Chez Guy

We arrived in Moncrabeau near lunchtime in pouring rain and were delighted to see Keith and Liz Guy again and their friend Roz, who had been helping Liz to get things straight again following the installation of their super new kitchen. The first 3 days in our temporary autumn home passed in a gay social whirl as is usually the way chez Guy. Maria and David, who we met in the summer, came for dinner on Sunday – Maria had clearly been warned not to frighten John too much by referring to his likeness to Michael Caine so he was rather more relaxed! Another couple, Tim and Gay, came round on Tuesday – long term friends of Liz’s, they have owned a place here for over 20 years which was how K and L came to fall in love with the place and buy the house on Place du Fort. As ever, Liz managed to dish up delicious meals, for huge numbers of people, without ever getting stressed about it. Roz and I do our best to act as skivvies but it is always Liz who does the lion’s share.
Albi and Charlie, the two dogs, seemed to enjoy this bonus autumn break, alternating between lounging around on everyone’s beds or tearing off for rainy walks or seeing off anyone bold enough to come past their garden.
On Tuesday we took everyone to a Michelin starred restaurant for lunch, as a thank you for letting us loose in their lovely house. It was a fabulous lunch – lobster medallions, perdreau (a young partridge and a new word for my food vocab) and a trio of desserts coupled with a bottle of 2004 St Emilion. The setting, in the medieval ‘Maison du Cordeliers’ was amazing, especially coupled with the modern artwork by local artists on the walls. Liz has exhibited some of her ceramics here and it was a great experience. We met the young and dishy chef and were most surprised to hear that his wife had recently run off with the insurance man – well not run far since they are still living in Condom! However, the stresses and strains of achieving a Michelin star can’t be good for a marriage but is certainly hadn’t affected his cooking.
On Wednesday Keith, Liz, Roz and the two dogs set off for the journey back to the ferry and Medstead, leaving us lords of the manor with lots of instructions which hopefully we will manage to follow – when the dustmen come, how to shut the shutters, where to put the mouse poison when we leave etc! Our first, and most exciting task, was to head for the supermarket, finally able to take full advantage of the wonderful provisions on offer, knowing that I have a kitchen to cook it in.