Article from the collaborative Hong Kong wine shop: http://www.wineshop.hk
This article describe the quite unique wine distribution situation in Hong Kong
The Canelé de Bordeaux is a magical bakery confection, a cake with a rich custardy interior enclosed by a thin caramelized shell
History
The origin of Canelé Bordeaux is like the recipe, a little mysterious. However, it seems that this pastry has its origin in the convent of the Annunciation located behind the St. Eulalia Church in Bordeaux. Indeed, this convent, founded in 1519 by the wife of the Baron de Mirambeau Andron Jacquette de Lansac, specialized in the manufacture of candied nuts and candies shaped sticks called canelats or canelets. The latter were made by the nuns from the flour that they were recovering on the docks, the yolk of egg that have not served to collage wine and rum from the Colonies (Bordeaux was the import harbor for rhum). This cake was then distributed to the poor or sold for their benefit.
In 1985, some pastry chefs decided to found the Brotherhood of Canelé Bordeaux in order to make Canelés a Bordeaux speciality.
Caneles are linked to the wine making process and History of Bordeaux
Buy Canelés in Hong Kong
Hong Kong catering company
Antonin Catering produces Canelés in Hong Kong
Egg yolks and “Collage” :
Indeed, it was observed that a wine disorder normally included millions of such small particles, some of which were almost invisible. The operation was therefore to introduce the egg whites gently into the wine (about 5 egg whites per barrel of 225 liters) and obtain a precipitation of these particles in suspension, they shall be removed several weeks later by racking.
Rhum and vanilla: present at Bordeaux on both the activity of the Port and trade with French colonies
JO ASSOCIATION : la confrerie du canele de bordeaux.
Date de parution : 29/12/2001
Numéro de parution : 20010052
Date d’insertion : 2010-12-21
Date de déclaration :26 NOVEMBRE 2001
Numéro de page : 786
Departement : gironde (aquitaine)
Lieu de parution : la gironde.
16, rue du maréchal-fayolle, 33200 bordeaux.
Activité de la confrerie du canele de Bordeaux.
Faire connaître et apprécier le canelé bordelais en entreprenant toute action susceptible d’y concourir ou d’en faciliter la réalisation.
For more reading and info on Caneles, external Links:
http://algor-expertises.com/Detente/caneles2.htm Complete and detailed article on the History of The canele de Bordeaux
http://chezpim.com/bake/canele-recipe-method Canele Recipe
http://www.baillardran.com/ One of the famous Canele maker in Bordeaux
http://www.lemoine-canele.com/produits.htm Maison lemoine
https://antonin-catering.kyte.site/1603702049711-DTnkT
Le Canelé De Bordeaux Etude exhaustive sur le canele realise dans un cadre etudiant (analyse des critères de spécificité d’ une spécialité régionale :le Canelé de Bordeaux
If there is a culinary symbol of French gastronomy, it is the snail. Yet!
Its variety of denominations : cacalauso in Provence, in the Charente cagouille, casalauda in Roussillon, caraceu in Nice, cararaulada in Languedoc, schnacka in Alsace, luma in Poitou! It comes from the Provençal “escaragol” cousin “Caracoles” Iberian, the “cargol” Catalan but far removed from “lumace” Italian, “snail” English and “schnecke” not to mention the German “Saligari” Greek, ” kala “banda, the” Okoto “Yoruba or” conchas “Cuba! This proves that while moving from 4 meters per hour, he managed to colonize the planet, beginning his journey here over 12,000 years. Today it is a valuable resource for the Balkans and Poland as our national snail has the name of Burgundy, the species most consumed, the helix is almost entirely imported. In addition to its taste, it is also an integral part of the pharmacopoeia. The science and art are interested because this strange animal has inspired not only artists but also theologians and philosophers. What do we know today in this mollusc loved or hated, that although we seeming native, is now a real player in globalization?
Since when do we eat snails in France? Gastropods (from the Greek gaster, “stomach” dust, “foot”), are the most numerous animal species besides insects. There are about 40 000. They appeared here 600 million years and are the only mollusc have conquered the land.
10,000 years of Snails Feast!
Archaeology has shown that snails were consumed in our regions from the Mesolithic period, around 10,000 BC. BC The Greeks and Romans were fond of this mollusc and they raised already accommodated in various ways. In the Middle Ages, the snail was a delicacy for his noble seasoning was very expensive and hunting at his horse with dogs, more likely than their masters to unearth the buried snails. In the sixteenth, was renewed interest in the surrounding snail regarded as lean meat, such as frogs and turtles, found its place on every table.
In 1814, during a dinner in honour of Tsar Alexander 1st, Talleyrand chef Antonin Careme (the chef from Burgundy) introduced a new recipe. This one has the idea of serving snails stuffed with butter, garlic and parsley. The recipe works wonders! Since then and throughout the 19th century, it appears in the map of big fancy restaurants.
