Friday, 29 May 2009

Introductions

It's time to introduce you two local characters: Marie who runs the restaurant just down the road, and Noël, her chef there. Between them they prepare lunches and evening meals for the tourists who visit the caves and the river valley, and they also cater for the numerous private parties who book the restaurant for family events, birthdays, etc.

We shall be running some week-long cookery classes with them later this year, designed to introduce English family cooks to some of the traditional French delicacies of the region. We plan to be tasting wines, cooking complete meals using ingredients like local creams, cheeses, cider and stronger apple-based drinks, and visiting local food producers such as the chocolate factory and wild boar farm.

Should be a fun week. We are working out some adverts for the UK press at the moment. Watch this space!





Marie runs the restaurant














Noël is her chef














The restaurant
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5 comments:

  1. Jonathan29 May 2009 at 23:26

    Last night, playing in Dunston Hall's brasserie, I heard the term tree-hugger for the first time in ages. I was anonymous in DJ and bow tie so it wasn't directed at me. But it is with some trepidation that I ask if there is much vegetarian fare within the traditional local cuisine.

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  2. ReedBunting31 May 2009 at 03:45

    I think the cookery courses sound like a wonderful idea, especially using local produce. I'll be looking out for your ads!

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  3. Mark In Mayenne31 May 2009 at 10:50

    Vegetarianism is not nearly so practiced in France as it is in England. We cater for vegetarians here all the time, since often parties of Brits will include at least one or two.

    The French however view vegetarians as, frankly, a bit wierd, and vegetarians here are used to simply eating meals prepared for carnivores, but without the meat. They are usually pleasantly surprised when we can cater for them properly.

    But the cooking classes won't be suitable for veggies, sorry.

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  4. Jonathan1 June 2009 at 05:46

    Perhaps if I lived in France for any length of time I might modify my eating habits. There's so much intensive livestock farming here. (Bernard Matthews sponsors my local swimming pool.) I know I can buy organic and free range meat but I think I would slip into bad habits.

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  5. Mark In Mayenne2 June 2009 at 08:08

    There is a much greater variety of free range meat and poultry (and derivative products) available here, but as in the UK, the intensively farmed versions are ubiquitous, and cheaper.

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