Fall Deliciousness: Ina Garten's Pear Clafouti

“And all at once, Summer collapsed into Fall.” ~ Oscar Wilde”

As much as I love Fall, it doesn't feel like it's official until I've made one of my favorite desserts of ALL time, Ina Garten's mouth wateringly delicious Pear Clafouti.

Somehow the heavenly aroma of ripe Bartlett pears, sugar, vanilla, pear brandy and lemon zest baking away in the oven makes it truly official for me, despite what the calendar might say. So if you're looking to ring in the season with something sweet this month, this delightful recipe is the perfect choice and it also couldn't be easier to make.

And if you've never "clafoutied" before (YES, it can be used as a verb), a clafouti is essentially a baked dessert that originated in the Limousin region of Southwest France. It features sliced fruit (traditionally cherries but pears are in season longer), arranged in a buttered dish which are then covered with a custard-like batter and baked until golden brown. The clafouti is then dusted with confectioners' sugar and served warm or at room temperature. Honestly, I'll take it any way I can get it, it's THAT delicious!

And while Ina's recipe already has pear brandy baked into it, this Pear Clafouti also happens to pair deliciously well with one of my new favorite dessert wines, the Barboursville Vineyards Passito from Virginia ($32/375mL).

Yes - V I R G I N I A!

This wine is a blend of Moscato Ottonel and Vidal grapes that were air dried in order to concentrate their flavor and sugars. The dried grapes were then pressed and the resulting juice underwent a lengthy fermentation with additional time on the lees to accentuate the wine's mouthfeel. The result is a viscous, luscious wine with notes of spiced pear, candied citrus and vanilla which still retains a bright acidity and lightness to balance its sweetness. If you can’t find this glorious dessert wine a Sauternes from Bordeaux or an Italian Moscato d’Asti will be equally as fabulous!

If you find yourself hankering for something other than pumpkin spice to satisfy your sweet tooth and put you in the Fall spirit, you can't go wrong with this recipe. Just be sure you also have some of your favorite vanilla ice cream on hand to round out the experience (Haagen-Dazs is the BOMB!).

I really hope you enjoy this recipe for Pear Clafouti and do YOU have a favorite Fall dessert OR dessert wine you look forward to all year? If so, I'd love to know so please let me know in the Comments section below.

Print Recipe

"FALL DELICIOUSNESS: INA GARTEN’S PEAR CLAFOUTI"

Author: Ina Garten | Barefoot in Paris

Pair this delicious recipe with a luscious, white dessert wine like the Barboursville Vineyards Passito from Virginia, a Sauternes from Bordeaux or an Italian Moscato d’Asti!

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

• 3 extra-large eggs, room temperature

• 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (1 lemon)

• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

• 2 Tablespoons pear brandy such as Poire William

• 2-3 firm but ripe Bartlett pears

• Confectioners' sugar

Instructions

1. ) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 10 x 1 1/2-inch round baking dish and sprinkle the bottom and sides with 1 Tablespoon of the granulated sugar.

2. ) Beat the egs and the 1/3-cup of granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixerfited with a paddle attachement on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. On low speed, mix in the flour, cream, vanilla extract, lemon zest, Kosher salt and pear brandy. Set aside for 10 minutes.

3. ) Meanwhile, peel, half, core and slice the pears. Arrange the slices in a single layer, slightly fanned out in the baking dish. Pour the batter over the pears and bake until the top is golden brown and the custard is firm, 35-40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with confectioners' sugar.

Continue Reading >

Fall Deliciousness: Ina Garten’s Pear Clafouti

As much as I love Fall, it doesn’t feel like it’s official until I’ve made one of my favorite desserts of ALL time, Ina Garten’s mouth wateringly delicious Pear Clafouti.

Somehow the heavenly aroma of ripe Bartlett pears, sugar, vanilla, pear brandy and lemon zest baking away in the oven makes it truly official for me, despite what the calendar might say. So if you’re looking to ring in the season with something sweet this month, this delightful recipe is the perfect choice and it also couldn’t be easier to make.

And if you’ve never “clafoutied” before (YES, it can be used as a verb), a clafouti is essentially a French dessert which originated in the Limousin region of Southwest France. It features sliced fruit (traditionally cherries but pears are in season longer), arranged in a buttered dish which are then covered with a custard-like batter and baked until golden brown. The clafouti is then dusted with confectioners’ sugar and served warm or at room temperature. Honestly, I’ll take it any way I can get it, it’s THAT delicious!