Antonin Carème (1784-1833)
Creator of the recipe “l’Escargot à la Bourguignonne”
80% of snails eaten in France are prepared “A la Burgundy” that is stuffed with herb, garlic & butter.
Where are the snails today? The collection of snails was later codified what led to the depletion of the species when consumption increases dramatically. To satisfy their customers, French suppliers (caterers, canners) of live snails imported it from Germany and Central Europe and the Balkans and Turkey. However, most sources of supply being away from consumption centers, ithttp:// became difficult to work with live snails and in the 1970s, we saw the development of production sites (Greece, Turkey) plants treatment where one cleans, sorts and packages shells and flesh. Modern and well equipped, often organized in joint ventures, these enterprises, strictly regulated, providing a commodity respecting European standards of quality and hygiene. Located on-site collection, in remote rural areas, they offer unskilled jobs, often seasonal women in the region, for which they are a significant sideline. – The species is the most consumed helix. The most famous and finest is the Helix pomatia Linnaeus, said the snail of Burgundy, which is actually native to Central Europe. This is the recipe to the Burgundian who popularized it and not its origin. Rare and protected in France, it is imported from Greece and Eastern Europe and comes from collection because iut cannot be raised. – The helix or helix lucorum of Turkey is also picked up in Greece and the Balkans, the snail is the most sold today, canned or frozen – The Helix aspersa, the “little gray” and “big gray” imported or brought up in France. Larger and less tasty than the helix, it is not regarded in France as a snail, unlike other European countries, which explains its poor reputation. Strictly codified, its use must be stated on the packaging and the food served at the restaurant. The snail has followed a helical path. From France, he was then imported from Germany, the Balkans, Turkey and the countries of East and China. Every year, hundreds of trucks on the Balkans and the Alps for transport to the processing plants, raw materials imported from South and Central Europe
Domestic production: The breeding of helix aspersa “Snails and giant snails used for the preparation may come from the collection of wild animals in the wild” gathering “or livestock. By “farming” means the intensive or extensive grazing for a minimum of 12 weeks (not hibernation) with or without food intake, “says French official regulations. The fattening of snails, after a mortality of about 20%, lasts four to six months in which will require 1.5 to 2 kg of special foods for a kilo of snails. This gives an average of 200 to 300 snails per square meter salable. A small gray reaches its adult size in one year. French production is 500 to 800 tons per year while we import 5000 tons per year.
Other uses of the snail Snails, diet and health Snails are high in omega 6 and their consumption is highly recommended for fight against cholesterol, diseases and cardiovascular aging, provided of course to eat at the Cretan fashion rather than Burgundy.
Most legends featuring snails make it be beneficial and form has inspired many artists, Babylonian ziggurats to the masterpieces of Frank Lloyd Wright. However, the fathers of the Catholic Church, taking literally the Biblical texts, which ranks among the creeping, often assimilated to the devil. The medieval imagination has to be considered a negative, which alone accounts for several deadly sins – sloth, avarice, lust – That may be why it was long despised by our ancestors before the Industrial Revolution, ignoring superstitions, not put to the fashion in Paris. As usual, the province led the way, and this dish heritage that made the heyday of Parisian brasseries, if today is still emblematic of French gastronomy has indeed become one of the actors of globalization .
Source: Frances Dieterich Associate Professor of History and Geography
Where to purchase Snails in Hong Kong? On French gourmet Hong Kong online store
Link: www.cuisine-escargot.com/
Link: http://www.gireaud.net/us/heliciculture_us.htm
Snails recipes: http://www.cuisine-escargot.com/les-recettes/toutes-les-recettes
It was around 1350 that found the first treaty in French cuisine: the Viandier of Taillevent, head cook (‘chef’) of the dolphin and the Duke of Normandy, the future Charles V. This book covers all food (the meaning of ‘meat’ to the sixteenth century), but insists on cooking roasted and boiled and the sauce very spicy.
In soups, Taillevent uses cinnamon, ginger and saffron to accompany poultry and gibiers. Often based on tricks and mince, food is here to stay long on the preparation of menus at the court of the Kings. C’esy when Catherine de Medicis will bring a change in the preparation of food thanks to chefs from Florence. From that moment, one sees a diet enriched with broccoli, artichokes and vegetables. The Ates are also discovered at the same time with the dumplings and meat veal.
From 1651, a new era comes to light by the talent of Varenne and his cook François will extend until the end of 1790.
Thus is formed a company of the “order of the hills”, through the finest palaces of France. Are emerging also refined tableware, cutlery and scheduling of porcelain.
The modern kitchen. . .
