so look forward to your posts arriving in my inbox; the way you tell stories of locals or the children or the dogs. Hope to still see a bit of that in your new online magazine. But one post each season in Manger will also be greatly anticipated, with its stunning photos, recipes and stories. Thank you Mimi for sharing and inspiring

    1. Thank you Paola, that’s the spirit! 🙂 The new site will be so refreshing, with daily content to make everyone happy. And the Manger will be my journal, it is and will always be my gem. Can’t wait to share! Mimi x

  18. Looking forward to your new website. Thank you so much for remembering your followers and not totally abandoning the thing that brought you success. Speaking as one, we all admire you so much.

    1. Oh Penny you are so lovely! Manger is my little baby, and I shall always share my culinary life through the blog. The magazine will be very refreshing, with lots of new content like videos, travel features, and of course, great food and recipes! Mimix

  19. I so very much agree with you. I wonder if you have the same problem in France as we do here, children’s sports and activities all fall around supper time? How do you manage that?

      1. Oh that would be nice! My boys like soccer and baseball, and they’re all scheduled on weeknights at 6pm…

  20. I breathe in deeply with every word you print. It fills me with a memory of places not yet shared. With each picture I glimpse a slice of your life, and it unfolds into a beautiful story, always moving forward. The children and their pets spring to life in a far off place where beauty beckons. A story unfolds . . .

  21. “Cook real food, then sit down with your family and eat it. Simple as that. …..cooking does not need to be fancy or expensive to serve its purpose.” So true, so much at risk. Mimi, thank you for having shared so much with us over the years. Very much appreciated. Jude from Jervis Bay Australia.

  22. Hello Mimi,

    I just adore your blog. I live on a farm, grow and eat organic, have 5 rescue dogs, 2 cats and my husband. I have read your books so much they are getting a bit worn. Like you I love to cook, tonight I made lemon ravioli with fresh mushrooms and organically caught shrimp topped with romano cheese from Italy. There is nothing like fresh, delicious food eaten outside in lovely country air. Look forward to your online magazine.

    blessings & bliss
    Sue from Canada

    1. Hello Sue, oh your life sounds wonderful and so rewarding! The joys of living on a farm are endless. Thank you for such kind words regarding my cookbook, makes me so happy to know others are enjoying it too. To bring love, to gather, to be together, that’s all we need. Merci! Mimi x

  23. Always, always Manger is a must read post when it comes in my mailbox. I save the recipes and most have been prepared in my little kitchen. Retired now most meals are for just me, but having fresh, tastefully prepared meals makes the life good…and when friends or family join me there are new dishes to prepare for the. Look forward to you new venture – how wonderful it will be to read your magazine. All good wishes for much success with the new adventures.

    1. Thank you Kristin! It makes me so happy to hear my recipes are prepared in your kitchen, I hope you have enjoyed them! Wishing you a lovely summer and stay tuned for our new site coming real soon! Mimi x

  24. Mimi,
    I will miss Manger…but I am sure your new venture will be even better!

    I will try the cod w/ chorizo crumbs this week……have a wonderful summer!
    xo Stacey

    1. Hey Stacey! Manger is still here to stay, it’ll just be 4 seasonal posts; and a vibrant ‘magazine’ on the side. It will be very generous, we hope everyone will be happy! Food, lifestyle, travel, wine… it’ll all be there. A bientôt, Mimi x

  25. Dear Mimi
    You, your books and Manger are key members in my vibrant kitchen. I’m sure thet the new magazin will be too. Good luck. I’m sending you my admiration all the way from israel..

    1. Thank you so much Irit, I am always so touched with kind words, especially towards the cookbook. I love all my cookbooks, they bring life to my kitchen 🙂 Mimi x

  26. It is winter here in chilly Melbourne, Australia. Manger is a lovely reminder that spring will come, and all my bare fruit trees will burst forth and give me the gift of their wonderful bounty. But until then, my winter vegetable garden looks lush and green, my garlic is thriving and my fruit trees have provided me with leaves for my compost bin. Every season is so special. I will miss Manger, but look forward to your on-line magazine. Good luck with your projects!
    Tricia

    1. Bonjour Tricia! Thank you for all your kind words, and Manger is always here to stay! We will simply divide our entries into long seasonal ones, and the new online magazine will be all about recipes, all seasonal, food, lifestyle, travel, wine! You’ll have both to enjoy! Mimi x

  27. Bond voyage!! Can not wait for your next endeavor and dates for 2018, our 10 th anniversary and we would love to attend.