And while Ina’s recipe already has pear brandy baked into it, this Pear Clafouti also happens to pair deliciously well with one of my new favorite dessert wines, the Barboursville Vineyards Passito from Virginia ($32/375mL). Yes – V I R G I N I A!

This wine is a blend of Moscato Ottonel and Vidal grapes which were air dried in order to concentrate their flavor and sugars. The dried grapes were then pressed and the resulting juice underwent a lengthy fermentation with additional time on the lees to accentuate the wine’s mouthfeel. The result is a viscous, luscious wine with notes of spiced pear, candied citrus and vanilla which still retains a bright acidity and lightness to balance its sweetness.

If you find yourself hankering for something other than pumpkin spice to satisfy your sweet tooth and put you in the Fall spirit, you can’t go wrong with this recipe. Just be sure you also have some of your favorite vanilla ice cream on hand to round out the experience (Haagen-Dazs is the BOMB!).

I really hope you enjoy this recipe for Pear Clafouti and do YOU have a favorite Fall dessert OR dessert wine you look forward to all year? If so, I’d love to know so please let me know in the Comments section below.

Bon appétit,

 

The post Fall Deliciousness: Ina Garten’s Pear Clafouti appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.

Postcards from La Pitchoune: Day 4 & THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

Well, it's official! The dates are set, the details are finalized and I couldn't be more excited because today I get to share my big announcement with you! You know, the one I've been hinting at for the past month or so since we returned from our cooking class at La Pitchoune, Julia Child's former Summer home in Provence?So while I apologize for the delay, I promise it will be worth the wait.First, in keeping with my previous La Peetch posts, I'd like to share the details of our magical last day with you. Days one, two and three of The Courageous Cooking School were so heavenly, a teeny gray cloud descended on my heart knowing we would be leaving this special place in the morning. However, this was also the day I knew I wanted to return and share this experience with you or others?.The day began with a lesson on creating beautiful fruit and charcuterie platters. Chefs Sandrine and Dominie demonstrated tips for making them especially gorgeous including grouping similar colors together while also combining different heights and textures.We also learned to supreme citrus, a technique I adore, which separates the juicy, citrus segments from the bitter, white pith. Sandrine also showed us how to make delicate strawberry roses out of gorgeous ripe, red French strawberries. To view her technique, check out the video below.To pair with our bounty of fresh fruit, Dominie also showed us how to make a sabayon. Known as zabaglione in Italy, this heavenly mixture of egg yolks, sugar and sweet wine (traditionally Madeira) is served slightly warm to make the contrast between the warm sauce and chilled fruit truly delightful.After our morning lesson we quickly changed and we were off to our celebratory last day lunch at Paloma, a Michelin two-star restaurant in the neighboring town of Mougins. The nattily dressed staff greeting us warmly and whisked us through the gorgeous Baroque-style dining room to our secluded table tucked in a lovely niche of the restaurant.The beautiful dining room featured sumptuous decor in muted tones of black, grey and lavender accented by gorgeous, sparkling crystal chandeliers. Ensconced in our banquette replete with chic Mongolian sheep fur pillows, the charming Chef de Cuisine Nicolas Decherchi greeted us personally. Needless to say, an onslaught of culinary delights ensued!Shortly after ordering, an amuse bouche of Savory Candy Floss with Foie Gras arrived served like miniature cotton candy on whimsical wooden sticks. It was served with a Food Lover's Trio featuring a delightful demitasse of pea soup with duck leg confit, a miniature sandwich of olives, anchovies and tuna and a bright yellow pepper capsule served atop savory bread. We were encouraged to begin with the trio and finish with the savory floss since they would bring us wet napkins for our hands.The soup and sandwich were a divine combination of flavors and textures, the velvety soup with silky duck confit paired nicely with the flavorful sandwich. The delightful savory floss deliciously dissolved on the tongue and rewarded with a creamy foie center - tres magnifique!Next, was a Seasonal Amuse, a gelée of fresh mint topped with a creamy espuma of smoked bacon studded with bits of bacon and black salt. The creativity of the dishes thus far was truly stunning. Even the fresh bread was served with a trio of beautifully sculpted, incredibly flavored pyramids of butter leaving us all in suspense over the main courses.Finally, a throng of waiters descended with our main courses. Our respective dishes were placed perfectly in front of us, each covered with a lovely silver cloche. Then, in perfect synchronicity, the servers removed the cloches in one dramatic grand gesture to reveal the deliciousness underneath (to watch, please click here).My mouthwatering Lobster with Housemade Linguine was blanketed in a blissfully creamy sauce of lobster, orange and basil and topped with a heavenly foam. Steve opted for a Paloma classic, Yellow and Brown Morille Mushrooms with a delicate mushroom mousseline with roasted gnocchi, poultry broth and a licorice zabaglione. Since I had been on a morel mushroom bender since we arrived, I'm thankful he shared a few bites with me. Needless to say, oodles of delightful rosé washed down all the deliciousness!As you might expect, dessert was equally astounding. I chose the Piña Colada Soufflé featuring a warm coconut soufflé with a creamy pineapple center accompanied by a refreshing coconut sorbet topped with rum foam (to watch the special prep, please click here). Steve opted for the divine Sainte Honoré with Praline which featured classic Sainte Honoré cake with delicious almond flavors topped with lemon foam served with praline ice cream.In addition to the desserts we ordered, we were also able to indulge in perhaps my favorite part of the French fine dining experience: the cheese and dessert carts. In the event you are still hungry after your multi-course meal, you can select from a plethora of delectable cheeses and heavenly pastries.While Steve indulged in some cheeses, I was thrilled to spot one of my absolute favorite Provencal desserts on the cart: a miniature Tarte Tropézienne. Made of decadent, vanilla custard-filled brioche cake and finished off with delicious nibs of pearl sugar, this dessert has quite a glamorous pedigree: it originated in Saint-Tropez in the 1950's and was named by actress Brigitte Bardot!A tour of the kitchen following our meal rounded out the exceptional dining experience. And that's exactly what is was, truly exceptional. From the haute cuisine, to the gorgeous decor, to the impeccable service right down to the intricately adorned silverware, the unwavering attention to detail made it quite easy to see how Paloma earned it's Michelin two star-rating.That evening back at La Peetch, we enjoyed a delightfully relaxed dinner comprised of the last of the ingredients we had purchased at the Market in Antibes as well as the morning's projects, our cheese and charcuterie boards.Steve and I made a Frisée aux LardonsSalad complete with perfectly poached eggs (one of my favorite takeaway skills of the week) which was served alongside a gorgeous Salade Niçoise with fresh seared tuna, a colorful and crisp Fennel andGrapefruit Salad and delicious Tomato Balsamic Bruschetta. Fresh country bread and copious amounts of salted butter from the boulangerie rounded out our final meal.We dined and drank wine into the wee hours of the morning with our new friends, reveling in our experiences over the week and all we had learned. We laughed until our cheeks hurt and it was truly the perfect end to a truly magical week and an experience we will cherish for years to come.

