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© 2010 Oldways

NormanDy:

Camembert & Calvados

with Oldwaysand French-Cooking Expert Susan Herrmann Loomis

An Oldways Culinaria AdventureHonfleur and Bayeux, France

April 25 – May 2, 2010

NormandyCulinaria

with Oldwaysand

Susan Herrmann Loomis

April 25 – May 2, 2010Honfleur and Bayeux, France

Organized by Oldways

Normandy, the land of Calvados, Camembert, and cider, just can’t help looking as though it’s posing for a picture postcard. Rolling hills so green they make your eyes hurt. The proverbial lazy cow – black and white, brown and white, sometimes just brown – immobilized beneath an apple tree just about to burst into flower. Classic metal milk cans standing elbow-to-elbow at the edge of the driveway. The rural mailman pedaling about on a tattered bicycle, delivering bad news, good news, and bills to half-timbered houses, where he’ll stop for a sip of Calvados and to chat about the price of milk, the winter’s frost damage, this year’s apple crop.

Visually, Normandy won’t let you down. When you go, bring with you those wonderfully romantic images as you drive down the two-lane country roads. You’ll see, it’s all laid out for you. Nothing’s made up. It’s real, it’s rural, it’s earthy. And just a gentle ninety-minute drive from Paris.

Patricia WellsThe Food Lover’s Guide to France

I take great comfort from the lushness of Normandy, its green pastures that surround us and run down into the Vallée d’Auge with its low thatched farmhouses; the dark blue coastal waters off Honfleur and Houlgate, Fécamp, and Mont-St-Michel; the blushing reds of the apples that hang heavy in the graceful apple trees from June through September. The colors of land and sea are soothing, calming, constant. Light provides the edge, the excitement, the visceral emotion, a different but distinguishable palette of colors, sensations, and moods every single day.

Normandy is known for being a rainy region, a reputation not entirely undeserved. Even when it’s a temps de cochon, or “pig weather,” and the rain is tumbling from the sky, there is tangible light that minimizes the grayness. When it is soft and misty, walking in it is like getting a facial.

Fortunately the dark days of winter don’t last too long in Normandy. By March spring has arrived, the skies have cleared, and we’re looking forward to another whole year of stunning Norman light and sky.

Susan Herrmann LoomisOn Rue Tatin

Introduction

Normandy today is an Oldways kind of place, because its people still have that special old-fashioned reverence for farming, fishing, cooking and eating. This reverence is quickly visible to Normandy’s visitors – patchworks of working family farms in the landscapes, traditional foods and drinks for sale in shops, fleets of small fishing boats plying the bounteous waters around Normandy, and small busy restaurants abounding in traditional drinks and dishes.

On our visit to Normandy we will find many of the old ways of the timeless farm to table cycle still alive. Farming is personal here, clearly distinct from the vast impersonal factory farms in North America.

As our friend Susan Herrmann Loomis will relate during our Culinaria, Normandy is world-famous for its poultry (duck and chicken), apples, cheese, cream, shellfish, fish, oysters and vegetables that attain a special savor in a maritime climate. We will experience all of these at the table, and also visit farms that produce these so very special Norman products.

In many respects Normandy is one of America’s direct ancestors. The English men and women who came to the New World were descendants of the Normans who conquered England in 1066 and assumed its throne and launched its forms of government and land ownership – many of which formed the bases for American institutions.

Then there is Normandy’s key role in the Allied successes in World War II against the imperialist ambitions of Germany. Our allied armies landed on Normandy’s beaches and fought their relentless way through Brittany and Normandy and on to ultimate victory over the German armies.

Introduction

The vast graveyards and memorials of the soldiers, sailors and airman who were killed in the landings on Normandy’s beaches are riveting in their visual and emotional impact. Walking through the cemeteries, it is impossible not to marvel at the bravery of those whose remains rest there.

The justly-famous Bayeux Tapestry depicts another battle: the Norman victory over the English in 1066, the first step in the Normans’ conquest of all England. This tapestry is a remarkable historic object, and helps us understand how the seemingly-insignificant Norman society overran the powerful and well-established English. Our visit to the Bayeux Museum housing the nearly-one-thousand-year-old tapestry offers a rare opportunity to examine this relic, and to reflect on the happenstance that it tracks to the origins of today’s sturdy American form of government and freedoms.

