Thursday, June 18, 2009
L'Atelier de Vaour
This past week I went with two other people from the farm here to a meat and vegetable transformaion workspace in Vaour, a small village in south east-ish France. Apparently this is the only atelier of its kind in France because they are permitted to transform all different varieties of meat, fruits and vegetables in the same building. Now if someone wishes to start a similar cooperative it is limited to one sort of product. ie: pork etc. They have over seventeen members who each use the facility for different purposes. I went there on one other occasion as well to cook prepared meals for a music festival that we were going to be selling at. Our mission this time around was to transform four Gascon pigs that were raised on the farm here into tasty charcuterie treats for the summer season to come on the farm. Mission well accomplished! We arrived with four hundred kilograms of porc and left with fresh cuts, roasts, sausage, boudin noir in sausage, four hams sent to be cooked and duly returned to us, bacon and rillette, fromage de tete, patés, boudin, and jambonneau in tins. Wow is all I can say and YUM!! It is tasty when you know where your meat and derived products is coming from. Fortunately I brought my camera along but unfortunately, I forgot to take photos while I was there. Boo.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Slaughter and butchery . Queasy readers take caution.
I eat meat. However, for as long as I remember I never have had any contact with the animals that I eat. It confuses me a little to think that I do not know where my meat comes from, how it is killed, how it is skinned and then subsequently butchered and cooked. (the cooking part I know well enough, but it is a small step on a long chain leading to the food on my table.) So in this vain, I slaughtered a baby goat last week. I can't say that I liked it but I don't think it is something anyone would particularly take a shine to. There were two goats to be slaughtered that day so that they could be sold to customers at the farm. Fateh slaughtered, skinned and gutted the first one to show me how to do it as I watched and he asked me if I wanted to do the second one. So we drove up to the barn and picked out the baby goat who was to be killed. It was a male because they are less usefull on the farm to keep around because they do not produce any milk and he was marked with blue paint on his back and had a string tied around his ankle. We loaded him into the truck and he sat between my legs as we drove to the workshop. Fateh explained how I was to kill him. I took the goat out and set him on the ground being careful to always have one hand on one of his feet so that he could not run away and sat over top of him to keep him in one position. The killing is done with a bolt gun that propels a quick bolt into the skull of the animal. It is quickly done and over with. Afterwards, the animals throat must be slit to let out the blood. Two cuts are made on his lower legs in the gap that is formed by the tendon connecting the feet to the legs. I pick the goat up, bring him inside and hook both his legs so that he hangs upside down. I take a knife in hand and make an incision in the skin at his belly so that I can start to skin him. For skinning, the knife is used to make the first cuts and to work the skin loose from the membrane that attaches it to the meat. I work up his belly and into his hindlegs. I am advised to use a cloth and my hand to separate the skin once I have detached enough skin with the knife to get a good grip. Once the skin is separated from this portion of his body, a cut is made around his hindlegs and the skin is halfway off the body. I work the other half and then work the skin off the head. This is hard and time consuming because there are so many small areas to detach. Once skinned, a slit is made in the belly in order to empty the contents of the body cavity. I am warned not to puncture the stomach because it really smells and his messy if this happens. I work my way through the organs, salvaging the liver (detaching the bile duct - not sure if this is the right terminology- because if it is punctured it ruins the liver for eating, the kidneys, the heart and the lungs for food. All the rest is waste. The animal is sawed in half, the tendons on the ankles cut to release the animal, the feet removed and that is that. A done deed. The head is left on because the brain can be eaten as well as a little of the meat in the head. ( Although it was a small animal because it was still quite young.) The animal is rinsed of all remaining hairs and blood and stored in the fridge. I think that the animal has to be kept in the fridge for about three days before eaten.
And that is a small snapshot of one way meat can come to our table.
