Southern French Mimosa and Marmalade
When you realize it's already March! It's all warm.
I heard from a friend in Tokyo that the cherry blossoms will be blooming soon.
In mid-February this year, I
I went to Cannes in southern France to see mimosas.
I think yellow and fluffy mimosas are popular in Japan as well.
Among the fans of Brand Juliet,
Some of you may say, "I decorated my room on March 8th, International Women's Day."
I have long since
It was a dream to "see mimosas in Cannes in February".
Actually, 30 years ago, when I studied abroad in Cannes,
I didn't believe the words of my Japanese friend who told me, "They're all mimosas."
"A mimosa is a small flower, right?
It can't be that big of a tree."
The mimosa trees in Cannes are that big,
It continued along the highway.
But how ignorant you are and that you don't listen to what people say. I have to reflect.
Now I know that those big trees were all mimosas.
And there is an area called "Mimosa Highway" that stretches for 130km along the Mediterranean Sea in southern France.
Every February in Mondrille, the Mimosa Festival is held.
Tanneron is famous for its mimosa fields, and so on.
You can easily look it up on the internet.
So, don't miss the timing this year,
In the middle of February, I went to the south of France.
Mimosa is not a flower with a short bloom like cherry blossoms,
After all, I want to go out in full bloom.
As a rough estimate, it is said that you can enjoy the flower season from January to March.
What I found when I actually went to the site this time,
There are various types of mimosas in one word.
Some flowers have a large fluffy part, some are firm like balls, some have fine leaves, some have wide leaves, and so on.
It is said that there are more than 1,000 varieties. And even if it is in the same garden, the flowering time is different.
Moreover, mimosa is not native to Southern France Cote d'Azur,
In the 1800s, a wealthy Englishman brought it back from Australia and planted it near Cannes.
From there, weeds developed steadily...
By the way, eucalyptus also came to Southern France Cote d'Azur at the same time and on the same route,
It is now a representative plant that makes up the landscape of this land.
At Dominic's house where I always stay,
There are many mimosa and eucalyptus trees.
This house was originally his wife Magari's grandmother's house.
Mr. Magali has seen this garden since he was a child.
"When I was little, I didn't have a single mimosa in my garden. The whole garden was covered with pine trees and heather, and there wasn't a single flower that I could see.
We didn't plant anything, the plants grew on their own and this is what happened," he told me.
Eight big mimosa trees grew on their own! Moreover, it seems that if you do not pick the young shoots with care from time to time, they will increase even more.
If the tree is so strong,
I also want to grow it on my balcony in Paris,
Mr. Magari gave me two small saplings to pick and throw away...
Will they get along with me?
Not very confident.
Well, at Magari-san and Dominic-san's house,
When the weather is nice, we eat on the terrace even in winter.
In mid-February, I ate breakfast outside many times on this street.
Morning, noon, night, at the outside table whenever it's not cold.
What a luxury life!
Moreover, Dominique's homemade marmalade is exquisite!
Bitter oranges grown in a friend's garden,
Dominique takes 3 days to finish.
"Don't make marmalade when you don't have time," is Dominic's advice!
Dominique Fantino
https://www.instagram.com/unchefalamer/
Just looking at these pictures makes my heart happy.
I always remember that
I want to have it in my chest
Then again
Abianto!
Keiko SUMINO-LEBLANC
Paris-based writer/coordinator Japanese-French translator
Moved to Paris in 1997.
After getting married and raising children in Paris, she is active as a freelance writer and coordinator. As a journalist specializing in food and lifestyle,
Contributed to numerous magazines and media in France and Japan. He also co-authored a book as a translator.