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Living history on Corfu

Wednesday, 4 September 2019 Marc d'Entremont

History is not about the past; it’s about the present.

We only remember yesterday because we’re alive today. We can only understand today if we dissect what occurred yesterday. It’s with that rubric a visitor to Corfu, if interested, can glean this Ionian island’s reality.

If the first time visitor is already familiar with the classical heartland of ancient Greece encircling the Aegean Sea than the beautiful streetscapes of Corfu Town are in an Italian city. The island’s premiere museum perhaps belongs in London. The charming Casa Parlante offers insights into the daily life of the Venetian nobility.

Yet this is Corfu, and it’s just a short distance from the mainland of western Greece. The reason has everything to do with geography, which means it has to do with politics and trade. The regions that comprise Hellenic civilization for the past several thousands of years were the bridges and battlefields between Asia and Europe, and Corfu represents that reality.

Even olive oil, the gift of Athena to the Hellenic world, has a story. During its 400 year reign over Corfu (1383-1797) the Venetian Empire mass produced olive oil for international export. As a result the island has over four and a half million trees, more than any other region in Greece.

If you watched the BBC series The Durrels in Corfu you may recognize the top photo as the house of the fictional character Sven. The 18th century stone building used to be an olive press and is surrounded by 400 year old trees in an idyllic setting. It’s currently for sale – history alive – and Sakis Gianniotis of X Adventure Club will take you there to revel in its tranquility.

Casa Perlante

Fanny, docent at Casa Parlante (Corfu Living History)

Case Parlante, the multi story townhouse dating from 1620, details the life of a 19th century Venetian noble family. This was the social class that ruled Corfu for 400 years until Napoleon conquered and ended the fabled Venetian Republic in the 1790s. Since 2013 the museum’s docents provide room by room tours bringing the family to life.

“To life” is almost real. From the patriarch to the cook, life-size animatronic figures bow, sip tea, read the news paper and chop vegetables. These entertaining figures were created by the Alaxouzi Brothers, Greeks whose business is based in London. As a guest in this noble house, visitors are greeted with kumquat and rose mint liquors – an homage to Corfiot’s Venetian inspired love of excessive sweets.

Several insights into life at that time are notable. An only daughter of a noble family could inherit wealth in her own right as well as arrange their own marriage, as long it was to another aristocrat. This was a particular freedom granted only to Corfu women.

The Count’s business office opening onto the main hallway

Mirrors and hallways were ingeniously positioned to keep eyes on the movements of the servants.

Cooks in aristocratic houses were often at the top of servant status and trusted as “spies” for the owner.

The Palace of St. Michael and St. George

The Corfu Museum of Asian Art and the Municipal Gallery of Corfu are housed within the impressive neoclassical Palace of St. Michael and St. George. The history of the palace is as interesting as the art on display. The fall of Venice led to a brief period in Corfu of French control. Upon Napoleon’s defeat, Corfu was ceded to the United Kingdom and was administered by the British Empire for 50 years (the Greek nation did not exist at this point.)

Constructed in 1819, the palace served as the official residence of the British Lord High Commissioner. After present day southern Greece gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in the 1830’s it was still not until the 1860’s that the United Kingdom ceded the Ionian Islands. Over the next century the palace served various functions including a royal residence for the Greek monarchy.

The Corfu Museum of Asian Art

The transition of the palace into a world class museum started in 1928 with a vast donation by an avid Greek collector of Oriental art expanding over the years to include southeast and central Asia. Today its collection numbers in the tens of thousands of objects, which, fortunately, are not all on display creating a tranquil setting to wander the quiet rooms without feeling overwhelmed.

Municipal Gallery of Corfu

Byzantine-Venetian Cretan School of Art greatly influenced Corfu

The Municipal Gallery of Corfu’s art collection ranges from priceless medieval Cretan works influenced while Crete was also under Venetian rule (15th – 17th centuries). The fall of Crete to the Ottomans in 1699 resulted in a flood of artist and intellectuals settling in Corfu.

A sizable portion of the collection is of 18th through early 20th century artists inspired by the the Romantic and Impressionist movements expressing individual life and events developing into Corfu’s distinctive Ionian School of Art.

Twenty-first century artists are well represented especially through special exhibits.

