Ok so, welcome to France, the land of Cuisine “Minceur”, Nouvelle Cuisine, Georges-Auguste Escoffier and the humble Baraque à Frites! (and the training ground of Gordon Ramsay amongst others!)
Given the recent link through to SommeWhereDifferent.com, I thought it only proper to talk a bit about the culinary specialities of the Somme and wider Picardie Region. As throughout this beautiful country, the locals are fiercly proud of their local cuisine and as an Englishman visiting, I feel it only right to taste (and enjoy!) what specialities I am offered.
At the risk of being a bore, the most popular and probably the most tasted (by the English at least) speciality is the “Ficelle Picarde”. The Ficelle Picarde is a rather young dish which was created during the fifties by Marcel Lefèvre who was at the time, the manager of the Hôtel du Commerce in Amiens (The capital of the Somme). The creation of the dish is something of a story in itself but since it is undoubtedly well known by now in culinary circles I will leave you to look it up if you don’t already know (or care? ;-))
So what is this strange dish? Well, truth be told, it’s very simple. An englishman would likely characterize it as a ham and cheese pancake but there is a lot more to it than that. From the creamy Duxelle Mushroom sauce to the crispy, typically French crèpe, this slow-baked dish is simply a culinary marvel. A dish that can be well-made by a Kitchen Genius or the pot-boy (with the right instruction), the Ficelle Picarde definitely has its place in a country with the widest extremes of gastronomic ability!
From time to time, I will talk about other regional specialities as well as dishes from all over France and even worldwide. ( Next Regional Speciality – Flamiche ) If you have any questions about dishes or you find yourself wondering what something is on a menu, please message me as chances are, if you are confused, someone else is too…
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