#Ossau Valley

[downfalldestiny]

My World, my space, my morning 🌟🌡️!.

[briery]

Les lac du Montagnon in Vallée d'Ossau, France.

[postcard-from-the-past]

Folklore dance in the Ossau Valley, Pyrenees, Béarn region of southern France

French vintage postcard

[feyrianedoesart]

My entry for the "Week And Art 2024" contest. Theme : SOLARPUNK! A serene, positive vision of a Solarpunk future, inspired by my favorite place in the world - the Ossau Valley in France. A totally self-sufficient house, a lake, imposing mountains, nature that is respected - and the sound of bees (present and aided by robotic companions), foraging from flower to flower.

[beautiful-basque-country]

Hi, are there any specific Basque cheeses? (Apart from Ossau-Iraty)

Kaixo!!

Yes, we have the Idiazabal:

It's made of raw sheep milk (breeds latxa and karrantzako muturbeltz) and there are two varieties: regular and smoked.

And the Roncal:

It's made with raw sheep milk (latxa and rasa), and it comes from the Erronkari valley, in the Pyrenees. It's stronger and more intense than Idiazabal.

We'd say that Idiazabal is the easiest cheese, the one that pleases most people; the Ossau-Iraty is the most complex one, with a flavour that reminds of nuts (our personal favourite 😋); and the Roncal is an awesome old cheese: so strong it can even be hot!

[safereturndoubtful]

Day 78 - to Luvie-Juzon

It was a superb night up at the Col de la Hourcère, clear and extremely dark, with a good chance to examine the sky. From 2:30 pm yesterday afternoon, when a couple of motorcyclists passed, no vehicle went by at all. I doubt very much it will be like this in a month’s time.

I knew the rain was coming this morning, by 8 am it was clouded over, but didn’t quite get my timing right. It is just 8 kilometres between the Cols, to Soudet, which was also part of that stage on the 2020 Tour. It set in just as I got there. I wanted to get out for a couple of hours, but ended up cutting that short by 30 minutes, as it was heavy and any view disappeared pretty quickly.

Slowly, and now with a view of floating cloud disappearing and reappearing in the valleys, I drove down into Oloron Sainte-Marie, where I stocked up at the Intermarche, had lunch and weighed up options. With the hope of a drier evening, I meandered east, along the Gave river and up the Ossau valley for a few kilometres to the conglomerate of little villages that are big tourist attractions in the summer, Arudy, Izeste and Luvie-Juzon. At the latter, I found a hiker’s car park above the village and settled in to an hour’s work, and a couple researching options for the summer. Bampton Grange, with its ongoing party house problem next door to me, is not in the slightest bit appealing.

The rain did break at about 5 pm, and Roja and I put together a circuit that took in the village, in the off chance that a cafe was open, but after the holiday weekend, Tuesday has become the Monday rest day that bars and cafes in rural France villages take.

Just as we got back to the van the rain returned, and will be around for a few days. Not well timed this morning, but some improvement this afternoon.

This is the forecast for the Atlantic Pyrenees for the next few days.. time to head north maybe..

[harvard-art-museums-prints]

Female Villagers from the Valley of Ossau at the Door of a Mill, Pierre Edmond Alexandre Hédouin, 19th century, Harvard Art Museums: Prints

Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Gift of Belinda L. Randall from the collection of John Witt Randall

https://www.harvardartmuseums.org/collections/object/238393

[photorator]

I dont see the French pyrnes on here very often so heres a panorama of the Ossau valley I took whilst hiking there

[thetigarchives]

THE TIG ARCHIVES│FOOD│FRENCH WINE & CHEESE PAIRINGS

“Well, well, well…bonjour Angie Niles – author, publicist, girl crush extraordinaire, and old soul with a penchant for all things chic and classy (à la sending handwritten thank you notes and bespoke spice blends from gay Pareeee). When this lovely lady and I connected, I was immediately struck by how refreshing she was – real and kind, polished but approachable. A class act in a world of people buried in their iPhones and often lacking social graces. And then, as though it couldn’t get better, you add her recent book to the mix, and you realize you are actually in love with Angie Niles. Like, proper, you are my stylish spirit animal, love. Her debut book, Bright Lights Paris shares all covetable gems in The City of Lights from taste makers and jet setters who know it inside out (oh, hey Blake Lively) — plus, it also includes a sampling of francophile tips to make you feel ever so in the know.

