To wash down the food I showed yesterday, and the rest of the meal at the Auberge de la Tour, we ordered a bottle of wine from the AOC village of Reuilly, which is about 40 miles (75 km) east of Châtillon and straddles the Indre and Cher départements. It's a Pinot Noir red from 2015. Reuilly wines are meant to be enjoyed young (but old people like me can enjoy them too...hahaha).
Reuilly (pop. 2,000 — the locals are called les Reuillois) is surrounded by vineyards that cover about 500 acres of rolling countryside. Walt and I have been there — 10 years ago might have been the last time. It's an hour's drive southeast of Saint-Aignan, and there is no shortage of more local wines. The Reuilly vineyards produce Sauvignon Blanc (made into white wines), Pinot Noir (for reds and rosés), and Pinot Gris (rosés) as their three grape varieties.
As for our main courses, the Auberge de la Tour's specialty is what they call « L'incontournable souris d'agneau confite aux aromates » — the "inescapable" lamb shank slow-cooked with aromatics. (Don't miss it!) That's what Walt and our friend Jean both had for lunch. The meat was just about falling off the bone.
I ordered what is called a « pavé de veau grillé et sa sauce à la moutarde » — a thick grilled veal steak served with a Dijon mustard sauce. To tell you the truth, the meat was a little tougher than I expected. The sauce was delicious with both the meat and the mashed potatoes. If we go back to the Auberge, though, I'll have the "inevitable" lamb next time. Nick ordered the local Berry poule noire, which is a black-feathered stewing hen, cooked two ways. I didn't get a photo. He didn't rave about the dish, which I think was the drumstick of a stewed laying hen plus the liver, gizzard, etc., fried.
The dessert that three of us chose is called a Paris-Brest and is a cream puff pastry round filled with a hazelnut- or almond-flavored whipped cream (here's a link to the Wikipedia page in English). It looked enormous on the plate when it was brought out, but it turned out to be light and airy. We enjoyed it. Jean had what is called a café gourmand as her dessert. It's a little cup of expresso served with two or three small pieces of cake, cookies, and/or tartlets. She seemed to enjoy it. The rest of us had an espresso to finish off the meal before we went out for a stroll around the old town.
By the way, the menu we chose (three courses, not four or five) was priced at 27 € (about $30 U.S.) and we ended up paying 40 € per person with a pre-lunch apéritif, the Reuilly wine (26 €), the coffees, and a small tip. We didn't have a cheese course.
By the way, the menu we chose (three courses, not four or five) was priced at 27 € (about $30 U.S.) and we ended up paying 40 € per person with a pre-lunch apéritif, the Reuilly wine (26 €), the coffees, and a small tip. We didn't have a cheese course.
The lamb shank would be what Simon and I would have. We both love them. Interesting review. Like you we've driven past this place many times, and remarked that we must try it one day but never have.
ReplyDeleteYou Antipodeans (?) in Australia and New Zealand eat a lot of lamb...
DeleteNick enjoyed his chicken but wasn't keen on the little fritters made from the offal. I think those things are definitely an acquired taste.
ReplyDeleteThe café gourmand was lovely, it's one of my favourite desserts, especially when it's composed of mini portions of all the desserts on the menu!
Offal is much more expensive in France than in the UK, suggesting it's a lot more highly regarded as a food. We only buy it for the cat and she has it raw as a treat. (We call it "mouse".)
I imagine that doesn't extend to foie gras. I like foie de veau, rognons de veau, and rognons d'agneau. Not to mention gésiers or foie de canard or de volaille. I haven't had ris de veau in years but remember liking that too. I've never really had tripe except in Vietnamese pho soups, and I have a hard time liking the chitterling sausages called andouille and andouillette, but I like boudin noir.
DeleteBritish English needs a better word for French abats. "Offal" sounds too much like "awful."
Being French, I like all kinds of abats. This past summer in France, for the first in I don't know how many years, I had ris de veau (sweetbreads) that I love, but, unlike you, I can't remember where! Probably, though, at the Bistrot de Breteuil.
DeleteAre you sure it wasn't at the Relais d'Artémis? I think I remember being tempted but having maybe lamb instead.
DeleteSee my blog posts from last summer here.
DeleteThank you for the link and the reminder. As a libéré your memory is so much better than mine!