But our special focus here in Normandy is to dig deeply into Normandy’s cuisine and the agriculture and traditions upon which it rests. We look forward to sharing and celebrating Normandy’s old ways of agriculture with all of you. We think you’ll discover that Normandy is a corner of the world where food, wine, gastronomy, culture and history all blend together – all factors that will make our visit together a memorable ramble through Normandy’s still-palpable old ways.

K. Dun Gifford, Sara Baer-Sinnott and Cynthia HarrimanApril 2010

Program

SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2010Bienvenue à la France

AfternoonCheck into the Hotel Mercure, in the middle of Honfleur’s Centre Ville, convenient to everything. Take time for a rest or explore a bit while your fellow travelers arrive.

5:30 — Welcoming Words and ReceptionWe’ll meet in the Mercure lobby, where early birds will enjoy a few words from Dun Gifford and Cynthia Harriman on Language & Law: Our Debt to the Normans.

As the group gathers, we’ll enjoy a glass of wine and mingle, renewing old friendships and meeting new faces, while enjoying a brief introduction from Dun, Sara Baer-Sinnott and Cynthia.

7:00 — DinnerAt 6:45 we’ll leave the hotel for a short walk to dinner at Fleur de Sel, where chef Vincent Guyon reinvents traditional Norman recipes.

MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2010Getting to Know Historic Honfleur

10:00 – Overview and OrientationAfter breakfast, we’ll start the day at our hotel with a brief overview of Norman food and history, to deepen our appreciation of the week’s events.

11:00 — Cooking Demonstration and LunchSusan Herrmann Loomis, our cooking goddess for the week, will demonstrate a variety of typical Norman specialites using local ingredients. With our appetite piqued, we’ll lunch at La Grenouille Bistro.

2:30 — Walking Tour of HonfleurLucie Hoffmann, our local Normandy guide, will lead all those interested on a walking tour of Honfleur’s compact historic center.

5:00 — Calvados Tasting and DinnerWe’ll gather at Le Bréard, where Hervé Lestage, proprietor of La Fleur de La Vigne, Honfleur’s leading wine shop, will guide us through a tasting of local Calvados products. After this marvelous apéritif, we’ll enjoy the best that chef Fabrice Sébire has to offer for dinner.

Program

TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2010Farms and Manors of the Pays d’Auge – a Road Trip Day!

9:00 – Visit to a 15th c. Norman ManorWe’ll start after breakfast with a scenic drive through the rolling hills of the Pays d’Auge, arriving at Domaine St. Hippolyte in St. Martin de la Lieue about 45 minutes later. There, we’ll see traditional cheesemaking, learn how the Norman breed of cows was brought back from the brink, and enjoy a wonderful lunch.

3:30 – Calvados Making at Domaine d’AprévalYesterday we tasted Calvados, and today we’ll see how it’s made at this small family farm just 5 km from Honfleur.

Late afternoon and eveningEnjoy the last of this spring day in Honfleur, with a relaxing dinner on your own.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2010Exploring the Côte Fleurie

9:30 – Côte Fleurie, Seaside LunchThe French refer to the northern coastline of this section of Normandy as the “Flowery Coast” because it’s the gateway to such a verdant land. We’ll enjoy all its beauty today with a leisurely ride along the cliffs and beaches, through fabled towns like Trouville and Deauville, ending up with a seafood lunch overlooking the sea at Restaurant La Crémaillère in Courseulles-sur-Mer.

2:00 – La Calvadosienne Oyster FarmWe’ll arrive as the tide recedes, to tour one of Normandy’s famous oyster farms. We’ll hear about the history, growing, harvesting and cleaning of the oysters – and of course enjoy a dégustation or tasting.

Late afternoon and eveningWe’ll arrive in Bayeux before 4:00 and check into the charming Hotel Churchill. Once we’re settled, our guide Lucie will offer an optional walking tour of her hometown of Bayeux to those interested, while others choose to rest or explore independently. Dinner is on your own.

ProgramFRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2010 (cont.)Mont St. Michel and Saltmeadow Lamb

2:30 — Mont St. MichelTowering over the tidal flats on a small island, Mont St. Michel has been home to a monastery since the 8th century. We’ll tour the current Abbey (which dates largely from the 11th century), with ample time afterwards for shopping or rambling around the ramparts.

Late afternoon and eveningOnce back in Bayeux, you can relax and enjoy dinner on your own.

