Good things

Stage 10, Tour de French Cuisine; Chambery to Gap

July 14, 2010 Fete Nationale

Stage 10, Chambery to Gap

Allons enfants de la Patrie, Le jour de gloire est arrive!

Come children of the homeland, the day of glory has arrived.

 

That is the first two lines of La Maresillaise, the French national anthem and since today is Le Quatorze Juillet (Bastille Day) it is rather fitting. Bastille day is what we call it in the US, but in France it is Fete National or National Celebration, much like America’s 4^th of July. It commemorates the Fete de la Federation of 1790 that was on the one year anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1790. Each year on July 14^th the Champs Elysees is closed to all traffic and a parade and ceremony is held. It won’t be closed again until the 25^th of July when the Tour concludes on the fabled street.

 

The start town of Chambery in the Savoie region was the ancient capital of the Dukes of Savoy. In 1232 the Count of Savoy Amadeus V made the city of Chambery his seat of power. It remained the seat of the Dukes until 1563 when the Duke Emmanuel Philibert moved the capital to Turin, Italy and the decline of Chambery began. The Chateau de Chambery sits on the end of the Montjay hill dates back to 1285 when it first took over an existing chateau and made renovations in the 14^th century. After Philibert moved the court to Turin the chateau fell in disrepair and was the site of more than a few fires. In 1640 the Duchess of Savoy, Christine Marie of France decided to hold court at the Chateau and in 1684 it was the site of the marriage between Victor Amadeus II of Sardinia and Anne Marie d’Orleans, the niece of Louis XIV. Victor Amadeus III enlarged it in 1786 and added what is now the Royal Wing. Napoleon rebuilt the South wing and decorated it into a more elaborate Napoleon style. Today it is the house of the department of Savoie.

 

One of the most interesting items in Chambery is the Fontaine des Elephants, the Elephants Fountain. The statue was built by sculptor Pierre-Victor Sappey in 1838 to commemorate the return of Benoit de Boigne’s return from India, although he would die seven years before it was completed.  The four realistic life size elephants appear to be coming out of the statue, but they are really only the head and front legs. Built into the base of a tall column that is the shape of the Savoyards cross and topped with a statue of Benoit de Boigne. Like the Eiffel Tower in Paris at first the people of Chambery were against the statue, but now it is the beloved symbol of the town.

 

The small village of Apremont just outside of Chambery is well known for its white wines but who they became that way is all thanks to a natural disaster. Hidden into the foothills of Mount Granier, the large rock overlooks the valley. On November 24, 1248 part of the Mount crumbled and a landslide buried the town of St Andr’s and anything in its path. Some thought that it had been the fault of the water pressure beneath the cliff that caused the landslide, but the mass spreading of rocks made the perfect place for growing wine. The Jacquère grape is a dry white wine and pairs perfectly with the Savoy regions Fondue. 

 

Here is a little hint and trick when it comes to French names. When you see  Les-Bains in the towns name, you will know it has something to do with the waters of the area. Uriage-Les-Bains is no exception to that rule.  Uriage was founded by the Romans, who seemed to work their way up and down the area east edge of France enjoying the therapeutic waters. The discovery of the water rich in sulfide, sodium chloride and plankton gives it a quality known as istonia, the molecular concetraion similar to that in blood. It is used to help treat the ailments of psoriasis, eczemas, arthritis, sinusitis and many allergies.

After the French Revolution the village and spa was rediscovered and a new hotel and spa facility was built, but over the years it would fall into decline again. Finally today it has come into its own and has become a tourists destination complete with a state of the art spa and casino.

 

The town of Vizille is home to the very grand Chateau de Vizelle. Built in the 17^th century by Francois de Bonne, Duke of Lesdiguieres and the last Constable of France and incorporated 250 acres of gardens, water and hunting grounds. It stayed in his family past his death in 1626 until the late 18^th century. At that time it was purchased but Claude Perier and turned it into an fabric printing factory, On July 21, 1788 a meeting between priests, aristocrats and representatives took place at the Chateau since they were not allowed to call a meeting in Grenoble. The group gathered to raise complaints against the crown to protest against the new tax system. Some look upon this meeting as a foreshadow to the French Revolution. The property stayed in Claude Pierre’s family until 1924 when it was acquired by the state. From 1925 to 1960 it was used as an official house of the French President with many of them staying over the years. In 1973 it was handed over to the department of Isere and today holds a museum of the French Revolution with many rare materials are housed.

 

In a large meadow near the small village of Laffrey a famous standoff between Napoleon and the troops of Louis XVII took place. After his escape from Elba Island he landed at Juan-les-Pins near Cannes on the Mediteranian on March 1, 1815. He made his way towards Paris on what is now known as La Route Napoleon that starts outside of Cannes, through Grasse, St Vallier-de-Thuey, Castellane, Digne, Sistern (stage 11) Gap, (the finish town today) Corps,(Laffrey) La Mure and to Grenoble. On March 7, 1815 Louis XVIII sent his troops to halt the advanced of Napoleon, and they met in the large meadow, known as the “Meeting of the Prairie”. Napoleon advanced alone toward the army that once stood with him and said “Soldiers of the 5^th line, I am your Emperor, recognize me!” the soldiers stood facing Napoleon with guns drawn and Napoleon opened his jacket and said “If among you a soldier who wants to kill his Emperor, here I am”. The soldiers dropped their guns and with a cheer ran towards Napoleon in tears. Napoleon responded to his general, “It’s over, in eight days we will be in Paris”

 

Sitting in a meadow above the small village of Saint Disdier surrounded by trees is the small church,  Mere Eglies Saint Disdier. The “church of the mother” dates back to the 11^th or 12^th century and was made a historical monument in 1927. It was built in the Romanesque style with three vaulted bays of arches and a semicircular apse with side chapel and tower. In recent years it has fallen in disrepair but is currently under restoration. Nestled amongst the trees it is what makes me truly love the amazing sights of France.

 

The finish town of Gap sits on the upper edge of the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region and is the closest we come to the French Riviera this year. Sitting in the valley and where two major roads intersect, the Route Napoleon and the road of Valence to Briancon. Dating back to the Gauls before Augustus, the Roman emperor took the town in the 14^th century and renamed it Vapincum. Little remains of the architecture of the past but the street layout are much the same, narrow and lined with colorful houses.

 

As we leave the Alps and the Savoy region behind on this Bastille Day it is fitting that we enjoy two things, potatoes and cheese. Gratin Savoyard, it can’t get more authentic and simpler then that, and since it is on the French national holiday I decided to serve it up a little bit differently.

 

Gratin Savoyard

2 lbs boiling potatoes

 

Salt and pepper

 

Pinch of nutmeg

1 ¾ cups grated Beaufort or Gruyere cheese

 

1 cup broth

4 Tbsp butter

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Peel the potatoes and slice them very thin, using a mandolin. Don’t soak them in water; you don’t want to wash off the starch. Rub a baking dish with butter and layer potatoes in, after the first layer, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and some of the cheese. Repeat until all the ingredients are used but ending with just potatoes. Pour in the broth until it comes just to the edge of the top layer, dot with butter and bake in hot oven for 10 minutes, lower the heat to 350 degrees F and bake for 50 more minutes until the top layer is brown and tender.

Bon Appétit!

Stage 9, Tour de French Cuisine- Perdreaux aux Fides

July 13, 2010

Stage 9: Morzine-Avoriaz to Saint Jean de Maurienne

Monday was a rest day and I never like those. After nine days of 4:30am to 5:30am wakeup calls, grabbing the remote and turning the TV on, you feel lost on the rest day. Just imagine how I do when the whole thing is over, folks, it’s not a pretty picture at all! On the rest days, there are two of them, the riders don’t just sit in the hotel and eat pizza and watch French soap operas. They have to get out and ride and train to keep up the same level of fitness, because it all starts over the next day and it only gets harder.  But now thank goodness there isn’t another rest day until next Wednesday

The stage starts in the same town that stage 8 ended in on Sunday. The Alpine ski resorts of Morzine-Avoriaz will be a part of the 2018 Winter Olympics if the town of Annecy is selected, and they will actually make that announcement a year from today. If Annecy is selected it would actually encompass more of the whole are, but since they name a town and not an area, the distinction falls to Annecy. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed.

The lovely town of Taninges just 15kilometers down the road from the start has one of the largest sets of chimes at the St John the Baptist church in the Haute Savoie region. A new keyboard complete with two sets of bells weighing more than 50,000 pounds was made and installed by the Paccard Bell Foundry from the nearby Annecy-le-Vieux.The Paccard Bell Foundry moved to Annecy-le-Vieux in 1989 but was originally founded in 1796 in Quintal by the Paccard family. It is still run today by the seventh generation of the Paccard family, Phillippe & Cyril Paccard. It takes up to 6 hours to melt the metal to reach the temperature of 1100 degree Celsius, once poured the larger bells take up to a month to cool. The museum houses replicas of some of the Paccards most famous bells, the “Savoyarde” for the Sacre-Coeur in Montmartre, the “Jeanne d’Arc” and the “Peace Bell” the biggest pealing bell in the world located in Newport, Kentucky. In 1950 the Paccards were commissioned to make 50 replicas of the American Liberty Bell, one for each state. Today they are one of three bronze foundries still in business in France. Over the years more bells have been added to the St John the Baptist church and as recently as 1998.

