Southern Fried French

The Guys with the Guns

Picture: from ''Livre de La Chasse'' by Gaston Phoebus, a Medieval manuscript 

On the way back from the market today, we passed a group of vehicles parked on a side road that looked like a camionette convention.  Camionettes are those ubiquitous small white vans that every farmer, worker, and delivery person drives in France (we own one ourselves, actually).  And we knew exactly what that little gathering meant:  the hunting season est arrivé.

Frenchmen in the countryside are enthusiastic hunters.  They are well-known for shooting at anything that moves, and for hunting under the influence.  Some say escaping the home front for a drink or three with the guys is the real purpose of the sport here.  It may seem like good fun, but they killed a young woman who was passing by in a town near us not long ago, though I imagine that more often their mistaken targets are each other.

As a consequence, walks in the countryside on hunting days are to be avoided at all costs.  Our instructions from French friends were:  Don’t do it, but if you must go out, wear red and whistle loudly.  We were walking in the woods once a few years ago and came across a couple of hunters, sprawled out and sleeping near the path, several empty wine bottles scattered about.  Oops!  Wrong day for a walk.  We whooped it up and sang loudly all the way home, nervously listening to shots in the near distance.

Today I think about the pretty pheasant we braked for on that same road earlier that morning, the one who then ran alongside our car for a while.  Not much challenge to shooting this friendly fellow; as Ron says, he looks like he would have jumped in if we opened the car door.  He seems much too colorful and incautious to survive the day.

But mainly I’m concerned about the Poubelle Cats.  This is a group of eight-ish stray cats who were abandoned at the poubelles, the community trash and recyling bins a few years ago, where the hunters have gathered today.  When we couldn’t find homes for the cats, a group of us, feline lovers all, had them neutered and then moved them down the road a bit and built them a tiny cabin.  We have a team who take turns feeding them, daily.  Now they come when we call and swirl about our feet when we arrive.  They live in these woods and could be mistaken for a rabbit or other small animal.  And unfortunately, there are a few hunters who will shoot feral cats for sport.  Photo:  Meet Kittiepoo and Thom, two  of the Poubelle Cats.

So now we pull our little white truck up alongside the others. I swallow hard, then get out, an étranger facing a group of armed men. Mustering a polite smile, I explain that stray cats roam these woods, but they are beloved cats, known and adored by our entire village.  I describe their colors, and ask them to watch out for them (I don't suppose I dare plead for the life of a pleasant pheasant?). 

The hunters are polite, and shake their heads.  “We don’t shoot cats, Madame,” they say.  “And we know about those cats”.  Indeed, we’ve had this conversation before.  I‘ve stopped in years past, when I’ve see them unloading their guns, and put in a hopeful word.  

One of them holds a wine bottle, and another holds up his hand, in which there are a stack of small glasses.  “We really just come for this,” he says, laughing. 

Ron jokes that he may join them, if that’s all that’s involved.  “A day drinking with the guys,” he says, “ammunition optional!”  Will they drink enough so their aim is lousy, or will they drink so much that they can’t tell a cat from a squirrel?  We haven’t lost a cat yet, and I can only hope that this year we’ll be lucky again.

Photo: Pauline waits for her Meals On Wheels.

Favorite Reads:   From the Red Bicycle blog, about an expat living in Lyon, comes a great book review on Paris: Made by Hand: 50 Shops Where Decorators and Stylists Source the Chic & Unique which made me want to buy it toute de suite.  

In the Comments this week:  Hey Suzanne, the gratin will not be over the top.  That's what Thanksgving is all about!  Joyce evens add bacon, oh la la.  Beth has a wamped-up gratin recipe for us that you absolutely must try, it looks amazing. Linda is musing about French cookbooks (yes, I was in the 'Literary Guild' too, and I have those books!), and Jane, who lives in the area, has some good wine/winery recommendations. Julie, come on, give up the name of that great bistro!  Merci, as always, for your enlightening comments.

Our Reader's Blogs: Serious antiquers take note--you will find a wealth of information on Barbara's blog, The Wise Collector.  As you might suspect, I'm a big fan of In a Southern Kitchen, Lucy's blog (she's talking chocolate chip cookies this week). ReaderJoyce lived in England but now blogs From This Side of the Pond.

The Best Little Bistro in Burgundy

Borné dans sa nature infini dans ses voeux, L'homme est un dieu tombé qui se souvient des cieux.

Limited in his nature, infinite in his desire, man is a fallen god who remembers heaven.

                              Alphonse de Lamartine

When it’s summertime, we look for restaurants with sunny outdoor terraces, in the middle of the action.  The food is not crucial; the French do amazing luncheon salads, and with pommes frittes on the side, you can’t go wrong.

