La Cuisine etc

We got going at a good hour this morning, to go for a walk and run a few errands on the way to the insurance office. A stop by the pharmacy; all over France this is the sign for the pharmacie~
There all kinds of homeopathic and medical items here; R is getting a cold so we got some capsules for that, and they gave him a refill of his blood pressure medicine though he did not have an ordinance, just the Rx from California; they are always so helpful at the pharmacie~
I arrived back home on the stroke of noon, after going to Casino and the boulangerie by myself. Generally in province (anywhere outside of Paris), everything closes between 12 and 2pm so this is a good time to be home and have lunch and at last do some cleaning. As you come up the stairs from the ground floor, the kitchen is straight ahead. I meant to show you this before but took these pics today while lunch was cooking~
that's my little basket on the paille or rush seat chair! That's the sink and dishwasher straight ahead; the door is lovely and old, honey/cognac color~
To the right of that is the range~
One day I would like to have simple white Ikea cabinets and a hooded vent, with a rustic beam at the bottom; I can see it....
To the right of the range is the oven, with a free-standing cupboard on top; and refrigerator; there is so much space above that, the ceilings are like 13ft high...this is where I would like to hang antique copper or else a collection of porcelaine blanche plates perhaps...after the wallpaper and tiles go~
I added a few things like these skirts in metis, to hide the open spaces for pots & pans~
Nothing has been done to the kitchen except a small counter extension, a new sink, and addition of a dishwasher. I love love love old & new French copper; here is the new stuff at the hardware store, displayed on a wall covered in nubby burlap~
I have a few old pieces; Elle and I are going to go visit my copper guy in Brittany next spring; he has over 500 pieces in his collection and I hope he will take us on the tour of every piece! This plat ovale came from him~
and this, my favorite, is the same age, early 20thC; a beating bowl, known as a cul de poule in French; it is for mixing anything, but especially great for whipping egg whites~
the bowl is made of a single heavy sheet of copper, but the inside is hand-hammered (tiny little strikes) to perfection~
the outside is smooth, which tells you how thick the copper is~ it is finished with a ring, which I prefer to the handled ones; they come in all types, with one handle, with two, with a ring or anneau~
it shows some wear on the heavy heavy rim; it is 14" wide and heavy. The last one I bought went home to Laguna, but this piece will stay with this house!
meanwhile, the little quiches went in the oven; Lorraine and leek, two kinds, Julia's recipes~
you can buy the dough ready to go at Casino or any other grocery and it is excellent; the creme here is also great (this is like "half & half") and makes all quiches puff up more than in the states for some reason~
here they are out of the oven~
After lunch, on to some cleaning. I have to pack a few things to this afternoon....