Day 2067 (Friday) 27th November

I had an early start this morning because Eduard and Olga are having an extra class every Friday morning and when I walked to the station the light was beautiful.

 

When I got to Monaco I was very brave and took the lift down to the stadium and I didn’t get lost – hooray! When you leave the lift you walk through this tunnel to an enormous shopping centre. It makes it a lot quicker to get to work 

I spent a very challenging hour with Eduard and had a short break on the balcony before working with Olga.

Before leaving, Eduard presented me with a copy of the books he has written. We had been doing phrasal verbs today and he said ‘I want you to have these books because I look up to you. 

This one looks readable 

But I don’t even understand the title of this one – I told you he was clever, didn’t I?

I had 15 minutes between classes and Bradley’s place is very close to Eduard’s so I had time to eat a sandwich in the garden. The Christmas decorations are going up and I hope  this looks a lot prettier when it’s lit up.

Bradley was super touchy again today and hugged me three times. When the nanny takes him back to school we all go down in the lift together and part ways on the street, today he hugged me again and for way too long,

It’s a short walk to the stadium and I had time to eat the rest of my sandwiches in the port of Cap d’Ail. I think the Marriott is well and truly shut – I really enjoyed working there and I feel so sorry for the lovely staff I used to work with – just 50 metres away in Monaco all the hotels are open and the bars and restaurants.

One of the staff members told me ages ago that by law Monaco has to provide some social housing and this block is one of them – not too shabby with a sea/port view.

  

I spent 90 minutes in the stadium and as much as I like them all and the atmosphere is great there are four students and three levels; a complete beginner, an elementary student and two intermediates, one of whom used to play for Arsenal. 

Today’s Niçoise recipe is for Pan Bagnat which is one of Huw’s favourite lunches.

The pan bagnat is basically Provençal burger. Served cold, it is a complete meal placed in a large bun. Inside are all the elements of the salade niçoise : boiled eggs, tuna, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, spring onions, baby broad beans, basil, olives, baby artichoke, celery, anchovies …and olive oil of course!

For 1 person

1 round 20 cm Pan Bagnat bread
3 beautiful tomatoes 

a few radishes 

a few beans
two peppered artichokes
2 small fresh onions "cebettes"
1 small branch of celery
1 green pepper salad
1 hard-boiled egg
1 anchovy fillet
1/2 tin of tuna in oil 

a few black olives from Nice
Basil
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Pan bagnat : tomatoes, beans, radishes, green peppers, spring onions, basil leaves, black olives from Nice, tuna or anchovies, hard-boiled egg, olive oil, pepper and salt, vinegar

Preparation
Thoroughly wash the vegetables, Cut the green pepper and celery
Cut the radishes into slices
Peel the broad beans
Slice the green onions 

Cut the hard-boiled egg into thin slices
Rinse the anchovy fillet and the black olives
Finely slice the artichokes
Peel the tomatoes , remove the seeds. Cut into thin slices

Prepare the bread
Divide the bread in half crosswise, remove a little of the inside crumb.
Soak generously with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Arrange the tomato slices, all the vegetables and the eggs.
Then basil, olives, anchovies.
Season with salt and pepper, oil widely.
Then close with the bread lid and keep cool for at least an hour

To be enjoyed at a picnic, at the beach, fishing or for the morning snack.
With a large towel to wipe the fingers and the perimeter of the muzzle which will not fail to be full of oil

I’m not entirely sure what  that last sentence means but they are very messy to eat.

Joke of the day