    1. It would be a delight to see you here for our future workshops! Medoc is filled with beauty and authenticity (and good wine of course 🙂 ). Happy summer, Mimi x

  28. Quel plaisir de te lire Mimi, et de revivre un peu de ce printemps qui a passé si vite…
    le cabillaud gratiné est un de mes plats préférés…
    et te retrouver ici, c’est comme une petite madeleine de Proust
    Des souvenirs de cette belle découverte il y a 3 ans avec ton style inimitable et les photos d’Oddur.
    Hâte de voir ce que vous allez faire avec Rue Loudenne. des merveilles assurément! Bises
    Cecile

    1. Bonjour Cécile. Heureuse de savoir que tu aimes le cabillaud gratiné avec le chorizo! C’est absolument délicieux! ‘Manger’ reste toujours, il sera alimenté par saison, et le nouveau mag va être génial! Je t’embrasse, Mimi x

  29. Mimi, I adore your blog and instagram so much! Thank you for sharing your stunning recipies and family life with us 🙂 Now I’m waiting for your second book to be published in Poland.
    Have a beautiful summer!

  30. The online magazine sounds like it will be such fun! I can’t wait! As always, your latest post here on Manger is filled with beautiful words, gorgeous photography, lovely recipes, and so much grace and jjoy! Thank you, Mimi and Oddur, for sharing so much of your life together with us, so we can daydream of Medoc and a life of family, food, and dogs. Merci!

  31. RueLoudenne est un projet qui semble vraiment fantastique, bravo !! Que de beauté et de courage c’est génial.

    1. Merci Salomé! C’est un vrai plaisir de partager nos passions, et ce magazine sera un brin d’air frais, tout sur la cuisine, les recettes, l’art de vivre, le vin, des vidéos… 🙂 A très vite, Mimi x

  32. Have so missed your posts. But am so looking forward to following along on Rue Loudenne soon 🙂
    Summer has just barely started here in Scandinavia. We only just ate the very first red strawberry from our garden yesterday, and the cherries are still several weeks away from being ripe.

    Have a wonderful summer down there 🙂

  33. Your writing is so lyrical. I look forward to seeing it in your new magazine.
    On the second recipe, are you referring to Spanish chorizo (a hard sausage–a saucisson) or Mexican (sausage that must be cooked–saucisse)? I have cooked the hard chorizo in recipes before, but just wanted to check–the outcomes wouldn’t be the same. I’ve never seen the Mexican kind in France.

    1. Bonjour! I choose a spanish one that is nearly like a paste, or a chorizo fondant and moelleux would work too. Just ask your butcher and he should get youth right one 🙂 Je the souhaite un bel été! Merck, Mimi x

  34. My dearest Mimi hi ! I am always happy when I see your posts in my e mail that are so live and so lyrical and you travel us to your house and your everyday life ! as we recently sold our farm at st Lo Normandy we miss the French way of life …we would like to see you in small videos in you tube and we hope in our next trip to France to visit Medoc . Waiting for your new website … Irene from Athens Greece

  35. HI Mimi, pictures are just wonderful. Our first copy of French Country Cooking arrived two weeks ago and the family have been enjoying its so much – Sunday lunches finished with Tarte Tatin and cooling drinks of Rhubarb and strawberry cordial. Hoping to live a french existence of some form in Ireland.

  36. To assign value to a fresh cooked family/friend meal is
    important than ever. For the only 2 of us we celebrate our lunch
    and make a highlight during a
    day. Will be very close to your home in September and will try
    to visit Rue Loudenne. For all your undertaking I wish you good
    luck.

  37. Lovely surprise to find your new blog was out this morning! Everything looks wonderful as usual and I am very excited about the new online magazine, I am sure it will be a huge success!
    Can’t wait for November! Rebecca xx

  38. I did not realize how much I have missed your posts until I saw “Manger’ in my inbox. Thank you for this. I am making my grocery list for dinner tonight. My brother’s birthday will include the leek with goat cheese.
    WAIT! A blog?! Be still my heart. I can visit with you EVERYDAY!
    I am so excited. I think your writing, food, photos, location, family etc are all idyllic and yet modernly ideal (if that is possible…it is in my head). Something out of the ordinary. Sometimes it is hard to fathom that persons such as yourself actually exist.
    Thank you for giving me peace and hope for a better world. I so look forward to rue Loudenne. 🙂

    1. Thank you so much Gina – we have always been encouraged and it is the greatest gift! It’s so important for us to share our passions, and add new surprising features for all our wonderful readers. It’s all about sharing, gathering, inspiring. Merci! Mimi x

  39. While not being my message through my blog, the cooking of a real meal, with honest, humble, real ingredients for my family and then sitting down to enjoy it together is a motor in my life. My message may be one of being authentic and unique, but isn’t that pretty much the same? A simple dinner with one’s spouse and kids is becoming more and more endangered, these days, and I, much like you, am determined to have it everyday, and making a safe harbour for it within my house.
    https://bloglairdutemps.blogspot.pt

  40. Dearest Mimi, great news and congratulations on a new project, very exciting! I have started cooking recipes from your wonderful cookbooks and from the blog and it has brought so much joy to my family life, thank you!
    I absolutely love the leather aprons you have been using, if they could be made available for sale at your new e-shop I would purchase in a heartbeat!

