The latest addition to my kitchen

Posted on August 6, 2011 by Gary Pepworth

I picked up one of these today off eBay. A brand new unused Imperia Italian Double Cutter Pasta Machine SP150. Going on Amazon for £44, I paid £16.

When I had my tea room in France I tended to cook most things from scratch, as opposed to assemble, which is what I suspect the hotel opposite me did. (Can one person prepare a three course meal for 100 covers, plus 30 or so menu ouvrier without resorting to opening packets?).

So all my bread, cakes, sauces, pies, pasties, custards usually started out with the basic ingredients. Certainly a far more time consuming process, but producing food that my loyal customers appreciated.

French people are far more interested in the provenance of their food. Mention to a burly lorry driver that the bread for his bacon sandwich was home made would always meet with an appreciative response. You just wouldn’t bother in the UK.

One area where I took a shortcut was with pasta, choosing to buy a good quality pasta instead.

Were I still in France I would be proudly rewriting menus to include my newest artisan creation, (while wondering exactly where I was going to find time in an already busy day).

Imperia Italian Double Cutter Pasta Machine SP150

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Bouncing Back

Posted on January 17, 2011 by Gary Pepworth

Just a quick note to say that after languishing unused and unloved for nearly 6 months, The Pontrieux Report is back.

In what may be a shock news to some my French experience came to an end last June.  A combination of fragile finances, exhaustion, illness and it has to be said tedium made continuing impossible. Many things that are amusing to begin with, soon become extremely irritating and when, as last summer, you end up shouting out of your bedroom window at nobody in particular, that you think the town is full of ignorant rude cunts, it is perhaps wise to concede that another season is not a good idea.

After a spell of recuperation I am better able to reflect on my time in France and look forward to sharing my experiences and observations of my time abroad and the mild culture shock of returning to live in the UK.

Posted in French life | 1 Comment

The arrogant face of BBC Formula One coverage

Posted on June 26, 2010 by Gary Pepworth

When I started watching Valencia 3rd practice today I didn’t expect to be insulted live on air by a member of the BBC commentary team.

David Croft and Anthony Davidson were commentating on Schumacher’s return and at first the comments were even handed, especially from Ant. Making a comparison with Lance Armstrong’s return he made the point that  in retirement a cyclist was better placed to simulate the experience of racing than Michael.

Then it started to go downhill, we got the same tired clichés often reeled off by the anti-Schumacher types, stuff about how Michael always had a better car and less able team mate. Heavily hinting that these were the only reasons for his success. Continue reading →

Posted in BBC, Formula 1 | 1 Comment

Excellent service at Le Pontrieux recognised!

Posted on January 20, 2010 by Gary Pepworth

I try my best for my b&B clients – meeting them at the railway station in the snow, booking taxis, organising train tickets, taking them to the pharmacists etc.  Many of my clients book with me via Venere who are linked up with SNCF and Expedia. Clearly a fair number have been saying some nice things about me as this email came today.

“Félicitations! Les internautes ayant réservé leur séjour sur venere.com on tout particulièrement apprécié Le Pontrieux et bon nombre d’entre eux ont classé l’établissement dans la catégorie: Excellent Service .”

Which was nice!

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Flakey with the facts.

Posted on January 20, 2010 by Gary Pepworth

Just a few months ago companies like Cadbury were pariahs, responsible for child obesity by force feeding kids with assorted vegelate.  Today Cadbury is elevated to national treasure status, how dare those pesky Americans use money to buy shares in a publicly quoted company?

The most idiotic  comments come from those who declare that France would never allow such a takeover of an iconic brand.

As I write I am munching away at a bar of Poulain Noir Extra. Poulain is one of France’s oldest chocolate brands – bought by Cadbury Schweppes in 1988.

Posted in Cadbury, French life, UK Current Events | Comments Off

Will the lights go out tonight in Brittany?

Posted on December 16, 2009 by Gary Pepworth

Not some philosophical musing about a local hero on their deathbed, but actual power cuts. This may come as a bit of a surprise to the many Daily Mail reading expats who live here – but there are some things that work better in the UK.  One of these is the national grid. The Brittany region only produces  8% of the electricity it consumes, therefore it has to  ’import’ electricity from the rest of France. Quite simply the electricity distribution network is not up to carrying the amount of required electricity into Brittany.

