{"id":1180,"date":"2011-01-01T21:06:06","date_gmt":"2011-01-02T05:06:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/?p=1180"},"modified":"2011-01-27T14:16:59","modified_gmt":"2011-01-27T22:16:59","slug":"venez-avec-moi-en-normandie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/engine\/venez-avec-moi-en-normandie","title":{"rendered":"venez avec moi en Normandie"},"content":{"rendered":"

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venez avec moi en Normandie <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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la cuisine de Normandie
\n<\/strong><\/em>(the food of Normandy)<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is nothing subtle about Normandy or its food. \u00a0 Normandy is dramatic and its food is substantial.\u00a0 Endless grasslands dotted with hay stacks and grazing cattle, apples orchards that stretch for miles, and cliffs that drop off to the Atlantic waters crashing far below. \u00a0 In terms of its cuisine, Normandy is probably best known for its cream, the Camembert in a box, and the rich butter; however, Normandy\u2019s culinary treasures extend far beyond its dairy.\u00a0 While I will occasionally post additional pieces on specific regions in Normandy or a particular food, this is only a brief overview of the food and flavors you can expect to find in this rich region of France.<\/span><\/p>\n

LM<\/span><\/p>\n


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\u201dp\u00eache locale\u201d
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/em>(everything is fished locally)<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Thanks to the Atlantic coastline Normandy is the direct beneficiary of many cold-water, white-fleshed lean fish.\u00a0 Many of these fish simply are not found in the markets in the United States.\u00a0 Although the fish can be over-nighted, it is not the equivalent to buying the fish fresh at market in Deauville.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>In Normandy you will find Dover sole, a lean fish with a substantial texture which is far more flavorful than the lemon or petrole sole that you find in Los Angeles.\u00a0 Two popular fish are t<\/span>urbot<\/span><\/em> (a flat fish with a meatier flesh than sole) and Saint Perrier (or “John Dory”, is another flavorful flat fish). \u00a0 Normandy fish markets are also full of: <\/span>carrelet<\/span><\/em> (plaice); <\/span>cabillaud<\/span><\/em> (cod); <\/span>bar<\/span><\/em> (sea bass); <\/span>barbue<\/span><\/em> (brill); <\/span>colin<\/span><\/em> (hake); <\/span>daurade royale <\/span><\/em>(sea bream); <\/span>mulet<\/span><\/em> (mullet); <\/span>merlan<\/span><\/em> (whiting), <\/span>hareng<\/span><\/em> (herring); maquereau <\/em>(mackerel); <\/span>lotte<\/span><\/em> (monkfish); and <\/span>sardines<\/span><\/em>.\u00a0 All are fished locally.<\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/span>\u201cSole Dieppoise\u201d, named after the port of Dieppe, is sole poached in a white wine sauce and garnished with mussels, shrimp and mushrooms.\u00a0 The phrase \u201c<\/span>\u00e0 la Dieppoise<\/span><\/em>\u201d is a manner of preparation used with a variety of seafood and fish including whiting, brill, scallops, and pike. \u00a0 If you see\u00a0 \u201c<\/span>\u00e0 la Dieppoise<\/span><\/em>\u201d on a menu that indicates that the menu item has been prepared and will be serve in a white wine reduction sauce.\u00a0 \u201c<\/span>Marmite Dieppoise<\/span><\/em>\u201d or simply \u201c<\/span>marmite<\/span><\/em>\u201d is a seafood casserole wherein various white fish are partially poached in apple cider on a bed of apples and added to leeks, mussels (and sometimes shrimp) and served in white wine reduction sauce with the addition of cream. \u00a0 Dieppe is also know for its mackerel and herring marinated in white wine.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to fish, you will find <\/span>langouste<\/span><\/em> (known as spiny lobster or crawfish, <\/span>langouste<\/span><\/em> are lobster without claws), <\/span>crevettes<\/span><\/em> (shrimp), <\/span>langoustines<\/span><\/em> (Dublin Bay prawns or Norway lobster), <\/span>palourdes<\/span><\/em> (clams), <\/span>amandes de mer <\/span><\/em>(dog cockles which are meaty, tough clams), <\/span>bulots<\/span><\/em> (welks), <\/span>tourteau<\/span><\/em> (crab),\u00a0 and<\/span> <\/span><\/em>Coquilles Saint-Jacques<\/span><\/em> <\/span><\/em>(scallops).\u00a0 Especially delicious and plentiful are <\/span>hu\u00eetres<\/span><\/em> (oysters) and <\/span>moules<\/span><\/em> (mussels) of all sizes generally harvested from Baie des Veys. \u00a0 Mussels are served similar to the fish dishes either in an apple-cream sauce \u201c<\/span>marmite de moules<\/span><\/em>\u201d or\u00a0 \u201cmarini\u00e8re,\u201d(shallot, white wine reduction).\u00a0 Many fish fish markets will provide samples of raw oysters and cooked mussels and bulots.<\/span><\/p>\n

