Black Truffle Cooking Extravaganza

Roasted Scallop with Mache Puree and Vegetables

As an additional mid-winter event, Patricia and Walter Wells offer a special Black Truffle Cooking Extravaganza, a unique hand’s on class devoted to the wonders of the fresh black truffle - the rarest and most exotic ingredient in French cuisine.

The workshop opens on Monday evening with a truffle dinner at Patricia and Walter’s farmhouse in Provence, in the heart of France’s foremost region of truffle production. On successive days Patricia and Walter accompany participants on a truffle hunt; and tour with them through one of the world’s most important – and still artisanal — truffle brokers, where just breathing the fragrant air is a rarefied experience. Truffles will magically appear in almost every dish prepared during the workshop, and students will have the opportunity to understand the mystery of the black truffle in the kitchen and at the table. Menus focus on complementary wines, particularly the prized whites of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Wine tastings and discussions throughout the class assure guests of a new understanding of one of the world’s rarest gastronomic joys. All instruction is in English. Recipes are geared to the home cook. Guests are supplied with aprons as well as detailed recipe booklets that are theirs to keep.

Taillevent 1 12 risotto epeautre

The class is limited to 8 participants. The course begins with dinner on Monday evening and ends after lunch on Friday. The fee is $5,500 in 2014, $6,000 in 2015,  and includes Monday ’s truffle dinner, truffle lunches and dinners on Tuesday and Thursday, Wednesday’s winery visit and lunch, and a farewell lunch on Friday. Wednesday evening is free for students to explore the region on their own. The fee does not include lodging. (A list of recommended hotels will be sent to enrolled participants.)

A SAMPLING OF THE TRUFFLE EXTRAVAGANZA ACTIVITIES

MONDAY NIGHT WELCOME DINNER 

Truffle Croque Monsieur on Homemade Olive Oil Brioche

Mushroom, Chestnut, and Celery Root Soup with Truffles

Organic Chicken Roasted in the Bread Oven

Truffle, Morel, and Cream Sauce

Morels with Fresh Mushroom Stuffing

Chanteduc Pumpkin Gratin with Pistachios and Pistachio Oil

Just Spinach!

Local Seasonal Green Salad and Chanteduc Olive Oil 2009

Chaource Cow’s Milk Cheese Layered with Truffles

Homemade Organic Rye, Spelt, and Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

Golden Almond-Pear Cake

Fresh Pear and Vanilla Sorbet

Champagne Roses de Jeanne Les Ursules

100% Pinot Noir

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc

Domaine de la Solitude 2008

30% Grenache Blanc, 30% Clairette, 25% Roussanne, 15% Bourboulenc

Fact : One of first estates to bottle their own wine in CDP, in 1815 !

Importer : Langdon Shiverick 216 861 6800

Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge

Clos Chanteduc 2008

60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Mourvédre and Cinsault

Importer : Eric Solomon

TUESDAY

9 am : Meet at the Post Office in Vaison la Romaine

For a Tour of the Weekly Market

11 am to 2 pm: Arrive at  Chanteduc for

Cooking Class and Lunch

Topics :

Kitchen Habits, Pot Sizes; Kitchen Organization and Design:

Mis en Place; Handling Truffles

Curried, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Truffle and Goat Cheese “Oreos”

Creamy Polenta with Black Truffles

Parmesan, Pine Nut, and Truffle Gratins with Seasonal Salad

Chez Peyrerol’s Epiphany Cake, Galette des Roi,

(Pâtisserie Peyrerol, 5 cours Henri Fabre, 84110 Vaison- la-Romaine

04 90 36 04 91)

Sablet Blanc

Domaine Santa Duc La Fournas 2008

Viognier, Bourboulenc, Clairette, and Grenache Blanc

Importer : Robert Kacher

Cotes du Rhône Rouge

Clos de Caillou Les Quartz 2006

85% Grenache, 15% Syrah

Importer : North  Berkeley Imports

WEDNESDAY

9:30 am: Depart Chanteduc in Chauffeured Cars

For Private Wine Tasting

At Chateau La Nerthe in Châteauneuf-du-Pape

With Sylvie Chabran

(04 90 83 70 11)

