With the wine in the cellar and some nearly ready to bottle (the white and rose), it is time to plot a marketing campaign to bring an organic Costieres de Nimes to the US market. Time to seek out the most interesting wine fairs, to explore possible contacts, check the calendar, send out invitations to the organic wine fair here in Southern France (late January in Montpellier for those who are interested). A rather exciting new direction to pursue...

And, not to be caught idle, during these cool near-winter days, I'm working through a translation of a little French cookbook on the Aveyron Region. It is by the same editor as the Recipes of Provence book that many of you have seen and purchased, to which Erick contributed, and which I translated into English. However this one features recipes with roquefort cheese, potatoes, hare, pates, charcuterie,... simple, rich country food that sticks to the ribs. Fascinating exploring this Southwestern region where goose fat and garlic are in nearly every dish.

I've another book after this one on the 13 desserts of Provence... and who knows perhaps more? I'll send word when they are published. As with the Provence book, the recipes are easy to follow, home-recipes offered to the editor by good home-cooks of the region. Hunters might get a kick out of the numerous fowl and game recipes. The English versions of these books have both the metric and American volume measurements to widen their potential audience.

A few days ago I celebrated American Thanksgiving and Canadian Action de Grace with dear friends out at the winery. I made multiple loaves of my slow rising bread, with the addition of pumpkin seeds. A fresh turkey was plucked out of its flock by local raisers of poultry by request. I baked and pureed squash for pies and soup, pureed corn for corn pudding, and chopped apples, prunes and sausage into a simple stuffing reminiscent of my childhood. Chanterelle mushrooms enlivened a wild rice dish (the rice a gift from a client-- thank you!). And for the rest, well, I delegated.

For many years, I held so dearly to the traditional dishes that I couldn't relinquish control. The feast of Thanksgiving became a thank you to the many artisans, friends, farmers and more who are such a rich and important part of my life in Provence. Each year, the numbers grew. At last count, about 30 adults plus children... I was ordering two of the largest turkeys available, cooking for 5 days' straight, regaling friends with tales of pilgrims and indians...I loved it. But, with my recent change of direction, it just wasn't possible for me to continue to do it all myself. And last year, I just gave up, and allowed my favorite holiday to pass un-celebrated.

So this year, I decided to truly share this feast with friends, and perhaps to start a different tradition, where I would no longer be completely in control, neither of the menu, nor perhaps even of the guest list. I love the raison d'etre of Thanksgiving -- gratefulness for those we love, for the warmth and generosity we receive and by which we are surrounded. A chance to share, to give back, to revel in the gifts of our lives. So, to each a task, and let us share the labor as well as the pleasures of this day. And it was marvelous to have sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, poorman's cake (a Canadian contribution), mince meat pies, great wine, and raspberry sauce (cranberries being hard to come by here!) and chocolate walnut pie all come a'courting to the dinner. The day was a success: good friends, great weather (sun and no wind!), happy chlidren (over a dozen from 3-12), and the bounty of sharing.

In the handsome seminar room at the Domaine Cabanis in Vauvert, with the wonderful tango teachers - Roberto and Betty of Marseillargues (see their web site noted below) - we'll be hosting a weekend of tango dancing and wine-tasting initiation (just 20 minutes south of Nimes, 30 minutes east of Montpellier). The events will take place at the winery - known as Mas Madagascar - and in the village cellar.

For anyone in the neighborhood, or coming through, November 29/30 is the weekend currently on the calendar. We will begin with an afternoon session of tango class on Saturday, followed by a brief break, and then your first wine tasting session. Dinner will be pot luck, and taken together at the winery. A bal will take place in Vauvert at the Centre Culturel that night for all who wish to come and dance the night away. Sunday morning will see our second wine tasting session, followed by a seasonal feast prepared by myself to pair with the wines we're tasting, and in the afternoon, our second and final tango class.

The price without accommodations is 86E per person. Please ask for bed and breakfast suggestions, or if you've a camper van, you can camp out at the winery. For more information and confirmation of your attendance please write directly to our tango teachers in English or French or Spanish or Portuguese: info@eneltango.com Most of the classes will be in French, but, should we have non-French speakers amongst the participants, that is not a problem as Betty (for the dancers), Jean-Paul (for the wine tasters) and myself speak English with ease.

Sophie Berton, our beekeeper, is settling into her little house, having sold her former one. Joel Durand, our chocolatier, is putting together what promises to be a gorgeous book on chocolate. I'll let you know when it is published. Paul Pierre and Isabelle Laguitton will soon be stopping their production of goat cheese. Her illness has come back, and it is just too much work for Paul Pierre alone. However, they have joy to come in their first grandchild, to be born in February.

The photo of Filou above is from a hike in the Callanques I was able to take with Martine, the Shiatsu massage therapist some of you have met. On an amazingly sunny and warm day early November we set out early, picnic in hand, and out into the cliffs and crannies at the edge of the Mediterranean. Together we scrambled up, over, and around. What a treat! And yes, Filou, the hardy hiker, was of couse, there to accompany us and urge us on.

A bit of sad news to share. The long-time partner of Guy Bremond at Verger des Papes, the man of nearly local royalty in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, he who knew everyone and every wine, Henri Estevenin, has passed away. Henri was a dear and wonderful friend. He brought us to our first truffle market, and introduced us to Rene, our rabassaou. He was a man of taste, glory, rich in anecdotes, generosity and living life to its fullest. We will all miss him terribly.

And, for myself, I've a friend working with me on our new web site. Ideas are bubbling away. We hope to have the template done by Christmas, and the site up by mid-January. A bit late for the holiday season, but with the financial crisis as it is, I'm not expecting to be too busy this spring -- though I wouldn't mind being pleasantly surprised. If guests are able to come, wonderful, but I fully understand that this just might be a year for holding tight, staying close to home, and re-thinking how we all earn, spend, and save our incomes.

Just a random note to end with. I'm having a blast discovering the numerous uses of the wood burning stove we installed this fall. Now, rather than a fire place, I've a lovely little olive branch motif decorated cast iron stove. It takes me a bit to get it lit (this could have something to do with the fact that my good firewood, aged for over a year, was out in the rain for a full week...), but once lit, it burns away. It is built as a traditional stove, and I've been placing pots aplenty on its top -- to warm up, to simmer, and even to fry a blood sausage! We've wrapped potatoes in aluminum foil and popped them inside, and I tried a chicken too. Yum!!! Saving on gas and electricity, in a most delicious way.