Previously when I described the landscape and weather in this region of France, I told people that it reminded me of the interior of BC with a mix of orchards and farmland, valleys and rivers. It just so happened that I added an Ontario visit to the top of the trip and after spending a couple days driving from Toronto to Stratford and back, I was reminded that the southern area of Ontario is much more similar to the central area of France. When I arrived at my first bed and breakfast in the Loire Valley, I was greeted by my hosts Virginie and Michel, and shown to my sweet bedroom on the second floor of a charming house surrounded by trees and farmland.
My hosts offered both breakfast and dinner for a small additional charge and with the plan of relaxing all weekend and not going very far, I happily took that offer.
Breakfast was a full table worth of breads and croissants and brioche with several jams, jellies, honey, and nut spreads, as well as several local cheeses, plus orange juice, coffee, and fresh fruit.
Dinner was similar to what the family ate but served in three courses at my own table off to the side of the kitchen like a small exclusive restaurant. I enjoyed local specialties of stuffed puff pastry, potato galettes, and local cheeses and meats, all cooked by Virginie with many ingredients she gathered from her garden or with eggs from her chickens!
An absolute highlight was a hazelnut and walnut cake that she made using nuts she picked off their own trees, then shelled and chopped to make this rich and dense, soft and chewy cake with dark chocolate melted on top.