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le terre
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/em>(the turf)<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The land is as plentiful as the sea and each area in Normandy has its speciality.\u00a0 Mont Saint Michel its known for its tender lamb raised on salt marshes.\u00a0 Rouen, the capital of Normandy, is known for it\u2019s duck .\u00a0 \u201c<\/span>Canard \u00e0 la Rouennaise<\/span><\/em> is a Rouen speciality and the unique taste is primarily due to its preparation wherein the duck is smouthered\/suffocated to retain its blood, roasted in a hot oven,\u00a0 pressed to expel the cooking juices, and then thinly sliced and served with <\/span>sauce Rouennaise <\/span><\/em>which is a\u00a0 strained bordelaise sauce (made with shallots, veal stock, and red wine) with the addition of pur\u00e9ed duck liver. <\/span>C<\/span><\/em>\u00f4tes de veau de la Vall\u00e9e d\u2019Auge<\/span><\/em> <\/span>(<\/span><\/em>veal cutlets from the Auge Valley) is veal saut\u00e9ed in butter,\u00a0 flamb\u00e9ed in Calvados, then braised in cider and finished with cream.\u00a0 It is delicious. \u00a0 \u201c<\/span>Tripes \u00e0 la mode de Caen<\/span><\/em>\u201d, the speciality of Caen, is cow\u2019s stomach braised for 9 to 12 hours in apple cider with calves\u2019 feet, and vegetables. \u00a0 Grilled and roasted meats are generally served with a sauce, including, Camembert, <\/span>beurre ma\u00eetre d’h\u00f4tel<\/span><\/em>, and of course, <\/span>sauce Normande<\/span><\/em> (a cream sauce).\u00a0 Auge Valley is also known for its excellent poultry.<\/span><\/p>\n

Normandy is known for two sausages: <\/span>Boudin Noir<\/span><\/em> and <\/span>Andouille de Vire. <\/span><\/em>Mortagne-au-Perche is the production capital for Boudin Noir, blood sausage (also known as blood pudding or black pudding).\u00a0 The sausage is a dark reddish brown with a soft consistency.\u00a0 It is made with pork, blood, onions or crumbs and spices but it is not spicy at all. <\/span> Andouille de Vire<\/span><\/em> is an old tradition which takes a month to make.\u00a0 Pig intestines are layered and tied together to create a swirling pattern visible when you cut into the sausage.\u00a0 The sausage is then heavily smoked. \u00a0 It is an acquired taste, of which, I have yet to acquire, but I appreciate the tradition and time it takes to make it.<\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/span><\/strong><\/span>des pommes partout et dans tout
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/em>(apples everywhere and in everything)<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Apple orchards can be found in Charchigne (between Normandy and Brittany), Deauville, Pont l\u2019\u00c9v\u00eaque, Calvados, and Livarot.\u00a0 Normans use apples in everything: with seafood;\u00a0 in stews; with vegetables; in salads; in sauces, in soups, and in dessert.\u00a0 In fact, every dessert you can imagine that could include an apple, does:\u00a0 baked apples, apples baked and wrapped in puff pastry, stuffed apples, apples tarts (in various forms), apple cakes, apple ice cream and sorbet,\u00a0 sauces, <\/span>confitures <\/span><\/em>(jam), and<\/span> <\/span><\/em>gel\u00e9es<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/em> Some the more popular apple desserts\u00a0 include: <\/span>tarte aux pommes <\/span><\/em>(apple tart): <\/span>chaussons aux pommes<\/span><\/em> (apple turnovers), <\/span><\/em>falues<\/span><\/em> or <\/span>fouaces<\/span><\/em> (apple flat cakes); <\/span>douillons aux pommes<\/span><\/em> (\u201capples in a nightdresses\u201d baked apples which have been cored, peeled, and saut\u00e9ed in butter and then wrapped in puff pastry); <\/span> <\/span><\/em>charlotte aux pommes<\/span><\/em> <\/span><\/em>(brioche slices saut\u00e9ed in butter and zest baked with apple quarters or halves that were saut\u00e9ed and flamb\u00e9ed with Calvados); and <\/span>cr\u00eapes flamb\u00e9es <\/span><\/em>(crepes with Calvados).<\/span><\/p>\n

