Life in Médoc
Ah, beautiful Médoc!
Having lived in Paris for so many years, my husband and I decided to take the big step and live in the country. The conditions were perfect – our kids are below 10 years of age, our work is flexible (photography, journalism) and we can travel anywhere. So why not? I admit it was more of my husband’s idea at first. When he came up with the subject one summer, I thought to myself I could never survive without the beat of the city. I am a Hong-Kong/Paris girl at heart!
We’ve been living in Médoc, France, for nearly 18 months now. And it’s taken me some time to adapt. Getting out of a city is like a detox program. No one is stressed out here. Stores, banks, post offices – they have long daily lunch breaks. No one is in a rush. People you meet talk about the mushrooms they found in the forest, or where the geese are flying to (it’s an indication of how soon summer will come). It’s nice.
Médoc is perfect in the sense that you have all the best on a platter – amazing châteaux and 1,500 vineyards all over, the ocean and wild white sand beaches 4 km away, wild pine forests filled with wild boars, deers, bécasses birds to name a few. Our kids have the chance to live in this rich landscape, enjoy a life ‘au naturel’, and our dogs are in heaven.
ENTRIES
Market days
Days of wine and oysters
The magic box
Chateau Maucaillou
Aïoli & seafood delight
The butcher chef
Bordeaux – Food shopping part I
Manger 
[…] Thorisson’s blog Manger after Joanna posted about her garden cake. Mimi lives in the Médoc region of France with her family and 14 (!) dogs including a german pointer called Gertrude who i […]
I lived in Bordeaux for a semester (well actually in Pessac, on the campus of Bordeaux III.) I am so happy to come across your blog. It makes me miss living there!!
Thanks! Bordeaux is such a nice city, I just love browsing in all the delis and wine stores. Have a nice day! Sunny regards from Médoc!
Hello from a grey and breezy Normandy. I’d like to ask, given your background in food and having met many great chefs, what is your opinion on organic food? is it important to you or not? Are there any organic foods which you believe should be used above others? I ask as a mother to 3 young children who firmly believes home-made is best although eating organically is not always easy due to the higher costs. I’d love to know your views…by the way, I look forward to every new recipe (and the beautiful photographs).
Hello Elizabeth! It’s grey and raining today in Médoc – where has the summer gone? Regarding your question, organic food is important to me, but it’s not always easy to get ‘everything’ organic. I go the the markets twice a week, and I always enjoy going to 2 organic farmers. However, I also buy non-organic ‘in-between’ food at local supermarkets., like carrots, potatoes and a few fruits. So I would say I have a 60/40 ratio of organic/non-organic. For milk, dairy etc, I just but the normal goods! I do think that the label ‘organic’ has been over-exploited for commercial reason, so I am not going to buy ‘organic biscuits’, or chocolate… In my organic priority list, I would say vegetables and fruits are the most important. I find it very important to buy good-quality meat from ‘artisanal’ butchers – always know where your meat is coming from!
Phew – I’m pretty much at the same ratio. Thank you for sharing your opinion. Seems that local and seasonal is the way to go!!
The Medoc is a fabulous area as is Bordeaux
Many Parisians never make it down there – insane.
But I would miss city soot sooo much
Hello,
I found your blog a couple of days a go, and i just have to let you know i’m such a big fan! love to read about your life with your family in the Médoc and totally addicted by these (food) images. So much inspiration!! I hope you don’t mind, but i also used one of your husband images to blog about your blog.
Audrey
Thanks so much Audrey! Hugs from Médoc mimix
Hello,
Sorry, sorry! for the spam, but i filled in my previous comment a wrong address:
it should be: adassen9chello.blogspot.com
Audrey
Your beautiful blog brings back memories of a wonderful extended trip to Bordeaux and Médoc when I was still a student and on a tight budget but it was delightful in every way. – Many years later, I, too, made the move from the big city (NYC) to the country. It took adapting, and still does, but I would not swap the countryside for any city in the world – not only because I can go out and pick my own grape leaves to wrap salmon filets (no quail here, hélas). I also get so much more done here. Yes, country life is serene but it is also much more productive.
I agree with you entirely. Since I have moved here, I feel like an eternal student learning new things everyday. I feel so inspired by the nature that surrounds me. It’s a big life! I just started reading your fabulous blog, and I definitely will be taking your tips on gardening!
Thanks, Mimi. I will also keep an eye on your blog and try the quince tatin when I can get my hand on quince. We don’t have a quince tree, thinking about planting one though, in the meantime we get quinces from a neighbor – another benefit of country life!
Now, this lifestyle sounds absolutely delicious.
Beautiful blog, Mimi! Makes me feel like I’m back in France. Qu’elle me manque! Cheers
I’ve been reading A Cup of Jo for about a year after moving back from NY and your amazing crème caramel recipe brought me here. Guess what, we are “neighbors” ! (I live in Castelnau) Such a small world….
Yes a very small world! Castelnau is not too far! Please email me so we can catch up! mfthorisson@gmail.com Mimi
Delighted to find this gorgeous blog! I’ve never been to France but living in Edinburgh, it’s only a short hop away! Until then, this is a beautiful source of inspiration…
ciao mimi!
so inspired by your beautiful photos and words and absolutely elated that you have a recipe for kouign amann! i first had kouign amann in monterey, california, and have failed to find a recipe that represented what i devoured. i can’t wait to make your version!
i, too, am fleeing the city soon (new york) for the country life. i can’t wait for the stress to melt away….
nico