Vegetarians, Cassoulet and Confit

I am happy to cook most recipes - I am not keen on shellfish but might cook them, would rather someone else did. So I was not too daunted when clients said that they were vegetarian and could I please not serve an omelette as that is what they are generally offered in French restaurants.

I have 2 or 3 vegetarian cookbooks and as I had been given some notice I had time to sort something out for them. I had already made some Tomato soup and Beetroot soup, so the clients had an option for either. I had also found a really nice Roast Mediterranean vegetable Lasagna, courtesy of Delia Smith which I served with a green salad with an Apple Charlotte for desert. They enjoyed it so much that they requested a meal for the next night! Ho hum, thinking cap on!!

Pas de probleme! Corn on the cob starter (home grown sweetcorn!) followed by walnut and broccoli bake with fresh carrots and runner beans and profiteroles with chocolate sauce for desert. They were delighted and I was as pleased as punch that it all worked out.

I found that I was enjoying cooking, J had a productive potager on the go and the vegetables were superb and they were what I put on the table. I found that we rarely bought vegetables from the market, just things like aubergines and sweet peppers which we did not grow at the time.

We had a group of people from the South of France come to visit. They had booked for a long weekend and were visiting the Puy du Fou which is not too far from here. They arrived Friday evening, piled out of their cars and made their way along the path to our house. Madame greeted me like a long lost friend, we had been communicating by telephone and email for a couple of months prior to their visit. What a delightful lady, her husband was charming and their friends as well.

I had arranged a meal for their first evening and after seeing them into their respective rooms I was back into the kitchen to continue preparations for them. I was preparing a salad with feta cheese and cherry tomatoes followed by Chicken Provencale with runner beans and potatoes (from the garden!)and Pears poached in spiced red wine for dessert.

I was suddenly summoned from the kitchen by Madame. The 'Group' had settled themselves in the lounge and had arrayed in front of them on the coffee table three 1 litre water bottles. They contained Whisky, Pernod, and Port. They also had a large basket of cherries picked that morning. They had found some glasses in the cupboard and were inviting my husband a myself to join them for an aperitif. We could not refuse!!

After they had had their meal they burst into song! What a delight! These were people who knew how to enjoy themselves. They were neighbours who raised duck for foie gras, confit and cassoulet. They were also on their local Twinning committee and their town is Twinned with the town that J's paternal great-grandfather comes from - small world!!

The next day the 'Group' requested another meal - no probs, Soup starter, followed by Pork Chops in Onion Gravy and Tarte Tatin for dessert. They loved the Pork, a very Franglaise recipe!!!

They left on the Monday morning, and we had been waiting for some lambs to be born - the first arrived before they left so they had the pleasure of meeting and greeting some beautiful new babies!! A delight for them and a joy for us!!