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Normandy also produces apple vinegar, apple cider and <\/span>Calvados<\/span><\/em>.\u00a0 French cider has a 4 percent alcohol content (different than the states) and it is made of a particular combination of sweet, bitter, and sour apples.\u00a0 If you want an apple beverage without alcohol, buy apple juice (jus de pomme <\/em>or <\/span>pomme press\u00e9e<\/span><\/em>). <\/span>Pommeau<\/span><\/em> is an apple brandy aged for 14 months.<\/span><\/p>\n

Calvados, the infamous apple brandy from the Calvados region,\u00a0 is serious business in Normandy.\u00a0 Aged for a minimum of two years with a alcohol content of 40 %. <\/span>Trois \u00e9toiles<\/span><\/em> or <\/span>trois pommes <\/span><\/em>is Calvados aged 2 years. <\/span>Calvados Vieux<\/span><\/em> <\/span><\/em>or <\/span>R\u00e9serve<\/span><\/em> is aged for 3 years. <\/span>Vieille R\u00e9serve<\/span><\/em> <\/span><\/em>(v.o. or very old) is aged 4 years. <\/span> <\/span><\/em>Very Sp\u00e9cial Old Pale<\/span><\/em> (v.s.o.p.) is aged 5 years. <\/span>Hors d’\u00c2ge<\/span><\/em> is aged over 5 years.<\/span><\/p>\n

By way of background,\u00a0 if a product is certified \u201cAOC\u201d\u00a0 (<\/span>Appellation d\u2019Origine Contr\u00f4l\u00e9e<\/span><\/em>) it means that the French government has certified that that product (that wine, cheese, or pepper, for example) is from that specific area and\/or made in a particular way. \u00a0 It goes to the principles of \u201c<\/span>terroir<\/span><\/em>\u201d because products taste different depending upon the particular dirt in which they grew or grass upon with they grazed.\u00a0 Grapes grown in Bordeaux, for example, taste earthier than grapes grown in the Loire Valley, and produce an earthier-tasting wine.\u00a0 AOC guarantees that the product you are buying will taste a certain way (i.e., that the Bordeaux will have that familiar earthy taste which wines from the Bordeaux region are known for) .<\/span><\/p>\n

Back to Calvados, Calvados has several AOC distinctions based upon the area and the manner in which the Calvados is produced: (1)\u00a0 AOC Calvados means that it was made in the general Calvados region; (2) <\/span>appellation r\u00e9glement\u00e9e<\/span><\/em> means that it was single distilled; (3)<\/span> <\/span><\/strong>appellation Calvados pays d\u2019Auge contr\u00f4l\u00e9e<\/span><\/em> means the Calvados was made in the Auge region and double-distilled; and (4) \u201cfermier calvados<\/em>\u201d indicates that the Calvados was made on a particular farm in the traditional way.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Norman custom of <\/span>caf\u00e9 calva i<\/span><\/em>s enjoying a tiny bit of Calvados either with your coffee or in your hot coffee mug after you drank the coffee (although I had heard many just put the Calvados in the coffee).<\/span> <\/span><\/em>Le trou normand <\/span><\/em>(\u201cthe norman hole\u201d) is the Norman tradition of taking a shot of Calvados in-between courses.\u00a0 Sometimes served with or over apple sorbet, the combination is supposed to be a palate cleanser.\u00a0 My view is that the Calvados is not so much to cleanse the palate, but to burn away the rich creamy food in your stomach, thus clearing the way for more rich food. \u00a0 While I do not drink Calvados as a space clearer or as drink, I cook with it all the time.\u00a0 However, if you are going to cook with it, use the 3 year stuff and save the <\/span>hors d\u2019\u00e2ge<\/span><\/em> for sipping (or clearing).<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/span>le sel
\n<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/em>(salt)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Mon sel pr\u00e9f\u00e9r\u00e9 <\/span><\/em>(my favorite salt) is <\/span>gros sel de Gu\u00e9rande<\/span><\/em> (large sea salt from Gu\u00e9rande) that is hand-harvested by a <\/span>plaudier<\/span><\/em>. <\/span><\/em>It is grey as opposed to a stark white because the salt is not washed or crushed. \u00a0 Although Guerande is in Brittany, Normans use it in their caramels and their butter biscuits.<\/span><\/p>\n

