Tour de France Cocktails, Corsica and Stage 1

Good morning sports fans! If you're like me, you're watching the Tour de France right now. Later you might need to pair your cycling spectation with some libation. Bicicyling Magazine is your huckleberry, and I love them for it. Check out their roundup of TDF themed cocktails!

http://www.bicycling.com/tour-de-france/tour-features/toast-tour-de-france

Corsica is looks rustic, lush, and hot to me. Very pretty hills. Neat rows of grape vines, too. Looks to be Cav's day, but you never know. Gorgeous shot along the coast. Reminds me a lot of the terrain around Santa Barbara and Ojai. If you want to ride a lovely century or metric century, and you don't mind some climbing, check out the Ojai Century. You'll ride through foothills and avocado and orange groves, and fly along PCH, too! Loads of fun. Southern California is so beautiful, and a great place for road cyclists.

For a Corsican wine, here something that sounds good. This excerpt is from The Examiner:

"The Domaine Maestracci ‘E Prove’ 2010 white is a fresh, acid-driven delight, brimming with limey citrus notes tingling the lips, apple and pear fruits in tangy abundance expanding in the mouth, and a long, leisurely finish that lasts until the next sip begins. This is Vermentinu, the primary white grape of Corsica, known as Vermentino in nearby Italy and Rolle in the south of France. It’s a grape that deserves much more prominence and share of mouth than it gets, and the Maestracci is a perfect example of why it excels in Corsica."

I just read on Miss Elisabeth's blog about how you can get a calzone in Corsica stuffed with a lightly poached egg, mozzarella and prosciutto. They have lots of local cheeses and cured meats, as do all parts of France and Italy. I bet all that would pair quite well with those crisp Corsican white wines. Yummy!

Below is the link where you can read the entire post about that calzone. It will make you want to visit Corsica! Suddenly I do! But why not? After all, my two favorite places in Europe are Italy and France, and Corsica is a blend of both.

http://blog.misselisabeths.com/home/2010/11/8/the-terroir-of-corsica-and-corsican-specialty-foods.html

Happy Tour de France, Everyone!!! I love July!

 

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Into Paris

It's been a few days since I wrote anything here, and I think it's because I've been feeling so many things watching the Tour, too many to convey in words. This year's Tour has been stunning. It's over, and I have a lump in my throat.

Apparently Contador and Andy Schleck really are friends, so the drama, the anger, the quest for revenge was that much more powerful. Such a rivalry. So enthralling, and now it's in the books. Next year, Andy Schleck may just win the whole thing. After that terrible gearing problem, which had Andy dropping back, there was the climactic Col du Tourmalet where he kept trying to shake Contador off his wheel, but couldn't quite do it, and Contador gave him the stage win. Who of us bike riders hasn't slipped a chain due to poor gearing going uphill? Then, in the time trial, Schleck almost got the better of Contador--both of them so tired, but Schleck had the edge--a chip on his shoulder, something to prove. Still, Contador was the superior time trialist, and he fought the exhaustion and gained time during the stage, and beat Schleck. But not by so very much. If Schleck had had better weather on the road in the prologue, he might have won the Tour.

Watching Radioshack on the podium for the team championship, we see that Lance has a bit of a tear in his eye. This is his last Tour, and he knows it.

It's all so wonderful. No sport is more majestic, asks more from its competitors. The great length of the Grand Tour means that many stories unspool from the wheels, as the gorgeous panoramas wind away into history. The commentators, some of whom have been doing it for 30-plus years, are the most poetic of any sport, because poetry is simply the nature of the race. I would like to rhapsodize further about it, to convince those who think I'm crazy to care so much about this sport, this race. But maybe you'll watch one stage of the race this year, or this final stage again, which airs on the West Coast at 5pm, and the fever will catch you. Once it does, you've got it for life. Or maybe you'll start riding your own bike and remember that feeling of freedom, and it will get under your skin, change who you are, how you think of yourself. It happened to me.

