Cassis

    View of Cassis's harbor from my apartment

Many folks know Cassis…the black currant liqueur that is used to make a Kir (or a Kir Royale when made with sparkling wine).  A few may even know the tony village on the French Riviera by the name of Cassis.   Those worldly gourmands who know both the drink and the seaside town often think that the liqueur is so named because it comes from the village of Cassis.  Wrong.

Crème de Cassis is actually made in Burgundy, 300 miles north.  As of 2015, this black-colored liqueur is protected by France’s geographical laws.  Cassis is now officially referred to as Crème de Cassis de Bourgogne (Burgundy).  The new designation guarantees the Burgundian origin of the fruit, as well as the minimum quantity of berries that is required.   Like France’s other food and wine laws, it guarantees the authenticity of what’s in the bottle so that the consumer knows that the product is not a knock-off from another part of France, or Europe, or for that matter, China.

Now, back to the village of Cassis where I arrived today.  If you’re looking for a heavenly spot to recover from jet lag, look no further.  But, Cassis beckons for many reasons.  Cassis is not on the radar screen for most Americans.  Reason one.   Next, Marseille’s airport is only 30 miles away making it an easy-to-get-to first stop.  Reason two.  Another attractive feature is that Cassis is small and quaint….without the crowds and noisy discos of St Tropez or Cannes.  Reason three.  But one of the most compelling motives to visit, is for its breathtaking beauty. A big reason four.

                                          The calanques can be reached by foot or boat.

Cassis is drop-dead gorgeous.  A large part of its magnificence is due to the “calanques.”  It is thought that the calanques were formed by ancient streams that dried up a millennium or two ago. Today, the remnants are narrow, fjord-like inlets carved into steep white limestone cliffs, France’s highest sea cliffs.  While there are many organized boat tours to view these calanques, I prefer to go by foot for several reasons.  Most importantly, boats are not allowed to enter the calanques so boat visitors can only appreciate them from afar.   While walking to the farthest calanque requires a good hour from the village (and some parts of the trail are a little difficult), one can opt for a 20 minute walk from Cassis to the first calanque.  As there are spectacular panoramas around every bend, walkers to any of the calanques should allow extra time to take photos and soak up the splendor.

Tonight I’m celebrating my week’s stay in this sweet fishing village by ordering a Kir Royale----Cassis in Cassis!

Sante.

Bouillabaisse

                                               An array of fish & seafood are used

      

I’m heading in a few days to a fishing village located on the Mediterranean in France, and I'm already already dreaming of Bouillabaisse.  This classical French fish stew is synonymous with dining on the French Riviera.  There’s hardly a restaurant on the water in Marseille or St Tropez that doesn’t offer this complex dish.  Those who don’t have it are typically simple eating places that can’t afford the costly seafood, fish and saffron---not to mention the long, slow cooking process to make the Mediterranean’s most flavor-filled fish dish.

Many think that Bouillabaisse originated in Marseille but research shows otherwise.  This quintessential French fish chowder actually has its roots in the Greek civilization.  It was Greeks living on the western coast of Turkey who founded Marseille in 600 BC.  These ancient Greek sailors brought with them a recipe for a fish soup that is similar to France’s Bouillabaisse.

The fish stew of the original Greek settlers became very popular in the early days of Marseille.  As Marseille was growing into a powerful port city, the fishing industry became its biggest economy.  The fish that the fishermen couldn’t sell was brought home for wives to add to the family’s fish soup.  Most of the fish that didn’t sell were those with bones so Bouillabaisse morphed into a rich stew because of the flavors added by these bones, fish heads, and other unsightly fish parts that could not be sold.

                                                                                              

Another change in the dish occurred when the tomato was brought back from the Americas in the 16^th century.  They were soon added to the broth for flavor, color and acidity.  In the 19^th century Marseille had become very prosperous.  Bouillabaisse, once a poor fisherman’s dish, was reinvented with the addition of pricey saffron, and began appearing in upscale restaurants.    

I will be preparing Julia Child's version soon at a “Week in Provence with Julia Child.” To get in the mood I'm watching Julia's French Chef TV show:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuiTwik0vvU 

Bon Appetit!

