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Archive for the ‘Food’ Category
Hugo Cabret inspired: Paris in the 1930s
1930s Paris gets the 3D touch in Hugo Cabret
Martin Scorsese’s new film Hugo Cabret is the story of a young orphan who lives in the walls of a bustling 1930s Paris train station, maintaining the clocks and working on his late father’s greatest ambition – a broken mechanical man. You can watch the Hugo Cabret trailer here:
To mark the imminent release of this magical film we thought we’d pay homage to its lavish back drop – Paris in the 1930s… an almost mythical decade when Hollywood vied with couture in Parisian fashion and electricity ignited the city for a new, modern era. All to the backdrop of a groovy jazz soundtrack
And for starters here is a video of Paris in the ‘beautiful 1930s’ – and it’s not hard to see why this decade was chosen for Hugo Cabret’s fantastical world.
Artists in 1930s Paris
1930’s Paris served as a flame to artistic souls, who were drawn to the City of Light, the world capital for the avant garde of free thinking intellectuals. Picasso and Hemmingway, Balthus and Louis Armstrong are just some of the names associated with the city during the ‘30s, when it became a hotbed of writers, artists and sculptors, film-makers and musicians.
Picasso's painting of the minotaur, the monster of Greek mythology—half bull and half human
The city also became the centre for the Surrealist movement, attracting the likes of Salvador Dali, Joan Miró, Marcel Duchamp and Man Ray.
Salvador Dalí and Man Ray in Paris, June 16, 1934, making "wild eyes" by Carl Van Vechte
Entertainment in 1930s Paris
French filmmakers such as Jean Renoir and René Clair – Paris born and bred – were amongst the vanguard, as Cinema became a recognised art form.
Film poster for ‘Under the Roofs of Paris’ by René Clair, 1930
From Edith Piaf, discovered in the Pigalle area of Paris by nightclub owner Louis Leplée in 1935, to Charles Trenet and Jean Sablon, Paris was also a hotbed of musical talent.
Jazz clubs were all the rage, with the likes of legendary jazz singer and dancer, Josephine Baker, taking the scene by storm.
Fashion in 1930s Paris
On set of Hugo Cabret... Costumes were designed by Sandy Powell
Paris fashion houses kicked off the decade with a return to the higher waist, longer skirt and the tighter silhouette line. But as the ‘30s progressed, theatrical costumes from the movies began to make an impact…
The 1930 spring issue of Good Housekeeping looks to the latest fashionable styles from Paris.
Hollywood had a lot to answer for in terms of the major fashions of the 1930s and Paris couture was no exception. Influential Parisian designer, Lucien LeLong said: ”We, the couturiers, can no longer live without the cinema any more than the cinema can live without us. We corroborate each others’ instinct.”
Italian born Elsa Schiaparelli – or “Schiap” as she was known to friends in Paris – was another designer to embrace Hollywood, dressing several stars along the way including Mae West in the 1937 film, Every Day’s a Holiday.
Puffed-sleeved gowns, lavish Scarlett O’Hara ‘barbeque’ dresses and tipped velvet hats were all the rage by 1939.
Schiap was also heavily influenced by contemporary artists from the growing Surrealist group in the Montparnasse quarter of Paris, including Man Ray and Salvador Dali. In a telegraph to the editorial offices of Photoplay Magazine listing highlights of the 1938 Paris fashion scene, costume designer, Edith Head, wrote: ”Paris says: Long waistlines, short flared skirts, fitted bodices, tweeds combines with velvet, warm colors…”
Jazz in 1930s Paris
And to unwind? The intellectual elite and jazz hounds made a beeline for now legendary bistros including L’Ami Louis, Boeuf sur le Toit, La Coupole and The Vaudeville.
L’Ami Louis was legendary even back then, serving, it is claimed, “more game, especially ortolons and bécasses, than anywhere else in Paris, as well as a hundred lobsters every day”.
Picasso was allegedly a regular at Boeuf sur le Toit. The ‘boeuf’ in this instance being French slang for a jam session.
The Vaudeville and La Coupole are two of the few remaining brasseries decorated by the Art Deco renowned Solvet brothers, La Coupole especially was frequented in the ‘30s by the likes of Man Ray and Josephine Baker.