    With kindest regards from Canada,

    Aneta

    1. Thank you Aneta, I feel so grateful for all these amazing words of kindness and encouragement! I can’t wait to start all our new projects, especially this new online magazine. The aprons, and lots more will also come soon! Merci, Mimi x

  41. Mimi,
    Manger has been such a beautiful inspiration…She will missed!, but I look forward to your new adventure.
    Where has the time gone? On days like these…look at your your lovely girls those smiles tell a story…
    Thank you for sharing all of the beauty found in FAMILY, CHILDREN, FRIENDS, FOOD, CUTE FOUR LEGGED CREATURES,MUSIC, and Much much more…la Bella vita!
    Staying in the beautiful region of Umbria for the summer, surrounded by cherry trees, and I knew just the thing to make, Mimi’s Cherry Clafoutis, it was a delicious hit!!! Merci.

    All the best and I look forward to
    rue Loudenne!

    Gee Gee

    1. Oh lucky you, Umbria is such a beautiful region! The food is amazing! It is a pleasure to share our passions, our lives and recipes. Can’t wait to share more with the new magazine! A bientôt, Mimi x

  42. Mimi – thanks so much for the lovely post! Pictures are gorgeous. Would you give details on the onion side dish that you show with the Cod?
    Thanks,
    Andrea

  43. Good of YOU for allowing THAT dog to sleep in YOUR BED!!!They are part of THE family too…….now you may have to make rules as it will be hard to turn over in the night but do let him snuggle and BE from time to time.
    As for the BLOG……..gosh I will miss it, but do understand.YOU have a family to raise as well………..there will be time for the BLOG to re-enter once those children have flown the nest!
    Your recipes here look delicious…….will try IMMEDIATELY!
    Should I tell you I have a dog and a PIG at my feet both wanting a TUMMY RUB?Well, I do……….and yes that pig lives inside the HOUSE!He has a VERY GOOD LIFE!
    XX

    1. Oh that sounds amazing, I would also love to have a little pig in the house 🙂 There must be so much joy à la maison! And hey, no worries, the blog Manger is here to stay, we will just post seasonally (uh-hum, just like how we’ve been doing these days!) and have a great magazine on the side, with fresh news, recipes, even videos! A bientôt, Mimi x

  44. I would miss Manger with those beautiful photos and delicious recipes (I have tried many of them). I can’t wait for the online magazine.

    1. Hello Szilvia! The blog is here to say, we’ll just post every season… and the new magazine will be exciting, with fresh daily recipes, videos, travel features, wine… A truss vote, Mimi x

  45. I’ll miss you here, but I can’t wait for the new website! So glad to hear you’ll be hosting workshops in 2018 – hoping we can finally participate in one!

    1. Hello Jaime! Oh no worries the blog is always here and we will still post every season, and the new magazine is the new exciting project! I hope you will enjoy it. We will announce our workshops very soon. Hopefully we can greet you one day! Mimix

  46. Congratulations on your new venture! Having recently experienced what a wonderful place your home is, warm, friendly, lots of great food and wine, happy children, and playful dogs, I know that your readers will love the new online experience. I knew immediately that the opening line of this post was from “The Italian Job”. Oddur played it all day on the second day of the workshop!

  47. Thank you for all the cooking and writing inspiration with the wonderful Manger! Really looking forward to the online magazine. Coincidentally I’m cooking your recipe ‘Tomates farçies ‘à la Provençale’’ tonight for family. I’ve made the dish several times now and everyone loves it!

  48. Thank you for the beautiful words and pictures, thank you for sharing your life with us – I dreamed of living in a big house with many children and dogs, maybe someday come true, I wish you happiness

  49. Monte Cristo is adorable! He looks like such a good boy, no wonder he’s allowed on the bed 😉 Look forward to the new site. Have a great summer, Mimi. Looking forward to spending a bit of time in SW France. X

  50. So happy to see a post! Can you please include on your new website some of the articles you share about Lifestyle, Mothehood, and Beauty advice? I enjoy all types of advice from you and it would be so nice to have it all in one place! Thank you! 😊

  51. Hello Mimi,

    I have a cooking question that has long been on my beginner’s mind . . . . do you have many of your recipes memorized, or do you have a cookbook propped open as you are turning out your daily feasts? I find myself dependent on consulting my recipes step-by-step as I make them! Any advice for a kitchen novice in this area?

