Hi Dad,
As you remember from your visit here earlier this month we found some nice saucisson sec at the Mountain View farmer's market. Fabrique Délices was the purveyor of Chacuterie who also make a pretty solid pate. We had the truffle mousse I believe which you found to be pretty good. I'd say it's as good as any US made pate I've had but still doesn't beat those in France.
I've found in the US that the only place to get great pate and saucisson is in fine restaurants who make it themselves. I'd love to get your take on the best brands and types of saucissons and pate we can find here in the US.
In the world of chacuterie my favorites are goose mousse, duck liver mouse, pate de campagne, saucisson sec, duck rillettes, rabbit pate and of course fois gras. If you can suggest the best brands found in the US in each category I'd enjoy seeking them out to refresh my memories of summers in southern France.
As long as I'm asking about chacuterie It would be great if you can give me the span of meats considered chacuterie. I'm imagining anything from Boudin Blanc to salt pork is considered chacuterie. That way I can follow up with more french meat questions. C'est Chouette! I'll also want to here more about what chacuterie is used in winter dishes given the season is upon us :(
Love
Stephane
just happened to stumble upon your blog. What a nice surprise. I was born and raised in Montreal; my father was from Bretagne (France) and my mother was French Canadian. I was brought up the European way and have always been into good food. Have been a registered dietitian for more than 20 years, and remain a "gourmet gourmande" nonetheless. I have to admit that i find it difficult to find good French food here in South Florida, but i can find "Tour Eiffel" pate here, which is very good, but much more expensive than Montreal. As for your inquiries about charcuterie; one of my favorite dish where you can use it is 'cassoulet". A perfect winter dish made of white beans, Toulouse sausage and duck confit. Or use smoked pork chops & a variety of sausages in a "coucroute garnie".
ReplyDeleteBon Appetit!
Let's keep in touch and talk about good food
Josee
We've had wonderful saucisson in Paris, but I have yet to find the same thing in the U.S. I keep trying. We used to find paté locally, but no more. As the economy began to fail, local stores dropped fancier food items, at least in my corner of Wisconsin.
ReplyDeleteSalut Stephane,
ReplyDeleteAnother french guy "implicated" in food. One book you
might read is Zola's "le ventre de Paris". Charcutier, the job of "cuire" la "chair" (cooking flesh) originally
dealt only with pigs from which all parts can be cooked and eaten. The US suffers greatly in choice
of charcuterie because a ban by the FDA has preventedimports of such from France and very few have preserved the tradition in this country. However, and I am sure your father will write further on this,
a french triumvirat from the seventies under the label three little pigs have produced some of the best pate available in the US. Fabrique Delices puts
out a good merguez and boudin noir and Marcel Henri as well for the latter. Last, d'Artagnan has
a the upper hand on saucisson and terrines. But
as a native of Arles, I have yet to find the saucisson
that make my pastis sing.
Jean-Francois
Interesting post. I enjoy good charcuterie occasionally, but tire of it if I have it too often. Of course here in Aveyron we have a plethora of excellent farm products to buy, so it's easy to find top-quality charcuterie.
ReplyDeleteBoudin blanc as charcuterie? Hmmm...I never thought of it that way, but maybe.