Chef C is back in action. As brilliant and feisty as ever. This is the first of several classes (7 I think) on Provincial French.
Provincial cooking uses whatever is in the region. Simple food, easy to prepare. Natural sauces and juices. No new techniques, but we’ll get a chance to bone up on things we’ve learned before during this series. We’ll have 1 quiz and 1 unit test.
3 Fats: butter, oil and lard.
Butter is used in haute and provincial cooking in Normandy, Brittany, Touraine, Burgundy and Bordeaux.
Oil is used in Provence (southeast France near Italy).
Lard (from pig) and Goose/Duck fat is used in Alsace in northeast France near Germany.
We’ll need to study the France map, learn where everything is and the foods from each area, similar to our Italian section.
NORMANDY:
William the Conquerer conquered Great Britain and was the Duke of Normandy. Normans are hearty, blonde haired, blue eyed, hard working big eaters.
Normandy is in northern France along the English channel. Milk, butter, cheese, apples and grain along with calvados, camembert and agricultural products are big here.
There is a river that runs between Normandy and Brittany to the west.
The difference between high and low tide here can be huge, as much as 45 feet. There are 5 departments in Normandy (similar to cities).
Remember: Normandy known for:
Seafood
Apples
Dairy
Other memory tool: 3 c’s:
Camembert
Cider
Calvados
Dairy of Normandy:
Cream is legendary. Rich green grass perfect for grazing. Creme fraiche and unsalted butter. Normandy butter can actually be purchased at Whole Foods.
Seasonal flooding adds additional minerals to the grass, which influences better. Higher in iodine.
Milk and meat cows, similar to Jersey Cow, milk is high in fat content. Cows have rings around their eyes and look like glasses.
a la Normand - always means a cream sauce.
This is the only province in France that serves butter with bread.
Exclusivement - a distinctive mark on certain products.
Pays d’Auge - a countryside of Auge
Poulet de Pays d’Auge: roasted chicken deglazed with Calvados and with creme fraiche.
Normandy croissants are amazing, due in part to their butter.
Apples of Normandy:
Used in both sweet and savory
abundant in various colors
cider or calvados are the 2 main uses
cider is drunk like water there, not as sweet as US cider
apple colors range from vivid red to pale ivory
cider comes in all colors from pale green to red and in varieties from sweet to hard to dry to sparkling
6% alcohol or less
Chef’s advice: when in France, but wine and cheese at the supermarket, where you can pay half the price of going to more touristy places.
In cider, cloudiness is good, a sign of unfiltered cider, body. At least 2 or 3 varieties to make cider.
Apples ratio:
Sweet 2
Bitter 2
Sour 1
Most ciders mature in 1 year. “Don’t make cider during a full moon”, an old adage that was actually shown to have some base in science.
Steps for cider:
wash and crush apples
mash pulp to oxidize
extract juice
clarity and ferment (then bottle)
Carrots are AOC, deep orange, high iodine content
Seafood of Normandy:
flat fish - tons of it
mollusks
shrimp and mussles
oystes
Also known for Monet and Joan of Arc, who was burned on the stake here.
Look for VCN on the box to show true Camembert from Normandy.
CALVADOS
Categories:
3 Star: aged at least 2 years
Reserve Vieue aged at least 3 years
Veille Reserve aged at least 4 years
VSOP or Grand reserve 5-10 years
Extra or Napoleon or Hos d’age or Inconnu 15-20 years or more
Blended - only age of youngest added can be on label. Sometimes age not disclosed.
BRITTANY:
Brittany is a picturesque peninsula with 750 miles of coastline and great fishing. Women there wear headdresses, there are ancient stone monuments, there are remote rural villages. The sea is the greatest influence, with its rocky coastline. Winds and storms can be savage and fierce. Seabirds are spectacular. Rustic foods from the sea; crude, heavy food. Sea most important, followed by dairy and produce. Oysters and lobsters are very important.
It is the only province that prefers salted butter. Demi sel = 1/2 salt or lightly salted. Beurre sale - salted more heavily, almost cheesy in taste.
Cauliflower and artichokes are important.
Wow! Just 2 days into French and there are already dozens of words, dishes and things to remember. I think I need a glass of Calvados!