Gusto – Beauperi Investments

Posted on July 5, 2017 by beauperi · 4 Comments

End of Gusto with Paul Bocuse Finale

Sunday, 2 July, 2017 – Weather cool

Yes, this is the last day of the Gusto Gastronomica Tour. We go up for an early breakfast and Julie goes off to study for her big exam. I was just going to hang out and work on the Blog but I got hungry in the afternoon so decided to go out, take a few snaps and hopefully get some grub.

I found a place to eat nearby that looked the appropriate level of sleaze.

This “Sight” walked by – like a virgin bride with gold pants

We are going out tonight to the Paul Bocuse restaurant that has 156 stars (3 Michelin stars every year for the 52 years it has been open). I have pretty decent threads to wear tonight but Julie has decided I needed to be “ponced-up” more and had bought a couple of things to do that.

The outfit – the scarf and the hankie are new purchases

We meet downstairs for our journey to Paul Bocuse. Everybody is discussing my outfit. I say that you can’t make a silk ear out of a sow’s purse and that my “brand” is being ruined. Any way, we jump in taxis – requires 3 – to go there. A bit of a long drive through traffic but finally arrive.

We go inside and Capo introduces us to the Head and Sous Chef. They take a group photo which is later copied into a cardboard frame for each couple. Then we settle into our private room.

There is a gift surprise with the winner being the one who has the card under their plate. Well, it is Eileen’s birthday and, guess what, she “accidentally” becomes the prize winner. Tell us another one, Capo.

We were given permission for some Opera singing before the meal really started.

Shortly after this photo she “latched onto” the waiter next to the lamp, embarrasing him greatly

Lobster Stew – my highlight of the night

Eileen’s Prize which also included an autographed Paul Bocuse Cookbook

Tournedos Rossini – that huge piece of Foie Gras went to Jeremy on my left

Leaving me with a beautifully cooked fillet

The Dessert courses included Cheese – the bleu the best

Souffle – the little balls were chocolate

The Organ Grinder playing Happy Birthday

So that is the end of the night and a fitting finale to the Gusto tour. We are given our gift of a framed group photo and some purchase the cookbook that had been a part of Eileen’s prize.

Cabs are ordered to take us back. We are in the second cab and, with a bit of adventurous driving, get back to the hotel before Capo in the first cab does. We say good night and good bye for now as we have an early start tomorrow.

Posted on July 3, 2017 by beauperi · 1 Comment

Markets Day

Saturday, 1 July, 2017 – Weather Cool and Drizzly

So, another financial year has begun.

After breakfast, where of course smoked salmon featured again, we decide to go to the market along the river. We have been there before in our trips to Lyon. Each day is a different theme with crafts, clothing and today food. A number of my photos follow.

Wine – we bought a bottle of the e5 Syrah

We depart the market, without buying anything but wine. In my view, Lyon is probably a better place for very small groups rather than a large group with lots of organised activities.

Shop window with Beatles photo and ooh la la

This afternoon the group is to have a picnic with food sourced from Les Halles de Lyon by Paul Bocuse market.

When we visited this market on one of our earlier trips to Lyon I wasn’t that impressed but it seems much better to me this time. There also lots of restaurants within. The group took a bus to get there but of course Julie walked and beats us all there.

We gather outside with Capo who assigns each couple a product for the picnic to purchase. We are given bread and we go to a shop that has a long queue. Talking to a girl in the queue she said this is one of the two best bread shops in all of Lyon.

We bought more than our supposed limit and Julie bought a flan that was supposed to be world famous. We then meet up with Kate and decide to settle in the outdoor courtyard nearby where there is concrete furniture. The original plan had been down by the river but there is construction and rain is threatening.

Slowly the various groups show up. There is our bread, cheeses including a stinky that tastes great, smoked salmon with blinis, cold meats, terrines, wines by Jeremy and the highlight.

