FrenchKate

March 4: Galettes de Pérouges

The Galette de Pérouges is a sugar pizza: roll out a layer of paté brisée, sprinkle on sugar and a bit of lemon zest, bake, and voila! It's a specialty of Pérouges, the plus beau village near Lyon where we stayed in 2019.

According to local tradition, Marie-Louise Thibaut (one of the preservationists who sought to save Pérouges from destruction in the early 20th century) was inspired by a medieval recipe to create the Galette de Pérouges in 1912.

Marie-Louise and her husband opened the Hostellerie de Pérouges (on the principle that if you build it, tourists will come), and their descendants continue to run the hotel today. It is a fine place to stay.

I actually found the galette de Pérouges a bit too sweet, but it is very popular.

 

Realtime: May 9. Imaginary trip: lunchtime on our first day in Saint Malo

With all that fresh sea air and walking, we had worked up quite an appetite by the time we reached the cheerful red entrance to the Creperie des Lutins, tucked down the Grande Rue. But that was a good thing, because we both chose galettes (a crepe made with buckwheat flour) and cider--the best lunch imaginable in a seaport. Absolutely yummy. The salad, of course, had too much salad dressing, à la Français. We had to sit inside--the tables outside were full when we arrived--but that gave us a chance to appreciate its whimsical decor: witches, fairies, trolls.

After this very pleasant lunch we returned to our hotel to check in. Pleasant service and a very pleasant room with a sea view...actually, quite a fantastic sea view. Our room looked straight out on Fort National (which we were planning to visit tomorrow.)

After a short rest, we went back to explore the city some more.

 

Jan 3, 2020!!!! Vieux Lyon by night

As anticipated before the trip, we had dinner on Nov 15th in a Lyon bouchon, Daniel & Denise.

Unique to Lyon, bouchons descend from cafes where 17th and 18th century silk workers would grab a bite to eat--or so we are told by the tourist trade. I'm skeptical though happy to participate in the conceit. Today, the bouchons mostly cater to tourists, which is a tell.

By reputation, bouchons serve hearty, home-cooked food--like the food served by the mothers of Lyon--and are decorated traditionally: checkered tablecoths, wooden tables, bentwood chairs. The setting is  charming, very fin de siecle. The atmosphere is meant to evoke dining at home with with your large family or friends--friendly, generous, pleasant. 

The bouchon in which we ate, Daniel & Denise, is one of just twenty restaurants in Lyon that have been distinguished by the designation "Authentic Lyonnais Bouchon" from the Association for the Preservation of Lyonnais Bouchons. The website of Daniel and Denise informs me that chef Joseph Viola has applied modern gastronomique standards to Lyon's traditional bouchon fare. By adding lightness, precision and by working with local producers, he has not just brought the cuisine up to date but enhanced it.

My husband had one of the specialties of the house--foie gras in a crust. Made up of a dozen high quality products, this unique dish took several months to perfect. It was designated a world champion in 2009. I had perfectly cooked scallops in a mushroom sauce. The photo doesn't do it justice.

So another delicious meal, a charming server, and then a quiet walk back through silent streets to our hotel. The snow had melted during the day, but the cold was still biting. 

Nights like these are what draw me back to France, again and again.

 

 

 

 

November 30: Reviewing our great trip--our memorable dinner at Maison Pic on November 13

Nov 13: We had a splendid evening at Maison Pic.

This is the hotel and 3-star restaurant in Valence that I first heard about in an over-warm restaurant in Versailles on a cold January night, nearly three years ago: world-class chef, five star accommodations, best meal ever. And so, after spending  the day exploring Vienne, we jumped in the car and drove an hour south to Valence. The Rhône was on our right; we watched storm clouds gathering over the Ardeche mountains to the southwest, and rain had started by the time we pulled into the parking lot at Maison Pic.

This amused us: Another couple was arriving at the same time as us, who, though they appeared to be around our age, were otherwise different from us. He had gone to fetch a porter with a luggage trolley, and as the porter unloaded about six Louis Vuitton cases from the trunk of their Mercedes, she stood to the side with two tiny dogs. Carefully coifed, her face was a mask sculpted by a plastic surgeon, stylishly dressed, very proper.