Iconic sights around 1930s Paris
Developments such as the Le Stade de Roland Garros, home of the French Open – built at the end of the 1920s – became synonymous with progress and the modern world typified by Paris in the 30s.
TVs made an appearance in the homes of Parisians whilst Peugeot and Citroens became common sights on the city’s streets (even the odd Bugatti!).
In architecture, the geometric shapes created by Le Corbusier changed the face of the modern building.The Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne took place in Paris in 1937. The Musée de l’Homme was founded by ethnologist, Paul Rivet, specifically for the occasion.
So there you have it – simmering with artistic geniuses, 1930s Paris built on the city’s unique cafe culture and reputation for innovation to become a mecca for artists, singers, actors, authors and designers. So if you fancy a Parisian adventure of your very own, Pierre & Vacances has a range of self catering aparthotels in the heart of the city.
Hugo Cabret is in cinemas 2 December 2011.
The Best French Flea and Produce Markets
Everyone loves a bargain. No-one more so than the French, from whom shopping at markets is a way of life. What better way to while away a Saturday or Sunday morning than browsing around stalls laden with pans and pots and fishing rods or heaving with delicious cheeses, locally grown asparagus and fragrant flowers.
Wherever you’re heading in France, here’s a guide to some of the best brocante, braderie and marché au puces.
This small city at the tip of the thin Breton peninsula comes alive each Saturday morning (and Wednesdays in Port Haliguen to the east of Quiberon, during the summer months) with a lively produce market. Expect to find delicious regional foodstuffs as well as fresh fish. The perfect spot to shop for a picnic or gorge on freshly shucked oysters!
Accomodation: stay at the Residence Ker Avel
Nord-Pas de Calais – Braderie, Lille
For one weekend a year Lille becomes the bargain hunting capital of Europe as the Braderie fair takes over town. Held each September, Braderie is renowned as one of the largest flea markets on the continent with over two million visitors flocking to steal a deal.
Over 200 km of pavements throughout old Lille are taken up with stalls selling paintings, antiques, ornaments, furniture and junk of every description over a full 48 hour period.
One particular highlight is the competition to see which restaurant can create the tallest pile of mussel shells from the signature dish of moules et frites.
If you can’t make the Braderie at Lille, Calais is an easy pit stop for day-trippers and ferry-philes, with two good produce and flower markets. The market at Place d’Armes takes place on Wednesday and Saturday mornings at the centre of the old town. Shop for flowers, flower bulbs and local food specialities including ostrich pâté, the savoury tart, flamiche, locally grown chicory, home-made honey, farm-produced jams, northern France’s famed fish soup, foie gras and speciality saucissons.
Another takes place at Place Crèvecoeur to the south of town on Thursday and Saturday mornings, great for fruit and vegetables.
Accommodation: Stay at the Village Belle Dune
Franche-Comté – Vieux Quartier, Belfort
The first Sunday of each month (except during January and February) sees the most famous flea market in the East of France set up shop with over 200 stalls in the old town.
Here you can snap up Alsatian bowls and milk pitchers, grey stoneware jugs, clocks from nearby Besançon, enamel plaques from Alsace, linens, books, toys, glassware, copperware and furniture.
Rhone Alps – Vieux Quartier, Annecy
The market in the old town at Annecy is renowned as much for its stunning setting on the edge of Lac d’Annecy, surrounded by mountains, as for its rustic regional wares. As you’d expect, there are Alpine goods a plenty including cow bells, skis and paintings of mountain scenes.
The market runs throughout the day on the last Saturday of each month.
Accommodation: Stay at the Aparthotel Annecy Centre
Villeurbanne, Lyon (also known as ‘Puces’)
This legendary flea market takes place in Villeurbanne, on the outskirts of Lyon, every Sunday morning, with dedicated bargain hunters arriving at the crack of dawn. There are more than 400 stalls of antiques, bric-a-brac, used goods and 18th and 19th century furniture. A smaller version also takes place at the same site on Thursdays and Saturdays.
