The morning was foggy, cool and damp.

After the fiasco of the previous day’s lunch, we decided to play it safe by revisiting what seemed to us the finest restaurant in the area, namely

Durban-lès-Corbières

We settled into the bright, white, gladioli-accented dining room with Kirs royaux at hand, and an amuse bouche of tiny open-faced sandwiches of ham, tapinade and marinated salmon.

Surprise! A second amuse bouche—huitre en gelée, one oyster in a tiny cup, set on a refreshingly briny aspic that boosted the strong, fresh flavor of the oyster to a startling degree.

Roquette sur Mer Côteau de Languedoc Rosé La Clape 1992: An unusual wine for its tart attack segueing to a soft and fruity finish, it proved suitable with our menu choices.

Ravioles de chèvre dans leur jus au safran: Saffron-tinted ravioli bathed in a sauce that brought together the luxury of goat cheese and the faintly austere note of saffron.

Petite pêche de Méditerranée servie en bouille: Loup de mer--Mediterranean sea bass--and other sea food of the Mediterranean cooked in a broth and served on a reddish-brown sauce tasting of bouillabaisse. The standout was a little pile of seiche--squid--cooked in their own ink; in the mouth, an exquisite little explosion of marine flavors.

Blanc de pintade fermière à l’estragon, riz sauvage au cumin: Sliced breast of Guinea fowl, with cumin-accented wild rice. The solid-textured breast was cut moderately thick, about 5 mm, and cooked to leave a faint blush at the center of each slice. It was served on a on a mild, light-brown sauce in which the tarragon was an effective though unobtrusive enhancement.

The accompaniment of wild rice with cumin was nothing short of a little miracle of culinary art. The proportions were adjusted so that the spice seemed cool on the palate, not assertive but rather a backdrop for enhanced appreciation of the unique, nutty character of the wild rice.

Les fromages affinés de Madame Laure: Judging by the ones we tried, Camembert type, brie type and genuine Roquefort, Madame Laure has a sure touch with cheese.

Madeleine tiède au chocolat et lait d’abricot: A warm chocolate madeleine, dotted with bits of darker chocolate, served with a viscous apricot coulis. The somewhat dried-out, almost crisp crust of the madeleine contrasted pleasingly with its moist interior. The coulis was shot through with tiny bubbles, lending it a frothy consistency that may have had something to do with the immediacy of its taste of fresh apricots.

Of the mignardises, all splendid, one deserved special mention—a chocolate shell filled with with honey-flavored chocolate.

The total at le Moulin was F679.

***

In the evening, our last in Padern, we had a tomato and cucumber salad, and a bar of Désir Noir for dessert.