On that note (both contextual and oenophile), Angie is sharing the French wine and cheese pairings that she learned from the pros in Paris, so that at our next dinner party we can all say, “Mais, oui – zissssss pinot and zissssss cow’s milk cheese are simply zeeeeee best together.” Or maybe that’s just me. Bon apetit mon petit chou, and thanks Angie – Tig Team for life!”

- Meghan Markle, September 2015

From Angie

“If you ever attend a dinner party in Paris, you may notice that unlike in the U.S., other guests don’t arrive with wine for the hosts. The reason is that a French hostess takes special care and thought pairing her meal with the perfect selection of wine. Her local wine shop experts will even ask to know all of the ingredients in her meal to help her select the perfect pairings.

One of my favorite locations to wine and dine and improve my knowledge of French wine is O Chateau. Their wine list, comprised of forty selections, changes each week and varies in price to accommodate all budgets. It includes almost all French wines, with a couple from other countries thrown in the mix.

O Chateau isn’t just a restaurant and wine bar, but also a place where the wine brings people together. Here you may notice Parisian girlfriends meeting up after work, a couple on their weekly Friday-night date, and maybe some London ladies in town for a weekend bachelorette party, all with one thing in common—they enjoy and appreciate great wine.

For years, O Chateau has been hosting the best wine tastings in Paris, including lunch and dinner tastings and wine and cheese pairings. Located in a beautiful medieval wine cellar, it’s also a great location for private dinner parties and small special events. Parisian girls and visitors to Paris book O Chateau’s sunset champagne cruise on the river Seine to celebrate a special occasion or just enjoy some bubbly on a small private tour of the river.

Around the corner from the cave a vin is O Chateau’s newest venture, Les Caves du Louvre. This former residence of Trudon—who was Louis XV’s sommelier—is now a wine-making workshop where, with the help of O Chateau experts, you will learn to blend your own wine, design the label, and leave with a case of your own blend to bring home with you.

I think making wine in the former cellar of the king’s private wine collection is about as good as it gets! Soon I’ll be returning home with my very own Bright Lights Paris customized blend.

And what’s wine without cheese? Around the corner from my apartment in Brooklyn is an amazing cheese and gourmet food shop, Stinky Bklyn. I find myself there probably once a week picking up some Comté or Cambembert with slices of fresh prosciutto and gourmet crackers. They are the local experts on cheese and are always helpful when I need suggestions on wine pairings. When entertaining at home or at a picnic, Parisian girls make sure to have the perfect cheese to go with their wine selection.”

1. Pouilly-Fuissé + Cambembert

“This raw cow’s milk cheese from Normandy has a subtle salty taste with a fruity tang and pairs well with the sweet white wine from Burgundy.”

2. Chardonnay + Comté Rodolphe le Meunier

“Aged raw cow’s milk cheese from the Loire Valley, with notes of butter, dried apricots, nuts, and cream matches this full-bodied Burgundy white wine.”

3. Pinot Noir + Ossau-Iraty

“Raw sheep’s milk cheese from Basque Country that is sweet, nutty, and buttery, with notes of hazelnut is best enjoyed with this red.”

4. Châteauneuf-du-Pape + Pont l’Evêque

“Dating back to the twelfth century, this is a pasteurized cow’s milk cheese from Normandy. The oniony mushroom flavor is brought out by this full-bodied red wine.”

Images via: Keiko Lynn / Keiko Lynn.com, Facebook

[mountainjourney]

Avalanche Kills Ski Tourer In The Pyrénées-Atlantiques In France

Sad News From France...