Corfu artist Kostas Tbros (b. 1975) with fellow journalist Janice Nieder

Encouraging artistic expression in the newest generations of Corfiots, the gallery sponsors “One Saturday, One fairytale” events for children to display their art and study the artist whose paintings are exhibited. In honor of Greek Orthodox Easter the gallery recently displayed a special exhibit of photos taken by Corfu boy scouts. The quality was stunning!

photos of Easter celebrations taken by Corfu boy scouts

History is more than facts, and a nation is more than geography. In his epic poem The People, Yes, the great American poet Carl Sandburg expressed it succinctly. I am the history; I am the present; I am the culture. Go to Corfu and discover so much more than an island.

When you go: Corfu International Airport (CFU) serves direct flights from many European cities including London, Frankfurt and Rome. Frequent flights connect the island to Athens and Thessaloniki. Ferry and coach bus connections to major Greek cities are frequent as well.

Special thanks: to The Golden Butler, Safari Xperience and Ducas Tours & Travel for facilitating my tour of Corfu.

Where to sleep and dine in Corfu:

Corfu magic at Villa 1870

Eat with your eyes: four stellar Corfu restaurants

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Thessaloniki: history in your face

Tuesday, 6 August 2019 Marc d'Entremont

“In Thessaloniki we live our history.” Sofia Bournatzi

Of course that statement could almost be a cliché if it wasn’t applied to Thessaloniki. It has greater impact for the city simply than having eighteen UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It has more to do with resilience. Despite wars, earthquakes and fires, Thessalonians are doing what they have been for 2,300 years.

looking out on Thessaloniki port from the Heptapyrgion

Thessaloniki is still what King Cassander, its founder, planned:

Largest city in Macedonia
Greece’s second largest
The port city of the northern Aegean
Gateway to the Balkans
Commercially connected to Asia Minor
Strategically located on both Spice and Silk Roads to the Orient

excavations of antiquities during construction of 21st century Thessaloniki subway next to a 15th century Ottoman bath.

This reality has made the city coveted and popular over the millenniums by conquerors from Rome to the Ottomans, and their presence is palpable now. It’s under your feet; it’s towering over your head, and soon you’ll whiz by more on the new state-of-the-art underground subway/tube system. The past is an integral component of Thessaloniki’s urban fabric because it’s in your face.

Looking out to the Thermeic Gulf from Thessaloniki’s new Waterfront Promenade merchant ships are anchored waiting their turn at the modern docks just north of downtown. Behind are the Ladadika, Ano Poli and the “acropolis” – the imposing Heptapyrgion fortress. These districts are the commercial, cultural and culinary heart of the city. They offer postcards onto the past …

The Palace of Galerius

The Palace of Galerius was not a large luxurious house. It was an “Imperial City” within the city – administrative, residential, religious and public entertainment venues. Depending on interpretation, it was such a vast complex it could well be considered a rebuilding of Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki was a major distribution port for the Spice & Silk Roads from the Orient.

The Romans were enamored with Thessaloniki ever since they had absorbed Macedonia into the Empire in the 100s BCE. Four hundred years later the port city was the largest in Rome’s Greek provinces and one of the wealthiest in the empire. By the end of the 3^rd century Thessaloniki was poised to become central to the new Eastern Roman Empire.

Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus (Caesar: 293-311) newly appointed “assistant Emperor” in the Tetrarchy created by Diocletian, preferred Thessaloniki over his region’s official capital. Construction on his palace complex started in the late 290s.

(video published 02/02/2016, Vladimiros Nefides)

It was a vast site covering a good portion of Thessaloniki’s historic core and composed of numerous interconnected components, most of which today are lying underneath streets, parks, residential and commercial buildings as the city morphed over the centuries. The complex was enclosed by stonewalls from the port waterfront up to the newly fortified acropolis. The most visible examples of the complex today are the stunningly preserved Rotunda and the Arch of Galerius.

Rotunda

The cylindrical Rotunda was built in 306 AD and has served as a public building ever since. It was originally a temple, possibly to Zeus. By the end of the 5th century Christianity had been established in the Empire and for over the next thousand years the Rotunda was the Byzantine Church of St. George. After Ottoman conquest in 1430 it became a mosque (note the 16^th century minaret in the photo) until 1912 when with Greek-Macedonian reunification it was designated a national monument. (Ottoman era buildings are protected by historic designation throughout Greece.)

