Raclette Savoyarde, along with Fondue, is an arch-typical dishes of the region of the French Alps. Since it is a very simple dish, it is quick to prepare and depends almost entirely on the quality of the ingredients chosen. Choose waxy, think skinned new potatoes. Any mix of sliced hams and sausages may be used, …
Raclette Savoyarde Read More »
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Perhaps the simplest of recipes for foie gras, this terrine is also the preparation that best highlights the subtle flavor and luxurious texture of the liver. However, nothing is disguised in this preparation so it is imperative that the best possible quality foie gras be used. Suggestions for wine to accompany foie gras are many …
Terrine of whole duck foie gras Read More »
9 CommentsEach month I will be posting to this blog info about upcoming events at Cafe Presse and Le Pichet. This information is already available on the websites for each restaurant but I hope that it will also be interesting to readers here. If you would like to receive monthly events emails from Le Pichet or …
March 2011 Upcoming Events – Le Pichet Read More »
Leave a CommentWorth reading is a recent March 1 Op-Ed piece in the New York Times by Mark Bittman on the subject of Federal Agricultural Subsidies in our current era of budget cutting. Bittman is a regularly contributor to the food section of the Times with his column “The Minimalist” and he is rumored to be developing …
New Direction for Agricultural Subsidies? Read More »
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I was contacted recently by The Food Network, about filming a segment for the show “Best Thing I Ever Ate” at Le Pichet. Seems that Alton Brown, the host of “Good Eats” and front man for “Iron Chef America” was in for dinner at Le Pichet late last year and was very much taken by …
Raclette to be “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” Read More »
3 CommentsAccording to an article in the February 1, 2011 edition of the New York Times written by David Jolly, fish farming is the fastest growing area of animal food production, having increased at a rate of 6.6% per year from 1970 to 2008. Fish products from aquaculture now make up 46% of the world’s supply …
Considering Fish Farming Read More »
Leave a CommentRecently I have been a bit fixated on the idea of making my own macerated liqueurs at home. I should probably note that I get fixated on one thing or another fairly easily, with the result being a number of experiments that hopefully lead to a result with which I am happy. If I am …
Macerating Liqueurs at Home Read More »
3 CommentsSometimes it is hard to to get your head around all the important issues concerning food in America. Lets face it, no one who thinks seriously about how we as a nation produce, transport and consume food can help but be concerned. GMO’s, massive fish and bird kills, overfishing, tainted spinach, salmonella in chickens, beef …
Food in the News (aka Our National Eating Disorder) Read More »
Leave a CommentJanuary 06, 2011
It is hard to image the holiday season in France without foie gras. During an October visit to Maison Lafitte Foie Gras in the village of Montaut (note: our friends who live in Montaut would undoubtedly correct me on this point…by the traditional definition, Montaut is a Bourg, not a village, the difference being that a Bourg has a doctor. With a population of only 600 however, feels distinctly like a village) in France’s Chalosse region, General Manager Fabian CHEVALIER told me that his annual production cycle was driven by the sales demands of December, when a majority of the year’s output would be sold. Both for Christmas and New Years, foie gras in all its forms is a must. However, working with foie gras can be a daunting prospect for those who haven’t had the experience. And given the cost of good quality fresh foie gras, mistakes can be expensive. Fortunately, if you follow few simple steps carefully, a great foie gras terrine is really not that complicated.
Each year at Le Pichet, we serve foie gras in terrine as a special for the Holidays. But you might say “foie gras seems too fancy and expensive for Le Pichet” and you would generally be right. However, given the importance of foie gras to the season in France, we make an exception in December.
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