Back in the Perigord after a month on the road promoting the latest Bruno, and as is always the case after time away I'm appreciating the pleasures of home with  a new eye.

I was sent this link to a slideshow of photos of the region, which will cycle through the entire selection at a leisurely pace.

The photos are not my own; I believe they belong to the site linked.

Courtesy of Your American Friend in Paris, an interview about life in the Perigord, the quality of life in rural France, and my inspirations.

If the embedded player does not work, the interview can also be found on this link.

                                      Bergerac AOC 2014

Origin: On limestone and clay soils from the plateau dominating the Dordogne Valley. The vineyards are mainly facing south-west, therefore have an optimal sun exposure.

Harvest: Mechanical in order to harvest during the night, when the cold air protects our healthy grapes from starting fermentation.

Grape varieties: Merlot 80%, Cabernet Sauvignon 20%

Winemaking: We respect both the tradition and modern technologies: temperature control, reasonable extraction of tannins and colour, very detailed and specific tastings throughout the whole process.

Ageing: This wine is aged in French oak barrels for ten months. The attention to its evolution and the regular rackings are the base of a balanced and soft wine. 

Ageing potential: This wine is good to drink now but can wait 2 to 3 years to reveal its great complexity.

Tasting notes: This wine has an intense ruby colour. On the nose, it offers red fresh fruits with delicate aromas of plum, blackberry and biscuit. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied and offers chewy tannins giving this wine good texture and body. In terms of flavors, we have fresh red berries with a touch of vanilla. The finish is fresh, with a spicy note. The best match with food is to drink this wine with friends with some good charcuteries, meat, cheese or even desserts! 

This week I was sent a link to Diane'sCookbooks, a website in which the (I presume) eponymous Diane has put together a Bruno feast using the recipes on this site and taken from the Bruno novels.

She has done an absolutely wonderful job putting the meal together, and I thought I would share it with you in lieu of an English language cookbook (which we are still trying to make happen!).

To see the post in its entirety, please click here.

​A very enjoyable reading at Berlin's i31 hotel with host Zeev Rosenberg and German actor Oliver Betke.

​Photos by Heidi Dehl of Neues Deutschland, an old friend who visited us in the Perigord.

The next novel in the Bruno series, The Templars' Last Secret, will be published in the US and the UK in June 2017 (exact dates tbc). 

The chateau de Commarque, which you can see in the video below, features prominently...