Beginning in the 18^th century the town of Cluses made its name as a watch making center and crafting of metal components. In 1720 Claude-Joseph Balladoud introduced clock making to the Arve Valley and soon family workshops began developing and supplying the leading clock makers of Geneva. The town’s reputation grew and a school of watch making, the Ecole nationale d’horlogerie was founded in Cluses in 1848 and continued until 1989. In 1844 the town was completely destroyed by the same fire that destroyed Sallanches. It was recreated in the Turin-Piedmont style by the same architect that built Sallanches, Francois Justin. Cluses just happens to be the sister city of the town I live in. On a recent trip to the library I picked up some Pierre Herme French pastry books, inside it had a plaque that it was a gift from our sister city Cluses.  

The Col de la Colombiere pass has an altitude of 1614meters and is one of the most visited mountain passes in the Tour de France and has been a part of the Tour 19 times since 1960. It connects Cluses in the Arve valley to Le Grand-Bornand in the Borne valley and from the top a view of the Faucigny, Les Dents Blanches and Les Avoudrues can be seen.

The Savoie is one of the two departments of the region of Savoy, annexed by France in March 1860 after the Treaty of Turin, the other being the Haute-Savoie. The Savoie region is known for its mountains, cows and cheese.  Beaufort, Savoie Gruyere, Reblochon, Tamie, Tome des Bauges and Tomme de Savoie are just some of the cheese from the region.  The Vin-de-Savoie appellation AOC is region wide, and is mostly white wines and includes Jacquere, Roussette, Malvoisie and Mondeuse Blanche as well as Chardonnay and Aligote. Gamay, Mondeuse and Pinot Noir are the red and rosé wines. The Savoy has three other AOC’s as well; Roussette de Savoie, a separate appellation making entirely the white wine Roussette in one of the four villages, Frangy, Marestel, Monteminod or Monthoux. Crépy; is for the vineyards along the south shore of Lake Geneva in the Haute-Savoie, the grape is Chasselas, sometimes called Fendant in Switzerland’s Valais area. Seyssel; the region’s best known appellation, the village is located on the banks of the River Rhone, just north of Lac du Bourget, the largest lake in France. The Seyssel AOC wines are dry, light whites made mostly from Roussette and have a delicate, herbal and floral aroma. Seyssel also produces a sparkling wine under the name Seyssel Mousseux AOC.

The town of La Grand-Bornand is located on the western slope of the Aravis mountain range near Mont Blanc and le Lac d’Annecy. First developed around an old village it is now made up of three areas; the chinaillon valley, the Bouchet valley and the village of Le Grand-Bornand. The Church of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption was first mentioned in 1146, but in 1569 it was partially destroyed by a fire and in 1661 the bell-tower was rebuilt. In 1877 it was completely rebuilt.  Le Grand-Bornand is the home of Reblochon cheese. First made in the 14^th century for the farmers and their families, and later discovered in the 18^th century by lords and clergyman.  Reblochon gets its name from the word reblocher which literally means “to pinch a cow’s udder again” or “to milk again”.  Reblochon is made with milk from Abondance, Montbeliard and Tarentaise cattle that graze on the slopes of the valley. The semisoft, pressed uncooked cheese is made into large flat wheels that rind is thin and beige to reddish orange and the interior is ivory and soft with a rich and savory flavor of sweet and nutty flavors. Reblochon de Savoie AOC was awarded in 1958. Reblochon is made with unpasteurized milk and aged for up to 7 or 8 weeks so it cannot be imported into the US at this time.

Where the River Arly and the River Arondine meet sits the village of Flumet. Flumet is also the intersection of the Col des Aravis and the Col des Saisies and where the riders will know it is time to start climbing again. The town makes the perfect base before starting summer hikes to the next town of Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe and in the winter to the ski resort village of Saint-Nicolas-la-Chapelle

Les Saisies and the Saisies mountain pass have a historical past. In the Second World War it was a refuge for the Resistance. On August 1, 1944, 78 B-17’s (the flying fortress) dropped 899 containers of arms intended for the members of the Maquis of Savoie.  The mountains were developed in the 1970’s and were the sight of the biathlon events during the Winter Olympics in 1992 at Albertville. The Espace Diamant ski area has 154km of downhill runs 85 ski lifts. The Col des Saisies has an altitude of 1634 meters and has been a part of the Tour de France nine times, the most recent in 2007.

The town of Albertville should sound familiar to most people, even if you don’t know a lot about the Alps, for it was the home to the 1992 Winter Olympics. With its location and closeness to the Arly Valley and all of the ski resorts Albertville was the perfect home for the 16^th Olympic games. The Halle Olympique, the stadium that was home to the opening and closing ceremonies is now a sports park and also home to the French national hockey team. Albertville is named after its founder Charles Albert, King of Sardinia in 1836, and took over the village of Conflans that dated back to the 14^th century.

This stage may be called the “Queen’s Stage” at least of just the Alps section of the 2010 Tour. The Queen’s stage is a term left for the penultimate stage of the entire Tour, I would give that distinction to the Col du Tourmelet stage when we reach the Pyrenees but stage 9 is nothing to laugh at.  The Col de la Madeleine, the HC category climb, meaning that it is so big it is beyond category, rises more than 6,500 feet. As Phil Liggett described it, “it kicks, it levels, it kicks, it levels and it kicks again”. It is 15 miles to the top and the average gradient is 6.2%, in other words, it’s a killer.  It starts out dark green and lush and lots of trees but the curving roads will lead up to more rocks, lighter green and more open vistas.

Just after they reach the top they head right back down the other side to the finish. From the summit it is just 27 kilometers to Saint-Jean de Maurienne and at this point I’m sure they cannot wait to get there. Saint-Jean de Maurienne has been a part of the Tour de France many times but has never had a stage finish there.

In 1895 a blacksmith from the nearby town of Albiez le Vieux named Joseph Opinel designed a knife. That knife would be the beginning of the Opinel cutlery empire, originally made in beechwood and high carbon steel. The logo of three fingers represents John the Baptist and the coat of arms of Saint-Jean de Maurienne and the crown from the arms of Savoie.  Since the Second World War more than 275 million knives have been sold. The Opinel Company is still run by the family and although they have moved from the town of Saint-Jean to the Stage 10 start town of Chambery, the museum of the knife and the company is still in Saint-Jean.

Perdreaux aux Fides

Baked Partridge with noodles and cheese

Since the Alps are so close to Italy the influence of pasta in some dishes has been see for hundreds of years. This recipe is a little different than your normal spaghetti and is not made in boiling salted water. I used Cornish Game hens which can be found in any grocery store and was fantastic.

2 Cornish game hens

Salt and pepper

¼ lb butter

1 cup dry white wine

3 1/2 oz bacon, cut into lardons

3 ½ oz vermicelli or angel hair noodles

1 onion chopped

3 ½ oz Gruyere cheese

1 cup broth  

 

Truss the birds, pat dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat half the butter in a small heavy sauté pan, add birds and brown on all sides. (be gentle, hens are fragile) Once browned add the wine and cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until birds are tender. Remove birds and set aside. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat the other half of butter in sauté pan and add noodles, if using dry noodles break in half, add onions and bacon. Cook over medium until noodles are light brown

Transfer the noodle mixture to a buttered baking dish and place hens on top. Season with salt and pepper and scatter strips of the Gruyere cheese over the birds. Add the wine cooking liquid and broth and bake in the hot oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed into noodles and the cheese in browned.

 

Bon Appétit!

Stage 8: TdF cuisine, Station des Rousses-Morzine-Avoriaz

July 11, 2010

Stage 8: Station des Rousses to Morzine-Avoriaz

Yesterdays stage was the first into the mountains, but that was really just an appetizer, an amuse bouche if you will. For today it starts to get really good. And yes I realize that out of the 9 stages so far I think I have said that at least 3 times, but just go with it. When the Tour de France official map is unveiled each October the first thing you have to look at is the mountain stages. There are two mountain finishes that are above all the best, Alpe d’Huez and Mont Ventoux. This year neither one is on the Tour, with that said; I bet Alpe d’Huez is on for 2011, but I digress. When you look at the mountain stages and the profiles you will see little circles with numbers in them, 4, 3, 2 or 1. The smaller the number the higher the mountain, and sometimes you will see an HC in the circle. Those are the ones that really get the blood pumping. Those specifically mean Hors catégorie essentially, beyond category and higher and steeper than a cat 1. We will see the first HC climb on stage 9 on Tuesday at the Col de la Madeleine, and oh yeah, you don’t want to miss that one either. But by now you should just be watching every day; do I really need to tell you that?

Sitting less than two miles from the border of Switzerland, Les Rousses and the winter ski resort is more at home being covered in snow then cyclist. With 18 ski lifts and 19 slopes the 5,500 foot resort has something for every level. Including the level that likes to sit in the lodge and drink champagne.

At 57 kilometers in the town of Bellegarde-sur-Valserine sits in the middle of two rivers, the River Rhone and the River Valserine. The Valserine is 31 miles long and flows over 3200 feet from its source and through the Valmijoux valley until it meets the Rhone in Bellegarde-sur-Valserine. The Cret de la Neige summit at 5633 feet is the highest of the Jura Mountain range. In the winter its north face retains very little snow. In 1884 Bellgarde became one of the first electrified towns in France, all thanks to its raging rivers that came through town.

Above the town of Leaz in the Vauche Hills that lie in-between the Jura and the Alps is the Fort l’Ecluse. A military base built into the mountain that dates back to 1184 was created by the Duke of Savoy and completed during the reign of Louis XIV. Comprised of two separate strongholds and joined together by the subterranean staircase. It was still in use until the end of Second World War, today it is open to the public during the summer months.

