Kitchen Garden @museum.de

Right – left – plié – left – plié – two – three ... and finish with a deep bow... very à propos in a venerable garden in the baroque style. I must say, my farming folk have laid out a delightful garden for me, their Magnificent Mog ... one in which I can stroll around to my heart's content and indulge in my little pleasures... left – plié – right – left ....

Well, no dream lasts forever... though er... in all modesty … I would make quite a passable Sun King, when all’s said and done – Jamal the Fourteenth....

But you’ve probably worked it out by now: the garden that’s really important for my farming family isn’t this miniature baroque garden, but the large bed to the right of the path. Sugar beet for the animals grows there, as do all kinds of vegetables and berries, from which the farmer's wife makes jams that the family sells... and which I am naturally obliged to sample beforehand. Mhh! Scrumptious!

In the orchard beyond, apple and pear trees bear plenty of fruit, and the grapevine on the wall of the house is doing well. Confidentially, just between ourselves: I have my doubts that the minuscule grapes growing here will make a decent Châteauneuf-du-Pape. But a good drop of grape juice is also worth having.

With that in mind: à votre santé!