The French Chef

I love the different foods from all over the world but one of my favorite is French Cuisine... I've heard people say they don't like french food and I always ask ... All french food or something in particular? There are as many different kinds of cuisine in France as there are regions; but what is usually boils down to is the use of cream and butter in heavy sauces that pair with many dishes  usually due to health or fitness concerns. I'll get into more of this in a bit but my interest in cooking started for me like many people who lived in the United States in the 60's and 70's because of Julia Child.... if truth be told I refer to her book written with Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck 'Mastering The Art Of French Cooking' probably only slightly less than 'The Joy Of Cooking'... Watching her PBS television program  'The French Chef' was the start of my culinary journey because she broke down every fear I had by showing everything in easy steps and also how to fix any mistake or mishap during preparation.

French food is often thought of as being very technical and exacting using extravagant  expensive ingredients and heavy sauces and foie gras and truffes etc etc this is essentially haute cuisine or "classic cooking" that was developed by chefs in the 19th century for the aristocracy most notably by the legendary Auguste Escoffier. Haute Cuisine is  very exacting and time consuming and follows strict rules of preparation and presentation... I love a meal like this but I limit myself because mostly if I followed this as a steady diet I would likely be overweight and have issues with high cholesterol and possibly other health related maladies as a result... but like I said it's a treat when I have it and I enjoy every bite of the meal. Nouvelle cuisine was a movement in the 1960's to create a lighter dish with less focus on heavy sauces and a willingness to consider different ingredients and preparation techniques.

As far as I'm concerned French food is very regional (many dishes are named by their origin) If you are ever on an eating tour of France you will find sometimes subtle but very distinct differences by region. Each area of France grows and produces food best suited to the individual terrain and/or climate as an example... mustard from Dijon or a chicken from Bresse and Normandy butter. In France the use of produce and other ingredients are reflected in using food that it at the height of the season for best culinary result. I think every town in France has a  Farmers Market selling local seasonal produce in addition to cheese, eggs, bread and wine. Whether you are in Paris, or Provence or in one of the port cities or towns you can always find the best of that season and region.

Regions

Normandy probably produces some of the best cheese and butter in the world as well as delicious apples as well as lamb, muscles and oysters. I learned here the best muscles are from months that end in 're' in french (Septembre, Octobre, Novembre, Decembre) and 'er' in english (September, October, November and December).

The Loire Valley is known as "the Garden of France"  produces vegetables, white wine and wild  mushrooms grown in caves.

Nord-Pas-de-Calais is one of France's largest fishing ports.

Champagne-Ardennes is rural and not only famous for it's wine but also cheese and game.

Alsace-Lorraine borders Germany and has influences in it's food such as cabbage cooked in wine as well as pretzels and rye bread

Auvergne and Limousin have very cold conditions during the winter months and the cuisine of this area tends to be very hearty... a la meat and potatoes and stews and using of cabbage. This area is most noted for it's beef, lamb, pork and veal.

Burgundy is most noted for it's wine and food from this area is usually cooked with red wine a la bourguignon that translates to cooked in red wine. But here you will also find the acclaimed Bresse chickens and cooked in cream and morels and snails and garlic herb butter is one of my favorite meals in the world. Dijon is the always thought of as the home for mustard but also pain d'epices (spicy gingerbread) and kir.

Lyon is known for andouillettes, cervelas and rosette sausages and the surrounding countryside produces wonderful fruit and vegetables.

The eastern regions of France that border the French Alps are Franche-Comte in the north and Dauphine and Savoie in the south. These areas have time honored traditions of cheese making and potatoes are grown all over the region and lend their name to the delicious Gratin Dauphinois.

Bordeaux and Saint Emilion are known with great wines and used in cooking are known as a la bordelaise.

Gascony and Dordogne are perhaps best known for goose and duck and lending themselves to confit, pate, foie gras and terrines and the use of goose fat in cooking.

The southwest Basque country bordering Spain uses dried red chiles as a salting mixture in Bayonne ham as well as tuna caught on the Atlantic coast. Languedoc-Rouddillon is where Roqefort blue cheese is aged in caves.

The flavors of Provence are very Mediterranean by the use olives, olive oil, melons, strawberries and peaches and a pairing garlic with herbs de provence and tomatoes.

Corsica in it's proximity to Italy favors pasta and rich tomato sauces.

Probably one of my favorite entrees is Tarragon Chicken all you need is...

4-5 TBL fresh chopped tarragon

1 TBL chopped garlic

4 TBL butter @ room temperature

4 pound chicken rinsed

3 TBL olive oil

3/4 cup chicken stock

2-3 TBL white wine

1.5 TBL flour

1/2 cup heavy cream

Mix half the butter and half of the chopped tarragon  and salt and pepper and place in the cavity of the chicken and tie the legs together. Heat the remaining butter and oil in a dutch oven or fire proof casserole dish and brown the chicken golden brown on all sides. Add the chicken stock and wine and cover and cook in a 400 degree oven for about 90 minutes.

Remove the chicken and tent with foil and a kitchen towel and let rest for at least 30 minutes(if you have flat bottom lid on your dutch oven it's and ideal resting place as it stays hot). Skim about a TBL of the fat from the cooking juices and reserve the cooking juices and discard remaining fat. Heat the fat and add the flour to make a roux and add the  cooking juices and a little water if needed. Whisk until thick and strain and return the liquid to the pan and add the cream and stir over low heat but do not boil and add the remaining tarragon leaves.. Slice and serve with the tarragon cream sauce. If you are counting calories it's delicious served cold without the sauce.

I made this recently with Gratin Dauphinois (I use the Joy Of Cooking recipe) hericot vert and buttered rolls. You really don't need a dessert with this meal because it's a bit heavy. Why do I love French food so much?... well if truth be told whether it's been in a Michelin rated restaurant or a bistro... I've never had a bad meal in France... in addition my dinner companions have been pretty splendido over the years also.

Bon Appetit! See you next week.