June 30, 2011

Rungis, the world's biggest food market

Entrance to one of the many food halls at Rungis
Rungis is not a food market where you can just go and pick up some cheeses, meat and salad leaves. In fact, you cannot even get in unless you are taken on a tour of the complex that covers an enormous area of over 200 hectares. Just a 20 mins drive from Paris, Rungis is the world's biggest wholesale market for fresh produce and that is where Parisian chefs buy what they cook. Traders from all over Europe also come to buy and sell their produce in Rungis.  This place is much more than a wholesale market for Parisian restaurateurs.

I was lucky enough to visit the market on a school trip organised by Le Cordon Bleu and upon arrival, we had to put on a set of disposable outfit before entering the food halls. Our tour began with the Pavillon de la vollaile and for the next three hours, we were in and out of different compounds in a freezing cold temperature, posing in front of animal carcasses, oversized cheese meules and rare, exotic plants.

Some poultry comes pre-packaged, like duck breast and foie gras, or as individual birds in cartons. Meat, apparently, is sold only by the carcass. 


There was practically nothing in the Fruits and Vegetables Hall that I had not seen elsewhere, but to encounter such quantities under one roof was nevertheless an eye-opening experience. Most stalls are highly specialised in their product offerings; there are ones who sell mushrooms exclusively while others carry only garlic heads and onions.

The Fruits and Vegetables Hall at Rungis is the largest of its kind in the world
Girolle is one of the most popular French champignons 
Summer is the season for berries
My favourite place in Rungis was the Cheese Hall. As I walked through its entrance, the aroma of cheese was immediately noticeable. There were commercially produced cheeses as well as a whole range of artisanal ones from smaller producers. The most impressive cheeses were the big meules of Emmental, Comte, Beaufort and Gruyere, some of which weighed as much as 120 kg each.

A large Emmental AOC cheese meule typically weighs from 70 to120 kg
These Comte cheeses weigh about 35 kg each

June 29, 2011

Fragonard, Grasse and perfume

French painter Jean-Honore Fragonard (1732-1806) epitomises rococo art. His oeuvre is characterised by the use of a light, pastel palette and subject matters that portray the hedonistic way of life in 18th-century France. His most popular works are playful with an atmosphere of intimacy, and veiled eroticism.

The Swing

Fragonard was born in Grasse during the reign of Louis XV, whose court at Versailles was known as 'le cour perfumee' - the perfume court. The art of concealing embarrassing smells with perfumed water was much practised in those days than bathing! Thanks to Queen Catherine de Medici who brought from her native Tuscany a pair of perfumed gloves that created the fashion for all things sweet smelling.

The French court was the undisputed model of refinement and elegance throughout Europe and eventually France became the home of the greatest perfume makers. While Paris was the capital of trade for perfumed products, the town of Grasse, with its extensive fields of jasmine and rose, became the capital of production.

Fragonard, Grasse and perfume, the three elements which were extricably linked back in the 18th century find even more common grounds now with some creative marketing.

Today Fragonard is a brand name of a successful artisan perfumery based in Grasse. And the image of Fragonard's bare-shoulder rococo courtesan and her flirtatious gaze is seen every which way you turn. If only he had known the royalty he would be receiving just from this work, he would be rolling in his grave laughing.


In order to create a truly exceptional scent, it takes a "nose" to formulate a perfume and there are no more than 50 noses worldwide. These gifted individuals have been trained at a tender age to develop their olfactory faculty which enables them to distinguish thousand of ingredients and their composition.

"Perfume organ"
The "nose" operates from a "perfume organ," so called because it resembles the keyboards of a cathedral organ with its tiered rows of ingredient bottles arranged around a balance that the perfumer uses when mixing and testing fragrances.

In a production facility, you will typically see stills (for steam distillation of perfume extracts) and glass frames that were coated with fat and flowers in the traditional "cold maceration" process to extract the aromatics. If you have ever wondered why good perfumes are expensive, consider this: It takes 200 kg of lavender flowers to produce 1 kg of lavender extract for use in perfume.

