Maricopa Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 jonYou are so wide of the mark in so many ways.[:(]Please try to lighten up, enjoy life, enjoy your work and enjoy this forum.There are a lot of good people on here.[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cassis Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 [quote user="Russethouse"]Cats generally don't post much here[:)][/quote]Tosh. Look at all the cats in avatars around here. Being a cat is no bar to communication. Prrrrrrr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon Posted October 9, 2008 Author Share Posted October 9, 2008 I love my work[you all know that] .....you lot lighten up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 [quote user="Maricopa"] [quote user="sweet 17"]DYSLEXIA LURES, KO![/quote]Shouldn't that be LYSDEXIA LURES KO[:-))][/quote]You're right, of course, Maricopa. But I thought I'd better make it "not too difficult" or I would be accused of being dyslexist! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenniswitch Posted October 11, 2008 Share Posted October 11, 2008 [quote user="jon"]www.closdessaveurs.co.uk[/quote]So glad you posted this (I was getting curious). Looks like you've been having a lot of fun with the decorating.Bon chance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon Posted October 11, 2008 Author Share Posted October 11, 2008 Well the artisans were busy for four months and then all the furnishings went into place.Got all the legal things done whilst the decorating took place so that we have a liscence to serve meals with wine on the premises.All is well...expect for aspects relating to the website...but that can be sorted.Curiosity did not kill the cat...not in the real world!Barbara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSA Aude Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Jon, with regards to advertising I've just finished my monthly copy of the BBC Good Food Guide and there are quite a number of gastronomic courses/places to stay both UK and abroad promoting themselves, thought it may be of interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon Posted October 13, 2008 Author Share Posted October 13, 2008 Interesting JSA because I have been in touch with the BBC in house mag...but will look at BBC food guide.I may try to remain focused on French mags....the Brits are very busy crying about the economy and may forget that life still goes on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panda Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 And you think the french are different, have you read any papers this week? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon Posted October 13, 2008 Author Share Posted October 13, 2008 Yes....In a way I do Panda.The French [I feel] are interested in life...not just money.After all what point is there in living without happiness....and if you are constantly just thinking about keeping money rather than useing it for a little treat away from the city or buying a little soemthing nice...to eat, drink or wear.Oh, by the way I do not need the newspapers to see peoples moods...I walk in the market...talk to them[the French] and see their reactions.They just seem to carry on living...thats what it is about.....getting on with life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerise Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 I'm amazed you think that jon. ALL and I mean ALL of the French people I know are very anxious about the economy. Most of them have already stopped little treats like Sunday lunch at restaurants. Went with friends to a local restaurant (not very dear 23€ menu) which is normally packed and has been every week of the 6 years I've been here. Yesterday lunch - a lovely warm sunny day - only 5 tables taken. Talking to the patronne she said it has been like that for a few weeks now.We have a B & B in a much less luxurious category than yours and I'm anxious. There used to be 2 'top-end' places round here. One has closed and the other is for sale. I really hope that your optimism is founded but sadly fear it may not be. Of course life has to go on, but the French people I know are certainly very interested in money and very concerned about not having any! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 Well Mr Cat is French, and he, along with most of the other French people I know, watches the news every day. During the past 2 weeks the French news, and all of the current affair type programs have talked of nothing but "la crise". Restaurants have had a disastrous summer season, as the people are watching their money are simply not eating out as much as they used to, and (in rural France at least) the French don't eat out that much anyway. Many in the hospitality trades, the local shopkeepers, along with builders, plumbers, tilers, electricians, are laying people off or are closing. Even the most conservative estimates from the most optimistic sources don't see things getting any better before next year. Little luxuries are the last thing that people are spending money on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon Posted October 13, 2008 Author Share Posted October 13, 2008 Last Sunday the market was busy and people were looking happy.The main strawberry stall was sold out by 11.....the coffeeshop was full to the brim and seats more than 100...A week ago we tried to find a table in a restaurant ...all the local places[and in nearby villages]were complete and we travelled further on to a town.The restaurant was busy but we found a table.By the way main courses were 26 euros...and set , of course was a reasonable price...but well costed [good buisness sense]I am under the impression that a little quality goes a long way!I also feel that the area around St Emilon[where we are]is expectional not only for its beauty but very richly underpinned by the wine industry, tourist industry and very wide variety of artisan work which goes on here.The builders and architects are still very busy and you have to wait your turn,Houses are still selling.I did research extensivley before I left Uk...AS I have mentioned before I am not a novice and I am not impulsive.There will be less buisness in the next few years certainly....but there is a market for quality...and I will be able to weather the storm.....I have before.....that time with a mortgage and a buisness loan.Life goes on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon Posted October 13, 2008 Author Share Posted October 13, 2008 where is everyone... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panda Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 I'll be down in that direction this weekend and will be eating out. I must say things seem pretty dead here in the Charente, will be good to compare, I'll let you know how it goes.Forgot to say of course on market day everywhere seems busier, here included. I can never see the draw of the market myself but it seems everyone feels the need to turnout every week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon Posted October 13, 2008 Author Share Posted October 13, 2008 Where will you be Panda...when you said you will be in my area.Have you chosen a restaurant?I know about Charente....we did own a house just outside Cognac....and we looked at a really lovely property in Duex Sevre[is that corre\ct]chef du bouten[thats not correct!]we loved the house but the area was not suitable for our venture.I hope that they sold the property. