Catching a Rainbow

Autumn is a strange season, hovering between the memory of summer and the onslaught of the coming winter; its passing is made easier by the appearance of the jewels of the forest… wild mushrooms.

These are not the white cap commercial varieties grown in the dark in sterile conditions, these are the real deal, mushrooms which deserve names such as Morilles, Pied de Mouton, Trompette de mort and of course the Girolles.

Traditionally autumn is the time when the French disappear into the woods with furtive backward glances, ensuring that their secret mushroom haunt remains just that; theirs and secret. You can always try asking a Frenchman where the mushrooms grow… but he will probably just shrug his shoulders, walk away shaking his head - laughing to himself.
These secret places, ‘les bons endroits,’ passed from father to son are not given up lightly. A full moon, after the softest of rains is the best time to go, baskets battered and worn carried as a badge of honour portraying an individual’s mushroom gathering credentials.

But, it can be a risky business, not all mushrooms are edible and every year people die in France from having eaten poisonous examples notwithstanding that all pharmacies are able to give advice on mushroom types and at this time of the year mushroom fairs are arranged so one can learn from the experts.

Now a few varieties are available fresh in the supermarkets vegetable sections or dried hidden away on some high long forgotten shelf, they are expensive.
The Girolle is a mushroom not to be missed. Many are collected wild but they are now cultivated in Rumania and the United States and are not confused with any inedible varieties.



The Girolle is one of the world's best-known wild mushrooms growing in woodlands under Oaks and Conifers, sometimes in perfusion. Its official title Cantharellus cibarius does this golden prize no favours at all but this pleasantly aromatic fleshy wild mushroom shining like an exotic golden flower, when seen from a distance, against the drab brown of the autumnal forest floor.

The French know them as Girolles, so do the Italians. The Germans know them as Pfifferling and in general we the British…know them not.
Mushroom gathering was a common past time between the wars, but the experience needed when gathering wild mushrooms seems to have been lost, as have many of the wild varieties which used to grow in the UK.

If you get the chance to taste some before the season ends then you will be fortunate indeed but like any fresh food a little knowledge will help with that enjoyment.


Girolles when bought should look appealing. They should look and feel firm to the touch and certainly not slimy or have any dark decaying parts. It is better to hand pick each Girolle with care making sure you get the very best. Avoid scooping a bagful, as they are expensive, €19-25 a kilo, and buying slimy examples is just a waste of money.

The Girolle is distinctive in both flavour and texture. Spicy, peppery although some mention an Apricot undertone, which seems to escape me. They should be firm, almost crisp and should look appealing.
Girolles are delicate and like all mushrooms do not like being submerged in water during cleaning, it destroys the flavour. If they have to be washed then this should be done just prior to cooking and is better done under a running tap, wet mushrooms will not keep. Fresh mushrooms keep best in brown paper bags as opposed to plastic, which causes them to sweat and rot prematurely.




Acknowledgements
http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanterelle

Lambig is a distilled spirit, made in Brittany exclusively from Breton Cider.
The name Lambig comes from the French word for a still, an Alambic, in which the cider is heated and the evaporated alcohol is distilled into this little known treasure.
In Brittany distilled cider is referred to as Lambig, but to those of non-Breton descent the more common eau de vie (water of life,) is more often used.

Lambig is produced by the heating and distillation of cider. Cider for Lambig is fermented until all the sugar present has been converted into alcohol. The cider is then heated to at least 78.3 degrees Celsius, the boiling point of alcohol, and the collected evaporated spirit is condensed and collected.
The spirit at this stage far exceeds the normal 40% by volume and is diluted with 50% water to achieve the desired strength. Eleven litres of cider are required to make one litre of distilled spirit, which then has to be aged, often in Oak barrels.