And it is for that reason and being so inspired by this special place...

I'm excited to FINALLY announce my first EVER Food and Wine Trip to La Pitchoune in Provence!

The 2018 La Pitchoune Food & Wine Experience will take place Sunday,October 14 - Friday, 19th, 2018. I'll be partnering with current owner and consummate hostess of La Pitchoune, Makenna Held, and we are looking forward to creating an incredibly special experience for you.Attendees will stay on property at La Pitchoune, Julia and Paul Child's former Summer home, and Bramafam, the home of Simone Beck (Julia's Mastering the Art of French Cooking co-author) which is located mere steps from La Peetch. Beck and her husband were actually the owners of the property who allowed their dear friends, Julia and Paul, to build their Summer home there.During the experience, we'll divide our time between learning French-inspired cooking techniques and developing wine tasting and pairing skills. In addition to the food and wine classes, we'll also enjoy field trips to local purveyors, markets, restaurants and wineries who highlight the bounty of Provence and make this magical region so incredibly special.The 2018 La Pitchoune Food & Wine Experience will be limited to 16 guests and the Sunday to Friday experience is $3,750 per person. In addition to lodging and daily classes, continental breakfasts, lunches and dinners are also included as well as excursions throughout the local area to food hot spots, (optional) daily yoga, beaucoup wine from the region and unlimited dips in the pristine, mosaic pool of La Peetch or the picturesque infinity pool of Bramafam. From the moment you arrive, you'll have a glass of wine in hand and plenty of food in your belly.If you are interested in signing up for our 2018 La Pitchoune Food & Wine Experience (Sunday,October 14 - Friday, 19th, 2018) or if you'd like to learn more about it, please e-mail me at stephanie@theglamorousgourmet.com. I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.I look forward to hearing from you and hope you can join us in Provence!Bon appétit,

Continue Reading >

Postcards from La Pitchoune: Day 4 & THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

Well, it’s official! The dates are set, the details are finalized and I couldn’t be more excited because today I get to share my big announcement with you! You know, the one I’ve been hinting at for the past month or so since we returned from our cooking class at La Pitchoune, Julia Child’s former Summer home in Provence?

So while I apologize for the delay, I promise it will be worth the wait.

