Friday E-dition: A French Table, Rooted in Northern California
By Georgeanne Brennan
Summary: Georgeanne Brennan makes the case that regional French cooking can be re-created at home with ingredients from Napa Valley and across northern California. Moving through Normandy, Provence and Burgundy, she pairs classic dishes with local seafood, meat, produce and wine. The result is less an exercise in imitation than a practical way to understand how place shapes food. Recipes for mussels with pastis, escargots and mustard-braised chicken bring the idea to the table.
“These are just a few ways to think about discovering the flavors and iconic dishes of France, using the abundance of our own farms, ranches and fisheries.” — Georgeanne Brennan
A French Table, Rooted in Northern California
by Georgeanne Brennan
NAPA VALLEY, Calif. — Nothing evokes a place as much as its food. I can’t even read the words “steak frites” on a menu without a flash of feeling like I’m in Paris, sitting at a white-paper-covered table with a glass of red wine and a plate heaping with thin, crispy fries and a juicy steak. Ratatouille? I’m in Provence. Salt-encrusted fish? Most likely Brittany.
Ken Frank, chef-owner of La Toque restaurant in Napa’s Westin Verasa hotel, must feel the same way. His “Tour de France – Regional French Dinner Series” takes you, through food, to different regions of France each month. The July menu celebrated Languedoc-Roussillon, now officially Occitanie, in the southwest of France, bordering the Pyrenees.
The August menu transports you east of Lyon to the plains of Bresse, famous for its poultry. The first course is chicken liver mousse, followed by frog’s legs with garlic and parsley. The main course is Poulet Comme Chez La Mere Blanc, chicken cooked in the style of Mere Blanc, one of the famous “mother” cooks of Lyon who ran restaurants called “bouchons” that featured the hearty food of Lyon during the 19th and 20th centuries. For dessert, Meringue With Peach Ice Cream.
The menus for the rest of Tour de France are yet to be announced, but I’m sure they will be as transportive as the Occitanie and Bresse menus. At $95 per person and in the beautiful setting of La Toque, I consider its Tour de France an opportunity to embrace.
Tour de France at Home
However, I also want to make the case for exploring French regional cooking at home, using the abundance of seasonal ingredients that come from around the Napa Valley and northern California. Like the regions of France, we have local wines, ranging from the Napa and Sonoma valleys to the coastal wines of Sonoma and Mendocino. Like the southern half of France, we have olives and olive oil and also dairies. Our fisheries along the Pacific reflect aspects of both France’s Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts. Our Mediterranean climate provides the same sorts of fruits and vegetables you’ll find in the southern and central regions, while farther north, with a cooler climate, are apple orchards and cool-weather crops similar to the northern parts of France. Sheep, cattle, chickens, rabbits, ducks, pigs — we have it all. Well, maybe not guinea hens — at least not that I know of, unfortunately.
Setting the Stage
Reading cookbooks with an eye to using our local seasonal ingredients sets the stage for an immersive food journey to France. Some, like my book, “Savoring France,” or “France the Beautiful” by Richard Olney not only present the iconic dishes of each region of France but also include essays that inspire visions of the land, the people and their food. The ultimate guide is the massive “Let’s Eat France!” by Francois-Reig Gaudry and Friends, which tells you everything you could possibly want to know about regional French cooking with maps, charts and anecdotes plus 375 recipes. I love this book.
Others, like Paula Wolfert’s seminal work, “The Cooking of Southwestern France,” an anthropological masterpiece of food history with recipes, or Olney’s “Lulu’s Provencal Table” speak to a specific region. Still others combine a personal memoir of a particular region with food and recipes, such as Madeleine Kamman’s “Savoie.” The foundational book of regional cooking may well be Elizabeth David’s “French Provincial Cooking,” published in 1960, which influenced chefs such as Alice Waters and Jeremiah Tower.
Where to Start? Normandy, Perhaps
Most often I find myself inspired by the idea of a particular dish, then build around that. Recently, on seeing some shiny, briny, inky-black mussels at my market, I was inspired to make Moules Mariniere, remembering the first time I had them at a tiny restaurant on Mont St-Michel off the coast of Normandy in the English Channel. It is said that this is the region where mussels steamed in wine with aromatics first started as simple fisherman fare.
The area is also famous for producing agneau pre-salé, lamb raised on the salt marshes facing the island, notable for its distinct flavor. At home, my lamb wouldn’t come from the salt marshes but from Fatted Calf in Napa, which acquires lamb from a local producer. Mussels to start, followed by grilled lamb chops with baby potatoes and fresh peas and for dessert, since Normandy is famous for apples, a classic apple tart with a dash of Calvados in the whipped cream topping.
