Sutra 8- July,13th-15th (0KM): LA VIE C'EST BON ... IN BAYON! ... BON APETITE!!! PRESENTING THE
So WHAT TO DO when you have been exhausted from cycling the first 2 weeks, You have ''kinda'' stayed away from goodies and comfort food, but now that you have decided to rest and want to treat yourself, the local Boulangerie/Patisserie is closed???? YOU HAVE TO CALL FOR EMERGENCY REINFORCEMENT!
I proudly present you: Mr. Diether ... my personal Dutch chef for my 3 day-stay in Bayon! haha ...
Therefore, this is a special blog chapter as well, dedicated to good and empowering food while travelling (and not only) but also how to just enjoy the local delicacies for a while and lose the guilt about it! After all ... it's France and you have to taste it's goodness! I was ready for a 3 day rest and ... lot's of food!
TO EAT OR ... TO EAT???
Travelling doensn't mean you have to restrict yourself from eating properly and good. Know what your body needs and what you can actually carry (if it can be preserved or not) saves you from a lot of excessive useless load in your cycling bags and trouble in your stomach! If you are cycling for quite a lot of hours within the day it is actually a really purifying and ''burning'' process as from the first weeks you can already feel your body fighting the toxins out, adjusting to the new circumstances, getting stronger through struggle, feeling fresh devouring endless amounts of water! You have to help the purification process with proper healthy eating but also cut yourself some slack! After all, with so much movement you have a great excuse to give in to a lot of temptations now and then on the way, to restore the sugar loss... eeeehhhhmmmm ...
But still you can have your almost everyday stops in little local grocery stores and markets, or big super markets you are passing by, and sort yourself out with all the fresh greens and fruits you need! Honey, hemp and a variety mix of seeds and nuts for protein and legumes,spices and herbs are always a plus and easy stuff to carry, quinoa banana and oats for morning porridge can keep you going on for long cycling hours (banana works creamy wonders, no need for milk!) avocado sandwich and orange juice with protein powder can seal the deal for a great snack! You just have to be sure of the shops' opening days and hours ... and as it turned out VERY IMPORTANT pay attention not to get caught by your cravings on ... national holidays of the countries you are cycling through! :-)
PRESENTING THE WARRIOR-CHEF!
As soon as he got the S.O.S call in Netherlands and arrived in Bayon after a 5-hour drive, passed the camping's entrance with sure and steady pace, he had no time to waste! He rolled his sleeves up and threw himself fearlessly in a cooking battle with a winner's confidence!
Mr. Diether ... Like a true warrior, had all his strategies and weapons arranged to get to work immediately ... spices, fire, herbs, knives and spoons, pots, twisting and turning everything to his favour of winning not only one more battle but the whole food war! The only thing I can tell you is that when a Dutchman's kitchen skills meet the French countryside, you can expect nothing less than an explosion of combined frangrance and taste all cooked up in small camping pots with a special ingredient: putting all the good intention, creativity and heart to it! Those ingredients are always destined to succeed!
CHEF DIETHER'S SPECIAL MENU OF THE DAY!
Indian Dahl:
What can I really say about this dish? It warms up your heart and stomach ... yummy! Beautiful colours and exotic spices waiting patiently to be combined with portions of rice and become something amazing ... check out awesome recipes here!
''Morning P(ow)rridge'' ... and variations of it! :
Before you read ''porridge'' say ''yuck'' and scroll further down this page, I will kindly ask you to take a few deep breaths be patient and count till ten ... Now THINK AGAIN!!! I was one of the people thinking I really hate porridge my whole life and didn't even bother to try ways to make one, till I tasted this recipe and I became a believer!
People ... morning porridge is the best thing ever and sent out as a gift from the gods to humanity! At least is one of the things you can ''safely try it, before you deny it'' as I like to say ... and go crazy experimenting with so many different ingredients: nuts, flax or hemp seeds, coconut, cinammon, apple, banana, raisins, cardammon, bit of orange or lemon skin, with or without milk or soya milk, adding rice, oats, quinoa or even macarroni (chef Diether went for the last one as an emergency act for a dessert creation on the national independence day in France as nothing else could be found! Served with sweet mixed nutspread! Tasted super! see picture below) All this wisdom passed to me gracefully by Mr.Chef Diether the ''Guru of Porridge'' pictured above in the act... namaste!
Dessert : Bastille! (Or Independence)
Macarroni With Chickpea-sauce :
Another solution for that day ... when nothing could be found from the stores ... the chef squashed some chickpeas with tomato onion and curry ... boilled macaronni ... MAGNIFIQUE!!!!
''CAMP'' - PUCCINO!!!! :
keep some soya milk away from the sun (it will get warm enough anyway so be sure it's still good!) ... use the special pot to prepare the coffee and keep an emty soya milk box to shake the needed portion of soya milk as the chef recommends ... pour it in and splash the coffee too ... VOILA!!!
Sandwich : ''The Frenchie Dutch!''
French Baguette, avocado, tomato, salad hemp oil sandwich (You can add strictly :Gouda or Brie cheese or both, to respect the Sandwich's concept)
Curry Lentils soya cream and salad:
And of course we took our revenge the day after by buying a lot of Croissant, tartes and quiche au fromage ... only the chocolate tarte survived a few minutes more so we could take a picture of it:
SO FAR ... SO FOOD!!!
So yeah! Take your tent bicycle or your car, your dog or your friends, your wife and your kids, your mates or your sister and brother, your loud uncle and cousins you are always finding an excuse not seeing, your parents and grandparents, that girl or guy you wanna ask out, your girlfriend boyfriend,your boss and clients, your neighbour, your colleagues, your teachers or students, and just get the hell out in a park , in nature, or a nice restaurant down the city centre or little town, or village anywhere around the world, enjoying the luxury and priviledge of eating food and being able to have it so easy in this lucky part of the planet we live! Simple or compicated, the truth is one no matter the path you follow to realise it:
Food makes us happy!
... and ''happiness is real only when shared'' as Christopher McCandless wisely said!
SALUTES FROM THE COOKING TEAM, AND BON APETITE EVERYONE!!!!