Paris – Marché aux Puces St-Ouen de Clignancourt
Ask any Frenchman to name a Parisian flea market and St-Ouen or ‘Clignancourt’ will be top of the list, acknowledged as the largest antiques market in Europe and the oldest in Paris. There are more than 2,000 shops spread out over a nine mile radius selling cheap clothing, military surplus, shoes, sunglasses and leather goods.
The other main contender would be Porte de Vanves on Saturdays and Sundays for its eclectic mix of goods. The Marché aux Puces de la Porte de Vanves is more compact than Clignancourt with 300-plus stalls.
Also worth checking out is Richard Lenoir for all manner of foods, from the freshest meats, cheeses and produce to international foods and flavours.
Accomodation: Stay at the Aparthotel Paris Opera
The Loire – Boulevard Alexandre Martin, Orléans
Held every Saturday morning in a car park on the Boulevard Alexandre Martin in the charming town of Orléans, this bustling market attracts around 100 vendors. Bargain hunters will love this treasure trove of rustic items, ranging from tools and buckets to fishing rods, kitchenware and quality linen.
If it’s food you’re after, then head to the weekly Saturday morning market in Saumur, showcasing the best of the ‘garden of France’.
Take a look at Le Chant blog for lots more wonderful pictures: http://lechant.wordpress.com/2009/06/06/saumur-market/)
Provence and South of France
There are more markets than you can shake a stick at in the South of France. Here are just a couple of favourites.
Cours Saleya, Nice
The flower and produce market at Cours Saleya operates every day bar Monday (when the square is taken over by the antiques and flea market). There are hundreds of varieties of flowers grown locally in the fields of Provence including carnations, roses, camellias, lilies, irises, freesias, daffodils, cyclamen, chrysanthemums, azaleas, marigolds, daisies and gardenias.
Sunday is the best day for produce, fish, meats, cheeses, fruit and veg.
Accommodation: Stay at the Residence Heliotel Marine
Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, Avignon
On Saturday mornings 100 or so stalls set up just across the Rhone from Avignon at the Place du Marche along the Ave de Verdun, selling Provençal pots, pottery and bedspreads. This market gets fewer tourists than the main Avignon flea market on Sundays, and as a result good deals can be found.
Accommodation: Stay at the Village Point Royal en Provence
Midi-Pyrénées – Allées Jules Guesde, Toulouse
Discerning shoppers will enjoy scouring this quality flea market for ‘decorative’ rather than rustic wares. Held on the first Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the month throughout the day along the allées Jules Guesde in central Toulouse.
Accommodation: Stay at the Aparthotel Toulouse Aèroport
Aquitaine – Perigueux
Wednesdays and Sundays are market day in Perigueux, the capital of the Dordogne River Valley. Stalls are set up near the cathedral in Place de la Clautre selling fresh produce and cheeses. There is also a market specialising in fois gras and truffles on place St-Louis in Puy St-Front from November to March.
Classic French Recipes
Think of France and one of the first things to spring to mind will no doubt be delicious dishes full of fresh seafood, beautifully cooked steak and, of course, lashing of cheese. From instant crowd pleasers like Moules Frites and Croque Monsieur to après ski favourite Raclette (with some more Frites and plenty of Fromage) and then there’s every school child’s nemesis, Escargot. And of course there are the famous Crêpes, Tarte Tatin, Gateaux, Eclair, Crème Brûlée… is your mouth watering yet??
Of course there’s much more to traditional French recipes than just Crêpes andFrites…and it’s not all haute cuisine or cordon bleu either. So here are our all time favourite French regional recipes, more rustic than refined in most cases, but guaranteed to get your stomach rumbling!
The Alps…for après-ski comfort food
When most of us visit The Alps it’s for lashings of fresh air and winter sports, so we can be excused for wanting to sit down at the end of a hard day’s skiing to some truly hearty fare. It’s little surprise that our favourite Alpine food relies heavily on cheese as the main ingredient! There are, of course, the delicious Fondue and Raclette but one of our favourites is Tartiflette.
Tartiflette is a truly indulgent dish, best appreciated after a strenuous morning on the ski-slopes — or at least a brisk winter’s morning walk. It is important to use a ripe Reblochon, preferably bought a few days in advance and left to reach maturity out of the fridge. Of course, if you have a good cheese monger you will be able to buy one ripe and ready to eat.
