Good things

Tour de French Cuisine-Stage 1 Monaco

The day has finally come, the first day of the 2009 Tour de France. I could hardly sleep with the excitement of my favorite day of the year.  The last few days felt like time had stood still but now it seems like yesterday that they rode onto the Champs Elysees on the final day of the 2008 Tour.  Each year when it is over I go through a bit of PTD or “Post Tour Depression” I wonder each day as I wake up where are the soothing sounds of Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin? What does one wear on a non Tour day; all I have left to wear is yellow? And the biggest question, what will I make for dinner? Well thankfully I have recovered from the 2008 PTD, and just in time for the PTA or “Pre-Tour Anxiety”. There is so much to do to get ready to share all that I want to with you. It has been a lengthy journey, with hours and hours spent on researching each city, area and stage and all the specialties of each area.

 

So here we go, let’s jump right in!

 

Stage  #1- Monaco-Monaco

The first stage of the Tour de France or TdF as we like to call it, is normally a Time Trial where each rider rides on his own for the best time.  Some years they take the Tour outside of France to share it with other countries, 2007 started in London and next year it heads to Rotterdam. But this year it starts in Monaco, and that’s not such a bad place to spend a few days.  Monaco is ideal for the biggest and hardest sporting events in the world, a perfect stage to start from. After all there is royalty there, and who doesn’t love a tiara? (mental note: wear tiara for the start in Monaco)

Monaco is the second smallest country in the world, second only to Vatican City and is half the size of New York’s Central Park. It may be only .76 square miles in size but Monaco packs a punch. There is of course Le Casino de Monte Carlo, built from 1878 to 1910 and partially designed by Charles Garnier the architect of the Paris Opera House. If you visit the casino you don’t want to forget to rub the knee of the Louis XV statue at the entrance of the Hotel de Paris for good luck before heading into the casino. You will need it, after all the Casino does pretty well, because of it the residents of Monaco or Monegasque’s as they are called, don’t have any income tax. Monaco attracts the glitz and glamour from all over the world, and of course it’s most famous may have been the lovely blond American woman that was wooed by Prince Rainier but I would think that Monaco and it’s beauty had a little to do with it as well. Grace Kelly was a perfect Princess and much loved in Monaco. Her touch is still all over Monaco, from the Princess Grace Hospital, the Princess Grace Rose Garden and the Avenue Princess Grace that is part of the Tour this year. It runs along the reclaimed seafront that was created in the 1970’s by taking back 100 acres from the Mediterranean and later becoming the home of the Louis II stadium, home of the Monaco Football Club and an Olympic size pool.  Other sites in Monaco that should not be overlooked are the Palais Princier, the winter home of the Grimaldis, the royal family of Monaco where you can view the impressive changing of the guards at 11:55am each day. And what I think may be the greatest of all structures of Monaco is the Musée Océanographique, sitting atop the Rocher de Monaco or the Rock of Monaco which is at the very edge over the beautiful blue Mediterranean and one of the most cherished spots in Monaco. It was here that François Grimaldi disguised himself as a Franciscan monk to gain entry to the city, and the rest is, well, history.

Now for the good stuff, the food. Because Monaco is so close to France and Italy there is a huge Southern French with a special nod to Provence and Nice and Italian influence can be tasted in the specialties of Monaco.  For the first stage I wanted to start out with a bang and made a few of Monaco’s favorite dishes. 

 

 To start with I made “Oignons À La Monégasque” from the Anne Willan’s book “French Regional Cooking” a fantastic book and my go to book on French regional cooking. The onions were made into a sweet and sour salad with raisins, honestly I thought the raisins might be a little strange but as onions, water, wine vinegar, sugar, tomato paste and bouquet garni slowly cooked for almost an hour the smell was fantastic and the taste was out of this world.

