UN REPAS BERRICHON

Un Repas Berrichon with Veronique and Marie-Claire

I have partaken many meals in France but it never ceases to amaze me how long they can take.  Most
memorable, perhaps, was my first date with Jane for Sunday lunch in Le Havre that took a delicious four and a half hours.  There have also been weddings that have gone past midnight before the main course is served and Sunday lunches that go on into the evening.  But somehow, it is always a surprise!

For our second weekend in Veaugues we decided to meet the locals and bought some tickets for “Un Repas Berrichon” arranged by the local soccer club in the Salle De Fêtes (Village Hall).  Aurelie at the local epicerie said we would be most welcome but the Berrichon or inhabitants of central France have a reputation, even amongst the French, of not being particularly friendly, so how would they take to a couple of étrangers?

April 2013 day in the centre of Veaugues

The evening was due to start at 7.30pm but we were running a little ate and arrived at 7.40pm to find ourselves amongst the first there.  All the other guests appeared much younger than ourselves and were obviously players or their mates.  It was one of those occasions when start taking a greater than normal interest in all the posters around the hall and begin planning an escape route!  Luckily a local journalist, who was planning to cover the event and take a few photos, was on hand and quite friendly.  However, she left after about an hour frustrated that nothing was happening.

Meanwhile Harley was at home enjoying a warm fire

A Veaugues Sancerre

The bar had now opened and so I went up to it and requested a couple of verres de Sancerre blanc which I received and which we downed quite quickly.  By this time more people were arriving and Jacky the football club coach introduced himself and his wife Veronique the local potter.  Gradually we met a few more people including Marie-Claire the mother of a vigneron from a neighbouring village, and suddenly the escape plans were abandoned.   A bottle of Sancerre later and the cries went up “à table” and at about 9.30pm were finally sat down with Marie-Claire insisting that we sat with her group who were still arriving.

The first course was an amazing buffet of French charcuterie served in according to your date of birth.  Luckily for me, April was first up.  Following on from my first blog and the French love for bread, it would appear that at least part of this obsession is due to the phallic shape of the baguette.  Every time a baguette arrived at or table, the cry went up “Oh my god!”, commenting on its size.

The next course was a real Berrichon speciality, a Pâté aux Patates or a potato pie as we would call it in
England.   I have had this a few times before and really love it – a great comfort food.  A recipe is appended below.

A few more bottles of Sancerre later at 1.00am the cheese course was served.  Finally, at 1.30pm the dessert!   In between had been some dancing which proved fun and still possible despite my knee operations.

The evening proved that the Berrichon are not as unfriendly as they are made out to be, at least as long as you don’t come from Paris!   Marie-Claire even invited us to her birthday party the following Thursday, which we felt very honoured as newcomers to attend.

Jane and the dogs admiring the Terra pate pottery of Veronique

The following day we visited Charité sur Loire, which is a beautiful town, to see Veronique exhibit some her Terra Pate pottery.  A great second weekend “En Veaugues”.

Jane with Pate aux Patates

RECIPE OF THE MONTH - Pâté aux Patates

To make a passable replica of what we ate in our Veaugues Repas Berrichon, try the following recipe:

Ingredients:
1.25 kg of potatoes (maybe more or less depending on the size of your dish)
1 medium onion (or 3 cloves of garlic if your prefer)
2 slices of cooked ham (or bacon)
Ready made puff pastry sufficient for making a top and bottom for you chosen pie dish (probably two sheets)
Fresh flat leaf parsley
Salt and pepper
50cl creme fraiche (plus more to serve if desired)
50g butter
1 egg yolk (or milk if you have no eggs)

Peel, wash and dry thoroughly and then very finely slice (best done using a mandolin) the potatoes.

Peel and very finely slice and chop the onion.

Cut the ham into small pieces.

Roll half the puff pastry into your greased non-stick pie tin.

Add a layer of potatoes and then some of the onions.

Season with salt and pepper and then add some ham and parsley.

Add a little of the crème fraiche and butter.

Repeat a few more times to create layers that eventually are higher than the tin.

Add the other half of the puff pastry.

Brush the top of the puff pastry with the egg yolk.

Cook in an oven preheated to 180c for 45 minutes to one hour until the pastry is a golden brown and the potaoes inside are cooked but still firm (you may need to turn the oven up or down if the pastry and potatoes are not cooking evenly)

Serve warm with a dressed green salad and perhaps a little more crème fraiche. Delicious!

WINE OF THE MONTH

As many in the Salle de Fêtes were drinking rosé wines, I have decided to pick one of my favourite Sancerre rosés by Andre Dezat.  We tried and bought it at the Domaine whilst there this month.  The 2012 is different to the 2011 that I had been drinking for some months in restaurants in Bourges.  Perhaps it has more of a cherry kick.  Drink quickly once chilled and opened – not normally an issue.  Very good value at about €8 from the producer and like all Sancerre rosés made with 100%  Pinot Noir.

Andre Dezat is a producer in Verdigny which is another of the fourteen communes that grow and produce Sancerre and comes alphabetically just after Veaugues.   They also make red pinot Noir wines and excellent Sauvignon Blanc whites. 

April 2013 Vineyards near Verdigny