Arch of Galerius

The Arch of Galerius stands on a busy intersection (Egnatia & Dimitriou Gounari streets) just as it did when constructed. Thessaloniki’s Egnatia Street is a portion of the 2,000-year-old Roman Via Egnatia, which still connects Macedonia to Istanbul (aka Constantinople, aka Byzantium). Significant remains of its intricate carved marble panels detail the military prowess of Galerius and Rome.

Heptapyrgion

The Heptapyrgion towers above downtown Thessaloniki where the ancient acropolis was located on the foothills of Mount Chortiatis. The massive fortress guarded the city for nearly two millenniums. Started by the Romans in the late 4^th century along with rebuilding the defensive walls to encircle the city, it was substantially expanded by the Byzantine Empire in the 12^th century and the Ottomans in the 15^th.

Oddly both its Greek and Ottoman name (Yedi Kule) mean “fortress of seven towers” even though it has ten and at no time in its construction phases did it ever just have seven. Despite that anomaly, the impressive relic today serves as an UNESCO World Heritage site, a park with panoramic views of the city, and a backdrop for the historic Ano Poli (Upper Town) neighborhood , which survived the Great Fire of 1917.

The Baptistery of St. John

The Baptistery of St. John the Baptist of Thessaloniki (c.400) is a peaceful hidden sunken garden with an art deco apartment building and outdoor cafe overlooking the site. The sacred spring still flows but is channeled inside a modern chapel. It’s considered the oldest Christian baptistery. It is close to the 5^th century Hagia Sophia and within the Galerian Palace complex.

Bey Hamam

Surrounded by popular cafes in the shopping district of the Ladadika is one of Thessaloniki’s most beautiful medieval buildings. The 15th century Bey Hamam, an Ottoman public bathhouse, is testament to the sophistication this city has enjoyed during its long history. Only ceasing its original use in the 1960s, its intricate brick and tiled facade is an architectural sculpture dramatically lit at night providing a stunning visual backdrop as café patrons dine.

Ladadika

The unrestored street (left) in the Ladadika is on purpose to preserve the facades of what this major international commercial district was like prior to the 1917 Fire. (right) A busy historic district of cafes, commerce and culture today.

The White Tower

The White Tower’s infamous history as a notorious Ottoman prison fades in the mist of time when viewed today at its photogenic location on Thessaloniki’s historic waterfront. The current tower, constructed in the 15^th century replacing an earlier Byzantine fortification, anchored the city wall’s southern corner on the waterfront. The tower is a fascinating museum of the historic district and offers panoramic views of Thessaloniki.

Rebetika Music

(video published 28/01/2010, flat13onfire)

Within the prisons of the Heptapyrgion and White Tower many famous rebetika songs of love, loss, resistance and survival were written by Greek prisoners during the last 30 year period of Ottoman rule. The mournful yet captivating music of rebetika still reverberates in many Greek cafes bonding music, food and friends and in 2017 UNESCO listed rebetika music as an “intangible cultural heritage” of Greece.

When you go: Thessaloniki International Airport (SKR) is served through major European hubs and Greek cities. Thessaloniki is connected as well by rail and coach bus within Greece and to the Balkans.

Location of the The Baptistery of St. John the Baptist of Thessaloniki and much of the historic core:

Special thanks to Sofia Bournatzi of Pass Partout DMC and to Thessaloniki Tourism Organization for facilitating my stay. Historic and culinary walking tours can be arranged with certified multi-lingual guides of the Tourists Guides Association of Thessaloniki

You can read the culinary story of this history at:

Naturally Thessaloniki is a foodie city

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Thessaloniki through eyes and mouth

Tuesday, 30 July 2019 Marc d'Entremont

Food tours are visceral experiences. They start with your eyes and end in your mouth. Historic buildings and museums can’t offer that multi-sensory fusion with such an important facet of culture.

Read more in my August 2019 travel column for the Hellenic News of America…

Naturally Thessaloniki is a foodie city

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Looking upon Greece: Doors and Windows

Sunday, 9 June 2019 Marc d'Entremont

“The man who comes back through the Door in the Wall will never be quite the same as the man who went out. ”
― Aldous Huxley, The Doors of Perception

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Celebrate at the home of Carnival: Naxos and the Small Cyclades

Sunday, 3 March 2019 Marc d'Entremont

Makes perfect sense why Naxos is home to Mardi Gras. Dionysus was its first Rex!

Venice, Rio de Jeneiro and New Orleans may capture headlines, but no destination other than Naxos and the Small Cyclades can claim Dionysus, the patron of Carnival, as their native son, as well as his father, Zeus.

