Bastille Day

[joiei]

I will be at the Polo Grill in Tulsa where the menu created by Chef Philippe Garmy will be

l'amuse bouche - Escargot Gratin "au Beurre de Provence"

la soupe - "Fruits de Mer" bouillon infused with Tarragon served with saffron glazed onion and lobster "farce"

la salade - Roasted Hazelnuts, baby beets and haricots verts with pigs trotter" Persille" and vinagrette " a la Moutarde"

le pouisson - "Goujonette" of red snapper with garlic confit, eggplant, aged sherry vinegar and honey

la viande - Roasted saddle of rabit "en Crepinette" with pearl onions chantrelles and fava bean "Cassolette"

le fromage - Gaperon with candied dried tomato, balck olives and "Pain rustique au Romarin"

le dessert - spiced Porter Peaches "en Papillote" with lavender honey creme fraiche and sweet pastry fritters

[chefzadi]

Yesterday evening we had the first of our Bastille Day celebrations with friends. They weren't French, although there was one Francophone in the house.

I didn't jot down the names of the wines. We had some roses from the Rhone. Excellent on a summer day and with the menu. We moved onto Burdundy reds later. I tried some Oregon wines for the first time and was pretty impressed.

We started off with two cheeses, a Spanish sheep's milk cheese and a California artisanal cheese. I didn't buy them and I don't recall what they are called. (I was too busy eating and drinking.)

The host made Greek yoghurt dip, which he served with triangles of pita bread.

I brought couscous and chicken with preserved lemons and olives. The chicken dish turned out to be an interesting and succesful combination of cooking techniques. We added some homemade tomato jam that we added to the sauce. I'll post a recipe later.

Dessert was store bought ice cream a new flavor from Trader Joe's.

Porto

It was easy, fun and relaxing. The way getting together with friends should be.

Next weekend we're having a picnic.

Spicy Marinated Olives, Grilled Chicken with Tarragon Vinegar, Pan Bagnat, Smoked Salmon and Creme Fraiche Potato Salad, cheeses, bread chacuterie and Chocolate Cake

For dinner

A few simple things for guests to eat as they arrive, Olives, bread, maybe a relish made from the tomato jam.

Salad

Cote du Boeuf (maybe some grilled vegetables as a side)

Cheese course

Tarte Tatin

That's it. French homecooking. Simple stuff.

[Nathan P.]

I am going to my local wine bar, Soif, where they are putting on a bistro menu instead of their usual modern CalMed food. The initial menu they emailed is as follows:

Plateau de Fromages

Charcuterie du maison

Huître avec mignonette

Salade verte aux fines herbes

Poireaux frais vinaigrette

Moules Marinieres

Langue de l' agneau et les petites betteraves de Chioggia et roquette sauvage

Gnocchi des herbes a la parisienne

Salmon aux beurre, pettit pois et morelle

Confit du canard avec les vegetables d' été et sauce moutarde

Porc rôti avec les haricot egrenés fraÎche

Ragoût du veal et son moelle

Crème caramel

Tarte au Lemon

Mousse au Chocolat

Selection du sorbets du fruits frais

Carte du Vins

Blanc

Burgundy - 2003 Vocoret Chablis Grand Cru, Valmur

Loire - 2003 Didier Dagueneau, Pouilly-Fume "Pur Sang"

Rhone - TBA

Bordeaux - TBA

Rouge 1

Burgundy - 2000 Domaine de L'Arlot "Clos des Forêts" 1er Cru, Nuits St. Georges

Southern Rhône - TBA

North Rhône - 2000 Domaine Levet Côte-Rôtie

Rouge 2

Chateau Lynch Bages, Pauillac Grand Cru: 1995, 1996, 2000

[srhcb]

France Vissez!

It's Bastille Day, I have somebody eles's brand new red Mustang GT convertible, (the dealer kindly pointed out the switch to shut off the traction control), it's in the mid 70's without a cloud in the sky, and I'm going to storm something!

SB (hopefully won't end up in the local "bastille")

[chefzadi]

Yes it's Bastille Day! And I'm missing out on some local celebrations because I will be teaching Bastille day recipes this evening. But I love teaching these classes.

[srhcb]

Eat Cake!

SB