Laruns, France – On Saturday, January 14, 2017 three backcountry ski tourers were caught in an avalanche in the Gabarderes Valley in the area of of Pont-de-Camps in the Ossau Valley in the commune of Laruns in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department of southern France. One person died, one person was seriously injured, and one person escaped uninjured.

Pyrenees Mountains | Pixabay Image

The avalanche…

[briery]

Le lac d’Er (the Lake of Er), Vallée d’Ossau, France.

[lundsandbyerlys]

Monger Madness: Help us pick the ultimate cheese champion

Eight cheeses. Three weeks. Seven taste-offs. Who will be the champion of cheese? The king of queso? The finest of fromage? Join us for Monger Madness, in stores now through April 3, 2019.

Vote for your favorites by texting CHEESE to 55955.* When you cast your vote, you’ll receive a $5-off coupon for cheese and be entered for a chance to win a $100 Lunds & Byerlys gift card!

This year, eight popular cheeses will be facing off in the ultimate cheese-tasting event of the year. Meet the competitors:

Westminster Rustic Red Cheddar

Made in the Somerset region of the United Kingdom.

Rustic Red Cheddar is a happy accident, created when a helveticus culture was added to a savory cheddar recipe by mistake.

Sweet, nutty caramelized notes combined with a little savory bite. 

The helveticus culture creates this cheese's signature snap/crumble when you taste it.

Pairs well with a spicy red wine, such as an aged Zinfandel or Malbec.

Old Amsterdam Gouda

Gold-medal winner! Tastes like a young Parmigiano-Reggiano crossed with an aged Dutch Gouda.

Rich, nutty, robust flavor and firm texture.

Made in Holland from local pasteurized cow's milk and imported Italian cultures; aged over twelve months. 

Perfect with a glass of fine wine or port.

Manchego Young

The most popular cheese in Spain and their #1 exported cheese. 

100% sheep’s milk cheese with a green, gray, or black cross hatch pattern on natural, inedible rind. Usually aged 3 to 14 months.

Flavorful but mild with a nutty, tangy, sweet and slightly salty finish. Firm and dry, yet rich and creamy.

Oscar Wilde Cheddar

Made from the milk of pasture grazing cows, in the Irish Cheddar style. Aged around 2 years.

Named after the famous Irish poet.

Each block is carefully selected and hand-graded.

Rich and nutty with a distinctly creamy taste and a firm, smooth texture. Finishes with a playful, tangy bite.

Carr Valley Cranberry Chipotle Cheddar 

Wisconsin white cheddar studded with cranberries and chipotle peppers, made from pasteurized cultured cow's milk.

The perfect balance of tart and spicy, where the heat sneaks up on the finish.

Delicious sliced up into your favorite sandwich. Also works well on grilled chicken or burgers.

Created by Sid Cook, 4th generation Master Cheesemaker. Carr Valley is owned and operated by the Cook family.

Awarded 2nd Place 2017 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest

Grand Noir Blue

A triple-cream blue cheese made from the milk of Swiss brown cows that graze in the Allgau region of Bavaria, Germany. 

Aged for several months in its waxy black mantle, like wine in a cask.

Gluten free, lactose free and rBGH free.

Grand Noir received Best of Class in the blue veined cheese category at the World Championship Cheese Contest in 2016.

Tomme St. Georges

Semi-soft sheep’s milk cheese, aged 3-6 months.

Made in the French Alps by Société Fromagère de Riom.

A cross between Ossau Iraty and a traditional French Tomme such as Tomme de Savoie.

Most Tomme-style cheeses produced in the French and Swiss Alps use cow's milk, but Tomme Saint Georges breaks with that tradition. 

This washed-rind cheese’s name comes from the small town where it’s made, Saint Georges.

Sartori BellaVitano Black Pepper

An American original cheese made from pasteurized cow’s milk. Made in Antigo, Wisconsin.

Aged around 8 months.

Savory and full-bodied, with a rich, nutty, creamy taste. Has the creaminess of a cheddar, but the flavor profile of a nutty Parmesan. Rubbed with course ground black pepper to impart a spicy bite.