Here’s a recipe for the cheese delight, as taken from “The Food of France” by Sarah Woodward:
Tartiflette
Tartiflette
Ingredients:
[Serves 4]
1.5kg medium-sized red potatoes, such as Desirée
1 large white onion, peeled and diced
2 thick rashers of smoked streaky bacon, diced
25g butter
1 garlic clove, peeled and cut in half
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ripe Reblochon cheese
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 5.
Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the potatoes whole, in their skins, for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the onion and bacon in the butter in a heavy frying pan over a medium heat; they should sweat but not brown.
Drain the potatoes and as soon as they are cool enough to handle peel them — the quicker the better. Slice thickly across.
Choose an ovenproof earthenware dish and rub it well with the other halves of garlic. Layer half the sliced potatoes across the base, season, then scatter over the onion and bacon mixture. Add the remaining potatoes and more seasoning.
Place the whole Reblochon on top. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180C/350’F/gas mark 4 for a further 20—25 minutes. The Reblochon should melt within its skin and the fat drip down while the potatoes crisp.
Tartiflette is a filling dish and all you really need to go with it is a nicely dressed green salad.
Try Tartiflette in the alps when you stay at one of Pierre & Vacances’ resorts in the region, and booking for the 2011/2012 ski season starts on June 15th!
Alsace-Lorraine…for a German twist
The cuisine of this corner of north-eastern France brings together influences from neighbouring Germany such as Sauerkraut and marinated meat and veg stew, Baeckeoffe, with more typically French flavours. Locals are masters of pickling vegetables, smoking meats, and packing sausages.
The region’s two legendary dishes are Foie gras and Quiche Lorraine: the word quiche is from the German “kuchen”, which means cake. There is some debate about what constitutes a traditional Quiche Lorraine but we like the following recipe for its simplicity:
Quiche Lorraine
Quiche Lorraine
Ingredients:
Pie pastry
6-8 slices of bacon, diced
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup of whipping heavy cream
1 or 2 tsp of butter
1/2 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of pepper
1 pinch of grated nutmeg
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C)
Put bacon dices in boiling water for 1 or 2 minutes. Drain. Put in a pan and heat till brown. Drain again.
Roll out pastry in a pie pan. Pastry should come about 1″ up the sides.
Beat eggs, cream and seasoning. Add bacon.
Pour mixture on the pastry, no more than 3/4 of the pie pan.
Reduce heat to 300° F (150°C). Bake for 30 minutes or until pie is cooked. Put a knife in the middle, if it comes clean the quiche is ready.
Let the quiche cool. Do not remove it from the pan. Goes well with a salad.
Just a suggestion: Although traditional recipes do not include it, you can add Swiss cheese such as 1 Gruyère to the egg, cream and bacon mixture, [around 1 cup is best].
Try Quiche Lorraine in Alsace and Lorraine when you stay at one of Pierre & Vacances’ resorts in the region.
Brittany and Normandy…for the sweeter things in life
Famed for Crêpes, apples, Normandy cider and Calvados, the north-western tip of France is the best place to head if you have a sweet tooth. Apple and Calvados sorbet make a welcome appearances on many menus but our heads were turned by this recipe for Bretton Butter Cake, a classic version from Brittany.
Bretton Butter Cake
Brittany Bretton Butter Cake
Ingredients:
[Serves 6-8]
1 ounce instant dry yeast
1 teaspoon plus 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
3/4 cup lukewarm water
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cold salted butter
1 egg yolk, beaten
Instructions:
Sprinkle the yeast and one teaspoon of sugar over the warm water and allow the yeast to dissolve for 5 minutes. Stir the flour into the yeast mixture until it forms a smooth, thick dough.
On a lightly floured surface, roll and stretch the dough into a large rectangle, about 9-inches by 13-inches. Dot the surface with 1/4 cup of the cold butter and sprinkle it with 1/4 cup of sugar. Fold the dough into quarters. Repeat the rolling and folding process again, three times.
