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05/07/2008
Moules de Bouchot.
Moules de Bouchot.
Mussels are molluscs belonging to the animal class Bivalvia and although there are numerous different varieties I am only interested in one… Mytilus edulis, or the edible mussel, sometimes called the blue mussel.
Mussels have a two-part shell, which protects them from predators and desiccation, both halves being more or less symmetrical. They form part of a huge family containing many edible shellfish such as: clams, scallops, oysters, cockles and can be found in the low and mid inter-tidal zone; that is between the high and low water marks, in temperate seas of both the northern and southern hemispheres.
The fact that they are exposed to the elements twice a day has an effect on their flavour. Some say that the effect of sun wind even the effect of the nearby soil somehow intensifies the flavour of this wonderful culinary delight, which I am delighted to say are so prevalent in Brittany.
France is the largest world producer of mussels, however, in 2005 it had to import 43,000 tons of this shellfish just to keep up with the ferocious demand. Although many are imported, mainly from Holland, Italy and Spain I intend to focus on the very French form of the mussel, the Moules de Bouchot, which I was surprise to discover is not Breton at all.
Brittany is a large producer of mussels many coming from the Bay of St-Brieuc, but it is further east in the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel that one finds the mussels of the same name.
The ‘Moules de bouchot de la baie du Mont-Saint-Michel’, awarded an AOC in 2006 are said to be the finest in France, a claim that is hotly contested by many, including the Bretons and mussel producers from the Poitou-Charente region of western France, especially at this time of the year when shellfish sales are so financially important.
Part II
As I write this on the 4th December, my thoughts drift to winter months and the axiom of only eating shellfish when there is an ‘R’ in the month. Where this came from and to whom it can be attributed to are inconclusive.
It has been credited to William Butler,the author of Dyet's Dry Dinner (1599), in which he writes on Oysters…
“It is unseasonable and unwholesome in all months that have not an R in their name to eat an oyster.”
Others have suggested that shellfish does not taste as good in the summer months as this is when they reproduce and following reproduction the shellfish are of inferior size and quality.
Some say the claim dates from pre-refrigeration days when shellfish could not be stored and had to be eaten immediately in the hotter summer months.
Yet another theory claims that the European oyster is to blame for our reluctance to eat shellfish in the summer. This is due to the fact that the parent oyster guards its offspring (during the summer months) inside its own shell until the young are developed enough to have a protective shell of their own and a rudimentary defence against predators. The infant shells, small and hard give an unpleasant gritty edge to the oyster at the height of summer.
Others blame it on the climate and the prevalence of pathogenic bacteria found in seawater with elevated temperature and whilst the presence of Vibrio vulnificus bacteria is higher in the warmer months, according to the Department of Health, 40 percent of cases occur during the months from September too April, when the sea temperature is reduced and when there is an ‘R’ in the month.
Months with an ‘R’ in their name are still regarded as the in season for shellfish, but this does not always apply to mussels. Their size is much more to do with ambient sea temperature than any other criteria.
The larger fleshier mussels - and here I am referring to the inside of the animal only, are dependant on water temperature; the external shell size is purely a reflection of how old the mussel is and has nothing to do with how large the edible parts will be.
The largest mussels are to be found just before the spawning season, which is dependant on seawater temperature, and can be as early as April and continue until late July. In very good years, when the sea temperature is warmer for longer than normal the mussels can spawn twice and we are graced with a second period of fat, juicy and tasty mussels.
A good mussel will almost fill its shell with bright orange flesh; these are the most sought after mussels… a mature female. The pale yellow, which tend to be smaller are males or immature females and some say are less tasty. I have not found this to be the case and any way it’s a matter of semantics as one cannot chose the sex of ones mussels at the point of sale, they are impossible to sex without opening the shell.
A point worth considering is that when mussel size begins to deteriorate then it will be a further four months before the mussels re-gain their size and perhaps mussels from a different region should be tried…although this is not always possible.
As with the eating of all shellfish there are certain risks involved, especially with filter feeders, such as mussels however, if a few simple guidelines are followed then the probability of having a problem are extremely small. Indeed I have eaten mussels for over twenty years and not once had a problem and I would hope that by reading this article any doubts in trying this wonderful food will be laid to rest and any risk reduced.
Mussels are excellent filter feeders and by their very name it is the filtration which can cause problems when eating any such shellfish. Whilst the seawater passes through their filtration system, other suspended elements are stored within the mussel; most are harmless, but not all. In areas where the seawater quality is poor and the levels of toxins are not monitored contaminants can be stored within the body of the mussel and passed on to humans. These contaminants and in certain cases pathogens are not destroyed by cooking so, it is extremely important to only eat mussels from known sources, such as the mussel parks of Brittany, where the water quality is strictly monitored and controlled.
It is strongly advised not to collect wild mussels, direct from the rocks, which may not have developed in such a healthy monitored environment, and who will present a greatly increased risk to health… regardless of what popular television chefs suggest.
Part III
Archaeological findings suggest that mussels have been used as a food for over 20,000 years but obviously mussels have been around much longer than that as the fossil record of the Cambrian Explosion shows.
There is anecdotal evidence that mussels have been cultivated in France since the 13th Century; and has been credited in some reports to an Irish sailor and in others a fisherman.
The story, which is sketchy at best, is attributed to one Patrick Walton; shipwrecked on the French coast in 1235. Various reports suggest the shipwreck was in the Charente, but as the Charente is landlocked this would prove problematic even on the highest of tides. The département of Charente-Maritime, which stretches from La Rochelle in the north down to the Gironde estuary, is the more likely site for this intriguing yet vague account.
Whilst shipwrecked, and in order to catch food, either fish or birds depending on which version of the story one reads, Walton stretched out some nets between two poles. He soon found that as well as being successful with his nets, mussels also fixed themselves to the wood from which his nets were strewn. The mussels naturally collected on the wooden posts, grew very quickly and were an additional food source for the stranded Walton.
Shortly afterwards he began placing more and more posts in the sea, dispensing with the nets and the industry of mussel farming was born.
The name Bouchot was contrived by Walton to describe his system of placing wooden poles in the sea, which laid out in huge rectangles resembled fields or enclosures. ‘Bout,’ said to mean enclosure and ‘koat’ meaning wood, later became bouchoat and then bouchot in modern French.
However, the Gallic word for enclosure is clós, very similar to the French clos or enclos meaning an enclosed space and not a translation from wood. The word for wood is ‘coil’ and as such draws a shadowy veil over the convenient translation of Bouchot. That being said it is a good story and one worthy of mention.
Regardless of where the name came from the buchot’s are an intrinsic part of the landscape in both Brittany and Normandy, visible at low tide in stagnant immobility paying homage to the pagan roman gods before the Christian edifice of Mont Saint Michel…or that is the way it seems.
Long lines of posts, 4-5 metres high spaced out with military precision stretching from the shore to the horizon. Each line a hundred metres long, each line comprised of 110 posts or bouchot and producing 6600Kg of mussels a year. In the Bay of Mont Saint Michel alone there are 322,000 bouchot stretching for 292 linear Kilometres, but it has not always been thus.
