First we did a quick review on important stuff about Provence:
> olive oil, tomato & garlic (the truffle of provence)
> ratatouille: stewed eggplant dish
> mesclun: mixed baby greens
> bouillabaisse: fish stew with saffron and hot pepper paste
> aioli: the butter of provence
> pizzalaterre: pizza, cheese and olives
> cote de rhone: full body; chateau neuf de paup
> pastisse: licorice flavored aperitif
Savoie and Dauphine are in SE France near Italy and Switzerland.
Marches, Auvergene and Limosin are in the middle of France.
Savoie & Dauphine: up to WWII Savoie owned by Italy. Dauphine is north of Savoie, controlled by French of 500+ years. Heavy, hearty, coarse food. Stunning resort area with visitors from around the world.
Food specialties: fruit, nuts, pears, plums, apples, wheat, rye, potatoes and cheese.
Remember:
> potato
> cheese, with gratin
> fish (water very cold, streams)
> game (small birds)
> honey
VOCAB:
a la dauphinoise: served with sliced potatoes mixed with milk, salt, pepper,nutmeg, beaten eggs and Gruyere.
a la Savoyarde: with potatoes like dauphinoise but consomme used instead of milk.
gratin: designates a crust, usa. cheese, could be breadcrumbs.
omble chevalier: fish similar to trout, in the salmon family
a la grenobloise: garnish of noisette butter with capers, tiny croutons and pieces of peeled lemon meats (supreme)
a la limousine: garnish of red cabbage braised with chestnuts.
lentilles: lentils, protected by AOC called “Le Puy”
Potee: cabbage soup/stew with pork meats and turnips, onions, leeks, potatoes, garlic usa. cooked over fire.
Truffade/o: potatoes fried with bacon, seasonded with garlic. Pieces of Tomme (cheese) are added at the last moment.
Cantal: very large hard cow’s milk cheese.
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Marche: less than 10k people. Nothing special.
Auvergne: very picturesque, formerly volcanic. Now spas, springs, some hot springs. Good pastureland, cattle raised there, Amish looking people with money from successful cattle business. Best brasseries and bistros in Paris are owned by them. Hot summers, cold winters. Similar to New England. Look Arabic with dark complexions, dark hair. Just south of Torraine/Loire. Food a little more sophisticated and garlic is used. Also cherries, apples, pears and lentils.
Totally psyched about tonight.
Cheese from the famous Formaggios.