Festin bourgeois
the French Revolution effected a significant change in cuisine. Through the “maitres queues” at the service of the great aristocrats and princes, will appear the “modern restaurants” .. . In 1782, opening of the Great Tavern of London Rue Richelieu in Paris, a restaurant renowned for its time, with the talent of Antoine Beauvillier.The kitchen here called “bourgeois” designed by Menon in the middle of the eighteenth century. This raises the same time, better movement of goods between provincial lands and their integration into the menus of the Great of the time. Crafts born, he became an art thanks to the poem by Joseph Berchoux, judge and amateur cooking.
The disciples of the great kitchen acquire the skills and knowledge to be teachers by learning effective. The famous “Tour de France” of the province and apprentices learn their specific cuisine.
Sophisticated works of Marie-Antoine Carême, chef de Talleyrand before going to serve the Czar, or the impact worldly creations of Adolf Dugléré form a legacy that the development of lavish banquets accompanied by research and a certain scientific approach. So, while the culinary splendor, the French offer significant advances in dietary practice, as Appert canned that designs for Napoleon’s armies and Chaptal that streamlines wine fermentation.
The language does not remain silent before such pleasures and literature seized the menus and recipes to make texts difficult. If Alexandre Dumas is dedicated to the colorful compilation of recipes for his great dictionary, a work that embraces all aspects of nutrition, gluttony to chemistry and the art of hospitality to the sensuality of the famous dish is Physiology the taste of Brillat-Savarin, which honors the invention of men and the prodigality of nature. This gourmet for which “a feast is an abstract of the world” combines the research of science and the intoxication of tastes. As a true anthropologist, he draws the display of knowledge that combines art and gourmet varieties of situations in which man, when he eats, feels, dreams develop or meditate.
The French influence. . .
To access a universal recognition of French cuisine, enjoy the turn of the twentieth century, the effort to Auguste Escoffier. This chef specializes in luxury hotel catering, cook MacMahon, was also a practical student supplying the troops, the conservation of collaborating in the tomato soup recipe “Kub” of Maggi.
Cook millionaires, however Escoffier invented the fixed price menu. His career in the most prestigious hotels of the Riviera, Paris or London alongside Ritz (the founder of the famous hotel), which gives it a reputation he make French products traveling with him. The “Epicure dinners” that he held simultaneously in 140 cities of the two worlds have thousands of guests, the same dishes and mark the advent of the great French cuisine.
After taking the league by gourmets that anima, the foundation that bears his name continues to organize exchanges among French chefs.
From the year 1930, the Lyon region defends its originality with the mother or Brasier Fernand Point, decentralize some excellence in French. The work and the scrupulous attention paid to seasonal ingredients are the base of the engineering firm that defends the kitchen. Fernand Point, the figure of uncompromising energy for the large kitchen, illustrates this appetite for knowledge working large caps, “When it comes to food, one must read everything, see everything, hear everything try, observe, to remember at the end a little bit. ”
Taking its sequel, and the Troisgros brothers Chappe will introduce whole lines of chefs dedicated to this tradition while Bocuse, Guérard Senderens or defend in the 1970’s exoticism and innovation of a “nouvelle cuisine”. Today, the land continues to experience success, but globalization is running: great restaurants in Europe, Asia and U.S. have set up shop, the food absorbs new flavors Foreign (as it did previously) while a food revolutionary invented eccentric, playful and colorful.
Active ingredients and propertiesThe active ingredients of the oyster has not been the subject of specific studies. Note however some studies showing significant results on the benefits of consuming fish and seafood First, a survey of more than 14,000 women showed that they consumed more fish and seafood Wed, less their risk of colorectal cancer was HIGH1. Another study conducted among Chinese, showed that weekly consumption of at least one meal of fish or seafood is associated with a lower risk of fatal myocardial infarction, compared with consumption inférieure2. At present, the beneficial effects of the consumption of marine products can be associated with a particular active ingredient, clinical studies are needed to identify the components involved. For cons, the presence of omega-3 in fish and seafood may have a role to play.
Omega-3. The oyster contains eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), two fatty acids of the omega-3. The oyster is a very good source of these fatty acids, providing a comparable amount in some fatty fish like mackerel and sardines. The omega-3 fatty acids act as precursors of chemical messengers to promote well-functioning immune system, circulatory and hormonal. Several epidemiological and clinical studies have shown that consumption of omega-3 (mostly from fatty fish) may have favorable effects on cardiovascular health, including reduced disease mortality cardiovasculaire3. These fatty acids are known to reduce blood pressure, blood triglycerides and blood clots.
The fat content of the oyster is somewhat higher than in most other seafood, where particularly high amount of omega-3 fatty acids it contains. Although the optimal amounts of omega-3 to consume are not firmly established, scientific evidence shows that daily consumption of 500 mg to 1800 mg of EPA and DHA would enjoy the benefits that are reliés4 . Consumption of 100 g oyster (about two medium raw oysters) providing nearly 1400 mg. In comparison, the oyster contains 1.5 times less EPA and DHA than salmon, an oily fish.
