Chef Jacque and my cooking lesson!

Several years ago, we had the privilege of having two friends of our friends, Larry and Regina to dinner!  Little did I know, but I would also make dinner for a French chef and his wife!  It happened quite unexpectedly.  We had invited Regina and Larry (who live in Uzes, France most of the year) to our home in Newport Beach, for dinner.  They called a few days before, and told us they had visitors from France.  Their very good friends Jacque and Annie were staying with them.  Of course, we told Regina and Larry to bring their friends along to dinner!  We enjoyed their company immensely!  They are both sweet, kind, and unassuming.  Little did I know, at the time of the invitation, that Jacque is a chef here in France!  Oh My!

Well, we have seen Jacque and Annie several times since then!  They invited us to their home for dinner two years ago, when we were here in France.  Their home is in the countryside, and Jacque is now retired.  This visit, Jacque offered to prepare dinner with me in his kitchen!  I was overjoyed!  He is a very sweet man, no mad chef here!  And Annie watches and guided us, when we needed it...not to mention, she speaks english pretty well, and was able to help us, when Jacque and I came to a impasse!

The dinner was superb!  When we got there, Jacque had already prepared the fish soup, but we still had a lot to do!  Our wonderful friends, Larry and Regina arrived about 2 hours later for dinner.
The hot day had cooled substantially, so we moved to the terrace, and set the table.
Elegant and delicious!

Here is the menu:

Entrees:
*  Sparkling Rose wine
Fougasse - with home made black olive tapenade, and sun dried tomatoes
(This is a flaky pastry rolled out in a 9" round, then brushed with the tapenade, and sun-dried tomatoes on top.  The pastry is then folded in half, sealed and scored, brushed with an egg wash, and blue poppy seeds sprinkled on top.)
*  Pureed roasted beets with boursin and walnuts
*  Toasts with our home made Olive Tapenade
Dinner:
* A delicious red wine, I think it was a Pino Noir
* Poisson soup (fish soup) topped with toasts with Rouille (spicy mayonnaise we made)langoustines
* Lamb, tajine ( a Moroccan dish - lamb shoulder braised, with eggplant, zucchini, butternut squash,   Onions and garlic, white wine and chicken stock.) Divine!
* Bread
Dessert
* Shortbread cookies stacked with diced strawberries, raspberry sauce, and chantilly atop!

                                        Chef Jacque Nicollini

                The kitchen                                                                  The Fougasse

Annie Nicholini on the left, on the Right,  Regina, with Bruce and Larry behind her

A lovely picture of Regina

                                                           Chef Jacque and Larry

                                                                  Annie and me

The Group!