Chez Teresa
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| Gender | Female |
|---|---|
| Industry | Tourism |
| Occupation | Cook/Patissier/Writer/co Proprietor of a B & B |
| Location | Fontevraud l'abbaye, Maine et Loire, France |
| Introduction | Living in the Loire Valley and running a small restaurant/B & B for the past 9 years has been part joy, part cause for concern; but then attempting to run a small business anywhere in the world can result in difficulties. In many ways Fontevraud l'abbaye in the Loire Valley is an idyllic village to live in full of historical, cultural and architectural gems not to mention the glory that is the countryside with its rich wealth of vineyards, deep forests and rolling fields which in summer time are filled with an abundance of produce and sunflowers. We are located next door to the magnificent abbey where Eleanor of Aquitaine spent her last days. My passion is for baking so this is why I have started this blog to share recipes and also to share reflections about life in Fontevraud; what it is like to run a small business here as an expat. I love the fact that on any one day we can meet people from all over the world so no two days are the same. When they enjoy the dishes on offer this is the greatest compliment ever. Our customers could be from Russia, Argentina, India, China, Denmark and of course France or the UK to name but a few. |
| Interests | I have a number of passions including baking, researching new recipes, sourcing collectables and antiques, reading, music, singing and history. Plus of course a love of French and the history of the United Kingdom. |
| Favorite Movies | Black and white classics Gone with the Wind French and American Noir thrillers Anything by the brilliant film makers that were Powell and Pressburger from Black Narcissus to The Red Shoes to Powell's Peeping Tom. I also love most things with a romantic or thriller twist from Ladies in Lavender to the Bourne Conspiracy films |
| Favorite Music | Music is very important to me and I have to have it playing around me all the time. I have a hugely eclectic taste in music from Classical Music (Chopin, Stravinsky (Rite of Spring) plus music from film such as John Barry's score from Out of Africa which makes me cry every time I hear it), along with Michael Nyman and Philip Glass plus Jazz and Blues (Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Jimmie Rogers, Gershwin etc) to Classic Rock and Roll (Led Zepplin, Santana, Pink Floyd, King Crimson ) also love the legends that are Carole King, James Taylor, Jonnie Mitchell, Kirsty MacColl and Suzanne Vega and contemporary music from Kelis and yes Dolly Parton.. Currently I am listening to London Grammar's fabulous album ' If You Want' and find Hannah Reid's lyrical tones quite mesmerizing and also I find Kaiser Chiefs very good to listen to - they were brilliant at Glastonbury this year. |
| Favorite Books | I adore recipe books by Elizabeth David, Mary Berry, Jamie Oliver and one of my favourite books of all time is The Elusive Truffle by Mirabel Osler. The latter's Chocolat aux fondant is to die for...The books by these authors and even though I am I think an instinctive cooke, are my points of reference. In the past I was inspired by the recipes of David Crank and the Cranks restaurant chain that is sadly no longer in the UK. I refer also to my own recipe book The Chez Teresa Recipe Book. The book has recipes and gives tips about hosting the perfect afternoon tea party. Most of the classics. Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and anything by Daphne du Maurier. Anna Karenina is probably my favourite book of all time. I love the character of Levin and also of poor Anna and her dilemmas. Anything by Philippa GregoryMaeve Binchy Currently I am reading Buddhu in the Attic by Julie Otsuka and Isabel Allande's Maya's Notebook. Other books that I have loved have been Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquive and also Chocolat by Joanna Harris and anything by Agatha Christie. Like Oscar Wilde when I am bored I tend to read my own books i.e. my diary, The Fontevraud Cat ( a children's book that I wrote a few years back in tandem with a project with the local school here in Fontevraud - the local children produced their own versions and whenever a youngster comes to stay under the age of 10 I read the story to them and they do seem to love it). I am currently writing a thriller about Fontevraud, but whether it will feature historic characters or those around me today I am not sure...Sometimes I look around me and I cannot help but have a sense of echoes from the past and the Plantangnet faces of some of the locals fill me with wonder.. When we first moved here in 2006 we visited one of the local bars and looked up at the prints on the walls and the local men propping up the bar and thought yes things seem to be as they might have been several hundred years ago.. |