I can't convince you. But if your mind is open, check out the highlights reel on Versus.

Long live the Tour! Long live cycling!

Now I'm off to find ways to deal with my post-partum depression.

:)MMM

Stage 0: The Prologue—Rotterdam

The Versus broadcast will start in 20 minutes, and there is so much to anticipate. But what to say? Can Lance Armstrong win the Tour for the 8th time on his last try? We won't know until the final time trial, I suspect.

But today's stage, an 8.9 time trial around Rotterdam on wide boulevards and over the Erasmus bridge, will most likely go to Fabian Cancellara, the time trialist from Switzerland with the huge diesel engine. Love that guy. The Italians, by the way, gladly claim him as their own, as both his parents grew up along the Adriatic.

Tomorrow is the first of 2 cobbled stages, which should be chaotic and thoroughly dramatic. Contador, the favorite to win the tour, has never raced on cobbles. I hope it rains. I want to see the faces of the peloton wet and a bit muddy. Sorry, guys, but you all look so good and old school TDF like that!

This Tour, I'd love to see George Hincapie win a stage again. He is the heart and soul of the peloton, and is at this moment the American road racing champion, so on this 4th of July weekend, as he will all Tour long, he sports the stars and stripes on his jersey. Go, Captain America! He's the guy who goes out in the wind speeding up the whole peloton in order to put the hurt on his team's competitors. The wind batters him, but he grinds away, having trained for this, and he's thrilled to do it. He's the lead out man at the beginning of the train who, in the past, helped Manx sprinter Mark Cavendish to so many Tour stage victories.

Oh my, I am just tingling, and a little bit weepy. What is it about this grand old sport? This magnificent race? It's heroism, pure and searing. That's what lives every year at the Tour. Quite a thing to see.

Got up, walked up to the 7-11 (team 7-11!) to buy orange juice and cheap American bubbly, then to LAMill for a super-pricey latte and 2 croissants. They didn't have pain au chocolat, so I'm improvising with Nutella. Ever the Italophile, me!

All right, boys, fire it up! I'm ready to cheer you on!

8 minutes to go.

Vive la France! Vive le Tour!

A demain!

Isle of ManHood!

Go, Cav! I still want to see you in Green in Paris!

So here's what's happened this week. 3 grueling alpine stages saw Lance going across the gap twice to hold onto third while Contador showed everyone who's boss. And today, Cavendish, winner of Milan San Remo this year, and his team, showed everyone he can climb, too. George Hincapie, who has been riding for 2 days with a possibly broken collarbone, pulls him forward, then another Columbia teammmate pulls, and Cav shoots to victory again! Lance cunningly grabs 4 more seconds in front of Bradley Wiggins, and it's fun, fun, fun!

Tomorrow, Mont Ventoux! Big last commercial-free hour on Versus. Big mountain where Lance came in second twice but never won. Does he still dream of a stage win? Sure. Can he do it, or is it even an Astana priority now that Contador is so comfortably ensconced in yellow? We'll see! Either way, I'm up really early tomorrow!

Today's stage pairing? For Cav, some crab baps from the pier on the Isle of Man, and some Okell's beer, which has a high purity rating, I'm told. Cav's purity rating? Wouldn't you like to know!

Oh, it's Alpy Here!

From Bourg St. Maurice to Le Grand Bornand, it's lots of gorgeous forbidding mountain vistas. Beautiful to look at but hellacious to climb. Today is the Queen Stage of the Tour de France, and randomly, Thor Hushovd, the sprinter, is out in front of the breakaway.

Weird.

Can Lance hang on today and then kick some butt in the time trial tomorrow? Maybe. My money's on Contador, but a podium for Lance would really be something.

So today, we are close to the south of Burgundy, and the Northern Rhone. Let's try some Cote Rotie Clusel Roch, mostly Syrah, perhaps a bit of white Viognier. It's from the northern Rhone, where the Mistral winds can make it really cold. Such hearty flavors pair well with the gamy rich ones of lamb. I love lamb.