The Carnival of Naxos 2019 (2 – 13 March) blends timeless Greek festive elements from ancient Dionysian spring rites through to the evolution of modern Mardi Gras. Tracing roots back to rituals of sowing winter crops and praying for the coming of spring through to the Christian celebration of Easter’s promise of rebirth, the Carnival of Naxos 2019 captures all – and their web site details all!

The Koudounatoi

The classic Koudounatoi – based on ancient rituals during Dionysian celebrations – is a hallmark of the Naxos festival. The Koudounatoi dance and rituals are performed by men dressed in traditional white costume bedecked with colorful ribbons and a belt of cowbells. Their dancing movement makes the bells create a very loud sound in order to clear away bad spirits that may bring plague and famine.

The Temple to Demeter overlooks the productive agricultural land of Naxos Island. Agriculture had made Naxos wealthy and in the 6th century BCE the island erected this first all marble temple in the Greek world to Demeter, goddess of grain. Dionysus was the protector of Naxos and maintained one of his divine residences on the island.

In more traditional form the men are covered with a brown coat wearing a belt with hanging bells. Holding large sticks that symbolize the Dionysian phallus, the Koudounatoi challenge each other and anyone who interacts with them and the divine right to ensure a bountiful harvest.

Wedding of the century

On Friday March 8 at the Temple of Apollo’s Portara this fertility theme is dramatically recreated with a retelling of the arrival of Theseus and Ariadne, which through a series of complications worthy of Greek story telling (including pirates!) ends with her marriage to Dionysus, elevation as a goddess and blessings upon Naxos. Ritual weddings are a common theme during Carnival.

Parades night and day

The island villages are studded with individual folkloric events during Carnival, the preparation and presentation of traditional foods, the beloved Torchlight Parade and the culminating Grand Carnival Parade on the Chora waterfront.

The Greeks elevated revelry to divine status. Christianity added its themes to the pre-Spring/Lenten season, and Naxos’ several century occupation by Venice all embossed their personality on the Carnival of Naxos 2019. Travel to the heart of the Cyclades and experience three millenniums of Carnival.

When you go:

Naxos and the Small Cyclades are regularly served by air and ferry through Athens. Being the largest of the Cyclades islands, Naxos offers a wide range of accommodations.

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At the French House Party the pigeon has priority

Thursday, 5 July 2018 Marc d'Entremont

Sure Moira Martingale, the doyenne of the French House Party, wants her guests to relax. Yes the conversation among the international gathering of participants is often scintillating. Yet when you’ve just prepped your pigeon and are reaching for the brandy to marinate, neither hand is on a notebook or adjusting the voice recorder – the pigeon rules.

As a travel journalist I like capturing the thoughts of others to illuminate articles. Yet as a chef, the pigeon held my full attention.

French House Party culinary workshops are not cooking demonstrations. They are hands-on learning experiences working alongside award winning chefs. The multi-course lunches and dinners guests enjoy are the dishes they are preparing.

Moira Martingale, British novelist, transformed her eight-bedroom en suite villa, Domaine St. Raymond, outside the UNESCO World Heritage City of Carcassonne into the French House Party over a decade ago. Small group workshops (approximately 10 guests) are offered in singing/songwriting, creative writing and the culinary arts. The experience is all-inclusive with the workshop fee covering room, meals, wine, snacks, excursions and the villa’s facilities that make this a five star party (pool, tennis, bike riding…ask Moira.)

The pigeon is still in my hand. There are seven procedures in creating Chef Robert Abraham’s Young Lauragais pigeon with sweet clover, confit of shallots, carrots and honey. It was worth every time-consuming step and even better when paired with a Domaine Le Fort Malepere.

Young Lauragais pigeon with sweet clover, confit of shallots and grilled foie gras

Yet despite popular assumptions, French cuisine is rarely as complex as the pigeon. French recipes do not all ooze with butter and cream. They’re light, fresh with an emphasis on taste, texture and presentation.

Whereas it may not be easy to find pigeon in the local market, smoked haddock is in many fish markets or, as a last resort, in the refrigerated packaged fish section of larger supermarkets. If time does not allow for making the fresh buns, a good quality bakery will have a selection of soft buns – do not use a hard roll.

Chef Robert Abraham’s Smoked Haddock Burger with lime cream

A light, savory alternative on a warm summer day.