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panda Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 I'm going to Bergerac airport (again) which I absolutely hate doing, it is a nightmare to get to for me and a hideously arranged airport generally. Im waiting for confirmation from my friend so have not made any arrangements yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon Posted October 13, 2008 Author Share Posted October 13, 2008 yes its lovely near Bergerac airport.Is that where you are staying.The restaurant which I was going to recomend is nearer to us....closer to St Emilon and Libourne....at Pujols...La Poudette. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 Do you mean this one Jon? Looks super.Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 The "reasonable" prices that you both quote for the menu de jour I am sure are the norm and reasonable for your area but there is clearly a big difference between areas.Where I am a 4 course menu de jour with wine used to cost 11 euros and the restaurants were usually quite busy, in the last 6 months it has risen to 13 euros after the price rises in food basic commodities. The restaurants are nearly empty now and most dont think that they can survive much longer, my local brasserie often only has one couple to eat at lunch and is usually always empty in the evenings.Where I think that they (and others) have gone wrong is to carry on with the same offering at a higher price (one put the prices up twice in a month) instead of tweaking/changing the menu or offering to avoid comparison, there really is little to choose between them all as the food is always good and the service virtually non existant and customers are habitually insulted or ignored.The one proprietor who has benefitted from the losses of the others is the only one that makes his customers feel welcome in the way that a London restauranteur would do, he spends all his time meeting and greeting and lets the others operate his smoothly oiled machine. This is not a top restaurant but a routier with only the fixed menu for €13, no à la carte, just a blackboard with a choice of 10 starters and usually 7 main course that quickly get rubbed out, the cheese comes on a trolley and you can choose whatever and as much as you want. He still serves around 80 covers every lunch time and around 40 in the evenings.Ironically the only other food establishment that does well is MacDo's especially when all the other restaurants close for les vacances with military precision just when the 250,000 tourists arrive to find everything, and I do mean everything (Hotels, bars, cafes, boulangeries) closed.And then the owners return debt ridden after their 5 week holidays to find that the locals having spent their 13 months holiday bonus salary at Macdo's are economising due to first the taxes foncieres then the taxe d'habitation bills and then Noel.Someone like you would clean up where I live Jon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon Posted October 14, 2008 Author Share Posted October 14, 2008 Spg...yes thats is our fav restuarant....the cooking is interesting and a good balance of flavours and textures.Yes presentation is appealling too.However the atmosphere is great too...it is a farmhouse and lots of interesting chickens around in the garden during the day;horses,a big goose[acts as maitre D ] and two very lovely cats.Very friendly service...very very popular and cosy.JR.....I understand what you are saying about 11 euro menues.We have one on the 936 a couple of km outside St Emilion and at lunchtime[it only opens then]and last week, today and next Thur it will seet more than 100 people inside and about 30 outside.It is ther sort of food which is very edable;a soup of salad to begin,Coq au vin or a slice of pork with carrotts and some diluted gravy[rather than the horrid floury,salty stuff found in uk transport cafes]Then a slice of something or a very sweet something else....and probably a little cheese.These people survive on numbers and the numbers are made-up of truck drivers and vineyard owners and their staff mainly.It is not possible to cook our food for the same numbers.Just about everything at Poudette and our place is made at our premises.That includes things like chutneys,sauces,soups,ravioli,biscuits,cakes,ice cream and sorbet.Each starter is assembled to order[useing things like crab and lobster....cooked that day before"sevice"]Each piece of meat is sealed and roasted[of course the fish too]to order...and then sauced and garnished.Each dessert has a partner or two[and made in our kitchens]little pot of dark chocolate flavoureed with lavender,brochette of tropical fruits and a quinelle of elederflower sorbet.So in order to be able to attract people who appreciate this cuisine and pay for it you have to be in the right area.Not everyone is interested in cooking at this level.....and not everyone can cook this style of food....J and I have been cooking for many years[and have had some famouse chefs working in our kitchen or "stagier"]and we are here in France to have a pleasant life....cook for others[whilst on holiday]and teach others[mainly whilst they are on holiday]Re the crab and lobster...it is cooked from live....and scallops bought in the shell....fruits served on a banana leaf.....attention to detail...thats what makes it fun to cook. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 [quote user="J.R gone native"]Where I am a 4 course menu de jour with wine used to cost 11 euros and the restaurants were usually quite busy, in the last 6 months it has risen to 13 euros after the price rises in food basic commodities. The restaurants are nearly empty now and most dont think that they can survive much longer ... Where I think that they (and others) have gone wrong is to carry on with the same offering at a higher price (one put the prices up twice in a month) instead of tweaking/changing the menu or offering to avoid comparison ...[/quote]There was a similar situation round us last year and 2 restos closed; this was when menus at midday were usually around 16 euros for 3 courses. This year most of the places that have survived last winter have adopted a different tack and now offer a choice of 2 courses at 12 euros or 3 at 17 euros; they might not be busy but at least they are hanging in there. It remains to be seen what will happen during this winter.Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 Jon and Barbara - just had an idea - why don't you contribute to the French Food and Wine forum? Perhaps you have done already, but I for one would appreciate your input, advice etc. Pat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon Posted October 16, 2008 Author Share Posted October 16, 2008 Our cookery programmes take care of teaching people.Thanks for the idea Pat......but the days are getting very full with various forms of work.....and spending time with friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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