We unloaded our suitcases from the back of the car--my husband's thirty years old case is held together with a purple strap--and hauled them behind us to hotel registration, sturdily, cheerfully gauche.

When we travel, I never forget that I am an American abroad, and I try to represent at all times the best kind of American: generous, kindly, open, good-natured, modest, self-reliant, respectful, straightforward....nevertheless, the purple strap on that shabby case and the porter with the luggage trolley gave me a twinge of self-doubt. 

Our room, at the end of a long hall, had an entry foyer, and everything was padded, muffled, clean, orderly. Because it was cold and rainy outside, we kept the window shut; we felt as if we were inside a silk cocoon. Dinner was at 7:30 PM. 

Anyhow, dinner was fabulous. We were in a quiet corner at a round table with a white linen tablecloth. The glasses were like spun glass, each plate was a piece of art, and the service was exquisite. The portions were small; our tastebuds never accommodated to the flavors and textures. Every mouthful was a surprise.

Each course had a different server. The sommelier presented the wines (a different wine for each course.) A second individual brought us bread. A third person took our order, and a fourth checked in to make sure everything was going well, and so on. The food came covered with a silver cloche, a dome. Two people would served each course, removing the cloche with a flourish. The presentation was a kind of performance, and it was..well, just fun. When the last treat had been served, we had our coffee and staggered to bed, happy as can be. 

What makes a three-star meal? According to Michelin, to earn three stars, a restaurant must serve up "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey."  One star is awarded for top quality ingredients and distinct flavors. Two stars are awarded for the personality and talent of the chef. Three stars are earned when the "cooking is elevated to an art form." 

Here is a food journalist's take on the differences between a one, two and three star restaurants. According to his respondents, three star restaurants have a kind of magic about them, and, with each star, the ingredients get more and more rare, the technical kitchen skill more impressive, the flavors more precise, the textures more critical, the balance more refined, the consistency better.

We don't have the vocabulary for three-star food. Our daily food vocabulary--stew, fried, baked--doesn't work with food as art. The flavors are never simple--was that cucumber or watercress?--and, in each bite, the textures and flavors are studies in contrast: crunchy vs smooth, sour vs sweet, salty vs plain. Even our normal evaluation standards--yum, tasty, mmmm--are inadequate. Everything was delicious, unique, surprising, the textures in our mouths were delightful and the flavors lingered, but it is hard to describe exactly what we ate because we don't have the words. It was, notwithstanding, a marvelous evening.

image 1: our bedroom, so stylish, so chic, and so cut off from the natural world

image 2: wine and table

image 3: Highlights from dinner. This dish is one of the chef's specialties: the stunning green "Les berlingots au chèvre de Banon, cresson bergamote, matcha and gingembre." The dark green triangle shape is a pasta filled with a delicious goat cheese. The green sauce is made from watercress. It was as delicious as it was green.

image 4: Another specialty of the house, Chef Sophie Pic's delicious chocolate dessert is filled with white chocolate, dark chocolate and milk chocolate.

Image 5: To finish the meal, candy walnuts in a bowl of real walnuts.

 

 

Nov 4: Day 2--Adventures in travel, part 2. DINNER

We had such a marvelous dinner in a restaurant we found almost by chance, Goutillon. Good food, an energetic, high-spirited patron (Maxim), and a warm and bubbly neigborhood place. Nearly everyone there seemed to be a friend or relation, and we started chatting with our neighbors, and that was such a treat. Our bad French and their bad English, and we discussed all sorts of things.

One of them was the wife and mother of jockeys, and had this amazing photo of the finish of a race where the three of them came in first, second and third!

A very happy evening!

Oct 27: On to Lyon, the last leg of this trip

The day after our extraordinary gourmet meal at Maison Pic, we are bound for Lyon where we will spend four nights in the heart of Vieux Lyon, the part of town built up by wealthy silk merchants during the 16th century.

We have heard good things about Lyon. My Michelin Guide gives it three stars (the max) and describes it as: 

"Twenty centuries of history and a superb geographical situation at the confluence of the Saône and the Rhône give Lyon an appearance quite unlike any other city and justify its inclusion on UNESCO' World Heritage list. Yet, too often it is bypassed by tourists in a hurry, when it is perfectly equipped to serve as a stopover for a few days, or a prime destination in itself..."

