Jan 10, 2010
Club members count: 16
Nationalities count: 12
We've just arrived on campus in Fontainebleau and the studies are about to begin. We started the club by e-mail and finally we gather to greet each other personally. Many of us have brought some local specialties from home. We decided to start with ‘starters’. The table looks equally diverse to the people who surround it. Appetizers & aperitifs from our home countries are set out and the party begins.
Claire and Sébastien are Parisians and we get a chance to taste foie gras (litteraly ‘fat liver’) (Photo by Mansi Maken). Put a piece on the white bread toasts. Take a glass of sweet white wine. Foie gras is traditionally served with Sauterne. We are drinking Jurançon (Domaine Bordenave) instead. “You will find out why if you look at the price”, adds Claire. What we are eating is the duck fois gras, which is more typical for the south of France. Tastes sweetish and creamy. Its taste is normally more intensive than that of the goose fois gras, produced on the North. Claire mentions the debate surrounding this specialty: as it is produced through intensified feed it raises the issue concerning the defense of animals. Each of us is clearly clad that the debate has not produced any bans for production yet as what we are eating is delicious.
We start moving around the table. Nino and David, who come from Georgia, are telling about churchkhela (Photo by Mansi Maken). Hazelnuts or walnuts strung on a thread and covered with viscid layer prepared of evaporated grape juice. We are eating a very fresh churchkhela, as this dessert is traditionally prepared for Christmas. As it never gets spoiled, it is then consumed throughout the year and gets harder to the year end. David adds that what we are eating is actually a byproduct of wine. It is the homemade wine, which is the best in Georgia and most of the families seeks to have their own cellars to prepare it.
Yolanda comes from the region of Barcelona. She invites us to taste the Spanish sausages: chorizo and salchichon (Photo by Mansi Maken). We are eating the smoked chorizo, which is sliced and requires no more preparation. It is made of pork meat of Iberico pigs, fat and spices, that create its red color.
Kunii is our Japanese guide today. He brings in an appetizer made from boiled string beans in a Japanese sauce (Photo by Mansi Maken). We are surprised when we try it. The flavor is pretty intensive and unexpected for the beans. Kunii explains that the sauce consists of crushed sesame (a lot!), soy sauce and sugar. Light and fresh, whets the appetite.
Alex and Gilberto come from San Paulo. They are telling about Cachaça (Brazilian alcohol made from a fermented sugarcane). Leaving aside its official name, it is often called ‘pinga’ by the Brazilians. Alex has prepared Caipirinha, which is the most famous Cachaça cocktail prepared with limes, sugar and ice. It is the traditional recipe, but Brazilians now tend to consume its variations, where either alcohol or fruit is changed. Thus you may come across Caipiroska (with vodka), Caipisake. Strawberry caipirinha is also very popular.
Fei comes from Beijing and we see the spring rolls on the table (Photo by Mansi Maken). We are tasting these semitransparent envelopes of rice paper, filled with lettuce, rice noodles and chicken in sweet sauce. Fei notes that what we are eating does not actually constitute an appetizer. The concept of ‘starters’ does not really exist in China, so spring rolls represent a separate course. Moreover, in the region of the dish origination we would probably find it filled with shrimps instead of chicken.
I bring in buttery pancakes with caviar and sour cream as I come from Moscow. These are widely consumed across Russia, especially during the week of Shrovetide in February. Traditional pancakes are prepared from yeasty dough. These are thick and porous. Nevertheless, we are eating a thinner version of pancakes resembling French crepes as more and more Russians are switching to this at the moment (Photo by Mansi Maken). Caviar on our table is red. It is still widespread and relatively affordable in Russia. This is now already the case with the black caviar.
Club members count: 16
Nationalities count: 12
We've just arrived on campus in Fontainebleau and the studies are about to begin. We started the club by e-mail and finally we gather to greet each other personally. Many of us have brought some local specialties from home. We decided to start with ‘starters’. The table looks equally diverse to the people who surround it. Appetizers & aperitifs from our home countries are set out and the party begins.