It's heating up in the peloton, and Saturday is Mont Ventoux, the moment of truth, the Giant of Provence. Should be exciting!

Curious, George

Why did Garmin help AG2R chase? Is Astana telling the truth, because it sure looked like they wanted to reel Hincapie in. George thinks they did, and said so at the finish, and the look of betrayal on his face will haunt my dreams tonight. So what the heck happened? Is Contador in control now, or is Lance? What is Bruyneel thinking? And Cav DQed at the sprint finish? After like a week of "let it ride" in the GC, this is not the kind of shake-up I want in my fine old sport of cycling. Where's the old-fashioned pre-war gentlemanliness? No, George is not in yellow. He's 5 seconds off. Robbed. I can't help but thinking his old team captain, Mr. Lance Armstrong, had something to do with that. And it rankles.

I'm bummed.

And I have a feeling it's all about to shake apart again tomorrow. I don't feel like blogging about it Sunday morning while I'm on the edge of my seat. I expect to see the real tactics of Astana start to show. And I can't wait. I want it to wash the bad taste out of my mouth.

So, speaking of my mouth, here's my wine and food pairing for tomorrow's stage. It all starts in Pontarlier, France, and zips almost immediately into Switzerland, up and down some impressive hills, finishing in a town where I'd very much like to snowboard someday, Verbier, Switzerland.

The history of wine in Switzerland is obscure and interesting. People think the Celts started cultivating vines here more than 2500 years ago, way before Rome took over. Swiss wine doesn't often make it outside the country's borders because it's so well loved by the locals. Along the shores of Lake Leman, the most characteristic wine is a white called Chasselas, a single varietal. The Swiss wine council says its bright and crisp flavors pair well with fondue. Yummy.

Snowboarding, white wine, fondue. Now I'm starting to feel a bit better.... Bring on the chocolate.

Willkommen in Elsass! No, Levi, No!

Welcome to Alsace!

I'm so very bummed that Levi Leipheimer is out of the Tour with a broken wrist! So unfair! We'll miss watching our favorite keychain rider! No, Levi! Say it ain't so! We love you, Man! Get better fast!

But today, there are some big big hills as they head into yet another French wine region, Alsace. Except, from time to time in history, this region has been part of Germany! One of the things I love about Europe is that at the borders of each country, they blend into each other, so near the French-Italian border, Italians speak with French-sounding "R"s. In Alsace France and Germany blend in their own way, and this region has its own character.

The grape varietals favored here are chiefly whites like Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Muscat Blanc a' Petit Grains, and Pinot Gris. AOC rules, aka the French's winemaking regulations, only allow the use of the Riesling and Gewurstraminer grapes, which are German varietals, in this region of Alsace. Although they've been making wine here for at least a thousand years, France only recognized this area as a distinct official AOC region in the 1960s! Go figure.

So let's try some crisp and delicious light Cave de Turckheim Gewurztraminer, and with it eat some baeckeoffe, a local pork and mutton stew that involves marinating and stewing the meat with veg in wine for 2 days, and then baking it between slices of potato! Now that's slow food! And it's comfort food, which I need because Levi is gone! At least Colmar looks like an effin fairy tale, for you fans of In Bruges. Look at the swans, dammit.

Tiny Bubbles

Another flat-ish stage with a gradual rise might go again to the Manx Missile Mark Cavendish. I just like typing 'Manx Missile'. Or it might go to a breakaway. Tomorrow, the Alpes, so while we're here... What's that popping sound? We're in Champagne! So let's go for some great stuff--Billecart-Salmon NV Brut Rose, Wine Spectator 90-pointer. It's a Rose but it's nice and dry brut-style. You may not know that unless a sparkling wine comes from this specific region of France, it's not actually Champagne--just sparkline wine. Champagnes are blends, and they include some Pinot Noir, which is the chief wine of Burgundy, due south of here.

