Cooking Course at Chateau Champlong

Chateau Champlong

Galette de Trompette de la Mort

Saumon Mi-Cuit aux Aromates et Betterave en Aigre-Doux au Gingembre

Paleron de Veau Confit, Émulsion Blanquette, Galette de Trompette de la Mort

Tartelette Sable Breton, Mousseline Citron Vert et Pomme Gala Caramélisée, Sirop Citron Vert

Olivier, Véronique et Nathan

Nathan and Trish

Mike and C

The kitchen in Action!

While staying with Tom and Trish on their barge Elizabeth, Trish, C and I took a cooking course with Chef Olivier Boizet at the Chateau Champlong.  There were ten or twelve of us in the class...a mix of American, French and Dutch.  We arrived in the afternoon for the preparation of the ingredients and then he walked us through every step of a three course beautifully traditional French menu.  Watching Chef Olivier in action was poetry in motion.  He moved between the three courses with such ease and everything came ready all at the right time.  He taught us steps and recipes that although designed for his professional menu, could easily be translated to our use at home.  Tom. Nathan and Mike arrived at dinner time and we all shared a glass of champagne with Olivier's chestnut and calvados liquor and some really fine amuses-bouches.

The menu consisted of
Saumon Mi-cuit aux Aromates et Betterave en Aigre-doux au Gingembre
Paleron de Veau Confit, Émulsion Blanquette, Galette de Trompette de la Mort
Tartelette Sable Breton, Mousseline Citron Vert et Pomme Gala Caramélisee, Sirop Citron Vert

After much wine and laughter, we moved the party down into his wine cave for digestif and drinking songs and games until the late hours of the night.  It was one of those experiences that I will cherish for the rest of my life.  Chef Olivier was not only a really fine chef and teacher, but a very open and warm host.

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