And that is a small snapshot of one way meat can come to our table.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Cravirola Cooperative
It has been about three weeks since I have been working at the Cravirola Cooperative and time has gone by very fast here. How do I start to explain life here? The farm is on 280 hectares of land set in a rocky landscape just north of Narbonne in southern France. It is a group run farm where the products that are produced are used to sustain the farm and life here. There are approximately 150 animals, cows, goats and sheep, a cheese atelier, a wood fire bread oven under construction, two large gardens, rooms for rent, a campground and a performance stage. In the summer, the campground is open and there is a snack bar that makes food for the visitors using produce, meat and cheese all from the farm. Impressive! Apart from all of this, the products are also used to sell a local organic markets in the region.
Last week I left the farm to travel with two people to an transformation atelier. This is a cooperative processing building that is used for a variety of purposes. From what I gathered, it is the only one of its kind in France, where meat of all kinds, fruit, vegetables, fish etc... can all be transformed in the same building. We were there to make use of two cows from the farm that had been slaughtered the week before. The idea was that we were to make chili and curry to sell at a music festival that starts tomorrow. It went well. The atelier was really interesting. Most of the people working there either raised animals, slaughtered them and then used the atelier to butcher, make sausages, tinned pates or package the meat sousvide or some people used it for catering operations and still others, thre was one man in particlar who used it to make tins of cassoulet to sell at the markets. All very local.
Tomorrow I am going to a 40000 person music festival t sell the meals that we prepared at the atelier. I think it will be a riot, tiring bu entertaining at the same time.
Salut for now. Nadia
Last week I left the farm to travel with two people to an transformation atelier. This is a cooperative processing building that is used for a variety of purposes. From what I gathered, it is the only one of its kind in France, where meat of all kinds, fruit, vegetables, fish etc... can all be transformed in the same building. We were there to make use of two cows from the farm that had been slaughtered the week before. The idea was that we were to make chili and curry to sell at a music festival that starts tomorrow. It went well. The atelier was really interesting. Most of the people working there either raised animals, slaughtered them and then used the atelier to butcher, make sausages, tinned pates or package the meat sousvide or some people used it for catering operations and still others, thre was one man in particlar who used it to make tins of cassoulet to sell at the markets. All very local.
Tomorrow I am going to a 40000 person music festival t sell the meals that we prepared at the atelier. I think it will be a riot, tiring bu entertaining at the same time.
Salut for now. Nadia
Monday, March 9, 2009
Bust a move
Leaving Paris tomorrow and heading south to a small town just outside of Minerve, sort of between Montpellier and Toulouse. I will work for a while learning how to make cheese. The farm I'll be at is called Cravirola. Sort of a communal farm where I work as a volunteer in exchange for room and board. Should be interesting.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Les Halles
Currently, la forum des Halles is a large underground mall and a tranportation hub in the center of Paris close to the Chatelet district in the 1st arrondissment. Up until 1971, it was a lively market that I can only imagine (unfortunately!!) would have been a center for high quality food products from all over France.
Les Halles was created in 1137 and survived for almost 800 years as a bustling marketplace, undergoing various architectural changes throughout it's history, the most notable being the construction of an iron and glass complex by Victor Baltard in the mid eighteen hundreds.
As the city grew and traffic congestion from the trucks bringing food to and from the markets became a problem, the market was moved in 1971, to the Rungis in the outskirts of Paris.
Click here for some good photos of the new Rungis marketplace.
Click here for the Rungis marketplace website.
And here for some old photos and/or art of les Halles.
Les Halles was created in 1137 and survived for almost 800 years as a bustling marketplace, undergoing various architectural changes throughout it's history, the most notable being the construction of an iron and glass complex by Victor Baltard in the mid eighteen hundreds.
As the city grew and traffic congestion from the trucks bringing food to and from the markets became a problem, the market was moved in 1971, to the Rungis in the outskirts of Paris.
Click here for some good photos of the new Rungis marketplace.
Click here for the Rungis marketplace website.
And here for some old photos and/or art of les Halles.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Steak Tartare
I am here in my apartment trying to dig up information on steak tartare. It is a dish that I have tended to associate with France and with Paris in particular but it's history is long in the making and it seems that many countries have a version of this popular dish.