Ingredients for 6 servings:

Buns:

400 gr (14 ounces) bread flour
1 egg
20 gr (4 teaspoons) sugar
7 gr (1 teaspoon) salt
25 cl (8 ounces) warm milk (43°C/110°F)
12 gr. (1¾ package) active dry yeast
40 gr (3 tablespoons) soft unsalted butter
golden or black sesame seeds

Preperation:

Warm the milk, remove from heat and add the yeast.
In a mixing bowl slowly blend the flour, sugar, egg and salt. (Either use a mixer with a dough hook or stir by hand)
Add the milk/yeast mixture and the soft butter slightly increasing mixer’s speed (or stir harder).
Knead the dough in the mixer for approximately 5 minutes, or remove to a lightly floured board and knead by hand. Either method the dough should be smooth and springs back when lightly indented by a finger.
Cover the bowl with a slightly damp cloth and allow it to rise for 50 to 60 minutes.
Weigh out balls of dough: 50gr/2 ounces for small rolls, 90gr/3 ounces for large.
Place on a baking sheet and cover with a cloth. Allow to rise 60 minutes. Brush lightly with an egg wash (1 egg white/1 teaspoon water beaten) and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Place a pan of hot water on the bottom rack of a preheated oven and the baking sheet on the middle rack. Bake at 180°C/350°F for 10 – 15 minutes until golden brown.

Shallot Confit

4 shallots
10 cl (3 ounces) white wine
5 cl (1½ ounces) apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon honey

Preparation:

Peal and chop the shallots.
Place in a saucepan with all the ingredients.
Cook on low heat stirring occasionally until nearly all liquid is evaporated.

Lime Cream

Zest from 2 limes
1 teaspoon salt
25 cl (8 ounces) heavy whipping cream

Preparation:

Heat the cream with the lime zest and salt until cream just begins to steam.
Turn off heat and infuse for 30 minutes. Chill in refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes.
If you are familiar with a siphon, add the strained cream and follow directions. If not familiar with a siphon, whip the chilled cream with a beater until soft peaks form just before serving the burgers.

Haddock

400 – 450 gr (14 – 16 ounces) smoked haddock fillet
25 cl (8 ounces) milk
handful of mixed fresh herbs – dill, parsley, basil, lemon thyme

Preparation:

Using a fish fillet knife – and I’d recommend gloves if not used to slicing potentially slippery fish – thinly slice wide haddock no larger than a couple inches in size.
Heat the milk with the herbs until steaming. Add the haddock, reduce heat and gently poach for 10 minutes. Drain.

To serve:

Cut the rolls in half, lightly brush with extra virgin olive oil, return to baking sheet and heat for 5 minutes.
Place a roll on a plate and spread with a little lime cream, a dap of shallot confit, some haddock slices, more lime cream and then top with the bun.
You may garnish with baby greens, drizzle of oil, sprinkle of sea salt and a dab of lime cream.

smoked sliced haddock wrapped for future use

There are several steps, but the buns can be made earlier in the day or store bought. The confit and the lime cream could be made a day in advance, just do not whip the cream until ready to assemble the burgers. The haddock can also be prepared a day in advance, arranged on plastic wrap in single layers and refrigerated.

At the French House Party creativity not time is of the essence. With two 3-hour workshops sandwiching a delicious lunch, the pool is inviting at the end of the day. A relaxing multi course dinner that you worked on will top the evening with scintillating conversation, laughter and remind you that, yes, you are a guest at a French House Party.

Pyrenees Mountain view from the French House Party

When you go:

The 2018 schedule of the French House Party runs from May 5 through October 1.

The French House Party, Domaine St. Raymond, is less than 50 miles (77 km) southeast from the Toulouse-Blagnac Airport and the rail station Gare de Toulouse-Matabiau. The Gare de Carcassonne is 16 miles (27 km) west. Transportation is provided for guests arriving by air or train from either Toulouse or Carcassonne to Domaine St. Raymond.

Contact:

Moira Martingale, French House Party, Domaine St. Raymond, 11150 Pexiora, Languedoc, France.
Tel: +33 4 68 94 98 16
Email: enquiries@frenchhouseparty.co.uk

The French House Party: http://www.frenchhouseparty.eu/

Location: http://www.frenchhouseparty.eu/about-us/location/

Course dates: http://www.frenchhouseparty.eu/how-to-book/course-dates/

Disclaimer: the author was a guest of the French House Party for three separate workshops – Song Writing with Dean Friedman and two Gourmet Explorer courses.

