FrenchFood

D'Artagnan Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary with a 32 Star Progressive Dinner

Filed under: Dining

True foodies think nothing of spending exorbitant sums on their passion. Fine wines, and four star meals, often in foreign countries, are their version of luxury. The names they drop are not Prada or Manolo but Keller and Ripert. Twenty-five years ago Ariane Daguin from France and her partner George Faisan started D'Artagnan. It was really the first company to focus on providing consumers in the United States with food products from Ariane's native region of France, Gascony. It has become the premier supplier of specialty food products from the foie gras to truffles to high end American restaurants and gourmet shops.

This February the company celebrates its 25th anniversary with a week long celebration in New York starting on February 17, 2010. The highlight of the festivities is a "32 Star Progressive Dinner" on Saturday February 21rst. The special event features celebrated chefs from the Gascon region of France in various four star kitchens around Manhattan. The evening kicks off with cocktails at 5pm after which the participants will board the "Armagnac-fueled" bus to experience each course at a different 4 star restaurant.

Participating chefs include:

Daniel Boulud with Jean-Marie Gautier, M.O.F. of Hotel du Palais, Biarritz
Jean-Georges Vongeritchen with Michel Trama of Aubergade, Puymirol
Daniel Humm with Jacques & Laurent Pourcel of Le Jardin des Sens, Montpellier
Thomas Keller with Hélène Darroze of Restaurant Hélène Darroze, Paris
Eric Ripert with Thierry Marx of Cordeillan-Bages, Pauillac and Philippe Urraca, M.O.F.

The above list is just for the main course! There are others chefs cooking their native cuisine for the other courses. Wines from top producers including Chateau Lynch Bages will be featured and Trou Gascon Armagnac will be served on the bus between courses.

The finale occurs at Le Bernadin where all the chefs will celebrate after dessert. Seating is limited and costs $600 per person for the evening.

Tags: 25th anniversary, 25thAnniversary, Armagnac, celebrity chef, celebrity chefs, CelebrityChef, CelebrityChefs, Daniel Boulud, DanielBoulud, DArtagnan, Eric Ripert, EricRipert, fine dining, FineDining, french food, FrenchFood, new york restaurants, NewYorkRestaurants, thomas keller, ThomasKeller

What Is Foie Gras?

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Foie gras (pronounced ˈfwä-ˈgrä, French for "fat liver") is a food product made of the liver of a duck or goose that has been specially fattened, typically through gavage (force-feeding) corn. It is a delicacy in French cuisine. Foie gras' flavor is described as rich, buttery, and delicate, unlike that of a regular duck or goose liver. Foie gras is sold whole, or is prepared into mousse, parfait, or pâté, and often is served as an accompaniment to another food item, such as steak.

France is the largest producer and consumer of foie gras, though it is produced and consumed worldwide, particularly in other European nations, the United States, and China. Gavage-based foie gras production is controversial and considered by some to be cruel. A number of countries and other jurisdictions have laws against force feeding or the sale of foie gras.

Tags: cadillac-pedia, dining-pedia, fine dining, fine food, FineDining, FineFood, foie gras, foie gras ban, FoieGras, FoieGrasBan, food-pedia, french food, FrenchFood, liver, main-pedia

Celebrating Gascony At Bouchon

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Bouchon in Yountville, California has announced the latest installment of their innovative France tasting menu. The menu available now celebrates the classic dishes of the Gascony region. The three-course prix-fixe option is also available with special wine pairings. Situated in France's rural Southwest region, Gascony is home to such prized delicacies as Foie Gras and Armagnac. The menu includes seared foie gras and duck confit rillettes with caramelized pears, Swiss chard and chestnut puree; braised pork shank with red wine braised cabbage, pruneaux d'Agen, watercress leaves and young turnips with Armagnac-pork jus; and roasted apples with crispy phyllo and whipped crème fraiche.

Bouchon Yountville's Chef de Cuisine Philip Tessier created the concept and vision of the regional menus. Each pays homage to the most treasured dishes of the featured locality, showcasing traditional techniques and flavors. Bouchon Yountville is open daily for lunch and dinner from 11:30am until 12:30am. The Gascony regional menu will be available as a 3-course prix-fixe option for $60 per person and accompanying wine selections will be available for $35 per person. This menu is only available until October 25. For more information or to make a reservation, please call 707-944-8037.

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Tags: bouchon, food, french food, FrenchFood, gascony, thomas keller, ThomasKeller, yountville

Famous French Restaurant To Close In Boston

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

One of Boston's more elegant dining institutions has become as victim of the economic slump. Aujourd'hui, the fine dining restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel Boston will close at the end of June, leaving the more casual Bristol Lounge as the hotel's main dining option. The beautiful, if slightly staid, Aujourd'hui space will be reconfigured for use as a private function venue. The Boston Herald quotes Four Seasons Hotel Boston public relations director Kristan Fletcher as saying that Aujourd'hui's formal (and expensive) style doesn't fit with the way people are dining today.

The restaurant overlooking Boston Garden opened in 1985. It served refined French cuisine and offered tasting menus and elaborate desserts as well as putting on a spectacular Sunday brunch that included a raw bar.

UPDATE: As Aqualung pointed out in the comments, another fine restaurant in Boston, Great Bay in the Hotel Commonwealth is also closing.

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Tags: aujourdhui, boston, fine dining, FineDining, four seasons, FourSeasons, french food, FrenchFood