'Nothing
has influenced and improved my cooking more than living in France.
How could it not? France has lightened my touch, refined my
palate and broadened my repertoire.' Martha Rose Shulman
'Chez Martha Rose'
We
are in the gastronomic heart of France here. Tradition is
the base of a heritage of French cooking that has been handed
down through the generations. Cooking that has developed from
a basic need to survive, into the delicacies of French cuisine.
What
we see happening in the South West today is a progression
forward from this basic need of survival to a refinement in
these traditional dishes. The basse-cour being brought to
the table. Meats of farm yard depth slow cooked to succulence.
The base ingredient of rendered poultry fat is far more healthy
for one than butter but the whole is then degreased to leave
just the flavour. As Paula Wolfert puts it 'I often use these
animal fats for taste, the way I use a cinnamon stick in a
red wine compote of fruits: I add it for flavour in the cooking
, but take it out before the fruits are served.'
What
we endeavour to do on the Gastronomic weeks is show you just
how this works and how wonderfully enticing the results can
be. Truffles and Foie Gras feature in the Prestige week but
both weeks deal with morning demonstrations by local chefs
or James and Diana about the wonders of food (and wine) in
general and to bring out just what it is that makes chefs
enthuse so much about the area.