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organic food

“Dolce Italia” Organic Gelato Saint Paul de Vence

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Dolce Italia in Saint Paul de Vence: the best organic gelato, Rated #3 best ice-cream in France by TripAdvisor's traveler community and awarded the “Certificate of Excellence”, ".

Dolce Italia Organic ice cream gelato

“Dolce Italia” is one of the hidden gems of Saint Paul de Vence, a fantastic Italian artisanal organic gelato shop located at 13 place de l'Eglise, across the entrance of the Collegiate Church in Saint Paul.

Tourists visiting Saint Paul de Vence would have to reach the top of the village before discovering this exquisite place, but with the heat of the summer, many had already bought their ice-cream at the village entrance, missing out on this delicacy.

Only connaisseurs and TripAdvisor users would have known about the “Heaven in Paradise” and climbed all the way to the top to conquer the sought after reward.

 

 

The recipes of Dolce Italia’s high-quality ice-cream and sorbetto have been developed by a two-starred Michelin chef from Turin.

Not only have they chosen the best quality fruits for their flavors, they also breed their own cows for their milk, and only use free range eggs for their organic cream.

The selection of flavors is quite broad.

My favorites are:

  • Fat-free dark chocolate sorbet
  • Vanilla gelato, the best you have tasted!
  • Hazelnuts from Alba, a region renowned for Ferrero Roche and Nutella productions.
  • Pistachios coming directly from Bronte, Mount Etna in Sicily, renowned for their unique flavor enhanced by the Etna volcanic lava.
  • All fruit sorbets are made with fruits that are in season, to guarantee the best flavor.
  • Come September, don't miss the Strawberry-grape sorbet which is a type of grape sold only in Italy. It has a unique strawberry flavor.

 

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Dolce Italia is featured in episode 5 of the video series:

Spring Starters/Spring Started in the Cote d'Azur.

Find all the videos location and their links in the map.

Each Sunday I will publish a video featuring a place to visit, a restaurant and a recipe.

Don't miss it next week.

Sign up to my YouTube Channel: Your Guardian Chef YouTube

You can watch Saint Paul de Vence and Beignet d'Acacia video here below:

Lavancia Organic Farm: Hints and Tips to Grow Organic

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How to grow organic vegetables in your own garden, here some tricks:

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Interesting facts about growing organic vegetables

The visit to Lavancia Organic farm was truly educational, we discovered so much about organic farming. We cannot wait to put into practice all we have learned and to cultivate our own organic vegetable patch.

1. Tomatoes Seeds

2. Basil

3. Mildew

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Tomatoes Seeds

Agnes and Renaud have a fantastic variety of tomatoes. They joined an EU-cross border association called ALCOTRA which supports the re-introduction of Heirloom varieties of fruits, and vegetables. The seeds have been preserved by farming families down through the generations, most of which are not available on the open market. As the seeds are not cross-pollinated, each one will produce the same fruit, or vegetable they originated from.

Organic tomatoes

This is not true of Hybrid seeds which are created through the cross-pollinating of various species of tomato plants. I have tried to plant seeds from tomatoes bought at the supermarket, however the tomatoes they produced were not the same.

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I saved all the tomato seeds we collected at the farm, and will plant them next year in our vegetable patch. Agnes advised that to achieve the best result, the seeds should be fermented as fermentation kills all bacteria. If not, the dormant bacteria in the seeds will infect the plant once it germinates.

As you will see form the attached photo, I left the seeds in their juices and put them in jars, covered with pure water.

N.B.: I always collect the condensed water from one of our air-conditioning units. As this water is the condensation from the humidity in the air, it is free of any minerals or chemicals.

I cover the jars containing the seeds, but do not tighten the lid to allow the air to circulate.

I will let them rest for a few days until I see a white film forming on the top. I will then clean and dry them on a sheet of baking paper.

Once dried, I will seal them in the jars with labels.

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What about the tomatoes?
I used them in the creation of the following dishes:

• Large Tomatoes: Pasta with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil

• Small Tomatoes: Salad Nicoise

 

Basil

Growing basil has always been a challenge for me, but if I could, I would grow it everywhere. Unfortunately my results to date have not been very reassuring, even after trying all possible combinations of watering, sun, pots or directly growing it in the ground.

Renaud showed us how he grows his basil and I was astonished, they are planted between his peppers with plenty of water. Why between his peppers? Because this way they are in the shade and get exactly the amount of sun they need.