The bouchot method of growing mussels only arrived in the bay of Mont Saint Michel in the early 1950’s and gradually spread around the coast into Brittany. Originating in Charente-Maritime the method only spread north in the 19th Century although it had been practised in the seas around Île de Ré and La Rochelle for centuries.
Today the bouchot tend to be off oak, long lasting and are usually driven into the sand with their bark left on…the ropes and the mussels arrive later from a contentious location.
The method of cultivating the mussels, has not changed since it was first developed for two reasons: the mussels are full-flavoured; which is of paramount importance but also they are devoid of any sediment or grit; making them much quicker and easier to prepare.
Part IV.
Early in the year, the exact time dependant upon the weather and the ambient water temperature, the mussels begin to breed.
For the Moules de Bouchot this does not take place in Brittany or Normandy; but off the west coast of France in Charente-Maritime.
This region, the birthplace of the Moules de Bouchot, is still used for rearing the immature mussels and for exporting them to… ‘That other place.’
The free-swimming baby embryos, ‘Spats’ in English and ‘Naissains’ in French, are quickly formed within 48 hours following fertilisation.
A mere two days later a shell starts to form even though the young mussels are still mobile, carried from one side of the bay to the other like so much pollen on the wind.
Two weeks later the immature ‘Spats’ yield to gravity and begin to settle in the warm waters surrounding Noirmoutiers. Rocks, pilings or expediently placed lengths of hempen rope conveniently suspended from aberrant geometric frames soon become home, howsoever temporary, for this ephemeral culinary delight. 
By May the spats are firmly fixed to the ropes by means of a fibrous thread or beard, which will hold them steady until they are ready to be harvested. What happens next, on an annual basis, rubs salt into the very wounds of mussel producers from Charente-Maritime, not only the originators of the bouchot system of mussel production, but also one of the largest salt producing areas of France as well. The mussels still attached to their ropes are loaded and transported the 270 Km from Western France to the Bay of Mont Saint Michel in Normandy to be transformed into the award winning ‘Moules de bouchot de la baie du Mont-Saint-Michel’.
They arrive resolutely attached to their hempen estates, unrolled, and begin a two-month period of acclimatisation in the nursery yards of Normandy.
Once the two-month nursery period is over the new arrivals are taken to the fields of bouchot, waiting patiently in fixed lines and are wrapped in a single helix, securely fixed to their sedentary posts. At the foot of each post a skirt is fixed, appropriately named a Tahitienne, which prevents the ever-present crabs from climbing the poles and devouring the precious crop.
A year later, their black shells tinged with a blue or purple hue and their flesh a deep orange or creamy yellow, the Moules de bouchot de la baie du Mont-Saint-Michel’ are ready to be devoured.
It is not just the Bay of Mont Saint Michel which produces Mussels by this method, but it is only the ‘Moules de bouchot de la baie du Mont-Saint-Michel’ that have obtained the AOC for their locality.
Moules de Bouchot can be found all over Brittany as well, unrestricted by the strict criteria of the AOC, the Breton Moules de Bouchot tend to be slightly larger but are still grown in the same way.
In addition to the large fields of stakes needed to grow the mussels, it is essential that there is also a large differential between the high and low tides. A large tidal range is vital to ensure that the tall mussel posts are fully covered and exposed by the sea, twice a day, this not being possible everywhere.
In Brittany however, the tidal ranges are extremely high. St Malo has one of the highest tidal coefficients in the world; which equates to the height of water between the highest high tide and the lowest low which are greater in Northern Brittany than almost anywhere else on the planet. Only the Bay of Fundy in Eastern Canada and certain locals in the Bristol Channel produce higher tidal coefficients.
The Mussels resolutely fixed to their posts, exposed to both air and sun as the tide ebbs and flows are only able to feed during the submerged period. They do not have the opportunity to feed all day and night, as some deep-water mussels do. This respite period, essential for Moules de Bouchot, gives the mussels the opportunity to grow at a slower rate thereby concentrating their flavour and also obtain additional elements from the nearby soil; something deep-water mussels are not able to do.
Through out the winter and the following spring the mussels develop and increase in size until the harvest.
La cueillette or the harvest is carried out between July and the March of the following year and is performed by machines which carefully strip the poles of mussels without damaging the poles, the ropes or the mussels, which are then ready for the pot!
Part V.
The AOC, what it says
On the 11th of July 2006 the ‘Moules de bouchot de la baie du Mont-Saint-Michel’ were awarded an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée. This award protects the rights of producers in the awarded region. It is only the full name ‘Moules de bouchot de la baie du Mont-Saint-Michel’ which is protected and not the name ‘Moules de Bouchot,’ which are produced elsewhere in France, including Brittany.The mussels have a regular shape and a dark shiny exterior tinged with blue. The flesh is dark orange or yellow and has melting texture with a dominant sweet flavour. The greatest advantage of growing mussels by the Bouchot system is that they are suspended fixed to their posts, in clean constantly moving water and as a result are free from internal parasites and grains of sand. A consequence of this is that Moule de Bouchot do not need purging prior to cooking.
Some shellfish raised in sandy conditions, cockles being a good example, need to be kept in clean sea water for a couple of days before being cooked. This allows the shellfish to expel all the grains of sand they have accumulated during their normal feeding cycle. With mussels grown in this manner purging is not required.
The mussels must be of the species Mytilus edulis and have a length not less than 4cm when they are sold.
The size of the flesh must meet certain minimum standards as set down by the Lawrence and Scott index for shellfish size. For the Moules de Bouchot they must have an index of at least 120, as per the following equation:
Index = meat dry weight (g) x 100/internal cavity volume (ml).
©Scott & Lawrence (1982):
Geographical zone.
1. The Mussel Park of the bay of Saint Michel is situated south of a line between Pointe de la Chaîne in the West (Brittany), and the spire of the Church at Carolles (Normandy).
2. The Mussels must be grown, prepared and stored within one of the following communes.
a. Cancale,
b. Cherrueix,
c. Le Vivier-sur-Mer,
d. Le Mont-Dol, Hirel,
e. Saint-Benoît-des-Ondes,
f. Saint-Méloir-des-Ondes.
3. The young mussels cannot be brought into the park any later than the 31st July
4. The nursery area must be cleared of all ropes and mussels by the 31st October.
5. The raising of mussels by the bouchot system requires growing mussels on wooden posts. The posts must be no longer than 5.5 metres long, and only the top 3.5 metres of the bouchot can be used for growing the mussels. This ensures the posts are well anchored and the mussels are grown well off the seabed.
6. It is illegal to fence in the Bouchots.
7. The mussels must be at least eleven months old before they can be classed as « Moules de bouchot de la baie du Mont-Saint-Michel » and they are not permitted to be older than two years.
8. Each bouchot is only permitted to produce 60Kg of mussels.
9. The mussels can only be harvested between 15th June and the 15th February.
10. Mussels raised longer than 18 months can be harvested between 15th June and the 31st July of the following year.
11. After harvesting the mussels:
a. Cannot be stored for more than 10 days.
b. They must not be mixed with other mussels not named« Moules de bouchot de la baie du Mont-Saint-Michel).