Preheat an oven to 350F. Once the dough is folded into quarters the last time, fit it into a greased 9-inch round baking pan. Brush the surface of the dough with the egg yolk, sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and bake it for 25 to 30 minutes, until it turns golden brown.
Allow the butter cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, run a thin, offset spatula or knife around the edges of the cake, and remove the cake from the baking pan. Serve the cake warm with berries or cream.
Try Bretton Butter Cake in Brittany when you stay at one of Pierre & Vacances’ resorts.
Central France…for heart-warming stews
It’s here in the heart of France that you’re most likely to find traditional dishes such asBoeuf Bourguignon and Coq au Vin. A good French stew is not something to be rushed – and of course, the crucial ingredient is wine.
One of the most famous recipes from Burgundy is the one that includes its name, Boeuf Bourguignon. This version is adapted from that used by the chef at The Hotel Dieu, Monsieur Vernet:
Boeuf Bourguignon
Boeuf Bourguignon
Ingredients:
[Serves 4]
1.5 kg/3 1/2 lbs stew beef preferably taken from the shoulder or shin
50G/3 1/2 tbsp butter
5 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots
2 onions
small round onions
button mushrooms
100g/1/4 lb fresh bacon
20g/1/4 cup flour
2 cloves garlic (optional)
1 1/2 bottles red burgundy wine
castor sugar
1 bouquet garni
salt and pepper
Instructions:
Marinade the beef, together with a ‘garniture aromatique’ (bouquet garni, onions and carrots,) in the wine and leave to marinade overnight.
Brown thoroughly in oil the drained pieces of meat. Skim off the fat and then sprinkle them with flour.
Add the marinade, the bouquet garni, carrots and onions and cook on a low heat for two hours. During the cooking time glaze until brown some small, round onions, button mushrooms and bacon (cook them in just enough water to cover them and some butter), sprinkle with sugar, cover with tin-foil and cook until the water boils away. Stir from time to time to ensure an even glazing.
Mix with the beef mixture, check the thickness of the sauce and, if necessary, add some beurre manié (butter and flour.) The cooking can be finished in the oven, in a covered casserole, or even covered with flour.
Try Boeuf Bourguignon in Central France when you stay at one of Pierre & Vacances’ resorts in the region.
Charentes…for seafood
From eel stew to steaming mussels, the gastronomy of the Poitou-Charentes is heavily based on seafood. The mussel, an inexpensive mollusk, is prepared in many different ways in France, depending on the region. The most spectacular is certainly L’éclade, a recipe from Charente Maritime. For this, the mussels are arranged on a bed of dry pine needles and set ablaze. After a minute or two they are cooked and ready to be eaten sizzling hot.
But this recipe is the simplest way to prepare mussels, and a perfect occasion to gather plenty of friends around the table for a huge steaming stock pot fragrant with white wine and shallots.
Mussels with White Wine and Shallots
Mussels with White Wine and Shallots / L’éclade
Ingredients:
5 to 6 pounds mussels, preferably the small bouchots
4 shallots
6 sprigs parsley
10 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup dry white wine
Freshly ground pepper
1 sprig thyme
Salt
Instructions:
Wash the mussels, scraping to remove their grassy “”beards”".
Peel and chop the shallots.
Remove the parsley leaves and chop them finely.
Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large heavy skillet or saucepan.
Add the shallots and cook until wilted.
Add the wine, a sprinkling of pepper, and thyme.
Let simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the mussels, cover and cook over high heat, shaking the pan often so that all the mussels open at about the same time.
Take off the cover, remove the mussels as they open, and place them on a warmed serving platter.
When all the mussels have opened, empty the pan, and strain the cooking broth through a fine sieve.
Wipe out the pan and return the broth to it.
Cook briefly over high heat until boiling.
Cut the remaining butter into small pieces.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk the butter into the broth a little at a time.
Correct the seasoning, if necessary.
Pour the sauce over the mussels, sprinkle with the chopped parsley, and serve.
Try Mussels in Charentes when you stay at one of Pierre & Vacances’ resorts in the region.
Paris…for anything your heart desires (as long as it’s Croque Monsieur!)
Of course, all roads lead to Paris when it comes to food, where almost anything from the whole of France is available and where diners can pick and choose from more than 9,000 restaurants.
