It is mid-March. With a clear blue sky, spring is already showing itself. “Ohh, let’s stop for a moment,” I say to Enton. For my eye catches a carpet of bright yellow dandelions in the walnutorchard towards the village. The trees themselves are still in their winter outfits, which make sthe contrast so beautiful!

Whatever the season, walnuts are a part of the Dordogne. You find them everywhere. A few along the dirt road near our house, hidden in the forest, or in neat rows in one of the man yorchards. They grow easily, as we ourselves have already discovered several spontaneouswalnut hatchlings on our land. We just have to wait to harvest them in seven years . You guessed it: this story is an ode to les noix, because that's what walnuts are called here.

I tasted my first bite of walnut cake from a renowned bakery in Le Bugue. Boulangerie ‘Les Delices du Moulin’. It even won the ‘Le gâteau aux noix médaillé’ in 2019. Delicious! We immediately took a cake back to the Netherlands to treat my mom. I love to surprise family and friends with gifts from the region.

There is another walnut gift I like to give, especially to cooking enthusiasts: walnut oil. Walnut oilfrom Périgord even has the AOP (Appellation d'Origine Protégée) label. It is really quite delicious in salads or as a final addition over a hot dish. Before I knew it, I had given away all the bottles I brought back with me, and didn’t keep one for myself! Next time, I’ll be more selfish :).

In my kitchen you will find a big bowl of walnuts, ready to crack open and munch on. Have you ever smelled the aroma of toasted walnut, or tasted the crunchy bits over a dish? Give it a try. It also seems to be very healthy to have a few walnuts every day.

Is there anything else in my ode to the walnut? Yes there is! I am by nature a curious person, and believe in the connection between body and mind. So I was pleasantly surprised to read about the possible effects of walnuts through Bach flower remedies, developed by doctor and homeopath Dr Bach: Walnut gives you a push to take on a new challenge. It helps you let go of the old, welcome the new and continue on your own course. It must be true, because I see it in our adventure in Bellerive.

Next weekend, I will be baking a delicious walnut-apple cake, so body and mind will come back together nicely!