First, in keeping with my previous La Peetch posts, I’d like to share the details of our magical last day with you. Days one, two and three of The Courageous Cooking School were so heavenly, a teeny gray cloud descended on my heart knowing we would be leaving this special place in the morning. However, this was also the day I knew I wanted to return and share this experience with you or others?.

The day began with a lesson on creating beautiful fruit and charcuterie platters. Chefs Sandrine and Dominie demonstrated tips for making them especially gorgeous including grouping similar colors together while also combining different heights and textures.

We also learned to supreme citrus, a technique I adore, which separates the juicy, citrus segments from the bitter, white pith. Sandrine also showed us how to make delicate strawberry roses out of gorgeous ripe, red French strawberries. To view her technique, check out the video below.

To pair with our bounty of fresh fruit, Dominie also showed us how to make a sabayon. Known as zabaglione in Italy, this heavenly mixture of egg yolks, sugar and sweet wine (traditionally Madeira) is served slightly warm to make the contrast between the warm sauce and chilled fruit truly delightful.

After our morning lesson we quickly changed and we were off to our celebratory last day lunch at Paloma, a Michelin two-star restaurant in the neighboring town of Mougins. The nattily dressed staff greeting us warmly and whisked us through the gorgeous Baroque-style dining room to our secluded table tucked in a lovely niche of the restaurant.

The beautiful dining room featured sumptuous decor in muted tones of black, grey and lavender accented by gorgeous, sparkling crystal chandeliers. Ensconced in our banquette replete with chic Mongolian sheep fur pillows, the charming Chef de Cuisine Nicolas Decherchi greeted us personally. Needless to say, an onslaught of culinary delights ensued!

Shortly after ordering, an amuse bouche of Savory Candy Floss with Foie Gras arrived served like miniature cotton candy on whimsical wooden sticks. It was served with a Food Lover’s Trio featuring a delightful demitasse of pea soup with duck leg confit, a miniature sandwich of olives, anchovies and tuna and a bright yellow pepper capsule served atop savory bread. We were encouraged to begin with the trio and finish with the savory floss since they would bring us wet napkins for our hands.

The soup and sandwich were a divine combination of flavors and textures, the velvety soup with silky duck confit paired nicely with the flavorful sandwich. The delightful savory floss deliciously dissolved on the tongue and rewarded with a creamy foie center – tres magnifique!

Next, was a Seasonal Amuse, a gelée of fresh mint topped with a creamy espuma of smoked bacon studded with bits of bacon and black salt. The creativity of the dishes thus far was truly stunning. Even the fresh bread was served with a trio of beautifully sculpted, incredibly flavored pyramids of butter leaving us all in suspense over the main courses.

Finally, a throng of waiters descended with our main courses. Our respective dishes were placed perfectly in front of us, each covered with a lovely silver cloche. Then, in perfect synchronicity, the servers removed the cloches in one dramatic grand gesture to reveal the deliciousness underneath (to watch, please click here).

My mouthwatering Lobster with Housemade Linguine was blanketed in a blissfully creamy sauce of lobster, orange and basil and topped with a heavenly foam. Steve opted for a Paloma classic, Yellow and Brown Morille Mushrooms with a delicate mushroom mousseline with roasted gnocchi, poultry broth and a licorice zabaglione. Since I had been on a morel mushroom bender since we arrived, I’m thankful he shared a few bites with me. Needless to say, oodles of delightful rosé washed down all the deliciousness!

As you might expect, dessert was equally astounding. I chose the Piña Colada Soufflé featuring a warm coconut soufflé with a creamy pineapple center accompanied by a refreshing coconut sorbet topped with rum foam (to watch the special prep, please click here). Steve opted for the divine Sainte Honoré with Praline which featured classic Sainte Honoré cake with delicious almond flavors topped with lemon foam served with praline ice cream.

In addition to the desserts we ordered, we were also able to indulge in perhaps my favorite part of the French fine dining experience: the cheese and dessert carts. In the event you are still hungry after your multi-course meal, you can select from a plethora of delectable cheeses and heavenly pastries.

While Steve indulged in some cheeses, I was thrilled to spot one of my absolute favorite Provencal desserts on the cart: a miniature Tarte Tropézienne. Made of decadent, vanilla custard-filled brioche cake and finished off with delicious nibs of pearl sugar, this dessert has quite a glamorous pedigree: it originated in Saint-Tropez in the 1950’s and was named by actress Brigitte Bardot!

