As an additional mid-winter event, Patricia and Walter Wells offer a special Black Truffle Cooking Extravaganza, a unique hand’s on class devoted to the wonders of the fresh black truffle - the rarest and most exotic ingredient in French cuisine.
The workshop opens on Monday evening with a truffle dinner at Patricia and Walter’s farmhouse in Provence, in the heart of France’s foremost region of truffle production. On successive days Patricia and Walter accompany participants on a truffle hunt; and tour with them through one of the world’s most important – and still artisanal — truffle brokers, where just breathing the fragrant air is a rarefied experience. Truffles will magically appear in almost every dish prepared during the workshop, and students will have the opportunity to understand the mystery of the black truffle in the kitchen and at the table. Menus focus on complementary wines, particularly the prized whites of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Wine tastings and discussions throughout the class assure guests of a new understanding of one of the world’s rarest gastronomic joys. All instruction is in English. Recipes are geared to the home cook. Guests are supplied with aprons as well as detailed recipe booklets that are theirs to keep.
The class is limited to 8 participants. The course begins with dinner on Monday evening and ends after lunch on Friday. The fee is $5,500 in 2014, $6,000 in 2015, and includes Monday ’s truffle dinner, truffle lunches and dinners on Tuesday and Thursday, Wednesday’s winery visit and lunch, and a farewell lunch on Friday. Wednesday evening is free for students to explore the region on their own. The fee does not include lodging. (A list of recommended hotels will be sent to enrolled participants.)
A SAMPLING OF THE TRUFFLE EXTRAVAGANZA ACTIVITIES
MONDAY NIGHT WELCOME DINNER
Truffle Croque Monsieur on Homemade Olive Oil Brioche
Mushroom, Chestnut, and Celery Root Soup with Truffles
Organic Chicken Roasted in the Bread Oven
Truffle, Morel, and Cream Sauce
Morels with Fresh Mushroom Stuffing
Chanteduc Pumpkin Gratin with Pistachios and Pistachio Oil
Just Spinach!
Local Seasonal Green Salad and Chanteduc Olive Oil 2009
Chaource Cow’s Milk Cheese Layered with Truffles
Homemade Organic Rye, Spelt, and Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread
Golden Almond-Pear Cake
Fresh Pear and Vanilla Sorbet
Champagne Roses de Jeanne Les Ursules
100% Pinot Noir
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc
Domaine de la Solitude 2008
30% Grenache Blanc, 30% Clairette, 25% Roussanne, 15% Bourboulenc
Fact : One of first estates to bottle their own wine in CDP, in 1815 !
Importer : Langdon Shiverick 216 861 6800
Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge
Clos Chanteduc 2008
60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Mourvédre and Cinsault
Importer : Eric Solomon
TUESDAY
9 am : Meet at the Post Office in Vaison la Romaine
For a Tour of the Weekly Market
11 am to 2 pm: Arrive at Chanteduc for
Cooking Class and Lunch
Topics :
Kitchen Habits, Pot Sizes; Kitchen Organization and Design:
Mis en Place; Handling Truffles
Curried, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Truffle and Goat Cheese “Oreos”
Creamy Polenta with Black Truffles
Parmesan, Pine Nut, and Truffle Gratins with Seasonal Salad
Chez Peyrerol’s Epiphany Cake, Galette des Roi,
(Pâtisserie Peyrerol, 5 cours Henri Fabre, 84110 Vaison- la-Romaine
04 90 36 04 91)
Sablet Blanc
Domaine Santa Duc La Fournas 2008
Viognier, Bourboulenc, Clairette, and Grenache Blanc
Importer : Robert Kacher
Cotes du Rhône Rouge
Clos de Caillou Les Quartz 2006
85% Grenache, 15% Syrah
Importer : North Berkeley Imports
WEDNESDAY
9:30 am: Depart Chanteduc in Chauffeured Cars
For Private Wine Tasting
At Chateau La Nerthe in Châteauneuf-du-Pape
With Sylvie Chabran
(04 90 83 70 11)
Importer: Moet Chandon
Facts : Wine made here since 1560
First bottled in 1784, a century before Bordeaux did the same
Germans occupied the chateau during WW II, 22 bombs fell on it in 1944
We tasted:
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Château la Nerthe Blanc 2008
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Château la Nerthe Blanc
Close de Beauvenir 2004
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Château la Nerthe Rouge 2007
12:30 pm: Special Truffle and Wine-Tasting Lunch at
Restaurant La Beaugravière
With Tina and Guy Jullien
Route N7, 84430 Mondragon
04 90 40 82 54 www.beaugraviere.com
Légumes du moment mijotés à la truffe noire écrasée
Seasonal Vegetables with Crushed Black Truffle
***
Velouté d’artichauts brunoise de truffes et artichauts vinaigrette truffée
Artichoke Soup with Truffles and Artichokes, Truffle Vinaigrette
Coquilles Saint-Jacques cloutées de truffes rôties coulis de truffe
Roasted Scallops and Truffles with Truffle Sauce
Ravioles de truffe aux poireaux sot-l’y-laisse de poularde dans un bouillon truffé
Truffle and Leek Ravioli with Chicken in a Truffle Bouillon
Chausson de truffes et foie gras
A Whole Truffle and Foie Gras in Puff Pastry
Brie de Meaux truffé
Truffle Brie de Meaux
Crème glacée truffée
Truffle Ice Cream
WINES
2007Viognier Vieilles Vignes Château Saint-Estève
No known importer
1984 Châteauneuf-du-Pape blanc Château Mont-Redon
importer : Kobrand 212 490 9500
1998 Châteauneuf-du-Pape rouge Domaine de Villeneuve
importer : Jack Siler 303 444 0832
1988 Châteauneuf-du-Pape rouge Château Rayas
importers : Junguenet and Martine’s Wines
1982 Hermitage Vin de Paille Velours Chapoutier
100% Marsanne
Importer : Paterno Imports 312 247 7070
THURSDAY
9 am Depart Chanteduc in Chauffeured Cars
for Truffle Hunt and Truffle Cannery Visit
with Hervé Poron
at Plantin in Puymeras
Route de Nyons, 84110 Puymeras
04 90 46 41 44
US contact for truffles : anthony@plantin.com
201 867 4590
12 :30 : Cooking Class and Lunch at Chanteduc :
Pumpkin « Courge Muscade » Soup with Pumpkin Seeds, Truffles, and Pumpkin Seed Oil
Walter’s Scrambled Eggs with Truffles
Local Green Salad and Local Cheeses
Lemon Zest and Honey Sorbet
Annie’s Provencal Almond Croquettes
Cotes du Rhône Villages Rasteau Blanc 2008
Domaine des Escaravailles
Roussanne, Marsanne, Clairette
Importer: Eric Solomon
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc
Château de Beaucastel
80% Roussanne, 20% Grenache Blanc, Picardin, Bourbelenc
Importer: Robert Haas
FRIDAY
10 am Arrive Chanteduc for Truffle Cooking Class
And Lunch Preparation
Deep-Fried Langoustines with Truffles
Open-Faced Truffle Sandwiches
Local Squab: Marinated, Grilled, Seared
Onion Carbonara with Truffles
Swiss Chard Leaf Purée
Swiss Chard Rib Gratin with Parmesan and Pine Nuts
Serge’s Cinnamon-Apple Tart
Fromage Blanc and Honey Sorbet
Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge
Clos Chanteduc 2007
60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Mourvédre and Cinsault
Importer : Eric Solomon
Quote of the Day:
“Don’t Cry Because It’s Over,
Smile Because It Happened”