Recent French House Party articles by Marc d’Entremont

Being Creative at the French House Party

French cuisine demystified at the French House Party

A French House Party for the intellectually curious

Moira Martingale, Ph.D., châtelaine de Domaine St. Raymond et French House Party

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Hellenic News of America (*Travel with Pen and Pal**ate)*

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Where Greek Gods vacationed

Tuesday, 29 May 2018 Marc d'Entremont

Delos was firmly established as a spiritual center by at least 2,000 BC. Apollo was born on Delos, but the island did not need Apollo’s stardom even in antiquity. At its zenith in the 8^th and 7^th centuries BC, Delos was the wealthiest city in the Hellenic world.

Known for its agricultural abundance, Dionysus, god of wine, theater and love, is the protector of Naxos Island and the Small Cyclades. The island provides much to make the god’s stay comfortable.

approaching Little Venice c.13th century, Chora, Mykonos

It was on Mykonos that the young Zeus defeated the Titans, emerging as King of the gods…than the Golden Butler arrived…

read more in the Hellenic News of America

Naxos, Mykonos, Delos: divine vacations in the Cyclades

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French cuisine demystified at the French House Party

Thursday, 5 April 2018 Marc d'Entremont 1 Comment

A few miles outside Carcassonne a convivial international group of culinary enthusiasts introduced themselves over coffee and pastries. Sitting in the poolside garden of Domaine St. Raymond they could already feel both the relaxation and excitement, which is the hallmark of French House Party residential workshops. Of course a shockingly blue sky and the yellow sunflower fields of the Languedoc provide a perfect foil for creativity.

Domaine St. Raymond sits among gently rolling hills of golden wheat and sunflowers. A 14th century church, within view in the village of Pexiora, overlooks this agrarian scene. The nearby medieval UNESCO World Heritage city of Carcassonne welcomes throngs of visitors inside its fortified walls. Within this bucolic setting, small groups of intellectually curious travelers gather for all-inclusive creative residential workshops in southern France’s Languedoc.

Yet the creative process is nebulous. It has always been a balance of inspiration and technical skill. For discovering this balance British born Moira, Ph.D., author, and devotee of French cuisine, created the French House Party at her villa, Domaine St. Raymond.

The early 19th century stone farmhouse – restored into a spacious villa with eight individually decorated en-suite bedrooms – becomes a salon for like minded guests who delve into residential workshops focused on creative writing, songwriting with Dean Friedman, the arts and gastronomy with acclaimed French chefs. The French House Party workshops are serious endeavors but without pressure to perform. Although the pool is inviting, it’s that lack of pressure that energizes participation.

The ambitious Gourmet Explorer cookery courses brought together Michelin star French chefs Robert Abraham and Jean-Marc Boyer. From making foam from rocket to preparing young pigeon, the group was immersed in hands-on learning of both classic French and cutting edge culinary techniques. Dishes prepared during the culinary workshops become lunch and dinner.

Successive articles will illustrate some of the imaginative recipes these two chefs taught the group. On this first evening Moira and Chef Robert Abraham created a true dinner party by having prepared most of the dishes in advance. The group had an enjoyable experience making some canapés before sitting down to a superb French meal with wines from Domaine Le Fort.

Canapés

Parmesan marshmallows
Cookies with black olives and shrimp
Cheese straws
Tartar of smoked salmon and avocado
Large raw fava beans shelled, cut in half and sprinkled with sea salt

Dinner:

Mussel curry soup
Sea Bass with mango
Lamb with lamb reduction sauce and potatoes au gratin
Brioche French toast with stewed cherries
Assorted cheeses

The cookies with black olives and shrimp were particularly interesting given both the flavor of the main ingredients in the texture of a cookie.

Ingredients:

3 to 4 ounces cooked, chopped shrimp
3 Tablespoons grated gruyere
1 egg yolk
6 chopped black olives
2 Tablespoons flour
2 ounces butter, cut in small pieces
1/3rd teaspoon yeast
pinch of chili powder

Preparation:

Mix the flour, gruyere and yeast in a bowl.
Add remaining ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until well combined.
Drop by heaping teasoon size cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Rest for 15 minutes.
Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 15 minutes.