DeleteBonjour Cousin,
DeleteDe retour en Virginie pour le cirque des politiques avant le 8 Novembre :-)
Bonjour Cousine,
DeleteOui, je suis rentré depuis le début septembre pour assister à l'écroulement du système politique des États-Unis en général et du GOP en particulier. Les campagnes électorales ne devraient pas commencer plus de six mois avant les élections, de façon que la vid politique ne soit pas complètement arrêtée d'une élection à l'autre. Vox clamantis in deserto, comme disaient les Romains.
The chef seems to be very inventive and to have a sense of decorum.
ReplyDeleteIf you're old at you age, you'll be a ruin at mine! :—)
DeleteI don't think I'll make it to the age you are experiencing now. Here's a document about "seniors" that I just found on the web:
DeleteTypologie des seniors
Au niveau sociologique et même ethnologique, on peut essayer de classer les seniors en quatre catégories :
Les masters : personnes âgées de 50 à 59 ans
Ce qui les caractérise
Un fort revenu disponible, la très grande majorité est en bonne santé. Mais La vue baisse et la ménopause apparait, ils ont du temps libre mais en quantité modéré.
Les libérés : personnes âgées de 60 à 74 ans
C’est l’âge d’or de la consommation, ils sont encore une bonne santé mais la vue continue de baisser, et l’ouïe décline. En outre, ils ont beaucoup de temps libre.
Les paisibles : personnes âgées de 74 à 85 ans
Le Pouvoir et l’appétit d’achat est plus faible (économique et psychologique)
La préoccupation première est la sante, on dénote une accentuation des problèmes vus précédemment, la précision des gestes est moins bonne.
Néanmoins, le temps libre est encore peu occupé.
Les grands Aînés : personnes âgées de 85 ans et plus
Malheureusement, de nombreuses personnes sont en état de précarité, notamment les veuves ; il y a un taux élevé de personnes dépendantes. Ils ont beaucoup de temps libre, mais ne sortent plus.
Il ne faut jamais dire:"Fontaine, je ne boirai pas de ton eau!"
DeleteDonc tu es un libéré et je suis un grand aîné. Bon à savoir :--)
Ooooh, it all looks lovely :)
ReplyDeleteWe have just had the plat de jour at our local. Beef in red wine with veg. Honestly it could have been cooked more slowly for longer. Is this just being picky or do we (English) just like our meat tender and chewable?
ReplyDeleteYou English are famous in France for your overcooked, boiled meat and vegetables. Do you know what cuisson à l'anglaise means?
Delete"You English " ? You haven't been to the US have you ?
DeleteI think that you could say that about some who like their steak well done! But meat that is not tender and one's teeth cannot chew a mouthful to release the flavour is I think another story. Overcooked, boiled meat and vegetables no, thats history.
DeleteI have been to the U.S., yes, but I have to say the English are often so clueless about how the rest of the world sees them. Their cuisine is obviously superior, in their eyes, to anyone else's, including the feckless French. I say that as somebody who just put more than six kilos of beef and pork, with parsnips, turnips, carrots, a rutabaga, and some onions into the slow-cooker to bubble gently overnight. We must remember that not every French cook is an expert. However, the principles and practices of French cooking are imitated far and wide -- sometimes successfully, sometimes not. English and American cooking have improved over the past 3 or 4 decades... but with what influences?
DeletePotty, too often when I hear English people comment on French cooking, it is to criticize. Is it because they think French food should always be perfect? Wouldn't that be a wonderful world? Or is everything so much better across the Channel? Lets keep some perspective. Thanks for your good comments.
DeleteAnd in the Southern US, NYers get this stunned look and then go on and on about some resto in Florida that met their extremely high NY expectations lol ... I am a Southern girl (NC), turned NYer , back to Southerner again ... I can make fun of everyone :) and I don't eat meat so I am annoyingly clueless to others about that perfect rib eye.
DeleteThose lamb shanks look delicious. Aging is different for all of us- CHM you are remarkable, Ken you are doing well so far. As for me my joints are arthritic now, but that's how it goes in my family. Carry on and take pictures along the way and don't forget to eat well.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words, Evelyn. Best to you both.
DeleteThe current exchange rate between the euro and the dollar makes that fine meal quite a bargain. Much better than the $1.40/euro days.
ReplyDeleteTrue. The euro is worth just $1.09 this morning. That's the exchange rate we got in 2003 when we paid for the house here in France, where we've lived ever since.
Delete