12. After storage in the purification area the mussels must be washed and cleaned only within the set geographical area.
13. The mussels once ready must not contain more than 5%Mytilus galloprovincialis or the mussel hybrid galloprovincialis-edulis.
14. They must be labelled « Moules de bouchot de la baie du Mont-Saint-Michel »
15. They must be labelled with « appellation d'origine Contrôlée », with the name of the logo immediately before or after the name of the appellation.
Part VI.
Mussels are also raised around the Île de Ré in western France; where the locals are sure that their mussels are fatter and juicier than those from the Bay. The reason; the sea is warmer than in either Brittany or Normandy and the mussels from the west are certainly bigger. However, the region’s mussel farmers are coming to terms with the decision to award the desirable Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée designation to ‘Moules de bouchot de la baie du Mont-Saint-Michel’ and not to those from Charent-Maritime. This has put the Norman mussels in the forefront of French mussel production and has reduced demand in the Charente-Maritime - which has been farming mussels since the 13th Century.
This does not mean that the mussel farmers of Normandy are without their own problems and for many years, mussel producers from the Bay of Mont Saint Michel have experienced difficulties. The Bay itself has been silting up and a reduction in the depth of water has meant that some areas are now not suitable for rearing the Moules de Bouchot. 
The silting has been most noticeable in areas around Saint-Benoit and the towns of Hirel and Vivier-sur-Mer where much lower yields have been recorded.
To overcome these difficulties, the ‘Section Régionale Conchylicole’ (S.R.C) (Regional mussel farming group) for North Brittany has decided with the aid of the Département for Maritime Affairs, to reorganize mussel farming in the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel. This will hopefully allow mussel farms in the Cancale and Mont-Saint-Michel area to continue and ensure both quantity and quality.
Another longer-term solution is currently underway, and work has begun to restore the natural cleaning effect of the river Couesnon, which it is hoped, will flush the bay clear over the next twenty or thirty years and thus preserve the production of the Moules de bouchot de la baie du Mont-Saint-Michel.
Read John Lichfield’s interesting article about the sinking island of Mont Saint Michel and what is being done to prevent it.
Buying, storing and preparing mussels.
When buying mussels, as with any other shellfish, it is vital that one buys from a reputable source. As mentioned in Part II, wild mussels should not be collected from the beach.
1. Mussels should have a shinny appearance and have a pleasant smell of the sea.
2. The majority of shells should be tightly closed which is an indication, not proof, that the mussel is alive and safe to eat.
3. Only buy mussels you can see. Do not accept any pre-packed bags from under the counter, which you have not had the opportunity to peruse.
4. In any purchase of mussels one will find some shells that are open, that is to be expected, mussels are a fragile commodity and there will always be some loss in transit and storage. However, anything more than 10% may indicate that the mussels are not really fresh, and it would be better to buy on another day.
5. The batch of mussels should not contain large numbers of broken shells, which shows bad storage and rough handling which will affect the quality of the product.
6. Mussels are usually put into plastic bags and then weighed and should be kept cool at all times. If you have a lot of shopping to do and the weather is warm then either,
a. Buy your mussels last, or:
b. Place them in a cool box with ice packs, to prevent the mussels dying before you get home.
7. Mussels can be stored in the bottom of a domestic fridge for 24 hours and then should be eaten.
8. On opening the plastic bag, several of the mussels will have opened. They are not necessarily dead but the change in temperature and humidity can cause the shells to open.
9. Before cooking, empty the mussels into a sink full of cold water. Any live mussels that have opened during storage will shut immediately.
10. Discard any mussels with broken shells; they are probably dead.
11. Discard any mussels that remain open; they are dead.
12. Discard any Mussels that float; they have trapped air inside the shell and indicate that the mussel could be dead.
13. Wash the mussels with water and look out for broken shells, which will not float and may have the appearance of being fully closed.
14. Very few Moules de Bouchot will have beards, (a collection of small fibrous threads by which the mussels attaches itself to the rope), they are not eaten and they can be easily removed, but it is not necessary.
This list sounds complicated, but is necessary and will only take five minutes of your time to wash and check a Kilogram of mussels, the normal amount served per person as a main course.
Part VII.
What follows are two very simple and popular methods of cooking mussels. Most recipes follow these two classic styles of cooking and different recipes are formed by using various different additional ingredients.
The third method is a regional speciality from around the Bay of Biscay (Gascony).
Steamed Mussels.
This method of cooking is probably the most popular method and includes such famous derivatives as Moules Marinière, in all its various and varied guises.
A mussel pan is ideal for cooking and serving this dish; the enlarged lid is used during the cooking process to retain the steam and later acts as a repository for the empty, discarded shells. Failing that a saucepan with a close fitting lid can be used and the mussels served in any large bowl.
The pan is placed on a medium high heat and the washed and checked mussels are added. Remember to discard any that are open. Add a glass of wine, cider or water, a little black pepper and steam the mussels with the lid on for about five minutes.
As the mussel’s cook, the shells open and a certain amount of seawater is released into the pan, no additional salt is therefore required.
During the cooking process, a combination of alginates in the seawater and the juices produced by the cooking mussels create foam, which will not be held back by a simple lid. For that reason it is better not to cook the mussels over a high heat, unless you want to be continuously removing the pan from the stove. Sufficient heat to steam the mussels is all that’s required and if a problem a small knob of butter added to the pan will abase the froth.
Half way through cooking add fresh herbs of your choice, replace the lid and finish cooking. If you wish, a little cream can be added for a richer sauce at this stage.
Serve in the original mussel pans with bread and a dry white wine or a Breton Cider and a huge bowl of chips.
Once served it is important to continue to be vigilant when eating mussels.
In any serving of cooked mussels there will be some that should not be eaten.
A mussel should be plump, full in body and not wrinkled, shrunken or shrivelled. Those that do not look appetising are best discarded, if in doubt pass on to another.
Reading this article, one may feel that eating mussels is a risky business and any would be gourmand is apt to be struck down with poisoning at every turn of the path. This of course is not the case, and very quickly the process of cleaning, checking and further checking the cooked mussels before eating, becomes second nature. The sensible preventative measures I have suggested using, before partaking in this wonderful food, become inconsequential when compared to the pleasure of eating this sublime harvest from the sea.
Moules Farcies.
Moules farcies, or stuffed mussels are easier to prepare than they first sound: for the mussels are not really stuffed at all. They can be served as either a first or a main course dish and the quantities should be varied accordingly.
1. Wash and check the mussels as per normal serving 250g as a first course and 500g as a main may be sufficient.
2. Steam the mussels open with a splash of white wine, as above, but don’t bother adding any other ingredients. The flavourings are added at a later stage.
3. When they are cooked, drain the mussels through a sieve and reserve the cooking liquor.
4. Discard any shells that have not opened and any mussels that look shrivelled and unappetising.
5. When cool, pull off and discard the shell which does not contain the mussel.
6. Arrange the mussels neatly on individual heatproof dishes or plates.
7. Melt some unsalted butter, crushed garlic, black pepper and some herbs, and spoon a little into each mussel shell; the amount depending on taste but this dish is made by ensuring plenty of butter is used.
