Maria Endah Hulupi
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
It would not come as a surprise if France's culinary scene was
\ndepicted as a delicious combination of old traditions and the
\narts.<\/p>\n
The country is home to some of the world's most famous
\nsumptuous dishes and desserts, all meticulously served in
\nartistic presentations, making any culinary experience there a
\nfeast for the eyes as well.<\/p>\n
The century-old traditions in making regional cheeses, wines
\nand other famous French fare are still preserved for the sake of
\nconsistency and the tradition itself.<\/p>\n
Every region in France also has its own distinctive cuisine as
\na result of the use of fresh local produce, spices, herbs or
\nwines, thus putting its local flavors and culinary aromas in the
\nspotlight.<\/p>\n
"The locals and chefs in each region create something very
\nspecific by using cooking traditions, materials and ingredients
\nthat are abundantly available in their respective areas," said
\nexecutive chef Eric Guilbert from Park Lane's Riva Bistro and
\nBar.<\/p>\n
This is the reason why French's long culinary history and
\ndiversity have made it a famous destination among gourmets and
\ngastronomic travelers.<\/p>\n
Eric, who recently participated as a delegate in the World
\nPastry Cup and the prestigious Bocuse d'Or world cuisine contest
\nin Lyon, France, was inspired to indulge local French food lovers
\nin various regional dishes from his home country.<\/p>\n
Eric plans to hold a gastronomic tour of four regions in
\nFrance at the Riva Bistro and Bar during which famous dishes from
\neach region will be prepared and served in the first week of the
\nnext four months.<\/p>\n
The four regions are: Brittany from March 7 to March 14,
\nAlsace from April 4 to April 11, Bordeaux from May 2 to May 9 and
\nProvence from June 6 to June 13. Regional wines or beers will
\nalso be served to accompany the meals.<\/p>\n
And to maintain consistency in flavor, the main ingredients
\nwill be imported directly from France.<\/p>\n
For the event, Eric will highlight Brittany's mainly rich
\nseafood dishes by using popular items, such as oysters, mussels,
\nclams, Saint Pierre fish (or John Dory fish), turbot, Bretagne
\nlobster and artichokes.<\/p>\n
"The weather is cold and the regional dishes tend to be rich
\nand heavy to warm the body," he explained.<\/p>\n
From the Alsace region, Eric will prepare various dishes,
\nincluding a local popular treat, choucroute, a thinly sliced
\ncabbage, fermented in white wine for four months and then
\nseasoned with garlic, whole baie de genievre (a sort of white
\npepper) and cloves.<\/p>\n
"After fermentation, the dish takes another six hours to
\nprepare. It is a casual dish eaten with sausages or bacon and
\nAlsatians usually eat it with beer," Eric said, explaining the
\nlong cooking process of the dish, which used to be standard fare
\nfor the poor.<\/p>\n
His next stop is Bordeaux, a famous region known for its red
\nwines.<\/p>\n
"Wine is an important ingredient in Bordeaux and it is used in
\nmany dishes and desserts to make the sauces," Eric said.<\/p>\n
Boef Bourguignon is among the region's specialties on the
\nmenu. The dish consists of slow-cooked beef cubes, seasoned in
\nred wine with carrots, onions, herbs and garlic. The process
\ntakes about 48 hours and the meat will turn purplish in color
\nbecause of the red wine. "The final dish has a tender texture and
\nyou don't even need a knife to eat it," he said.<\/p>\n
Apart from canneler de Bordeaux (a soft sponge cake), Eric
\nwill also prepare other typical deserts, such as pears or figs,
\nslowly crystallized in wine and served with ice cream and a dash
\nof cinnamon.<\/p>\n
For the final stop of the gastronomic tour, the chef will
\nbring the palatable aromas and colorful Provence style cuisine to
\nRiva.<\/p>\n
"Fresh vegetables, such as red tomato or purple eggplants and
\nherbs, like tarragon and thyme, are widely used to make local
\ndishes," he said.<\/p>\n
Featured on his menu of Provence food is the mild, but fresh
\ntang of pan-fried red mullet fillet with a tomato rosette,
\nzucchini and Parmesan and a salad with a balsamic vinegar
\ndressing. The chef balances the strong fish flavor of red mullet
\nwith a lemon sauce and sliced tomatoes, while the colorful
\nrosette is refreshingly tasty.<\/p>",
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