So our plan for next year is to grow organic basil all around the garden in between shrubs, irrigating them daily with sprinklers.....Yes, sprinklers!

 

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Mildew

Since we moved back to the South of France, I have been reading a lot about growing fruits and vegetables, and every article and book always says never to water vegetables with sprinklers as it encourages Mildew, especially when the sun is out.

Mildew flourishes with the combination of humidity and heat.

  • Our soil has a high concentration of clay, and humidity is a real problem, like in most places here on the Riviera.
  • Heat and sun are also common, but less of a problem!

Contrary to what I have read, Renaud sprinkles his zucchini and tomatoes at midday and no Bordelaise or Copper Sulphate is required!

He grows the vegetables in polytunnels and sprinkles them at midday to lower the rising temperature. The water is sprinkled right over the plants and it washes away the Mildew. Unbelievable!!

He also has clay soil and uses a special fertilizer that improves the soil structure over time. It is a bit more expensive than horse manure, but light to carry and much more effective.

Our eyes were opened to a completely new organic reality!

Next year we will also grow organic vegetables.

See related posts:

 

 

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how to grow organic vegetables and herbs: Tomatoes Seeds, Basil, Mildew

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Organic Farming: Lavancia

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Overcoming organic farming challenges - combining tradition with innovation

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This was one of the busiest weekends of the summer here in the Cote d’Azur, so we escaped the chaotic coast returning back to nature at the Organic Farm "Lavancia" in Puget Théniers.

In 2009, Agnes and Renaud left their urban life to take on the challenge of organic farming. After the first couple of years of trial and error, they now share their knowledge and expertise to help new young entrants into this tough, but rewarding lifestyle.

It was very interesting to learn of the challenges they encountered and how they overcome them. In the process we also discovered some 'tricks', and hints for growing our organic vegetables in the garden.

Picture by Matthieu Chanel

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The Farm

Puget Théniers is a village located where the Roudoule river merges into the Var. Approximately a 1 hour drive from Nice heading north in the direction of Digne, and just 20 minutes from the heart of the Parc de Mercantour.

When Agnes and Renaud moved to Puget Théniers, "Lavancia Farm" was just a forest. The land had been owned by Renaud’s family for 4 generations but had been abandoned for the previous 30 years.

LAVANCIA-76_2_1Picture by Matthieu Chanel

 

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Picture by Matthieu Chanel

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Most of the older farmers in the area grow a limited number and type of crops in large volume, selling them to local supermarkets. This means they remain highly dependent on these Supermarkets and the price pressures based on their purchasing power, and other requirements. Commercially called Economies of scale!

Agnes and Renaud decided instead to experiment with organic farming using a variety of crops. They have fine-tuned their techniques, and selected the most successful ones. They have also diversified their product offering, and combined with other Organic Farmers to sell directly to consumers, bypassing the middleman. Commercially called Economies of scope!

They have been very successful with this approach, and are now challenged by the growing demand.

They have cultivated 1.2 hectare with a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, 250 hens and 10 pigs. They also grow their own livestock feed, reducing costs and carbon footprint.

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Picture by Matthieu Chanel

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Thank you for the lovely time!

We really enjoyed our lunch, tasting delicious fruits, vegetables, cheeses and organic bier. Luckily I was also able to get Agnes’ zucchini recipes which I made at home with the zucchini I bought at the Farmers Market.

Attached are the articles on lessons learned:

Organic farm Lavancia in Puget-Théniers

Lavancia Organic Farm To Table

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What is "Farm to table" concept?

Farm to table lavancia Farm"Farm to table" is when we, consumers, can buy directly from the Organic Farmers

Here in France there are two ways to do that:

1. Organic Farmers Market.

2. AMAP: Organic food delivered directly to the consumer each week.

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1. Organic Farmers Market

Together with other local Organic Farmers, Agnes and Renaud have created a “Cooperative”, and every Saturday morning they sell their products at the Marche Paysan in Puget Théniers. Most villages in the French Riviera host a Farmers market in their main square once a week. It would be an interesting outing to explore them.

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At the Marche Paysan in Puget Théniers we bought lots of Organic Vegetables, and 3 different cheeses: 2 chevre and 1 tome de Vache.

 

2. AMAP: Organic food delivered directly to the consumer each week.

AMAP (Associations pour le maintien d'une agriculture paysanne) can be traduced into:
Associations for the maintenance of family farming, in a nutshell: Supporting small scale Organic Farming.

