How this blog got started

I just posted some of my experiences here in Montpellier France (we're here for 3 months while my DH does a mini sabbatical at the local CNRS) to the Knitter's Review Forum and got some requests to PLEASE share my experiences here in France. It took me a while to figure out what to call myself. I do a lot of different things, but I guess I like to cook (and eat!) the occasional great meal most of all. Hence the name "fine gueule." In French this means someone who has a fine mouth, as in for eating.

So it makes sense that I want to talk about food. First of all, I haven't been going to the marchés much around here. I know, I know, they're supposed to be all sorts of quaint and charming, and they are...but, if you are looking for variety and choice, nothing beats the Carrefour! This is the French answer to the supermarket/big box. The advantages are the same as supermarkets in the States; a place to park (a VERY big deal here), lots of choice, and an easy schlep home. I'm not 20 anymore so these things matter. You can spend a lot of time walking from one store to the next trying to find the right light bulb to replace the one that exploded in the kitchen last night, or you can go to the Carrefour and know that you will find it.

My friend B, who was here last week, took a picture of the cheese aisle (yes, the AISLE) and I'll post it when I get it. (My camera is crummy so you'll have to wait until my friends take pictures.) Carrefour also regularly hosts local food artisans who sell their wares. This is an idea American grocery stores should look into. This means you also get the stuff you would normally get at the marchés.

So last night here's what I fixed for dinner. Start with a couple of skinned and boned chicken breasts. Here in France that means you have to choose from a variety of different types of chickens in different parts of the country. Some are from the basse-cour, and others are from the mountains. Any way you look at it, it takes a while to make the choice. Because the dollar sucks the big one right now and we haven't been paid in Euros yet, I picked the one on special. I already had shallots at home, as well as champignons de Paris (white mushrooms), fond de volaile (powdered chicken broth--which has about 1/10th the amount of salt of the ones back home), port wine, crème fraiche (that I don't have to make here--hurray!!) and white wine.

So here's the list of ingredients:

olive oil
butter
salt & pepper
2 boned/skinned chicken breasts, dredged in seasoned flour
2 big shallots, minced
1 lb white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
chicken broth (home made or powdered, just be careful of the salt)
white wine
port wine
crème fraiche (to make your own, get heavy whipping cream and CULTURED buttermilk, pour cream into a glass jar, add 3-4 tbls of buttermilk, leave in a warm place overnight, voila, crème fraiche! Now store in the fridge.)

And now the recipe:

In a hot frying pan, add olive oil and butter, add shallots and sweat for a bit. Add the chicken breasts and brown.

In a separate hot frying pan, add oil and butter. Add the mushrooms and a bit of salt. Cook until they are done, but not mushy. Take them off the heat while waiting for the chicken to be done.

Once the chicken has browned, add white wine and cook down a bit. Then add chicken broth. (I have no measures for this, it should come up to half-way up the frying pan.) Cook until the breasts are cooked through. Add liquid if necessary so that you have enough for sauce. Remove the chicken breasts to a warm platter.

Back to the mushrooms. Add the chicken gravy to the mushrooms. Add a good dollop of crème fraiche and a couple of tbsp of port wine. Cook down for a few minutes. Pour over the chicken breasts and serve. I didn't have any, but I would have added minced parsley to the top of the thing because mushrooms and parsley are just a natural together.

I served this with pommes-de-terre rissolées (fried potatoes) because DH really likes them, and a green salad. Fruit for dessert. Frankly, I think that pommes-de-terre vapeur (steamed potatoes) would have been better, oh well...

I have to go do battle with the bank now. I'll post about that next.