From what I can discern, the name Tartar refers to a group of Mongolian warriors in the late 13th century who were called this by the people in the villages that they attacked. The sound of the horses hoofs as the warriors approached made a "trrtrr" sound and villagers would use this as a cry of alarm and terror when they could hear this oncoming attack. As the story goes, these warriors would place long thin strips of meat under their saddles as they rode. Some historians claim that this practice was to tenderize, season and marinade the meat which was chopped finely and served with caper berries when the warriors stopped riding. (Thus the origin of the dish steak tartar.) The counter argument to this theory is that the meat would have been placed under the saddle in an attempt to heal the wounds of the horse and would have been inedible after being used in this way.
The Tartars were seen to be fierce and powerful warriors and it was a commonly held belief that eating raw meat could be the source of their great strength and endurance, therefore, this practice was adopted by other cultures and was adapted to local tastes.
Here in France, steak tartare is typically finely diced raw meat, bound with egg yolks and served with capers, shallots, small dill pickes, sea salt, ground pepper. Hot sauce and worcestershire sauce are served as condiments on the side and diners may add these as they wish. It will often be served with a raw egg yolk on top as a garnish.
I tried steak tartar at the restaurant I was at here in Paris and I quite enjoyed their recipe.
Steak Tartare, a variation
100 g lean, fresh beef, diced small
1 T diced shallots
2 t diced ginger
2 t chopped parsley
1 t chopped tarragon
2 t diced dill pickle
1 T capers
2 T salad oil
2 t soya sauce
1 t mayonnaise
1/2 t dijon
salt and pepper to taste
Mix everything together and serve with a salad and some nice crusty french bread!! (Warm is always nice...) This is a rough estimation of amounts, so adjust as necessary to your taste!
From what I can discern, the name Tartar refers to a group of Mongolian warriors in the late 13th century who were called this by the people in the villages that they attacked. The sound of the horses hoofs as the warriors approached made a "trrtrr" sound and villagers would use this as a cry of alarm and terror when they could hear this oncoming attack. As the story goes, these warriors would place long thin strips of meat under their saddles as they rode. Some historians claim that this practice was to tenderize, season and marinade the meat which was chopped finely and served with caper berries when the warriors stopped riding. (Thus the origin of the dish steak tartar.) The counter argument to this theory is that the meat would have been placed under the saddle in an attempt to heal the wounds of the horse and would have been inedible after being used in this way.
The Tartars were seen to be fierce and powerful warriors and it was a commonly held belief that eating raw meat could be the source of their great strength and endurance, therefore, this practice was adopted by other cultures and was adapted to local tastes.
Here in France, steak tartare is typically finely diced raw meat, bound with egg yolks and served with capers, shallots, small dill pickes, sea salt, ground pepper. Hot sauce and worcestershire sauce are served as condiments on the side and diners may add these as they wish. It will often be served with a raw egg yolk on top as a garnish.
I tried steak tartar at the restaurant I was at here in Paris and I quite enjoyed their recipe.
Steak Tartare, a variation
100 g lean, fresh beef, diced small
1 T diced shallots
2 t diced ginger
2 t chopped parsley
1 t chopped tarragon
2 t diced dill pickle
1 T capers
2 T salad oil
2 t soya sauce
1 t mayonnaise
1/2 t dijon
salt and pepper to taste
Mix everything together and serve with a salad and some nice crusty french bread!! (Warm is always nice...) This is a rough estimation of amounts, so adjust as necessary to your taste!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Nougat Glace or Frozen Nougat
I made this recipe at the restaurant today. It is quite tasty and a nice dessert that is frozen and therefore has a long shelf life.
Yield: 1 - 9 by 13 inch pan (probably will yield approximately 15 generous servings )
Ingredients
Nougatine:
80 g sugar
35 g honey
100 ml water
2 cups chopped nuts
Nougat glace:
150 g sugar
water , enough just to cover sugar
200 g honey
6 egg whites
1 tbsp sugar (for the whites)
1 litre 35% cream
1 cup roasted nuts
1 cup candied fruit
(or two cups nuts if candied fruit is just not your thing...)