A tour of the kitchen following our meal rounded out the exceptional dining experience. And that’s exactly what is was, truly exceptional. From the haute cuisine, to the gorgeous decor, to the impeccable service right down to the intricately adorned silverware, the unwavering attention to detail made it quite easy to see how Paloma earned it’s Michelin two star-rating.

That evening back at La Peetch, we enjoyed a delightfully relaxed dinner comprised of the last of the ingredients we had purchased at the Market in Antibes as well as the morning’s projects, our cheese and charcuterie boards.

Steve and I made a Frisée aux Lardons Salad complete with perfectly poached eggs (one of my favorite takeaway skills of the week) which was served alongside a gorgeous Salade Niçoise with fresh seared tuna, a colorful and crisp Fennel and Grapefruit Salad and delicious Tomato Balsamic Bruschetta. Fresh country bread and copious amounts of salted butter from the boulangerie rounded out our final meal.

We dined and drank wine into the wee hours of the morning with our new friends, reveling in our experiences over the week and all we had learned. We laughed until our cheeks hurt and it was truly the perfect end to a truly magical week and an experience we will cherish for years to come.

And it is for that reason and being so inspired by this special place…

I’m excited to FINALLY announce my first EVER Food and Wine Trip to La Pitchoune in Provence!

The 2018 La Pitchoune Food & Wine Experience will take place Sunday, October 14 – Friday, 19th, 2018. I’ll be partnering with current owner and consummate hostess of La Pitchoune, Makenna Held, and we are looking forward to creating an incredibly special experience for you.

Attendees will stay on property at La Pitchoune, Julia and Paul Child’s former Summer home, and Bramafam, the home of Simone Beck (Julia’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking co-author) which is located mere steps from La Peetch. Beck and her husband were actually the owners of the property who allowed their dear friends, Julia and Paul, to build their Summer home there.

During the experience, we’ll divide our time between learning French-inspired cooking techniques and developing wine tasting and pairing skills. In addition to the food and wine classes, we’ll also enjoy field trips to local purveyors, markets, restaurants and wineries who highlight the bounty of Provence and make this magical region so incredibly special.

The 2018 La Pitchoune Food & Wine Experience will be limited to 16 guests and the Sunday to Friday experience is $3,750 per person. In addition to lodging and daily classes, continental breakfasts, lunches and dinners are also included as well as excursions throughout the local area to food hot spots, (optional) daily yoga, beaucoup wine from the region and unlimited dips in the pristine, mosaic pool of La Peetch or the picturesque infinity pool of Bramafam. From the moment you arrive, you’ll have a glass of wine in hand and plenty of food in your belly.

If you are interested in signing up for our 2018 La Pitchoune Food & Wine Experience (Sunday, October 14 – Friday, 19th, 2018) or if you’d like to learn more about it, please e-mail me at stephanie@theglamorousgourmet.com. I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have.

I look forward to hearing from you and hope you can join us in Provence!

Bon appétit,

The post Postcards from La Pitchoune: Day 4 & THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.

