rocquet, asparagus, garlic, snails, frogs – everything.
And of course mushrooms. My father had drawn a
beautiful little map for me showing all the special,
secret places. I kept it for many years (I wish I had
it now!). Imagine, my large family of five... We didn’t
have much money but we ate like kings! I’m proud
to have helped my father build our house, which was
surrounded by one acre of land (and land was cheap
at that time and in that region of France)...”
At this point, the telephone in Raymond’s office
rings for the fifth time. The maestro is exasperated:
“... just send the details you promised... I am
waiting, waiting... Don’t talk to me about cooking!
What do you know about Jura cooking! Keep to
your own business!” And bang, down goes the
phone — this was the media attempting to tell
Raymond how to write a recipe. “There,” says
Raymond with wry smile, “now you see I have a
temper, too!”
Then we are back on track, discussing the
heart of the matter: “It is not enough for me to say,
here are the ingredients, now we can go to work.
No. You need to understand the ingredients, from
the earth or from the farmyard. You need to know
where they have come from, the varieties of the
vegetables or fruit, how the animals were reared
and even how they were killed (with no stress to
the animal). From the earth to the plate, it’s a long
chain that’s very important to understand.”
“Central to Raymond’s
philosophy is to show
the true value of
freshness and seasonality
of the produce, the
ingredients—from the earth
and from the sea—that we
should seek out to enhance
our food, our health, and our
lives.”
A further interruption. A knock on the door. It’s
a chef carrying one of Le Manoir’s postcard-sized
oiled slates on which are placed seven canapés.
Raymond looks critically at the assembled large loose-leaf folder with hundreds of canapés strands will melt together in a beautiful way. This
canapés. “Ah! I see something is wrong with this! photographed and catalogued, each one a unique one looks superb, look at those colours. Let us
Please tell me what it is.” The young chef shifts creation – except: “This one!” Raymond takes a taste — fantastic!” The young chef has produced
uncomfortably, silence. “It is this...” and he points pen and strikes it through, “I have seen this one a winner!
to a tiny toast that has a slightly singed edge: “Mon in another restaurant! We must always be original “Yes,” he continues, “I do think canapés are
petit, please connect your eyes with your brain all and not copy anything. You can take an idea for very important. When people arrive for a special
the time!” says Papa Blanc with a smile. inspiration, but you must make the concept bigger dinner, let’s say, canapés can raise the level of
During our long conversation there are several and better, then it’s ok. And this one,” he continues, expectation. Here is something tiny and superb,
more canapé interruptions and at one point “try this with strands from a young Parmesan a delight to the eye and delicious.”
Le Manoir Canapé Bible is produced. This is a which has more moisture and is less salty, then the This microscopic attention to detail is an
www.raymondblanc.com
RAYMOND BLANC’s SEASONS 9
RBS3_WOD 10-12(Re).vp.indd 9 1/12/08 9:41:01 am
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