On BBC2 right now, Monica Galetti in my part of the world

You could make nettle wine, Urmstongran

We 'inherited' a gallon jar once but it was a bit sweet.

the light in winter is just amazing. Farmers in winter could not work due to snow- so they became artisan watch-makers and their wives made lace- all thanks to this very special light, reflecting on white snow.

Seems a Beautiful place biba and such gorgeous blue sky!
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home

Glad you enjoyed it. We always leave a large corner of the field for nettles- as they are so so good for you, especially in Spring, full of vitamins and all sorts, and it is really not that difficult for sure! Gloves and a pair of scissors, and I just snip the tops, the best bits- blanch and toss in butter, and bacon bits, or mix with potatoe and stock for soups. And then it just becomes a heaven for butterfly caterpillars, great for birds, and then we get 100s of butterflies all Summer, as our Cottage garden borders are full of nectar flowers, and the fields full of meadow wild flowers. What a reward.

I’m absolutely sure nettles are amazingly good for you. It’s just soup making (for me) would be a no-no of any sort. Not even bothered to make potato and leek. Open a can or a carton ...
#lazygran
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Great programme though biba thanks for the heads up!

Urmstongran- I love nettles, and they are so good for you. but with 1m50 of snow in garden, not quite the season. But I am a very experienced mushroom forager- and made the best of it in all the locations we lived in in the UK- at a time in the 70s and 80s when no-one but a few old Polish men were interested.

We have just watched it as well, beautiful area biba love the donkeys and Norbert.

Stumbled on this. Absolutely excellent. Is this a one off or does she have a series, please?

Thanks for the thread. Just found my photos of my meal at Monica's Mere and reminiscing.

BTW I do not live near Le Locle, but we sometimes pass through to go and visit my brother. The Jura is a long chain of mountains about 300 miles long and quite wide thas spans 3 countries.

I absolutely loved the rolling hills of East Midlands- and Rutland- and so many regions of England where I felt so at home. We spent a lot of time in the Dales but also North Norfolk- but also Devon, where my husband's family hails from and where his sister has owned marvellous homes.

Interesting. I'm the same, and moving to France from Devon I felt happiest by the sea in Brittany.
I'm actually a Londoner but I can't say I have an affinity with Paris.

I always felt at home in the Peaks and the Dales - as it is so similar in so many ways, to the Jura and so many features recognisable, like dales and limetone cliffs and circles- I cried when I first visited Dove Dale when we moved to Stoke- and much later on our first visit to the Yorkshire Dales and Malham Cove- and I was right back 'home'.

Jura is very much limestone. When we moved back to the region and we first went through Le Locle and sas the 'twinned with Sidmouth' we both thought it was hilarious.

Very famous for the best of watch-making.

biba70

Ah Sidmouth lol - chalk and cheese for sure- always find that particular twinning hilarious. Have organised Museum visits for visiting groups and we had a good giggle.

Yes, you have mountains, we have sea! Maybe it is the invigorating air which is similar?
Just one small correction - "chalk and cheese" - you may have cheese, but our cliffs are not chalk. Joking!

Ah Sidmouth lol - chalk and cheese for sure- always find that particular twinning hilarious. Have organised Museum visits for visiting groups and we had a good giggle.

biba70

Her husband comes from the region, hence her interest in the region.

Crikey biba I've just realized my town is twinned with a place that might be near you. I'd never really checked the map before! Le Locle?

You having nettle soup too for dinner biba?
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Yes, it is what the region is called- on both sides of the border ;) funnily enough

Her husband comes from the region, hence her interest in the region.

Norbert is such a character- he cooks on a wood stove, the lights are gas mantle. Now, lol - he has a Yourte and a Gipsy caravan to rent on site.

VERY glad that on my side of the border, hunting with dogs is NOT allowed. They can use dogs to locate the boar or chamois, deers, etc- but on Swiss side they have to clean shoot and not allow dogs to attack.

Norbert: it tastes of the Jura!

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Rats, I missed it, but will try to catch up later. She is a great person, as is her French husband David the sommelier. We ate once at Mere and she showed us round the kitchens after.
The rest of the evening we spent chatting with her about her favourite hotels and her young daughter.

Looks beautiful biba just switched channels to catch it!

I've seen it before as well but worth another look.