An Epicurean Tour of the French Provinces

Poach two dozen fresh oysters for just 2 minutes in their own liquid, keeping it just below the boiling point. Drain them, reserving the liquor, and arrange 2 on each tart Reduce the oyster liquor to ½ cup, add ½ cup white wine, and heat. Off the fire, blend in 2 beaten egg yolks and season with salt and pepper. Return to very low heat, or set in the top of a double boiler over hot water, and add, bit by bit, 2 tablespoons butter, beating constantly until the sauce thickens like a hollandaise. Put 2 tablespoons of this sauce over the top of each little tart and brown ever so lightly under a hot broiler flame.

Salade Cauchoise (Potato Salad Caux Manner)

An interesting salad is made in the Pays de Caux and the Rouen district by combining boiled diced potatoes with diced celery and ham, cut in tiny strips. Season with salt, pepper, vinegar, and lemon juice. Stir in at the end heavy cream instead of oil.

Poulet à la Vallée d'Auge (Chicken Valley of Auge)

Cut up two 3-pound broilers as for frying and salt and pepper them. Brown the pieces of chicken lightly on all sides in about ¼ pound butter. Lower the flame and continue cooking for 15 minutes, turning the pieces often. Pour 4 tablespoons warmed Calvados, or applejack or apple brandy, over them and light it, shaking the pan until the flame dies. Add 5 or 6 shallots, finely chopped. 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, a sprig of thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, and ½ cup cider or white wine. Blend well, cover, and cook until the chicken is tender. Arrange the chicken on a heated platter, add ½ cup heavy cream to the liquid in the pan, heat, and pour this aromatic sauce over the chicken just before serving.

Asperges à la Sauce Normande (Asparagus, Normanade Sauce)

Asparagus served with the following sauce provides a delicate and welcome variation. Steam a bunch of asparagus, with only the cud sialics in boiling water. until tender but not overcooked. Pour over it the following sauce:

Blend ¾ tablespoon flour with 1 heaping tablespoon butter, barely melted. in a small saucepan. Add salt, pepper, and a good grating of nutmeg. Pour in gradually 1/3 cup cider and 2/3 cup heavy cream, stirring well. Simmer for just a minute, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Place over boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. Add a few drops of lemon juice and serve over the asparagus or in a separate sauce dish.

This Normandy sauce may also elevate other vegetables to the category of a plat worthy of being served as a single course. For this purpose use a whole cooked cauliflower or carrots, sliced and cooked in a minimum of water with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Celery. leeks, and salsify also appreciate such kind treatment.

FOR THOSE fortunate gourmets who are sailing or flying to France this year, here is a handy checklist of the restaurants and hotels already recommended by Samuel Chamberlain in “An Epicurean Tour of the French Provinces,” which began in GOURMET, March, 1949.

Aisace

Département of Bas-Rhin

• Chatenois—Hôtel de la Gare
• Haul Koenigsbourg—Hôtel Schaenzel
• Marlenheim—Hôtel Cerf
• Moosch—Hôtel de France et Relais 66
• Obersteinbach—Restaurant Anthon
• Schirmeck—Hôtel Donon
• Stambach—Hôtel Fameuse Truite
• Strasbourg—Maison Kammerzell; Restaurant Valentin Sorg; Restaurant Zimmer
• Wasselonne—Hôtel de la Gare
• Wissembourg—Hôtel Ange

Département of Haut-Rhin

• Colmar—Restaurant des Têtes
• Kaysersberg—Hôtel Chambard
• Ribeauvillé—Restaurant Pépinière

Béarn

Déepartement of Basses-Pyrénées

• Ascain—Hôtel Etchola
• Biarritz—Ambassade de Bourgogne
• Bidarray— Restaurant Noblia
• Biriatou—Bonnet-Atchénia; Hôtel Hiribarren
• Cambo-les-Bains — Hôtel St. Laurent; Maison Basque
• Ciboure—Hostellerie Ciboure
• Jurançon—La Belle Casis
• Pau—Rôtisserie Périgourdine; L'Etrier; Le Romano
• St. Erienne-de-Baïgorry—Hôtel du Trinquet et Pyrénées
• St. Jean-de-Luz—Petit drill Basque

Département of Landes

• Peyrehorade—Hôtel Central

Bresse

Département of Ain

• Artemare—Hôtel Berrard
• Bourg-en-Bresse — Hôtel de France; Hôtel de l'Europe; Restaurant à l'Escargot
• Ceyzeriat—Restaurant Balcon
• Ferney-Vohaire—Hôtel de Pailly
• Nantua—Hôtel de France
• Pérouges—Hostellerie de Peéouges
• Priay—Hôtel Bourgeois
• St. Germain-de-Joux—Hôtel Reygrobellet
• St. Jean-de-Gonville—Restaurant Demornex
• Thoissey—Hôtel Chapon Fin

Brittany

Département of Côles-du-Nord

• Dinan—Chez la Mère Pourcel; Hôtel de la Poste
• Perros-Guirec—Hôtel Printania; Hôtel le Sphinx
• Pointe de l'Arcouest—Hôtel le Barbu
• Sables d'Or — Hostellerie des Dunes d'Armor
• Saint-Briac—Hostellerie du Centre
• Saint-Brieuc—Hôtel Croix Rouge
• Saint-Efflam — Grand Hôtel Saint Efflam
• Le Val-André—Le Grand Hôtel

Département of Finistère

• Huelgoat—Hôtel d'Angleterre
• Landerneau—Hôtel des Voyageurs et du Commerce
• Locronan—Auberge Saint-Ronan
• Port Manec'h—Hôtel Julia
• Quimper—Hôtel de l'Epée et Relais Saint-Corentin
• Quimper—é—Vieille Maison
• Riec - sur - Belon — Restaurant Rouat (Chez Mélanie)