The department of the Haute-Savoie and the Savoie encompass the highest points of the Alps and borders up against Switzerland and Italy. The most recognized images of the Alps sit in this region, Chamonix, Mont Blanc and the site of the 2009 time trial Lac d’Annecy. My grandparents spent time in Chamonix and fell in love with the beauty of the high mountains and lush green meadows. Hopefully Annecy will win the bid to be the site of the 2018 Winter Olympics and the rest of the world will see the beauty of this area.

The town of Les Gets just 21 kilometers from the stage finish is a cat 3 climb between the Col de la Ramaz and Samoens and Morzine. And just west of the Portes du Soleil ski resorts, the large area that includes thirteen ski resorts between Mont Blanc to Lake Geneva in Switzerland.

The  stage ends on the Morzine-Avoriaz, the mountain resort that is also part of the Portes du Soleil ski resorts. The town of Morzine is a traditional alpine village and since the 1930’s has seen tourists traffic increase. Jean Vuarnet, a Morzine native, would go onto the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley California to win the gold medal for downhill. One of the first skiers to use the tuck position

Avoriaz sits high above the town of Morzine and the more modern ski village. Construction wasn’t even started until the 1960’s, which is practically brand new in the architectural history of France. Jean Vuarne, the gold medal skier, designed the new ski are on the north side of Hauts Fort with the help of wealthy investor Gerard Bremont.  Morzine and Avoriaz have been a part of the Tour de France 6 times including some of the most memorable moments of each year. This year was no different; it was a rough one for the Lance Armstrong fans. With three unfortunate crashes he lost almost twelve minutes from the top GC guys and is out of contentition for winning. As a Lance fan it was heart breaking to see one thing after another happening to him completely out of his control. But Lance is not one to ever count out and I would never ever bet against him. So let’s go Boss!

Oeufs Brouilles Aux Champignons Sauvages

½ lb Mushrooms

¼ lb butter butter
2 échalotes, hachées Sel et poivre noir fraîchement mouluSalt and freshly ground black pepper
Un peu de lait 8 œufs8 eggs
Quelques brins de persil frais, finement hachés A few sprigs fresh parsley, finely chopped

Sliced French bread, toasted and buttered

Clean mushrooms with a brush or paper towel. Si nécessaire, enlevez le bout du pied. Slice mushrooms into ¼ thick pieces

Faites fondre 25 g de beurre dans une poêle et faites-y revenir les échaloMelt half the butter in a skillet and sauté the  Ajoutez les champignons et faites-les cuire environ 15 mmushrooms and cook about 15 min. Assaisonnez avec du sel et du poivre. Season with salt and pepper.

Dans un saladier, battez les œufs en omelIn a bowl, beat the eggs. Salez et poivrez. Add salt and pepper. Versez-y un filet de lait Faites chauffer 25 g de beurre dans une poêle et ajoutez le mélange d'oeufs sHeat other half of the butter in a pan, when melted and the pan is warm, add the egg mixture. Remuez sans arrêt avec une cuillère en bois jusqu'à ce que les oeufs commencent à se solidifier. Stir constantly with a spatula with the pan tilted slightly away from you until the eggs begin to solidify. Rajoutez alors une petite noix de beurre.

Servez les oeufs brouillés avec les champignons et du pain grillé. Serve the scrambled eggs over the  mushrooms and toast. Parsemez de persil. Sprinkle with parsley. If you have some shaved truffles lying around the kitchen, add those to the top as well.

Bon Appetit!

Stage 7, Tour de French Cuisine- Poulet au Comte

July 10, 2010

Stage 7: Tournus to Station des Rousses

Here we go, for most Tour de France fans, ok fanatics; this is what we really get excited for. Not to play down the importance or excitement of the flat sprint stages at all, the mountain stages is what it really is all about. If you watch nothing else, the mountain stages are what you want to see. This is where you realize just how amazing these athletes really are. They can be in the saddle for up to 6 hours, go up and down 6 mountains or hills and just today the lowest, Cotes des Granges is 1775 feet and the finishing summit of Cote de Lamoura is 3756 feet. It’s not just the race that makes these stages so cool to watch, it’s also all of the people. On some of the most fabled climbs like this year’s stage 16 & 17 Col du Tourmalet in the Pyrenees, there will be literally hundreds of thousands of people that will camp out for a week to stake their claim to a spot to see these warriors make their way up the side of a mountain. Make sure you keep your eye out for the Devil, Dieter "Didi" Senft, the German fan that has been coming to the Tour since 1993 dresses up like the devil with trident and runs alongside the Peloton. As the riders get close there will flood the roads and will part like the red sea just as the riders are within what seems like inches from them. When the riders go by so fast on the flat stages, the mountains is where the truly fanatic fans can be a part of the race and see them pass by a bit slower.  You can still be a part of it from home and at home you have the added bonus of seeing the amazing scenery of the countryside.

The stage 7 start town of Tournus sits in the Saone-et-Loire department of the Burgundy region on the right bank of the River Saone. The River Saone rising in Viomenil in the Vosges department of the Lorraine region and joins the River Rhone in Lyon. The Romanesque town with its stunning architecture is a hidden gem of the region. The Eglise Saint Philibert was built between the 9^th and 11^th Century of cut stone in the Romanesque style and much of it still stands today. An old potato factory has now been turned into a cycling museum complete with a 17^th century bike made of wood to more modern bikes and historical items from the Tour de France.

The French painter Jean-Baptise Greuze was born in Tournus in 1725, a statue of him stands at the Place de l’Hotel de Ville. Greuze would become a portrait painter of many famous people including one of the first paintings of a young Napoleon Bonaparte painted in 1792, when the future emperor was only 22 and a Lieutenant Colonel in the French army. He would never sell the painting and kept it in the family; he would be asked again to paint Napoleon on 1803, that painting today can be seen at Versailles.

The Jura region and mountains are not to be confused with the Alps, The Jura’s are a smaller mountain range that sit north of the Alps and cross over between France, Switzerland & Germany and split the Rhine and the Rhone rivers. The Jura mountain range gave its name to the Jurassic period of time as well. Alexander von Humbolt, the German explorer, thought that the limestone mountain range looked much different from the statigraphic definition at the time.  He called it Jurakalk from the Latin Juria meaning forest.  

The stage finishes at Station les Rousses, is known more for skiing then cycling. The birthplace of skiing in France and home to many of the country’s top skiers and medal winners at this past Winter Olympics in Vancouver. It all began in 1899 when Felix Peclet, mayor of the town, met a British officer that told him about a swift and fast way to travel on the snow.  This is the first time the Tour de France has visited the mountain top as a stage finish

The Jura is considered part of the Franche-Comte region and if you like cheese then you know that the region is famous for its Comte. Of all cheeses in the region, one is the king. A hard, pressed cheese with a texture much like English aged cheddar is also known as Gruyere de Comte. Comte cheese has the highest production of any of the AOC cheeses in France. With an AOC distinction comes a lot of rules, including the milk can only come from Montbéliarde cows that have grazed on at least one hectare of meadow.  But a true French Comte if you can find it is fantastic. Dense, smooth and hard feel with a bit of a fruity cheese with a very close texture and taste of a Gruyere type cheese. Because of that the flavors are a little more rich and cheese is very prevalent in a lot of their dishes. Of all cheeses in the region, one is the king.

Poulet au Comte

1 chicken cut up
¼ cup flour
4 Tablespoons butter
1 ½ cups dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth or water
2/3 cup grated Comte or Gruyere

a pinch of nutmeg
a pinch of Cayenne pepper

salt and pepper

Sauce:

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

2 egg yolks
½ cup heavy cream

6 Tablespoons Comte or Gruyere

Preheat the oven at 400 degrees F
Cut the chicken in 8 pieces, season with salt and pepper and coat with flour, shake off any excess
In a large sauce pan heat the butter and add the chicken pieces and fry them in batches until golden brown. Be careful not to crowd the pan and take your time, set aside until all chicken is brown. Return chicken to saucepan when complete and pour the wine over and bring to a boil. Add chicken broth, nutmeg and cayenne and return to boil. Bake uncovered in oven for 30 to 40 minutes

Transfer the pieces to a buttered baking dish and set aside. Raise oven to 425 degrees F

To make the sauce, skim fat from the cooking liquid. Melt butter in saucepan, whisk in the flour and cook over medium heat until brown and bubbling. Strain in reserved cooking liquid and bring to a boil, whisking. Simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes or until well flavored. Add more nutmeg and cayenne if needed.

Just before serving whisk in eggs and heavy cream, heat briefly while constantly whisking, don’t boil or sauce may curdle. Remove from the heat and stir in cheese.  Pour the sauce over the chicken and return to hot oven for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately in baking dish

Bon Appétit!

Stage 6, TdF Cuisine Boeuf Bourguignon et Escargot

July 9, 2010

Stage 6- Montargis to Gueugnon

Leaving Montargis, the same town they finished in yesterday, the town called the “Venice of Gatinais” for its many canals and rivers that flow through the town. With 131 road and foot bridges it is hard to go very far without realizing exactly why it is given the nickname of Venice. Montargis sits less than 70 miles from Paris, but the Tour de France cyclist still  have more than 1,636 miles to complete before they can make it to the shadows of the Arc de Triomphe. So we continue on.