SATURDAY, MAY 1, 2010A Salute to the Greatest Generation

9:00 — A Trip to the Bayeux MarketEarly risers can head for the bustling Bayeux market, held each Saturday. Wander on your own, or with Susan, who will offer a running commentary on the various mid-Spring products on offer.

10:00 — D-Day Remembrance TourOur homage to D-Day starts at Longues sur Mer, where one of the most intact German batteries remains, and continues as we pay our respects at the American Cemetery. After a box lunch along Omaha beach, we’ll visit the Omaha Memorial Museum, and windswept Pointe du Hoc, before returning to Bayeux.

7:30 — Farewell DinnerWe’ll have a memorable farewell dinner at Le Pommier, one of Bayeux’s premier restaurants. We’ll enjoy a fine dining experience with owners Isabelle and Thierry Lhuillery, whose dishes combine local ingredients with great Norman traditions.

SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2010In which we say au revoir...

After breakfast, we’ll offer shuttle service to Charles de Gaulle airport outside Paris in time for scheduled flight service; for those traveling to Paris, there is convenient train service directly from the Bayeux train station. A bientôt — see you soon — to all!

Program

THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2010Bayeux and its Famous Tapestry

10:00 — Foods of the Bayeux TapestryThe Bayeux Tapestry documents more than the Battle of Hastings. It’s also an amazing window on the common foods of 1066. Dun Gifford will reprise his research, originally created for the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery.

11:00 — Cooking Demonstration and LunchSusan will offer another mouth-watering cooking demonstration, featuring dishes you can make at home to relive your Normandy trip. The cooking demo and our lunch will be held at Bayeux’s well-known Lion d’Or restaurant.

2:30 — Visit to the Bayeux TapestryAt 230 feet long, the Bayeux Tapestry includes plenty of space to recount the tale of William the Conqueror’s voyage across the sea to Britain and the subsequent battle for the English kingdom. Learn how you can tell the Normans from the Anglo-Saxons – and look for all the foods from Dun’s talk! 7:30 – Gala DinnerWe’ll reassemble at La Rapière, a charming restaurant in the center of Bayeux, favored by locals for its warm atmosphere and delicious food.

FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2010Mont St. Michel and Saltmeadow Lamb

9:00 – Lamb Farm in Courtils, and lunchA ninety-minute ride through the Norman countryside will deliver us to a small family lamb farm in Courtils, on the western coast. Here, overlooking Mont St. Michel, the farmer will explain how the salty grasses nourish one of France’s greatest spring treats: agneau de pré salé, or saltmeadow lamb. After our farm visit, we’ll continue to the Auberge de la Baie in Ardevon, where we’ll feast on agneau de pré salé and other local specialties.

Recipes

Moules à la NormandeNormandy Mussels6 to 8 servings

6 pounds mussels1 cup firmly packed flat-leaf parsley2 small shallots, in paper-thin slices4 dried, imported bay leaves1/2 cup cider vinegarsea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Just before cooking the mussels, de-beard them (pull out the stringy threads). Rinse them well in cool fresh water and place them in a large stockpot. Coarsely chop the parsley and add it, along with the shallots, bay leaves, and cider vinegar.

Shake the pot so that all the ingredients are blended, and bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. When the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-high and cover the pot. Cook the mussels until they just open, shaking the pan from time to time so the mussels cook evenly.

Once the mussels are open, continue to cook for an additional minute, removing those that are wide open so they don’t overcook. If, after two or three additional minutes there are mussels that still refuse to open, discard them as they are either dead or empty.

Transfer the mussels to a large serving bowl, season generously with salt and pepper and serve.

Susan Herrmann LoomisOn Rue Tatin

French BreezeThere are too few cocktails made with Calvados. And there are too few cocktails made with grapefruit juice. Here’s one with both. Unless you’re a big fan of bitter orange, go easy on the orange-flower water. !Pour 2 ounces each of Calvados and fresh grapefruit juice into a cocktail shaker one-third full of cracked ice. Add 2 dashes orange-flower water and 1/4 teaspoon fine granulated sugar. Shake the drink well and pour it into a chilled 12-ounce highball glass. Fill the glass with chilled Champagne and stir lightly to blend.

Gourmet Magazine, July 1961

Susan Herrmann Loomis

As an internationally-recognized expert on food and an award-winning journalist/author, Susan takes a unique approach to her craft, combining training in journalism with a love for food and the people who produce it.

