Archive for the ‘French Cooking’ Category

If you are looking for fine French wine and food, you should consider the Loire Valley region of central France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a red Bourgueil wine based on Cabernet Franc with perhaps a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon coming from western Touraine in the center of the Loire Valley.

The Loire Valley ranks third in total acreage devoted to vineyards among France’s eleven wine-growing regions. At over six hundred miles (one thousand kilometers) the Loire is France’s longest river. In encompasses several regions which we list going from west to east. First is the Nantais region whose major grape is the white Muscadet. Then comes Anjou-Saumur whose major grapes are the white Chenin Blanc and the red Cabernet Franc. In Touraine the primary white grapes are Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc and whose primary red grape is Cabernet Franc. Finally comes the Central Vineyards whose major white grape is Sauvignon Blanc and whose major red grape is Pinot Noir. Sooner or later we will review at least one wine from each of these regions.

Bourgueil is a market town surrounded by caves and vineyards. Go north a bit to the Cave Touristique de la Dive Bouteille (Tourist’s Shady Bottle Cave) that’s full of local wines. Don’t miss the Benedictine Abbaye de Bourgueil (Bourgueil Abbey) where according to legend the first Cabernet Franc vine was planted in 1089. Stop by its Musée des Arts et Traditions Populaires (Art and Folk Traditions Museum). Then go about 12 miles (19 kilometers) north to the Château de Langeais, a great mid-Fifteenth Century Loire Castle.

Before reviewing the Loire wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Quiche aux Rillettes (Quiche with Coarse Pork Paté). For your second course savor Beuchelle, Tourte aux Rognons (Sweetbreads and Kidney Pie). And as dessert indulge yourself with Nougat de Tours (Tours Nougat).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Yannick Amirault Le Grand Clos Bourgueil 2004 13.0% alcohol about $17

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Yannick Amirault is considered one of the best producers in Loire Valley’s Bourgueil AC. In fact, French publication Classement (2005) called him the best in the region, commenting in the last ten years, the wines of this domaine have appeared as the most complex and the most consistent of the appellations Bourgueil and St. Nicholas de Bourgueil. The wines of the domaine are characterized by body, cleanness, charm, and in a great vintage, by aristocracy. And now for my review.

My first meal consisted of commercially prepared barbecued beef ribs in a sweet sauce accompanied by rice and Turkish Salad. The wine was round and black fruits predominated. The acidity did a fine job of cutting the grease. This wine was full but short.

The second meal was whole-wheat spaghetti with a commercial tomato spaghetti sauce that I boosted with a medley of garlic, red pepper, multiple mushrooms, olive oil, anchovies, capers, Greek olives, and parmesan cheese. The Bourgueil was mouth filling, round, and dark. I don’t remember when I enjoyed pasta and wine so much.

The final pairing involved breaded fried chicken cutlets, potato patties, and Caponata, a purchased Italian tomato, pepper, onion, and eggplant salad. The wine was dark and round yet it didn’t overwhelm the chicken, perhaps because it was fried. It was a good accompaniment to the fruity eggplant salad. I was sorry that I didn’t have any fruit-juice candy. The wine was a no-go with pistachio nougat candy.

The first cheese pairing was with a German Emmenthaler (Swiss) Cheese. The wine retained its acidity and flavor, tasting of tobacco and black cherries. Then I tried a goat’s milk cheese called Poitou Charente from central western France. The wine was round and relatively powerful.

Final verdict. I was happy with this wine and would buy it again, especially if I could get it at a better price but there are so many Loire Valley wines to taste, not to mention the other wine regions of France.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian, French, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and spend time with his wife and family. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. Among his many web sites he is particularly proud of his new love and relationships site celebrating mostly spiritual and on occasion physical love at http://www.loveamourlove.com. You will find a wide range of articles devoted to various aspects of love, and a special collection of love quotes in both English and French (with translations.) Check out his global wine website at http://www.theworldwidewine.com with his new weekly column reviewing $10 wines.

Author: Levi Reiss
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Guest blogger

My French “mother-in-law” is coming to lunch tomorrow. Its not often I cook for her, and I am racking my brains and shuffling the recipes to decide what she would enjoy. A tricky one, as she is convinced that the British cannot cook. In fact most of the French I have discussed this topic with are all defiant regarding the cooking skills of expats from across the Channel. They are also very happy to remind us of our “mad cow disease”.

However our French Christmas lunch cooked by “ma-in-law” was not a patch on the seasonal roast turkey & trimmings I used to do at home in the UK. Our festive meal consisted of an old boiler fowl, pressure cooked with tinned chestnuts and what I can only term “artisan potatoes” (no further veg) followed by an uninspiring endive salad and a supermarket frozen dessert…no fun crackers, or flourish of a little garnish.

It is my opinion that the French are too complacent with their vintage crown of “the best cooks in the world”. The majority of local restaurants here in Nice, in the south of France, mainly cater for tourists, the same menu year in year out. If you dare complain – that is it – you are enemy number one. Only once did we return a lukewarm undercooked steak. We could not even decide if it was lamb or pork and at 22 euros… the waiter threw a fit, then returned the same steak – that had just been re-heated in a microwave!

I do understand that there are some amazing restaurants around especially further afield, but we do not have a car and what if the food is not worth the palaver of a trip? For us, we now avoid the local French restaurants, as we have exhausted the few varieties of dishes offered. There is only so many insipid chocolate mousse you can desire.

Now our one restaurant weekly treat is to go to the expat pub for Sunday lunch. They do not have a microwave, everything is served with a bright stimulating variety of fresh veg and the desserts are always an inspiration. Mulled wine trifle, Bailey’s creme brulee and their chocolate mousse is made with Guinness and served in a fun glass to look like half a pint. Naturally my ma-in-law firmly turned down our invitation to join us there!

I admit to generalizing regarding he cooking skills of both nations, but in my view, the French could be a tad more adventurous with their tried and tested, regurgitated traditional recipes.

Thanks for reading

For more info about being a expat in France visit http://www.livinginthesun.info/articles/france/

Also check my blog on all aspects of moving to France here http://livinginthesun.info/france/

I wish you the best of luck.

Liz

Author: Liz Sunny
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Guest blogger