In Search of a Truffle Omelet

[TomV]

Hello,

My wife and I are leaveing for a week in Bordeaux and the Perigord in 10 days.

We'll spend one night in Paris, 4 nights in Bordeaux, and 2 nights on a snail farm in Vaunac north of Perigueux.

I'm planning the schedule based on packing as many fine meals in as possible without breaking the bank. On our first night in Bordeaux, we're going to La Tupina. From everything I've read I might be content to eat there for every meal. I love the philosophy of eating local food in season. We'll also hit Didier Gelineau, Gravelier and Bistrot du Sommelier for dinner. They all look pretty reasonable. Jean Ramet may be a lunch. That's just Bordeaux and I'm stoked. javascript:emoticon(':biggrin:')

smilie

A couple of questions for ye eGulleteers.

Tonight, my wife reminded me of her requirement for a truffle omelet. She really wants one for breakfast at some point. Would anyone be able to recomend a place?

Has anyone been to Auberge de la Truffe in Sorges? It's in the red book with as a bib gourmand. Not sure if we should go for dinner or lunch, perhaps that's the place for the truffle omelet...it would make sense given the name.

I'd love to stop at a routier. Any suggestions on the road between Bordeaux and Perigueux? I'd be interested to try horsemeat.

I'd like to heartily thank you as a group for the volumious content that I've had at my fingertips here.

Cheers!

TomV

Edited February 17, 2005 by TomV (log)

[marcus]

Tonight, my wife reminded me of her requirement for a truffle omelet.  She really wants one for breakfast at some point.  Would anyone be able to recomend a place? 

TomV

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Truffle omelet is really not a breakfast dish, and I doubt that you'll be able to find own at that time of day. The definitive truffle omelet is at the Beaugraviere in Mondragon, which is in the Dromme along the Rhone. Definitive list of Rhone wines as well. This is probably somewhat outside of your planned itinerary.

[TomV]

Thank you, Marcus. I'd thought as much. That makes sense.

TomV

[Ptipois]

You will still find a perfectly good truffle omelette in Périgord. Just look at menus outside of restaurants. There may be more than one place in Sorges that serves it. If you have a chance, push towards the region of Quercy (Cahors, Souillac) which is truly a truffle region (more than Périgord at this point, actually). You'll find everything you're looking for.

As for the "routier", my only advice is: if it's on a busy road, doesn't look too fancy and has plenty of parked cars and trucks outside, this is one. However it's unlikely that you'll be served any horse meat there. Did you read anything about this?

[John Talbott]

However it's unlikely that you'll be served any horse meat there. Did you read anything about this?

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I'm not sure where this comes from but if memory serves me correctly, there was a report on France 2, 20h news two nights ago showing very nice horse meat. In my quartier, we had three horse meat shops, now reduced to two, but they exist. You all are too young to recall when during WWII, horse meat was super available, not rationed, and constitued such a "luxury" that it remained on certain menus, eg the Harvard Faculty Club, for years.

[John Whiting]

Has anyone been to Auberge de la Truffe in Sorges?

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Have eaten there several times, including a magnificent truffle luncheon served for twenty-five guests of the Salon International du Livre Gourmand. A French truffle expert sitting next to me estimated that the chef must have disposed of a couple of kilos. It was the only occasion on which, by the end of the meal, I didn't want any more.

It's also a very decent Logis hotel, with reasonable rates. It was cheaper still when we stayed overnight in their parking lot in our campervan, which they let us do without even a raised eyebrow.

[TomV]

Thank you all for your replies.

I heard about horse meat and routiers on the radio program Spendid Table. Jane & Michael Stern ate at a routier and had horsemeat. The show was originally broadcast Nov. 10, 2001. From the link below, you listen to the audio of that show.

http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/listings/shows01_11.htm

John Talbott: Interesting historical perspective. I can't imagine the outrage of the animal rights groups if the Harvard Faculty Club still had horsemeat on the menu today!

I can't wait to get to France.

[Ptipois]

I'm not sure where this comes from but if memory serves me correctly, there was a report on France 2, 20h news two nights ago showing very nice horse meat.  In my quartier, we had three horse meat shops, now reduced to two, but they exist. You all are too young to recall when during WWII, horse meat was super available, not rationed, and constitued such a "luxury" that it remained on certain menus, eg the Harvard Faculty Club, for years.

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Of course there still are boucheries chevalines (though having two of them left in your quartier seems a bit unusual to me. Do you live in a very "commerçant" quartier ?). I only meant to point out that horse meat served at a restaurant, even a "routier", is a very rare thing. I believe our friends should not be prepared to find it at every "routier". A little searching will be necessary. They can always rely on a boucherie chevaline, since there are more of them left in the provinces than in Paris.

Edited February 17, 2005 by Ptipois (log)

[Bux]

Boucherie Chevaline was a much more common sign in Paris back in the 60s. Horsemeat seems to have gone out of fashion. It's still around, but not to the extend that I recall seeing in forty years ago. I've been told that it's about the French wanting to be seen as modern and in step with other countries.

[Ptipois]

I've been told that it's about the French wanting to be seen as modern and in step with other countries.

I'd be surprised if it were that deliberate ("Hey, we're not modern enough! Let's get rid of the horse butchers.). Boucheries chevalines are disappearing like other old-fashioned things, mostly for two reasons: 1. Horsemeat is no longer put forward as a "healthy" food, modern dietetics are focused on different things now; and 2. Not many people actually like horsemeat.