  52. It is so exciting! I am looking forward to learn more about France and your likes and interests. Can you please make a corner on your new website about French Home – stone houses, blue shutters, potager gardens, brocantes, French furniture and interiors.

  53. Mimi
    Family dinners are so important…and I find the simple addition of candles, no matter what the meal, slows down the conversation and makes even scrambled eggs a celebration of family and life!

  54. Bonjour Mimi, même si je suis une lectrice silencieuse, j’adore suivre vos instagram, m’émerveiller avec vous, voir les enfants grandir, adorer les photos de Oddur, voir votre merveilleuse évolution et découvrir vos coups de coeur. j’ai hâte de découvrir ce journal on line, de vous rencontrer un jour, de savoir que vos créations viennent du coeur et du partage avec les autres. Merci de votre fairy tale, tout ceci nous donne tant d’espoir.

  55. Looking very forward to the new online magazine Mimi! I always adore seeing your new recipes and all the beautiful photos of food, your family and especially your lovely home. Thank you for sharing everything with us : )

  56. Maintaining Manger quarterly, going by the season is a great idea, perhaps leaving it to John and Yoko?
    Look forward to visiting Rue Loudenne for your new creative outlet. Hope it’s as equally a joy to write as I know it will be to read. Tanti auguri!

  57. Bonjour Mimi,
    J’habite en Italie près de Venise , dans un petite ferme à la campagne entre jardins potager, vignes , arbres de fruit et poulets.
    Tu es vraimemt une source d’ispiration pour moi! Lire tes posts c’ est comme se trouver dans un rêve. J’adore tes recettes et j’en ai cusine’ plusieurs: Chaque fois il a été un succes !
    Est-ce que tu as des nouvelles sur la sortie de ton dernier livre en italien?
    J espère de te rencontrer un jour !
    Je te souhaite un été merveilleuse,
    Je t’embrasse.

    Valentina

  58. Hi Mimi I prepared your recipe for Leek Hazel nuts and goats cheese for supper this evening, the family loved it, I have your first book so enjoy the combination of your husbands photography and your writing you paint a picture with a few words plus of course all the delicious recipes.
    Good luck with your new venture, may you always be as happy and fulfilled as you are at the present.

  59. IL est très rare que je laisse une note sur les blogs, Je vous ai suivie depuis le jour où je suis tombée par hasard dans magasine français. Mon frère vit à Silvère Spring, et nous partageons fréquemment nos images, photos culinaires.
    Vos photos sont très rafraîchissantes, vivantes et d’une simplicité qui reflète bien là l’humilité.
    Excusez mon français imparfait, certainement des fautes de ma part, je jongle entre les 3 langues, Laotien, français, l’Américain, suis d’origine laotienne.
    Très bonne continuation, et faites nous rêver.

    1. It is very rare that I leave a note on the blogs, I have followed you since the day I accidentally fell in French magazine. My brother lives in Silver Spring, and we frequently share our pictures, culinary photos.
      Your photos are very refreshing, lively and simplicity that reflects humility.
      Excuse my imperfect French, certainly mistakes on my part, I juggle between the 3 languages, Laotian, French, American, am of Laotian origin.
      Very good continuation, and make us dream.

  60. Gorgeous post as usual and as usual I am in love with the imagery! Thursday night I held a dinner party in honour of some Aussies who have lived in my French village and are now returning to Australia. I made your recipe of peaches in white wine- with a twist- they were a little ripe to cut in half- so I served them whole- and as several of us don’t eat sugar I used a few tablespoons of maple syrup instead. I served at the table from a soup tureen (antique and French of course) and I used a whole bottle of wine in the syrup so it was like a chilled soup in each persons bowl. What a hit! many kind words of ‘restaurant quality’ etc I love this recipe- peaches were 5 euros for a whole tray and would have gone bad before we could eat them all. Loving this life here in France xx

  61. IL est très rare que je laisse une note sur les blogs, Je vous ai suivie depuis le jour où je suis tombée par hasard dans magasine français. Mon frère vit à Silver Spring, et nous partageons fréquemment nos images, photos culinaires.
    Vos photos sont très rafraîchissantes, vivantes et d’une simplicité qui reflète bien là l’humilité.
    Excusez mon français imparfait, certainement des fautes de ma part, je jongle entre les 3 langues, Laotien, français, l’Américain, suis d’origine laotienne.
    Très bonne continuation, et faites nous rêver. Boupha.

  62. Mimi and Oddur & family &Yolanda are you safe ? je viens de voir qu’il y a eu un tremblement de terre près de Naples. Je suis votre feed Instagr toujours fantastique. Hope you are already far away from there !

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