To avoid the network overloading everybody is being asked to moderate their consumption during peak hours of  5 and 8pm. If these warnings are not heeded then preventative power cuts will be imposed to protect the network.  Most at risk is Finistère being at the edge of the network. Yesterday morning every Mairie in Finistère was contacted by phone to warn of outages.

This dampening the Christmas spirit somewhat. Towns and villages that were only last week boasting about their Christmas lights are now switching them off.  In St Brieuc their 11km of garlands and 27000 bulbs are staying off,  in Paimpol tonight and tomorrow there be no Christmas and town centre street lights. Vannes like other towns are  switching off the  illumination of public building and monuments.

However,  Christmas lights fans visiting Pontrieux need not fear – as I look out of the window our Christmas lights are glowing with gay abandon. I reckon there will be words….

Further reading:

Le Monde – La Bretagne sous basse tension

http://www.ouest-ecowatt.com/

Posted in French Energy Supply, French life, Pontrieux | Comments Off

My first Christmas card of the year…..alas not.

Posted on December 10, 2009 by Gary Pepworth

Oh the joy, some post that didn’t resemble a bill, with a printed Father Christmas on the front. Addressed to M and Mme Pepworth, never mind, an actual Christmas card, from someone in France, how exciting. Who could it be from? Perhaps from Pontrieux’s Mayor recognising the thousands of pounds my guests bring to the local economy, the Billet’s where I have bought most of my fuel and drinks over the past four years, the cash and carry, the pharmacist where I take all my guests who have forgotten to pack their prescription drugs? Perhaps Aurora who I gave several hours of my time helping her with her English exams, or M Piriou thanking me for displaying publicity for his gallery – the list is not exactly endless but enough to fill a few more paragraphs- you get the point.

” To Nick, Karen and family…..”

Oh well, there’s always tomorrow.

Posted in French life, Pontrieux | Comments Off

Marchés de Noël

Posted on December 5, 2009 by Gary Pepworth

Today is the first of two weekends of Pontrieux’s Marchés de Noël. As usual for the time of day and the weather stallholders outnumber punters. Having been here a few years now, I know the French will do all their weekly chores and then pop out about 4 ish. I didn’t realise this in my first year and closed up at 4, desolate at the lack of customers.
My Christmas window display of English tea is causing people to stop and nose so fingers crossed!

Father Christmas is due to take time out from his busy schedule to visit us today, tomorrow and next weekend. Given his busy schedule it was a real coup for t’committee to secure his services. I just hope he’s not a fraud, to check I will speak to him in English, that should flush out any imposter!

Posted in French life, Pontrieux | Comments Off

Santander sticks with the cheats and continues to support corruption and dishonesty

Posted on September 14, 2009 by Gary Pepworth

Clearly I jumped the gun the other day, not expecting a major sponsor to hedge its bets in such a unusual fashion. A basic understanding of marketing makes it easy to understand why a bank, which usually aims to project an image of trust, would no longer wish to be associated with an outfit that has shown to be institutionaly dishonest.

Perhaps they are after a particular market segment, after all even receivers of stolen goods and liars have banking needs.

This may even be good news for those of you caught making fraudulent loan and mortgage applications – just cite the “Melbourne” defence.

Posted in Ferrari, Formula 1, McLaren | Comments Off

Santander dumps the cheats, Vodafone continues to support corruption and dishonesty

Posted on September 11, 2009 by Gary Pepworth

Being associated with corruption and dishonesty is not the most sought after of  brand values, so it is no surprise that Santander have decided not to renew their association with McLaren.  What is surprising is that Vodafone continues to show faith in a team that is still under a suspended three race ban after admitting guilt on five charges of bringing the sport into disrepute.

Referring to the Santander deal their President , Emilio Botin, referred to Ferrari as “….. an irreplaceable pillar and a symbol of tradition, success and strength.”

I have no idea if Vittorio Colao is attending his home Grand Prix this weekend, but it would be the ideal place to announce that Vodafone wishes to atone for its treachery and is returning to Ferrari.

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