A Fishy French Christmas Eve

When the French get around the table at Christmas Eve it is to eat a traditional, yet seemingly un-festive platter.  It is related to religion and there are many explanations that abound for each of the different regions.  In general it is a very fishy affair of Sea Urchins, Oysters, Shrimps, Mussels and many other types of sea-shells.  We are not personally used to this type of food even though we have been in France for a good double handful of years.  We are also not used to this fishy-feast in such vast amounts either becasue it is, in general, copious.

We did participate in our own small way this year by having a platter that was in line with our personal palettes.

Stuffed Mussels, Coquille St Jacques (Scallops) and Shrimps.   We did add Oysters, which we have started to get like albeit this particular beast is particularly unusual in terms of ‘food’.   We did stuffed garlic mushrooms with a scallop roof, which added an extremely tasty, yet slightly provencale exotic touch.

We kept away from the Champagne for reasons of austerity replacing this with a fine sparkling product from the local wine cooperative.   This was a Chardonnay based Blanc de Blanc which had a slightly apple cider flavour for around 6 Euros a bottle as opposed to the 17-25 euros that Champagne is.

All in all this was a lovely evening that was not too heavy in terms of digestion.  All finished off with some lovely digestives to finish the evening.  Being in France has many pitfalls but the food side of it is not one of them.

The local village plonk

 

Dutch Appel Taarte for the End of the World

The stress of the End-of-the-World and a 40th Birthday combined would only require one thing…some comfort food!  So I organised a secret visit for my poor stressed birthday wife on this fateful day.  Mamma & Papa arrived from their chosen country of Switzerland to deliver birthday gifts, love, cuddles and comfort food.

The Taarte was lovingly made by mamma (in Switzerland) then it traveled all the way down to us in our chosen part of France. We sat down awaiting the meteors, the volcanoes and pestilence!!  What better way to see the world disappear than sitting with family and a succulent Dutch Appel Taarte accompanied by a nice glass of Champagne!

The Arrogant Frog! Judge For Yourself …

The first handshake between Jean-Claude Mas (Arrogant Frog) and I was at the Friday queue for Easy Jet in Montpellier airport. I certainly hope it will not be my last! He was saying goodbye to one of his new staff that was taking him forward in his new British wine adventure. I was presented to Jean-Claude by Krysta his UK business consultant who is also a personal friend of our family. She was taking advantage of her business trip to the ‘Chateau Paul Mas’ by taking in a short weekend with us. It was a brief meeting at check-in, however Jean-Claude Mas was an immediately likeable man with a friendly smile and gentle way about him.

Our relatively short drive to take Krysta to work the following Monday morning saw us descend down from the vineyards of the Pont du Gard region to Montagnac which is in the Herault – Languedoc Roussillon, and just a short way in-land from the famous oyster grounds of Bouzigues. The morning was bright and sunny as we drove past the lavender and olive trees that adorn the entrance to the Domaine Chateau Paul Mas. Jean-Claude was already hard at work in his brightly lit, convivial, art-laden office where the business hub for his wine empire sits. In this particular ‘Domaine’, which is one of five he tells us, he is producing around 800,000 bottles of ‘Vignes de Nicole’ alone. The new buildings are juxtaposed with the old ‘Cave’ that still carries ancient clay roman tiles on its sturdy roof. It is a beautifully architectured grouping paying just homage to its pedigree (established in 1892) with touches of ancient and modern stonework, warm woods, light and contrast encompassing art and design.

Chateau Paul Mas

We were duly invited to take a tour of the winery whereupon we glided into a magnificently gated ‘Gallery’ filled with wonderful pieces of Fine Art; a visual delight where your palette was invited to sample the elegant wines of the establishment – what a wonderful feast for the senses. We toured the inner sanctum and then came up to the elegant restaurant on the first floor with its terraces both north and south facing giving incredible views across the valley of the Herault, Cevennes and Pyrenees. The restaurant is commanded by the Japanese Chef – Maitre Taïchi Megurikami: You can visit the website at: www.cote-mas.fr for more information. On the way home we coined the phrase, ‘FrAsian’ or ‘FrAsiatic’ (a culinary blend of the French Terroir and Asian Kitchen) – We claim Copyright!

