What's Pressoir Cooking

Having just completed a three week journey to France, primarily to gather content for La Paulée Mondiale staring March 10, I was quickly reminded of the other reason for going back to France. The markets.

We have terrific farmers markets in New York and elsewhere but nothing jump starts my gastronomic imagination like a stroll through a market in France. The one here was in Chablis in the middle of January. January, when you would not expect to find much more than root vegetables. These root vegetables and mushrooms looked so fresh and inviting I must have planned 3 or 4 meals around just that theme. Well, maybe a poulet de Bresse or some nice andouillettte here and there but one could live and even thrive on these amazing vegetables and cheese.

Why not a dish of spinach, “la ratte” potatoes, carrots and salad with a little raw goat’s milk cheese and whole grain bread. Or an omelette of girolles mushrooms and spring onions? Maybe a stuffed cabbage with a mix of vegetables, rice, tomato, and some raw milk Epoisses cheese and a bottle of Chablis….

So much inspiration with so little expectation. Vive le marché and vive la France!