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Raymond Blanc's programme


mint

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Anyone saw it tonight?

Ravishing photography and the food, of course, is as you would expect as RB went back to his childhood village in Franche-Comté.

Next week, Burgundy....worth watching as it's entertaining as well as informative.

OK, he's not my favourite anglicised Frenchman and his wig looks plain silly but it's great that he's made these wonderful progs (if tonight's is anything to go by).

They were talking, amongst other things, about vin jaune.  Now I'm not a great lover of sweet (ish) wines but I feel I've got to taste this one.

Anyone lives near there or have any comments on the programme?

Would love to hear your views, opinions, additional information [:D]

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Liked the programme very much but then I'm a RB fan,( loved 'A taste of my life') however I felt the narator was not that great......looking forward to next weeks programme

Having seen RB I don't think its a wig Sweet, possibly the colour is 'helped' but then my hair colour is 'helped' too [:)]

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Funnily enough, RH, I was thinking of you because I seemed to remember that you were an RB fan.  Me, give me the twinkly-eyed Michel Roux anytime over RB [:D]

Yes, you're right about the narrator and her French accent is so dire that I had to leave the subtitles on in order to understand what town, area, etc that she was talking about[+o(]

So, it's not a wig?  He should have had a better colourist then!

But, his mother was quite a character, wasn't she?

And I just loved the looks of the house and garden where his grandparents worked.....

It was a gem of a programme really and I am looking forward to Burgundy [:)]

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Oh Sweet, I meant to watch, but forgot all about it and was in bed fast asleep really early - which is probably why I'm up and writing this now! Had gastro enteritis last weekend and sleep patterns are all over the place still, as are eating patterns! I'm now hoping can catch up with it during the week.

I love Michel Roux (both) and think Raymond Blanc is pretty good too. I enjoyed 'A Taste of my Life' and also his restaurant programmes, and enjoyed knowing the places where the various restaurants were. I've enjoyed hearing snippets about RB's mother over the years, and would like to see her in the flesh - or at least on TV. She always sounds a great character!

I love the Franche-Comté area, used to holiday there, and appreciate the food. There used to be a lovely restaurant near where we used to stay, where we ate a number of times. There were no menus; you told the chef/owner how much you wanted to spend on the meal and he suggested what you might eat. There would be negotiation around that, and then you'd settle on what you ended up with. I can't remember a poor meal, and we certainly weren't very big spenders!

Burgundy next - excellent! we don't stay there much  now, but again used to spend holidays there. The most we do now is once or twice a year we stay in Beaune on the way up and down the autoroute, but usually enjoy a meal wherever a friend, a local, suggests is correct at the time. Oh dear, my current diet of bread and potatoes with a little brandy definitely feels very deficient when thinking about Burgundy! But I did have a little roast chicken last night, so things are improving! 

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[quote user="idun"]

Please explain why you thought he was wearing a wig and dyed his hair?

I did not think either when I saw him.

[/quote]

 He may not dye his hair, but when it all blew back in one shot he seemed to have 'roots' - interestingly I just saw a trailer for Jeremy Kyle and I suspect he has a toupee, and another one I think does is Terry Wogan, but who knows it could be excessive use of hair spray that gives that 'dead' look!

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I really enjoyed the programme and would recommend it to those who have not seen it, as it is being broadcast in HD and shows the French coutryside in all its summer glory. Just make sure you watch it on a full stomach, otherwise you will end up drooling for a slab of cheese, saucisson and a large glass of wine!
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[quote user="Russethouse"][quote user="idun"]

Please explain why you thought he was wearing a wig and dyed his hair?

I did not think either when I saw him.

[/quote]

 He may not dye his hair, but when it all blew back in one shot he seemed to have 'roots' - interestingly I just saw a trailer for Jeremy Kyle and I suspect he has a toupee, and another one I think does is Terry Wogan, but who knows it could be excessive use of hair spray that gives that 'dead' look!

[/quote]

 

I didn't notice that RH. Guess what, next week I'll be looking at his head all the time. In fact when I get a moment I'll look at the iplayer.

I doubt his maman will be on next week, which will be a shame.

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I thought he said 93 years young, by the look of it. What a wonderful woman and actually for me had more screen presence than her little boy..........

In fact I think that mother's always think of their sons as boys. And me, I think any man who hasn't got the 'boy' still in his heart would be very very boring.

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I've just watched the programme and enjoyed it a lot! I loved the scenery of the area already, and thought the photography was wonderful. I could have done with some of my vieux Comté I buy each week and a good glass or two of wine to go with it. His menu and going round finding the ingredients was fascinating; I'd love to have that young man and his vegetables near us!

I didn't see any wig or notice hair dye; I saw Raymond had grey round the edges - quite distinguished, and I thought he looked better for having lost a few pounds - he looked podgy last time I saw him.

His mother was wonderful - what a character! Aged almost 90, he said, and still managing her little potager etc - and keeping her son in line! ''He talks a lot'' - priceless!

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[quote user="5-element"]

Sorry to say that I couldn't get anywhere with Norman's link - sad because Franche-Comté is close to my heart, this is where I spent the first 18 years of my life, and my mother still lives there.

Even the radio page wouldn't do it.

[/quote]

Install Expat Shield. It's full of spyware so I uninstalled it but it does work.

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[quote user="5-element"]

Sorry to say that I couldn't get anywhere with Norman's link - sad because Franche-Comté is close to my heart, this is where I spent the first 18 years of my life, and my mother still lives there.

Even the radio page wouldn't do it.

[/quote]*

Sorry 5E

You need to have a way to pretend that you are in the UK or you can't watch BBC iPlayer programmes.

That is what Expatshield does.

I won't use it (that's another story) and I use another method, but if you don't do either of these you won't see it from my link

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We watched and enjoyed the programme; the food, the countryside and his amazing mother! I bet sales of Comté go up in the UK and that there's an increase in visitors to Franche Comté as it looks a beautiful area.

What was the name of the smoked sausage? Mordeau or something like that and is it generally available (in France)?

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