A couple of months ago, we enjoyed looking round various locations in the local “WOSAT” (Western Open Studio Art Trail) at 10 open studios featuring 46 local artists in 8 venues here on the Isle of Man. We saw some lovely work in different styles, using different techniques and materials and, during our travels, we bumped into a very talented artist called Bruno Cavellec (whose website can be seen at http://www.brunocavellec.com/ )
First of all, the name Cavellec is typically Breton (from Brittany on France’s Atlantic coast). Secondly, Bruno was a really approachable guy with an easy-going manner and a contageous smile. Third, being French, he and Marie-Danielle could stop talking English for a few minutes and relax into their own language. And fourth, I fell in love with (and bought a copy of) his giclée print “Walking the Dogs” that shows Peel beach at sunset. This one is going back to France with us at the end of August and I know exactly where I shall hang it once it’s been framed.
Quite by chance, we bumped into Bruno a couple of times whilst out walking and enjoying the exceptionally sunny weather. So we thought it would be nice to get to know him better and get to meet his English wife, Jill… sounds like a perfect recipe for a “French” evening (food, wine, good conversation, more food, more wine – yawn, “Good grief is that really the time?”). So yesterday evening we shared a truly pleasant few hours together until we got to the “Good grief is that really the time?” moment!
To begin, we did what every couple of “mixed nationality” do, and swapped stories about how we met our partners. It’s not being nosey – it’s just what we do, because there’s nearly always a nice story there somewhere! Naturally, as we did that, we quaffed a few glasses of chilled Prosecco that Jill and Bruno had kindly brought with them. It’s a beautiful, light and dry Italian sparkling wine that uninitiated people like me can very easily mistake for champagne!
Bruno had told us that Jill liked duck, so what could be more natural than to start the meal with foie gras accompanied by an onion compote. Bruno was happy – he thought he was back in France! Jill was happy because it was duck! M-D was happy because she loves foie gras! And I was happy because all I had to do was open the jar!
And, if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing, so we carried on with the duck theme and served Confit de Canard for the main course. Confit is difficult to get wrong but, for reasons still unknown, the skin of the duck didn’t brown as it should (it’s normally lovely and crisp). While it tasted just as it should, I was disappointed with the presentation. So, when in doubt, what do you do? Why, you pour another glass of wine! We managed to see off a couple of bottles of 2009 Chateau Lamothe-Vincente which lessened the blow a little!
After the cheese, we arrived at the moment of dessert and Bruno had made a gateau aux pommes – apple flan – that was truly brilliant. I asked him for the recipe which he told me was top secret, so I tied him to the chair and poured wine down his throat until he relented and you can read it here…“Double Take” Apple Flan.
I’m not usually a huge apple fan but this was honestly the best apple flan I have ever eaten. It was light, tasty, sumptuous and I immediately voted it the dessert most likely to brighten your day. Truly a masterpiece – much like Bruno’s paintings.
A pleasant evening in good company and the best apple flan I’ve ever eaten! – Can’t be all bad!
The Isle of Man is only about 36 miles x 12 miles at its longest and widest points. Today, about 85,000 of us perch on this rock in the middle of the Irish Sea, and every summer we are subjected to hundreds of motorbikes racing through the streets of our towns and villages and around the island on the 37.7-mile Snaefell Mountain Course. Their average speed is over 130 mph and in places they exceed 200mph!
Never mind the visitors, the TT races themselves are extremely dangerous (over 250 rider deaths to date on this circuit). Imagine riding at over 200 mph on tiny, narrow, twisting streets, roads and lanes flanked by stone walls and buildings, dodging manhole covers and stray dogs! Some, including a few former competitors, have called for the race to be banned, but for the most part the riders love the TT. They know it’s dangerous, but they also know it’s the absolute pinnacle of motorcycle racing. It’s the ultimate, and if you’re good enough – and you’re brave enough – then you go for it, regardless of the risks. Personal responsibility and the love of speed triumph the desire for safety here.
Oh yeah – I almost forgot about “Mad Sunday.” One day every year at the TT, they open up the 37 mile course to the public. That means anyone on a motor bike can try his or her luck trying to match the professionals for speed (and insanity!). Imagine, if you can, a Formula 1 or NASCAR event where they let 50,000+ fans onto the track, charging around in whatever vehicle they came in. In recent years, to try and reduce the carnage (and maybe also to give the visitors even more thrills!) the roads have been made one-way for about 8 miles over the mountain section of the course. Big, powerful road bikes hitting their top speeds of 170mph-180mph is not unusual on this section.
Last Saturday evening, we invited our neighbours, Terry and Julie plus Dominic and Kate from over the road for a meal. We decided to mix the best of the Isle of Man with the best of France (as you do!) so (after polishing off a couple of bottles of Champagne with the aperitif) we started the meal with one of our favourites – beautiful fresh Manx scallops, and prepared the excellent 
As we always do, we served the meal French style (dessert last) and I dug around in M-D’s wine cooler and came up with a really nice bottle of 2008 Côtes de Bergerac. The Côtes de Bergerac is a deeply smooth sweet white wine that complimented our