The French artist Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson was born in Montargis in 1767. After going to school to study architecture he decided to become a painter and became a student of the French Jacques-Louis David, a Neoclassical painter. David later was involved in painting historical moments and sketched the very famous last drawing of Marie Antoinette before she was led off to the scaffolding. Girodet was involved in the Romantic movement of the mid to late 18^th century. He became well known for his painting of the Napoleon family, including the beautiful one of Hortense de Beauharnais, step-daughter of Napoleon and daughter of Josephine.  Today the Musee Girodet in Montargis is dedicated to the hometown painter and has more the 25 of his pieces on view.

Just outside of Montargis and sitting on the same Canal de Briare & Canal de Loing,  Chatillon-Coligny. The small medieval village was once home to a 12^th century chateau that was destroyed by the English during the Hundred Year War in 1359. The chateau was rebuilt by 1376 with an addition of a large wall that would include three gates and five towers and is still standing today. The large houses dated to the 17^th and 18^th century reflects the height of the towns that were along the Canal’s. One of the oldest canals in France the Canal de Briare is over 35 miles long and runs from Briare to Buges. Upon its completion in 1642 it began to carry barges of wine, timber, coal and iron onto Paris. Today it is mostly used as a leisurely pleasure cruise, the perfect way to take in the region.

The Chateau de Saint-Fargeau has been a part of the town since it was built in 980. It was seized in 1411 by the English in the Hundred Year War and then in 1450 was purchased by Jacque Coeuer where he had it rebuilt in 1453.  In 1652, Anne-Marie Louise d’Orléans, the Grande Mademoiselle first cousin of king Louis XIV, was exiled for five years because of her stance during “la Fronde” (cival war). She settled in the Castle of Saint Fargeau where she hired the architect Le Vau to decorate the interior.  In 1713 the family of Louis-Michel Le Peletier purchased the castle. In January 1793 a vote was taken to decide what they would do with the King Louis XVI, it is said that it came down to a vote of 361 to 360 and the deciding vote was cast by Le Peletier and the King was sentenced to death by guillotine.  The rumor of his vote spread quickly among the Royalist and the day before the king was to die, Louis-Michel Le Peletier was assassinated in a restaurant at the Palais Royal.

The finish town of Geugnon is seeing the caravan of the Tour de France for the first time. Sitting on the edge of the Burgundy region is more famous for its football team and its steel plant. The stainless steel plant, Les Forges, dates back to 1724 would eventually become a world leader in steel production. Passing through many hands of ownership, the plant began to thrive. Today with the updated technology it has become the world’s top producing steel company.

The Burgundy region may have the most recognizable cuisine, at least items that almost everybody can say they have at least tried one of them. Curnonsky said “there are many gastronomic paradises in France, but there is a paradise of paradises-Burgundy”   Of course the most famous, may be Boeuf a la Bourguignonne which basically a beef stew with bacon, onions and mushrooms slow cooked in red wine. It is a rather inexpensive meal to make and can be made in large quantities and made in advance, as it just gets better and better as it sits. I went to the mother of all French cooking Julia Child for the recipe and altered it a bit to fit the time I needed to make it. I call it:

Boeuf Bourguignon jeuner acheminet (fast forward)

Adapted from "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck (Alfred A. Knopf, 1961)

Time: About 3 hours (normally 5 to 6 hours)

One 6-ounce piece of chunk bacon or 6 or 7 strips of bacon

3 ½ tablespoons olive oil

3 pounds lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes

1 sliced carrot

1 sliced onion

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons flour

3 cups full-bodied, young red wine (like Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone or Burgundy)

2 ½ to 3 ½ cups brown beef stock

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cloves mashed garlic

½ teaspoon thyme

A crumbled bay leaf

18 to 24 small white onions

3 ½ tablespoons butter

Herb bouquet (4 parsley sprigs, one-half bay leaf, one-quarter teaspoon thyme, tied in cheesecloth)

1 pound quartered fresh mushrooms.

1. Remove bacon rind and cut into lardons (sticks ¼-inch thick and 1 ½ inches long). Simmer rind and lardons for 10 minutes in 1 ½ quarts water. Drain and dry.

2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

3. Sauté lardons in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a flameproof casserole over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.

4. Dry beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Heat fat in casserole until almost smoking. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and sauté until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the lardons.

5. In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the excess fat. Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat again and return to oven for 4 minutes (this browns the flour and coves the meat with a light crust). Remove casserole and turn oven down to 375 degrees.

6. Stir in wine and 2 to 3 cups stock, just enough so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs and bacon rind and small onions. Cover casserole and set in lower third of oven. Regulate heat so that liquid simmers very slowly for 2 hours. Turn up the heat to 415 degrees and continue to cook until the meat is tender and a fork pierces it easily about 45 minutes to an hour more.

7. While the beef is cooking, prepare the mushrooms. Heat 1 ½ tablespoons butter with one and one-half tablespoons of the oil until bubbling in a skillet. Add mushrooms and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling them so they will brown as evenly as possible8. Wipe out skillet and heat remaining oil and butter over high heat. As soon as you see butter has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add mushrooms. Toss and shake pan for 4 to 5 minutes. As soon as they have begun to brown lightly, remove from heat.

9. When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and lardons to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms on top. Skim fat off sauce in saucepan. Simmer sauce for a minute or 2, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 ½ cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons stock. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour sauce over meat and vegetables. Cover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve in casserole, or arrange stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles or rice, and decorated with parsley.

 

Another dish that is synonymous with the Burgundy region is Escargot. In French escargot literally means snail and I know some people may freak out at the thought of eating a snail, but you really must try it. Drenched in butter, garlic and parsley these little tiny morsels are fantastic. I was just a child when I first tried escargot in a small French restaurant near the a town we grew up in and then continued to love it as I was in high school where I would frequently have it at a favorite restaurant. 

Escargot a La Bourguignonne

4 oz butter, at room temperature

¼ c Finely chopped parsley

1 head of garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 shallot, sliced

½ cup white wine

24 Canned French snails

24 Snail shells

1. In a sauté pan, combine the shallots, wine and snails and bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.

2. Combine the parsley and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to blend well, add butter and pulse until it is a smooth green paste. Season with salt & pepper.

3.Turn on the broiler and place rack in the middle of the oven

4. Place a snail in each shell and fill the cavity with the seasoned butter. Place on a baking pan and broil until the butter is melted. Serve hot and then slop up all the butter and garlic goodness with slices of baguette.

Bon Appétit!

Stage 5: 2010 TdFrench Cuisine- Epernay to Montargis

July 8, 2010

Stage 5- Epernay to Montarigs

Ending in Reims yesterday and starting just down the road in Epernay, we get two stages that can be all about Champagne. Epernay being the other major city of the region and home to some of the biggest names in Champagne, Moet et Chandon, Mercier, Perrier-Jouet and Pol Roger all make their home in Epernay and line up on the Avenue de Champagne. Nestled just 30 kilometers south of Reims in the Marne River Valley below hills covered with the grapes that make the bubbly beverage.  Along the Avenue de Champagne where you will find some of the most prestigious names of Champagne, but below ground more than 68 miles of cellars holding more than 200 million bottles of Champagne that is carefully aging and fermenting. The subterranean cellars and limestone cliffs that can be found in the area stay at a constant temperature of 48-54 degrees F, the ideal temperature for the slow fermentation that is needed to create the sought after bubbles.

It has been the legend that the Benedictine monk Dom Perignon created the method champenoise and upon his discovery stated “come quick, I’m drinking the stars” Well much like Marie Antoinette’s “Let them eat cake” it’s not true. In fact Champagne, as we know it today, wasn’t even discovered in the famed region. The oldest sparkling dates back to 1531 at the Abbey of Saint Hilaire in Carcassonne in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in the south of France.  But not to completely crash the mystic stories of Dom Perignon he did develop the muselet, the wire cage that holds the cork down and onto the bottle.

The most widely known label but not the oldest is Moet et Chandon, established in Epernay in 1743 by Claude Moet.  He began delivering his champagne to Paris and to the attention of King Louis XV and became the favorite of nobilities and the aristocratic set. Today it holds the Royal Warrant to Queen Elizabeth II of England as the Champagne provider of the Royal Court. Upon Claude Moet’s death in 1792 his grandson Jean-Remy Moet took over and acquired the vineyards of the Abbey of Hautvillers once home to Dom Perignon.  Jean-Remy would later become mayor of the town of Epernay and it was at that time that he became friends with Napoleon. Napoleon and his staff visited Epernay many times on the invitation of Jean-Remy in the guest houses at the Moet et Chandon house and today you can still see one of the hats of Napoleon on display.  Originally the name was just Moet et Cie  or Moet & Co, Chandon was added on when Jean-Remy’s son in law Pierre Gabriel Chandon joined the business.

In 1971 the house of Moet et Chandon and its now many other champagne houses it had been acquiring joined with the French cognac maker Hennesey to create Moet-Hennessey.  In 1973 Moet-Hennessey merged with the French luxury brand, Louis Vuitton, this then created what is still the largest luxury brand in the world, LVMH Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey and generated more than 25 billion dollars a year. Its holdings include Christian Dior, Givenchey, Marc Jacobs, Tag Heuer, Fendi, Glenmorangie, Belvedere Vodka, Donna Karen and Sephora.