Postcards from La Pitchoune: Day 3 of The Courageous Cooking School

After an evening of Champagne and deliciousness (for all the deets on Day 1 or Day 2please click the links) somehow we all managed to make it to our morning cooking class on time. Of course it helped that the kitchen was right outside our bedroom doors. And we could wear our comfy PJs and/or yoga clothes!Day 3 began with Chocolate Fondants. You know those decadent chocolatey little cakes with the melty chocolate centers that ooze out when you greedily dig into it with your fork? Yeah, that was how we started Day 3. Chef Dominie guided us through the proper steps of combining the melteddark chocolate, butter, eggs, sugar, flour and cocoa and the subsequent dividing of the heavenly concoction between our generously greased and cocoa-ed baking tins.Then we focused on some classic French sauces including hollandaise and aioli. Chef Sandrine demonstrated her tried and true recipe for hollandaise which was so incredibly creamy and luscious it caused a feeding frenzy among us. Ok, maybe it was mostly me who couldn't control myself BUT it just so happened to be ready precisely when Steve and I pulled our Artichokes Confit out of the oven. Is it really MY fault if they taste so good slathered with hollandaise?I had never even made artichokes before but I was so inspired by them at the Antibes market. And what better place to attempt uncharted culinary territory than The Courageous Cooking School? It turns out with a little guidance and some teamwork with the Hubs, it wasn't so difficult after all.We simply trimmed the bottoms, giving the artichokes a flat surface to rest on, popped them in a baking dish and seasoned them liberally between all of their triangular, serrated leaves with extra virgin olive oil, sherry vinegar, sea salt and pepper. They emerged from the oven a burnished greenish-brown and the flesh inside each leaf was incredibly succulent and flavorful.We were also tasked with using the ingredients on hand to come up with side dishes to serve with the evening's meal, a very special Salt-Baked Fish prepared by Makenna. Steve and I decided on a variation of PotatoesLyonnaise featuring thinly sliced potatoes and caramelized onions sauteed in butter and then garnished with chopped fresh herbs.After all of our dishes were prepped, we headed out for another field trip to a very unique winery. We took the scenic route east through the undulating hills of the South of France, passing oodles of charming towns, each more inviting than the next.Approximately 45 minutes later, we pulled into the driveway of Domaine des Hautes Collines located in Saint-Jeannet, one of the Perched Villages of the Cote d'Azur. Founded in the 12th and 13th centuries, these charming villages were founded when coastal inhabitants fled inwards to protect their families from marauders and pirates. While not so much an issue today, these hilltop villages provide dramatic views of the beautiful coastline.Lining the driveway of the chateau were large glass vessels filled with white and red wines. Little did we know, these vessels are key to producing the winery's unique offerings which include white, rosé, red and late harvest wines.We were greeted by Proprietor Georges Rasse, an affable, mustachioed gentleman who, together with his brother Denis, took over the winery for their father in 1986. Rasse spoke very passionately about his wines and the region, informing us the area has been making wine since the days of the Romans.Today, the 4 hectare estate grows a wide assortment of grapes including Chardonnay, Ugni Blanc, Semillon, Rolle, Braquet, Malbec, Merlot, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Gamay.What makes Rasse's wines so unique, however, is how he incorporates one of wine's supposed "enemies" in the winemaking process: namely the sun! Rasse fills the clear glass vessels with his wines and then exposes them to direct sunlight, sometimes for up to three months, before they are bottled or transferred to oak barrels. He claims this sunlight exposure helps to stabilize and purify the wines thereby reducing the need for sulfites or other preservatives.We thoroughly enjoyed touring the winery and listening to Rasse's interesting history making wine in this special region. We also tasted through a selection of his offerings including a white, two rosés, two red wines and a late harvest Semillon before it was time to head back to La Pitchoune (more on these wines later!).The pièce de résistance of the evening's meal was Makenna's Salt-Baked Fishwith Stuffed with Lemon and Herbs served with a dreamy, garlicky aioli. While it might sound (and look) quite glamorous, this is actually an ancient way of cooking and once you get the hang of it, it's actually quite easy.Makenna chose a beautiful fresh dorade for the recipe although snapper, sea bass or bream would work just as well. She proceeded to make the salt crust mixture out of raw eggs, fennel or corianderseeds, lemon peel, water and of course kosher or grey salt. When fully combined, the mixture had the consistency and weight of wet sand.The cleaned fish was then stuffed with fresh, citrusy lemonslices and an assortment of fresh herbs including rosemary, thyme and parsley. The stuffed fish was then laid upon a baking sheet already covered with the salt mixture and then enveloped in the briny, citrus studded crust.The result was a succulent fish seasoned to perfection - it didn't taste over salted at ALL! The garlicky aioli was the perfect accompaniment as was the array of side dishes we had all made including our Potatoes Lyonnaise, a delicious Quinoa Salad, delightful Rice Pilaf with Toasted Almonds and RoastedAsparagus with a spicy, flavorful Romesco Sauce.As I drifted off to sleep that night, I couldn't help but think we only had one full day left at La Pitchoune. Thankfully, between my contentedly full stomach and rosé wine haze I decided to worry about that tomorrow.Bon appétit,

Continue Reading >

Postcards from La Pitchoune: Day 3 of The Courageous Cooking School

After an evening of Champagne and deliciousness (for all the deets on Day 1 or Day 2 please click the links) somehow we all managed to make it to our morning cooking class on time. Of course it helped that the kitchen was right outside our bedroom doors. And we could wear our comfy PJs and/or yoga clothes!

Day 3 began with Chocolate Fondants. You know those decadent chocolatey little cakes with the melty chocolate centers that ooze out when you greedily dig into it with your fork? Yeah, that was how we started Day 3. Chef Dominie guided us through the proper steps of combining the melted dark chocolate, butter, eggs, sugar, flour and cocoa and the subsequent dividing of the heavenly concoction between our generously greased and cocoa-ed baking tins.

Then we focused on some classic French sauces including hollandaise and aioli. Chef Sandrine demonstrated her tried and true recipe for hollandaise which was so incredibly creamy and luscious it caused a feeding frenzy among us. Ok, maybe it was mostly me who couldn’t control myself BUT it just so happened to be ready precisely when Steve and I pulled our Artichokes Confit out of the oven. Is it really MY fault if they taste so good slathered with hollandaise?

