Mimi Thorisson's Manger Workshop

As you read in the last post, Frank and I road tripped to Barcelona from Italy a couple weeks ago. I wanted to take Mimi Thorisson's Manger Workshop. Quite frankly, I was not sure how this was going to work out since at the time of the workshop, Mimi was 9 months pregnant. But she assured me that most of the time, her children arrived late, so she was pretty sure it would all be fine. And she was right; it was more than fine. Tucked into a little village in Medoc, France, you will find Mimi and her husband, Oddur and their (now) 7 children. It's a picture perfect home with a picture perfect family living inside. It's a curated dream; every corner is a photo op, and every person is beautiful. Even more amazing is that Mimi and Oddur are sincere, lovely, sweet, inviting, and engaging people. They are wonderful.One thing that no one mentions is that Oddur is a key component in the Manger workshop. He's the wine guy, and master of ceremonies, and he's superb at it. They are truly a dream team. Even the children play an integral part in the experience. They are just adorable, personable, and polite.Our group was 7 ladies from all over. Mostly Americans with the exception of a lovely lady from Paris (via Spain). Mimi explained that the workshop is rather casual; she likes to make you feel like it's a group of friends gathering around her kitchen table. She showed us how to make the perfect asparagus souffle, and it was delicious. Oddur popped in checking on the progress of lunch as he and the children set the table. Mimi has one assistant, Allegra. She's from Italy and was helpful and informative as well.We spent a beautiful 4 days watching Mimi prepare her French cuisine, her other specialties, and showing us her tricks of the trade. Oddur conducted countless wine tastings and regaled us with stories of the region and local characters. He is super entertaining. It was a delightful experience in a part of France we may never have visited, and I am so happy we did.As of this post, Mimi and Oddur most likely have welcomed their 7th child. Big Congrats, and I hope to see them again...maybe this time in Italy.xx, Annette photos via: me