8. Sprinkle a few fresh breadcrumbs into each shell and add a little of the mussel stock to each half shell.
9. Place each plate directly under a hot grill and cook for a couple of minutes until sizzling. Serve straight away.
This dish makes a wonderful informal lunch but with all seafood remember to serve fingerbowls of warm water with thick slices of cut lemon, to clean the fingers afterwards.
Although nothing can compare to fresh mussels, this method of cooking mussels can be adapted to frozen and vacuum packed ready cooked mussels.
The Éclade des Moules.
This is a mussel bake, popular along the beaches of the Bay of Gascony (Biscay) and in particular the region where mussel rearing was first developed. It is not practicable for everyday cooking, but makes a wonderful addition to an informal outdoors meal or barbecue.
The method could not be easier, pile mussels on a plank of wood two or three feet square, cover with a combustible layer, light and stand back and wait for the mussels to cook. In practice a little more patience and knowledge is required to fully enjoy this wonderful regional speciality.
1. It is necessary to soak the board in water for about an hour before you begin cooking. Not only does this prevent the wood burning, but it also helps the mussels cook evenly by the steam that is produced as the wood warms up.
2. When ready, rest the board on some stones ensuring it is level. Lifting the board off the ground even by a few inches will ensure the fire burns more efficiently.
3. In the centre of the board knock in four small nails to make a 2.5cm/1" square and place one mussel between each pair of nails, with the convex edge and hinge pointing uppermost. Mussels being bivalves have two symmetrical shells, which open when cooked. The mussels are placed on the board with their slightly concave seam facing down, which is extremely important as will be seen later. The nails facilitate the construction of the rosette.
4. Place another four mussels between the first four and continue adding further mussels to form a large rosette pattern. Start with the largest mussels and use the smaller ones towards the edge of the rosette. This not only looks attractive but also ensures that the larger mussels are placed where the heat will be highest, at the centre of the pile.
5. Cover the mussels completely with a 13cm/5" thick layer of dry pine needles; if not available then hay or straw can be used, the flavour will not be the same, slightly more material will be required, but it will still work.
6. Set light to the pile in four or five different equally spaced areas, stand back and allow the pile to burn for five or six minutes. When the flames have completely subsided carefully fan away the remaining ashes. Because the shells were placed the way they were, opening edge facing down, the two halves of the shell will have protected the mussel from the falling ash much as an umbrella protects against the rain.
Serve with a Cotes de Gascogne or a Pouilly Fumé, fresh bread, salted butter and large buckets of warm water for cleaning ones hands afterwards.
Remember to discard any mussels that have not fully opened.
Video of mussels cooking to follow in the New Year
References
http://gastronomades.canalblog.com/archives/2006/08/29/2565056.html
http://www.englishirishdictionary.com/dictionary
http://www.foodrisk.org/dynamic3.cfm?keyword=Shellfish
http://www.ifremer.fr/aquaculture/fr/mollusques/moule.htm
http://perso.orange.fr/jgodefroy/moulet.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/23/dining/23france.html?pagewanted=2&ei=5088&en=6c7e7e16bc3324d2&ex=1313985600&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/129692.stm
http://www.eurofish.dk/indexSub.php?id=3053&easysitestatid=-228395698
http://www.medisite.fr/medisite/Les-moules.html
http://www.baie-mont-saint-michel.fr/fr/la_conchyliculture.php
http://www.cnc-france.com/maj/presse/documents/the_shellfish_culture_in_France.pdf
Map of the Bay
http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&ukwidth=289&ukheight=301&scale=2000000&lang=&overviewmap=FR_over&db=&g.x=57&g.y=85
http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article1187012.ece
Interesting sites
Pictures of Noirmoutiers
http://www.vacances-en-vendee.com/photos/NOIRMOUTIER/gallerie.html
Copyright Malcolm Hamilton 2006 ©
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19/07/2007
The Coco de Paimpol
The Coco de Paimpol is a semi-dry white bean grown in the Tregor-Goëlo area of the Cotes d’Armor region of Brittany in North West France.
The name Paimpol comes from the port of the same name where it is believed the beans were first imported from South America in the 1920’s. (3° 02' 43" W 48° 46' 43" N)
The beans are now a staple of the Breton diet and their harvest between July and October is eagerly awaited. The Coco is a fragile crop, which has to be harvested by hand and cannot be undertaken when it is raining as the excess water causes the pods to rot.
The Coco Pluckers, as they are called, descend on this region for the harvest and can be seen ‘plucking’ the crop, seated, in small groups, very often under the shade of a parasol. The same families return year after year to bring in the harvest, selecting the best pods and renew acquaintances with old friends. A good plucker can pick anything up to 150Kg of beans a day. To celebrate the new harvest a large fete is organised in August every year with competitions to find the best plucker of the year.
The mature Coco bean is often overlooked by the British visitor as the pod has an unappetising dried up appearance and the yellow skin marbled with red and violet can give the impression that the bean is rotten. In fact in any lot of Coco-beans one will always find slightly better looking pale green examples, which are in fact under ripe and will not have the wonderful chestnut flavour that develops in mature examples.
They are easy to cook, once de-shelled; requiring much less time than other dried varieties of bean and require no pre-soaking. About 35 minutes in boiling salted water is usually enough, any longer and the beans begin to lose their form and become ‘mushy’. They are great in soups and casseroles where they keep their form over prolonged cooking periods
The beans are rich in fibre and Vitamins B5 and B1. They are a good source of Iron and essential oils.
The Coco de Paimpol was the first vegetable in France to receive the much acclaimed
Appellations d'origine contrôlée. The origins of AOC date back to the 15th century but the Law for the Protection of the Place of Origin the first modern law was passed in 1919.This law was to specify the region and commune that any given product must be manufactured in. Its remit was later broadened to also including setting down how certain products could be produced. In 1935, the Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (INAO), a branch of the French Ministry of Agriculture, was created to manage the administration of the process for wines.
In 1990, the scope of work of the INAO was extended beyond wines to cover other agricultural products, including the famous Coco de Paimpol.
References and acknowledgemets.
Institut National des Appellations d'Origine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appellation_d%27Origine_Contr%C3%B4l%C3%A9e
The Coco de Paimpol
http://www.prince-de-bretagne.com/presse/dossiers-presse/pdf/dossier-presse-coco-paimpol-07-2005.pdf
More information (French)
http://carnetsdebord.over-blog.net/article-3467148.html
22:35 Publié dans Food and Drink | Lien permanent | Commentaires (0) | Envoyer cette note | Tags : Brittany, malcolmhamilton, food, cooking, paimpol
25/01/2007
Paris-Brest
The Paris Brest is not so much a race as a cycling endurance competition held every four years in France. It follows a course from the country’s capitol to the town of Brest, in western Brittany, covering a considerable distance of approximately 1200Km or 746 miles.
The first race took place in 1891 following the success of the first ever bike race between Paris and Bordeaux earlier the same year.
Pierre Giffard, a writer for the paper ‘Le Petit Journal,’ was the race organiser. French moral was in a malaise towards the end of the 18th Century and Giffard thought that a race using the new fangled bicycle was just the thing to improve the nations flagging morale.