But when the summer breezes turn to chilly winds and the sun stubbornly hides behind gloomy gray clouds, we know exactly where we want to go:  Chez Jack.

It’s called L’auberge de Jack, but toute le monde calls it Chez Jack.  Jack is the chef, his wife works the front.  Part of its charm is its lovely location, in the quiet little village of Milly-Lamartine, named after the famous French poet who was born there.  You can take a small stroll and see the house where he was born. 

This is French comfort food at it’s best, and all that goes with it.  Madame is friendly, the ambiance is perfection for a country bistro, the food is hearty traditional Burgundian fare.  Unusual for France, many dishes are served family style.  

The dish that keeps calling us back there is that French classic, Gratin Dauphinois.   This last sunday, Madame brought us a big steaming casserole for the table, in a dish that had seen plenty of action, hot from the oven.   My friend Ali said, “But that’s huge, we’ll never eat it all!”.  There wasn’t a bite left.

Here’s the best part:  the menu changes daily (often a pot au feu, or a boeuf bourguigon), but if this side dish isn’t on le menu that day, you can request it when you make your reservation, and Monsieur Jack will make it just for you, anytime.

I wanted to copy it, so I went right to the expert: Clotilde, the Parisian cook over at the Chocolate & Zucchini blog.  I started with her excellent recipe, and of course I’ve pimped those potatoes a bit (couldn’t resist adding  some sautéed onions, and a sprinkling of parmesan).  Not quite as the same as when you eat in in the warm and cozy Chez Jack, but le paradis nonetheless!

 

RECIPE:  Jazzed up Gratin Dauphinois

Photo:  The real deal, at Chez Jack

• 2 ½ lb  kg (1 kilo) potatoes , a mix of waxy and baking potatoes 
• 2 cups (500 ml) milk (whole or part-skim)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, sliced lengthwise
• ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese 

Serves 6 

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and rub the bottom and sides of a medium glass or  Stoneware Au Gratin Dish (about 2 quarts/2 liters capacity) with the cut sides of the garlic clove.

Peel the potatoes, rinse them briefly, and slice them thinly and evenly (use a food processor or a  Mandoline Slicer if possible).  Do not rinse after slicing.

Combine the potatoes, milk, salt and nutmeg in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, and keep simmering for 8 minutes, stirring the potatoes and scraping the bottom of the pan regularly to prevent sticking/scorching, until the potatoes are just tender but not falling apart. The milk will gradually thicken to a creamy consistency.

While the potatoes are simmering, sauté the onions in a little butter or olive oil until done, about 8 minutes.

Transfer half of the potatoes into the baking dish, spread the onions over all, and drizzle with half of the cream. Add the rest of the potatoes, pour the cooking milk over them, and drizzle with the remaining cream.

Bake for 30 minutes, then sprinkle with the cheese.  Bake 5 to 10 minutes longer, until bubbly on the edges and browned on top. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

You can bake the gratin a few hours ahead, let cool, and reheat for 15 minutes in a 220°C (430°F) oven before serving.

Favorite Reads: Loyal Reader Mark Kane of yourgardenshow.com fame has an enticing recommendation for us:  "For good reading that will add background to travels in France, read this book: France: A Traveler's Literary Companion. It's a compendium of travel tales and articles by well-known French writers of the last 150 years, translated into English by Loulou's {Mark's wife} illustrious college classmate, William Rodarmor, whose list of translations is lengthy and beguiling."

In the Comments:  We are awash in French poets this week!  Reader Monique dropped me an email to say that perhaps rue de la Fontaine in Poisson was  so named not because there was a fountain on the street, but after the famous poet Jean de La Fontaine.  Now if we can just solve the fish-out-of-water mystery!

Our Reader's Blogs: Now here is something really different.  Leslie writes a blog (and has a book out) about how mystery writers can write accurately about the law and courtrooms, called Law and Fiction.  You can also read a good interview with her at the Happy Endings website.  To follow reader Kim's expat adventures in the Auvergne, go to Cabes in France.

Daytripping in the Brionnais

So the economy has gone to hell, and with it much of our travel budget.  We can hardly complain, when so many are suffering.  

It’s tantilizing though, when all of Europe is close by, but still pretty pricey.  So, it seems like a good time to explore France, and our neighborhood in particular.

We cheerfully set off for the Brionnais a couple of weeks ago, for a 2-day, overnight trip. This is a quiet part of Burgundy that is close by but so far off the tourist map that no one we know had explored it.  Now that we have, I can’t stop talking about it.  