Barbagiuans are another thing you will find in Monaco, they are a crisp baked or fried pastry treat filled with savory flavors like swiss chard, leeks, ricotta, garlic or herbs. And usually served as an appetizer. I searched high and low for this recipe and then altered the one I found to have more of an Monégasque flavor.  There was a slight problem with my dough, I think the 95 degree day wreaked havoc so I had to pull a quick fix and used some rice paper wrappers, so my Monaco fried treats would end up with a bit of Asian flair. But they were very tasty and actually were a little lighter this way. Here is my adaption to a recipe I found from New York chef  Laurent Tourondel

Filling

• 2 shallots, minced

• 1/2 lb swiss chard

• 2 cloves garlic: one minced, the other whole

• 1/2 lb mushrooms

• 1/2 cup grated parmesan

• 1 tsp butter

• 3 sprigs thyme

• 1 cup olive oil

• 2-3 drops truffle oil (optional)

• Salt and white pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

For the wrappers:
Soak the rice paper wrappers in hot water for about 30 seconds, they will become translucent and completely soft

Filling:
Chop the swiss chard. In a sauté pan, lightly sauté the shallots, mince garlic, and chopped swiss chard.  Add the mushrooms and let them wilt slightly.  Remove from the heat and let it cool down.  Mix in the parmesan and season with salt and pepper.  If desired, add the truffle oil.

Lay out the rice paper in the lower 3^rd of the circle place 2 or 3 tablespoons of filling.    Fold the shorter edge over and the two ends in and then tightly roll.

In a sauté pan with high sides, heat the olive oil and add the thyme sprigs and the remainder of garlic (make sure to crush the garlic before putting it into the oil).

Making sure the oil doesn’t get too hot, let the barbagiuans fry for about 3-4 minutes, until golden brown.  Drain well on a cloth or paper towel and serve.

They really were very tasty and John gave it his seal of approval. These I will make again for sure and will most likely give it my little Asian spin to it.

For dessert we have an Monégasque Lemon Tart or Tarte au Citron. Lemon is one of my favorite flavors so I knew I would love this one. The recipe called for ground almonds and bread crumbs and was an interesting addition.  And the crust was very buttery and almost like a shortbread cookie. Fantastic!

So that brings us to the end of our first stage of the 2009 Tour de France and the 2009 Tour de French Cuisine. Tomorrow we leave Monaco and head South Western into Grasse, Nice and finally end in Brignoles.  So make sure you check back tomorrow. I’ll be awake and ready to go by 5am.

Bon Appetit!

Less then three months to go

In less then three months the 2009 Tour de France will start. On July 4th, which happens to be John's favorite holiday, my favorite day of the year will collide into his. Will we be able to enjoy fresh homemade croissants for breakfast then hamburgers and hot dogs for lunch and then bouillabaisse for dinner?

So this year the "Grand Depart"  will be in the ultra fancy principality of Monaco. I can't help to think of Cary Grant and Princess Grace Kelly in "To Catch a Thief" when thinking of Monaco. But this year it will be the start of the Le Tour.

This will be the 6th visit the Tour has made to the tiny country of Monaco and will spend the first two stages there before moving clockwise across France. (each year is flips between counter clockwise and clockwise)

So with that I have less then three months to research and plan out my months worth of menus. Yikes! I better get off the computer and back to work on my research.

holy crap!!!! I am sooooo happy

It has been a buys day on my blog but I had to post this as well.....

Lance Armstrong has announced today that he is coming out of retirement and will ride again in the greatest sporting event ever, the Tour de France. Holy crap, it is so hard for me to wait for July and now it will be even harder. I better take the whole month of July off....

I have no doubt that Lance will return in top shape and will not settle for second place. Riders all over Europe are not happy right now.

The route is starting to leak out as well so the menu planning for the second annual Tour de French Cuisine will begin in October when the tour route is finally reviled.

Viva la Tour!

The End of the Tour.. Pommes Frites

It is the last day of the 2008 Tour de France, and yes I am already in my Post Tour Depression. What am I suppose to do with myself every morning at 5am? I was up very early today to finish the wedding cake I was making, more on that tomorrow. So I was able to see the very start of the race live and awake. You know like way back when before we had DVR's, three years ago. As they ride into Paris through the Alma tunnel where Princess Diana died and then onto the Champs Elysee and then around the streets 8 more times with the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe in the background. What's not to love!

