Today was probably the worst weather day we have had since I arrived in Toulouse. I guess that makes me pretty lucky as I have been here about 5 weeks. It was overcast and blustery with unexpected rain squalls. I relied on the weather app and it said the rain was supposed to stop around noon and I headed out then. Every now and then, I would get doused with rain. Luckily they were not heavy showers so I was not soaked, I was just slightly damp.

I had headed out for my weekly lunch at Terra Tolosa but I was scouting addresses for Nancy. She was looking for souvenirs for her family and I had told her about two shops that might work. I knew how to get to them but did not know names or addresses. I am one of those people who find and remember things by landmarks not street names. I found the shops and sent pictures and street names.

After my scavenger hunt for shops, I went to Terra Tolosa for lunch. It was good as there were new options on the menu. Since the restaurant is small and the menu is limited, sometimes I have to have the same thing as they have not changed the menu. Most of the time, the food is so good that I really do not mind eating the same thing. I am always excited when there are new things on the menu.

The menu is a chalkboard with three appetizers, three entrees and three dessert options. All for 25 euros.

Today, I opted for the Tartlette Fine, Boudin Noir, Pommes and Onions. This was a tart made of phyllo pastry, boudin noir (a type of sausage) softened with a sauce with apples baked in a muffin pan and with apples and caramelized onions as garnish. It was very creative and tasted delicious. Again, the chef is great with flavors and texture.

For my main course, I had Volaille Ferniere Farcie aux Champignons, Ecase de PDT, Carrottes et jus reduit. This is stuffed chicken breasts with mushroom stuffing on a bed of mashed potatoes with roasted carrots and reduced chicken juice. Again the flavors and textures are great. The mashed potatoes (Ecase de PDT – Pommes de terre (three words than mean potato or literal translation apples of the earth) were not super creamy so you still get the texture of the potatoes. There was fried and crispy decorations which I think was skin from the chicken. There were also pearl onions. Again, beautifully presented.

The chef and I discussed his cooking style and he said that the main thought was to use fresh and good ingredients. He said he was not trying to use culinary tricks or be over creative. I would somewhat disagree about his degree of creativity. He definitely hits the mark on the fresh ingredients and simple style of his cooking. He is not into heavy sauces and other traditional French cooking styles.

For dessert, I went with the Noelleux Noix au Rhum, Mousse Vanille. This is cake soaked in run with vanilla whipped cream. I had tried this before and it is very good. There is lots of rum soaking the cake.

They recommended a glass of red wine to accompany my lunch. The sommelier recommended a Tannat as he thinks it pairs well with mushrooms. The label was a clever type with just Tannat on it.

I feel I am back to being a food blogger.

I was pleased as the chef said that my choice for lunch was the best choice. There is one table by the kitchen and I eat there so I can interact with the staff while I am eating. The chef joked that I was becoming the restaurants best customer. I assured him that I would be eating lunch there every Thursday until I head back to the U.S.

In the afternoon, I did a little of grocery shopping to have food for dinner after the run. I usually have a light dinner after the run as I have had a heavy meal for lunch. It usually is yoghurt and fruit. One of the things I have found interesting is that in grocery stores, there are scales by the fruit and vegetables which weigh the item and then you print out a bar code showing how much it costs. This way when you get to the self check out or regular check out, you only have to scan the bar code. You do not have to go through the process of finding your item and weigh it. I do not buy generally fruit or vegetables at the grocery store so I have not use this often. They might even have cameras in them as when I put my clementines on the scale, it knew I was weighing clementines and only had to choose from four options. This seems to make the process easier and saves time.

In the evening, I went to the Run in Toulouse. I was probably overdressed as I wore tights. I am always afraid of being cold so at times overdress. The wind was pretty strong but not super cold. I have made a new friend at the run, Marc. He wants to practice English so we run together. I met a young lady, Phillipa, who is British and living in Toulouse. She moved here after university about a year ago. She has been teaching English as a second language online. She heard my English and approached to talk to me. It was her first run with Run in Toulouse. She had run with another group Runs and Buns. I need to find out more about that group.

Elliot and I texted today. He has been sick as he got COVID. I felt for him. I am hoping my COVID vaccine keeps me protected. He texted asking questions about an offer he got for a new job. It is with a US company and had some questions. They want to hire him as an independent contractor and pay him in dollars. We discussed the pros and cons of the offer. It was nice to be able to assist him.