In Provins the Tour Cesar and the Eglise Saint Quiriace tower over and can be seen from anywhere in Provins. Dating back to the 9^th century, the town once created its own money and found protection under the Counts of Champagne and hosted Champagne Fairs that were vital to the economy. During this period it was the biggest town in France only behind Paris and Rouen.  The Tour Cesar, built in the 12^th century is the only octagonal tower with a square base tower to 144 feet high and is surrounded by four turrets. Originally part of the walls that surrounded the town, it was later used as a prison by the English in the Hundred Years War.

The town of Montereau-Fault-Yonne sits just 25km from Paris, in the Seine-et-Marne department of the Ile de France. Montereau is split in two by the River Yonne and the River Seine with the Ville Basse on the south side and Surville on the north. At the point of the confluence of these two great rivers sits a small island with a large bridge that the riders will go over. Sitting at the peak of the island is an equestrian statue of Napoleon to commemorate the heroic charge his forces made on February 14, 1814. It was Napoleons last victory, the Battle of Montereau where he defeated Austrians and Wurttemberges.

In 1359 the King of Navarre, Charles the Bad gave up his rights to the region and the town of Montereau-Fault-Yonne to the Regent of France who would become King Charles V in 1364. In 1407 the Duke of Burgundy, John the Fearless had Louis of Orleans murdered in Paris because he began to believe that the Arnagnacs were in support of Louis of Orleans and was worried he wanted the royal crown. He regained the Kings favor again and by 1419 he was set to meet with the Regent Charles, who would be King Charles VII on the bridge in Montereau. Upon arrival John the Fearless moved towards the Regent alone hoping to prove his trustworthiness, but the Regent came with 10 of his men. John knelt down and placed his hand on his sword, with this signal the Tanguy of Chatel a loyal servant to the future King wielded an axe and attacked and the Duke was killed. To this day there is a plaque on the bridge that marks the spot: “In the year 1419, on a newly constructed bridge, John of Burgundy was murdered, In Montereau on the Yonne”

Montereau does have one very wonderful item that bares its name, Brie de Montereau. Brie cheese is made in the Ile-de-France region and is the historic name of the region outside of Paris that is now more widely known as the Seine-et-Marne. Brie has been made here since the early 18^th century and in June 1791 when Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette tried to escape but were captured in Varennes it is said that the King was given one final taste of “the prince of cheeses” before he was captured. There are four kinds of Brie: Brie de Melun and Brie de Meaux both with an AOC distinction, Brie de Coulommiers and Brie de Montereau.  Brie is a soft cheese with a velvety smooth texture with bloomy white rinds and can become very runny when at room temperature.  Brie de Montereau specifically is a cow’s milk cheese with a white rind that is normally made between March and July. The curd are layered in 4 inch high molds over a few hours and then drained a few times, all during a total of 18 hours. It is then left to ripen for 4 to 6 weeks.  The fat content of Brie is 45% to 60% (that is what makes it so good). The Brie de Montereau specifically has a taste very similar to a Brie de Melun in taste but is a bit richer with a creamy buttery finish. Brie is best served at room temperature and should be taken out of the refrigerator 45 minutes prior to serving.

The stage ends in the town of Montgaris, capital of the Gatinais region on the western edge of the Burgundy region. Known as the “Venice of the Gatinais” for its many bridges and canals it is a beautiful town with a lovely medieval charm. One of its most popular claims to fame is it is the town where Pralines were invented. Clement Jaluzot, chef to Louis XIII and Louis XIV combined two delicacies that were very rare and expensive in the 17th Century, almonds and sugar and roasted them in a pan over the fire. The caramelized sugars created a hard sweet shell and were loved by all and were called Pralines after the Duc de Plessis-Praslin a 17th century ladies man. Jaluzot later left the employ of his masters and settled in the town of Montargis and opened a shop to sell the Pralines. The Maison de la Prasline at 45 Place Mirabeau is still opened, and is still owned to this day by the same family where the original recipe is still produced.

 

Fricassee de Pommes de Terre a L’Ardennais

2 pound potatoes 1 pound of mushrooms 1 medium onion chopped 7 ounces bacon cut in ½ pieces 2 tablespoons butter Salt and pepper

Peel and cut potatoes, cut potato in half lengthwise and then in ¼ slices. Rinse well in water and the in a medium sauce pan cover with water, add some salt and bring to a boil for 10 minutes, or until just tender when pierced with the tip of a knife.
Clean and slice the mushrooms.  In a large sauté pan melt the butter and add the onions.
Brown the onions over high heat, then add the bacon. Mix well and add the mushrooms sauté mushrooms for 4-5minutes. Lower the heat, cover and let cook for 10 minutes.

 

Remove lid and add drained potatoes, season with salt and pepper. Cook for 10 more minutes stirring occasionally.

 

Truites a l’Ardennais

 

4 salmon fillets

3 slices of ham

4 slices of French bread

2 tablespoons of butter

¾ cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons flour

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Salt and pepper

 

Cut bread & ham into small pieces. In a medium size sauté pan melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add bread and brown for 3-4 minutes, add bacon and continue to cook for 5 more minutes.

 

Wash fish (Instead of using trout I used fresh salmon) dry and season with salt and pepper. Toss in flour, shake off any excess flour and place in a large sauté pan with the remaining butter melted.  Cook over medium high heat until golden and cooked through. Remove fish, pour in cream to deglaze pan, season with salt and pepper.

 

To serve, place the salmon, top with bacon and bread and then add some of the sauce and parsley.

 

Bon Appétit!

 

 

 

 

 

Stage 4-TdF Cuisine Cambrai-Reims, Champagne ooh la la

July 7, 2010

Stage 4 Cambrai to Reims

The first full stage of the 2010 Tour de France to take place in France starts today and from here until July 25^th they will stay.  The first three stages have been nothing less than exciting; the next three stages will be flat and fast and will see the fast sprint finishes for the green jerseys.

The stage leaves from the south edge of the Nord-de-Pas-de-Calais region and the town of Cambrai.  Cambrai traces back to the 4^th century when it was first mentioned on the Peutinger Table, a map of the Roman Empire road network for the courier and transportation to pass messages and collect taxes. The map covers Europe, Asia and North Africa and measuring 1.12 feet high by 22.14 feet long and made of eleven sections of parchment and rolled. The map was discovered in a library in Worms, Germany and in 1508 was published by Konrad Peutinger who the map was then named after.

During the Middle Ages the weaving industry grew in Cambrai and the fine lightweight cloth Cambric was developed. Dating back to the 16^th century the cotton cloth was used for lacework, lingerie. Cambrai has also lent its name to the oblong mint sweets, Betises de Cambrai, which as the legend goes, was created by mistake. Bêtises, translates to mistake and the legend is that in the 19^th Century a confectioners apprentice made the error, but it seems he may have had the last laugh. Still today they are made and adored for their crisp refreshing taste and help in after dinner digesting.

Another legend of Cambrai is that of Martin and Martine the giants that have become the mascots of the city. The story goes that in the 14^th century when the town was fighting the tyrant lord of the Thun-Leveque. Martin decided to take matters into his own hands and with Martine at his side took an iron hammer confronted the tyrant and struck him on the head. But since the evil lord was wearing a steel helmet it didn’t break but was forced down through his head and into his eyes. The lord of Thun-Leveque surrendered and Martin and Martine saved the city. Today above the town hall Martin and Martine oversee the city they saved and strike the bell tower everyday on the hour.

Amongst the vast plains of cereal crops just 11 kilometers outside of Cambrai on the banks of the River Escaut the town of Esnes and its 14^th century chateaux sits. The feudal style chateaux sits on the opposite side of the river from the town and the 14^th century turret overlooks it. In the 15^th century the entrance tower and rest of the chateaux was added and during the 18^th century partially rebuilt. Today the chateau is still owned by the same family now in its 29^th generation of ownership.

Leaving Esnes and heading into the Aisne department named after the Aisne River that 180 miles flows north and then west. The Aisne department was the first area to see the use of “trench warfare” during the First World War. Playing another important role in French history, the Aisne town of Villers-Cotterets was the spot where King Francis I of France signed the Ordinance of Villers-Cotterets in 1539 making french the official language of France. Tres Bien!

  In the town of Bohain-en-Vermandois the French painter Henry Mattise lived as a boy in the center of town. After his 18^th birthday he left for Paris where he was to study law but after his mother gave him a set of paints he found “a kind of paradise” and much to his father’s displeasure became a painter. He became one of the greatest artists of the 20^th centuries and highly regarded for his use of color. 

In Guise a statue of the French Revolution leader and native of Guise, Camillle Desmoulins who was later guillotined. The statue depicts him holding a chestnut tree branch that he used to beat away the crowds while the royal palace tried to push them away.  After being arrested and tried on April 5, 1794 he met his end by way of the guillotine.

The small village of Marchais is home to the Chateaux de Marchais, built in 1540 by Nicolas de Longueval Count of Bossut, Superintendent of Finance for King Francois I of France and governor of Champagne and Brie. Purchased in 1854 by Princess Antoinette of Monaco, wife of Prince Charles III of Monaco, today it still belongs to the Royal family if Monaco, the Grimaldis.

The finishing town of Reims is one of the two major cities of the Champagne region. Let’s get this out of the way first, Reims rhymes with France, yes it seems strange but just say it, or just say France and drop the F.. RANCE.  Reims can stake its claims to being one of the most historical towns in all of France.  It has been a part of the aristocratically and political history of France since the 5^th century. From 816 to 1825 thirty-four sovereigns and twenty-four of them being kings have been crowned in the Notre-Dame de Reims.  The original church was destroyed by a fire in 1211, but by May 6^th the Archbishop Aubry de Humbert laid the first stone for the present day church, it was completed by the end of the 13^th century. During the First World War 80% of the city of Reims was destroyed, but the church was badly damaged. During some excavation following the First World War in the crypt and baptistery the remains of the early cathedral were revealed. This was the spot where the Frankish King Clovis was baptized on Christmas Day 498 and the joining of Christianity with the Franks.  

