As Happy As A Pig In Poo

Hi everyone and welcome to another post direct from Méribel. As the title of this blog suggests, I'm as happy as a pig in poo. Why? Because I've been skiing for several days this week. Val Thorens opened some of their ski pistes a couple of weeks ago, and Courchevel did the same last weekend. In the past I've driven round to Val Tho for some early skiing, but didn't quite have the time to squeeze in a trip before Courchevel opened up. So how was it?

A mixture of emotions really. Firstly it was blimmin amazing skiing again and being up the mountain. But for some reason, and it's the same every season, I always feel a little nervous clicking into the skis and going for the first slide. This is of course ridiculous coming from a ski instructor, but that's what goes on in my mind. Thankfully, after a few turns I start to relax and lose these silly feelings. I tell you what though, trying to squeeze the ski boots on the first morning was not the most pleasant of experiences, and of course I couldn't remember which buckle settings to aim for. The joys of first day skiing!

It didn't take that long to get back into the swing of things, in terms of skiing and all of the associated faffing. It was great to regularly stop wherever I was and admire the views. The views, Ladies and Gents, are just so good. So therapeutic. Especially when the sun comes out. By the way, I have taken all of these photos at different times this past week.

It didn't take long to get back into the routine that we are all familiar with: waking up to an alarm with a slight ache in the legs, eating a hearty breakfast, grabbing your ski kit before rushing out to the lifts. I guess the routine continues for some with a late morning coffee, perhaps a lovely lunch in a mountain restaurant, and maybe even some apres ski before collapsing early evening. I've been lucky enough to experience most of these things already except for the apres ski. Or maybe that's not strictly true!

Last season, I had a new routine. I would catch up with Ian (a friend and fellow ski instructor at the ESF ski school) every Friday evening in the Barometre bar here in Méribel Town. We called it an end of week debrief, an opportunity to share experiences with our teaching and other associated subjects. A perfect way to stay on top of changes in conditions, pistes, off-piste and mountain restaurants. We would also reward ourselves with a beer or two to help the debrief along.

I wasn't sure if this habit would continue this winter. Silly me. Last Friday evening, I received a phone from Ian asking if I fancied catching up for a quick one? "Of course" I replied; we hadn't seen each other properly since last April, and a lot has happened over the six months both for him and also me. We soon met outside the Tourist Office, shock hands and waddled off to the bar. Exactly like last season.

It was lovely being back on our stools at the bar. We said hello to the new members of staff, and started our (end of summer) debrief. During the course of last winter we got to know the staff quite well, including James the head chef. I had chatted with him a couple of times in the summer when I was out, but Ian hadn't seen him since last winter. We love catching up with him, especially because he has a great passion for food and cooking, which Ian and I share.

Anyway, as soon as he saw us, he came across and excitedly mentioned that they have a new bar snack this winter. He offered to knock one up for us to get some feedback. We dutifully agreed of course, and enquired as to what it was he was going to produce. It was a pizza; one that is cooked with ice!?! We wondered what in God's name he was talking about. He explained the cooking process which included using crushed ice. He also mentioned that some of the normal ingredients with a pizza, for example a tomato base, weren't used. Intriguing! We couldn't wait to try this new pizza out, with no other restaurant in Méribel using this method. So we ordered another beer and waited patiently.

It didn't take long to arrive, and James also gave us four different versions. In summary, the ingredients included fresh dough, shaved parmesan and black pepper. The other variations included chilli oil, another was pesto (to be honest I can't quite remember exactly, but it was green), and the final option had a subtle dribble of truffle oil. I was aware that some of the bar staff were watching Ian and I take our first bite. Oh my goodness, this pizza was absolutely divine. The flavours were subtle, and the crispiness of the cooked dough was amazing across the whole of the pizza. At first I thought it was a gimmick, but it really isn't. If you love pizza, and will be visiting Méribel this winter, do pop into the Barometre and sample this delicious snack.

The ski lifts in the Méribel Valley will open tomorrow (Saturday 10th), and I of course can't wait to be back in my back garden/office for another winter. Then on Sunday I start work, teaching a new client. Should be fun. The weather forecast is all over the place with a few snow fronts coming through, with some particularly freezing cold temperatures next week as well for a few days. Click here for one of the weather forecast websites I use. I might be a frozen little piggy (in poo) for a while, but still happy to be back. Please keep an eye on my Socials, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more regular updates. Do come back soon. In the meantime..... Live With Passion. Martin.