So tonight was a classic Bistro meal. Steak with a Cognac, peppercorn cream sauce, Pommes Frites and Haricot Vert with Garlic. A meal John really got on board with, what man doesn't love steak and potatoes.

So now the Tour is over and so is my Tour de French Cuisine. I can't go back to eating just any old food now. But don't worry I won't start making meatloaf. (I know there are lots of people that love meatloaf, so I mean no disrespect)

Viva la tour!

Stage 20, Cerilly to Saint-Amond-Montrond ; Tourte du Saumon

Almost to Paris and the Champs Elysees and then the tour is over. Today the tour was in the very heart of France for a individual time trial. Each of the riders ride alone with them starting them 3 minutes apart. This is where the tour is won or loss.  So for dinner in between baking cakes for a wedding cake tomorrow I made Tourte De Saumon from Anne Willan's French Regional Cooking cookbook.

Basically it is Salmon in Puff Pastry with mushrooms. I changed it just a little bit though. Mrs Willan's recipe called for raw salmon to be minced with the mushrooms in a food processor. I just did the mushrooms with a bit of butter and egg yoke. I rolled out the puff pastry and placed the salmon in the middle, spooned the mushrooms over it and then sealed it closed. I tried to cut it into a fish shape, it sort of worked.... It may look like a blob on the plate but it was really good. I don't think I have found one recipe in the last three weeks that I wouldn't make over and over again.

Stage 19; Roanne to Montlucon- Coq au Vin

We are almost to Paris, only two more days and then it is all over.... Good thing we have DVR's so I can save some of the tour to watch over and over again.

The tourtoday rolled from the Rhone Alps region thru the Burgundy and Lyonnais area and then finished in the Auvergne region. So I decided Coq au Vin was the thing to have tonight. Is there anything more French then Coq au Vin, even people that don't know French food, know Coq au Vin. Depending on the region it is made depends on the wine that is used. It also has onions, mushrooms, carrots and garlic. It is another one of those recipes that need to be planned ahead of time. But it turned out great and tasted fantastic...

It needs to marinate at room temperature for 6 hours or overnight in the refrigerator for at least 10 to 12 hours. So easy to do the night before.

Stage 18; Bourg-d'Oisans to Saint Etienne; Grillade Mariniere

The Tour is now in it's final days, I am already sad that there is only three more days. Stage 18 left the town of Bourg-d'Oisans located next to Ecrins National Park the largest and highest of the seven French National Parks and ending today in Saint Etiennewhich is located just 40 miles outside the city of Lyon and use to be the capital of French Cycling. The last time the Tour stopped here was in 2005 when Lance Armstrong won the time trial and then onto his 7th and final tour.... oh those were the days.

So for dinner tonight, thanks to Anne Willans French Regional Cookingcookbook we are having Grillade Mariniere De Calence or Sailor's Steak with anchovies and Gratin Dauphiois,Potato Gratin with cheese and cream. Grillade Mariniere has a sort of shaded past. According to my cookbook the story goes: "In the centuries preceding the railway barges were pulled up the river by draught-horses. Not needed for the journey downstream the were killed by the sailors (marins) who made them into a good steak dish flavored with Provencal anchovies, onions and white wine. But nowadays using a good steak like a sirloin is in better taste" Thank god for that, I may eat snails and sushi but I draw the line on horses. Maybe that is what happened to my pony Buttercup when I was younger.

Gratin Dauphinois is the perfect side made with sliced potatoes, cream and Gruyere. Melted cheese, whats not to love!