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directement de la terre – les pommes de terres et les champignons
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/em>(straight from the dirt – potatoes and mushrooms)<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Mushrooms and potatoes are used in Norman cooking almost as much as apples.\u00a0 Again, both are plentiful in Normandy.\u00a0 The <\/span>Grenaille<\/span><\/em> pommes de terre (baby potatoes) are creamy and a little granular in texture.\u00a0 Every type of wild mushroom you can imagine spontaneously erupts from this rich, damp soil, you only have to look at the warped, moss-covered roofs to see why.<\/span><\/p>\n

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la cr\u00e8me, le beurre et le fromage de Normandie
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/em>(cream, butter, and cheese of Normandy)<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

To reference popular culture, I believe it was an ad campaign for California cheese which claimed that good cheese comes from happy cows.\u00a0 The premise was that because California cows are so happy in sunny California, the cheese made from their milk is great.\u00a0 While Norman cows may not have the California weather, I have seen the Norman cows firsthand, I have tasted their milk, their cream, and their cheese, and if judged by their diary, Normandy is cow Nirvana. \u00a0 Normandy\u2019s fresh cream has a grassy freshness to it.\u00a0 It is beyond compare but if I tried to compare it to something in the States, I would say that it is thicker than a cr\u00e8me fra\u00eeche, but not at all tart or sour.\u00a0 The butter is has a velvety, elegant smoothness that slides gently across your tongue.<\/span><\/p>\n

Isigny sur mer is the region in Normandy infamous for its butter and cream.\u00a0 If you purchase<\/span> beurre d\u2019Isigny AOC<\/span><\/em> you are guaranteed that the butter comes from that region. <\/span> <\/span><\/em>Galettes Normandes au beurre d\u2019Isigny <\/span><\/em>AOC are cookies (biscuits) made with the famous AOC butter and eggs. <\/span>Sabl\u00e9s<\/span><\/em>, a classic term used to describe shortbread (it can be sweet or savory), are made with <\/span>beurre d\u2019Isigny<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Norman cheese is primarily made from raw (unpasteurized) cow\u2019s milk. The United States prohibits the importation of hard cheeses made from raw\u00a0 milk unless it has been aged for a minimum of sixty days (at a specific temperature). <\/span> <\/span><\/em>Soft and semi-soft cheeses made from raw milk cannot be imported. \u00a0 Many \u201cCamemberts\u201d are now being made from pasteurized cow\u2019s milk (which is what you find in the markets here) and it is sold \u201c<\/span>fabriqu\u00e9 en Normandie\u201d <\/span><\/em>(made in Normandy) but does not have an AOC status due to its pasteurization.\u00a0 It also does not taste as good as the Camembert made from raw milk that can be enjoyed in France.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Livarot<\/span><\/em> <\/span><\/em>(lee-vah-ROH) is a semi-soft cheese with a strong, nutty smell and slightly spicy taste.\u00a0 It is from town of Livarot and has an AOC designation. <\/span>Livarot<\/span><\/em> is made with cow\u2019s milk (raw or pasteurized) and aged 3 to 4 months. \u00a0 It is a washed-rind cheese (which means during ripening, it was dipped or rubbed with brine to inhibit the growth of the rind but to encourage the growth of bacteria, giving it that <\/em>aroma).\u00a0 It comes in larger and smaller wheels, the latter \u00a0is more flavorful. <\/span>Livarot <\/span><\/em>used to be referred to as <\/span>la viande du pauvre<\/span><\/em> <\/span><\/em>(\u201cthe poor\u2019s man\u2019s meat\u201d).<\/span><\/p>\n

