Beginner's Manual For Staying In A {French Manoir}

When our friends, Anthony & Kellee, planned a trip over here,

we wanted to do something that would get us out of the city...

so I started combing through the interwebs for private home rentals in France.

There were some amazingly gorgeous places out there- for about €12,500 a week.

They looked like the place where Eva Longoria + Tony Parker got married,

 making them completely amazing... and totally unaffordable.

Somehow I hopped around the internet and found this place:

Le Manoir Champfreau.

It was €200 a night for the entire, three bedroom home.

We emailed the link back & forth wondering if it was too good to be true.

Well, thankfully we went for it.

And when we rolled through the main gate together,

we realized we had, indeed, hit the jack pot.

Ladies & Gentlemen,

I present to you 

Le Manoir Champfreau.

{Commonly confused with "the best place on earth.}

I can't recommend it more.

There are three residences within the property...
we stayed in the larger of the three.

Next time we'll be back to enjoy the pool!

Beyond the gorgeous setting in Saumur
and the amazing home you'll enjoy,
you'll also get the privilege of meeting Stephen & Bruce,
the proud owners of this glorious manoir.

Between their pasts as a private chef (Bruce) & butler (Steven) for a high-profile household,
you are pretty much guaranteed an amazing stay.

Bruce Riedner, Chef Extraodinaire. Bruce's spice rack (shown below).

But while you are in the midst of being pampered by these two dear American ex-pats,
 you'll also feel like you've become a part of their family.

Between Stephen sharing his knowledge of the best area croissants,
Bruce pointing you in the direction of burgers topped with foie gras,
and being invited into their own home to see recent renovations,

you are going to hate leaving these two as much as le Manoir.

If you are planning to visit France,
I hope you'll consider the quick trip out of Paris
into the gorgeous countryside of the Loire...

Forget needing to see the famous Chateaux & Wineries,
you need to go just for the experience of staying here!

I'd love to introduce you to our new friends at the Manoir...
or if you contact them, tell them you came via Aspiring Kennedy.

They'll take good care of you. :)

*If you'd like to see pictures of the kitchen, read my post here.

*All images original to Aspiring Kennedy

Scenes from a French Country Kitchen

I haven't had time to tell you much (or anything) 
about our time in the Loire Valley

but while we were there,
we had the absolute luck to find ourselves

in one of the most charming manoirs, Le Manoir Champfreau.

We felt like royalty of our own special land

getting to have this 800 year old home all to ourselves...

Come on, admit it- you would, too, right?

After a day of castle-hunting & market browsing,

we decided to forgo a heavy, multi-course meal

and eat simple with the treasures we had found at the market.

As it often goes with understated moments,

this night ended up being one of our favorites of the trip.

Uncovering the quirks of a new kitchen together,

having good music cheering us on as we cooked,

laughing through disastrous attempts to caramelize sugar...

sending the boys out to pick herbs for us in the garden...

well, the whole night was just perfect.

And actually eating the food was nice, too. :)

My friend, Kellee, found a recipe in one of the cookbooks

that the owners of the Manoir left for the guests.

It was a risky choice, but we figured it just might be the combination

 of two things that should had been keep away from each other for long enough...

French mustard + Italian pasta.

Could the marriage of these two beloved foods be a disaster?

Or could it be the joining of two houses once divided?

We decided there was only one way to know for sure.

Our instincts served us correctly...

it was delicious!

The recipe perfectly blends the tanginess of dijon mustard with cream...

and the addition of the fresh herbs brings in a fresh finish.

It would be amazing with roasted chicken.

This recipe is the best souvenir I took home from our trip to the Loire Valley...

From my (temporary) kitchen to yours,

Dijon Penne With Fresh Herbs

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of course sea salt

8 ounces penne pasta

1 cup heavy cream

1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons French Dijon mustard

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground white pepper (or black, if you don't have white)

3 tablespoons of finely minced chives, for garnish

Freshly grated parmesan reggiano cheese, for garnish.

Method:

Cook the pasta in a large pot. Add a bit of salt to the water to add flavor, and a drop of olive to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Cook until it reaches al dente- soft, but with a bit of firmness. 

Set aside for a few minutes until sauce is done

Meanwhile, in a sauce pan large enough to hold the pasta, combine the cream, egg yolk, and mustard.

Whisk to blend. Season to taste with sea salt & white pepper. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Remove from the heat & keep warm.

Remove the colander and drain the pasta. Shaking to remove excess water. Immediately transfer the drained pasta to the saucepan. Toss to evenly coat the pasta. Cover, and let rest for 1 to 2 minutes to allow pasta to thoroughly absorb the sauce. Taste for seasoning. Garnish with minced chives and freshly grated cheese. Serve immediately.

*Images original to Aspiring Kennedy

**Le Manoir Champfreau is amazing. If you are looking for a private home rental in the Loire Valley,  I can't recommend a better place to stay in the Loire. You feel like royalty- but you'll only have to pay like a normal person! :)