Online scam for gite owners

I have received another enquiry for my gite in Evran today but this one is a scam. 
I can tell this is a scam:
 
See the wording:

 I want to make a reservation in your facility for Eight (6) of our newly ordained priest from Macedonia, they will be visiting your country for a seven (7) days religious program in the month of March / April 2016.

Arrival Date :..............30th March, 2016

Departure Date:.........5th  April, 2016

Number of guest: (6)

Number of rooms: (3)

Please, kindly confirm availability of the requested rooms and get back to me with total cost, so we can pay a deposit in advance for the rooms to be reserved for them, am waiting for your swift email response. ASAP.  

They never mention the word 'gite' but 'facility' or 'accommodation' instead.

 

They always ask for a 'cost' rather than a 'price'.  

Be very careful and ignore the email. 

Eating frogs’ legs

I know some of you will be disgusted but we do eat frogs’legs in France. Actually in my family we tend to eat out around Christmas time and I always pick this dish.

People say the taste and texture of frog meat is between chicken and fish. Well, you need to try this dish yourself to find out. 

The frogs legs are cooked in butter, garlic and parsley.

I have put the photo of what the dish looks like when you get it and what my plate looked like when I finished! 

You eat the frogs’legs with your fingers. No need to use your knife and fork!

Try this dish if you visit Lyon in France, the capital of gastronomy…

Organic cheese made in Evran

La Ferme des Aulnays in Evran (Brittany France) has 45 Jersey cows, producing 150 000 litres of organic milk per year.

Jérôme and Annie make 2 types of cheeses :

The ‘Camembert’ and the ‘Jersy’, both cheeses have received an award.

To find out more about the farm, please visit this site here.

The cheeses can be bought from the farm in Evran (mornings), from local organic shops or from Evran market the 2nd Saturday of each month.

Emptying a septic tank

Not a great subject but something we must do when we live in the countryside in Brittany and other remote parts of  France!

Every 5 years it is advisable to have your septic tank emptied. It is now regulated so you can’t ask the local farmer to come and do it for you. You must use a registered company and the sewage gets sent to be recycled ‘properly’ rather than being spread on nearby fields.

The company will come and empty the septic tank, clean the tank and fill it again with water.

The price depends on the size of the tank. Expect to pay around 200 euros.

Recipe for ‘Liqueur 44’

When we moved to Brittany we discovered this ‘Liqueur 44’ that everyone over here seem to make!

Here is the recipe:

You will need:

1 organic orange

44 coffee beans

44 sugar lumps

And 1 litre of eau de vie (pure alcohol)

If you live in France, just ask around, you will always find someone who knows someone who makes the eau de vie !

Get a huge jar from your local supermarket.

Stab the orange 44 times!

Put a coffee beans in each holes,

Put the orange in the jar,

Add the 44 sugar lumps and pour the eau de vie on top of it. Close the jar.

Leave it to ‘rest’ for 44 days.

It will taste like Grandmarnier, an orange liqueur with a little extra flavor. It is a nice 'digestif', something you can drink at the end of a meal after the coffee.

Recipe for Pastéis de nata

I have been introduced to Portuguese food by my friends from Madeira. Pastéis de nata is like egg custard.

It is rather easy to make. You will need:

500 ml of milk

150g sugar

2 spoons of Maizena (or plain flour)

5 eggs yolks

Vanilla essence

Zest of a lemon (1/4)

1 puff pastry

Mix the Maizena and sugar together.

Boil the milk. Pour the milk on the maizena/sugar mix.  A the egg yolks one by one, stir quickly. Add the zest and some vanilla essence.

Pour the mixture on the puff pastry (you can make a big one or 12 small ones)

Cook for 20 minutes at 230 degrees.

Sprinkle some cinnamon powder when they are cooked. They are best eaten cold.