[John Whiting]

You all are too young to recall when during WWII, horse meat was super available, not rationed, and constitued such a "luxury" that it remained on certain menus, eg the Harvard Faculty Club, for years.

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In Berkeley, California, up to at least the early 60s, there was a butcher who specialized in horse meat "for animal consumption". Curiously, it was butchered into the same cuts as for humans. I used to buy their steaks regularly; they were delicious and dirt cheap.

[John Talbott]

I In my quartier, we had three horse meat shops, now reduced to two, but they exist.

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having two of them left in your quartier seems a bit unusual to me. Do you live in a very "commerçant" quartier ?)

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Yup, I'm on a market street. But as others have noted things are changing; in 20 years we've had a cremerie converted to an eyeglass shop, had our "charcoal" depot become our second chocolate place, lost one horsemeat store to ladies undergarments, had a green grocer replaced by a wine store chain, lost a bagel shop to a cruddy Italian takeout place and a flower shop to a Sicilian takeout place but picked up another new quality wine store, an oyster shucker and another new nice flower shop. Despite the changes, we've held on to 3 butchers, 2 cheese shops and 1 semiartisinal bakery.

[John Talbott]

Tonight, my wife reminded me of her requirement for a truffle omelet.  She really wants one for breakfast at some point.  Would anyone be able to recomend a place? 

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I apologize if this isn't helpful on this trip to Bordeaux etc. but perhaps it will help others. Today's Le Monde has an "Gouts" article by Jean-Claude Ribaut on truffles places in Provence as well as two restos in his Toques en Pointe.

[jeffperez62]

A few years back I enjoyed a Truffle omelet at the Hotel Dupont in Caussade (25 Rue des Recollets) 63 65 05 00. We had a group of 20 people. The omelets were about 2 feet long and came out on huge oval platters. First we had a salad of Mache with thinly sliced "cured" foie gras with shaved truffles. I don't remember the dessert but I do recall a walnut flavored after dinner drink (but I don't remember much else after that!)

[MaxH]

In Berkeley, California, up to at least the early 60s, there was a butcher who specialized in horse meat "for animal consumption". Curiously, it was butchered into the same cuts as for humans.  I used to buy their steaks regularly; they were delicious and dirt cheap.

Yes indeed, through the late 60s too, as I recall. Also Brock's Bird Store (Shattuck Avenue near University, near the Potluck restaurant seminal to that town's gastronomic history, such as it is) offered horse meat into the 1970s. (That shop sold pet food, and I don't know if anyone was buying there for human use.)

This touches on a bit of deep local history there, to Spanish colonial days (which is, however, waaay off-topic here, and would belong in the California forum, if anywhere).

-- Max

[John Whiting]

. . . near the Potluck restaurant seminal to that town's gastronomic history . . .

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Did you see the article on the Potluck in Gastronomica a couple of years ago? It costs money to retrieve it from their archives, but if you're interested I can send it to you privately. There's a bit more, not included in the article, in my history of Chez Panisse.

[MaxH]

. . . near the Potluck restaurant seminal to that town's gastronomic history . . .

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I posted a Potluck follow-up in the California subforum.

-- Max

[John Talbott]

Today's Figaroscope says that a new place – the Daniel Lounge, at the Hotel Daniel, 8, rue Frederic-Bastiat in the 8th, 01.42.56.17.00, Metro= Franklin Roosevelt, open everyday, 30-50 E a la carte, serves scrambled eggs with truffles.

[Ptipois]

Yup, I'm on a market street.  But as others have noted things are changing; in 20 years we've had a cremerie converted to an eyeglass shop, had our "charcoal" depot become our second chocolate place, lost one horsemeat store to ladies undergarments, had a green grocer replaced by a wine store chain, lost a bagel shop to a cruddy Italian takeout place and a flower shop to a Sicilian takeout place but picked up another new quality wine store, an oyster shucker and another new nice flower shop.  Despite the changes, we've held on to 3 butchers, 2 cheese shops and 1 semiartisinal bakery.

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This doesn't look too bad in terms of inevitable market street cutification. The quartier you live in must be fairly "populaire". See what rue Montorgueil has become. I spent most of my younger days near Rue Mouffetard, arguably the most emblematic market street in Paris, and although it got its fair share of cute chain shops and lingerie during the last twenty years, it has more or less managed to retain its shape. However I had to mourn several losses: an excellent Norman butcher, a few vegetable stands and particularly the "bougnat", i.e. the firewood and charcoal depot that used to serve wine. Mr. bougnat and his wife always offered the produce of their garden (somewhere near Chantilly), including some fantastic chestnuts from a tree that was planted in the days of Henri IV (early 17th c.).

[marlena spieler]

Has anyone been to Auberge de la Truffe in Sorges?  It's in the red book with as a bib gourmand.  Not sure if we should go for dinner or lunch, perhaps that's the place for the truffle omelet...it would make sense given the name.

I remember a lovely warm pate, a celestial mixture of minced meats and truffles of course, wrapped in a tender flaky pastry that was so good i think i could have wrapped my chapeau in it and eaten it happily, and it was all awash in a truffled sauce of the Classic Perigord style. mmmmmmm.

the other good thing about going to Auberge de la Truffe, is that Sorges is home to the Eco Museum of Truffles. It takes you through the life cycle of the truffles, their oaks, their flies, their history.....

if you went in season you could probably attend an organized truffle hunt, something to remember for your next visit!

bon appetit, oh just stuff yourselves with truffles my friends!

marlena