Claire and Sébastien are Parisians and we get a chance to taste foie gras (litteraly ‘fat liver’) (Photo by Mansi Maken). Put a piece on the white bread toasts. Take a glass of sweet white wine. Foie gras is traditionally served with Sauterne. We are drinking Jurançon (Domaine Bordenave) instead. “You will find out why if you look at the price”, adds Claire. What we are eating is the duck fois gras, which is more typical for the south of France. Tastes sweetish and creamy. Its taste is normally more intensive than that of the goose fois gras, produced on the North. Claire mentions the debate surrounding this specialty: as it is produced through intensified feed it raises the issue concerning the defense of animals. Each of us is clearly clad that the debate has not produced any bans for production yet as what we are eating is delicious. 
We start moving around the table. Nino and David, who come from Georgia, are telling about churchkhela (Photo by Mansi Maken). Hazelnuts or walnuts strung on a thread and covered with viscid layer prepared of evaporated grape juice. We are eating a very fresh churchkhela, as this dessert is traditionally prepared for Christmas. As it never gets spoiled, it is then consumed throughout the year and gets harder to the year end. David adds that what we are eating is actually a byproduct of wine. It is the homemade wine, which is the best in Georgia and most of the families seeks to have their own cellars to prepare it.
Yolanda comes from the region of Barcelona. She invites us to taste the Spanish sausages: chorizo and salchichon (Photo by Mansi Maken). We are eating the smoked chorizo, which is sliced and requires no more preparation. It is made of pork meat of Iberico pigs, fat and spices, that create its red color.
Besides the sausages, each of us is lucky to have a glass of cava brut. Before the bans initiated by INAO (Institut National des Appellations d'Origine) this Spanish white sparkling wine used to be called “Champaign”. After the ban on the appellation, Spanish producers added a mention “methode champenoise” that was finally banned too. We admire that Cava tastes very good. Given its excellent quality and price competitiveness it is gaining more and more popularity in the world.
Kunii is our Japanese guide today. He brings in an appetizer made from boiled string beans in a Japanese sauce (Photo by Mansi Maken). We are surprised when we try it. The flavor is pretty intensive and unexpected for the beans. Kunii explains that the sauce consists of crushed sesame (a lot!), soy sauce and sugar. Light and fresh, whets the appetite.Alex and Gilberto come from San Paulo. They are telling about Cachaça (Brazilian alcohol made from a fermented sugarcane). Leaving aside its official name, it is often called ‘pinga’ by the Brazilians. Alex has prepared Caipirinha, which is the most famous Cachaça cocktail prepared with limes, sugar and ice. It is the traditional recipe, but Brazilians now tend to consume its variations, where either alcohol or fruit is changed. Thus you may come across Caipiroska (with vodka), Caipisake. Strawberry caipirinha is also very popular.
Fei comes from Beijing and we see the spring rolls on the table (Photo by Mansi Maken). We are tasting these semitransparent envelopes of rice paper, filled with lettuce, rice noodles and chicken in sweet sauce. Fei notes that what we are eating does not actually constitute an appetizer. The concept of ‘starters’ does not really exist in China, so spring rolls represent a separate course. Moreover, in the region of the dish origination we would probably find it filled with shrimps instead of chicken.
I bring in buttery pancakes with caviar and sour cream as I come from Moscow. These are widely consumed across Russia, especially during the week of Shrovetide in February. Traditional pancakes are prepared from yeasty dough. These are thick and porous. Nevertheless, we are eating a thinner version of pancakes resembling French crepes as more and more Russians are switching to this at the moment (Photo by Mansi Maken). Caviar on our table is red. It is still widespread and relatively affordable in Russia. This is now already the case with the black caviar.
Everyone now looks full and relaxed and Breanne brings in an apple crumble. She comes from Montreal and shares with us this delicious traditional family dessert served warm with vanilla ice-cream and maple syrup.
Photo by Breanne Gellatly
It is getting late and we are breaking up. We definitely wish to get together again. So which topic is next? We have plenty of ideas…
Photo by Breanne GellatlyIt is getting late and we are breaking up. We definitely wish to get together again. So which topic is next? We have plenty of ideas…
mmm.... I'm getting hungry reading this)
ReplyDeleteBtw, I thought one of the results of your activities could be a cooking book, you already have a part of the "appetizers") Good luck! And I look forward for next reports!!