In Brittany individual producers of cider are permitted to make Lambig although they are limited to 20 Litres per establishment per year, or enough to keep the cider maker through the cold winter months.
Traditionally Lambig was made on the farm and travelling stills would visit each farm and convert their cider into Lambig, for personal consumption. However, today a number of travelling distilleries are licensed by the state and travel the length and breadth of Brittany converting cider from many producers into Lambig.

On a clear spring day, walking through the woods near my home, I came upon a sight, which has probably not changed for hundreds of years, a Lambig still.
Walking in the woods, the trees resplendent with the first green of spring, the smells of an earlier season came drifting in on the wind. The scent of wood smoke, apples and cinnamon were all accompanied by conspiratorial whispers hushed, huddled, and expectant as I drew closer to the clearing in the wood.
A large still had been set up near the brook and the cooling waters of the stream were being used to condense the hot vapours into Lambig. The still itself was about a quarter the size of a double decker bus, both in length and breath. It was clad in an outer casing, which gave it the appearance of a tower used to attack castles in the middle ages. On one side the still appeared closed down but on the other the whole side had been raised to form an awning, under which the producers went about their business. Cider was brought in barrels, buckets and bottles, the quantity checked before being poured into the boiler, which was then sealed, and more logs were added to the fire.
Cigarettes were smoked, old acquaintances renewed and wary glances were exchanged, mainly in my direction. Who was this stranger in their midst? Although not openly hostile I felt this was a closed meeting and certainly not one in which I should have whipped out my digital camera and started recording the scene.

The distillation of Lambig is controlled and those in charge of the mobile distilleries are required by law to keep records such as, how much cider was deposited, how much Lambig was spirited away, as well as the registration number of each vehicle used and the number of occupants. One person in a van is allowed twenty litres, but two, forty and not too many questions are asked.

As the cider reaches the correct temperature the spirit evaporates and the vapour passes through a condenser, which cools the vapour back into liquid alcohol.
The condenser consists of a tube, surrounded by a cooling jacked into which the river water is fed and when its has done its job, cooling the vapour, the now hot water flows from a pipe and back into the river.
The idea is simple and one, which was made popular by the German chemist Justus Baron von Liebig as, all schoolboys know. Were the still, the Alambic and the drink Lambig, named after the baron, or is this pure coincidence, I don’t know nor did I think any of the group waiting patiently for the spirit to begin flowing.

We did not have to wait long. Steam began billowing and some of the pipes began creaking and knocking as the man in charge leapt from one job to another. Checking the fire, opening a valve, checking a pipe for temperature and closing another valve he was obviously an old hand at Lambig making as each task fluidly ran into the next.
Finally a tap was opened and a torrent of warm clear liquid poured into a bucket. When the bucked was full it was changed for another hanging from the tap by a piece of rope and the exchange was carried out in one deft movement, the tap ever running. The Lambig was then poured from the bucket into large glass jars holding 50 litres of spirit and then stoppered with a wooden bung. The spirit was then poured into an assortment of bottles placed in the boot of cars or on the back of a tractors trailer and whisked away.

The sale of Lambig before 1896 was forbidden but in that year a statute was passed allowing the professional distillation of Lambig and commercial distilleries have since evolved. Young Lambig is often use in cocktails, whereas when aged it is drunk as a fine brandy. It is often compared to its Norman cousin, Calvados which is also made from Cider, but only varieties from Normandy.
Whereas Calvados has an Appellation d’Origine Contrôle, Lambig has the les specific accolade of AOR or Appellation d'Origine Régionale. However, some individual producers have been awarded the coveted AOC for their individual Lambig’s.

Oher sites to visit.

The Menhir Distillery

The Warenghem Distillery

L'abus d'alcool est dangereux,
à consommer avec modération


Sources:
http://www.cidref.fr/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eau-de-vie
AOC Cournouaille Bretagne WS

Of all the vast range of foods coming from the fertile soils or abundant sea in and around Brittany, it is perhaps the artichoke alone that is most synonymous with this region of France.
Practically an emblem of the five counties it is said that the artichoke can only grow within five miles of the sea; as the plants requires salt blown in on the wind to encourage good growth and well developed heads. How true this is I do not know. If you have an idea I would be pleased to here…click here.