Cold maceration process
Filtering of impurities in the extracts 
One of the most interesting aspects about perfume is how its appeal and taste have evolved over time. Take, for instance, the most classic perfume of all times, Chanel No 5. Since its launch in the 1920s, its extraordinary allure for women all over the world spans the 20th-century into the 21st. No 5 is still synonymous with ultimate luxury, with classic sensuality.

Is it really its unique concoction based primarily on jasmine, rose and musk that contributes to its timelessness, or is it simply clever marketing? Marilyn Monroe was said to go to bed wearing nothing but a few drops of No 5. Sex sells!

Try any perfume from the fashion houses in the market nowadays and you can quite easily distinguish that they are fragrances made today. It is hard to identify what exactly changed in their formula, but they generally embody a newer clean contemporary smell that goes hand in hand with fashion trends. Hundreds of new perfumes are launched each year and increasingly so, I find designer fragrances are linked to designer clothes. They come and go as quickly as the fashion of this season.

June 28, 2011

In the footsteps of Marc Chagall

I thank fate for having led me to the shores of the Mediterranean - Marc Chagall.

A host of 20th century artists flocked to Saint-Paul de Vence and found inspiration in the very same place that Chagall spent the last 20 years of his life. Amongst them were Soutine, Signac, Léger, Calder, Matisse, Modigliani, Renoir, Dufy, Miro and Picasso.

Couple au dessus de St. Paul

Russian painter Marc Chagall was fascinated with the Mediterranean light and landscapes. He painted love: couples in love and colourful bouquets circling above the village in a blue sky was a theme that reappeared throughout his career. The bright palette and dream-like quality of Chagall's works are surreal and uniquely enchanting.

View of Saint-Paul de Vence
Viewed from a distance, the medieval village of Saint Paul de Vence resembles a ship. From the inside, however, it has the look of a labyrinth with crisscrossing little paths filled with art galleries, studios and souvenir shops. I have to say that it is a bit too touristy but to depart from the busy streets and stroll the side streets of private residences is still lovely.

One of many galleries along rue Grande
The main street leading to the rampart
Contemporary art gallery











June 27, 2011

The perched village of Eze

Jardin Exotique in Eze
Cacti and succulents are typically
found in Cote d'Azur
For some, Eze is the ultimate perched village high above the Mediterranean. The ancient fortified village is still crowned with the ruins of its 12th century fortified castle. The castle grounds is home to the well-known Jardin Exotique created only after the World War II, and the view from the top is superb.
But this is not the only reason Eze is worth a hike up 429 metres. Having a meal at Chateau Eza certainly provides the much-needed incentive to keep you motivated.  This 400-year old chateau is a boutique hotel cum Michelin-starred restaurant that sits on top of the cliff of Eze, and from here you can enjoy the panaromic view of the French Riviera, sit back and sip your champagne.  Fancy that?

The experience of dining in a medieval chateau against the stunning backdrop of the French Riviera is in itself a memorable occasion, if not for its food.  But Chateau Eza surpassed my expectation in every way.

From the delicate amuse bouche of foie gras creme brulee right up to the petits fours, every course on the menu was of a high standard.  The choice of local seasonal ingredients, including edible floral and fauna of this region, add a touch of Mediterranean colour and taste to French cuisine.

~ Amuse bouche ~

Foie gras creme brulee
~ Entree ~

Asparagus salad with truffles 
Carrot vichyssiose
~ Plat ~

Poached egg and langoustine with a shellfish sauce
Deep fried tiger prawns with green pea puree 
~ Dessert ~

Litchi sorbet
Petits fours



Nice - a jewel on the Mediterranean coast

Being the second most visited city after Paris, Nice attracts 4 million tourists yearly. The mild Mediterranean climate and stunning landscape first came to the attention of the English upper classes in the 18th century and they are still what attracts most visitors today.