The Birthing of a Provençal Rosé

                                    Rosés in Provence are made in 2 distinct methods

I’m leaving shortly for Provence.  At this time of year Provence is synonymous with Rosé.  For centuries, Rosé has been a staple in southern France’s district of Provence.  Today, however, Provence is the world’s leading district for dry Rosé production (accounting for nearly 50% of the region’s wines).  While there are three different ways in which a Rosé can be made in some regions of France, in Provence there are only two methods for creating a Rosé.

Let’s start with the basics.  Vinifying a Rosé starts with red wine grapes.   Clear juices from the grapes are kept in contact for a short time with the darkly pigmented skins.  Once the juice becomes pinkish (or a deeper salmon or coral) from contact with the dark skins, it is then removed from further interaction with the skins. 

Now, let’s discuss Provence’s two ways of birthing a Rosé.  The first method is called “saignée,” a French term which means “to bleed.”  The saignée method literally “bleeds” or siphons off some of the grape juice during the making of a red wine fermentation.  (The remaining red wine, now quite concentrated, is then fermented separately from the Rosé).  Among many current Rosé purists, saignée is viewed as merely a by-product of a more complex red wine.   Nonetheless, this method remains popular in many parts of the world and the resulting Rosés can be superb. 

The second method in Provence involves a direct pressing of the grapes, with the sole purpose of making a Rosé.  Soon after the red grapes are harvested they are pressed, separating the juice from the skins.  Because the contact with the juice and skins is minimal, these “pressed” Rosés tend to be paler than those of saignée. This technique is especially popular now in Provence and continues to grow in popularity with winemakers around the world.  Many winemakers prefer the direct press method as they are able to have the final product (Rosé) in mind from the picking of the grapes through vinification (in contrast to saignée where red wines are the final product). This means grapes can be harvested at the optimal period for a Rosé versus a Grenache or Syrah.

Here’s a list of my favorite Rosés from Provence in alpha order:

• Chateau Bormettes Instinct Parcellaire
• Famile Negrel Petite Reine
• Domaine Lafran-Veyrolles
• Domaine Ribotte Cuvee Anais
• Chateau Salettes 
• Chateau Valentines Huit

  Have a Rosé-colored Sunday!

Rothschild Bubbly

                                                        Rose, Blanc de Blanc & Brut

Champagne made by the Rothschild family?  To those who know French wine this is an oxymoron.   After all, the Rothschild family is from Bordeaux and they only produce the area's Premier Cru red still wine.  By French law, even if the company produced sparkling wine in Bordeaux it could not be called Champagne as only bubbly made in the demarcated area of Champagne in northeast district of France can be called Champagne.  But, the Rothschilds do produce Champagne….read on.

Champagne Barons de Rothschild is made up of three different branches of the family which individually own three different crème de la crème chateaux in Bordeaux: Mouton-Rothschild, Lafite-Rothschild and Clarke.   In 2003 these three branches of the family (often seen as rivals) came together and formed a boutique company with the sole purpose of producing Champagne.  All of the grapes that make their bubbly are from the Champagne region’s top vineyards.

The Barons de Rothschild Champagne was first released in 2015.  I had the good fortune to have one of these early bottles thanks to dear friends who graciously gifted me a bottle for my birthday.  I have never forgotten it and, in fact, blogged about it as one of the best wines I had in 2015.   Last week we had a party to christen a small property on the beach we just purchased.  These same friends showed up with another bottle of Rothschild Champagne.    

There are only 500,000 bottles made each year so it’s not widely available in the US.  However, it is worth seeking out.  You can find it easily online, and upscale area Costco’s occasionally have it.   I’ve had some serious Champagne in my day, but believe me when I say, this is gorgeous stuff.  The wine comes in five different possibilities.  There’s a Brut (made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir), a Rosé (only Pinot Noir), a Blanc de Blanc (only  Chardonnay), and a 2005 Vintage wine (made only of grapes from this vintage).  I was gifted the Brut.

If you’re looking for a great bottle for a special occasion, look no further.  This wine is the bomb.