I had never even made artichokes before but I was so inspired by them at the Antibes market. And what better place to attempt uncharted culinary territory than The Courageous Cooking School? It turns out with a little guidance and some teamwork with the Hubs, it wasn’t so difficult after all.

We simply trimmed the bottoms, giving the artichokes a flat surface to rest on, popped them in a baking dish and seasoned them liberally between all of their triangular, serrated leaves with extra virgin olive oil, sherry vinegar, sea salt and pepper. They emerged from the oven a burnished greenish-brown and the flesh inside each leaf was incredibly succulent and flavorful.

We were also tasked with using the ingredients on hand to come up with side dishes to serve with the evening’s meal, a very special Salt-Baked Fish prepared by Makenna. Steve and I decided on a variation of Potatoes Lyonnaise featuring thinly sliced potatoes and caramelized onions sauteed in butter and then garnished with chopped fresh herbs.

After all of our dishes were prepped, we headed out for another field trip to a very unique winery. We took the scenic route east through the undulating hills of the South of France, passing oodles of charming towns, each more inviting than the next.

Approximately 45 minutes later, we pulled into the driveway of Domaine des Hautes Collines located in Saint-Jeannet, one of the Perched Villages of the Cote d’Azur. Founded in the 12th and 13th centuries, these charming villages were founded when coastal inhabitants fled inwards to protect their families from marauders and pirates. While not so much an issue today, these hilltop villages provide dramatic views of the beautiful coastline.

Lining the driveway of the chateau were large glass vessels filled with white and red wines. Little did we know, these vessels are key to producing the winery’s unique offerings which include white, rosé, red and late harvest wines.

We were greeted by Proprietor Georges Rasse, an affable, mustachioed gentleman who, together with his brother Denis, took over the winery for their father in 1986. Rasse spoke very passionately about his wines and the region, informing us the area has been making wine since the days of the Romans.

Today, the 4 hectare estate grows a wide assortment of grapes including Chardonnay, Ugni Blanc, Semillon, Rolle, Braquet, Malbec, Merlot, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Gamay.

What makes Rasse’s wines so unique, however, is how he incorporates one of wine’s supposed “enemies” in the winemaking process: namely the sun! Rasse fills the clear glass vessels with his wines and then exposes them to direct sunlight, sometimes for up to three months, before they are bottled or transferred to oak barrels. He claims this sunlight exposure helps to stabilize and purify the wines thereby reducing the need for sulfites or other preservatives.

We thoroughly enjoyed touring the winery and listening to Rasse’s interesting history making wine in this special region. We also tasted through a selection of his offerings including a white, two rosés, two red wines and a late harvest Semillon before it was time to head back to La Pitchoune (more on these wines later!).

The pièce de résistance of the evening’s meal was Makenna’s Salt-Baked Fish with Stuffed with Lemon and Herbs served with a dreamy, garlicky aioli. While it might sound (and look) quite glamorous, this is actually an ancient way of cooking and once you get the hang of it, it’s actually quite easy.

Makenna chose a beautiful fresh dorade for the recipe although snapper, sea bass or bream would work just as well. She proceeded to make the salt crust mixture out of raw eggs, fennel or coriander seeds, lemon peel, water and of course kosher or grey salt. When fully combined, the mixture had the consistency and weight of wet sand.

The cleaned fish was then stuffed with fresh, citrusy lemon slices and an assortment of fresh herbs including rosemary, thyme and parsley. The stuffed fish was then laid upon a baking sheet already covered with the salt mixture and then enveloped in the briny, citrus studded crust.

The result was a succulent fish seasoned to perfection – it didn’t taste over salted at ALL! The garlicky aioli was the perfect accompaniment as was the array of side dishes we had all made including our Potatoes Lyonnaise, a delicious Quinoa Salad, delightful Rice Pilaf with Toasted Almonds and Roasted Asparagus with a spicy, flavorful Romesco Sauce.

As I drifted off to sleep that night, I couldn’t help but think we only had one full day left at La Pitchoune. Thankfully, between my contentedly full stomach and rosé wine haze I decided to worry about that tomorrow.

Bon appétit,

 

The post Postcards from La Pitchoune: Day 3 of The Courageous Cooking School appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.