In this part of Normandy, bordering Brittany, muscadet would be the choice of wine both for cooking the mussels and to accompany them, but here I’d opt for a local sauvignon blanc, of which there are many excellent ones made in and around the Napa Valley. Were I dining on pre-salé lamb on the Normandy coast, I’d most likely have a glass or two of pays de Loire Rouge, typically cabernet franc, from one of the wineries on the western edge of the Loire, which, until the mid-1950s was part of Brittany. Here, a light red such as a Napa cabernet franc or a gamay from Sonoma would be a good match.
Same Ingredients, but Provence Style
Or I might decide to prepare those shiny, briny mussels in the regional style of Provence. There, in the sun-drenched south, bordering the Mediterranean, mussels get a different treatment. Olive oil, tomatoes, garlic and basil that are hallmarks of Provencal cooking flavor the mussels. And I might go a step further, following the style of a Provencal friend who adds pastis and spicy North African harissa.
Lamb is synonymous with Provence, where the centuries-old tradition of the transhumance still occurs every year. In early fall the great sheep herds, often 1,000 strong, are walked down from the mountains to over-winter in Provence, where they graze on wild thyme, rosemary, winter savory and shrubs, lambing in early spring. Come mid-June, the sheep make the return trek to the high mountain pastures for summer. Like in Provence, I’d grill my lamb chops with thyme and rosemary, not from the wild but from my garden. This time of year I’d made ratatouille to accompany the lamb and for dessert, a simple tart with fresh peaches.
Wine choices to accompany are beyond measure. Were I serving this meal in Provence, I’d opt for a Bandol rosé and for the lamb a Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Here, I’d look for a dry, crisp rosé from Napa or Sonoma for the mussels, and for the lamb, syrah or a Rhone-style blend.
Burgundy – Another Example
Many of the most well-known French dishes, now popular worldwide, have their origins in Burgundy, a region with wide swaths of vineyards, forests, rolling hills and fields 200 miles southeast of Paris: Boeuf Bourguignon, Coq au Vin, Escargot a la Bourguignonne, Poulet Dijonnaise and Gougères, to name a few. I love them all. The cheeses, like the wines, are legendary – Epoisse, Delice du Bourgogne, Bresse Bleu.
I have a collection of vintage stoneware “pots” for escargots, as well as proper stainless-steel escargot plates with indents to hold the shells, or “pots,” along with snail tongs and little snail forks. However, you don’t need all this to get the experience. It’s all about the butter, garlic and parsley. Just add snails and serve lots of bread for dipping.
If I want to start a dinner with escargots, I would be hard-pressed to decide among the Burgundian entree options, but Chicken Dijonnaise always beckons and can easily be made seasonal, depending upon the vegetables served. For summer, I’d choose green beans and baby roasted potatoes. For dessert, a Burgundian classic, Pears Poached in Red Wine. Wine-wise, a Bourgogne blanc for the snails if in France, or here, an elegant, non-oaky chardonnay. In both cases, I’d continue with the same wine for the chicken.
Today’s Puzzler: Title Case Trap
Which version follows AP style? Choose your answer, then check the explanation at the bottom of the page.
At Home
These are just a few ways to think about discovering the flavors and iconic dishes of France, using the abundance of our own farms, ranches and fisheries.
MOULES AU PASTIS
As the mussels open and release their briny juices, the broth is created. The mussels are cooked through as soon as they open, so don’t overcook them or they’ll be tough. Sometimes I add some chili flakes along with the garlic, or instead of all white wine I’ll use a little pastis, as in this recipe. Be sure to serve the mussels with plenty of bread for sopping up the broth, almost my favorite part.
Start to finish : 30 minutes
Servings : 4
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded if necessary
¾ cup dry white wine
¼ cup pastis
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1 branch wild fennel or ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
2 -3 cloves garlic
Over medium-high heat in a large stockpot, heat the olive oil and butter until the butter foams. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the mussels and pour in the wine and the pastis. Rub the thyme between your hands over the pot, allowing the leaves to fall over the mussels. Add the bay leaf and the fennel branch or fennel seeds. Grate the garlic directly over the mussels. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook just until the mussels open, 10 to 12 minutes.
Uncover and turn the mussels several times. Most should be open. If not, cover and continue to cook another 1 to 2 minutes.
To serve, discard the fennel branch and bay leaf. Using a large slotted spoon, scoop the mussels into 4 individual bowls, discarding any mussels that fail to open. Ladle a little broth into each bowl and serve at once.
ESCARGOT A LA BOURGUIGNONNE
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 2 (6 snails each)
Preheat an oven to 400 F.
For the garlic butter:
2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
1 cube salted or unsalted butter (4 ounces) at room temperature
2 teaspoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced fresh, flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon white wine
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
The snails
12 clean, dry snail shells or snail pots
12 canned snails, large, drained
Blend all the ingredients for garlic butter in a food processor, with a hand mixer or with a fork until well-mixed.
Divide the mixture in half.
Using one half the butter mixture, place a little in the bottom of each of the snail pots. Top each with a snail. Use the second half of the mixture to cover each snail, making a butter “plug.”