Importer: Moet Chandon

Facts : Wine made here since 1560

First bottled in 1784, a century before Bordeaux did the same

Germans occupied the chateau during WW II, 22 bombs fell on it in 1944

We tasted:

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Château la Nerthe Blanc 2008

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Château la Nerthe Blanc

Close de Beauvenir 2004

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Château la Nerthe Rouge 2007

12:30 pm: Special Truffle and Wine-Tasting  Lunch at

Restaurant La Beaugravière

With Tina and Guy Jullien

Route N7, 84430 Mondragon

04 90 40 82 54 www.beaugraviere.com

Légumes du moment mijotés à la truffe noire écrasée

Seasonal Vegetables with Crushed Black Truffle

***

Velouté d’artichauts  brunoise de truffes et artichauts  vinaigrette truffée

Artichoke Soup with Truffles and Artichokes, Truffle Vinaigrette

Coquilles Saint-Jacques cloutées de truffes  rôties  coulis de truffe

Roasted Scallops and Truffles with Truffle Sauce

Ravioles de truffe aux poireaux   sot-l’y-laisse de poularde  dans un bouillon truffé

Truffle and Leek Ravioli with Chicken in a Truffle Bouillon

Chausson de truffes et foie gras

A Whole Truffle and Foie Gras in Puff Pastry

Brie de Meaux truffé

Truffle Brie de Meaux

Crème glacée truffée

Truffle Ice Cream

WINES

2007Viognier Vieilles Vignes  Château Saint-Estève

No known importer

1984  Châteauneuf-du-Pape blanc Château Mont-Redon

importer : Kobrand 212 490 9500

1998  Châteauneuf-du-Pape rouge Domaine de Villeneuve

importer : Jack Siler 303 444 0832

1988 Châteauneuf-du-Pape rouge Château Rayas

importers : Junguenet and Martine’s Wines

1982   Hermitage Vin de Paille Velours Chapoutier

100% Marsanne

Importer : Paterno Imports 312 247 7070

THURSDAY

9 am Depart Chanteduc in Chauffeured Cars

for Truffle Hunt and Truffle Cannery Visit

with Hervé Poron

at Plantin in Puymeras

www.plantin.com

Route de Nyons, 84110 Puymeras

04 90 46 41 44

US contact for truffles : anthony@plantin.com

201 867 4590

12 :30 : Cooking Class and Lunch at Chanteduc :

Pumpkin « Courge Muscade » Soup with Pumpkin Seeds, Truffles, and Pumpkin Seed Oil

Walter’s Scrambled Eggs with Truffles

Local Green Salad and Local Cheeses

Lemon Zest and Honey Sorbet

Annie’s Provencal Almond Croquettes

Cotes du Rhône Villages Rasteau Blanc 2008

Domaine des Escaravailles

Roussanne, Marsanne, Clairette

Importer: Eric Solomon

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc

Château de Beaucastel

80% Roussanne, 20% Grenache Blanc, Picardin, Bourbelenc

Importer: Robert Haas

FRIDAY

10 am Arrive Chanteduc for Truffle Cooking Class

And Lunch Preparation

Deep-Fried Langoustines with Truffles

Open-Faced Truffle Sandwiches

Local Squab: Marinated, Grilled, Seared

Onion Carbonara with Truffles

Swiss Chard Leaf Purée

Swiss Chard Rib Gratin with Parmesan and Pine Nuts

Serge’s Cinnamon-Apple Tart

Fromage Blanc and Honey Sorbet

Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge

Clos Chanteduc 2007

60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Mourvédre and Cinsault

Importer : Eric Solomon

Quote of the Day:

“Don’t Cry Because It’s Over,

Smile Because It Happened”

enroll