The race was made possible by the invention in 1885 of the diamond safety frame, the basic bicycle we know today and the new pneumatic tyres helped it on its way.
Cycling was a new sport and in 1891 there were only a few thousand adherents. Giffard recognised how important the machine and the new racing phenomenon were to become and organised the race to be a showpiece to the bikes versatility, power and range. It was not going to be a race… but a testing.
The event was intended to be one of endurance from Paris to Brest and a return to Paris, a man, his machine…and nothing else.
Medical opinion was against ‘such folly’ and condemned the race as ‘Lunacy.’ Despite the medical prophesy of certain death to any foolhardy enough to compete entrants began to come forward; so many that the entrance rules were changed and competitors were charged a five franc entrance fee.
By the time the first race was set to start three hundred competitors including seven women had come forward, although the women were later barred from the race by a change in the rules.
A further rule change enforced the riders to only have access to one bicycle and that same bike should be used through out the race. To ensure that there was no cheating an impressive sealing ceremony was organised outside the offices of Le Petit Journal whereby each bike had a specially designed seal firmly affixed to its frame.
As the sun came up on Sunday the sixth of September 1891 the riders set off from in front of Le petit Journal and headed towards Brest.
It soon became clear that the race was going to be a two-man affair and was between Charles Terront and
Terront was argumentative, hot bloodied and known to be impetuous, whereas Jiel Laval had a calculating mind and stuck rigidly to his cycling routine, never varying.
Their characters were not the only things that set them apart; they also opted for different tyres.
To years earlier in 1889 two French brothers André and Edouard Michelin had introduced their revolutionary clincher tyres and rims, which were not only safer, they gave a softer ride and meant that bikes could be ridden faster. A fierce debate roared at the time over which type of tyre was better. Connoisseurs, including Jiel-Laval opted for the older solid rubber variety, whereas Terront received backing from the newly formed Michelin company only one type of tyre would have a chance of existing after the race was over.
The eventual winner was Terront, finishing the race in Seventy-one hours and twenty- two minutes. The only stimulant he received was strong coffee in an attempt to keep himself awake. En-route Terront crashed as well as breaking a crank. His endurance showed through, finishing the stage one-legged and still managing to keep ahead of his competitors. From that point on solid rubber tyres began their decline into the history books.
Jiel-Laval came in second, eight hours after Terront.
Terront was not the only person celebrating. Giffard proud at his success filled page after page of newsprint with story’s concerning the race, Terront, as well as himself. Of the events he wrote:
"For the first time we saw a new mode of travel, a new road to adventure, a new vista of pleasure. These cyclists averaged 80 miles a day for 10 days, yet they arrived fresh and healthy. Even a skillful and gallant horseman could not do better. Aren't we on the threshold of a new and wonderful world?"
Although the Paris-Brest-Paris or PBP as it is known begun in 1891 as a race it is still the oldest cycling event still held every four years but is now looked on as a test of endurance and is thought of as being non-competitive. There is a great emphasis on self-sufficiency as long as the individual finishes within the ninety-hour time limit. Riders are permitted to stop en-route, eat even sleep if they chose but the clock is continuously running. Many chose either not to sleep or just catch a few minutes by the side of the road when exhaustion overcomes them.
Although initially the race was looked on as being a showcase for the new types of bicycle and the professional rider, today the greater emphasis is on the ordinary rider who can enter as long as they have passed one of the qualifying heats held earlier in the year.
The next Paris-Brest-retour will be in August 2007.
The Paris Brest is not just the name of a race, but also the pastry made to celebrate the very first race. It is a sweetened cream filled choux pastry covered in toasted almonds, which is very light and extremely easy to make.
The Paris-Brest
Choux Pastry
2 oz / 50g Unsalted butter
2 ½ oz / 65g Plain flour
Pinch of salt
2 eggs, beaten.
¼ pint / 150ml water.
1. Put the water and the butter in a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil.
2. Sift the flour twice onto a sheet of baking paper add a good pinch of salt.
3. Take the pan of the heat and empty the flour into the pan all in one go.
4. Return the pan to a gentle heat and mix thoroughly untoil the dough forms a smooth ball and comes away from the sides of the pan. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
5. Gradually add a little of the beaten egg and beat continuously to incorporate. Keep adding the egg and beating until a soft smooth dough is formed. The pastry, as it is called, should just drop of a wooden spoon when held aloft.
DIRECTIONS FOR THE PARIS-BREST:
1. Preheat oven to 2200C/4250F°.
2. Spoon the Choux Pastry into a piping bag fitted with a large plain nozzle.
3. Pipe a ring 1 ½ inches wide and 8” in diameter on a sheet of greaseproof baking parchment and sprinkle with flaked almonds.
4. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes then reduce the oven to 1900C / 3750F and cook for a further twenty minutes until the top is golden brown.
5. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for a few minutes before splitting the choux ring in half horizontally. Do not separate the halves but allow them to cool one on the other.
6. Mix together ½ pint of double cream, one egg white and 20z of icing sugar until firm.
7. Separate the two halves and spoon in the cream; replacing the top half before dusting with further icing sugar and serving.
Sources and acknowledgements
A brief overview: Sleepless en Paris ...et Normandie ...et Bretagne (1999) by Eric Fergusson
http://www.randonneurs.bc.ca/pbp/articles/1999_sleeple...
An informative history: A Short History of Paris-Brest-Paris (1999) by Bill Bryant.
http://www.rusa.org/pbphistory.html
A short history of PBP
From an article on the internet by Gary Smith http://www.ahands.org/cycling/pbp2003/history.html
ANDRE MICHELIN 1853-1931 EDOUARD MICHELIN 1859-1940
http://www.michelin.co.uk/uk/front/affich.jsp?codeRubrique=20060606121922
Recipe for Paris Brest as sited in The Cookery Year, WH Smith 1996 edition, page 295
The most comprehensive information site about PBP and its history is found on the BC Randonneurs website:
http://www.randonneurs.bc.ca/pbp/main.html.
McCray, Phil. 1989. "PBP — 1891 to 1991" Journal of the International Randonneurs
Fergusson, Eric. Paris Brest Paris. http://www.randonneurs.bc.ca/pbp/main.html
Bill Bryant, A SHORT HISTORY OF PARIS-BREST-PARIS, Randonneurs USA, http://www.rusa.org/pbphistory.html
Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris-Brest-Paris
19:20 Publié dans Food and Drink , History/Histoire | Lien permanent | Commentaires (0) | Envoyer cette note | Tags : malcolmhamilton, catchingarainbow, brittany, bretagne, Paris-Brest, cycle race
22/12/2006
In the begining
This Site has been created in conjunction with my other sites,
www.malcolmhamilton.net
and
A Daily Picture from Brittany
to publicise my first book, Catching a Rainbow.
Catching a Rainbow is a light-hearted true-life tale of two extraordinary people who followed their dreams. It describes their eventful and hilarious voyage of discovery in rural Brittany, and the start of their new life in Armorica. This book is written with whit, charm and empathy for the places they see and for the people who help ease their journey along the way. It explores many issues both humorous and serious and revels in the similarities and differences between the people of Great Britain and France.
