Artisan Food School- Gascony at Camont

Spring thoughts... how things are connected like peas on a necklace...

I was shopping in Cheese Plus on Polk & Pacific in San Francisco a little over a year ago while buying Christmas cheese for dinner with friends. I wanted only French cheese, artisan and farm cheeses, raw milk cheeses. What I found while selecting the creamy Carles Roquefort, a tangy Brebis de Pyrenees and some succulent chevre de Rocamadour was a real, honest, dyed in the goat's wool Cheese Guru- Wil Edwards.

When Wil introduced himself and learned that I lived in France, he disclosed that he was coming to Normandy to work on a camembert dairy farm then train on to Italy to make pecorino. I mentioned that the French Kitchen at Camont was along the way (by how the French crow flies!) and why not stop in, stay a few days and I'd introduce him to some local goat's cheese producers.

What began on the streets of San Francisco continues today on the farms of Southwest France as Wil Edwards brings his Artisan Food School program to Gascony in the Fall 2008. So, in addition to the week long and weekend cooking I offer year round as French Kitchen Adventures (including special Camp Cassoulet weekends) I am pleased to announce the first Artisan Food School programs in Gascony at the French Kitchen beginning in September 28 2008.

For further information, click for more details here! and check out
Vicki Haddock's sweet article about us at SF.Gate.com

Too Busy Cooking to Blog!

When students come for a week or two of intensive Gascon cooking, it's intensive for me, too!

This week I went from having tapas in San Sebastian to the famous Truffle Market in Lalbenque to perfecting a delicious Gateaux Basque recipe.

This Morning My Neighbors are Killing a Pig.

I promise this weekend there will be blogs to post, pictures to file
and stories of the good food in Gascony...all year round!

This is what we have cooked so far:

• Pintade a la crapaudine truffée
• Gratin Dauphinoise aux truffes
• Gateaux Basque supreme!
• Saucisse d'Agen et Lentilles du Puy
• Clafoutis aux Pruneaux d'Agen
• Cœur de Canard flambe
  
• Cote de Bœuf Bordelais
• Crème brulée aux Diamant Noir

And that's just the first four days!

Duck hearts and Clafoutis

I just returned with First Peas and Fava beans from
the Market at San Sebastian.

Spring Stall with Mimosa and Plum Blossoms

This is what Kris, Matt and I are cooking for dinner tonight in the French Kitchen...

aperitif

Saucisse de Canard
Floc de Gascogne
morcillo with hot peppers

fresh pea puree and sauteed gesiers
(the first peas of the season from Basque Country)

grilled duck hearts on a bed of
fondante de poireaux
(slow-cooked leeks)

Wild Roquette Salad
with walnuts and roquefort

Clafoutis aux Pruneaux d'Agen
(this recipe is for my buddy DL)


Clafoutis aux Pruneaux

1 tablespoon sweet butter
1/2 lb pruneaux
1/4 cup armagnac
5 tablespoons flour
5 tablespoons sugar
5 eggs
3 cups milk

Heat oven to 350'.
soak the prunes in armagnac for 30 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. This can be done well in advance.
Butter a shallow 1 1/2 qt baking dish then powder with sugar or flour.

Beat the eggs in large bowl with a balloon whisk.
Mix the flour and sugar, add to the beaten eggs and whisk.
Add the milk, little by little, until mixed well.

Drain the prunes reserving the liquid,
arrange in the buttered pan in an even layer,
pour any of the leftover armagnac into batter.

Pour the batter carefully around and over the prunes.
Bake for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Serve warm. Yum.

Madonna and child...

Stay tuned for more good food this week... with Matt and his mom.
Live from the truffle market tomorrow in Lalbenque...