If you live in Hong Kong, you can order French Fines de claires oysters on French Gourmet Hong Kong Food Store:
www.frenchgourmethk.com
The most important nutriments contained in Oysters
Excellent source of phosphorus. Oysters are an excellent source of phosphorus, the second most abundant mineral in the body after calcium (see our handout Awards nutrient phosphorus). Apart from its essential role in the formation of bones and teeth, he participated, among others, growth and regeneration of tissues. It helps maintain normal blood pH. It is also one of the constituents of cell membranes.
Excellent source of iron. Oysters are an excellent source of iron. A serving of cooked oysters four provides 50% and 100% of daily iron needs of women and men, they have different needs in this mineral. Iron helps carry oxygen in the blood and the formation of red blood cells. It also plays a role in the production of new cells, hormones and neurotransmitters. Iron deficiency leads to anemia, causing weakness, fatigue and sometimes depression.
Excellent source of Zinc. Oysters are an excellent source of zinc. Zinc takes part in immune responses, production of genetic material, to the perception of taste, wound healing and fetal development. Zinc also interacts with sex hormones and thyroid. In the pancreas, is involved in the synthesis (manufacturing), to set aside and the release of insulin.
Copper: excellent source. Oysters are an excellent source of copper. As a constituent of many enzymes, copper is necessary for the formation of hemoglobin and collagen (a protein used in the structure and tissue repair) in the body. Several copper-containing enzymes also contribute to the body’s defense against free radicals.
Excellent source of Selenium. Oysters are an excellent source of selenium. Selenium works with one of the main antioxidant enzymes, thus preventing the formation of free radicals in the body. It also helps convert thyroid hormones in their active form.
Excellent source vitamin B2. Oysters are an excellent source of vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin. This vitamin plays a role in energy metabolism of all cells, in addition to contributing to the growth and tissue repair, production of hormones and red blood cell formation.
Excellent source vitamin B12. Oysters are an excellent source of vitamin B12, a single oyster cooked provides three times the recommended nutrient intakes. Also known as cobalamin, vitamin B12 helps in the manufacture of new cells, helps maintain nerve cells, folic acid makes active and participates in the metabolism of certain fatty acids and amino acids.
Good source Vitamin B3. The oyster is a good source of vitamin B3, also known as niacin. She participates in many metabolic reactions and special contributions to the production of energy from carbohydrates, fat, protein and alcohol we consume. Niacin is also involved in the training process of DNA.
Good source Vitamin A. The oyster is a good source of vitamin A. This vitamin is one of the most versatile, playing a role in many body functions. Among others, it promotes the growth of bones and teeth, maintains healthy skin and protects against infection. In addition, it plays an antioxidant and promotes good vision.
Manganese. The oyster contains manganese. Manganese using several enzymes in their functions, thus facilitating a dozen different metabolic processes. He also participates in the prevention of damage caused by free radicals. There is no Recommended Dietary Allowance for manganese, but adequate supplies.
Iodine. The oyster contains iodine. This is a component of thyroid hormones necessary for the regulation of growth, development and metabolism. The exact value of the iodine content of oysters is not available in the Canadian Nutrient File nutrients.
Pantothenic acid. The oyster contains pantothenic acid, also known as vitamin B5. This acid plays a key role in using energy from the food we eat. He also participated in several steps of the synthesis of steroid hormones, neurotransmitters and hemoglobin. There is no Recommended Dietary Allowance for pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), but adequate supplies.
Vitamin D. The oyster contains vitamin D. A single oyster alone fills 40% of adequate intake of this vitamin. Vitamin D is closely related to bone health, making available calcium and phosphorus in the blood. It also plays a role in the maturation of cells, including cells of the immune system. There is no Recommended Dietary Allowance for vitamin D, but adequate supplies.
So don’t hesitate and go for delicious French Oysters!
See also our post on Fine de Claires Oysters:
https://frenchgourmethk.wordpress.com/2012/01/05/fines-de-claires-oysters/
Source: translated and edited from
http://www.passeportsante.net/fr/Nutrition/EncyclopedieAliments/Fiche.aspx?doc=huitre_nu
Références
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Bibliographie
Agence canadienne d’inspection des aliments. Poisson. Un des neuf allergènes alimentaires les plus courants. [Consulté le 14 juin 2005]. www.inspection.gc.ca
Agence de promotion économique du Canada atlantique. Produits à valeur ajoutée. [Consulté le 7 décembre 2004]. www.acoa.ca/f
Agriculture, Pêcheries et Alimentation Québec. Fiche technique 6 : l’huître américaine. [Consulté le 6 décembre 2004]. www.mapaq.gouv.qc.ca
Alaskan Shellfish Growers Association. Heaven on the Half Shell. Alaskashellfish.com [Consulté le 15 août 2004]. http://alaskashellfish.com
Boeuf Gilles. L’aquaculture dans le monde – Quel avenir? Université de Perpignan, Cycle de conférences, 2001-2002. www.univ-perp.fr
Brahim Hamza O, Barbeau C, Caponi E, Femmes enceintes. Dans : Chagnon Decelles D, Daignault Gélinas M, Lavallé Côté L. et coll. Manuel de Nutrition Clinique, 3e éd. Montréal, Ordre professionnel des diététistes du Québec, 2000.