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Pont l\u2019\u00c9v\u00eaque<\/span><\/em> (pon-lay-VECK) is from the town of L\u2019\u00c9v\u00eaque as well as departments of Calvados, Eure, Manche, Mayenne, Orne, and Seine Maritime.\u00a0 It has an AOC certification that the milk is from Normandy cattle from these areas. \u00a0 A semi-soft, washed rind cheese in the shape of a square, aged 2-6 weeks, it is milder than<\/span> <\/span><\/em>Livarot<\/span><\/em> but still has personality.\u00a0 This warm and buttery cheese tastes best in summer.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Camembert<\/span><\/em> (KAHM-um-behr) is from the areas of Camembert and Isigny with a AOC certification\u00a0 A soft-ripened, bloom rind cheese (meaning it was salted during ripening to create a soft, white rind), it is made from unpasteurized cow\u2019s milk and is a little stronger than Brie. \u00a0The longer \u00a0Camembert ages, the softer and more flavorful it becomes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brillat Savarin i<\/span>s a triple cream soft-ripened, bloom cheese with a very creamy texture and a slight tang.\u00a0 It is aged only 1-2 weeks and made from cow\u2019s milk (raw and pasteurized).\u00a0 This is my favorite Norman cheese. \u00a0 It is named after Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, a French magistrate who in his treatise on gastronomy , <\/span>La Physiologie du Go\u00fb<\/span><\/em>t<\/span><\/em> (The Physiology of Taste), thought that cheese after a meal was so essential he devoted one of his 20 Aphorisms to it, saying: \u201c[d]essert without cheese is like a pretty woman with only one eye.\u201d \u00a0 While I love cheese and often eat it after my meal, I make no comment on the analogy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Neufch\u00e2tel<\/span><\/em> <\/span><\/em> is a soft cheese like Camembert that is slightly saltier (because it is aged longer, about 8 to 10 weeks). \u00a0 The texture is slightly grainy and has an earthy, mushroom taste.\u00a0 It is made from unpasteurized cow\u2019s milk and\u00a0 usually comes in the shape of a heart (although there are other shapes as well).\u00a0 It is AOC from the town of Neufch\u00e2tel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gournay<\/span><\/em> is a very soft spreadable cheese usually made from raw cow milk in Normandy in the small town of Gournay.\u00a0 Usually sold by brands Boursin (the creator of Boursin grew up in Gournay it is said) or Valfrais, it is typically mixed with herbs or other flavors.<\/span><\/p>\n

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If you are planning a trip to Normandy buy some of the items we import from Normandy (i.e., pasteurized <\/span>Camembert)<\/span><\/em>, buy some fresh flat fish and use my<\/span> marmite <\/span><\/em>recipe (see \u201cmy recipes\u201d).\u00a0 When you are in Normandy, order a marmite and have the<\/span> Camembert<\/span><\/em>.\u00a0 Taste the difference.\u00a0 If you ever doubted that terroir and the freshness and quality of ingredients mattered, you will doubt no more.<\/span><\/p>\n


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\n<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

venez avec moi en Normandie la cuisine de Normandie (the food of Normandy) There is nothing subtle about Normandy or its food. \u00a0 Normandy is dramatic and its food is substantial.\u00a0 Endless grasslands dotted with hay stacks and grazing cattle, apples orchards that stretch for miles, and cliffs that drop off to the Atlantic waters […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,336],"tags":[251,257,261,296,255,256,297,265,88,247,252,258,260,248,246,245,269,264,266,138,139,270,263,142,249,267,250,259,253,254],"class_list":["post-1180","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-france","category-normandy-france","tag-a-la-dieppoise","tag-andouille-de-vire","tag-aoc","tag-appellation-dorigine-controlee","tag-auge-valley","tag-boudin-noir","tag-brillat-savarin","tag-cafe-calva","tag-calvados","tag-camembert","tag-canard-a-la-rouennaise","tag-charlotte-aux-pommes","tag-douillons-aux-pommes","tag-fish-from-normandy","tag-fish-in-normandy","tag-food-of-normand","tag-gournay","tag-le-trou-normand","tag-livarot","tag-marmite","tag-marmite-dieppoise","tag-neufchatel","tag-norman-hole","tag-normandy","tag-normandy-seafood","tag-pont-leveque","tag-sole-dieppoise","tag-tarte-aux-pommes","tag-tripes","tag-tripes-a-la-mode-de-caen"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/engine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1180","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/engine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/engine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/engine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/engine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1180"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/engine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1180\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1429,"href":"https:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/engine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1180\/revisions\/1429"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/engine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1180"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/engine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1180"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/engine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1180"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}