Allotment lunch and info for the elderly -

Attention geriatrics of Esperaza; on the 12th December at 14.30H, our Mayor Jean Torrent invites all those retired folk who live here to a free event at the Centre Culturel - booze, nosh and a 'spectacle'. Unmissable! (I think that retired is a euphemism for old so if you are still working but ancient, come on down -)

 Now back to the plot....

   The group who grow vedg on the field by the river meet once a year for fun and feedback... this is our third year together and all seem content, despite this years poor weather and subsequent loss of produce.

In the past we have had a dinner involving home grown food but since many of us have been away or busy generally, yesterday was the first opportunity to get together, late in the season and at lunchtime. Alicia did a mega bean soup, the group's consultant Jenny made the lemon tart - in the interests of full transparency, the recipe is below- Pete and Nel bought the blanquette, Ian the beer, Bieke the chocolate and clementines. Kelly is nothing to do with the project but happened to be around and blessed us with her presence:)

The evening was the photo shot for the Mayors team - great bunch of people, really enjoy being with them.  Snapped the newly-lit square en route to the rendezvous, aint it tasteful - below that, the Rue Voltaire where it crosses Rue St Michel, the enlightenment meeting the angel-

This is the tarte au citron recipe from Jenny...

It IS worth the kerfuffle (sp?) of doing the pastry. I have tried cheating and it is much less good
PASTRY
170gm plain flour
75gm demi-sel butter (leave it out of the fridge as long as poss in advance, easier if soft)
45gm icing sugar (sucre glace)
1 egg

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle and drop the butter in in chunks. Using only the fingertips rub the butter with a pecking motion until soft, add the sugar to the butter using the same motion, add the egg to this mix in the same way. Gradually incorporate the flour using flicking motions and then chopping through with a knife to get a rough dough. Mix and knead quickly a couple of times to form a smooth dough. Cover and rest in the fridge for 1 hour. The purpose of all this is to handle the flour as little as possible

Roll out the pastry and line the dish. Chill again 10 minutes or so. Heat oven to 180 C blindbake the pastry 10 minutes approx with beans or similar to hold pastry, lift out beans, bake further 3 to 5 minutes until just cooked but pale. Take out of the oven and turn down to 150 C

CREAM FILLING
3 eggs +1 yolk
213gm caster sugar (super fine)
140gm creme fraiche
2 non treated lemons

Put eggs and yolk in large bowl and whisk vigourously, add sugar, whisk, add cream, whisk, add lemon zest and juice, whisk

Put into pastry case. Bake for 35 - 40 mins until filling has set.