The immediate environs of Paris provide plentiful game but it’s arguably its pastries that the grande dame is most famed for. That and its bread, the key ingredient to the legendary Croque Monsieur!
Who knows where the tasty snack originated from (the first recorded appearance on a Parisian café menu was in 1910) but today the city’s cafés have thousands of varieties on offer, each bringing their own unique interpretation to this classic dish. Regional variations exist, with either tomato, Bleu d’Auvergne cheese, smoked salmon (instead of ham), sliced potatoes and Reblochon cheese or pineapple.
Croque Monsieur
Croque Monsieur
The classic recipe is hot ham and cheese (typically emmental or gruyère) grilled sandwich. Simple, quick and delicious! Fast food at its most fabulous.
Try Croque Monsieur in Paris when you stay at one of Pierre & Vacances’ resorts in the city.
Picardy...for tarts and terrine
Picardy is known as the market garden of France with bountiful crops, an abundance of seafood and dishes with a distinct, earthy palate. There’s an undeniable Spanish influence on the regional dish of Escaveche (escabeche in Spain), which is a cold terrine of sweet water fish in wine and vinegar, and Flemish influence on another terrine, Potjevlesch. Amiens Duck Pate draws the gourmands as does the Flamiche Leek Pie.
Flamiche aux Poireaux
Flamiche aux Poireaux
Ingredients:
2 round, puff-pastry crusts, uncooked
3 tablespoons butter
2 pounds (or more) leeks, cleaned and cut into 1/4 inch rounds (don’t use the tougher dark green part)
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1/4 cup grated gruyère or similar cheese (optional)
salt and pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg yolk
Instructions:
[Serves 6]
Melt the butter in a frying pan on medium heat. Add the leeks and cook until soft – about 10 minutes.
Stir in the flour until mixed completely with the leeks. Pour in the milk and cook, stirring occasionally until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil – about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool about 5 minutes. Stir in nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, line a nine inch tart or pie pan with one of the crusts. Brush the bottom of the crust with the egg yolk mixed with a couple of teaspoons of water. Pour the cooled leek mixture into the crust and top with the second crust. Roll the edges together so that the whole tart is sealed. Make a hole in the centre of the tart so that steam can escape as the tart is cooking and, if you wish, make a design on the top crust with a sharp knife.
Bake for 30 minutes at 375° F. Serve warm.
Try Flamiche aux Poireaux in Picardy when you stay at one of Pierre & Vacances’ resorts in the region.
The Pyrénées…for deep-rooted culinary traditions
From black truffles to Foie Gras and Roquefort cheese, the food of the Midi-Pyrénées has made significant contributions to the wider French dining scene. The region’s traditions and epicurean culture are deeply rooted and fiercely protected. One of the dishes most synonymous with the Pyrénées is Cassoulet.
Cassoulet
Cassoulet
For the beans:
1 kg (2.2 lb) dried beans: either white navy beans, kidney beans, mojettes, pamier beans or Soissons beans, but the absolute best would be “tarbais” beans.
2 peeled carrots
1 onion, spiked with 3 cloves
1 bouquet garni (thyme, laurel, parsley)
1 large pork rind, cut into 2 halves
Meat:
8 lamb neck cuts (for taste)
8 lamb shoulder pieces, cut into squares of 100 grams (3 oz) each
8 pork loin pieces, cut into 100 grams (3 oz) cubes
8 mule fat duck thighs cut in half
8 pieces, 5 cm (2 inches) each, of Toulouse sausage (scalded and roasted)
Other ingredients:
200 grams (1/2 lb) of carrots and 200 grams (1/2 lb) of onions cut into small cubes
6 garlic cloves, crushed and degermed
1 bouquet garni
2 tablespoonfuls concentrated tomato paste
150 grams (5 oz) goose fat
150 grams (5 oz) bread crumbs
Instructions:
Soak the dry beans overnight in unsalted water.
Next day, put the beans in a large pot and cover them with new water, add the two carrots and the onion with the cloves, the bouquet garni and the pork rinds. Season with pepper and DO NOT SALT. Cook at a slow boil and do not forget to progressively skim the froth that forms on the surface.