Here is the French explanation for the restaurant: Côté Mas, le restaurant du Château Paul Mas. Une cuisine dédiée au terroir mise en valeur par le chef Taïchi Megurikami. Carte des vins sélectionnée par Jean-Claude Mas. Au coeur des vignes, vue splendide sur la vallée de l’Hérault, les Cévennes, les Pyrénées.

We left with a box of wine which was a very generous gift from the very amiable Jean-Claude and his great team. We are privileged to have had this opportunity and look forward to making a trip back to taste the delights of the restaurant and spend more time getting to know the wines of this not so arrogant frog ;-).

Confit de Canard with Fig & Pear Chutney and Baked Provencale Vegetables

With the table laid we set about cooking and entertaining our illustrious Sunday guests.  With us were Michel and Christelle Berberian (Artist & Sculptress respectively) who have an Art Gallery in the village and Jean and Anne-Marie (Journalist & Singer/Actress respectively). We met Jean and Anne-Marie six years ago at a beach restaurant and have been friends ever since.   Jean had recently interviewed the illustrious General Petraeus who was heading up the CIA before his dalliance with his autobiographer was revealed…he regailed us with great stories of his heady journalistic exploits.

So to the food:  The starter was a simple ‘Pate en Croute’ with Gherkins and Silver Onions, Parmesan chunks and fresh bread from the bakery.  A delicious local village white wine to wash it down whilst chatting in front of the warm open fire in the living room.  

At the table we started with a beautiful butternut squash soup starter which had been prepared from a butternut squash bought in the local market.

The main dish, whilst simple on the plate was a savoury and succulent Confit de Canard accompanied with a home-made Fig & Pear Chutney and Baked Provencale vegetables (www.artofoils.com Olive Oil, Herbs de Provence, Whole Garlic Cloves, Carrots, Aubergines, Parsnip & Potatoes).

The main dish was accompanied by a hearty Red Cote du Rhone; ‘Cuvee St Monteze’ from the local Vers Pont du Gard Cave.

A cheese platter to follow with Dutch Old Gruyere, Blue d’Auvergne, Chevre de St Marcellin and a runny Colommier.

The final dish was a beautiful ‘Christmassy’ dessert of  Figs in a Red Port, Honey & Cinnamon Reduction with Vanilla Ice cream.  Coffee with French ‘Papillotes’ was taken by the fire late in the afternoon after a wonderful couple of hours at the dinner table.

What a lovely afternoon of fine-wine, gastronomy and friendship!  Olive Oils and Art from www.artofoils.com

 

 

 

Walker’s ‘White-Arse’ Olive Oil?

On a blustery day in Argilliers we set about picking olives with Rob & Alex Walker of the ‘Domaine Walker’.   Rob is a Kiwi but mostly a long term resident of the UK and 2nd homer here in France.  His retirement pastime is planting, nurturing and growing Olive Trees in this region of Castillon du Gard, Argilliers and Vers Pont du Gard.  He is good at it!

This year there is a bumper crop and the poor guys are picking by hand so my son and I went to help.  What a fun time of anecdotal banter, funny stories and village gossip in and amongst the trees.    Marilyn his lovely wife was back in London having gone home to look after the fort and probably best out of it…days and days of picking is required.

The Olives being hand-picked on this day in the ‘Champ Superieure’ are Picholine.  However Rob has cultivated a variety in the region called ‘Cul-Blanc’ or ‘White-Arse’ which he tells me is a very smooth, creamy, buttery oil.   Alex said it was very, very good.  As it has only just been pressed it has to sit in the stainless steel vats until next April so there will be a while before we get to try any let alone bottle any.

We will be working with the ‘Domaine Walker’ to help them bottle, label and market their Olive Oil which he tells me will be of the finest quality.  Don’t tell the French Olive Oil producers of the region that a ‘Kiwi-Brit’ can make a better job of it then they…they will string us all up.

So get yourselves ready for ordering a unique variety that is not often on the shelves.   Walkers White-Arse Olive Oil – What a brand LOL!

Ladies Tights and the Le Moulin d’Huile in Bellegarde

We visited the Old Olive Oil Moulin in Bellegarde, which dates from the 1700s, where they were in the process of grinding up the Picholine olives that were picked the day before.  After removing the leaves and twigs via a sieve the Olives are versed into the grinder.  The original grinder (still in place) was turned by donkey before the present grinder was installed when electricity reached the village.