A Sartori family original, made by several Master Cheesemakers. This gourmet cheese is a celebrated silver-medal winner at the 2014 World Cheese Awards.

Pairs well with Chianti, Chardonnay, light red wine, India pale ale, American pale ale, Trappist style beer.

Taste-off schedule:

March 7-10: Round 1, Game 1 Westminster Rustic Red vs. Old Amsterdam

March 11-14: Round 1, Game 2 Manchego Young vs. Oscar Wilde Cheddar

March 15-18: Round 1, Game 3 Carr Valley Cranberry Chipotle Cheddar vs. Grand Noir Blue

March 19-22: Round 1, Game 4 Tomme St. Georges vs. BellaVitano Black Pepper

March 23-26: Semi-Finalists, Game 1 Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2

March 27-30: Semi-Finalists, Game 2 Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

March 31 – April 3: Championship Matchup Winner of Semi-Final 1 vs. Winner of Semi-Final 2

April 4: Champion Announced

Stop by our deli between March 7 and April 3, taste these magnificent cheeses for yourself and help us choose the 2019 winner!

*Message and data rates may apply. Periodic messaging. Text STOP to cancel, HELP for help to 55955. By voting you agree to receive 3 marketing text messages, which may be sent through an automatic telephone dialing system, from Lunds & Byerlys at the mobile number provided. By voting, you are confirming you are over the age of 13. Opt-in not required as a condition to purchase goods and services from Lunds & Byerlys.

[watashiwagwendesu]

Pic du midi d'Ossau #picdumididossau #valleedossau #bearnpyrenees #pyrenees #mountains #mountainscape #montagne #landscape #hiking #hike #randonnée #divinenature #naturelovers (à Ossau Valley) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnQyJuIAPih/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1p59x2sy3gqyu

[ilegna24]

Rando nature 🏞 #valleedossau #rando #lacdaltitude #lacsdormielas #trainartouste #respirer (à Ossau Valley)

[tpltravelled]

A side-perk of progressing through the UIMLA scheme is having to revise / learn about moutain culture in the areas that the Summer and Winter training and assessment courses take place. I’ve interpreted that learning requirement as free reign to learn lots about the local cheeses. Learning by consumption 😉 Luckily for me @porterbrookdeli are helping by looking out for any interesting Pyrenean cheeses that their suppliers import. Ossau-Iraty (or Esquirrou) arrived the other day. It is produced in SW France, in the Northern Basque Country and in Béarn. Its name reflects its geographical location, the Ossau Valley in Béarn and the Irati Forest in the Basque Country. // It has been recognized as an appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) product since 1980, and is one of only two sheep's milk cheeses granted AOC status in France (the other is Roquefort). It is of ancient origin, traditionally made by the shepherds in the region. Production techniques are very much old world methods whereby the sheep still graze mountain pastures. The milk must come from the breeds Basco-béarnaise, Red-face Manech, or Black-face Manech. This is an uncooked cheese made through pressing. When offered as a farm-produced cheese, AOC regulations stipulate that only raw, unpasteurized milk be used. // The cheese crust is yellow-orange to gray, and the body color ranges from white to cream depending on how it has been matured. It is smooth, creamy and firm. // Currently available at Porter Brook Deli 🧀

[luwdie]

The Earth has music for those who listen 😌 #pyreneesatlantiquestourisme #pyrenees #pyreneesatlantiques #forest #waterfall #igersfrance #so_photo #paysbasque #paysage #landscape_lovers #landscape_focus_on #landscape #igersnouvelleaquitaine #nelle_aquitaine_focus_on #nature #naturephotography #nouvelleaquitaine_focus_on #nature_good #natureshot #naturelovers #adventure #sudouest #explorefrance #tourismeoccitanie #occitanietourisme #occitanie #tree #france_focus_on #flickr (à Ossau Valley) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByRsNg2i3S6/?igshid=hpcr2q41zmkr