In 1429 Charles VII was crowned the King of France in the Notre-Dame de Reims much to the thanks of Jeanne d’Arc who was told in a vision from God to drive the English out of France and help Charles become the King of France. There was not much appreciation from Charles following his coronation and within two short years the Maid of Orleans would be turned over to the English and tried for heresy and at the age of 19 she would be tied to a wooden stake and burnt alive. Upon her death the English exposed her burnt body to prove that she had not escaped and continued to burn her remains twice more until it was nothing but ashes. It is rumored that she was dumped into the River Seine but has never been proved. In 1920 the Catholic Church made her a saint; she is much loved in France and all over the world. There is a statue of her just outside of the Notre-Dame-de-Reims

During the First World War, on September 20, 1914 the church was hit by the Germans with shellfire destroying the scaffolding around the tower and setting the word structure on fire. Lead on the roof melted under the heat and poured onto the gargoyles. In 1919 the restoration began guided by architect Henri Deneux who would replace the wood framework with concrete. It was reopened in October 1937, just in time for the Second World War. Luckily Reims avoided any damage in WW2, much to the delight of its residents and champagne faithful. In 1945, Reims did see the arrival of General Dwight Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force when they moved the headquarters there to further manage the surrender of the Germans. On the morning of May 7^th at what is now the Surrender Museum the Germans surrendered to General Eisenhower to which he said “I guess this calls for Champagne”

Since we are in Reims, we cannot forget about Champagne. Historically Champagne did not start out to look like it does today; it wouldn’t even resemble the amber bubbly delight. It was first was a pinkish still wine, made from Pinot Noir, that was first brought to the region and planted by the Romans in the 5^th century. When the Kings of France made the Notre-Dame-de-Reims the home of their coronations the local wine was on hand to toast the occasion.

Due to the cool climate the fermentation of the wine slowed and as the temperature would rise the yeast would begin to awaken and the fermentation would start again and would release carbon dioxide gas and create great pressure. Most of the early French wine bottles could not withstand the pressure and would explode in the cellars; wineries would lose entire harvests of wine and would begin to create the cellars on a slope so not to flood when the bottles exploded. The few bottles that would survive would contain bubbles, much to the dismay of the Champenois. By the early 18^th century the French monarchy started to develop a taste for the bubbles and the sparkling wine began to grow in popularity with French nobility. By the 19^th century the method champenoise, the process of making champagne was achieved by the house of Veueve Clicquot. Today the regions 87,000 acres that cover Reims and stage 5’s Eperney produce over 200 million bottles of Champagne a year. Remember it can only be called Champagne when it is made in Champagne.

In Reims there are many historic Champagne houses that names are known all over the world and dating back many years. Krug, dates back to 1843 and one of the most highly regarded. With a mix of pinot noir, chardonnay and meunier grapes and using 200 year old oak barrels, they still follow a very traditional method. Pommery can be traced back to 1858 when Alexandre Louis Pommery started the label but shortly after died. His wife Madame Pommery took over and would create over 11 miles of caves carved out of the hills by the Romans in the 2^nd century that could house over 20 million bottles of Champagne. Louis Pommery was quite the business woman and even held off the Prussians during the Franco-Prussian war. While trying to wall up her champagne caves Prince von Hohenlohe arrived and saw the tools. He talked with her and told her “not to worry, your champagne will not be touched” Every year on March 18^th,  Madame Pommery’s birthday, she gave all her staff the day off, she was so loved that the staff would send her roses, her favorite flower.  In 1890 on March 16^th they announced that the annual holiday would take place on March 17^th, one day early. Madame was very ill and was not expected to make it much longer but did not want the staff to miss their day off. On March 18, 1890 she died and was treated to what could resemble a state funeral. Over 20,000 people attended and followed her casket through the streets of Reims, covered with her beloved roses.  

Fricassee de Poulet au Champagne

(Sauteed chicken in Champagne Cream Sauce)

1 whole chicken

Salt and fresh ground white pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons butter

1 cup white pearl onions

2 cups white or cremini mushrooms

1 Tablespoon shallots, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon flour

Bouquet Garni of parsley, thyme & bay leaf

1 cup Champagne

½ cup heavy cream

 

Cut the chicken into 10 pieces, or pre cut individual pieces can also be used, just make sure they are still on the bone. Season with salt and pepper

 

In a large skillet big enough to hold all the chicken on one layer, melt butter over medium heat. Add chicken thighs and drumsticks first, skin side down and brown on all sides.

 

Remove all chicken and set aside, in same skillet add onions, mushrooms and shallots. Cook stirring for about 3 minutes. Add flour, blend well and cook for two more minutes. Add bouquet garni and Champagne and simmer for 10 minutes.  Turn pieces from time to time, when meat comes away from the bone easily it is done.

 

Add the cream and bring to a boil and blend well. Cover, remove from the heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Remove bouquet garni and check for seasoning.  Plate and serve.

 

 

Cookies aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of what to pair with Champagne but in Reims there is a lovely crisp cookie that is just perfect with a glass of bubbly. Le Biscuit Rose de Reims are light ladyfinger like cookies but with a crisp sugar dusted shell. Pink in color the meringue based cookie has a hint of strawberry taste to it.

 

In a cookbook filled with nothing but French cookie recipes I found Le Biscuit Rose de Reims, but needed a special mold. So I decided to just pipe them onto parchment, I have since found a mold and will make these again soon. They were delicious, slightly resembling a French macaron cookie.

 

Le Biscuit Rose de Reims

 

1 ½ oz fresh strawberries

1 tablespoon kirsch

4 ½ oz confectioners’ sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Red food coloring

3 ½ oz all-purpose flour

1 ¾ oz cornstarch

¼ teaspoon baking powder

Superfine sugar for decoration

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

 

On a parchment lined baking sheet dust with corn starch

 

Clean strawberries and with the kirsch puree in a blender, strain through a fine sieve  Sift confectioners’ sugar and combine it to the strawberry puree, eggs, yolk and vanilla in mixer. Add a drop or two red food coloring to reinforce the strawberry color. Beat with a wire whip starting at low and gradually increasing to medium speed, until the batter is light and thick and forms slowly dissolving ribbons when dropped from the whip. Sift together the flour, cornstarch and baking powder and gently fold into batter.

 

Scoop the batter into pastry bag fitted with a #5 round tip and pipe onto parchment. Dust with superfine sugar and place into the oven. Cook for 13 to 14 minutes or until the edges brown slightly.

 

Bon Appétit!

 

 

 

 

Stage 3- TdFrance Cuisine Carbonnade de Boeuf a la Flamande

July 6, 2010

Stage 3- Wanze, Belgium to Arenberg-Porte du Hainaut, France

Today is the stage that any Tour de France fan has looked forward to since that day in October when the route was unveiled. This year the organizers included the fabled Pave’s of Southern Belgium and Northern France that are always part of the “Hell of the North” the Paris-Roubaix race each spring. There is sure to be some big things happening today and you don’t want to miss it.

The stage starts in the town of Wanze in the Liege province of Belgium. Wanze dates back to the 12^th century when it was mentioned as a gift to the Bishops of Liege. Today it is home to the newest and modern sugar refinery in Europe. The BioWanze sugar refinery creates bioethanol from beetroot and wheat and then mixes it with oil. During this process the refinery is able to also produce enough energy from the process to self sustain itself and provide enough power to run the entire factory.

Leaving Wanze and almost immediately in the city of Huy (pronounced oo-ee) and one of the major city of the Ardennes and stretches across the River Meuse. The River Meuse is the same river that the Tour crossed over at the Prologue in Rotterdam; it flows through the Netherlands, down through Belgium and to Le Châtelet-sur-Meuse commune of the Haute-Marne in the Champagne region of France. Huy is one of the oldest cities in Belgium and a Roman military base. In 1066 it was given one of the first official town charters in Belgium. Over the centuries the town has prospered with the woodworking, tanning, sculpting and cloth industries until the 17^th century.  In the 17^th century an attack by Louis XIV and the French army decimated the city, little remains of the original city and castle.

The capital of the Walloon region, Namur sits at the confluence of the River Sambre and River Meuse and has been a part of history many times. Julius Caeser commanded his Roman Legions up through the Meuse valley and right through Namur some 2000 years ago on their way to Cologne, some Roman remains can still be seen today. Charlemagne also used the area while making the trek to Germany from France and the French marched through under Louis XIV and again with Napoleon. Namur was not immune to the First and Second World Wars as well, with seeing action in both the great wars.

The town of Soignies with its narrow streets all lead to the Collegial church of St Vincent, created in 670 by a former governor, Madelgaire. The church is constructed from the local sandstone in the Romanesque style and was fully restored in 2009. It has been added to over the centuries with the addition of the Gothic west tower addition in the 13^th century.

In Moulbaix the last working timber windmill, the “Moulin de la Marquise” built in 1614. A post style mill that still grinds wheat powered by the wind and is the last of its kind still in use today.

And now the Tour de France crosses into France to spend the next 3 weeks, ahhhhhh……

The town of Rumegies is just on the edge of France in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region.  The Nord-Pas-de-Calais region makes the very tip top of France and stretches from the English Channel on the West to the edge of Belgium on the North.