When talking about artichokes in Brittany I am referring to the globe artichoke such as the Camus de Bretagne which can be found growing all over the region.
Native to the eastern Mediterranean, the artichoke is the edible flower bud of a thistle-like plant and a member of the sunflower family. It should not be confused with the Jerusalem or the Chinese artichokes, both of which are tubers that grow underground.

In Brittany there are three varieties of artichoke, which make up the mainstay of production, the most popular being the Camus de Bretagne. Available from the end of May to November, they account for 64% of the artichokes produced in Brittany.
The second, the Castel de Bretagne accounts for 27% and the Petit Violet de Bretagne makes up the remainder.

The Camus de Bretagne averaging 500g per artichoke has an even round structure with slightly serrated leaved which are large but slightly shorter than the other two varieties. The Camus is eaten cooked either as a whole vegetable or just the stuffed artichoke hearts, which are the firm base of the flower structure sought after by food lovers all over the world.

The Castel de Bretagne, are slightly larger than the Camus, averaging 600g per flower head and arrive on the market slightly later in May than the Camus. They have a slightly elongated form, a green grey colour, and a distinctive taste, which sets them apart from the Camus.

Lastly there is the Petit Violet de Bretagne, which are much smaller averaging 150g each. They arrive in the shops towards the middle of June and are recognisable by their small size and purple tinge. They are usually sold in bunches and are excellent quartered and stir-fried or at their best eaten raw with sea salt and a dribble of lemon juice and olive oil.

The botanical name for Artichokes, Cynara scolymus, derives from the Latin canina meaning canine and the Greek skolymos meaning thistle. Its English name is a derivative of the Arabic for the thistle.
Although man has been eating artichokes for more than 3000 years it was
Catherine de Médici, the wife of King Henry II of France who is purported to have introduced the first plants into the country.
Artichokes are not immediately recognisable as good to eat and I am always amazed to think that someone thought of eating a plant, which after all on the outside is just a hard tough thistle, but I am glad that they did.


The Camus and the Castel varieties should have bright green firm flower heads and as with any flower bud the petals should be closed tight to form a dense mass. Although technically a flower and as such the outside edible parts are really petals, I will refer to them as leaves from now on to avoid confusion.
In the hand an artichoke should feel heavy, dense and when a leaf is removed it should come away with a clear snap. When removed the leaf base should weep a little liquid and show no sign of insect infestation. The ends of the leaves should not be yellow nor in some cases black, which are indications of old artichokes.

Fresh Artichokes will keep for up to a week in the bottom of the fridge providing you do not remove the stalk. Cutting the stalk will result in the artichoke wilting quicker and reduce the keeping qualities of the plant. They freeze well if blanched in boiling water for a few minutes before freezing which helps preserve the colour and as with cooking, the addition of lemon juice will also help maintain a good green artichoke.
Artichokes can be boiled or steamed and adding a cut lemon to the water whilst boiling will prevent the artichoke from turning black during the cooking process.
Once cooked artichokes do not keep well and must be eaten within two days, any longer and the vegetable develops an unpleasant taste and a slimy texture.

How to cook globe artichokes.

Artichokes can be cooked either by boiling in plenty of salted water or if you prefer by using a steamer although the latter process usually renders a darker artichoke which has a less pleasant appearance.


1. Cut off the stem close to the base of the flower head and drop into a very large pan of boiling salted water, the addition of cut lemons prevents discolouration although some prefer vinegar.

2. Simmer uncovered for about 15-25 minutes depending on the size of the artichoke. Any leaves exposed to the air during cooking will darken and so a lid too small for the pan you are using can be placed on top of the chokes to ensure they are fully immersed whilst they cook.

3. To test if cooked the point of a knife should enter the base of the artichoke with only a little resistance, similar to a slightly underdone boiled potato.