In early October, the New York Times published an article comparing Lyon and Marseille--I've used some photos from that article here--and the writer of that article, Sebastian Modak, waxed enthusiastic about Lyon, observing that "Lyon looks like the history picture books I’d pore over as a child. The city’s greatest appeal is its beauty, as if its founders knew that they struck gold with its location at the confluence of two slow-moving rivers and just a day-trip away from the Alps." This sounds perfect to me.

And though we will be sated by our three-star gourmet meal in Valence, we can look forward to more good food in Lyon. According to Modak, "Lyon’s gastronomy is world-famous ...home to more than 4,000 restaurants, most of which eschew trends in favor of hearty, traditional fare the way grand-Maman used to do it."  We will certainly eat in at least one of the twenty officially certified "bouchon"--a Lyonnais institution, small restaurants descended from small inns visited by 17th century silk workers. Bouchons serve hearty traditional foods such as sausages, duck pates, and salade Lyonnaise; the emphasis is on a convivial atmosphere and a personal relationship with the owner, not haute cuisine. Many cater now to the tourist trade, but the ones that maintain their authenticity are recognized as Les Authentiques Bouchons Lyonnaiss. 

Stendhal remarked that  "I know of only one thing that you can do well in Lyon, and that’s eat.” And so we shall. 

 

October 26: ...a memorable evening in Valence

We had a wonderful dinner in Versailles on a cold January night several years ago. I mentioned to our server that this meal was one of the best I had ever eaten in France, and she responded that the best dinner she had ever had was done by chef Sophie Pic in a restaurant near Lyon; she wrote "Sophie Pic" on a slip of paper and I have kept it in my wallet all this time in the hope that one day we would dine in this fine restaurant.

This turns out to be the day, and Maison Pic turns out to be not just a 3-star restaurant (with a dress code), but a 5-star hôtel and restaurant established in 1889 and run by four generations of the Pic family:

Eugene and Sophie Pic--established the first restaurant, l’Auberge du pin, in 1889; their son André Pic (1893-1984) took over in 1929, and earned three Michelin stars in 1934. He was described as one of the three creators of modern cuisine before the war, but after the war, his health failing, he lost two of his stars,  a bitter disappointment. His son, Jacques Pic (1932-1992), took over in 1950, and regained the restaurants three star rating in 1973. But Jacques died unexpectedly in 1992, and the restaurant lost its third star shortly after.

Anne-Sophie Pic, Jacques daughter, took over the restaurant in 1997, and regaining the 3rd star in 2007. She is a much decorated chef: she was chosen Chef of the Year by the 8,000 chefs in the Michelin Guide--the first woman so honored--and she was awarded the prestigious Veuve Clicquot Prize as the best woman chef in the world. This very coveted and very selective award is given to the fifty best restaurants in the world.

She has defines her cooking in three words " respect, flavor and simplicity. A simplicity - all feminine - which asserts itself in the frankness of the tastes, the deep desire to please and transmit the emotions that affect me." and observes that "Cooking for those we love is the most beautiful proof of love. "

So after two nights in Vienne, we are driving 50 minutes further south to la Maison Pic in Valence, France. There we will have what we anticipate will be a fantastic meal and a most memorable night. 

Feb 16: Day 9 in France and a delicious meal

Our dinner in our hotel in Chenonceaux--l'Auberge du bon laboreur--was delicious. I didn't bring a camera, so I can't provide visuals, but the food came from that artful French nouvelle cuisine tradition of color, texture, taste and proportion. It looks good and tastes good.

Three little "Amuse-bouche" to start--each a mouthful of goodness--followed by the entree and the main course (I had scallops--perfectly done--and my husband had chicken.) Three little sweets at the end to top off the meal. All washed down by a very nice local wine.

The entree was particularly fine. I'm glad I could find a photo of it on google: Three parmesan wafers with steamed seasonal  vegetables. It was so light and bright in appearance, it just made me smile.  

Jan 5: Last day at Versailles--Le Table du 11

We wanted a good French dinner--we've been crazy with meals since we arrived, skipping lunches, skipping dinners, averaging just two meals per day. 