Dinner (clockwise) Sea Bass with mango
Lamb with lamb reduction sauce and potatoes au gratin
Brioche French toast with stewed cherries
Assorted cheeses

Dean Friedman’s four-day summer singer/songwriter workshop at the French House Party provides a stimulating opportunity to discover, or rediscover, internal creative skills. Like all good teachers, Dean wants to draw out these skills from each participant. “I don’t profess to be able to write other people’s songs,” he states simply. Individuality is important.

Creative writing workshops are conducted by British author and “writers’ writer” Sarah Hymas. Poet, performer and coach, Sarah leads workshops for both beginners and writers already working on a project. For many of the creative courses available at the French House Party, groups can arrange workshops outside of the published schedule. Domaine St. Raymond is also a favored destination for international business retreats.

The French House Party’s all-inclusive tariff allows guests to focus energy on creativity. Multicourse lunches and dinners with wine follow a poolside French buffet breakfast of pastries, cheeses, fruits, granola, yogurts and charcuterie.

Workshop time is interspersed with excursions to such local attractions as exploring Carcassonne, the market in Revel, which has operated every Saturday since the 13^th century, wine tastings and dining at area Michelin Star restaurants.

Even with the physically more challenging cooking courses held in the spacious, modern, professional kitchen, free-time activities revolve around a swim in the pool, tennis, billiards, table tennis, a book or CD from the library, biking in the French countryside or simply napping. After all, this is a French House Party.

after dinner coffee at Domaine St. Raymond

When you go:

Please click the link for the 2018 schedule of the French House Party

Disclaimer: the author has been the guest of the French House Party for three separate workshops – Song Writing with Dean Friedman, Gourmet Explorer and Gourmet Explorer Advanced.

Pyrenees Mountains from the French House Party

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Serres and Kilkis: Greek legends in Macedonia

Tuesday, 3 April 2018 Marc d'Entremont

When your cities can trace their histories back 4,000 years and they’re located in fabled Macedonia – land of Alexander the Great, Aristotle and Mount Olympus – “legendary” is not an inflated superlative.

Divided into three sections, Central Macedonia is the location for not only Thessaloniki and Halkidiki, but to the more northerly cities of Serres and Kilkis both steeped in history, natural beauty, wine and fine dining.

meze at Ντοματα (Tomato) Restaurant, Serres

Read more in my travel column for the April edition of the Hellenic News of America…

Legendary Central Macedonia’s Serres and Kilkis

You can read more articles by Marc d’Entremont at:

Hellenic News of America

Travel Pen and Palate Argentina

culinary tourism, Cultural Sites, European Travel, Food, Historic Sites, Travel, Travel and Food, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Wine tourism

A French House Party for the intellectually curious

Tuesday, 6 March 2018 Marc d'Entremont 1 Comment

Set in the gently rolling farmland of the Languedoc, Domaine St. Raymond sits in tranquility amidst its own lush gardens. The restored 19^th century stone barn is home to the acclaimed French House Party, a unique villa for a unique gathering of intellectually curious travelers. From May into October, the French House Party offers participatory creative workshops in culinary arts, singing/songwriting and creative writing.

Jean-Marc Boyer’s shrimp with vanilla and tarragon

I’ve been fortunate to be invited three times to the French House Party to experience and write about its workshops – twice for culinary arts and once for singing/songwriting. At her villa, Moira Martingale, novelist and Ph.D., excels in providing an ideal atmosphere for relaxation so necessary to the creative process. Besides the swimming pool, tennis court, bicycles and other entertainment options during free time, Michelin stared chefs of the area frequently provide the food for guests at Domaine St. Raymond.

Michelin star French chefs Robert Abraham and Jean-Marc Boyer at the French House Party

The culinary arts series for beginners to advanced cooks is taught by Michelin stared chefs and range from a few days to over a week. It’s serious training both morning and afternoon (2 to 3 hour sessions each) and in almost all cases one’s work becomes lunch and dinner accompanied by the wines of local Domaine Le Fort. Besides being 20 – 30 minutes from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of medieval Carcassonne, the workshops may include excursions to area restaurants and for culinary arts to Domaine Le Fort and the Revel Market.

Domaine Le Fort

Le Fort Winery has 45 hectares planted in (reds) pinot noir, malbeck, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and syrah. (whites) chardonnay, viognier, muscat Blanc à Petits Grains (a white wine grape of Greek origin that is a member of the muscat family) and Riesling. Then there’s Gewurztraminer, a class of its own.

