Le Mely

Friday: April 27^th, Le Mely (Luc Poppe’s place)

(Steve) This day’s drive was a cluster****. We weren’t aware that we simply could have entered Le Mely into the gps, so we chose what we believed was a “town” nearby. The gps led us all over Limousine region. We finally reentered another place near Luc’s. We eventually reached Le Mely in late afternoon, after driving at least double the actual distance. Luc greeted warmly and we settled in.

In celebration of Margo’s birthday, we went to Luc’s favorite restaurant, Le Recreation, located in an old schoolhouse that has been delightfully renovated, and displays modern artwork on its walls. It was a wonderful experience.

(Margo) The partners, owners/chef, greeted Luc warmly and we proceeded to order our fantastic dinner. We all ordered cream of white asparagus soup which was delightful.  Luc ordered ravioli in lobster sauce followed by sautéed turbot (sea bass, I believe) with potato/cheese pancakes/galettes and vegetables. Steve ordered a salad, topped with grilled cheese (he said it was delicious). For the main course, he chose roasted quail and the potato/cheese pancake, with sautéed vegetables. I ordered perfectly-roasted lamb, the potato/cheese patty and sautéed veggies. Before dessert, out they came with a platter of a regional specialty cheese that was very nice. Then…. We had to make room for dessert! Luc: tiramisu; Steve: nougat/pistachio ice cream; Margo: mango soufflé with fresh strawberries and Chantilly whipped cream…..aaahhhh! Luc chauffeured us back and forth to the restaurant, driving along the very narrow, winding roads!

Saturday, April 28^th, Le Mely

Our excursion, today, was the weekly market in Cahors and a concert in the cathedral by a trio of Brits, one of whom played the harpsichord and is a neighbor of Luc’s. The concert was all Baroque featuring compositions by Scarlatti, Bach, and Purcell, and Handel. It was delightful. We then walked around the outdoor market, enjoying that.

Luc decided to fix dinner at home tonight. He did a wonderful roast lamb, seasoned beautifully and served with Bordelaise sauce, roasted potato wedges, and green beans. A lovely meal.

Sunday, April 29^:  Le Mely

(Steve) We went to a fabulous little museum that we missed seeing on our last trip. It focuses on the works of an artist named Ossip Zadkine.  He was a Russian who had fled to France in 1908, probably to escape pogroms. He moved to Les Arques (near Le Mely) in 1934 and spent the remainder of his long life working there. He work reflected his contacts with some of the well-known artists of the period, but was uniquely his own.

(Margo) In the evening, Luc introduced us to another of his favorite restaurants, Le Casserole. The owners are a Dutchman and a Belgian. Luc and Margo ordered set meals, but I confined myself to wonderful cream of zucchini soup, pork medallions, cheese, and cassis (blackcurrant) ice cream for dessert. Luc and Margo both ordered the set dinner menu for the evening, and one of their favorite French desserts: Colonel (which is a dish of fruit sorbet drowned in vodka!).