Place the snail shells or pots on 2 snail plates or in 2 shallow ramekins just large enough to hold them. Place them in the hot oven until the butter mixture is bubbling, about 10 minutes.
Remove to dinner dishes and serve hot with plenty of crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.
POULET DIJONNAISE
This creamy chicken dish made with Dijon mustard is a classic Burgundian dish. Once the mustard was manufactured only in and around Dijon, where the mustard seeds were grown. Even though it is now produced in multiple places around the world, it is still made in small quantities near Dijon.
Start to finish: 1 hour
Servings: 4 to 6
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons sea salt, divided
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 whole chicken, cut into 6- 8 pieces
2 ½ tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
3 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup chicken broth
½ cup water
2 sprigs fresh thyme
3 tablespoons crème fraiche
1 tablespoon chopped parsley for garnish
Lay out a large sheet of aluminum foil. Scatter with the flour, 1 teaspoon of the salt and paprika and mix lightly with a fork. Add the chicken and turn several times to coat well with the flour mixture. Mix one tablespoon of the flour mixture with 1 tablespoon of the butter and press into a ball. Set it aside.
In a Dutch oven or large sauté pan, over medium-high heat, warm the butter and oil. When it is hot, add the chicken pieces, but don’t crowd them. If necessary, do in two batches. Cook until the chicken is brown and crispy, 3 or 4 minutes. Turn and brown the other side, another 3 or 4 minutes. With tongs, remove to a bowl and sprinkle with the pepper
Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and sauté until translucent, adding more oil or butter if needed, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the onions to the bowl with the chicken.
Add 1 tablespoon of the mustard to the pot and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, letting the mustard cook slightly. Increase the heat to high, and add half the wine, stirring to dislodge any clinging bits. Add the rest of the wine and continue to cook, decreasing the wine by half. Add the broth and the water. Stir well.
Return the chicken and onions to the pot, add the thyme and cover. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until all the chicken pieces are easily pierced with the tines of fork, about 30 to 35 minutes.
While the chicken is cooking, warm a serving platter.
Stir in the remaining mustard and the crème fraiche to make a smooth sauce. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper, if needed. Add the reserved butter and seasoned flour ball, and stir, cooking until the sauce has thickened to the consistency of thin cream, 1 or 2 minutes.
With tongs, remove the chicken to the serving platter and spoon over the sauce. Sprinkle with the parsley.
Serve immediately.
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Georgeanne Brennan is an award-winning cookbook author who divides her time between her farm in Northern California and a home in Provence. Learn more about her at her website.
Today’s Polls:
Poem of the Day:
“An Ancient Pond”
By Matsuo Bashō
translated by William George Aston
An ancient pond! With a sound from the water Of the frog as it plunges in.
About the author: Matsuo Bashō (1644-1694) was a Japanese poet of the Edo period and the most influential master of hokku, the poetic form that later developed into modern haiku. Drawing on classical Japanese poetry, Zen practice and the experience of travel, he cultivated a compressed style in which ordinary details of landscape and daily life open into reflection. His work shaped generations of Japanese poets and later influenced modern writers and artists interested in brevity, juxtaposition and the precision of the image.
“An Ancient Pond” is characteristic of Bashō’s mature craft. The stillness established in the opening line is interrupted by the frog’s movement and the sound of water, creating a subtle turn from silence to action. Its plain diction, seasonal natural image and carefully balanced perception exemplify the hokku tradition while leaving the moment open to contemplation.
Are you a poet, or do you have a favorite piece of verse you’d like to share? Napa Valley Features invites you to submit your poems for consideration in this series. Email your submissions to napavalleyfeatures@gmail.com with the subject line: “Poem of the Day Submission.” Selected poets will receive a one-year paid subscription to Napa Valley Features (a $60 value). We can’t wait to hear from you.
Today’s Caption Contest:
Pick your favorite caption or add your own in the comments below.
Possible Captions:
“This must be a bear market.”
“The agent described it as ‘just right.’”
“Apparently, ‘sleeps two’ is species-dependent.”
“The hibernation room is mostly theoretical.”
“It comes furnished, but only with porridge.”
Last Week’s Contest Results:
In “Pro-Inclusion Napa Makes Its Values Visible,” the winning caption was “I’m just trying to get our ducks in a row,” with 47% of the votes.
Caption Options:
“We may have over-planned the pond.”
“I’m not saying it’s slow, but…”
“None of these flags feel legally binding.”
“We should have invited someone with thumbs.”
“I’m just trying to get our ducks in a row.”
Today’s Puzzler: Answer + Explanation:
Answer: B. What It Means to Be Local
In AP style, capitalize the principal words in a title. Lowercase to when it is part of an infinitive, as in to be. The verb Be remains capitalized because it is a principal word.
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Great illustrations for my story, as always!