Upload
andy-floyd
View
2.238
Download
0
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
My trips to France
1998-2007
My name is Andy Floyd and I love the country of France. Why because there is no
place else on the planet that is so devoted to the world of food, wine and gastronomy.
A meal is very important here and everyone is
passionate about what they put into their stomach.
This photo essay is a compilation of some of my favorite places and people (some who are deceased)
who have played a significant role in my culinary
life.
Philippe Aleosse, one of the finest affineur (cheese
curer) in Paris giving us a tour of his cheese caves
A couple of French butchers posing with some lamb racks in the meat hall at Rungis the largest wholesale market in the world
There is nothing quite like a football field of hanging meat. Here are whole carcasses of veal from lozère and behind whole lamb
The way game gets delivered in France
The only way to get around Rungis vegetable markets
Robert Brunel one of my closest friends in France. He runs two restaurants in Avignon and has
visited me on several occasions in
the U.S.
Without his help and his amazing network of friends I could not have created such a
top notch France program for budding
chefs.
A mountain of salt at La Baleine salt production in the town of Aigues Mortes. Aigues Morte was the departure point for the crusades
The Cigale, a type of locust, is the
symbol of Provence. You
are supposed to hang one at the entrance to your home for good
luck
l’Université du Vin overlooking the village of Suze la Rousse. The upper half moon deck is connected to the kitchen we worked in
Michel Depardon teaching Lisa Dawkins the fine art of sauté
The view out the dishwashing window of the castle of Suze
la Rousse.
The road in the distance eventually
lands in Italy.
The view takes the pain out of doing
dishes
Another sunny lunch on the balcony of the
Suze castle
Cynthia in the coup de feu in the Suze kitchen
Seared sea bass
Michel’s eggplant dish
Michel Depardon facing a Bandol and Côte de Provence wine tasting
Noel Autexier
Deceased in 2007His dog Beauduc
also deceased
His Banon cheese
The courtyard of
Suze la Rousse
The entrance to the kitchen and the staircase of last hope
Bernard Cortes from la Fromagerie du Comtat in Carpentras.
One of the most passionate cheese curers I know.
He is making a presentation about cheese to our students
Spring time in Provence peppers the countryside with poppies
Grenache vines growing from the famous galets roulés of
Château Neuf du Pape on the Beauscastel property
Beaucastel Winery
always the highlight of our month
One of the reasons the visits to Beaucastel were so memorable were due to Fabrice Langlois.
Fab would captivate our students imagination with his perfectly orchestrated presentation and would have all of us salivating for a taste of Beaucastel
I can still hear his comparison of each varietal to an instrument in an orchestra in my head.
And he did not disappoint when it came time to taste.
A torrential rain storm off the deck of the chateau
My good friend Joachim Autard the manager of the wine store La bouteillerie du Palais des Papes in Avignon giving a lecture and wine
tasting on the wines of the Côtes du
Rhône
The produce that makes the terroir of Provence so spectacular
A bread display put together by Auzet bakery in Cavaillon
Michel Depardon working his magic at the vegetable stands
in les Halles in Avignon
Michel Merletto the charcutier of St. Andiol holding up his sausages
One of our students performing the kiss the pig ritual
Oyster farm day at the Bassin de Thau in Bouzigue
Christophe Fournier showing proper oyster
shucking technique
Barrels of Noilly Pratt Vermouth aging in the sun at Marseillan
Michel and Fatima at Sette e Mezzo
Too many good times to recount
All the ingredients for a Bouillabaisse on another sunny day at Michel’s farm
Paul Bocuse, Gallit Sammon and me at our celebration lunch at Collonges
Nothing quite like a meal at Bocuse
You feel like he is watching you from every object in the
room
In a roomful of cocoa beans at the Valrhona chocolate factory
Belon oyster and Macon Village tasting at les Halles in Lyon
“avec le Cabran on est toujours
content”
Michel Depardon’s favorite wine
Michel Depardon died in March 2006. He was the cowboy of Provence and loved the US especially Montana.
He was one of the most irreverent people I’ve known and no one was beyond his ridicule. The more serious the person the more prime the target.
He was also one of the most generous.
I would especially love to watch him work the dining area at Sette e Mezzo. He was in his element there. Pick up a joke at one table, pass it on to the next, run into the kitchen to prepare a quick dish, pick up a bottle of rosé on the way back and always a little bit of grappa to rinse out the espresso cup.
He showed me part of Provence I would never have found on my own and introduced me to people that continue to be friends.
I will never be able to return to Provence without thinking of him.
The heirloom tomato booth at the Villeneuve les Avignon market
The vertical garden at les Halles Avignon
The view off my balcony in Avignon
A few of the new dishes we started working on. Nathan putting together an amuse platter
The pont du Gard in the perfect light
Michel Receveur, a culinary teacher of 30 years and a Maitre Cuisinier de France joined our instructional staff
after Michel Depardon passed away. He is a born teacher and our students
loved him.
Watching him cook was like watching Escoffier’s son cook. Classic all the way,
but extremely flavorful
Here he is preparing some girolles and a roasted pork
rack
An American chef from New Orleans named Jon Chiri also joined the
ranks from time to time.
He has lived in France for the last ten years and has
worked his way through some of the
top restaurants in the area.
Another amazing pastry talent joined our
team.
Olivier Lemauviot, had worked at la Mirande and is a graduate of the Valrhona pastry
school.
His passion for dessert and bread is
contagious. His carefree and creative energy is inspirational.
The A Team France
Jon Chiri, Olivier Lemauviot, Andy Floyd, Elizabeth Perreault and Michel Receveur
Classic Tian vs. Modern Millefeuille
I would be remiss if I were not to include reference to Gallit Sammon.
Many of the pictures in this presentation were taken by her.
Michel Depardon would call her petite vague or wavy. If she came up with a dish, he would write it up on the board as sauce wavy or à la wavy.
She is one of the most optimistic people I know, a great chef and an excellent teacher.
Here is an olive tree guarding the Pont du Gard that was around when Jesus died.
A reminder that some things are timeless.