An intersting "Farm to table" concept.

How does the concept work in reality?

LAVANCIA-56_1_1Picture by Matthieu Chanel

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Picture by Matthieu Chanel

The consumer commits to buying an agreed volume (Kg) of organic products from the farmer each week.

The price is fixed and based on each consumer’s requirements i.e. quantity and type of products they choose - ranging from Fruits, Vegetables, Eggs, Meat, Poultry or others. While the basket is always full, the types of fruit and vegetables delivered depends on the farmer’s weekly production.

The consumer pays the month up front, but prices can be as low as € 15 per week, up to higher prices depending on the volume of products required.

The farmer commits to supply the consumer with the agreed amount of certified organic products and delivers them to the AMAP center for collection. All products are delivered to the same centre at the same time, making it easier for the consumer to collect their weekly supply.

A centralized "Farm to table" delivery.

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This community supported agricultural scheme normally runs each season i.e. Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring, therefore renewable every 3 months.

This scheme is more than a buying and selling agreement, rather it is meant to build a closer relationship between the farmers and the consumer, where a mutual interest in organic farming is shared and supported through organised visits to the farms and other levels of cooperation.

This scheme exists across every region in France, and if you are interested you should be able to find a center near you.

 

Find related posts below:

 

Farm to Table concept in France

Summer Peppers

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Summer is here, and so are the Summer Red Peppers!

Peppers_1_1Big, scarlet red shaded with green and purple, absolutely beautiful, this is what I call Mediterranean peppers.

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Come June, you will find them in abundance in any farmer markets and Supermarkets at a reasonable price.

What a difference between those summer peppers and the one you normally find in the Supermarket all year round. Their label wrapped in plastic says they come from Spain.

However they are a seasonal vegetable and if they are on the supermarket shelves at Christmas, they are most likely not matured under the Mediterranean Sun!

Pepper from Glasshouse_1_1So either they are cultivated under glasshouses losing their flavour, or transported from faraway countries, harvested unripe and the prices is inflated by transportation costs.

They will be fine if you need peppers for a salad or for specific recipes, but when it is summer you must not miss the Big Mediterranean Red Peppers.

The best way to use them is to roast them at high temperature or under the grill. You should aim at burning the skin off, and leaving the flesh almost uncooked, that is why the heat should be intense. Make sure the skin is burned everywhere as it is hard to peel it off if it is not burned.

Roasted peppers 3_1_1They will remain firm, sweet and luscious, and the skin which is difficult to digest will come off very easily.

Here is the recipe for Roasted Peppers marinated with garlic, basil and olive oil, fantastic with Barbeque Beef.

You can make it 1 day in advance, and it is perfect for a summer buffet table.

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roasted peppers with garlic and basil
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Roasted Peppers with Garlic and Basil

Perfect recipe for dinner parties. Goes well with Barbeque Beef. Calories per serving 95; Time to prepare 35 minutes; Easy.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time38 mins
Course: Side Dishes
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Italian food, side dish, Vegan
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 84kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 large red peppers
  • 4 cloves fresh garlic
  • 10 fresh basil leaves
  • 4 tsp olive oil extra virgin
  • 1 dash salt

Instructions

  • Wash and put the peppers in an oven pan on top of an aluminum foil or a baking sheet
    put red peppers under the grill
  • Turn the grill on in the oven and set the pan at the highest level making sure the peppers don’t touch the elements of the grill. Leave the door open and let the grill burn the skin of the peppers as in the picture below.
    turning peppers until burned everywhere
  • Turn the peppers around until all the skin is burned. Make sure the skin is burned everywhere as it is hard to peel it off if it is not burned. But don't cook them too long as the flesh should remain firm.
    grilled peppers
  • Let the peppers cool down completely. Once cold, take the skin off. It will peel easily
    peeling roasted peppers
  • Remove seeds and cut in slices
    Roasted peppers
  • Add garlic, basil, salt and olive oil
    Roasted peppers
  • Mix and let it rest for at least 1 hour before serving
    Roasted peppers

Notes

Calories 84 calories per serving
Fat 5gr per serving
Carbohydrates 10gr per serving
Proteins 2gr per serving
Sugar 6gr per serving
Sodium 28mg per serving
Nutritional information is provided for general purpose only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely.
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Roasted Peppers with Garlic and Basil