Sweet Saturday

Woke up thinking how good last Saturday's ride was and determined on another.  This time I picked a trip from the book given me by Marie-Line that was also recommended by Olivier C., purchasing team member from Clisson, one of my favorite places.  I've ridden some of these roads before on various outings, but not the entire river loop proposed.  So, as with last week, I started off crossing the rickety bridge to the Il d'Or golf course to make another tee time for tomorrow.

From La Varenne I cross the river at Oudon riding up the north bank to Ancinis, Varades, and on to Ingrandes.  Crossing back to the southern bank, I turn west immediately after crossing the bridge and find a very nice little restaurant with the ubiquitous outdoor seating.   Thank God for ubiquitous outdoor seating.

Had an appetizing lunch of moules (mussels) marinated in white wine, shalot, and spices, a nice Aile de Raie filet, followed by a very tasty salad with Brie.  Preceding the mussels they served some toasted bread with a paté that was really special.

Many in America relate paté to what we call "potted meat."  Now, to be honest, there are a few of those that are tasty to me...but nothing like I've found here.  First, in the U.S., "potted meats" are almost always canned to increase shelf-life.  I've never eaten anything out of a can that didn't have some "tinny' or canned taste to it.  Here, it's usually fresh and absolutely delicious.  Something that full of cholesterol can't taste bad.  I think that's a law of nature.  Of course, the ingredients are often the same as those we see in the potted meat, but, believe me, the taste is heavenly.  And this little appetizer was exceptional.  I could have made a meal of it.  But, fortunately for my arteries, didn't.

I don't know exactly what the Aile de Raie is species-wise.  It strikes me as a semi-soft-fleshed, bottom feeder, sort of like whitefish.  In fact, it's certainly bony enough to be a whitefish.  I like my fish firm-fleshed, but this was actually quite good, though texturally a little challenging.  But, you put enough butter on it, I'll eat a rock, and this had lots of good butter.  A couple of beers (25ml each...but, as is usual over here, priced as if a pint [568 ml]), to go with it, and it worked great.  I'm also growing rather fond of the salad at the end of the meal.  It has the effect of lightening up things, and puts a nice end to it.

 ADDED Sunday, Sept. 5th. - I'm now thinking the Aile de Raie is a stingray of some kind.
EDITED August 29, 2016 - It's a skate.

 The bridge across the Loire at Ingrandes

The restaurant with Betsy waiting patiently.
I've got to start writing the names of these places down.  If it's good people should know about it. 
This was good, and the people were very kind and the service very good (how's that for a surprise?).

Down the river toward Nantes.
Lots and lots of sand.  River is way down, one expects, to be filled next spring.

A little further west and there's more water.  I didn't notice another source emptying in, but I suspect there was.

Coming into Saint-Florent-le-Vieil









I moved on down the southern bank through Bouzillé and crossed back to the northern bank at Ancinis.

The bridge at Ancinis, from the northern bank.

A little further down the river I check out another vineyard.  I'm no farmer, but I believe there may be a pretty significant lack of water this year.  I would have thought by now one would be seeing grapes beginning to come onto the vines.  I'm seeing none.  I'll have to check with the folks around here to determine if I'm right about this.



ADDED Sunday, Sept. 5th - Checked closer today and there are grapes on these vines.  In their clusters, heavier than the leaves they, naturally, hang down below them shielding them from both sun and birds.  They aren't huge, but they are there and growing.

Betsy, as always, performed flawlessly.