Brooklyn In Provence
© Leda Meredith
Rosemary thrives beside old stone, humming its fragrant wake-up call. A half-filled basket of lavender waits for the gardener to return. A pitcher of wine is placed on an outdoor table in anticipation of lunch. No, this is not somewhere in southern France. This is Brooklyn, New York.
Why dream of travel to places like Provence? Having savored several journeys there, I have decided that it's not just the often written about food, wine, weather, and local characters. It's also for the way I slow down when I'm there, the permission I give myself to appreciate all the richness available to my senses.
Meanwhile, I sit in the Greene Avenue Community Garden next to the rosemary plant that moved here with me from Manhattan. A hundred yards away the city bustles with its inscrutable business: there is the noise of drilling and construction across the street, of traffic and rowdy teenagers. But if I sit here long enough I will start to notice the bees working the lavender and the tomatoes that are ready to pick. I can smell thyme and savory, and did I dream a whiff of fennel? Lunch will be a creation based on the herbs in my basket, olive oil, bread, and a good, inexpensive bottle of wine. I don't need to cross the Atlantic to be in heaven.
Herbes de Provence
There are many variations of this delicious blend of herbs, but musts are:
Lavender
Fennel (usually the seeds rather than the leaves)
Thyme
Often Herbes de Provence also includes:
Savory
Rosemary
Marjoram
Sage
Basil
Experiment to see what proportions of each herb taste and smell delicious to you when you combine them. If you are using fennel seeds, crush them lightly in a mortar and pestle. Herbes de Provence is especially good with chicken and lamb. My husband thinks it is good with everything, and has even been known to use it in omelettes! For recipes that use Herbes de Provence, try this page at Epicurious.
This list could take up an entire article! But for an inexpensive, everyday wine from Provence, try a Côtes du Rhone. If you are feeling extravagant, treat yourself to a Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Recommended reading to start you daydreaming about your next travels:
Peter Mayle's classic A Year In Provence