Food, Wine, Photography Cycling & Gardening. Discover more about Life in Burgundy on The Hungry Cyclist Blog
2016 hasn't been the best of years in Burgundy for the wine production, but in the garden we have been blessed with a fine year for tomatoes. The late frosts of April that devastated the vineyards, didn't get a chance to attack the tomatoes vines. A soaking wet June was followed by a searing hot summer, and with little rot and plenty of dry heat our tomatoes have thrived.
Read MoreOn August 6th we had the honour of hosting Lauren and Adam Richardson’s for their wedding at The Hungry Cyclist Lodge. Arriving from all over the world, seventy of the bride and grooms family and friends, came to Auxey-Duresses to celebrate Adam and Lauren’s special day in the heart of Burgundy wine country.
Read More"Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun; Conspiring with him how to load and bless With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run; To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees, And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core; To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells With a sweet kernel; to set budding more, And still more, later flowers for the bees, Until they think warm days will never cease, For Summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells."
Read MoreAmong my childhood memories of summer holidays in France – seemingly endless car journeys, fighting with my older sister on the back seat, Dire Straits on the cassette player – one stands out: repeated stops at localbrocantes (junk shops).
My parents seemed to suffer from some kind of affliction – they were physically unable to drive past a brocante sign. My mother even had a knack of waking from a doze just as a sign appeared: “Look, a brocante!” And we would abruptly pull over.
Read MoreI first met Neil Gower in 2009. Having spent the previous three years either on the saddle of my bicycle in the Americas or hidden away in Tooting library writing about my travels. Neil was commissioned by Harper Collins to illustrate my journey and words.
Read MoreIn our cellar a few lonely root vegetables lurk, and after months in the dark they are starting to soften a little and need eating. Butter beans and other pulses are always in stock as well, and these hearty beans always soak up plenty of flavour and add some well needed protein for the muscles after a days cycling or digging in the garden.
Read MoreBlossom flowered, birds sang, heavy winter jumpers were packed away, forgotten shorts were rediscovered and espadrilles were dusted off. Then the cold and rained returned. However this little taste of the balmy days ahead inspired some cooking. Rosmary, that survives the winter here, began to push out its pale and tender young leaves. Zesty lemons from Spain are still in the market and to help encourage the arrival of spring I set about making one of our guests favourite desserts.
Read MoreWe have not been idle over the winter months. Our bike garage has been renovated. We have added a fully equipped pool house as well as starting work on the renovation of our 18th century bake house. All being well by July there will be home-baked breads, terrines and the odd pizza to enjoy poolside after a day cycling amongst the vines.
Read MoreLeaving the cold of Burgundy this winter we headed east to the island of Sri Lanka in search of heat, spices and culinary inspiration. After the renovations here in Auxey-Duresses it has been a while since I have pulled on my back pack. And how I missed it. Touring the island for a five weeks, this was a culinary adventure filled bustling markets, exciting new flavours, trains and wonderful people.
Read MoreWhen I was idly daydreaming on a beach in Rio de Janeiro, after completing a two and half year bicycle ride researching food across the Americas, I sketched out a picture of what I felt my dream building might look like for the gourmet cycle lodge I was planning in France.
Read MoreA regular favourite here at The Hungry Cyclist Lodge is slow braised beef cheeks. Easy to prepare and unimaginably unctuous, they are full of flavour and the slow braise fills the house with glorious smells, perfect when returning from a days cycling and wine tasting in Burgundy. Paired with a creamy mash, flavoured with local Dijon mustard, this is a dish perfectly suited for autumn nights.
Read MoreI am very fortunate to be able to say that cooking, cycling and drinking the occasional glass of wine are work. But following your passions is not always easy and to be able to read the kind words below after a season of hard work is reward indeed. To all the guests who have visited us in Burgundy, thank you it's been a wonderful summer!
Read MoreWhile we are based in a 17th Century watermill and The Lodge is decorated with antiques sourced from local 'brocante', we also like to think we move with the times here in Burgundy and in 2016 our self guided cycling tours will come equipped with the very latest in cycling GPS navigation technology. The Garmin Edge 1000.
Read MoreOctober in our Burgundian garden always provides a bonus. Like an extravagant dessert in a fine restaurant, it arrives after the main event, just when you think you have had enough only for your senses to be reinvigorated for one last bout of pleasure.
Read MoreOeufs en Meurette is a Burgundian classic. A soft-poached egg swimming in a rich red wine sauce, it's a warming and hearty dish, perfect for autumn days. However as a hot summer has come to an end I have found that the same principle work of serving a poached egg in a creamy white wine sauce flavoured with herbs from the garden
Read MoreHere at The Hungry Cyclist Lodge we keep our grilling simple and this summers' favourites are 'magret' of duck and the smoky rib of Charolais slow-cooked over 90-year-old vine stocks, both washed down with plenty of local pinot noir.
Read MoreA designer’s eye for detail clearly informed that sketch, and it has taken two years to convert the near-derelict 17th-century water mill and former village campsite into something like a cycling enthusiast’s blueprint.
Read MorePeaches from the south of France cover the tables in the local markets at this time of year, and the secret in this heat is to eat them as fast as you can before they turn. While there are few greater pleasures in life than taking on a peach whole, juices pouring down your shirt this recipe is a little more elegant.
Read MoreA creative way to journal those daily snap-shots, if you want an inside view of a stay at the Hungry Cyclist Lodge or a what cycling holiday in Burgundy looks like, have a look and follow The Hungry Cyclist Instagram feed. Full of photos of food, wine, landscapes and the occasional brocante find, it's a beutiful way to keep in touch.
Read MoreThe Hungry Cyclist Lodge has now been open for three months. As each week passes we open our doors to more and more guests who have come to enjoy the best of Burgundy. Coming to this special part of the world to rest and enjoy some of the best food, wine and cycling in France.
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