Cascorbi A. Shellfish Farming: Environmental Impacts. Monterey Bay Aquarium, 2001. Seafoodwatch [Consulté le 15 août 2004]. www.mbayaq.org
CNC-Comité national de la conchyliculture. Règlements sur la classification. [Consulté le 7 décembre 2004]. www.cnc-france.com
Dauzat Albert, Dubois Jean, Mitterand, Henri. Nouveau dictionnaire étymologique et historique, Librairie Larousse, France, 1971.
Encyclopedia Britannica. Oyster. Britannica.com [Consulté le 15 août 2004]. www.britannica.com
Kiple Denneth F, Ornelas Kriemhild Coneè (Dir.) The Cambridge World History of Food, Cambridge University Press, États-Unis, 2000.
Lavallée Côté L. et Dubost-Bélair M. Goutte. Dans : Chagnon Decelles D, Daignault Gélinas M, Lavallée Côté L. et coll. Manuel de Nutrition Clinique, 3e éd. Montréal, Ordre professionnel des diététistes du Québec, 2000.
Leffler Merryl. Oyster Reefs: Key to Restoring Bay Grasses? Maryland Marine Notes Online [Consulté le 15 août 2004]. www.mdsg.umd.edu
Leffler Merryl. Improving Bay Water Quality – The Role of Oyster Reefs. Maryland Aquafarmer Online [Consulté le 15 août 2004]. www.mdsg.umd.edu
Monterey Bay Aquarium. Eastern Oyster. Seafoodwatch. [Consulté le 16 août 2004]. www.mbayaq.org
Monterey Bay Aquarium. Shellfish. Seafoodwatch. [Consulté le 16 août 2004]. www.montereybayaquarium.org
Pêches et Océans Canada. Le monde sous-marin: l’huître américaine. Dfo-mpo.gc.ca [Consulté le 16 août 2004]. www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Santé Canada. Fichier canadien sur les éléments nutritifs, 2001b. [Consulté le 17 mai 2005]. www.santecanada.gc.ca/fcenenligne
Santé Canada. Étude sur les poissons et produits de la mer-2002. [Consulté le 14 juin 2005]. www.hc-sc.gc.ca
Senegalaisement.com. Joal-Fadiouth. [Consulté le 6 décembre 2004]. www.senegalaisement.com
Tannahill Reay. Food in History, Three Rivers Press, New-York, 1988.
Toussaint-Samat Maguelonne. Histoire naturelle et morale de la nourriture, Bordas, France, 1987.
Union Oyster House. Unionoysterhouse.com [Consulté le 16 août 2004]. www.unionoysterhouse.com
University of Washington Board of Regents. Oysters are Cool. Oyster Stew [Consulté le 16 août 2004]. www.wsg.washington.edu
Woodart Colin. Saving the Chesapeake. The Environmental Magazine, États-Unis, 2001. In: Encyclopedia Britannica. Britannica.com [Consulté le 15 août 2004]. www.britannica.com
Oysters “Fine de Claires” Marennes Oléron
Each year in Charente Maritime (France), 60 000 metric tons of the
Japanese oyster Crassostrea gigas are commercialized under the registered brand
name of « Marennes-Oléron ». Before going to market, oysters are deployed for one ore
two months over 3 000 ha of salt marsh ponds called « claire ». This maturing process
called « affinage », based upon the French norm specifying the « fine » and « spéciale
de claire »,
The Fine de Claire oyster is refined in claire basins according to a stipulated number of months and a maximum limit on the number of oysters per square metre. The flesh has a slight hazelnut taste.
Aerial view of the clear Marennes Oléron
In 1738 there were already 7,000 claires on the left bank of the Seudre
Finishing
Finished in claires for a minimum of 28 days (between November and March), maximum density 3 kg per square metre
Product
– Uniform shape
– Less fleshy, translucent mantle
– Green or blue gills
– Agreeable marine odour
– Finished taste, particular to claires
– Taste with a good salt balance
– Soft consistency
– Short duration on the palate
Consumer
– Lovers of less fleshy, more juicy oysters with a refined taste
The fine de claire is for those who prefer a less fleshy oyster.