Catching a Rainbow also examines Brittany’s regional history and takes a brief look at French and British national history from 1066 to the hundred years war… when the British finally had their revenge. It explores the First and Second World Wars, examining the liberation of France and the extent of French involvement, as well as the Day of the Dead and Remembrance Day. The Disunited States of Europe come under some scrutiny and the reader discovers who really discovered America.
Catching a Rainbow compares the cuisine and cultures of Britain with those of Brittany and France, relishing in the wonderful diversity of France’s fresh seasonal produce and examining why the same is not possible in Britain. The reader will discover that whelks have feelings and the origins of the Cornish Pasty, and it examines how such dishes as Chicken Tikka Masala have affected British traditions and the consequence they have had on the pride of a nation.
Catching a Rainbow looks into why the French drive on the wrong side of the road, are experts in absolutely everything and some of the reasons for the animosity between these two great nations. It also takes a lighthearted look at male female relations and discovers some of the possible reasons for the differences between men and women.
We hope that Catching a Rainbow and the official site of Malcolm Hamilton, gives a small insight into this most beguiling part of the world, the villages, the towns, the restaurants, the beaches and is dedicated to all the peoples of Brittany.
The Blog allows me another dimension where I am able to introduce new ideas for forthcoming books, as well as regular updates on life in Brittany and Breton life.
I will be looking at French food as a general theme and hope that the future articles will be of interest to you.
This site will be a continual work in progress so please feel free to dip in and out and leave any constructive comments.
20:10 Publié dans Introduction | Lien permanent | Commentaires (0) | Envoyer cette note | Tags : malcolmhamilton, catchingarainbow, brittany, bretagne
13/12/2006
Roscoff
Roscoff or Rosko in Breton is a small town situated on the north coast of Brittany. It is located in the Départements of Finisterre, the arrondissement of Morlaix and the canton of Saint-Pol-de-Léon and has approximately 4000 inhabitants
A few hundred yards from the shore is the Île-de-Batz. This small island is reached by catching one of the small ferries, which leave the inner harbour when the tide is high. There are regular crossings all year long provided for by three companies. The island covers just a little over 5 square kilometres and has a soft climate benefiting from the effects of the Gulf Stream.
At low tide visitors have to use the impressive footbridge, which stretches from Roscoff harbour to the embarkation point, which then is over halfway to the island.
Roscoff is a bustling fishing port and is well worth a visit before one heads south. Many tourists are only aware of the ferry terminal and fail to take in the charms of this quaint town on their mad dash to somewhere else. Roscoff has numerous restaurants, bars and cafes and is a perfect stop off for coffee, lunch or a weekend before heading on to pastures new.
Roscoff was formed following the break up of the ancient parish of Plouénan. And was split between the two parishes of Saint-Pol-de-Léon and Toussaint. In 1790, Roscoff became an independent commune instead of merely being the harbour and port for the nearby town of Saint-Pol-de-Léon.
In 1375, the harbour was destroyed by the army of the Earl of Arundel, captain of the British at Brest. It was later rebuilt at its current location, at Kroas Batz.(The Cross of Batz).
In1539 the towns name changed from Rosgo to Rosgoff and ultimately the modern spelling Roscoff.
On the 15th August 1548, the six-year-old Mary, Queen of Scots, having been betrothed to the Dauphin François (aged 12), disembarks at Roscoff. She had already been the Queen of Scotland since 1542 following the death of her father James V. There is a spot between the town and the old harbour where Mary was first supposed to have set foot on French soil.
Les capucins (Capuchines) an order of friars in the Roman Catholic Church and the chief and only permanent offshoot of the original Franciscans built a convent between 1621 et 1682 in the town.
In the 1960’s Roscoff was developed as a ferry terminal serving the UK and Ireland and Brittany Ferries have been using the port for much of that time which has boosted the local economy.
However, Roscoff is most famous for its Onions so much so that a museum opened in the town in 2004.
The original onions reportedly arrived as a single seed on a boat from Portugal sometime in the middle of the 17th Century. To begin with onions were cultivated in private gardens, but this soon spread to local farms and very soon a thriving onion industry had developed.
Roscoff was ideally suited for onion production with its light sandy soils, the warming effect of the Gulf Stream and an abundant supply of nutrient rich seaweed, which is essential to give the Rose de Roscoff their unique colour and taste.
However, the success of onion production in this region of Brittany was not just due to the soil conditions or the climate - there was a need for the onion in Roscoff.
Roscoff was a fishing port, Breton mariners and fishermen alike travelled the world’s seas in search of trade and fish. The onion was an ideal commodity in two important ways. Firstly it could be traded easily as the onion could be kept for long periods of time and so was ideal for slow wind powered transportation. Perhaps more importantly the onion was also good for the seamen’s health, as onions provide a rich source of vitamin C and was used to fend off scurvy, the scourge of early seafarers.
Before the onion, Roscoff was renowned for its linen canvas as well as salt, which it exported primarily to England via Plymouth, but in the 18th Century economic conditions changed, maritime exportation declined and the salt and linen markets crashed. The Roscovites were forced to find another way of making a living.
The British were great consumers of onions. From the coalfields of the Rhondda, to the Scottish highlands and the docks of London the British onions played a great part in British cooking. Their farmers however, produced surprisingly very few onions to feed this desire.
It was Henri Olivier who in an attempt to resolve the problem of falling local onion sales made the first successful trip to Plymouth in 1828. Hundreds were to follow Olivier over the next 178 years and became known as the Onion Johnny’s.
The Onion Johnny’s were Roscovites who transported their onions to Plymouth, usually in July, and then distributed them from door to door usually using a bicycle as their means of transport. Vast quantities of onions were transported to England, stored in barns and then delivered door to door by the Breton farmers. The farmers then returned to Brittany in December or January.
The trade in onions was not the only trade the Johnny’s carried out. Once they had sold their onions they returned to France taking with them considerable quantities of British clay peg tiles, which were not available in Brittany. The Bretons used slate as their principle roofing material. Even today when one sales up and down the north coast of Brittany remnants of this return trade can be seen by the red tiled roofs dotted along the coast.
The golden age was during the 1920s; in 1929 nearly 1,400 Johnnies imported over 9,000 tonnes of onions to the UK. The Great Depression, followed by the devaluation of the Pound in the early 1930s, ended the era as trade suddenly fell, reaching a low in 1934, when fewer than 400 people imported under 3,000 tonnes.
In the aftermath of World War II, onions, in common with other goods, were subject to import restrictions, and were obliged to trade through a single company. By 1973 the number of Johnny’s had dropped to 160 people and 1,100 tonnes, and had fallen again to around 20 Johnny’s by the end of the 20th century.
Although having declined in number since the 1950s to the point where only a few remain, the Johnnies were once very common, and with the renewed interest since the late 1990s by the farmers and the public in small-scale agriculture, numbers have recently made a recovery.
The last London based Onion Johnny, Jean Le Roux, died a short while ago.
The Rose de Roscoff, the official name of the onion, has been awarded protection under the French Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée.
13:57 Publié dans Places to visit | Lien permanent | Commentaires (0) | Envoyer cette note | Tags : malcolmhamilton, catchingarainbow, brittany, bretagne, Roscoff
28/11/2006
Il est important d'acheter français? French version
(Je suis désole pour le mauvais français, mais moi je crois que ce sujet est très important pour la France surtout les Bretons avec leur industrie agricole).
