First update from our French Cookery Holiday

We've just finished our first day on our French Cookery Holiday in southern France and I wanted to share a few photos and notes from what we've been up to...

At Chateau Ventenac, sunny day, blue skies, swifts soaring around above, the wisteria in full bloom and the rosemary too.

The countryside is looking superb and lush, after lots of spring rain. Vines are pale green, and the fields are full of red poppies and the purple irises.

In the market, Asparagus, broadbeans, peas and artichokes are at their best.

Supper outside, first time this year and warm enough to sit out to 11pm, fuelled by the local red wine.

We made our favourite salad with green asparagus, broadbeans, peas and fresh goats curd. Goats curd is bought in liquid rather like mozzarella and is soft and blanchmanche like in consistency, subtle goaty flavour and delicate.

A large rustic pissaladiere to go with purple potatoes, that are purple all the way through with a dense consistency, tomato and basil salad and green beans with pinenuts.

For pudding a wheat free almond and orange cake with local French strawberries and crème fraiche.

To drink a Limoux bubbly, and carafes of red and rose from the cave in Ventenac.

You can keep up with our French Cooking Holiday on Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.