It is during this process that the claires of the Marennes Oléron basin impart the subtleties of regional flavours. This oyster is particularly apprecietated by the consumer who prefers an oyster rich in water and balanced in flavour.
History
An entirely new variety, called «the Japanese» was introduced to the Gironde estuary and the Marennes Oléron Basin where it flourishes to this day, to everyone’s delight.
For centuries the claires of Marennes Oléron have possessed the same characteristics. Situated between the land and the sea, they are the reflection of these two environments.
Formerly ponds for the production of salt, now converted, the claires are lower than the level of the highest tides. They are filled and emptied by the tidal cycle. Each individual claire has its own circulatory system, and is accessible either across the land or by boat to make their utilisation and maintenance easier. The clay which forms the sides and bottom of the claire is impermeable.
The shallow water of the claire allows sunlight to penetrate easily to the bottom and favourises rapid thermal exchange which in turn promotes growth of phytoplankton, the natural food of the oysters.
Seen from the air, the clusters of claires look like a mosaic on the landscape. No two are alike, but that which ties them together is stronger than that which differentiates them.
Over 3000 hectares, the oysters Marennes Oléron enjoy a breeding technique and refining special: they are refined and high light. Old converted salt marsh, the clear pools are clay that fill at high tide and retain water when the tide goes out. After two years in the parks oysters pass in clear, giving them a special flavor attached to the soil.
10 reasons to love oysters Marennes Oleron oyster
1. The refining clearly gives them a unique flavor. Shallow ponds exposed to sunlight that enable the rapid development of phytoplankton, which feed on oysters.
Focus on … the thin clear
There are two types of fines: the fine light green and fine clear. Both are refined in the same way, 28 days minimum in ponds at a rate of 3 kg per square meter from November to March, except that the first feed on micro-algae that gives it its green color, both popular consumers.
2. The soil on which they depend makes them unique: more than 3 000 hectares on the banks of the Seudre to the east coast of the island of Oleron, to the coast of Bourcefranc-Le-Chapus at Port des Barques.
Focus on … The special clear
If it is rounder and more plump than thin clear, it is refined in tanks for 28 days at a rate of 3 kg per square meter. The stages are selected in advance by the oyster to form: it is concave allowing the development of a more abundant flesh.
3. They are the only French oysters enjoying a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) Oysters Marennes Oléron. And they must meet three conditions:
- be high on the French Atlantic coast
- to be refined in light in one of 27 municipalities in the basin
- be packed in the area Marennes Oléron.
4. But also two Red Label. The fine clear green was the first seafood certified in France (since 1989). The light grows has a label since 1999.
Focus on … The light grows
For many years, have kept the oyster oysters for personal consumption as it is rare and exceptional flavor. It has gradually been distributed to customers trading. It is high and refined (unlike others that are in clear qu’affinées) very low density at 5 oysters per square meter maximum for 4 to 8 months: a technique to which it owes its very meaty texture, crisp, pearly color, sweet flavor and a long mouth content.
5. Because of the thickness of the shell, oysters refined or high light store better. They can keep a good week at a temperature of between 5 and 15 ° C.
6. Summer or winter, the oysters can be eaten throughout the year. The decree signed by Napoleon III that the oyster harvesting was prohibited from May to August were no longer of interest with the development of farming and spat collection.
7. They are found everywhere. At Marennes, in supermarkets or directly in your kitchen, delivered by producers in the region.
8. The opening is not that difficult! All you need is the right method. Way to open oysters – Oysters
9. Raw or cooked oysters are cooked and easily adapted to all tastes.
Focus on … oysters recipes
In sausages in the South West The sausages are thick sausage meat surrounded by screens of pork. They blend perfectly with the oysters cold.
Accompanied Marennes sausages, rillettes and saucisson
Cooked in the embers still closed. Upon opening, there a piece of salted butter.
Flood with a rye bread spread with salted butter.
10. Not quite convinced? Embark with the country Marennes Oléron oyster time of a trip. Observe well the work of oyster in the heart of the first European center with 50 000 tonnes of oysters.
Where to Buy thew delicious Fines de claires in Hong kong? on french gourmet website of course!
External info: ALL the history of the claires in French Wikipedia
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histoire_de_Marennes
La Brandade de Morue
The story
Until the late 19th century, the refrigerator does not exist, to preserve food and thus the cod, we dried them by putting them in salt. Cod also known as “Morue” or “Cabillaud” is a fish found in the northern seas. The fishermen of these countries were often stock up on salt on salt Aigues-Mortes in the Camargue. On this occasion, they traded their fish against salt cod and therefore was consumed by the entire region. Cod has spread throughout Europe and is part, has long been traditional recipes from countries such as Germany or Austria, but also Spain and Portugal.