Let's try this Billecart-Salmon with some strawberries, some rasberries and blueberries, and some fabulous fresh bread, and local cheese, Cendre du Champagne, which is cured in cinders. And now I'm thinking of Cinderella, French castles, and Tyler Farar's Cinderella story. This is the first Tour de France for the Garmin sprinter from Washington, and he's making quite an impression, having been the only sprinter that I've seen this year to beat Cav. Here's to the beauty of this classic gentleman's sport of cycling, and to the richness and variety of local food and wine traditions brought forward into our age.

Salvador Dali's Centre du Monde

Today could finish with Lance in Yellow, in the last major town in France before we enter Spain and the food and wine flavor profile changes. Splurge with a lovely big red like a Domaine Gauby Cotes du Roussillon Villages Muntada, and pair it with a big steak, a bit of lamb, or a cassoulet, a stew, which here become spicier with Spanish-style sausage.

Almost the entire second half of this stage is flat and right by the Med, the part the French call the Golfe du Lion. We're getting near the Pyrennees, where we'll see how good Lance's form really is. Right now looks like Saxobank and Astana are duelling it out with 38 miles to go. We'll probably see the adorable Cav hit the finish line first, but will anything in the GC change? Crosswinds could again make a split in the field, but look for Armstrong and Cancellara to shadow each other and stay attached at the hip. Lance might be looking to beat him in a sprint finish. He needs 2 meters, Phil Liggett reckons to end the day in yellow. Believe it or not, this is probably a tall order. What a race!

This area was Salvador Dali's pic for the Centre du Monde, and the city has a decidedly Catalan flair, with street signs in both French and Catalan. I'm sure my Dad has bought himself espadrilles in orange somewhere around here. Nowadays the Spanish expatriates mix comfortably with folks from North Africa, so I'm guessing you could get some fabulous Maroccan or Egyptian cuisine. My mouth is watering.

Cheers, everyone! And here's to comebacks and second chances. Go, Lance!

The Team's Time Trial in Montpellier, Languedoc

Monpellier, where the TTT takes place today, is a cultural center of the Languedoc, the southwest region of France that has its own language. It is also heavily influenced by Spanish culture, and so today, as a mini preview of our Barcelona pairings, try some Montpellier tapas with a big glass of Domaine Peyre Rose Coteaux du Languedoc Syrah Leone. This will also pair well with roasted meats, so try the fabulous bistec of the Camargue region.

Go Astana, go! Lance and Columbia Highroad blew us away yesterday. Today is sure to be the same! What a Tour! And it's only stage 4! (On a wardrobial note, though, I am running out of yellow things to wear. Donations?)

The Land of Cezanne

Winding west from Marseille, "Allons, enfants," rides the peloton today, with no end to the heat. This part of France was first the domain of the ancient Greeks and then the Romans, and so vines and olive trees have probably grown here and been used to make life easier for humanity since there was any agriculture at all. Pale white stone ruins crown the hills, and terra cotta tile roofs give the hilltop towns a charm you may recognize from the paintings of Ce'zanne.

Today, try yet another light and fruity rose' so lovely in the summery heat, some Coteaux d'Aix en Provence. Pair it with a typical bacalao dish made with aoli, Brandade de Morue.

Tomorrow the Team Time Trial returns to the Tour for the first time in 4 years, so expect some fireworks from Astana, and from Team Columbia. It's bound to be a beautiful stage, so don't miss it.

Wine and Food Pairing for Stage 2

Today the racers leave Monaco and head through the foothills of the Alpes Maritime to finish in Brignole for the first time in the history of the Tour.

How about a lovely white wine today from the Cotes de Provence domaine Chateau de Roquefort Clairette-Vin du Pays Bouches du Rhone.

Try it with some Roquefort cheese or a lovely Salade Nicoise with its light Mediterranean flavors.

