Living in a Castle: A Dream Come True
Yes, it's true. I'm now living in a castle, and you're probably wondering how I got here. Did I win the lottery? Uncover a secret royal lineage? Well, the truth is, I have a friend who bought a castle and graciously invited me to stay for a week. So, join me on this incredible food adventure as I explore the castle, the surrounding area, and, of course, the delicious French cuisine.
Arrival in Paris
I arrived in Paris at Orly Airport and took the train to the city center. The train was very modern and even had a cool little window up front where we could see where we were going. It was giving AI! I only had a few hours in Paris before my train to Angouleme, so I decided to explore Montparnasse Station and grab some French food.
Choosing Between Galettes and Crepes
I was really split between two different dining experiences: a typical Parisian cafe or a galette or crepe place. I asked my friend Alice, who speaks French, for her recommendation. She told me that crepes are sweet and galettes are savory. I decided to flip a coin to make the decision. Heads was galette, and tails was Parisian cafe. The coin landed on heads, so I headed to a galette place that I found online with good reviews.
Exploring Montparnasse
The galette place was just a 5-minute walk from Gare Montparnasse, and it was in one of the prettiest areas surrounding a major train station that I've ever seen. The menu was all in French, so I did the good old "what you recommend" and asked the waitress for her suggestions. Thanks to Alice, I now know that "Quels plats recommendez-vous" means "What dishes do you recommend?" The waitress recommended a cider, and I chose the dry one, which is more traditional. It was sparkling and reminded me a bit of champagne but not alcoholic.
Trying Galettes
The galette I ordered was gorgeous, and I had no idea what was inside. It looked like it had a lot of cheese, so I popped a fresh pack of Laktase, just in case. The galette was made from buckwheat flour and had tomato, walnuts, and cheese inside. The cheese was a bit much for me at first, but I really enjoyed the saltiness of the galette and the acidity and freshness of the tomato. The walnuts gave it a nice crunch, and the crepe itself was crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. It went really well with the cider, which was refreshing and helped to wash down the richness of the cheese.
Ordering a Sweet Crepe
After finishing the galette, I was feeling like I needed something sweet, so I decided to order a second crepe. I asked the waitress for her recommendation, and she suggested La Craquante, which is her favorite. It was a chocolate crepe with salted caramel on top and a nut that I didn't recognize. The crepe was amazing, and it was definitely more up my alley than the galette. The chocolate was rich and decadent, the salted caramel was sweet and salty, and the nut added a nice crunch. If licking the plate was socially acceptable, I would have been licking it so hard right now.
Boarding the Train to Angouleme
A few hours later, it was time to board the train to Angouleme, where my friend's castle is located. I was so excited to finally see the castle and start my week-long adventure.
Arrival at the Castle
A few hours later, I arrived in Angouleme and took a 30-minute drive to the castle. When I saw the castle for the first time, I was in awe. It was even more beautiful than I had imagined. My friend Alice was already there waiting for me, and we were both so excited to explore the castle.
Exploring the Castle
The castle is huge, and there are so many rooms and areas to explore. We started by exploring the parlor, which is decorated with beautiful artwork. Then, we went upstairs to explore the bedrooms. Each bedroom is unique and has its own charm. I chose the bedroom with the best view and headed straight to bed. I couldn't wait to wake up the next morning and start exploring the castle in the daylight.
Waking Up in the Castle
I woke up the next morning feeling like a kid on Christmas. I was so excited to look outside and see what the castle looked like in the daytime. The view was even more beautiful than I had imagined. I spent the morning exploring the castle and taking in all of its beauty. I even found a little secret alcove in my bedroom that I hadn't noticed the night before. It was like a little mini tower, and it was so cool.
Exploring the Grounds
After exploring the inside of the castle, we decided to explore the grounds. The castle has a beautiful garden, a pool, and a terrace. We spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool and enjoying the beautiful weather. It was the perfect way to spend a day in a castle.
Going Grocery Shopping
In the evening, we decided to go grocery shopping and cook dinner at the castle. We found a car in the garage that we could use, and Alice offered to drive. We drove to a nearby Carrefour and bought some ingredients for dinner. Alice is an amazing chef, and she came up with some great ideas for dinner. We decided to make a leek and mushroom tartine, which is a fancy French open-face sandwich.
Cooking Dinner
When we got back to the castle, we started cooking dinner. Alice showed me how to make the tartine, and it was so easy and delicious. We started by sautéing the leeks in a pan with a little bit of water and sugar to bring out their natural sweetness. Then, we added the mushrooms and cooked them until they were tender. Next, we fried the bread in the leftover juices from the leeks to make it crispy. Finally, we topped the bread with the leek and mushroom mixture and a salad with a delicious dressing that Alice made. The dressing was made with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, caper juice, and capers. It was so delicious, and it added the perfect amount of acidity and saltiness to the salad.
Enjoying Dinner
Dinner was amazing, and we both loved it. The tartine was so delicious, and the salad was the perfect accompaniment. We sat at the kitchen table and enjoyed our dinner while chatting and laughing. It was the perfect way to end a perfect day.
Chilling in the Castle
After dinner, we decided to chill in the castle. There are so many living rooms and places to sit and chill in the castle, and we wanted to experience them all. We decided to read for 10 minutes in each chair in each room of the chateau. It was so relaxing, and we both had a great time. We even found a toy pig in one of the rooms, and we decided to make it our mascot for the week.
Having a Private Chef
The next day, we had a private chef come to the castle to cook us dinner. The chef's name is Lena, and she is from cognac, which is not too far away from the castle. Lena is an amazing chef, and she cooked us a delicious three-course meal.
Making Cocktails
Before dinner, we decided to make some cocktails. We found a bottle of cognac in the bar area, and we decided to make peach lemonade cocktails. The recipe called for lemonade, but we didn't have any, so we decided to make our own. Alice showed me how to make the lemonade, and it was so easy and delicious. We started by squeezing the lemons and adding the juice to a pitcher. Then, we added some sugar and soda water and stirred until the sugar was dissolved. The lemonade was so refreshing, and it was the perfect base for the cocktails.
Making the Cocktails
To make the cocktails, we added 1.5 parts cognac, 1 part creme de peche, and 4 parts lemonade to a shaker. We shook the ingredients together and then strained the cocktail into a glass. The cocktail was so delicious, and it was the perfect way to start the evening.
Enjoying Dinner
Dinner was amazing, and we both loved it. Lena cooked us a delicious three-course meal that included scallops, veal, and chocolate dessert. The scallops were cooked to perfection, and they were served with a crunchy tuile, leeks, and a vinaigrette reduction. The veal was smoked with the wood of the oak barrels used to hold cognac, and it was served with parsnips and a parsnip puree. The chocolate dessert was a celebration of dark chocolate in crumble, mousse, and chocolate wafer form. It was so delicious, and it was the perfect way to end the meal.
Conclusion
My week-long stay in the castle was amazing, and I will never forget it. I had the opportunity to explore the castle, the surrounding area, and, of course, the delicious French cuisine. I also had the opportunity to spend time with my friend Alice and meet some amazing people. I would like to thank my friend for inviting me to stay in her castle and for making my week-long stay so memorable. I would also like to thank Lena for cooking us such delicious meals and for sharing her knowledge of French cuisine with us. If anyone ever asks you to go to a castle with them, say yes! It's an experience that you will never forget.
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