Where Champagne wishes come true

Turns our 2 weeks in France was just what I needed. I spent the majority of October immersed in the French terroir, enjoying the local food culture paired with wines I never dreamed of drinking.

Freshly baked breads complete with a cracking crust, butter rich pastries, macaroons, guimauve (hand made marshmallows), foie gras, mushrooms of all sorts in shades of autumn, scallops, cheese and charcuterie, Champagne and other local exquisite wines were all present, naturally.

In between long hours of lectures on the local food culture, history, science, theory, testing and tastings, visits to markets, vineyards and wineries I barely had time for to pinch myself, keep track and make sure this was all really happening. The experience was grand, rich and full, so this is merely an amuse bouche.

A food gypsy at heart, life seems to be the time I spend in between travelling in search of good food; local, seasonal, contemporary and traditional, Haute and bas.

In France, as we all know, mealtimes are never taken lightly, the forks face down (long story), wine is always present on the table to help wash down the food and much of the food is unapologetically drenched in as much butter as it can absorb (it tastes good).

Some of the highlights included an all night guided tour to Rungis market, the largest wholesale market in Europe, exceptional food & wine pairing pedagogical meals, fascinating lectures by leading professionals including Hervé This, the French chemist that in addition to the discovery of the perfect temperature for cooking an egg also coined the term ‘Molecular Gastronomy’. This link is an interesting read.

Rungis market is situated on the outskirts of Paris and we spent a night wondering through the various oversized warehouses, passing by an astonishing cornucopia of fresh fish and seafood, poultry in all shapes, shades, breeds and colours, feathered game birds and cuddly hares, hanging beef carcasses, pork slices, endless stacks of cheese, glistening innards, local and not so mush fruit & vegetables, some seasonal and some less so.

During mealtimes we had a chance to sample the local culinary tapestry, always accompanied with a choice of local wines, sparkling water, bread and at times, butter. Last but never least was dessert, flans and tatins, salted butter caramel, crème brulees, Florentins, glaces & sorbet, tarts and chocolate, it was always there and along with everything else, never taken lightly and never forgotten. Just as I’d have it when I rule my own country.

I could go on forever about the fantastic food, the new friends I've made, the places I saw, the wines I had, the pastries I devoured, the foie gras that melted in my mouth, the Chateau Margaux, the Champagne and all but instead I'll let the images speak themselves.

Au revoir France, until next time.

To Kiss a Scallop

Located in the east centre of France, the Bourgogne region sits on the strategic intersection linking Paris and the Rhineland with the Mediterranean. A week in Bourgogne; Lyon, Dijon and the Cote d’Or.

Beef of Charolais originated in the countryside of the French province Charolles; an undulating landscape with a heterogeneous variety of fields and soils, streams & rivers, a continental climate, and plenty of rainfall proving an ideal breeding ground for this free roaming, happy breed. Tartare, boiled and seared.

Titled France’s culinary capital, gastronomy is an inseparable part of Lyon’s identity. The city has over 1,000 restaurants, a food trade exhibition, a school of culinary art and the Halle de Lyon indoor Market. Although we were shopping for a picnic lunch, breakfast mustn’t be skipped. This is how I found myself enjoying oysters, Champagne and a whelk, bulot, at 9am.

Best. Breakfast. Ever.

This was followed by an unsurprising Best. Lunch. Ever.

On the doorstep of a stone heavy castle, by a lake in the Bresse countryside a table was laid with market fresh fruit and vegetables, a pungently French cheese platter, a cured meat platter, and, since we were in Bresse, a Bresse chicken with its characteristic white feathers, smooth blue feet and a red crest bearing the colors of the French flag. Raised on grassy pastures with an area of 10sq/m per chicken, the chickens feed of the grassy land as well as corn, wheat, cereals and dairy from the Bresse area. The poultry is slaughtered using techniques that keep it whole without external incisions, prolonging its preservation period and making for a fascinating piece of trivia information.

It was lovely. And then it rained. As it does on July.

Dijon

It was during the 14th century that the Duchy of Burgundy became the richest and best administrated state in western Europe. During this period the towns prospered and Dijon became an important market town. This is also where I had a French kiss in the form of a thinly sliced, raw St Jacque scallop.

Its Dijon, so naurally there were a lot of snails, L’escargot, enough mustard to last me for a few years, crème de Cassis, spice bread and head cheese, a cold terrine of pieces from the head of pigs (happy, free range ones), and it is as aesthetic as it sounds. In section view.

Dijon is also where I had a gallette filled with tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, and cubes of bacon, folded like an envelope, and addressed to me. With cider, bien sur.

Epoisses is a washed rind cheese made of milk curd.

Cylindrical in shape with either plain or parallel surfaces, the Epoisses could either have a shiny and smooth crust or slightly rippled. Its color can vary from orange- ivory to brick red, caused by the pigmentation of the surface bacteria depending on the maturation period. The cheese should be light beige nearer the rind with a white centre.

Characterized by a strong, persistent, flowery aroma with woodland undergrowth the paste should be creamy, melting in the mouth with a slightly crumbly heart, and balanced fruity and dairy flavors.

Wonderfully accentuated on a slice of a Dijonnaise spice bread, Pain d’epice.

With 99.5% made of Oak wood, France supplies 80% of the worlds’ barrels.

Stepping into the the Francois Freres Cooperage in Saint Romain was a journey through time; a tradition, technique, skill, history, and well, yes, a terroir are all captured in these wooden barrels. Hollywood could not build a better set or design better lighting.

The production of barrels begins in the forests of the Loire valley; Oak trees from renewable sources, aged between 120-280 years are carefully selected. The trees are cut to 100cm logs and split by hand. The planks are then sun dried, in order to remove the humidity in the wood, for several years.

The planks are molded by hand to barrels, that are then placed over an open flame and are ‘toasted’ to varying degrees, giving the wine an oak accent based on the temperature and length of the toasting process.

Next a bung hole is made, the circular heads are inserted and the final hoops give the finishing touch, made to the clients’ specification.

The last day began early with a café and an almond croissant, followed by a visit to the market in Dijon for grocery shopping; berries, apples, peaches, yogurt, wholesome bread, lentils, roasted chicken, a spring roll, and Epoisses cheese. What followed was an 11-hour bus ride back to Italy through the alps, and a pleasurable one at that if we ignore the strong cheeses that were brought on board. It was a foodie bus, so complaints. I had French food for the next few days, so I could pretend for longer.