Methodology:
Nougatine:
1. Ready a tray by covering it with parchment paper.
2. Heat sugar, honey and water over medium heat until the sugar takes on a light amber color. ( blond caramel stage)
3. Add chopped nuts to caramel and mix quickly.
4. Pour the mixture out onto the tray and spread quickly.
5. Place tray in freezer or fridge for 10 or 15 minutes so that the nougatine hardens. This makes it easier to break apart to use.
Nougat Glace:
1. Ready a 9 by 13 inch baking tray by lightly greasing it and lining it with plastic wrap.
2. Place the sugar and water in a small pan over medium heat and heat to 121 degrees celsuis. If a thermometer is not available then bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and boil for two or three minutes.
2. At the same time, begin to beat the egg whites and the 1 tbsp of sugar to a firm peak. Ideally, the sugar syrup and the egg whites should be ready around the same time.
3. Add the honey to the syrup and bring the mixture back to a boil.
4. Add the hot syrup to the egg whites in a steady stream while continuing to whip. Whip until cool. (This is evidently easier with a machine, but if one is not available then beat the mixture for a few minutes and let it cool beating every once and while to distribute the heat.) This is the same as making an italian meringue.
5. Whip the cream.
6. Combine the cool meringue and the whipping cream.
7. Break apart the nougatine that was made earlier. Combine with the roasted nuts and the candied fruit and add it all to the meringue mixture.
8. Pour into prepared tray and spread evenly. Freeze for a minimum of three hours.
Cut and serve with fresh fruit or a fresh fruit coulis!
To make a quick coulis:
Dilute a little sugar in water over low heat. Place fruit in a blender (raspberries or strawberries would work reallt well) , add a squeeze of lemon juice and a little of the sugar syrup. Blend until smooth. Add more liquid if necessary, depending on the consistency that is wanted. Pass the coulis through a sieve to strain out the seeds.
Yield: 1 - 9 by 13 inch pan (probably will yield approximately 15 generous servings )
Ingredients
Nougatine:
80 g sugar
35 g honey
100 ml water
2 cups chopped nuts
Nougat glace:
150 g sugar
water , enough just to cover sugar
200 g honey
6 egg whites
1 tbsp sugar (for the whites)
1 litre 35% cream
1 cup roasted nuts
1 cup candied fruit
(or two cups nuts if candied fruit is just not your thing...)
Methodology:
Nougatine:
1. Ready a tray by covering it with parchment paper.
2. Heat sugar, honey and water over medium heat until the sugar takes on a light amber color. ( blond caramel stage)
3. Add chopped nuts to caramel and mix quickly.
4. Pour the mixture out onto the tray and spread quickly.
5. Place tray in freezer or fridge for 10 or 15 minutes so that the nougatine hardens. This makes it easier to break apart to use.
Nougat Glace:
1. Ready a 9 by 13 inch baking tray by lightly greasing it and lining it with plastic wrap.
2. Place the sugar and water in a small pan over medium heat and heat to 121 degrees celsuis. If a thermometer is not available then bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and boil for two or three minutes.
2. At the same time, begin to beat the egg whites and the 1 tbsp of sugar to a firm peak. Ideally, the sugar syrup and the egg whites should be ready around the same time.
3. Add the honey to the syrup and bring the mixture back to a boil.
4. Add the hot syrup to the egg whites in a steady stream while continuing to whip. Whip until cool. (This is evidently easier with a machine, but if one is not available then beat the mixture for a few minutes and let it cool beating every once and while to distribute the heat.) This is the same as making an italian meringue.
5. Whip the cream.
6. Combine the cool meringue and the whipping cream.
7. Break apart the nougatine that was made earlier. Combine with the roasted nuts and the candied fruit and add it all to the meringue mixture.
8. Pour into prepared tray and spread evenly. Freeze for a minimum of three hours.
Cut and serve with fresh fruit or a fresh fruit coulis!
To make a quick coulis:
Dilute a little sugar in water over low heat. Place fruit in a blender (raspberries or strawberries would work reallt well) , add a squeeze of lemon juice and a little of the sugar syrup. Blend until smooth. Add more liquid if necessary, depending on the consistency that is wanted. Pass the coulis through a sieve to strain out the seeds.
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