A famous chef of the time, Mr. Durand, developed the recipe for “cod brandade” around 1830. To realize, once desalted cod (before drinking, salt cod must be soaked in water for at least 24 hours to rid it of its salt. Without this, the fish is inedible.), We the cup into small pieces. We must then “brande” that is to say, “move” in Provence with a wooden spoon. This is why the recipe called so!
We are please to offer you a traditional production of Brandade de Morue, on French gourmet Hong Kong online food shop:
http://www.frenchgourmethk.com/fr/reflets-de-france/102-brandade-de-morue.html
We are please to offer you a traditional production of Brandade de Morue (reflets de France brand), on French gourmet Hong Kong online food shop:
http://www.frenchgourmethk.com/fr/reflets-de-france/102-brandade-de-morue.html
Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin
“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.”
Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin’s Dinner Party Guide
Brillat-Savarin, while not a chef, has been one of the most influential food writers of all time. He is known for his book Physiologie du Goût (“The Physiology of Taste.”)
Brillat-Savarin’s goal was to raise cooking to a level of true science. He wrote in a era — the early 1800s — when “taste” in music, literature and art was thought to be something objective that educated people could share and agree on. In his view, if you put a well-prepared dish in front of someone, how he or she reacted told you not whether the dish was good or not (because you already knew that it was), but rather how educated the person was. In his mind, excellence was not based on what the French court might say, or what celebrity chefs might dictate, but rather on the intrinsic quality of ingredients prepared with care.
Aphorisms of the Professor.
To Serve as Prolegomena to His Work and Eternal Basis to the Science.
I. The universe would be nothing were it not for life and all that lives must be fed.
II. Animals fill themselves; man eats. The man of mind alone knows how to eat.
III. The destiny of nations depends on the manner in which they are fed.
IV. Tell me what kind of food you eat, and I will tell you what kind of man you are.
V. The Creator, when he obliges man to eat, invites him to do so by appetite, and rewards him by pleasure.
VI. Gourmandise is an act of our judgment, in obedience to which, we grant a preference to things which are agreeable, over those which nave not that quality.
VII. The pleasure of the table belongs to all ages, to all conditions, to all countries, and to all aeras; it mingles with all other pleasures, and remains at last to console us for their departure.
VIII. The table is the only place where one does not suffer, from ennui during the first hour.
IX. The discovery of a new dish confers more happiness on humanity, than the discovery of a new star.
X. Those persons who suffer from indigestion, or who become drunk, are utterly ignorant of the true principles of eating and drinking.
XI. The order of food is from the most substantial to the lightest.
XII. The order of drinking is from the mildest to the most foamy and perfumed.
XIII. To say that we should not change our drinks is a heresy; the tongue becomes saturated, and after the third glass yields but an obtuse sensation.
XIV. A dessert without cheese is like a beautiful woman who has lost an eye.
XV. A cook may be taught, but a man who can roast, is born with the faculty.
XVI. The most indispensable quality of a good cook is promptness. It should also be that of the guests.
XVII. To wait too long for a dilatory guest, shows disrespect to those who are punctual.
XVIII. He who receives friends and pays no attention to the repast prepared for them, is not fit to have friends.
XIX. The mistress of the house should always be certain that the coffee be excellent; the master that his liquors be of the first quality.
XX. To invite a person to your house is to take charge of his happiness as long as he be beneath your roof.
Link to the online edition of the classical book:
http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/b/brillat/savarin/b85p/
Brillat-Savarin cheese
| Brillat-Savarin | |
|---|---|
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| Country of origin | France |
| Region | Normandy |
| Source of milk | Cows |
| Texture | Soft |
| Dimensions | 4 cm x 12-13 cm |
| Aging time | 1-2 weeks |
Brillat-Savarin is a soft, white-crusted cow’s milk cheese with at least 75% fat in dry matter (roughly 40% overall), named after the 18th century French gourmet and political figure Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. The cheese was created in the 1930s by cheese-maker Henri Androuët.
Brillat-Savarin is produced all year round in Burgundy and Normandy. It comes in 12-13 cm wheels and approximately 4 cm thick, and is aged for one to two weeks. It is also available as a fresh cheese (non affine) that resembles rich cream cheese.
It is a triple cream Brie that is luscious, creamy and faintly sour. It goes well with champagne. Pairing with red wines is difficult, as any mushroominess or “moldy” taste will bring out the tannins of the wine. Brillat Savarin is also quite salty when ripe, which may disturb the taste of red wine. It does pair well with Pale Ale and Champagne. The carbonation wipes the fattiness from the palate and the malts enhance the creaminess of the cheese.
In Hong Kong you can order this cheese and many other French cheeses, pasteurized and full cream on Frenchgourmethk on line food shop. The best deals are online!