Three trays of shucked Oysters, 3 different kinds

Surprisingly, most of the food was eaten. Some of the sweets were taken home while we left the remaining bread behind for the homeless people. The rain had held out for most of the day but started up a bit on the way back. We took the bus again to get close to the Hotel, Julie walked with Eileen and Tony.

It was agreed to meet at 6:00 at the bar upstairs to “spend” our fines money that was collected by Toto yesterday. Because of the cost of the drinks, we all had to kick-in more including a second dip. When we arrived at 6:30, there was a good sized group of us with little room for others. Eventually a couple of tables left and we were able to combine into a decent area where all 21 of us could fit.

The Tables rearranged in the upstairs bar

One very pleasing aspect of this scene is that Rob’s Chris is able to attend. She is slowly getting better.

Some of the ordered drinks. I had the Bloody Mary and this time it was very spicy unlike at Turin

The guys developed and then sung a special song for Capo

We all are on our own for dinner tonight. Julie has talked to the Concierge to look for a Duck restaurant. He makes a reservation for us at a place about 6 blocks away.

Chicken Salad for Julie – lots of salad stuff

The place was unusual in that there was only one staff. He was waiter, server and cook. He did a pretty good job of juggling the duties, especially when a couple of biggish groups arrived later.

Back to the Hotel and retire for the night.

Posted on July 2, 2017 by beauperi · 1 Comment

Quiet Day in Lyon

Friday, 30 June, 2017 – Weather: Cool and a bit wet

We start out with breakfast up on the 8th floor. We are seated next to a window and it is bright and sunny, hard on the eyes, but it is expected to deteriorate later. This is Lyon in the midst of Summer?

There was smoked salmon which made someone happy.

We were informed that we would be moving to a better room. So I hung out in the existing room until it was time to move. Julie goes out on the morning walk with the group. When she returns, Julie goes out to do some study for her Oxford course.

Finally, the notification of time to move comes in at 10:45. A staff member helps me to move. The new room is the same layout as the one we just left but is quite a bit wider which makes things easier for the big suitcases.

I decide I had better not go out until Julie comes back. So settle into the room which does have a view of the River. Rob and Chris had advised us earlier that they had had the Truffle Burger from Room Service and it was quite good, so I decided to do the same.

The Truffles were in the Parmesan sauce with the burger. I thought a bit understated but maybe that is the way it should be. (Did not stop me from burping up Truffle for most of the day). I enjoyed the burger and saved the salad and baguettes for Julie for a snack.

Eventually, Julie shows up. Turns out she was waiting in the foyer for a lengthy period of time waiting to get to our new room. Apparently the staff she was dealing with had no idea that I had already moved and to where. She did enjoy the salad and baguettes. Julie receives an SMS from Capo to indicate that Rob’s Chris has gone to the Hospital as she couldn’t breathe.

There is to be a formal tour of the back lanes and alley ways in old Lyon. We go down for the start of the tour. Rob is there and explains that Chris has got pneumonia, is on anti-biotics but had to walk back from the hospital. Julie heads out with the group but I am not up for all that walking so stay back.

Julie snaps a few photos on the tour.

One of the areas that the tour visited is that where we had stayed in our previous stay in Lyon two years ago. After she returns, shortly it is time to go out for dinner. It is a famous Bouchon across town. Julie walks there, of course, whereas the rest of us take the train. Mind you it is a fair walk to the train station and a bit at the other end. As we arrive at our destination, our large group is getting off the train and suddenly the driver starts the door closing. Poor Ben almost gets chopped in half by the door and some people waiting to get on the train missed it.

Ubiquitous pork scratchings – not many are crisp

We take up most of the space in the restaurant although another group arrives later sitting at the back table, they were quite loud at times. The menu is showed to us. The object is for each person to order a main course and before that they would select some things from the entrée menu for us to “put in our mouth”.

