Brasserie Les Halles Downtown Presents A Culinary Trek Through France

BRASSERIE LES HALLES DOWNTOWN PRESENTS
A CULINARY TREK THROUGH FRANCE: THE FORGOTTEN DISHES

A tribute to favorite regional French specialties from the past
With "Bordeaux Week," Friday, October 17-Friday, October 24

October, 2003  Last fall Brasserie Les Halles Downtown introduced a special menu program entitled the "Culinary Trek Through France: Regional Specialties. For one week every month, Les Halles featured the specialties and wines of a different region of France, taking diners on a "virtual" culinary and history tour of each region. France was originally divided into duchies (small city-states, ruled by minor nobility) and small kingdoms until the 17th century, and each area or region had its own dialect, culture and cuisine. Authentic French cooking, therefore, like that of many other countries, is regional fare based on the traditions, geography, and the climate of the area. French cooking can be divided into at least 12 different regions, each with its own distinct personality and traditions.

Brasserie Les Halles Downtown is launching a new gastronomic experience this fall - A Culinary Trek Through France: The Forgotten Dishes.

Since the sixties, there has been growing trend toward the widespread use of modern transportation, industrial concentration, food production and warehousing changes, a general drifting away from agriculture, and of course change in tastes and fashion. As a result, a large variety of species, ancient fruits and vegetables (such as wild nettle, dandelion, sorrel, ground cherry or "amour en cage", elderberries, Perigord verjuice, patty pan, "potimarron" squash, purslane, etc.) as well as entire dishes have disappeared from our tables. In short, the foods we eat have gotten increasingly sophisticated, and most people have at one time or another longed for special dishes from the past.

Through the research of chef and co-owner Jose de Meirelles, and much digging through boxes of family recipes in the attic by founding partner Philippe Lajaunie, they have selected a collection of regional "Forgotten Dishes" that will bring teary nostalgia to some, and a delightful discovery to others. It seems only fitting to start this new gastronomic tour where it all began last year  in Bordeaux. "Forgotten Dishes" of the Bordeaux region will include appetizers such as; Soupe au Vin, Eggs stuffed with Truffles, and Grilled Sausage of Slow cooked pork tidbits with lentil salad. Main courses will feature dishes such as; Salted Codfish Cassoulet, Duck Slow cooked in three broths served in cream sauce, and Roasted Pigs Heart in Armagnac Sauce, among others. A forgotten dessert that will be hard to forget again, is the Risini, a casserole of dried fruits and nuts soaked in Armagnac.

The special menu will offer regional wine selections by the bottle, and many by-the-glass as well, such as a; Chbteau Haute-Graves St. Emilion Les Halles, Chbteau Reynon 1er Ctte du Bordeaux, Chbteau Deyrem Valentin Margaux, among the 20+ reds. Bordeaux whites include; Chbteau Reynon Cadillac, and Chbteau DYquem Sauternes, among others. A CulinaryTrek Through France:the Forgotten Dishes special menu will be presented to
the public as part of Bordeaux Week, from Friday, October 17th through Friday, October 24th 2003.

Bordeaux Week  Friday, October 17th through Friday, October 24th

Brasserie Les Halles Downtown  15 John Street (Between Broadway and Nassau near the Fulton St. Subway station)