Postcards from La Pitchoune: Day 2 of The Courageous Cooking School

On the second day of our cooking retreat at La Pitchoune, Julia Child's former Summer home in the South of France (to begin with Day 1, please click here), it was becoming quite evident that one of our favorite things about the trip was...ourclassmates!We were lucky to be paired up with four fabulous girls from Nova Scotia who kept us laughing virtually non-stop since the day we arrived. While sometimes it's nice to travel with friends, Steve and I have also had great experiences making new ones (like at this cooking class in Burgundy) and this trip was NO exception. And cooking is ALWAYS more fun when you're laughing your arse off!But back to cooking!!!Day 2 began with a quick yoga class followed by a trip to the market in Antibes to shop for the day's class. The three dishes we would attempt today were - are you ready? (1) Boeuf Bourguignon, (2) Bouillabaisse and (3) Coq au Vin.Needless to say, my heart skipped a beat and I thought for a minute I had died and gone to heaven. These dishes represent the holy trinity of French cooking for me AND to make them in Julia's kitchen? I could barely. wrap. my mind. around. that.As we jostled along the dirt road heading off the property, it was clear we were blessed with another gorgeous day. Once we arrived in Antibes, the view was positively breathtaking. Definitely like nothing I've seen on my way to Publix at home.The brilliant, azure blue sky framed towering, snowcapped mountains in the distance, while sunlight danced across the brilliant sea in front of us. And although there wasn't a cloud in the sky, the heavenly ocean breeze made a light sweater a welcome accessory.Makenna directed us to a local coffee shop where we finalized our market plan over lattes and green smoothies. We were not only to purchase items for our recipes (The Miskews were TeamCoq auVin!) but also to select a few things that really inspired us, like an interesting piece of fruit, an unusual spice or a unique type of cheese.The bustle of the market was both invigorating and overwhelming but one thing was for sure - I was in heaven! Steve and I hit the cheesevendor or fromager first. We thoroughly enjoyed sampling a nutty Tomme de Savoie, tangy Ossau Iraty and creamy Saint-Felicien before making our choices.For the Coq au Vin, we wanted to include an assortment of mushrooms. Not only plain button mushrooms (champignons) but also morels which were luckily in season!When it comes to mushrooms, the highly coveted morel is one of my favorites. Morels have a unique honeycomb appearance, spongy texture and deliciously rich flavor. They are also commonly used in Provencal cuisine and you know what RonBurgundy says, "When in Rome...".In the States, I've mostly encountered dried morels, but this market had oodles of fresh ones! Needless to say, we snatched up a bunch and once we'd finished our shopping, Steve and I wandered over to the ocean to take in the breathtaking view (to see a video, please click here).Even though we only live two minutes from the beach at home, this was a completely different experience and we reveled in its beauty before heading back to La Pitchoune.Back at La Peetch, we quickly got down to business prepping our dishes. Chef Dominie provided lessons on breaking down a chicken, complete with how to spatchcock one (to learn more about this fabulous term, click here), as well as layering flavors and textures in soups and stews by taking us through the steps of making a succulent Lamb Navarin.One of the things I loved most about TheCourageous Cooking School is despite the range of cooking skills, everyone, was able to participate and have fun in the hands on classes.But why the rush prepping our dishes?Because apparently, we had a very special field trip to take later that afternoon! And once our dishes were simmering away on the stove, we headed out for an afternoon of...Champagne tasting! Yes, you heard me, C H A M P A G N E!!!The owners of Champagne HouseCristian Senez just happened to have a tasting room nearby. And frankly, I couldn't think of a better pairing for our varied assortment of dishes we were going to enjoy later that night.We were welcomed by Cristian's lovely wife Josette who led us through a tasting of seven different cuvées. From the charming, entry level Senez Brut made of 100% Pinot Noir to the unique La Cuvée des Filles, a 50/50 blend of Chardonnay and PinotBlanc, to the 2008Rosé de Saignée Millésimé and 2005 Brut Grande réserve Millésimé each wine was more delightful than the next.The only thing competing with the Champagnes was the Senez'sJack Russell puppy, Fifi! We lingered over our wines, chatting, laughing and playing tug-of-war with Fifi until it was time to repair to La Peetch for our special dinner.Back at La Pitchoune the house smelled so good I'm sure Julia would have been proud!We all put the finishing touches on our dishes, set them out on the buffet and heartily dug in. The Bouillabaisse was chock full of heavenly seafood cooked in a delightful fennel scented broth while the Coq au Vin was hearty and satisfying with earthy mushrooms, savory chicken and salty lardons. The Boeuf Bourguignon was also heavenly featuring hearty chunks of beef simmered in a rich broth infused with red wine and root vegetables.The SenezChampagne we brought back from our tasting paired beautifully with the various dishes and thus was the end of another near perfect day in Provence.Bon appétit,

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