The mythical cobbles or Pave’s of northern France and Belgium have not been a part of the Tour de France in years. Some riders are not too pleased to have them on the route this year but the Tour de France isn’t called the toughest sporting event for nothing. This isn’t your Sunday in the park ride boys, it’s all about the complete rider and the toughest, you can’t win the tour by only doing well on the flat stages or the mountains, and they have to do it all.

Once in France the Pave section of Sars-et-Rosiers and Tilloy-lez-Marchiennes resemble more of a back country path than a “road”, the 1.5 miles of paves with some sharp bends can cause problems. In fact this is where Saxo Bank rider Frank Schleck will go down and break his collar bone and have to leave the Tour de France. (The collar bone break is the most common injury to cyclist)

Wangignies-Hamage sits in the heart of the Parc Naturel Regional Scarpe-Escaut and will be the largest section of cobbles at 2.3 miles of jagged uneven road. Part of the 2004 Tour de France this long stretch will be the big test of the riders. This is where Lance Armstrong popped a tire and lost big time on the leaders.

The final stretch of cobbles of the Pave d’Haveluy is considered the Bernard Hinault section, named after the Tour de France winner. It has a slight rise to it before it slopes down at the end. If they have all survived to this point, they are almost done.

The finish town of Arenberg-Porte-du-Hainaut, the home of the “trouee” section of cobbles, the “trench” was suggestion to be added to the Paris-Roubaix by Jean Stablewski. As a young French boy at the age of 14 following his father’s death in a mine, he took over his job and worked in the mines of Northern France. Upon winning a bicycle in an accordion competition he took up the sport and by the age of 16 he entered his first race. By the age of 21 he became a professional cyclist and rode with Jacques Anquetil and won the French national road championship four times within six years. He later became a member of Les Amis de Paris-Roubaix and helped promote the spring classic and suggested the addition of the “trouee” to the annual race.  He died in April 2008, he is remembered “as a miner who worked beneath the road and as a cyclist rode above it” Today a sculpture beside the road on Wallers-Arenberg sits to remember him.

Carbonnade de Boeuf a la Flamande

½ cup olive oil

2 Tablespoons butter

3 lbs beef chuck roast cut into 4 large pieces
1 ½ lbs onion, thinly sliced

5 Tablespoons flour
salt & pepper
1 cup beef broth
1 quart beer

Pinch of grated nutmeg

Bouquet garni

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a heavy skillet melt butter and heat half the oil until hot and add beef slices and brown on all sides.  In a flameproof dish heat the other half of oil and add onions and cook until soft and slightly browned, add the flour and place in oven until flour has browned, about 10 minutes. Remove dish, add beer, broth, bouquet garni and nutmeg and bring to a boil on top of stove. Return to oven and let cook uncovered for 2 ½ hours or until the meat is very tender.

 

Meanwhile cut thick slices from a French baguette and toast until crisp and brown, spread with a thick layer of mustard and set aside.

When meat is cooked, remove the Bouquet Garni and taste for seasoning. Arrange the sliced bread on top and baste lightly with sauce. Return to oven and brown for 5-10 minutes more.

Serve with some nice French beer and….

Bon Appétit!

 

Stage 2 TdFrance Cuisine- Belgium Waterzooi de Poulet

July 5, 2010

Brussels to Spa

Three days into the Tour de France and it has been a good one. Still in Belgium the riders will be leaving Brussels behind and heading east to the Walloon region and Province of Liege and the town of Spa. Part of the course can be seen in the oldest or La Doyenne as it is called, the Liege-Bastogne-Liege spring classic bike race.  The first week is normally the sprinters week, the guys that like to go hard and fast to the line to pick up a stage win and points for the Green jersey. But so far the 1^st and 2^nd stage has been completely crazy with crash after crash coming into the finish of Brussels on Sunday and today with a crash that took out most of the Peloton and looked more like cycling on a skating rink. Stage 3 is going to be a can’t miss stage when they hit the Pave’s of Belgium and Northern France.

But before we can cross into France on Tuesday we have to finish our time exploring Belgium. The start city of Brussels is also the capital of Belgium and also the center of the European Union.  Following the Second World War, NATO and the EU made Brussels there administrative center and many other European organizations followed. The center of Brussels is encircled by ring of roads that mark the same path as the ancient city wall. The 5 sided “circle” looks a little more like a pentagon and is very visible by looking at any satellite map, some think it looks like a heart, but unsure how they see that. Within the center of the ring is the Grand Palace, Central Station and most of the older buildings of the city.  Brussels is divided by elevation; on the east is the upper half that sits at 200 feet above the lower half. In the upper half the nobility and upper-class lived and the large houses and wide streets are evident. On the west side the lower half sits at sea level and is home to the Grand Palace and the famous Manneken-Pis statue.

The Manneken-Pis statue is the “peeing little boy”, a bronze statue. Little Julien as he has been named sits near the Grand Palace and dates back to 1619 when sculptor Jerome Duquesnoy created him to provide drinking water to the neighborhood. He has had quite the checkered past, in 1628 it was destroyed by an overindulging drunk, in 1745 the British Troops marred him and in 1748 the French took custody of the poor little guy in 1747. Little Julien has quite an extensive closet with more than 800 outfits for any occasion, and it all started after Louis XV of France presented Brussels with a gold-embroidered suit for him. He has been presented with costumes ever since from visiting dignitaries, tourists and film actors including John Malkovich. The legend of the statue is that a bad little boy was found peeing on a witch’s house and so she froze him, or the locals like to think that the little boy adored the local Belgium beer and when a fire threatened to destroy the city he made good use of all that beer he drank and helped put out the fire.  Or that the statue is just a motto for the city “Where people eat, drink…and drink… and then pee”

Leaving Brussels behind and heading east to Spa and through the Walloon Brabant, Namur and finally the Liege Provinces that many of the amazing Chateaux’s of Belgium can be found. 63km into the stage the town of Hannut is the Church of Saint Christopher with the large 12 foot statue of the patron saint can be found in the 14^th century church.

The breathtaking castles that line the area can be seen gracing the many large green meadows, tucked into trees and sitting atop hills. Among these are the Fallais Castle in Braives 71km along the route. Once belonging to Charles the Bold the Duke of Burgundy in the 15^th century and later a base for  King Louis XIV of France during the Siege of Namur nearby. Sitting at the top of Modave overlooking the town of Huy is the chateau of the Counts of Marchin, dating back to the 13^th century.

If you watched today you might have seen a large structure that looked like a maze, toward the end in the town of Wanne. The Puzzle Planet is a 1.8 mile long maze built out of wood. Just before entering the finish town of Spa the small town of Stavelot sits at the base of the Col de Stockeau where a mass crash and carnage happened in today’s stage. Only time will tell tonight who will make it through the bumps and bruises and be able to start tomorrow.  Stavelot is a small town sitting in the Ardennes area that spans through Belgium, Luxembourg and Northern France. The half-timbered houses, lovely squares and fountains and the wonderfully restored 16^th century abbey all add to the charming town.

The finish town of Spa, a name like so many in Europe that has lent it geographic name to a specific item or specialty. Derived from a Walloon word meaning fountain, Spa became world famous.  The world’s first health resort dates back to the 16^th century based on the healing powers of the water that is found in this part of the world.  Kings and Queens came to visit but following the visit by Peter the Great he describing it as  “the best place to take the waters” It reached its pinnacle of fame in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, being called “Café Europe” and visited by the European monacharies, aristocrats, politicians and celebrities from every corner of Europe. It slowly declined as the popularity of spas popped up in every area of Europe, but today Spa is getting a bit of resurgence. A visit of the Tour de France couldn’t hurt.

Belgium is bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, France and Luxembourg and because of that the influence bleeds over into the cuisine of Belgium. With more of an influence from the French and a touch of the German and Dutch the dishes are similar to those that you may find in Northern France as well.  I found this recipe that can be traditionally made with fish but can also be found using chicken. It is a rich and delicious chicken soup finished with a little cream. It received a “this is the best chicken soup ever” from my husband, so on the next late fall cool day make this one for sure.

Waterzooi de Poulet

3 medium sized leeks cut in half and then thinly sliced

2 celery stalks thinly sliced

3 tablespoons of butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 pieces of chicken, preferable breasts, thighs and legs
1 cups dry white wine
6 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 egg yolks
minced fresh parsley

Using a pot large enough to hold the chicken and the vegetables melt the butter layer the vegetables and cover with wine. Cover with a piece of parchment paper with a small hole cut into the center to let the steam escape and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the parchment and add the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables and cook, flipping the chicken occasionally for 70 to 80 minutes. Remove the chicken, let cool and shred.

Add the cream, egg yolks and minced parsley and reaming tablespoons of butter into a small bowl and mix together. Slowly add to the hot soup and blend. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if desired. Return the chicken to the pot, set over medium low heat, and cook until thickened slightly, but don’t let it boil.

To serve add some of the shredded chicken to a bowl and ladle in some of the broth and vegetables. Top off with some homemade croutons and enjoy!

Filled Belgian Endive

A classic hors d’oeuvres, filled Belgian Endive leaves are an easy and elegant treat. The lovely little pale leaves can stand in as a healthier choice than a cracker and can be topped with just about anything. But a quick mix of goat cheese and fresh herbs makes a lovely presentation

6 ounces soft goat cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, basil, chives, dill, tarragon or parsley.