Extensive travel throughout the United States, France, Italy, the Middle East and parts of Asia has given Susan a depth of knowledge and an appreciation for the rich traditions around food—how it is grown, harvested, and prepared.

Susan believes that learning about cooking and food should involve much more than recipes and techniques. She delights in meeting and intro-ducing the personalities and customs behind the great cuisines of France.

Susan is the author of eight books both food and literary, the most recent of which are Nuts in the Kitchen and Cooking At Home On Rue Tatin.

Susan lives year round in a lovingly-restored convent in the center of Louviers and across the street from the Gothic Church of Notre-Dame de Louviers with her two children. This immense and awe-inspiring structure provides ambience and inspiration for meals served in the 12th century dining room, and the flower-filled front courtyard, in the shadow of the church of Notre-Dame de Louviers.

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Introduction to Norman Cuisine

It all starts with le crachin Normand, the incessant drizzle of winter that blows in off the sea for days at a time. Le crachin soaks the meadows, the hedgerows, and the orchards, penetrating everything, enriching the soil, and readying the land for the burst of spring.

After le crachin yields to spring, apple blossoms coat every branch, presaging the new crop of apples for Tarte Tatin, cider, and Calvados... lush green grass grows overnight, to be transformed by cows into milk, butter, cream, and cheese... and the rivers run down to the sea, washing with them the nutrients that give the coastal oysters their own distinct flavor.

In French cooking, à la Normande generally means flavored with cream, but Norman cooking offers more than one cream sauce after another. Seafood is so plentiful and varied that fish filets are often served with a sauce of mussels, shrimp, or other shellfish and crustaceans, as if to say, “the more the merrier!”

Inland, chicken and duck are popular, with the duck usually having a characteristic strong flavor (see Canard Rouennaise, under Specialties of Normandy a few pages from now). Also in the inland hills and valleys, sausage-makers vie to produce the best sausages – the flavor of which stems from feeding the pigs on orchard windfalls, Normans claim.

Along the Bay of Mont St. Michel, on Normandy’s western edge near Brittany, seagrass grows in briny soil, sucking up iodine and minerals that impart a special, lightly-salted flavor to the lambs that feed there, producing the famous agneau de pré-salé, or saltmarsh lamb.

Beef is usually eaten in the form of veal, as a natural consequence of a strong dairy tradition that sees no other future for male calves.

While Normandy is best known for its animal products, apples and pears are equally central to the region’s cuisine, showing up everywhere in drinks, sauces, and desserts. And, on the upper Cotentin peninsula between Granville and Cherbourg, centuries of composting seawood in sandy soil have given an inimitable sweet flavor and bright orange color to the famous carrots of Créance.

The Normandy Paradox?

The French Paradox is a well-known conundrum: How can the French eat all that cream and butter, without dropping dead like flies? Some argue that the French Paradox really only holds true for the olive oil areas of southern France, and that areas like Normandy do not, in fact, escape the heart disease, strokes and other diseases associated with Camembert and crème fraîche.

In fact, all of France, including Normandy, shows remarkable immunity to diseases of the circulatory system. The maps below show the incidence of circulatory disease throughout Western Europe, with darker areas having a higher incidence of disease.

Diseases of the Circulatory System, age standardized

Darker areas denote higher incidence (white means no data available)1994-96 – NUTS 2 © European Communities, 2002

For men, France had the lowest rate of circulatory disease, at 256 deaths per 100,000, Ireland the most at 480 per 100,000. Among women, France placed lowest again, with 148 deaths per 100,000, while Austria topped the scale at 311 per 100,000. Countries like Greece and Portugal (and Italy, for women) had, by the mid-1990s, strayed far enough from the Mediterranean Diet that circulatory disease was rampant, but France, overall, remained healthiest – including Normandy! In this 2002 E.U. mortality atlas, France similarly beat out all other countries with the lowest rates of ischaemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease (stroke).

Is it the Calvados and other alcohol that offsets fat intake? The moderate portions? More activity? It will be interesting to ponder this mystery, as we enjoy all the wonderful foods and drinks that Normandy has to offer.