What we found:  impossibly charming medieval villages, spilling over with flowers; ancient Romanesque churches every few miles; rolling pastural hills.   There were almost no vineyards, just worked land, so it was all picture-book pretty.  There are a couple of impressive public chateaux to visit, and private chateaux were a dime a dozen, we saw their round pointy turrets popping up out of the landscape everywhere.  I have a thing for chateaux, as you may have noticed.   Photo: the village of Oyé.

We stayed in a pleasant B&B in Anzy le Duc, which turned out to be one of our favorite villages.  For those who prefer a hotel, the posh little village of Poisson is a great home base.  The Hotel La Reconce looked ever so interesting and we ate at their Restaurant de la Poste next door, which was the best and prettiest restaurant I’ve eaten at in a long time.  Reasonable, too, for the fine quality.  Now I must tell you that there 

is no water anywhere near Poisson (which means fish in French); and I walked down a street called rue de la Fontaine, which had no fountain.  Now that I think about it I didn’t see a post office near the restaurant either, so this town has a serious naming problem. 

By far the most fascinating thing we did involved (quelle surprise) another new restaurant.   Here is the story:  There is a chef in nearby Roanne, Michel Troisgros, who has a fancy joint with three Michelin stars.  So obviously he is himself quite a star, in France and beyond.  But he has another, more casual restaurant, where one might eat without actually taking out a loan, called La Colline du Columbier.  This flagship-restaurant/approachable-bistro combo is not uncommon in France.  What IS uncommon is that the bistro/auberge is in an old barn on top of a hill in the Brionnais, absolutely in the middle of freaking nowhere.  You drive over hill and dale to find it.  In the gravel parking lot by the barn, we encountered their donkeys grazing under apple trees.

More surprises inside:  the barn is huge and old and fabulous, with crumbly rustic stone walls and a massive beam structure overhead.  The architect has wisely left it virtually untouched.  They've added small, low windows all around, and tables are low too, to capture the astounding views.  The furnishings are sparse and ultra-contemporary, and hung from the beamed ceiling are a dozen enormous industrial-chic chandeliers.  The whole effect leaves you quite breathless--and so does the food, by the way.  Best food take-away ideas:  a simple, puréed lentil soup with hazelnut oil; and a slice of homemade foccacia topped with chopped summer tomatoes, pickled eggplant, and little triangles of very fresh goat cheese. We can't go back soon enough.

Maybe local travel is not such a bad idea after all!

 

Favorite Reads:  I'm only a chapter into Ellen Sussman's deliciously Parisian novel French Lessons, and I'm already totally hooked.  Francophiles, don't miss it.

In the Comments this week:  Martin, I'm happy to know that harissa is similar to  purée de piment (saw a recipe this week for chocolate cake with purée de piment! Hmm...).  Caterina, yes there are many courses, but small, un-American sized portions!  Craig is looking for Benedicta cocktail sauce with Armagnac (and now so am I!) in the states, can anyone help? Good friend Mariella is a fabulous Italian cook, we're hoping to steal some recipes from her.  Virginia, honey, you know another southern girl is always welcome!  Do visit Virginia's photo blog at Paris Through My Lens.  And Dee, with apologies to my British friends, London Broil is grilled flank steak, usually marinated. Mark, funny you mentioned those Mediterranean grains, I'm trying to learn to cook with more of them.  Michaela, LOVE your description--'out of airspeed, altitude and ideas' for dinner.  Been there!

Our Reader's Blogs:  We are ever so proud of  Patricia Glee Smith, who will have a solo exhibition of her oil paintings at the  The Polittico Gallery in Rome, beginning Oct. 21.  And speaking of artists, Barbara Redmond illustrates her charming blog, A Woman's Paris with her own paintings. Her latest post:  "Paris Macarons, Love in the Afternoon".   Lee blogs about the small, happy moments in life in Traveling Sardine Class.  For another great travel blog, go to Anita's FunderfulWorld.

'Whore’s Pasta': A little Italian Mischief

Photo, 'our' Italians in their charming kitchen, left to right: Elisabetta, Maria, Andrea, Anna

When we tell folks that there are Italians in our village with a second home, they are surprised.  Italy is a mighty pretty place, and the Italians don’t usually find their way up here.  When we  tell them they are from the south, in the heel of the boot, they are incredulous.  After all, you have to drive through the magnifcant rolling hills of Umbria and Tuscany to get our magnificant rolling hills.

But drive they do, over 600 miles (1000 kilometers) with a family of five packed into a tiny Alpha Romeo, several times a year, to enjoy their beloved second home.  When they first visited here several years ago, it was a coup de foudre--love at first sight---and they bought a house.  