The paste is collected in the half barrel before being spread on the press mats and all the oil squeezed out in a single 1st pressing (cold).   In the corner of the building was a huge wood burning furnace with a huge pot of boiling water bubbling away.  This was used to both warm up the building during the winter months that Olives are worked and also to help the oil run into the vats over the freezing stone collection channels.  The Olive Oil is run off into vats where the impurities floating on the watery surface are skimmed off.  The Oil is decanted into steel drums and left to sit until the following April.

We were told that the Olive Oil in the old days was made strictly from Black Olives for production reasons;  They contain much more oil and have a much smoother, less acidic taste.  The story goes that Green Olives were never, ever pressed until more modern modern times.  A purely commercial and marketing sense of both adding acidity and playing with flavours and colours as the business developed worldwide.

The squeezed paste (Pommace) was, in days past, sent to Marseille where the famous ‘Savon de Marseille’ manufacturers used it to make Olive Oil soap.  This changed over time with the use of substitutes for soap making.  It is this paste that gives us the pommace oil (which is not considered Olive Oil) which is made in Spain and Italy by adding solvents in order to extract the remaining oil.  In Bellegarde it is now used as a local fertilizer.

It was revealed to us that the filtering of the Olive oil, in bygone days, was done through ladies tights, which offered the finest mesh for the capture of the very small particles of leaf, pip and other non-required bits that are suspended in the oil.  It was a fascinating return to the days of yore with a very warm and friendly storyteller who has been working Olive Oil for most of his born days.  The Moulin cannot receive a Certificate from AFIDOL and cannot therefore commercialise the Olive oil it produces.  this is due to the hygiene rules required of modern mills.  The oil is bottled and given to the schoolchildren who visit the mill each year.  In 2011 over 700 children came to the mill and received their gift.

The Xmas Mistral Blown Market

Suffering for your art is something we are supposed to do as artists … Well we did, this cold and very blustery Saturday at the Xmas Market held by the APE (Association Parents, Eleves) at the Maison de la Pierre. The APE supports the school financially by holding events which add to their coffers. The money is used by the school to take the children on educational trips etc.  We are supporters of this association as we have two little ones who get a lot of benefit.  Art of Oils suffered for the day!

We were, unfortunately positioned outside for this Xmans market as our application had gone in too late.  The luxury of a warm indoor location was not the luxury we were afforded.  Blown about outside to such an extent that one of the paintings we had put out crashed to the floor damaging the frame to such an extent it was completely ruined.  This made it a -100 Euro start to the event in effect!!

Clementine our neighbour was selling beautiful hand-made leather bags.  She had participated in most of the markets in the region and recounted stories of the effort that a market-trader has to go through to scrape together a living.  One day in Marseille, the next in Avignon and then Montpellier…that is a lot of kilometres.   Thankfully we have the e-commerce business at Art of Oils

All the same the day was, for us,  fairly successful with several bottles going and orders for the end of the year plus a dinner invitation for the week!   Our effort was rewarded with meeting friends, making new friends, drinking vin-chaud and mixing with the other stall holders in a fine day out, despite the cold wind.

 

Shepherd’s Pie or Tanzanian Feline Pie – Beware of Wikipedia!

Having to dash over to the UK it was a surprise to walk into the Mercure Hotel in Bolton and be able to speak french to the staff.  Naturally the Mercure is a French hotel chain but in BOLTON; Northern England was a real surprise?   Checked in, room organised, then down to the bar at around 8pm with thoughts of heavy northern food in my mind.  As the night was closing in with a cool minus 3 the need for warm and wholseome food was paramount.  The restaurant was open but there was also bar food so I ordered a Shepherd’s Pie, which was the least exotic on the menu .  There is a debate about the term and what is what – Cottage Pie if minced-meat;  Shepherd’s Pie if Lamb apparently.

The Pie was accompanied by a cabbage, sweet-pea and spinach mix lighty fried in Olive Oil.  It was really, really a scrumptious meal of crusty cheese topping, tasty minced beef, sweet-pea and carrots in a tasty sauce.  What a beautiful dish on a cold winter’s night.  The little sprig of thyme was unusual for northern-english cuisine.

Looking into the internet for information it was disturbing to hear that Tanzanians eat a version made with stray cats!?  Surely this is not true?

http://www.information-britain.co.uk/recipedetail.php?id=1