Thomas Pages is the 3^rd generation of the Pages family to oversee Domaine Le Fort. His grandfather turned the centuries-old family farm into a commercial winery 25 years ago. His father modernized and expanded the hectares under production. With a degree in agronomy and family experience grandson Thomas is well prepared to continue pushing the limits of quality of Le Fort wines.

Many of their wines are aged in oak barrels and are moderately priced – especially considering the quality.

I must admit that I’ve not traditionally been a fan of gewurztraminer or riesling wines. Growing up in America the latter half of the 20^th century when wine imports were limited, the German varieties available were wines that simply were too sweet for my taste. It took later experiences traveling to Europe to discover that there are dry gewurztraminer and rieslings.

Although new to making gewurztraminer, Domaine Le Fort’s had a nose of early summer flowers, flowering herbs and a hint of lime zest. In the mouth the citrus notes were pronounced along with hints of mango and juniper. The finish left a clean dry feeling in the mouth and throat.

The Riesling had little aroma for the nose. That’s not a problem since hints of clean fresh air are always pleasant. The palate was quite surprised when it tasted notes of petrol at first sip that quickly dissipate into green apples, currents and fresh figs. Not as dry as the gewurztraminer, the flavors continued into the throat.

Chardonnay has also not been a favorite of mine, but Domaine Le Fort ages theirs in oak, which balances the sweetness of the fruit notes I find annoying in chardonnay. The oak does add subtle aromas for the nose of fireplace smoke in the distance when outside walking, honey and summer flowers. In the mouth these aromas smoothly blend and finish in the throat.

Rosé in oak also continued my education into the world of dry fermentations of this too often sweet wine. The oak imparts a lighter aroma than for the chardonnay but with hints of cranberries and raspberries. In the mouth the light oak tempers the sweetness of the fruit and adds a punch that most rosés don’t possess. The finish is surprisingly dry as the flavors dissipate in the throat.

Domaine Le Fort started growing malbeck grapes ten years ago. This grape that’s strongly identified with the fine malbecks of Argentina takes on a different character in southern France. The aromas to the nose were the traditional rich full flavors of ripe berries and sweet tobacco. In the mouth these notes were accompanied by a surprising sense of spice – freshly ground pepper. That added to the taste like freshly ground pepper on strawberries. The finish was still dry extending the flavor notes far down the throat. Its character is different than in Argentina, but a fine addition to malbec vintages.

Revel Market

For over 900 years the market in Revel has been in continuous operation every Saturday. Revel, in the Haute-Garonne in southwestern France, is about an hour from the French House Party and Carcassonne.

The halles (food market) is in the middle of the medieval town of Revel surrounded by arcaded buildings, some still the original half-timbered ones. Food vendors are under the roof, and miscellaneous items are on streets radiating from the central square.

The halles is the most notable feature of Revel in its central square. The 14th-century partially covered building is supported by massive wooden pillars and beams topped by a distinctive bell-tower.

The variety of foods available is overwhelming. From fresh black truffles to white asparagus, duck livers in tomato sauce to snails in garlic and parsley, the market requires a lot of self-control not to overbuy. It also highlights the abundance of agricultural products of southern France.

bread, sausage, fruit & cheese – perfect

It takes awhile to comprehend that every Saturday for 900 years foodies have been coming to this site for the finest ingredients. Although it was my third experience, it takes time as well to comprehend the cocoon of serenity that Domaine St. Raymond provides for the creative activities of the French House Party. The 21^st century isn’t about serenity, but that doesn’t stop Moira Martingale from ignoring that restriction. Within that cocoon an international gathering of the curious will share, learn and dine on fine food.

When you go:

The 2018 schedule of the French House Party runs from May 5 through October 1.

Contact:

Moira Martingale, French House Party, Domaine St. Raymond, 11150 Pexiora, Languedoc, France.
Tel: +33 4 68 94 98 16
Email: enquiries@frenchhouseparty.co.uk

The French House Party: http://www.frenchhouseparty.eu/

Location: http://www.frenchhouseparty.eu/about-us/location/

Course dates: http://www.frenchhouseparty.eu/how-to-book/course-dates/

Disclaimer: the author was a guest of the French House Party for three separate workshops – Song Writing with Dean Friedman and Gourmet Explorer Advanced.