Using a large ovenproof dish, sweat the vegetables: carrots, garlic, onions and the bouquet garni in some goose fat for 10 minutes, covering on low heat.
During this time use a large frying pan to brown all of the meats in some goose fat (until they are quite brown). Then retrieve and drain the pieces (in order to remove excess fat). Add tomato paste to the large casserole where you cooked the vegetable garnish.
Cook this mixture for two minutes and then add the meats and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Place in the oven and cook at 350°F (180°C or th6), covered, for 2 hours.
Check if the beans are cooked. Once they are almost ready add salt and drain the beans (put the carrots in the large casserole that is already in the oven) and set aside.
Use a needle to check if the meats are well cooked. Next, use a fork and a skimmer to retrieve the meat and the bouquet garni. Be careful not to leave any small bones at the bottom of the dish. Remove excess fat from the remaining vegetables using a spoon. Mix these vegetables in a blender and then put through a sieve, pressing strongly in order to obtain a delicious vegetable sauce. Check and adjust the seasoning.
Put the meat, the beans, the sausage and the pork rinds, cut into 8 pieces, in a large terracotta dish (better known as a “cassole” hence the name of this recipe “cassoulet”) and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes at 375°F (210°C ) and serve.
Try Cassoulet in The Pyrénées when you stay at one of Pierre & Vacances’ resorts in the region.
South of France…for a taste of the Med
Whilst regional recipes found simmering in the south of France are still likely to involve stewing, the further you head the south, the more likely you are to encounter seafood or fragrant herbes de Provence in the mix.
The original Bouillabaisse (bouï abaisso in Provençal, meaning boil and press “bout et abaisse”) was from the Calanque coast between Marseille and Toulon , although it is said to be invented at Saint-Raphaël. Although called a soup, this is really a main dish, a full meal in itself.
Bouillabaisse
Bouillabaisse
[Serves 6-8]
Ingredients:
200ml / 1/3 pint of olive oil
2 onions thinly sliced
2 leeks trimmed and thinly sliced
3 tomatoes skinned seeded and chopped
4 garlic cloves crushed
1 sprig of fennel
1 sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
1 strip of orange peel without pith
750g / 1 ½ lbs shell fish e.g. crab mussels, king prawns
2 litre / 3 ½ pints of boiling water
salt and pepper
2.5kg / 5 lbs of fish e.g. monk fish, sea bass etc.
4 pinches of saffron powder.
Instructions:
Heat the oil in a large pan add the onions, leeks, chopped tomatoes and garlic.
Sauté over a low heat for 2-3 minutes until soft stirring from time to time.
Stir in the fennel. thyme, bay leaf and orange peel.
Add the shell fish, boiling water and some salt and pepper.
Turn up the heat and boil for about 3 minutes.
Reduce the heat and add the fish continue cooking for 12 to 15 mins over a medium heat.
The fish should be opaque and tender but still firm.
When the fish is cooked adjust the seasoning.
Stir in the powdered saffron and serve immediately.
Try Bouillabaisse in the South of France when you stay at one of Pierre & Vacances’ resorts in the region.
South West…for something a little rich
The emphasis in south-western France is on rich foods – more truffles, more Foie Gras and duck.
Confit de Canard
Confit de Canard
Ingredients:
[Serves 4-6]
What you’ll need is 4-6 duck portions, rub salt into them and leave in a shallow covered dish for 5-6 hours.
Put your oven on low, 150 C/gas mark 2.
Wipe off the salt with kitchen paper and place all the pieces in a flameproof dish quite tightly, slightly brown both sides of the duck pieces very slowly, this can take 15-20 minutes.
Now cover your duck with enough duck fat to cover completely, pop it in your preheated oven for up to 2 hours. Then leave it to cool.
You can keep your duck preserved like that for a few days.
Instructions:
The idea is to warm the duck portions, not to cook again. The best way we found is to pan fry.
Heat a frying pan without any oil, as you already have duck fat around your pieces of duck.
Place the portions skin down and leave on a medium heat, do not move the pieces until they are a little crispy, then turn and do the other side.
‘Voila’ it’s ready!!
