After yesterday’s busy day, we drive over to the lake and relax in the sun. We have a light lunch as we have ordered paella for this evening from Didier at the Hotel du France and we know just how generous he is with his food!

We arrive back at the house late afternoon and most of us take a nap. Around 7pm the guys go over to the hotel ( any excuse for a few beers at the bar) and collect the paella. It is truly enormous but everyone manages a plateful. We serve it with fresh bread and aioli – (see recipe).

After the meal, we take a walk through the village and watch the locals playing Pétanque. They invite us to play so we spend an hour or two trying to win with no success. Definitely more practice needed, so we stroll home and are all glad of an early night.

AIOLI RECIPE

1 egg yolk

2 cloves of garlic finely minced

2 tbs olive oil

Juice of half a lemon

Pinch of salt

Put the egg yolk in a bowl and add the garlic and a pinch of salt. Squeeze the lemon juice into the bowl and start whisking the ingredients together. Gradually add the oil, whisking continuously until the mixture is smooth and creamy. You can use this with a number of dishes. In Spain they serve it with fresh baked rolls and plump olives with a beer or glass of wine – Salud!

Tomorrow we visit LaGarde near Chalabre for one of the best barbecues of the year and Jude and Phil go off on their VRUISE (virtual cruise) to Norway.

RESULTS FROM PREVIOUS RECIPES