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 Auguste Escoffier King of Chefs 1846-1935Auguste Escoffier, “The Chef of Kings and The King of Chefs,” was born in the Riviera town of Villeneuve-Loubet, France, on October 28, 1846. His career in cookery began at the age of 12 when he entered into apprenticeship in his uncle’s restaurant, in Nice.Escoffier went on to another apprenticeship at the age of 19, this time working in Paris. Escoffier was the first great chef who worked directly for the public throughout his entire career. Prior to this, the great French chefs were to be found in the kitchens of royalty and nobility, as was Carême, or at work in private clubs, like Alexis Soyer. Escoffier was never in private employ. From his apprenticeship in his uncle’s restaurant in Nice to his collaborations with Cesar Ritz, which marked the height of his career, Escoffier’s talents were in the service of cooking and his customers. Among those customers were kings, heads of state, and many stars of the London and Paris Opera. His career is legendary, in terms of the hotels in which he worked (among them the Savoy and Carlton of London), the contributions that he made to the aesthetics of gastronomy, and, perhaps most importantly, the revolutionary changes he made in upgrading the culinary arts.Before Escoffier’s time, the Grande Cuisine was laden with excess — overly complicated recipes, ponderously extravagant dinners, sauces and garnishes that disguised main ingredients nearly beyond recognition. In accordance with his admonition, “above all, keep it simple,” Escoffier developed a new gastronomic philosophy, a sense of finely honed and highly refined simplicity in dining, ideals that have been espoused by the finest chefs of the twentieth century. |
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“the King of Chefs, and the Chef of Kings”
“When we no longer have good cooking in the world, we will have no literature, nor high and sharp intelligence, nor friendly gathering, nor social harmony”
Marie Antonin Carême
Marie Antonin Carême (1783-1833), often called the father of French cuisine, was one of the most prolific food writers of the 19th century. During his long career, he was chef for Talleyrand, Czar Alexander I, George IV, and Baron Rothschild.
Life
He was abandoned in Paris at the age of 8 and began working as a kitchen boy in a Parisian steakhouse. At the age of 14 he was apprenticed to Sylvain Bailly, a famous patissier in Paris.
Carême codified the four primary families of French sauces that form the basis of classic French cooking to this day–espagnole, vélouté, allemande, and béchamel. Thanks to Carême’s books, French chefs working at home and abroad had a basic, shared vocabulary to refer to in their cooking.
Marie-Antoine Careme is famed for being the inventor of classical cuisine.
Careme opened his own shop, Patisserie de la Rue de la Paix, which became famous for his beautifully crafted pieces montees. He created these decorative centrepieces out of materials such as nougat, marzipan, sugar and pastry. Careme was inspired by architectural history and modelled many of his creations on temples, pyramids and ancient ruins. Some of his most famous creations include Gros Nougats, Grosses Meringues, Croquants (made with almonds and honey) and solilemmes (a bun like cake.)
Careme crafted pieces for Parisian high society, including Napoleon. A French diplomat and gourmand, Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord set Careme a test, to produce a year’s worth of menu only using seasonal produce. Careme passed and Talleyrand adopted him into his kitchens. After the fall of Napoleon, Careme moved to London in 1815 and he worked as a chef de cuisine for George IV. He left London 3 years later as he found the climate depressing and felt English chefs treated him badly due to the celebrity attention he received.
Gastronomical Contrtibutions:
The dessert Charlotte russe was invented by Marie Antoine Carême who named it in honor of his Russian employer Czar Alexander I. Russe being the French word for “Russian”.
The famous Charlotte, creation from Careme
Careme is also credited with inventing the French classic desert Napoleon Cake (Mille Feuille) while working as Napoleon’s chef. Napoleon like to eat Mille Feuille with strawberry favor, so it was named Napoleon cake. It has various flavours, from chocholate, strawbery, mango to berry.
Careme was also interested in Architecture and applied it to dessert with is very impressive pieces montees and other creations that fascinated his contemporaries,
Books:
Antonin Carême wrote important culinary books
1815 Le Pâtissier Royal Parisien
The Patissier Royal Parisien, or treated elementary and practice of ancient and modern patisserie, the dessert of sugar, and cold starters and bases, followed by observations useful to the progress of this art
1815 Le Pâtissier Pittoresque
1822 Le Maître d’Hôtel Français
1828 Le Cuisinier Parisien
1833 L’Art de la Cuisine Française au dix-neuvième siècle, l’ouvrage fut achevé par Plumerey, élevé de la maison du Prince de Talleyrand et ancien chef des cuisines de madame la Princesse de Poniatowski
L’Art de la Cuisine Français au Dix-Neuvième Siècle is an exhaustive survey of classic French cooking. Published near the end of Carême’s career as a master pâtissier and chef, the three-volume work was completed after his death by his friend and colleague Armand Plumerey.
1848 La Cuisine Ordinaire par Beauvilliers et Antonin Carême
frenchgourmet Hong Kong 