La semaine dernière une question a été demandée dans Le Télégramme dans leur section 'La question du net’ ou le sondage d'Internet. La question à propos de l'opinion publique sur les achats français.
Plus que 50% des gens a déclaré qu'ils ont pensé que c'était important a acheté français, que 48% a trouvé que ce n’étaient pas important. Un petit pourcentage ne pourrait pas décider. (j’ai oublié les chiffres exacts)
J'ai trouvé ce résultat une inquiétude- pour deux raisons en principe.
D’abord il dit que les Français deviennent apathiques à propos de leur identité gastronomique. Et deuxièmement, ils n'ont pas une compréhension du sens des phrases ‘les achats étrangers.’
L'idée que les Français n'achetant pas les produits français est presque absurdes.
Presque toutes les produits stockés sur les rayonnes du supermarché sont français, ou ils ont une d'origine française.
Les Français ne doivent pas considérer où vient leur nourriture parce-que presque tous les produits dans les magasins, viennent de la France.
Les supermarchés maintenant, ont une petite exposition des nourritures étrangères, principalement de Chine ou Inde, mais ils forment un très petit pourcentage d'exposition et probablement est ne stocké pas pour les Français mais les étrangers qui habitent en France.
Presque toutes les fruits, légumes et les poissons viennent de la France. Le fromage et l’ensemble vaste de Charcuterie et articles dans l’épicerie fine sont de la France aussi. Une grande partie des plus beaux vins du monde, maintenant vient d'Australie, Californie, et Chili, comme le monde entier savent, pourtant le vin qui en trouve dans les supermarchés français peut-être une douzaine exemples des vins étrangers, le reste sont français.
Visiter un marché local alors ont va trouver le mêmes chose, presque 100% des produits offert à vendre sera français.
I l y a une petite proportion d'articles importés, souvent ils viennent de l'Union européenne- souvent fabrique avec les ingrédients français.
Pour les Français qui suggérer qu'ils ne considèrent pas achetant activement les produits français quand ils font les courses, c’est moins une décision consciente et peut être plus parce qu’il n'y ayant aucune alternative… pour la France peut être pas une mauvaise situation.
Si ceci ne pas vraie et les Français malheureusement sont devenus apathiques concernent où vient leur nourriture; alors ils ont commencé laisser tomber leur identité régionale et leur identité culturelle qui dans les années passées a été de la force de la France.
France est une nation avec une identité culturelle et régionale très forte.
Il y a beaucoup de français qui premièrement référera à quelle région de la France ils viennent, avant leur pays, et cela renforce leurs identités culturelles, régional et social.
La France est un pays de régions gastronomique. Chacune sont indépendants des autres et pourtant combiner pour former ce grand pays qu'étrangers savent comme la France. La fierté que les Français ont pour leurs régions est connectée avec la fierté ils ont avec leur cuisine et la gastronomie et sont fondations de leur fierté nationale.
La France est la destination plus populaire des touristes dans tout le monde.
Par-dessus 75,000,000 visites chaque année, et les numéros augmentent.
Ce n’est pas que les paysages, l'histoire ou le temps ce apportent les visiteurs a cette partie de l’Ouest, mais c’est les gens, leur gastronomie et les régions distinct.
La plupart des nourritures mémorable en France sont les plats régionaux la cuisine de terroir et les produits régionaux, fait dans la même façon que ils ont été faits pour centaines si non-milliers d'années.
La majorité des nourritures célèbres de pays ont été accordés-le ‘Appellation' Origine Contrôlée,’ comme une façon de protéger leur héritage culinaire. Le AOC était premier utilisé dans le 15th Siècle a protégé les producteurs de Roquefort, un fromage qui vient de sud-ouest de la France et puisque alors a été accordé protéger la qualité et le régionalisme des produits français.
Ceci produits important régional ont une responsabilité très important dans le caractère social du pays et lie les gens à la terre indivisible.
Les gens savent où vient leur nourriture, et ils sont fiers d'où il est produit. Les français savent où la meilleure foi gras vient. Ils savent quand la saison d’asperge commence et quand la saison des coquilles Saint-Jacques arrive. La fierté les Français ont avec leurs produits locaux, régional et national est un lien très forte le même social et culturel.
Si les Français pensent que les achats français ne sont pas important alors ils coupent cette affiliation entre les gens et la terre et ils seront plus pauvres socialement, et pauvre économiquement.
Si les Français commence achat d'ailleurs, pourtant pour les raisons d'apathie, coût ou convenance alors les fermiers français et l’industrie agricole découvrirent plus dur concourir.
Agriculture deviendra plus et plus centralisé les différences merveilleuses régionales du pays serrent perdu. Les fermes échoueront et avec eux ira l'emploi rural. Les gens éloigneront du paysage à la recherche du travail, comme a commencé à arriver déjà.
Les écoles de village fermeront et avec leur fermeture vont les jeunes du village. Après les écoles les magasines du village et toutes ceux qui restent c’est un village occupé mais inanimé avec pas de lieu avec ses racines ou son héritage
Une partie de ceci a déjà commencé avec l’importation a des bons prix de l’Est, et seulement deviendra pire si ou quand Turquie joint le EU avec son vaste économie agricole et climat Méditerranéen.
Vous pouvez penser que je suis une pessimiste, mais je viens d'un pays où ceci est déjà arrivé, la Grande-Bretagne.
Là-bas il n'y a pas n'importe quel lieus entre les gens et la terre dans cette Grand Ile, les derniers ont été coupés après la Deuxième Guerre Mondial.
Là-bas i l y a aucun sens d'attachement ou un sens de fierté pour les produits Britanniques, il y a les quantités vastes de nourriture qui sont importé, et les Britanniques ne soigne pas où vient leur nourriture ils veulent que les prix soient toujours en bas.
Il n'y a pas de nourriture régionale dans la Grande Bretagne, en dehors de quelques exemples maintenus pour le commerce touristique, les Britanniques sont devenus une nation de gens obsédés avec toutes les produits un-britanniques et tout la nourriture du monde autrement. Ils ont perdu la fierté dans leur nourriture perdue leur fierté dans les Britanniques et ils ont perdu la fierté dans leur nation.
Ce serait un jour très triste si la France suives le même sentier que la Grande-Bretagne et pour ses gens a ne soigné pas où vient leur nourriture.
17:00 Publié dans A word from the author | Lien permanent | Commentaires (0) | Envoyer cette note | Tags : malcolmhamilton, catchingarainbow, brittany, bretagne, food
10/10/2006
The Vacherin Mont d’Or
Produced on the high Jura plateaux, this seasonal cheese produced from 15th August to 15th March each year obtained its Appellation d’Origine Contrôlé in 1981 the sixth Swiss cheese to obtain this major distinction.
It requires each stage of production, from milk to finishing, to take place within its region of origin - the Vallée de Joux and the Jura foothills in the Canton of Vaud.
It lays down strict requirements that producers must respect, under the control of an independent certification body. The AOC protects Vacherin Mont-d’Or from imitations, assuring consumers that it is a fully authentic cheese.