Specialties of Normandy

NORMANDY’S ANCIENT CHEESEMAKING TRADITION

The ancient cheesemaking tradition of Normandy has produced some of the most famous cheeses in the world. Normandy boasts the famous villages of Camembert, Pont-l'Evêque and Livarot – and the cheeses of these three towns are the celebrated cheeses of Normandy.

Camembert de Normandie (AOC). Camembert is a world-renowned cow’s milk cheese from Normandy. This quintessential French cheese has a soft, white, bloomy rind; luxurious ivory pâte; and buttery, grassy flavor. The taste of a ripe Camembert is reminiscent of wild mushrooms.

Livarot (AOC). This ancient and noble cheese dates back more than 700 years, originating with the monks. A cow’s milk washed-rind cheese, it has an assertive aroma and nutty flavor. The pâte is semi-soft, creamy and smooth with small holes. The round cheeses are traditionally encircled with five strips of sedge or raffia.

Pont-l’Evêque (AOC). Very popular in France, Pont-l’Evêque is an uncooked, unpressed cow’s milk cheese that is square in shape. The pâte is soft, creamy pale yellow in color with a smooth, fine texture and a pungent aroma. The washed rind is white with a gentle hint of orange-brown.

Max McCalmanMaître Fromager; Author, The Cheese Plate Cheese: A Connoisseur's Guide to the World's Best and Mastering Cheese: Lessons For Connoisseurship from a Maître Fromager

OTHER WELL-KNOWN CHEESES

Brillat Savarin – a cow’s milk triple-crème cheese with a white, flowery rind

Pavé d’Auge – similar to Pont-l’Evêque but darker in appearance and stronger in flavor.

Neufchâtel (AOC) – a small, white-crusted cheese sold in many shapes including hearts, this is the only AOC Norman cheese not from Calvados.

Specialties of Normandy

HOW IT’S MADE: CAMEMBERT

One of France’s most famous cheeses, Camembert is a fine example of a soft, bloomy-rind cheese. In French “bloomy rind” is croute-fleurie, for which the literal translation is “flowering crust.” Camembert comes from Normandy, in the northwest, a province known for its abundance of butter and cream as well as its fine cheeses, including Pont L’Evêque, Livarot, Mimolette, and Pavé D’Auge.

Cows, preferably of the Normande breed, are milked morning and evening. The next morning, the milk is skimmed and heated to about 30 degrees C (86 degrees F). Starter is added, if necessary. The milk is renneted and curds begin to form in 15 to 18 minutes. Full coagulation takes up to 2 hours. The surface of the curd is skimmed to clear off any impurities, then it is sliced in layers and ladled into perforated molds, which are laid on straw or cane mats for drainage.

The fresh cheeses are turned several times over about a 12-hour period; then they are removed from their molds, salted, and dried at 18 degrees C (64 degrees F) and 70 to 80 percent humidity for up to 2 days. Next they are sprayed with a solution of P. candidum spores on top and left to mature for up to 12 days at 12 degrees C (54 degrees F). They develop their rinds, which consist of a dusting of soft white mold, and collapse to about half their original height as they shrink from evaporation. Finally, the cheeses are wrapped in paper and packed in wooden boxes, then shopped to wholesalers or retailers where they should ripen for another 2 weeks before sale.

Max McCalman and David GibbonsThe Cheese Plate

CALVADOS AND CAMEMBERT

Calvados is the apple brandy from Normandy, France. This winning spirit, with its alluring scent of fresh apples and fervent warmth, deserves to be better known in this country. The finest calvados comes from eastern Normandy, the region known as the Pays d’Auge, a verdant strip of fertile land that is home to apple orchards and dairy cows; in fact, they share the same turf. The local cows provide milk for Normandy’s famous cheeses – Camembert, Pont l’Evêque, and Livarot. The best cheeses also come from farms in the Pays d’Auge.

Barbara EnsrudWine with Food: A Guide to Entertaining through the Seasons

photo courtesy of the Cheeses of France

Specialties of Normandy

DISHES

Canard Rouennaise – Ducklings dispatched by smothering, so that none of the blood is lost. This gives the meat its signature strong flavor, which is amplified by being pressed and served in a sauce of thickened blood.

Poulet Vallée d’Auge – chicken flambéed in Calvados and served with a cream sauce.

Gigot d’agneau de pré salé – Roasted leg of new spring lamb that has spent its life feeding on saltmeadow grasses. (Pré salé means salt-meadow, not “pre-salted” as is often assumed.)

