Visiting Coventry

Hubby was born in Coventry and I lived there in my teens which is how we met, however we don't visit very often even though we only live 10 miles away.

Last week we decided to take the train and have a trip round the city .... it wasn't as we remembered 😶 but we did visit the Cathedral and Guildhall. The city has so much history, history from long before the new Cathedral was built after the old one was bombed in WWII.

There are so many old buildings with beautiful architecture and windows, and the new Cathedral is stunning.

The spire of Coventry's old Cathedral 

Old Cathedral Alter

St Michael and the Devil on the side of
Coventry's new Cathedral 

The outside of the modern stained glass 

The inside of the modern windows

The magnificent tapestry which dominates
the new Cathedral 

The Angrl of Agony through the
Crown of Thorns

The New built alongside the Old

Bayley Lane Medieval Timbered House

Inside St Mary's Guildhall

The 'Coventry Tapestry' showing the Assumption
of the Virgin Mary  - dated 1500

Guildhall stained glass 

Coventry's elephant emblem in glass 

Lady Godiva  - Coventry's famous lady

A settlement since 650 AD

We had a lovely time visiting our old home place. We didn't climb the old Cathedral spire, maybe one day.

There is do much history in this city, if you are ever in the Midlands you should m

A bit of France chez moi

Yesterday was Bastille Day in France: a day to  celebrate the storming of the Bastille—a military fortress and prison—on July 14, 1789, in a violent uprising that helped usher in the French Revolution.

As well as holding gunpowder and other supplies valuable to the revolutionaries, the Bastille also symbolized the callous tyranny of the French monarchy, especially King Louis XVI and his queen, Marie Antoinette.

Bastille Day—known as la Fête nationale or le 14 juillet (14 July)—is a public holiday and is celebrated nationwide with festivities including fireworks, parades and parties.

Across France the tricolor flag is flown, the French motto Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité shouted and La Marseillaise sung - all symbols of France that had their origins in the heady days of the French Revolution.

In one of the world’s oldest annual military parades, Bastille Day of 1880, French troops march each along the Champs-Elysées in Paris before French government officials and world leaders. The tricolour flares of the military fly past always make s spectacular sight over the Arc de Triomphe.

Yesterday we had a French dinner tonight to celebrate Bastille Day, it's always good to have a little bit of my favourite country at home.

Cour-Cheverny 2011

No better way to start than a glass of this lovely Loire wine. We bought this back from one of our many French holidays. Resting in the only 2CV I'm allowed to own without divorce papers being issued, this peach/appley wine was perfect as an aperitif and with our goats cheese starter.

Baked goats cheese starter 

This year I made Beef Bourguignon for our main, so rich, so meaty. Mini dauphinoise potatoes, green beans and petit pois made a delicious plate of French cuisine.

Beef Bourguignon 

Our wine to accompany the rich beef was a Cotes du Rhone Villages, and surprisingly a village we have not yet visited.... Valreas. It wasn't from a producer we know either, this was a bottle we bought in Lidl a while back when it was on offer. It was all as expected from a Cotes du Rhone; lovely dark fruits, a hint of soft spice and an edge of smokiness. I haven't seen it again but would buy a few bottles if I did.

Cotes du Rhone Villages

Our dessert was also courtesy of Lidl, it has recently been their French promotion and their creme brulee is superb. It's not always easy to make this smooth creamy dessert and with these being so good it isn't worth trying.

Creme Brulee 

To finish our French cuisine we had a small plate of cheese, nuts and plum drizzled with honey. As it was dinner for two and we had opened the Cour-Cheverny and the Valreas we decided not to open a dessert wine too.

Cheese plate

 However we did finish our meal with a coffee....of sorts.... a Expresso Martini!

Expresso Martinis to finish our French meal

It's always good to have a reason to cook something different or special. I enjoy our themed dinners throughout the year but I especially enjoy celebrating Bastille Day, le 14 juillet - à votre santé.