So I checked TripAdvisor, and the #1 recommendation in Versailles was a "cozy" restaurant named Le Table du 11, and it was within easy walking distance of us.

That's sounds good, I thought and asked the front desk to see if we could book reservations. And they were surprised that,yes, they were able to get reservations. Our first hint that we were in for something special was the desk's  comment that we were very lucky--usually you need to wait three months for a reservation. 

But we were still totally unprepared for the meal (we just thank our lucky stars that we both dressed up) and though it was a bit like throwing pearls to swine, the meal was astonishing to us.There are not enough superlatives in the English language.

We were not surprised to learn that the young chef, Jean-Baptiste Lavergne-Morazzani--just 24 years old--had already earned his first Michelin star. That's an incredible distinction, and, frankly, no surprise. The food was something to experience. Stunningly beautiful to look at, technically perfect, the seasonings were fresh, the combinations creative, every mouthful had a variety of textures and melt-in your mouth delicious yumminess. We had a meal to remember--a seven course dinner with three wines, white, red and a pear cider. The serving staff were charming, to boot.

I've taken photos from the restaurant's website, and I encourage you to click on the link to appreciate the range and creativity of this chef. Here's what our meal consisted of:

An amusé-bouche--think of it as an hors d'oeuvres. The white ball with caviar on top was a fish-infused cheese filling with a fine crust topped with caviar. The little packet was described as a mini-pizza--cream cheese filling, basil paste on top with tarragon leaf. Yum!

Then a second amusé-bouche in a bowl--carmelized corn in the bottom, then a corn pudding, popcorn and, on top, an oyster-leaf. (no picture of this one.) 

First course: the vegetable course--carrots, tiny red, purple and orange carrots, with carrot pickles, carrot pureed, and cheese wafers--and a little drop, goutté of peanut butter for contrast.

The two fish courses:

Scallops in onion emulsion with a coquette of endive.

Then, eel with shredded celery and an amazing perfect little  potato cake--perhaps 1.5" in diameter--with wllted spinach inside and an egg yolk on top. (no picture, alas)

Then the meat course: chicken thigh meat, chicken supreme, with herbs and sticks of roasted potatoes. I had truffles on mine for something over the top!

Then a cheese course--a creamy camembert with a steamed Vietnamese bun and shredded celery with a sweet Asian dressing.

Then the first desert course: some kind of buttery wafer, surrounded by a garnish of flowers, Corsican mandarin oranges and lychee nuts and a slip of sorbet crowned by a translucent disk of hibiscus sugar. You can see the disk in the last photo, but the effect is hard to see. It reminded me of those little Asian paper umbrella's that would be stuck in your drink at a raffish angle. It was charming.

Finally, a creme dessert--a crunchy base, with chocolate bits, cream on top. Sinfully good. 

Oh, and chocolate truffles to finish. A incredible meal, a meal to remember.

June 23: Le Florida

  Spilling out onto the terrace and tucked under the arcades of 12 Place du Capitole is a Toulousain institution, Le Florida. If I remember correctly, like many tourists, Le Florida was the first place I ate when I came to Toulouse for the first time in 2006. Tourists stop there for a reason. Le Florida, smack dab in the middle of everything that happens on the Place du Capitole, is a great place for people-watching, AND, unlike most French restaurants, it is open all the time. It serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and ice cream. So people go to Le Florida for the dual pleasures of people watching and food at all hours.

But what is less obvious to those (like me) who stay only the terrace is that the interior of Le Florida is a charming remnant of the Belle Epoque. A restaurant has been on this site since 1874 (before that it was a chocolate shop) and, inside, its staircase, its artwork and the leaded glass ceiling of the brasserie can be dated to the opening of Café Durand in 1874.

Another thing that the casual tourist cannot know about le Florida--because things like this leave no physical trace--is that during World War II, Le Florida was an important rendez-vous for individuals who were active in the resistance movement in Toulouse, especially for Spanish refugees (who did so much to support the Allied war effort.)

Just to give credit where credit is due, I've taken all these photos from other sites. 1 & 4 are from le Florida website. The others are from TripAdvisor. Le Florida gets a 3.4 (of 5) rating on Google so one should go there for the location, history, and availability of food, not its quality.