3438638795?profile=originalIt's hard to avoid coming face to face with French history while in the Loire Valley. The region, the people, the food and wine, the culture  and history is so very much  richly intertwined together as one. It's not at all difficult to feel as if you let yourself  slip to another time. The Loire Valley is the embodiment of French history and you find it at every turn and it's all but inevitable that at some point, somewhere, the richness of the Loire Valley's past will reach out 
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and grab you and never let you go. If its not the story of Jeanne d'Arc, it's  the beauty of the Renaissance, or perhaps the magnificent châteaux's that seem to dot the landscape. One or all of these will surely capture your fancy. The region is home to such well known names as Chambord, Bourges, Amboise and Blois, favorite residences of French Kings and Queens from the middle ages to the Renaissance; household names like Louis XII, François I, Henri II, and Catherine de Medici are but


examples of those who would call the Loire Valley, their home. But beyond kings and queens, the Loire Valley has also  inspired some great artists and big thinkers - from Honore de Balzac and Leonardo da Vinci to Georges Sand and Rene Descartes. It's all about the richness of history and a richness that has indeed blessed this garden of France. 

 

Let me pose a simple question: What does a Muscadet, Sancerre, Chinon, Bourgueil, and a nicely chilled Pouilly-Fumé possibly have in common with Rillettes, Crottin de Chavignol, potted rabbit, a fricassée of chicken cooked in white wine from Anjou, partridge with wild mushrooms or perhaps pork medallions cooked with prunes, cream and white wine?  If your answer was: "Typical foods found along the Atlantic City boardwalk" you are most certainly wrong. The correct answer would be that these are just some examples of the traditional food and wine selections from the Loire Valley, home to outstanding grape varietals and regional foods that will have you coming back and begging for more. 

 

Little Known Factoid: Did you know that the Loire is the longest river in France, and the wine appellations that stretch along it, from the Atlantic Coast to the center of the country, produce more white wine than any other region in France. Can you imagine. A cornucopia of white wines, plenty to drink for everyone! Maybe that's Heaven? Clearly I got a thing going with wines from the Loire Valley and not the least bit ashamed to admit it. I have long suggested or at least made strong references to the pure enjoyment of drinking a Chinon or a Bourgueil. They are usually on the wine hit list in many a Paris bistro because it's simple, elegant, light, tasty and pairs with so many dishes. Enough said.

 

I had some difficulty in selecting a dish that would not only reflect the region, but be tasty and do-able in the sense that readers would not be put off by it's difficult or complexity or that it would require far too much prep time. One of my goals has been to discuss good French food and wine in the context of its locality in France. That way it is a pleasant mix of learning something new with something delicious. I hope that's understood and found useful. With that in mind, I have selected a little dish that will let you begin your trip to the Loire Valley. Always start on a full stomach, much like Napoleon's grenadiers. Please enjoy! I'll check back later to see how you're doing.

 

This is a wonderful dish made with free-range chickens and rich, white Vouvray wine. Adapted from a recipe by Chef Francois Salle when he was at the Auberge de la Brenne, just a few miles from the heart of the Vouvray wine-growing region. The restaurant offers the very best of the culinary traditions and fine produce of the Touraine region. Dishes like sausage and shallot tart and rabbit delicately stewed in a sauvignon sauce.

 

Fricassée de Volaille au Vouvray - Fricassee of Chicken with Vouvray Wine

(Serves 6 delicate appetites or one very hungry couple.)

 

Ingredients

1 large free-range chicken, about 4 lbs

2 bouquet garnis: 2 bay leaves, 2 thyme sprigs, 12 parsley sprigs

2 carrots, halved

1 onion, quartered

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups (12 oz) dry Vouvray

salt and freshly cracked pepper

3 oz. white mushrooms

pinch of chervil

pinch of chopped tarragon

Chicken stock (see option 2)

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche or heavy (double) cream

 

Preparation

Cut the chicken into serving pieces

 

Option 1 (traditional) place the carcass, neck, gizzard, and heart in a large saucepan with 1 bouquet garni, the carrots and onions. Add cold water to cover dem' bones and vegetables. Bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Option 2 (I'm in a hurry and desperate) discard the carcass and reach for a quart of chicken broth.

 

Melt the butter in a casserole. Add the chicken pieces and saute over medium-high heat until lightly browned on all sides (5+ minutes per side).

 

Sprinkle the flour evenly over the chicken pieces. Add the Vouvray (taste first to ensure quality control) and add the remaining bouquet garni.

 

When the stock has simmered pour it through one real fine strainer and add enough of it to the chicken to cover it by about 1 inch. Season with salt and pepper and simmer, covered, over low heat for 35 minutes.

 

Remove 4 cups of the cooking liquid from the chicken and place it in a saucepan with the mushrooms, cervil and tarragon and simmer briskly. 

 

Combine the egg yolk and the creme fraiche and whisk it into the mushroom mixture without allowing the sauce to boil. 

 

Arrange the chicken pieces on a warmed serving platter. Spoon the sauce evenly over the chicken and sprinkle with chopped parsley, if desired. Serve with steamed potatoes. I would expect a plate cheeses of course, and some fruit -maybe for desert...or maybe not.

 

Now about those wines...

 

2009 Domaine Vigneau-Chevreau Vouvray Cuvee Silex, Loire, France

100% Chenin Blanc "Cuvée Silex" refers to the flinty stones that make up a large part of the vineyard's chalky soil, contributing a minerally, almost sea-briny nuance beneath the Vigneau-Cheveau's aromas of honeyed apple, peaches, mango, honeysuckle and wildflower fragrance. On the palate; mildly tart, lush, flowing, refreshingly balanced, with a tremendous presence of peach, baked apples and minerality. Delicious! I would gladly finish another bottle while you cook!  

 

2010 Dom. Joseph Mellot Pouilly-Fume, Loire Valley, France

In the glass this 100% Sauvignon Blanc shows pale gold in color, with a complex nose dominated by enticing mineral notes and aromas of fresh citrus. The palate is elegant and balanced, showing a wide array of zesty fruit notes, white flowers and crushed stone. The finish is very fresh yet lingers pleasantly. 

                                                                          

2010 Dom. Joseph Mellot Sancerre Blanc, Loire Valley, France

I should just state that it's a Sancerre and stop there. But, this little gem has an expressive nose of citrus zest and mango, delicate on the palate, deftly balancing flavors of lemon crème, crisp acidity, and subtle minerality. The lengthy finish shows hints of stone fruit and a mouthwatering freshness that begs for more. Please!

 

2011 Dom. Joseph Mellot “Sincerité” Rosé,  Loire Valley, France

In the glass this electric Rosé is pink with ruby-colored highlights, clear and brilliant. Notes of crushed red berries and ripe peach on the nose lead to a wine that’s fresh and soft on the palate, showing lovely depth and finesse. The finish perfectly balances fresh fruit and mouth-watering acidity. Delicious!

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