Place Massena is the main square in Nice
Nice was Italian until 1860, and the pastel facades and balconies of the Old Town have a distinctly Italianate feel. The daily market in the cour Saleya is a bustling area which transforms into restaurants and pubs in the evening. But if you are more interested in food than people watching, you would avoid eating there for obvious reasons.

Yes, they are real tomatoes

Courgette flower makes great tempura

My favourite girolles are now coming from Spain
Of the very few Michelin starred restaurants in central Nice, I was thrilled to secure a table at Flaveur which is a smart little place with no more than 20 seats. Passion, freshness and personality summarise this eatery that overlooks a lovely garden square.

Salted cod with tomato ragout
A nice selection of entrees and plats du jour including salted cod, grilled veal, poached fish and steak tartare are on offer. The play on textures and exotic notes of flavours from the garnishes are well thought out and beautifully done.


Tartare de boeuf Charolais with panisse
Fish nicoise with cream of artichoke
One of their dessert specialties - croustillant rose-litchi mousse - certainly has got the wow factor. The crispy cylinder in the centre is filled with a lychee ice-cream. The pink rosettes are rose petal mousse with the lychee fruit. A dropper containing a rose petal perfume completes the dish with finesse and style.  Flaveur, in my opinion, is a deserving member of the Michelin starred accolade.


A short walk from the restaurant will lead you to the Cathedrale Orthodoxe Russe St-Nicolas which sticks out like a sore thumb in central Nice alongside its marble-cladded baroque counterpart. Built in 1912, the Russian Orthodox Cathedral is testimony to the presence of Russian nobility in Nice since the mid-19th century.  It is an interesting fact that the church was a gift from Tsar Nicholas II who visited Nice in 1864. It remains the largest Russian orthodox church outside Russia. The exterior is of pink brick and grey marble with elaborate mosiacs.

Les Pecheurs in Nice

Located on the port of Nice, Les Pecheurs is one of the many seafood restaurants along quai de Docks where all the yachts are moored.  To my mind, this is exactly the kind of tourist trap that often serves mediocre food at exorbitant prices.  Then I found out soon enough that my suspicion was completely unfound as the chef's creative flair and passion for fine ingredients shone through every dish that we ordered.

Carpaccio of scallops, ginger ice cream
The menu offers a range of such classic dishes as bouillabaisse and lobster thermidor that are famous in the region but the focus here is more on the blending of exotic flavours of the Mediterranean with the freshest seafood possible.
The carpaccio of scallops, for example, not only comes in an incredible size, measuring roughly 8 cm in diameter, the meat is wonderfully sweet, tender and flavourful.  It was so good that it made me wonder if it really was scallops!

Lobster ravioli in langoustine broth
Snow crab served with mango

A real winner on the starters menu is the lobster ravioli.  Served in a langoustine broth, the lobster has been cooked to perfection. The concoction is light but it tastes as intense as a lobster bisque.  The dressed crab served with mango is another inventive treatment of a classic ingredient.

Bouillabaisse
Bouillabaisse, originating in Marseille, is one of my favourite dishes. But unfortunately in Nice, it is simply not as authentic as it should be due to the lack of a good variety of fish in the recipe. A classic bouillabaisse should consist of an assortment of local seafood including monkfish, red mullet, snapper, scorpion fish and sometimes eel which are served separately from the fish soup.  Despite this drawback, the soup is worth a try for its rich taste.

Sea bass with rosemary sauce
The unlikely but interesting combination of rosemary and fish, as opposed to grilled meat, demonstrates the chef's willingness to experiment. The outcome is a delight. The sea bass that has been cooked in foil to retain its moisture is infused with an aromatic sauce that complements the delicate flavour of the meat.

Compared to the entrees and plats which are all exceptional, the desserts - chocolate fondant and strawberry soup - just seem a little less exciting although I must add that they are also well executed.

Strawberry soup served with verbana ice cream
Black n white chocolate cake with pear sorbet, caramel sauce
Obviously there are more to the French Riviera than just the glorious sun and the sandy beaches. The abundance of fresh seafood in the Cote d'azur makes it the perfect place to enjoy all the gourmet food that this region has to offer.