This food adventure takes us on a whirlwind tour of southwest France, featuring surprising culinary discoveries and cultural encounters. From indulging in crêpes suzette in a castle to stumbling upon a Cantonese restaurant in a sleepy French town, this trip promises serious cultural whiplash.
Crêpes Suzette and Castle Life
A Delicious Beginning
The adventure begins with a homemade crêpes suzette prepared by a chef friend, Alice. The dish, a French classic usually made with oranges, is given a lemon twist. The crêpes are flambéed, adding a touch of spectacle.
Living in a Castle
Alice and the narrator are staying in a friend's castle for the week. They discuss the idea of living in such a grand estate and imagine the lifestyle of a duchess. The narrator compares the experience to a scene from Pride and Prejudice.
Road Trip to Printemps and Truffle Indulgence
Exploring Printemps
A road trip to Printemps, a town known as the "land of truffles," is next on the agenda. The destination is a restaurant called Chabonel, famed for its truffle menu.
Branton Abbey
Before lunch, they explore the town and discover the Branton Abbey, a historic site founded in the 8th century. Unfortunately, it's closed due to falling trees and rocks.
A Truffle Banquet
The restaurant features a truffle menu costing 120 euros per person. The waiter agrees to let them share the menu. Black truffles are in season and at their most flavorful from November to March.
Scallop Carpaccio with Truffles
The first dish is scallop carpaccio with coconut citrus sauce and black truffle slices. While the dish is good, the truffle flavor isn't overpowering. The waiter explained that the truffles are sourced locally.
French Friendliness
The narrator notes the friendliness of the French people they've encountered during their trip, from helpful strangers at the train station to the kind staff at the creperie and restaurant.
Sweetbread
The main course features redevaux, or sweetbread, prepared karaage style. Sweetbread is made from the throat gland of veal and fried.
Japanese Influence
The chef blends Japanese flavors into French cuisine, which he explains adds an extra dimension and overcomes what he finds as the flat notes of French food.
Truffle and Chocolate Parfait
The dessert is a truffle and chocolate parfait with truffle ice cream, sesame and chocolate cream, and 24-karat gold.
The Truffle Hunt
They joke about finding their own truffles but learn they require a trained pig or dog to locate them.
Pork Sausage with Truffle
They purchase a local pork sausage with white truffle at a boucherie. The sausage has a strong truffle flavor.
Angoulême: Murals, Chocolate, and Slippers
Arriving in Angoulême
After the Truffle tasting, a drive to Angoulême takes place and they marvel at the town perched on a hill. Parking proves to be a stressful experience.
Exploring the City
Angoulême is a charming city with beautiful murals and a historic courthouse (Palais de Justice). The cotton candy skies created by the sunset adds to the beauty. They also check out a local real estate agent and prices to buy a chateau.
Historic Chocolate
They visit a chocolate shop established in 1873.
Charentaise Slippers
They discover Charentaise slippers, a regional specialty. The narrator finds them incredibly comfortable and purchases a pair.
A Surprising Cantonese Restaurant
An Unexpected Find
In Angoulême, they stumble upon a Cantonese restaurant. They are drawn in by the promise of hand-pulled noodles, despite not being a Cantonese specialty.
Hand-Pulled Noodles and Jianbing
The owners are from Tianjin, which explains the wheat noodles. They order hand-pulled noodles, jianbing, and fried barbecue pork buns.
Cultural Confusion
The narrator experiences cultural confusion as they eat Cantonese and Tianjin dishes in a French town. The pork buns taste like beef bourguignon, and the chicken noodles resemble pho.
The Owners Story
The owner, originally from Tianjin, moved to France 19 years ago. She learned Cantonese cooking from the previous owner and also specializes in hand-pulled noodles.
French Fusion
The meal is a mix of cultural influences, from the French jazz playing in the background to the Vietnamese flavors in the noodles. The narrator embraces the experience, even sporting their new Charentaise slippers with a baguette.
Conclusion
The adventure ends with a thank you to viewers and a promise of more content from Paris next week.
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