Awesome, thank you, I will!
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Pretty close to me ! Iām North East of there in the Black Mountains. @toryroo used to live close to Castelnaudary as well
Edit: Should have read further, I see Tory has introduced herself 
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If you are going to live in Castelnaudary you must swot up on the culture of the Cassoulet so that you do not fall foul of La Grande ConfrƩrie du Cassoulet de Castelnaudary.
Fortunately, there is an excellent youtube clip which explains everything you (or anyone else who is interested) needs to know about Cassoulet.
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We had Cassoulet for lunch yesterdayā¦ absolutely delicious.
one of our favourite winter dishes.
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Yes but was it the real cassoulet Ć la menthe?
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For decades Iāve been making cassoulet that includes a Seville orange segment and one peeled tomato (though sans mint) Think that fairly Carcassonne-ish. The recipe was from a leading French chef of the day, but canāt remember which one. Making it again next Friday with confit de canard, saus de Toulouse, but due to a mix-up of our respective domestic schedules, am now carless tomorrow, which is the only day I get an ethically acceptable porky element.
No, Grandma was French so no menthe 
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That is frickinā awesome! The stones he had to brave the locals! TY!
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I frequently, as a routier (truck driver @DrSukie ), spent the night at a very good routier restaurant at Castelnaudary, Relais des Cheminieres situated on the D 6113, effectively the by-pass of the town, and one night was urged by my fellow drivers to try cassoulet and, I canāt remember why now, was not impressed. Perhaps they didnāt do it right but I can hardly credit that, everything else there was first class.
Incidentally I had the strange experience on another occasion there, of introducing the locals to the wonder of chabrol. I thought it was a French habit but perhaps peculiar to the south west. For the uninitiated, you save the last dregs of your soup, (suitably salted and peppered (but maybe that is just my taste) and add a generous measure of red wine to it. Swirl it round 'till well mixed and then slurp it out of the bowl, spoons definitely laid aside at this point. It is delectable. I was very surprised that my fellow diners, who after all were from all over France, but none from the SW, were mystified at what I was doing but admitted on copying that it was very good. 
In our early days here I bought a postcard of a French peasant with a beaten old hat, smock, and straw in his boots, sitting with a satisfied grin at the bowl which he tilted to his lips. The caption was āAh, chabrolā. Sadly I canāt find it now but I kept it for years. 
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Iām presuming that was the one Iāve been to, the locals used it a lot for lunch as it was so good.
As you are, like me, an habitant of the SW, I wouldnāt be at all surprised.
Our pals turn the spoon upside down and gently pour the red wine over its backā¦ this spreads the wine gently around the plate.
I reckon itās just another excuse for an extra glug of wine but it does taste goodā¦
Incidentally, all of us at the same table: Parisien Pals said āchabrohā (as in oh no) and Perigordine Pals said āchabrolā pronouncing the ālāā¦ and none of 'em could explain to my āwhy the difference in pronunciationā 
As an honorary Perigordin, that is the only way I have learned to pronounce it. I think my pals would, like me, be surprised the good news had travelled as far as Paris.
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I have a lovely inlaid wooden box with various compartments containing bits of jewelery and needlework, I think from my grandmotherās generation, and a super kitchen chair that my grandad used to sit in by the fireside. Our sonās comfort pillowcase and his first shoes plus his blue plastic baby spoon are still here after 41 years ! Oh, and the Postman Pat cereal dish. Call me soppyā¦
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Not religious in any way but looking forward to seeing the Notre Dame ceremony from 7pm tonight and all the heads of state who will be there.
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Plus Donald Trump! - not meaning to bring politics into the happiness thread, but it seems odd that Macron invited him rather than Biden - a misstep of protocol I would have thought since Trump is not head of state until the end of January?
But I suppose it was a case of āletās butter up the Orange Buffoon ahead of timeā. 
Or Biden turned down the invite?
Iām so glad Notre D has been restored and am also looking forward to seeing its new look - amazing how quickly theyāve done it since mediaeval cathedrals took donkeyās years to build originally.
Jill Biden is the official US emissary for the event. TBH, Iād much rather know Joe is here working on whatever needs to be battened down before things go south in January.
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OK good to knowā¦ pity Trump has to stick his nose in but never mind letās appreciate the restoration!
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Of Trump? 
And how cheerful Macron looks! Seems he did get Zelensky and Trump round the same table an hour or so ago.
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