Stage 17 Embrun to Alpe d'Huez; Fondue Savoyarde

Stage 17 of the Tour de France, the Queens stage as they call it. This is the stage of all stages, the one all the fans wait for. It doesn't happen every year. So when Alpe d'Huezis on the route you can't help but be excited. Alpe d'Huez is filled with 21 hairpin turns filled with over a million fans that have been camped out and waiting for over a week. Part of the appeal of a mountain stage is that the riders move a little slower. On a flat or downhill stage that can go up to 50 or 60 mph. Thats a lot of waiting for them to whiz right by. Here is a picture of Alpe d'Huez with the route highlighted. The other thing about stage 17 is that when the get to Alpe d'Huez, they have already gone over two other huge mountains. There are cars that can't do it, much less a human being.

So what is more perfect for a stage in the Alps...... Fondue Savoyarde or Cheese Fondue. Fondue is mostly known as a Swiss dish, but Fondue is derived from a French word, fondre (to melt)or fondu (melted)The recipe I made was a very common one using just white wine, Gruyere, salt and pepper and Kirsch. I cut up some baguette and made some more roasted potatoes as well as some asparagus and sauteed mushrooms. It was very good and very filling.

I used the Martha Stewart Fondue set from Macy's, it is very lovely and comes with all the pieces. But there is nothing that works better then the one my mom gave me that she got in the 70's. It is a horrible orange color and plugs in but it works better then any other one I have ever used. Maybe Martha can make a electric one in Martha blue.... that would be a lovely idea....

Stage 16: Cuneo to Jausiers, Fricassee de Poulet

 We are winding down to the last few days of the tour, oh what will I do next week. I go through a little Post Tour Depression when it is over every year. But this year has been extra great since I have been cooking along with the Tour.

The Tour today started in Italy, they have been there since Sunday and yesterday was a rest day. So they took off from Cuneo riding over two huge mountains and then arrived back into the Provence town of Jausiers. 

Another great cookbook is the Provence Cookbook by Patricia Wells, she is expert in the world of French cuisine and a teacher with classes in Paris & Provence. How wonderful would it be to go to France and take classes with Patricia Wells and Anne Willan.... I will happily take donations for my cause....

So for dinner I made Fricassee de Poulet a l'Ail et a l'Ail Confit or Fricassee of Chicken with Garlic and Sweet Garlic Confit. I started the Sweet Garlic Confit the night before, it was 5 heads of garlic that needed to be pealed. I learned a little trick from Martha to make that a little easier. Bowl some water, throw in the cloves the garlic for a few minutes. Then drain the water and put into a bowl. With a bowl just a little smaller put inside of the other bowl so you have made a bit of a circle with the two bowls and shake, shake, shake. It will help get all of the outside off of them so that you aren't pealing 40 cloves of garlic.

The rest of the process for the chicken was very easy, just brown the chicken in butter and olive oil with salt and pepper on the chicken. After it has been browned on all sides take out and then throw in the 20 other cloves of garlic,put the chicken back in and cover tightly for 20 minutes. After that take the chicken and garlic out and then put in the Sweet Garlic and white wine and cook down and crush the garlic into a paste.... Oh so good!

Along with the chicken I made Les Pommes de Terre du Max Haut also from Patricia Wells. They are your basic roasted potatoes and I make something like these all the time, but these were so crispy outside and tender on the inside. Wonderful!!!!

Stage 15 Embrun to Prato Nevoso; Pissaladiere

The Tour de France makes a brief stop in Italy today and Tuesday with a rest day in-between. Embrunis on in the Haute-Alps on the edge of the Provence region, and is know as the "little Nice of the Alps"  And then they rode up 1500 meters in altitude to the ski resort Prato Nevoso in the Piedmont area of Italy.

So tonight I made pizza, but French pizza. What were you thinking I would make.... Pissaladiere to be exact. I have made the Martha Stewart recipe from her Baking book before, and it is a real treasure. This is one recipe that is in every French cookbook that I have and they are all the same. Onions, tomatoes, anchovies and olives all on a great crust that is flat and crispy.

Pissaladiere is a specialty of the Nice region of France and the flavors in the part are oh so Provencal....

make it tomorrow for dinner, you won't be sorry!

Bon Appetit....