Poached egg in Oxtail broth – Eric scored my egg

Let me say a bit about the wine. There were house whites and reds in unlabelled bottles. I thought the red was OK but most did not like either. The bottle that Susan is holding was our “highlight wine”, OK but not special. But what was worse is that the wine ran our before the main courses are served and not replaced, even though there were two other bottles on the bar that were not served. All in all not the best wine experience on the trip. Then the mains start arriving.

Flathead quenelles for Julie – perhaps the best dish

Pork cheeks – my second choice, should have been the first

The sausage was made from pigs nose and ears and possibly the eyes. They also had a course “calves head” but it was just a casserole. As can be seen, the bouchon in general specialises in “head to tail” eating. Like the wine, not the food highlight of the trip, albeit different.

We decided we had had enough so walked the long, long walk back home. A couple of wines and bed time.

Posted on July 2, 2017 by beauperi

Go to Lyon

Thursday, 29 June, 2017 Weather – cold and wet

As indicated in the last Post, we are moving out of the Alps to Lyon a day earlier than had been scheduled. Personally, I would have been happy to stay on the extra day, but so be it.

The usual beautiful spread and cold brekkie foods

It is a late start, around 11:30 when a local bus comes by with a luggage trailer on the back. We say goodbye to Nikki, Hugh and Milo and start down the hill. The local driver is very professional and smooth. It is still raining and of course we are driving in winding mountain roads but he does it with ease. Once down in the flat it continues to be smooth and easy.

We stop at a roadhouse for loo and food and there is the usual chaos. But a cheerful young girl pushes things through.

We arrive on the outskirts of Lyon and the traffic is pretty bad. It is still raining too. We eventually arrive at the Sofitel which is an older hotel that has been quite modernised.

As can be seen the room is a bit small which makes it difficult with the big suitcases

We had had lots of space in our Gite in the Alps. I stay in and work on the Blog since the Net response times are great. Julie goes prancing for a while.

It is dinner on our own tonight so I suggest that we go to the Salmon restaurant that Julie had found last time we were in Lyon. We walk for what seems like ages but finally reach it.

We order a nice wine, E Guigal Cote du Rhone

Tried to catch the salmon shop photo on the window but it did not turn out

Then the long walk back to home base and an early bed.

Posted on July 1, 2017 by beauperi · 1 Comment

Mutiny

Wednesday, 28 June, 2017 Weather – cold and wet

Overnight there was heavy rain. So after a stretch of warm to hot weather, it is now cool and the sky is threatening. We go over to the Lodge for breakfast which is beautifully set-up with lots of cold foods. There is some complaints about the accommodation.

There is to be a picnic around midday. Most of the troops are lead on a walk there. Nola and I are to be driven there but take a couple of snaps before we go to the lodge to meet Nikki.

A shot of the mountains as the weather closes in

The back of the building which holds our Gite, a family lives in the bottom part

We get into the van which is a 4WD, along with Milo. We drive not too far away to a trail that leads to a small lodge and a covered picnic bench. It starts to rain so we settle on the balcony of the lodge. Nikki brings red wine.

We get a call, the troops have hiked to the wrong place. They will hike back. Apparently it was quite a difficult hike. About an hour later Nikki went out to find them and after another 30 minutes or so they showed up, quite wet from the rain.

Later Capo, Sigrid, Graeme and Sues arrive with Kate. There is lots of cold food and people settle in for the food and wine.

It is then that the Mutiny comes to the fore. There is much discussion about Colin’s “brand”. In essence, the issue is that we were paying for 5 star accommodation and what has been provided is 2 star or less. Being split apart is also not good. An abashed Capo indicates that he is organising for us to leave for Lyon a day early, tomorrow. Later he advises that rooms and the bus have been booked.

Everybody leaves with most walking back. Nola, Kate and I hop into the car with Milo helping Nikki drive.

Up close and personal, she almost poked her head in the window

Back to the Gite for some more Blog work. Dinner is later and it is still raining, when there is a slight break we go over to the Lodge. We find that everyone else is there and into drinks.