when only a vacherin will do
Some of the most delightful times we enjoy during our tours are the visits to out of the way places and the unexpected delights that pop up along the way.
Once such experience occurred during our Essential Provence Tour when we visited a small, wonderfully authentic restaurant in the Vaucluse. The restaurant was full of French merry makers in their best eating apparel and waiters bustling to and fro. It was the perfect sunny day for a long lunch and we settled in under a lovely linden tree in full blossom ready to enjoy the delicious fare that was tantalizing us with its aromas from the kitchen.
Such a meal we enjoyed, but the moment came as we dispatched the last remnants of the cheese platter when of course dessert needed to be considered. As we perused the menu one of the waitresses walked by carrying the most amazing dessert creation: a Vacherin. It was a unanimous "When Harry met Sally" moment. "We'll have what they're having", we cried!
The vacherin was not on the menu but the locals at the next table were celebrating a birthday and the vacherin was their special birthday treat.
It looked absolutely splendid consisting of a huge mound of meringue over the top of an
ice cream-like gateau. Our waitress was only too happy to ask Monsieur Le Chef to make us our own smaller version of this culinary magnificence.
I think the picture at the top of the page is worth a thousand words with Hugh just about to do battle with his generous portion of vacherin.