Tour de France Prologue--Food and Wine Pairing

It's the day before the Tour begins and I'm so excited I want to stop traffic in front of my house and use my yellow "Hope Rides Again" Livestrong chalk to write "Vive le Tour" all over the tarmac.

But Silver Lake Blvd. is really a busy street, so instead, I will post a recipe for a typical Monegasque (which means from Monaco) appetizer. This is a savory pastry called the Barbagiuan, which is filled with pumpkin or spinach, and leeks, cheese, and other yummy things.

Here's link to the recipe, and a video on how to make it:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12528876/from/RSS/

And with this, because it's summer and hot, no champagne--Rose', folks! Chateau d'Aqueria Tavel is not your mom's white Zinfandel, thank goodness. It's a dry but fruity gem from the South of France. Don't be afraid of real Provencal rose'. It's lovely. Or do be afraid, because it's always so reasonable here, and I'd love it to stay that way.

Will I be up at 6:30 to watch the prologue of the Tour live? You betcha. Hangover or no, I'll be there! So fire up the wisdom, Bobke, and flex those gestures. Paul and Phil, warm up those metaphors. Johan, get your game face on. Lance and Levi, make me some cool early morning videos. George and Cav, slip on those Oakleys. Jens, look fierce. I'm ready! Vive le Tour, Ladies and Gentlemen! Vive le Tour!

Oh, and I hear that the 4th of July is also an important holiday here in the States, so enjoy that, too, everyone!

Le Tour Toujours!

2 Days to the Tour - Get Fired Up

Removed the video....

Le Tour-Team Astana, Ladies and Gentlemen

Love this bombastic flash movie to announce and laud the Astana team. How could I not buy their t-shirt? Can't wait to see it all unfold on the roads of la France!

Next year, though, can Astana either become Team Mellow Johnny, or please it's time for a logo redesign. I'm just sayin, I don't need my team's logo to look quite so much like Anheiser Busch's, although I will probably consume some of that sort of product during le Tour, but only if it pair's well. Last time I was in France, it was all about Stella Artois and 1664 and Kronenbourg, but this year's tour doesn't go into Belgium, I don't think. Time to study up on the stages!

Here's the Astana Movie: http://www.astana-cyclingteam.com/

Lance in Yellow

Here's a great Velonews video to whet your Tour de France whistle. It's been 10 years since Lance started his 7-year domination of the sport. Enjoy!

http://velonews.tv/?articleID=2737

Wine Regions of France

Here is a lovely map of the wine regions of France, which you can buy full size from Omnimaps. Copyright owned by Vinmaps. http://www.omnimap.com/cgi/graphic.pl?images/access/64-56802s.jpg. Notice how the Tour will be going through some major wine destinations. As my husband and I love to say, if they grow wine there, it's gorgeous, it's rolling, and it's awesome bike riding country. The Tour will start with a time trial in Monaco, on July 4th. I'll most likely be watching with a glass of rose' in hand. People, in America, we need to discover how wonderful rose' can be. And the wines of the Cote d'Azur are the perfect way to learn this. I hesitate to post about them, because I want them to stay reasonable in price and not go up like my good friend prosecco has! On a totally unrelated note, Bravo Fabian Cancellara! He won the Tour de Suisse time trial this morning! Nice to see him smiling. Been a tough season for him.

Tour de France Map of Course

It's three weeks of beauty, drama and heroism en francais. Behold the route!

Welcome to Bike_Drink_Eat!

The Tour is coming soon, and since I have found Facebook limited in terms of speed and space, here, forthwith, is my first blog! Get ready for Food and Wine pairings for each stage of the Tour de France, as I did with the Giro d'Italia this year. Vive le Tour! Also, expect some musings on cycling, food in Los Angeles, travel, Italy, triathlon training, and other stuff! Here's the link to the Tour de France route video. Makes me weepy!!! http://tinyurl.com/TDF-Route-Video