Fourneaux-Chaingy
Between Beaugency and Orléans is a riverbank shrine which probably deserves top Culinary rating in the Orléanais. It is called LES PETITES ARCADES, and it is found in the village of Fourneaux-Chaingy, about six miles west of Orléans. Monsieur Couteau, the proprietor. is an admitted master in the preparation of game, so particular delights await you in the autumn. Partridge and quail en croûte are among his specialties. and he is supposed to serve a flaming woodcock with more artistry than anyone in the surrounding countryside. But it is a lovely place in the summertime, too, when the fresh-water fish of the Loire have their innings. The familiar and revered name of Couteau is sufficient to be a guarantee of the excellence of “the little arcades.” There are comfortable rooms here, and you might find it a more restful place to stay than in Orléans itself, which is a trifle barren.
Orléans
The capital of the Orléanais has gone through vicissitudes which dale well before the days of Jeanne d'Arc. Irs latest misfortune came during the recent war, when its glorious cathedral was seriously damaged and many of its old houses were destroyed. If you find yourself in Orléans at midday, a cordial welcome and a worthy luncheon await you at the UBERGH SAINT-JACQUES, at 4 rue au Lin. You may be lucky enough to arrive on a day when they have lark pie or coq au vin.That trusted specialty, quenelles dc brocket an gratia,awaits you daily. and it is a fining tribute to Monsieur Fournier and his well-run establishment.
Gien
Before the recent war. Gien was one of the most gracious and picturesque towns along the Loire. Its lovely patterned-brick château, rebuilt by Anne dc Beaujeu, still looms above the town, but most of the steep-roofed houses below it are no mitre. The present sketch, made before the war, is an outdated one. alas. Its mast tragic days came during the mass exodus in mid-June, 1940. The new face of Gien has a certain fascination, however. The architects have succeeded in building a new riverbank of stone and brick buildings which retain the picturesqueness of Anne dc Beaujeu's time, and yet are comfortably modern.
Gien is a long-standing favorite with hunters and amateur fishermen, and it is not surprising that the HÔTEL DU RIVAGE is famous for its fish and game cookery. This comfortable hostelry by the river has been remodeled by Monsieur Damond and now offers many enticements to week-enders, including grilled salmon of the Loire and a chicken sautéed in the chef's own individual fashion. The cafe is attractive, and the dining salon is downright coquettish. And finally the wine cellar, which contains such fresh joys as Pouilly-Fumé, Gris-Meunier, and a particularly seductive Sancerre, is one of the best in the whole province.
Even though the regional aspect of Orléanais cookery is less pronounced, there are several local recipes which adapt themselves well to the American kitchen. After some agreeable groundwork, we have chosen four which may well strike a new note in your menus.
Culotte de Boeuf à la Beauceronne (Rump of Beef Beauceronne)
Line a baking dish with strips of bacon and place on them a layer of fairly thin slices of potato and a layer of sliced onions, salt and pepper, ½ shallot, chopped, 1 small bay leaf, and 1 basil leaf. Cover with a layer of slices of round of beef about ½ to ¾ inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and a pinch of powdered thyme. The final layer is like the first two, composed of potatoes and onions. Place a few strips of bacon on top. cover with consomme or good meat stock, and seal the dish as hermetically as possible. Cook in a moderate oven for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Serve in the baking dish.
Tournedos à la Chartres (Beef Filets Chartres)
Prepare small ripe tomatoes by cutting a hole in the top. shaking out the seeds, and stuffing each one with a purée of cooked chicken meat, put through the grinder, mixed with a small amount of cream, and seasoned with salt and pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Bake the tomatoes in a moderate oven until cooked but not too soft.
Sauté slices of beef in butter until brown on each side but still rare in the center and place each one on a slice of French bread fried in butter. Arrange 4 tarragon leaves, blanched a few seconds in boiling water, in a star shape on each tournedos. Surround the tournedos by the cooked tomatoes and pour over the meat a little sauce made by blending ¼ cup white wine with the meat juices in the pan and 1 teaspoon each chopped tarragon leaves and meat glaze. Reduce to a thick sauce and strain a little over each beef tournedos.
Tarte des Demoiselles Totin (Upside-down Apple Tart)
Coat the inside of a round pie or baking dish a little over 2 inches deep with a thick layer of softened butter. On this sprinkle granulaced sugar to a depth of a generous ¼ inch. Fill the dish with sliced apples, the kind used for pies. Sprinkle a little more sugar on these and dot with butter. Cap the whole with a covering of your favorite piecrust, Bake in the oven like any pie and test by gingerly lifting the crust and giving a discreet peek to see if the apples are golden and the sugar beginning to caramelize. When the dish has reached this point, loosen the crust and set an ample serving dish on top. Turn the whole thing over with an expert gesture and serve hot
This may be made with peaches instead of apples. In either case, “Vous m'en direz des nouvelles.” And that's good.
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