Serve with a salad or Potate Saladaise with Haricots Verts.
Try Confit de Canard in the South West of France when you stay at one of Pierre & Vacances’ resorts in the region.
Skiing in the French Alps: our winner’s video!
At the end of March Richard Wilkinson won a skiing holiday to the fantastic French Alps destination of Avoriaz, courtesy of Pierre & Vaccances, P&O Ferries and Avoriaz.
He took wife Wendy and daughter Millie on an adventure packed week in April with plenty of snow, skiing and sun!
Check out the fantastic video of their week away skiing in the Portes du Soleil:
A guide to Avoriaz: skiing at the home of Pierre & Vacances
Avoriaz: a completely pedestrian resort, home of Pierre & Vacances and one of the first places in the world to welcome snowboarders.
So when my wife and I were deciding about our short ski break there was only one choice. And it’s all happening at the Portes du Soliel resort this year. In development in the resort are 8 new residences: five premium self-catering, three new Pierre & Vacances and one Maeva residence. But most exciting is the building of a new water park, Aquariaz.
There’s also lots of great events to catch this year: the Jazz Up Festival at the end of this month, the new Go Wild Outdoor Music Festival at the beginning of april and the Spring Break party weekend during the Easter break.
Our journey began at Gatwick airport, we flew in to Geneva and, though we often use the Pierre & Vancances transfer service pvtransfers, this time we used a company who specialise in the Morzine and Avoriaz area: skiddygonzales. For a little over 120 euros we got a return transfer for two with a very professional lady driver which took around 1 hour 30 minutes each way.
Once we arrived in Avoriaz a representative from the tourist office arranged for us to be transported to our accommodation via ‘piste basher’. Very original! (8 euros per group).
View from Maeva Antares residence
We were staying at the Maeva Antares residence which is right at the top of the resort with amazing views of Avoriaz and the mountains. The apartments have been recently refurbished and we were lucky enough to be upgraded to one of Maeva’s disabled apartments, which was very spacious with two balconies to enjoy the views from.
Our apartment
The next morning access to the slopes was easy. Our ski lockers were on the ground floor and we simply skieed straight from the door on to the slopes. Perfect, especially for those like us who want to get as much skiing packed in as possible.
Our kitchen
Though the wider Portes du Soleil area could have done with a bit more snow we found there was more than enough in Avoriaz and the conditions at the top of the mountains were very good. And, quite surprising for the time of year, we had two days of lovely sun and clear blue skies.
In the evening Avoriaz has a magical feel to it. Kids sledge in the centre of the resort until bedtime and all the trees are lit up with lights. And the resort is carefully watched over by friendly brightly coloured giant teddy bears on the scaffolding of all the new building developments.
Talking of new developments, during my visit I had time for a quick breakfast with the lovely Stephane and Virginie from the Avoriaz tourist board.
Stephane and Virginie at breakfast
The tourist centre is a stylish building right in the centre of the resort where they can help with all your needs and questions during your stay. I was lucky enough to get a few insider tips from Stephane and Virginie. And as we were kid free for this ski break we felt we had to try out a few of their recommendations.
First the bars:
La Cabane is very cool, the Wild Horse Saloon is a bit more raucous, but our favourite was La Tavaillon – a small and friendly bar with a range of Belgian and Irish beers and a nice mix of indie and classic rock music.
La Cabane
For food:
There’s a huge amount of choice from savoyarde fayre at Le Chalet d’Avoriaz to Tex Mex and takeaway pizza. We loved the authentic charm of Les Boules de Neiges which has everything from Tartiflette pizza to giant salads and Fondus.
Le Yeti Bar
All in all then a perfect short ski break in Avoriaz. We will be coming back, though next time maybe with the kids, as the resort is also perfect for the family.
You and three friends could soon be heading to Avoriaz for the most exciting new music event in the Alps – the first ever Go Wild Music Festival (Festival des Concerts Sauvages) 2-9 April 2011.
Pierre & Vacances has teamed up with P&O Ferries, Ski set and Avoiaz 1800 to provide the ultimate mates’ break: ski and snowboard by day – take in secret acoustic gigs in totally wild mountain locations by night.