Which is our gain.  They are a warm and charming family, and a family of fabulous passionate cooks.  It’s the foodie event of the year when we’re invited over.  For us, it beats anything with a Michelin star. 

We received a coveted invite a couple of weeks ago, for what was billed as a ‘simple’ traditional Italian meal.  Each family member contributed a course, except for papà, who declares that he is merely an Eater.  We started on the terrace with homemade foccacia with various yummy toppings, by daughter Elisabetta. Then on to Pasta Puttanesca, that enigmatic 'Whore’s Pasta'. Another pasta followed, with very wide flat noodles and a bolognese sauce, a speciality of son Andrea.  La madre, Maria, made the main dish, their favorite one for summer:  rare sliced roast beef, served at room temperature, with a fresh sauce that is simple, sublime, and summery.  This was served with a sautéed potato/red pepper ‘hash’.  Then a platter of cheeses, melons, and grapes from their garden. To end the meal, an ultra-thin layered pastry filled with a house-made plum confiture and dusted with powdered sugar, by daughter Anna. 

Over expresso and digestifs, Maria told us the story of Pasta Puttanesca, or 'Whore’s Pasta'. The ladies of the night in Rome made this for their meal after the night shift--which sometimes meant five or six in the morning.  It was perhaps popular with the working girls because it's quick, easy, inexpensive, and filling. Delicious, too!

 

RECIPE:  Pasta Puttanesca (Whore's Pasta) 

For 4 people:

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté 2 cloves of chopped garlic in the oil until golden. Remove  pan from heat, remove garlic and discard.

Reheat the oil and sauté 1 tablespoon of capers, 2 filets of anchovies, 2 tablespoons of good black olives, a drained can of tuna fish (6 oz., 170 grams), and a pinch of purée de piment* in the oil for about 2 minutes.  Add a can of chopped tomatoes (16 oz, 450 grams) and simmer the mixture for about 20 minutes.  When it’s done, taste first then add salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook some penne or rigatoni pasta. Spaghetti is often used, but Maria prefers a more substantial pasta.  Here is a nice rule to know:  Maria says in Italy they allow 80 grams (about 3 ounces) of pasta per person, so for four you’ll need 320 grams (12 ounces).  

Drain the pasta, add it to the  hot pan with the tuna mixture.  Cook and stir for about 30 seconds.  Dish it onto plates and top it with some chopped parsley and/or basil.  I couldn’t resist putting a little grated Parmasan on top, though I got a litte eager and forgot the parsley, for the photo.

*purée de piment is a paste made from dried esplette peppers, skinny red peppers which are mildly hot, from the Basque region. You dip the tip of your knife in and use it sparingly. Look for it in gourmet stores, I hear it's the spice-du-jour in the states; I found Piment d'Espelette  Powder  on Amazon.com. Or you might substitute with a bit of chopped hot peppers, sautéed in with the other ingredients, or a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes, to taste.  

RECIPE:  Maria’s Summer Main Dish

Simple and luscious.  Serve rare, sliced roast beef or London broil at room temperature, napped with this fresh and simple sauce:  Mix, with plenty of your best olive oil, lots of very finely chopped fresh mint and parsley (I used a healthy tablespoon of oil and the same of herbs, per person).  She served this with coarsely chopped, pre-cooked potatoes, which she then sautéed in olive oil with sliced red peppers, which were quite wonderful.  Buon appetito!

Favorite Reads:  Got to get this book, as so many friends are recommending it: The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris.  The story of the migration of American artists and scholars to Paris in the late 19th/early 20th century, that helped shape American culture.  History lovers might also want to sample the biographical essays in the much acclaimed When The World Spoke French.

In the Comments:  Wow, I learned a lot from this week's comments!  Like 'toasted ravioli' is a specialty in Sicily and in St. Louis (Julie and Leslie); that you can stuff wontons with nutella (Melinda); how to make sweet potato fries (Frank); and all about French crullers (Anne).  Plus my 'auntie' Marie has a deep fryer and Lillie might add one, after her rice cooker.  Elizabeth has a wine question, too hard for me, can anyone help?  And Natalia, I'll be blogging on cats soon!

Our Reader's Blogs:  My American Market, selling American goodies to expats, has a new expat blog that's fun:  American Community in France (I've got a guest post there, on shrimp and grits).  Plus two design sites I absolutely adore:  Libby's, An Eye for Detail, and she's posting from Provence this week!  And Jessica's  The Entertaining House, a site which is all over the map with design inspiration.  Then one food site which never fails to inspire me:  Maria's A Platter of Figs.  I'll be making her lemon parsley gougeres this week.