La Chatte Gitane (or The Gypsy Cat) was the name we chose for our cottage in France at the time. We chose it while on the road, moving house the first time round, from Ireland to France with 2 dogs and 7 cats in the car.
This blog began its insignificant life as a recipe book for friends and family who would ask me repeatedly for a recipe of this, that and the other.
Since then it has taken many different directions, like we did and like gypsies tend to do. Sometimes making a U-turn and revisiting familiar roads and taking a break when necessary.
You'll find recipes here, but also musings about the places we've called home, the gardens that we've established, not always successfully, the homes we've improved and the environments we've lived in. Currently, after yet another stint in Ireland, we're back in France @ Le Mas d'Ayen

Saturday, April 14, 2007

We started the summer kitchen

As I will be serving evening meals for holiday guests from this summer on, we thought it might be a good idea to turn the stone shed next to the kitchen into an outdoor cooking area.
This means I won't have to be indoors all day, while the weather will be treating us to another beautiful summer.
We started opening up 2 of the 3 'window' openings in the wall all the way to ground level.



I worked on this together with our Norwegian volunteer Aase (pronounce Ose). The stones we took out will be re-used in a wall near the swimming pool. And although Bert (my OH), scratched is hair in disbelief that we were taking on to many projects at once, he served us with some useful tips and advice.

It cannot be denied that this view beats the 4 walls of the indoor kitchen. We will install a gaz BBQ, a sink, a small fridge and work surface.

We'll also have a dining table for when we fancy eating 'semi' al fresco. And I already bought a wisteria to give us lots of blooms in the coming summers.

By the end of May I'm hoping to show you photos of the finished product.

Take care

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4 comments:

  1. William Leigh3:14 pm

    Can you fit me in somewhere between the kitchen sink and the barbecue? What a beautiful place to be able to cook.

    Thanks for trying out my recipe - glad you enjoyed it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous6:51 pm

    We think we see a project coming our way!! Looks like fun :) By the way, we think we found Finnean's twin in western France, another cat with a split tail!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Patricia (La Chatte Gitane)7:11 pm

    Friedel & Andrew ! That certainly is one of the projects coming your way. Our BBQ will be delivered tomorrow.
    That and planting out veg in the garden. Don't worry there are 2 more volunteers at hand, so I really hope we can get things done.

    theboydonefood ! We enjoyed your recipe so much, I also prepared the lentils one day with confit the canard. What can I say ? It was luvely.
    We can probably fit you into the summer kitchen somewhere, maybe at the hob, huh, cooking us lovely meals ;)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Patricia (La Chatte Gitane)7:12 pm

    Oh, Friedel, Finnian's twin, he'll be so chuffed when I tell him. lol.

    ReplyDelete

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