Olive oil

Mix softened goat cheese and herbs together in a small bowl. Can be spooned onto Endive but the presentation can me even nicer if you have a piping back and star tipped cake decorating tool. Just fill the bag and go.

Salade d’Ardennes

Small head of Red leaf lettuce

2 or 3 Belgium endive

Cherry tomatoes

Good quality ham or prosciutto

Olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 to 4 slices of country style bread slightly dried, cut into bite size pieces

2 cloves of garlic, peeled

Fresh parsley

Shallot Parsley Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/3 to ½ cup red wine vinegar

2 large egg yolks

1 ½ cups vegetable oil

3 tablespoons minced shallots

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Salt and pepper

 

To make the salad: Rinse all the salad greens, dry and place in a large bowl with tomatoes and hams.

In a large skillet melt butter and oil over low heat and add the bread and brown (watch carefully) drain on a paper towel lined tray and rub with the garlic cloves.

 

To make the Vinaigrette: whisk by hand the mustard, 1/3 cup vinegar and egg yolks together, add the oil in a few drops at a time and incorporate add the rest of the oil and keep whisking until emulsified. Add shallots, salt and pepper to taste.

Add the vinaigrette to the greens, tomatoes, ham and croutons and toss and serve.

Bon Appétit!

Stage 1- TdF Cuisine- Moules Mariniere et Pommes Frites

July 4, 2010

Rotterdam to Bruxells

With the prologue under their belts it’s now time to start to wind our way down to France, but first a few days in Belgium.  But we need to leave Rotterdam and the Netherlands behind us, by way of the outer edges and islands that make up the outer Delta Works of Zeeland. Made up of six islands and peninsulas, the Zeeland is almost as much water as it is land. Sitting at the mouth of some of the largest rivers coming into northern Europe, the Rhine, the Waal and the Oosterschelde, Zeeland was a very important province. Leading into Rotterdam and the world’s largest port.   With most of the province lying below sea level, the area was prone to floods. In 1953 came the biggest and most tragic, the North Sea Flood of 1953. With a very high spring sea level and a severe European windstorm combined it caused a tidal surge from the North Sea raising the water over 18 feet over sea level and destroying most in its path. Nearly 2000 people were killed and thousands of homes, churches and schools destroyed.

Following the tragic flood a plan was needed to prevent another disaster and by 1958 they had one. The Delta Works mission was to create dikes and dams to lengthen the ones that they already had to help protect the region. Four large dams were built to close off the North Sea and further in smaller dams were built to protect from the high tides. The large storm barrier that links the outer Northern Sea side of the islands and peninsulas began construction in 1976 and took over ten years to complete. The road running atop the barrier can be seen as part of the First Stage of the Tour de France. The barrier stretches over two miles in length and over three large channels of the Oosterschelde and two manmade islands that were used as construction bases while building these massive structures. Sixty-Five concrete piers, 99 to 125 feet tall and weighing more than 18000 tonnes and sixty-two steel gates make up this massive structure, the grates can be raised in less than an hour to prevent flooding. And if you were worried about the environmental impact, the construction actually helped with the tidal flow of the Oostershelde and the habitat for fish, mussels and oysters.

Before heading to Belgium, the town of Goes was once the center of the former island Zuid-Beveland that is now a peninsula. Goes was once one of the ancestral seats of the Counts of Zeeland and the residence of the Jacoba of Bavaria, Countess of Holland from 1401 to 1436. The daughter of William VI, inherited the earldoms of Holland, Zeeland and Hainaut upon his death in 1417. She left her second husband in 1421, John IV Duke of Brabant after he gave part of her earldom to John of Bavaria. By 1423 she met and married Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, fourth son of King Henry IV, and brother to King Henry V of England.  Once Philip the Good invaded her territories she escaped to Goes and was forced to sign the Treaty of Delft giving up her holdings to Philip the Brave. She died in 1436 at Slot Teylingen just west of Amsterdam.  The town of Goes history also includes salt mining and the production of red dye, today it is surrounded by orchards and meadows and agriculture and horticulture has been the areas main form of industry.

Crossing over and into Belgium the first major city and the most populated of Belgium is Antwerp. The diamond capital of the world, sits on the east banks of the Scheldt that flows back through Zeeland to the North Sea. The city dates back to the 3^rd century and the first settlement are located below the present day roads and buildings. Where the name Antwerp comes from is what legends are made of. In the 16^th century, a Roman soldier names Silvius Brabo was said to have killed a giant Druon Antigon who was regularly destroying the ships on the River Scheldt. He cut off the giants hand and flung it into the river.  The word “Handwerpen” means to “throw a hand” Today on the city’s coat of arms, the image of two severed hands can be seen next to the Steen.

By 1560, Antwerp was the second largest city in Europe after Paris and its success was from trading salt, fish, grain and the importing of wood from England. The religious revolution of the Reformation in 1566 brought riots, destruction and the damage to the Cathedral. In 1572 at the beginning of the Eighty Years’ War trading between the Spanish and Antwerp ceased and by November 1576 the Spanish soldiers descended on Antwerp. The Spanish Fury on Antwerp lasted three days, over 6,000 citizens were killed and 700 houses were burnt to the ground.

By 1794 Antwerp looked rather attractive to Napoleon and fell into French hands. Napoleon realized the strategic location and a “Cocked pistol aimed at England” and developed the port over the next ten years. Today the port is still there and still named for Napoleon, the Bonapartedok.

Just before the arrival in Brussels the Tour will pay homage to the greatest cyclists to ever ride in the Tour de France, Eddy Merckx. This year “The Cannibal” celebrated his 65^th birthday and the Tour organizers wanted to pay respect to this great rider with a pass through his home town region. Spending his childhood in the town of Tervueren which is 1km into the start of the Stage 2, but today passing through the present home town of Eddy and his wife Claudine (yeah I had to say it) Meise that is just 10km from the stage finish today.

Since the tour is ending in Belgium today and there are few things more famous when it comes to food then Mussels and Frites. Moules Mariniere, one of the easiest recipes to put together and takes little to no time. To make it even more authentic use a great Belgium beer that can be found in just about any supermarket.

Moules Mariniere

3 tablespoons butter   

Medium onion or 2 shallots finely chopped

3 ribs of celery, finely chopped

4-5 pounds of mussels, cleaned and de-bearded

½ teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves

3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Salt and pepper

1 ½ cups Belgium Beer or dry white wine   

 

Melt butter in large saucepan and add shallots/onions and celery, cook until onions are translucent 5-7 minutes. Add mussels, thyme, 1 tablespoon parsley and a generous amount of black pepper. Poor the Beer or Wine over and cover tightly.

Bring to a boil over medium high heat and steam until the mussels open.  Take off the heat and toss carefully to distribute the broth. Remove the mussels with a slotted spoon to a large bowl, poor some of the broth over and sprinkle with more parsley, salt and pepper and serve with crusty bread and Pomme Frites.

 

Pomme Frites

A few years ago there was the whole “Freedom Fries” episode in the US, I thought it was stupid then and still do, but enough about that. French Fries as Americans call them are actual Belgium Fries and although they can now be found all over the world thanks to another great American company McDonalds (sarcasm) they are nowhere near the fantastic flavor of Pomme Frites. There are a few tricks that make them extra golden and extra crispy, so let’s get to it

 

If you have a deep fryer this is when you want to use it, but if not any large heavy saucepan can be used.  For the potatoes the older the potato the better, they usually are higher in starch and the Idaho baking potato works great.

 

4-5 cups of vegetable oil

2-3 pounds russet potatoes peeled, rinsed, dried and cut into ½ inch wide strips.

 

The thinner the potatoes are cut the faster they will fry, if you like a fatter, crispy on the outside frites cut them a little wider.  Dry all the potatoes well; this will help with splattering when added to the oil.

 

You will make these in two batches. Bring the oil to 325 degrees F and in batches add about a cup or so of fries to the oil and let cook until a very light brown, barely changing in color at all. Remove and place on a sheet pan covered with paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining fries.

 

Bring the oil up to 375 degrees F and add the fries in batches back to the oil, fry until the desired shade of brown 1-3 minutes. This is what gives the fries the dark crunchy finish.  Remove back to a clean paper towel to drain and sprinkle with salt and serve.

 

In Belgium it MUST be served with Mayonnaise and if you are feeling gutsy, let’s make our own.

 

Homemade Mayonnaise

 

You need to have patients with this and plan ahead a bit. All the ingredients MUST be at room temperature for this to really work. Mayonnaise is like a science project; it is an emulsion that comes from the eggs and lemon meeting up with the oil. Go to fast or to slow and it will break, it has to be just right. I have to admit I tried this many years ago and never could get it. The first time I made it I jumped up and down and danced around for 10 minutes with joy.

 

You will need:

2 egg yolks, as fresh as you can get. Go with Organic if you can it is worth it

1 tablespoon good French Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Salt and fresh cracked black pepper

1 ½ cups corn, peanut or safflower oil

 

In a glass or metal bowl place over a double boiler add egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper set over simmering water. (Don’t let the water touch the bottom of the bowl) Whisk until mixture is combined and thickened, don’t stop, you will make scrambled egg instead if you do. This will only take 2 to 3 minutes

 

Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

 

Adding a few drops of oil into the egg mixture which until incorporated, add a bit more oil and continue to whisk until blended. It should stay smooth and thick. If the oil is added to fast it will break and there is no going back.

 

Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed and serve. It will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks well sealed, but it won’t last that long…

 

Bon Appetit!