Jambon au cidre – ham, often from the Cotentin, grilled in thick slices with a cider and apple sauce.

Tripes à la mode de Caen – Start with the lining of all four stomachs from a cow, add a calf’s foot, then stew for 10-12 hours with vegetables and Calvados, and you’ll have this distinctive specialty from Caen.

Sole Dieppoise – Filet of sole in a white wine sauce, usually with other seafood (mussels, shrimp) alongside.

Sole Normande – Poached sole in a rich sauce thickened with butter, eggs, and cream.

Moules Mariniere – Mussels simmered in a shallot-flavored white wine sauce. Trouville is especially well-known for its mussels.

Boudin – Blood pudding. The Norman variety, for which Mortagne-au-Perche is especially famous, is made from pig’s blood, onion and pork fat.

Andouille – Another local sausage specialty, made from pork chitterlins. The andouille from Vire – pig intestines with sea salt –are revered.

Tergoule – A thick rice pudding, with a caramelized crust. Traditionally cooked in the oven as it cooled down after bread-baking.

Specialties of Normandy

DRINKS

Cidre – Not at all like the tame apple juice sold in the U.S., cidre in Normandy is what we would call “hard cider” and can be either doux (sweet) or brut (dry).

Calvados – Cidre is further distilled (twice!) to turn it into Calvados, or “calva,” the distinctive apple brandy of Normandy. Often enjoyed as a café calva (coffee with a dose of Calvados) or a Trou Normand – a shot of Calvados imbibed between courses to make room for the next dish.

Pommeau – An aperitif made from mixing two parts cidre with one part Calvados. Until recently, it was illegal to sell pommeau outside Normandy, so the world is only now discovering its delights.

Poiré – Pear cider, sometimes called perry in English. (Don’t ask for “poireau” – as that means a leek!)

Bénédictine – A liqueur made from a secret blend of herbs and spices, first created at a monastery in Fécamp.

An Armada galleon, El Calvador, wrecked on the Normandy coast as it ran from the guns of Drake’s flotilla, is supposed to have given its name to the département of Calvados, and hence to the world’s most famous apple brandy. Cider is the local wine of the grapeless part of France. And the local brandy is cider “burnt” in a still. There are records of cider-distilling going back to the 16th century on the Cotentin peninsula, west of Calvados.

In 1946 one limited area and one method of distilling cider was given an Appellation Contrôlée: Calvados du Pays d’Auge. It must be made of cider from fruit crushed in the traditional fashion and fermented for at least a month (though in a whole month it only reached about 4% alcohol). It must be distilled twice in a pot-still, in exactly the same way as cognac, and at about the same strength (72% alcohol). It must be sold at between 40 and 50%. It must be aged for at least a year. Well-made Calvados is quite drinkable, through very fiery, when new, but in practice the best is aged for several years in big oak casks. ... In its degree of scent and flavour it is very like brandy. But good Calvados recaptures in an uncanny way the evocative smell of apples. It plays an important part in Norman cooking: terrines, tripes, creamy dishes of chicken or sole are perfumed with it, and often called Pays d’Auge.

Hugh JohnsonThe World Atlas of Wine

Restaurants and Hotels

HOTELS

Hotel Mercure Honfleur4, rue des Vases, 14600 Honfleur, FranceTél: (33) 02 31 89 50 50 Fax: (33) 02 31 89 56 77

Hotel ChurchillPlace de Québec, 14400 Bayeux, FranceTél: (33) 02 31 21 31 80 Fax: (33) 02 31 21 41 66

RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS IN HONFLEUR

La Tortue, 36 rue de l’Homme de BoisA favorite of Cindy’s – cozy, beamed room with excellent food at a good price.

L’Absinthe, 1 rue de la VilleOpen and inviting, upscale atmosphere. Every dish we tried was excellent.

Sa Qua Na, Place Hamelin, Honfleur’s 1-star Michelin restaurantOutstanding fish, from a chef who worked for years in Japan. 60€, 90€ menus.

La Cidrerie, 26 Place HamelinA small crêperie – perfect for a light local meal.

Restaurant la Lieutenance, 12 Place Ste-CatherineNewly renovated, with fresh, seasonal, traditional Norman food.

L’Escale, 3 rue de la Ville, place Arthur BoudinFresh seafood is l’Escale’s specialty, but other Norman specialties also feature.