The Mont-d'Or was first made in the 14th century by monks at the Saint-Claude Abbey, but gained its reputation much later thanks to Louis 15th.
The Vacherin Mont d’Or as it is correctly called, is still made in the age-old fashion and is a very creamy, lightly salted cheese with a white to ivory-coloured, soft, lightly pressed paste. It has a slightly runny texture with an uncooked and often pleated washed rind; its flavour has overtones of spruce wood.
The cheese must have a minimum fat content of 45% and its humidity level must not exceed 75%. Cylindrical in shape (diameter: 20-30 cm, thickness: 3-5 cm), it varies in weight from 500 g to 3 kg.
The cheese is made from raw milk taken from Montbeliarde cows; rennet is added to obtain a curd and then placed in cylindrical moulds ready to be pressed.
After removing from the 1st mould, it is encircled by a spruce band and left to ripen on spruce wood shelves for twenty-one days, after which it is placed in a smaller box, a process that gives it its pleated appearance. Seven litres of milk are needed to produce one kilogram of cheese.
The cheese is becoming ever popular and production of Mont d’Or reached 4,096 tonnes in 2005/2006 an improvement on 3,970 tonnes in 2004/2005.
The cheese is always eaten from its original box, in two ways and is perfect for informal dinner parties.
It is eaten either cold (sometimes with a small spoon); or hot, baked, studded with garlic, and a glass of vin jaune poured into a cavity scooped from its centre before cooking.
The cheese is of course best eaten with a Jura wine the Vin Jaune.
The Vin Jaune is as peculiar to the Jura region as the Vacherin Mont d’Or and is only found in an area equidistant between the Cote d’Or and the Swiss border. It is also one of the oldest wine producing areas of France/Switzerland.The Roman Consul, Pliny the Younger, was already praising the wines of Jura in the First Century AD; archaeologists have found evidence of grapevines being grown there even earlier. The variety of grape is called Savagnin and is used in the production of the ‘Yellow Wine.’
The process is completely different to normal wine production and is akin to the production of Sherry.
After a normal fermentation, the Savagnin wine is then aged in barrels for a minimum of six years and three months; during this time it develops a yeast-like covering similar to the flor, which protects aging Sherry, but unlike most Sherries however, Vin Jaune is not fortified.
The yeast crust limits oxidation and obviates the need to top off the barrel while reinforcing the nutty aromas characteristic to Savagnin and adding further complexities to the wine’s flavor.
The wine, such as Cotes de Jura, Vin Jaune, Clos des Grives, 1997, a very fine and delicious vin jaune with flavours of walnut and ginger, is the perfect accompaniment to Vacherin Mont d’Or, and can be purchased in Great Britain. Buy it now!
The Vacherin Mont d’Or does have a certain amount of history and there is a continual argument as to whether the cheese is Swiss or French in origin
For generations, people have been telling the story of how the recipe for Vacherin came to Charbonnières.
In 1871 the troops of General Bourbaki were retreating through the forests of the Jura during one of the coldest winters in living memory.
To force their way through the snow, the French soldiers drove a herd of cows in front of them, led by their cowherd called Roguin. And he was the man who held the famous secret - how to produce Vacherin Mont-d'Or.
The French story goes that Roguin settled in the area, produced cheese, as well as numerous children and lived happily ever after. However, the Swiss are not convinced and look to their archives to prove the story false and the cheese being Swiss.
Twenty-Six years before Roguin, a book of accounts was discovered which cast serious doubts on the legend.
It clearly records the delivery of Vacherin’s, not once but several times, in 1845 Twenty-six years before General Bourbaki's retreat.
The region
The French Jura, roughly corresponding to the old province of Franche-Comté, lies in eastern France, bounded on the west by Burgundy and on the north by the Vosges.
Two great Frenchmen were born in the Jura - the biologist Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) and the painter Gustave Courbet (1819-1877).
Sources and Acknowledgements
(Source: SIDF Mont d'Or, or vacherin du Haut-Doubs)
http://www.vacherin-montdor.ch/en/aoc.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Denis_Bourbaki
http://www.planetware.com/france/french-jura-f-fc-jura.htm
http://www.starchefs.com/wine/features/html/jura.shtml
https://www.thewinesociety.com/tws/Welcome.asp?Page=00Welcome&Ext=asp
http://www.jura-tourism.com/fiches.php?id=15&idSM=3&langue=2
19:25 Publié dans Cheese/Fromage | Lien permanent | Commentaires (0) | Envoyer cette note | Tags : malcolmhamilton, catchingarainbow, brittany, bretagne, food, history, vacherin mont d'or
Rungis
Rungis is not so much a food market - but a town and a way of life for thousands.
The original market Les Halles de Baltard moved to the site of Rungis in 1969. Les Halles was situated in the centre of Paris and not only had outgrown the site but was also causing considerable traffic congestion for the capitol.
The move to Rungis was a monumental change, there having been a market at Les Halles since 1136. (Victor Baltard designed the original market beginning in 1851).
The town of Rungis is in the département of Val-de-Marne, which in turn is in the region of Île-de-France and is only 7 miles from the centre of Paris.
It is well served by communications being only a few miles from Orly Airport, close to the junctions of the A6 and the N7 two important arterial roads in France, as well as having its own rail depot within the confines of the market site itself.
Rungis is a food distribution centre not only for France, but also for other European countries. The market is divided into sections: fruit and vegetables, dairy, seafood, meat, poultry, flowers and other items connected with the food trade such as packaging, knives and kitchen equipment.
The market covers 573 acres, an area larger than the principality of Monaco and is frequented by 26,000 vehicles a day. Rungis is a town in itself with banks, post offices, hairdressers, hotels, a laundry and restaurants for the 15000 workers who live to eat rather than eat to live.
It deals in enough food to feed twelve million Frenchmen every day, as well as the finest restaurants in Paris and the surrounding area.
Girolles(Chanterelles) and Cèpes in our local supermarket today had been purchased at Rungis and were ready for me when the store opened at nine o’clock.
The market is the property of the French State but run by a company at Rungis on their behalf. It opens between 0200 and 1300 depending on which area one is visiting; the fish market opens before the others to ensure that the fish is as fresh as possible, the food halls are usually empty by 0800.
The market itself is a labyrinth of sheds, hangars and offices interconnected by streets railway lines and paths. The main food halls are huge affairs some like the fish hall is air-conditioned to help maintain the temperature and freshness of the products.
Men in bloodstained overalls preparing and selling all manner of meats; poultry and game frequent the meat hall.
The dairy section, a less bloody affair with cheeses too numerous to count stacked in every section. General de Gaulle once famously asked how is it possible “to govern a country that produces 246 different varieties of the stuff.” And they are all on sale at Rungis.
The fruit and vegetable section is the largest of the market with eight fruit and vegetable halls. The distances between the various vendors are so great that the buyers use bicycles to travel between them.
It is well know that the French are lovers of good food. The French not only pride themselves on the production and preparation of their food, but they also take as much care over their foods distribution, which can attributed to a famous chef, François Vatel.
The tragic story of Vatel comes to a head in 1671 when François