I hope this blog will find you happy after the celebrations, that. Hope you had nice traditional or trendy parties with good food and alcohol (though not enough to make you sick)

This blog is about food ; I will write a separate blog later on for all the other arts, I have been able to enjoy in the city.

While taking advantage of the city, I am thinking of the “table d’hôtes” for 2010. There are so many recipes to choose from and to practice; it is difficult to choose. The only thing that is certain is that I will not have the same menu over and over again.
Even if you only have dinner once at martinn in 2010, it will be “special”; using quality, local, in season ingredients; organic for most of them.
My pleasure to cook will equal your pleasure to eat.

That’s why, I ask to book a few days before ; each menu being different, top quality and fresh ingredients. Once you have enjoyed the food, I am sure you will understand.
Even when the recipe has an exotic taste, it is made from mostly local ingredients



Valentine’s month : February will be pink, red, sweet or spiced and chocolate. For Valentine, menus are Moroccan and Indian as last year but the recipes are different ones. This year you will cook Moroccan (a refined, coloured, sunny, tasty and loving cooking) and go back home with a gourmet, traditional, regional basket ready to enjoy for dinner and your Valentine’s surpises ans souvenirs.

March will honour nature, spring and Ireland. This is the "green month” offering recipes with pistachios, spinach, arugula… Week of March 17th will definitely be Irish with stews, oatmeal cookies and a nice Irish coffee at the end of dinner.
Maybe some nice, Japanese and Zen recipes if they inspire me at that time, including green tea and artichokes for detoxify.

April is Easter, for lamb, young vegetables and chocolate.

May will be pink and flowers fro your Moms and your pleasure.

At one point between May and June, we should enjoy the opening of the new tourist office in Maubourguet and its Museum showing the ‘Ocean God’ mosaic.
Martinn will celebrate with a whole week of Gallo-Roman dinners.
Forget about fries, mashed potato, maize, tomato and sugar. Think of honey, cereals, lamb, sweet and sour recipes. Generous meal for sure ! Lying on a couch. Not so sure …

June when summer is definitely here will be gold and yellow. Saffron will inspire me …

July will be blue, white, and red to celebrate Independence Day on the 4th and Bastille Day on the 14th. Some nice and very French recipes and décor.

August is always Jazzy with ‘round the world’ buffets. As soon as I know about the Jazzinmarciac program, I will tell you about my program (buffets and music evening

September is “crops” and fruits. Recipes will include fruits, sweet and sour flavours; medieval recipes as they did like spices and mixing salt and sugar.

October and November will celebrate wine, Armagnac and root vegetables.
In the South West; foie gras may be eaten all year round or almost, but Autumn is the best season to start preparing for the Holiday season 2010-2011; the foie gras and its trimmings.

I am still in Paris, enjoying the city and preparing the next season in Maubourguet at the same time. Websites are being redone (2 now; 1 for each location).
I get lots of ideas from my frequent trips to the Librairie Gourmande (I like to attend the Book signing on Saturdays and have the opportunity to meet some “grands chefs”) ; from my trips to Gdetou, Grande Epicerie at the Bon Marché; specialised spices or other delicacies shops ; from reading cookbooks and magazines.

I read with pleasure that some of the recipes you enjoyed last year are “trendy”, in the “mood” such as gold on pastries, macarons, roast duck filets with fruits, guinea fowl casseroles, old fashioned root vegetables…
This blog is only about food, as an art of course !
I'll write about other arts and the wonderful exhibitions in a separate blog, later on.

Another year, another cycle. I believe in the meaning of the circle, some magic there … is it why I fell in love with this wonderful and tasty pastry ? There will be “macarons” at the table, all along the season…


So enjoy this New Year, good and healthy food, and friendly atmospheres…


This will be "my message" for this year : let's enjoy the wonderful pleasures of a nice table, gourmet food, good wines, casual and friendly atmosphere.