Au Bouillon Normand, 7 rue de la VilleThe Berruriers welcome you to their small, charming family restaurant.

RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS IN BAYEUX

Le Petit Normand, 35 rue Larcher, 16th c. house by the cathedralSimple local food at a reasonable price.

L’Assiette Normande, 3 rue des Chanoines, 2 steps from cathedral

La Fringale, 43 rue St-Jean, on Bayeux’s main pedestrian streetLocal specialties, like jambon au cidre, in a friendly atmosphere.

Le Petit Resto, 2 rue Bienvenue, opposite the cathedralTiny old place, just 12 seats, serving “nouvelle cuisine with more substance”

La Coline d’Enzo, 4 rue Bouchers with a more modern feel

Le Bistrot de Paris, Place St-Patrice, old bistro atmosphere

Basse Normandie / Lower Normandy

Our travels will take us through the region known as Lower Normandy, which is made up of the three départements of Calvados, Orne, and La Manche.

Sunday + Monday! in HonfleurTuesday ! Trip 1, to Domaine St. Hippolyte, Domaine d’AprévalWednesday! Trip 2, Honfleur to Bayeux along the coast!Thursday! in BayeuxFriday ! Trip 3, Bayeux to Mont St. MichelSaturday ! Trip 4, tour of D-Day memorialsSunday! farewell, from Bayeux

SURVIVAL VOCABULARYHello! Bonjour! ! ! bohn JHOORGood evening! Bonsoir! ! ! bohn SWARPlease! S’il vous plaît ! ! SEE voo PLAYThank you! Merci (beaucoup)!! mare SEE beau KOOExcuse me! Pardonnez-moi! ! par DON nay MWAHWhere are the toilets?! Ou sont les toilettes?! OO sohn lay twah LET?

Acknowledgements

Oldways is grateful to Susan Herrmann Loomis for sharing her deep knowledge and love of French cooking, seasoned by almost two decades of living in Normandy. Her participation opened our eyes to the glories of Norman food in a personal and profound way.

Many thanks to our guide, Lucie Hoffmann, for sharing her knowledge of her home-town of Bayeux, along with a wealth of interesting facts about the people and places of Lower Normandy. We also thank Rima Hébert, of the Churchill Hotel, for all her special efforts to make our stay a success – she epitomizes the reasons why we appreciate small family hotels with their personal touch.

Thanks also to those who made several of our events especially memorable:• Hervé Lestage, of La Fleur de Vigne wine shop in Honfleur, who taught us

everything there is to know about Calvados• Bertille Leroux, of Domaine St. Hippolyte, who helped us travel back in time to

15th century Normandy• Richard Hennig, of La Calvadosienne, who introduced us to his oysters• Claire Lehembre, of Manche Tourisme, who arranged our Lamb Day

CREDITS: As a nonprofit educational organization, Oldways expresses sincere appreciation to the sources of selections that appear in this Program Book. These works make valuable contributions to this educational program, and to our understanding of Normandy and the foods and dishes that make it so interesting.

Participants

Nesligül Aksoy, Istanbul, Turkey

Betül Artam, Istanbul, Turkey

Sara Baer-Sinnott, Boston, MA (Oldways)

Bill Boardman, Nantucket, MA

Susan Boardman, Nantucket, MA

Joyce Easter, MD, Kittery Point, ME

K. Dun Gifford, Boston, MA (Oldways)

Armand Giguere, Assonet, MA

Jeanne Giguere, Assonet, MA

Cynthia Harriman, Portsmouth, NH (Oldways)

Lew Harriman, Portsmouth, NH

Phillip Ledin, Winchester, MA

Betsy Leerssen, Newport, RI

Neil Leerssen, MD, Newport, RI

Susan Herrmann Loomis, Louviers, Normandy

Charles McCauley, MD, Marshfield, WI

Jill McCauley, Marshfield, WI

Janet Morehouse, Winchester, MA

Maryanne Muller, Needham, MA

Ardis Ono, Hilo, HI

Rodney T. Ono, MD, Hilo, HI

Yvonne Paterson, New York, NY

James Chilton (Jim) Thompson, Austin, TX

George Webber, MD, Kittery Point, ME

Nancy Wheatley, Boston, MA

Kathleen Wilson, Austin, TX

Susan Zabriskie, RD, Watertown, NY

Recipe

Gigot Aux Chevriers Le Mont-Saint -MichelLeg of Lamb with White Beans from Le Mont-Saint-Michel

