zee perfect omelette

since we've been in france, i've been obsessed with perfecting a breakfast omelette. we are big egg eaters, and usually do some variation of eggs and veggies in the morning, but omelettes always struck me as super fancy and difficult. maybe it's something in the air, but i think i've finally nailed this elusive oeuf dish (yes, it' much more fun to call them oeufs instead of eggs. just say it out loud and you'll get it). so break out your nonstick pan and give it a shot!

zucchini omelette (for one)

- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil (or butter)
- Salt and Pepper
- 3 eggs
- 3 slices of tomato
- 1/4 cup of diced ham (optional)
- Avocado (optional)

start by buying a kilo of zucchini at the grocery store for about 50 cents because july. then choose one and chop it up.

heat up about a tablespoon of the olive oil on medium-high heat and add the zucchini along with a pinch of salt and pepper. sauté for about 8-10 minutes. i like my zucchini verging on burnt (don't ask), so if you like yours a little less well done, just keep an eye on it.

once it's done, take it off the heat and put it in a bowl for later. now you can assemble the rest of the cast of characters!

put the pan back on the stove with the other tablespoon of olive oil or butter and heat it up on medium-low heat. whisk together the eggs with another pinch of salt and pepper and then pour into the pan. if some ham tickles your fancy, go ahead and sprinkle it on top of the eggs and throw a cover on top of the pan for about 3-4 minutes.

once it starts to firm up, start feeling around the edges with a spatula to see if it's done enough to flip. freak out a little and take a deep breath. close your eyes, say a quick prayer to julia child, then remember that it's probably better to keep your eyes open, and just go for it. you just flipped an omelette, hooray!

once you've recovered from that anxiety, throw a few slices of tomato and the cooked zucchini on one half of the eggs.

it only needs to cook for about 30 seconds on this side, so once it's done, use your spatula to fold it in half and slide it out of the pan onto a plate.

give yourself a pat on the back for not ripping it on the way out!

add a little sliced avocado (with some salt because french avocados don't taste like anything at all and it's really sad) and a perfectly ripe peach or two on the side.

the last and final step is the most important, so pay close attention. eat outside on the patio of a french garden with a lounging great dane on the lawn beside you.

et voila! c'est magnifique.

our weekend was: the get me outta here edition

ok, i realize i will garner little to no sympathy for this post, but we are ready with a capital R to be on that plane back home. i'm hoping this week flies by, and for the love of god, stops raining (for those of you keeping track at home, we're now at 10 straight days of rain). if i can spend our last week back out in the garden, getting some vitamin d, that will make things a whole lot easier.

we were in desperate need of a trip out of town, but we didn't get our act together to leave until mid-afternoon on saturday. so we drove to beaune, which is a (wait for it) very picturesque little village about 45 minutes away, and walked around for a bit for a change of scenery.

just a castle in the distance as we were driving. because france. 

one great thing about being surrounded by so much wine is visiting beaune in the afternoon, and then drinking a bottle of local red in the evening. i still can't get over how cheap and delicious the wine is here... i guess it's "world-renowned" or something for a reason.

and it's bastille day today, so we're gonna go explore this evening to see how they celebrate! i'll be wearing my new french espadrilles which i purchased for 4 euros... at the grocery store. i mean, what a deal!

oh, and how about those germans last night?? so excited, but wishing i was there to celebrate!

what did you get up to this weekend?

the perfect lunch plate

now, this might be surprising, but it turns out there isn't a chipotle, or a chop't, or even (god forbid) a subway within about 100 miles of our village. i know, right? what do people eat for lunch??

the thought of cooking a third meal along with breakfast and dinner every day seemed really overwhelming.  not to mention, lunch time falls right around the start of my work day, so i'm usually already set up on my laptop for the day. so instead, i've perfected the quick cold lunch plate. and i'm about to let you in on the secret.

ok, it's not really a secret (anymore).

a little cold rotisserie chicken (we buy about two of them a week); some roasted, salted almonds and olives with herbs; some chopped carrots and cucumber; a little dab of local mustard to dip it all in; and some incredibly juicy and perfectly ripe cherries for a little dessert. 

so that's the basic template, and it has protein, fat, and veggies to keep me full til dinner time. not super into cold chicken? try some prosciutto wrapped melon, or a slice of ham to change things up. add some cherry tomatoes or an apple and almond butter. the beauty of this bad boy is that it's all about what's in the fridge, and not about prepping and cooking a super fancy meal. note: if dairy and gluten doesn't make you feel like death, then some cheese and crackers would sure fit in awfully well.

et voila!

oh, and if you happen to have a macaron or two or ten laying around to snack on once you're done, that certainly can't hurt. sadly, they never last long enough around here for a picture. someday. maybe. probably not. 

a walking tour of semur-en-auxois

last thursday, while blake's parents were still here, we took a stroll from the village's main square that the tourism office recommends. it was about three miles, and it hits all of the major sites in semur-en-auxois. it also basically confirms the fact that we are living in a fairytale. a fairytale with a disappointing lack of kale and unsweetened almond milk, but a fairytale nonetheless.

here's some of what we saw! it's a lot like the upper east side of new york, as you can see... and by a lot like, i mean nothing like. still can't believe this is where we get to hang out for another three weeks!