4. Once cooked remove the artichoke and tip upside to drain before serving. They can be served hot with melted butter or better, sauce hollandaise or cold with a vinaigrette or olive oil.

How to eat an Artichoke.

Essential equipment.
1. Large bowl for debris.
2. Finger bowls filled with hot water and several slices of lemon.
3. A change of serviette.


Eating an artichoke can be divided into two stages and for those people who have never tried one, can appear fairly daunting.
Whilst I was the restaurant manager of Gravetye Manor a hotel in West Sussex, an American couple ordered artichokes. It was the first time they had tried this delicacy, but at the time I was unaware.
An hour and a half after being served with their artichokes I was surprised to hear that the couple had not yet finished, which was unusual, and so I went to investigate.
Arriving in the restaurant I saw that the two were five minutes away from having eaten the entire artichoke, leaves, fury inside and the heart. Obviously it was too late to tell the couple that what they were doing was wrong and that ninety per cent of a globe artichoke is inedible…perhaps not to this stomach hardy duo from across the pond.
When you try your first artichoke, or if you already have, you will perhaps better understand this little anecdote.

Artichokes are usually served alone on a large plate; and any sauce is better served separately in a sauceboat.
To eat an artichoke, pull off the outer leaves one at a time and dip the pale fleshy part of the leaf into your chosen sauce.
The only part that is eaten is the fleshy base of the leaf and even then the edible part it is not bitten but sucked and pulled out through the front teeth. Sounds disgusting, but it is the only way.
The first few leaves may produce a disappointing amount of flesh, but as you begin to work your way round the artichoke and move further in towards the centre, so the amount of flesh at the base of each leaf increases.
After a while the leaves become smaller and the amount of edible flesh decreases until it is not worth bothering about. It is then time to remove all the remaining leaves and proceed to the heart of the artichoke.
The heart is the base of the flower and is recognisable as being covered by a myriad of small filaments, which need to be removed.
The heart has the form of a very shallow bowl and to remove the filaments a knife is inserted at a slight downwards angle from the edge of the heart towards the centre. Working around the heart with the point of the knife always in the centre the entire fibrous middle can be removed in one go…with a little practice.
The dark green heart can then be covered in sauce and eaten with a knife and fork.


In addition artichoke hearts can be prepared on their own, the leaves are discarded for a quite different experience.
To see how to prepare artichoke hearts click on the camera below for a short informative video.











Quick simple and foolproof Hollandaise sauce. (4 people)
















As with mayonnaise, hollandaise’s cold counterpart, many recipes make the making of the sauce an overcomplicated and lengthy if not a ritualistic procedure, when in effect they are both made extremely easy by the use of a food processor.
I would reiterate a food processor and not a liquidiser; there is a difference and this sauce will not work in the latter.

1. Melt 200g or 8 ounces of butter in a measuring jug or similar, in a microwave for two minutes at half power. If not fully liquid continue for an additional minute. Remove from the microwave and allow to stand. (The solids will sink to the bottom of the jug, leaving the clear butter on top).
2. In a small cup place three tablespoons of white wine vinegar and a good turn of freshly ground black pepper according to taste.
3. Warm the vinegar and pepper in a microwave until hand hot, definitely not boiling.
4. Place the yolks of three eggs in the bowl of a food processor and switch to high speed.
5. Pour in the vinegar and blend for a minute or so until the yolk vinegar mixture starts to thicken.
6. Pour in the butter fat in a good steady trickle allowing about two minutes to pour in all the butter. If the sauce is too thick then add a little of the milk solids at the bottom of the jug which contain water thus making the sauce thinner.
7. Pour into a warm sauceboat and serve immediately.

This sauce will not separate as does sauce made by hand, and should be served warm.

References
http://www.ciaprochef.com/fbi/ipod.html
http://www.produitenbretagne.com/
http://www.prince-de-bretagne.com/