Gigot, or leg of lamb, is unquestionably one of France’s finest cuts of meat. Whether it’s better paired with a crusty potato gratin or served with a sturdy helping of full-flavored beans is really a question of taste. Here, Patricia Wells pairs her lamb with beans, for a side dish she first prepared after a memorable dinner at the famous La Mère Poulard in Le Mont-Saint-Michel. Traditionally gigot aux chevriers is made with the small dried green beans known as chevriers or flageolets, but small while pea beans or Great Northern beans may be substituted. Prepare a leg of lamb with your favorite recipe, then pair it with this heavenly bean dish.

Beans: 1 pound (500g) dried flageolets or other white dried beans2 bay leaves1 medium onion, peeled but left whole1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves1 tablespoon salt

Tomato and onion sauce:2 tablespoons (1 ounce; 30g) unsalted butter2 medium onions (about 8 ounces; 250g), coarsely chopped

Prepare the beans: Rinse the beans carefully, picking them over to remove any pebbles. Place the beans in a large heavy saucepan, cover with boiling water, and let sit for 1 hour. Drain the beans and add fresh water to cover. Heat the beans to a slow boil over medium heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the top. Add more water if necessary. When all the foam has been skimmed off, add the bay leaves, onion, and thyme and cook for about 30 minutes. Stir in the salt, then continue cooking until the beans are tender. The cooking time will vary depending upon the freshness of the beans; fresher beans cook more quickly than older ones. They usually take about 1 ½ hours of total cooking time. Drain, cover, and set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare the tomato and onion sauce: Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large deep skillet over low heat. Add the onions and garlic and stir until the onions are thoroughly coated with butter. Cover and cook slowly for 30 minutes, shaking the pan frequently. When cooked, the onions should be soft, tender, and pale golden. Combine sauce and beans, and, when lamb is done, spoon this lovely mix around lamb and serve.

Patricia WellsThe Food Lover’s Guide to France

HONFLEUR

Honfleur is a town unlike any other on the French coast, clustered around its little harbour, which is ringed by an erratic line of 17th-century grey slate and timber-fronted skyscrapers. Around it there is the idyllic rural heartland of the Pay d’Auge, Deauville, Trouville, and the other resorts of the Côte Fleurie, and the very visible industries of Le Havre, but Honfleur doesn’t seem to have that much to do with any of them. It stands on its own within its curious little circle of hills, apparently tied more to the sea than to the land.

! BAYEUX

Bayeux is a small town where everything fits together. Its great treasure, the Bayeux Tapestry, which recounts the story of the Norman conquest of England, is complemented perfectly by the magnificent cathedral for which it was made. Around are winding streets, medieval stone courtyards, elegant Ancien Régime townhouses and quiet gardens. The town owes its completeness to a remarkable piece of good fortune. On the morning of 7 June 1944 Bayeux was taken by British troops, only one day after the great invasion, as the first substantial town in France to be liberated and probably the one taken with the least serious fighting. It was thus spared terrible devastation, and stands today as an intact survivor of pre-war Normandy.

The capital of the distinctive region of the Bessin, a lush green plain of cattle, cheese, cider, massive stone

fortified farmhouses from the Middle Ages and superb Norman churches, Bayeux has a curious feel somewhere between a town and a big village. In food, it’s a stronghold of Norman tradition in cuisine: apples, crème fraîche, fine beef, cider, meaty terrines, and excellent fresh seafood from the coast nearby.

BEACHES OF NORMANDY

Surprising, perhaps, to first-time visitors is the sheer length of the stretch of coast covered by the D-Day invasion beaches, close to 60 miles from end to end. The eastern section from Ouistreham to Arromanches, corresponding to the British and Canadian beaches of Gold, Juno, and Sword, is otherwise known as the Côte de Nacre, a near-continuous, quite narrow beach fronted by a line of old-fashioned French seaside towns. For the machine-guns to have sliced up the sand and the flail tanks to have crashed ashore here seems particularly bizarre. Further west the towns fade away, and ...the coastline is broken up by sandstone cliffs, punctuated by wide, open beaches, the largest of them Omaha, where the main US invasion force so nearly came to disaster. Finally, Utah Beach is further west again, on the Cotentin peninsula.

Nick RiderShort Breaks in Northern France