The Very Hungry Frenchman
Episode Five: Provence

Thursday 01 March 2012

Provence is the good life - with enough sunshine to bless outside living, whilst being temperate enough for a simple larder to flourish from the rugged landscape.

When all the flavours of the area come together - the bright tomatoes, fruity olive oils, fresh garlic and aromatic herbs you have a region so clear in its culinary identity it sums up a life style - Provençal.

The region covers a vast area, stretching all the way from the high Alps on the Italian border to the glittering Mediterranean Sea in the south.



The final episode of The Very Hungry Frenchman will be shown on Thursday 1 March.

Amongst the wealth of experiences that have inspired Raymond Blanc’s passion for food and cooking, few can rival his first visit to Provence as a 14 year old boy - from the cooler land locked region of Franche-Comté – some 400 miles to the north.

Raymond has remained fascinated with the region - and for him there is no better way to remind himself of his early love affair with the food, than to drop in at quayside restaurant and savour the flavours of Provence with an appetizer.

For Raymond wherever he’s chef - it’s the enjoyment of his guests that remains for him the joy of cooking



And for the next few days in Provence his journey will deliver just that, as he becomes inspired by the region that enlightened his young taste buds and pulls together a  Provençal feast...as he draws on old memories....eats with great friends... ...discovers new wines... and tastes a cornucopia of Provençal life...all grown under a warming mediterranean sky.



With his Provençal ingredients gathered, Raymond will host for one night only, in a local restaurant his interpretation of a Provençal menu. With just two young chefs from England to help – Kush and Katy-Beth.

The magical way you can sit next to the Mediterranean and eat the fruits of the sea sums up Provençal life for Raymond.

For more information on the restaurants and places that Raymond visited in Provence, please click on the links below:

Le Petit Nice- Gérald Passedat
Gerald Passedat is a friend of Raymonds, and a 3 Michelin star chef at his restaurant in Marseille. He makes Bouillabaisse which is iconic to the region.

www.passedat.fr

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Sanary-sur-Mer Market
Raymond visits the famous fish market in the harbour at Sanary and buys Dentex – a fish only found in the waters of Provence. In the market he also buys early season Gariguettes and Mara des Bois strawberries for the dessert.

www.sanarysurmer.com/Decouvrir-la-ville


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Chateau de Pibarnon
Eric De Saint Victor and Marie Laroze
Chateau de Pibarnon is a renowned winemaker in the Bandol region. He supplies Raymond with the red wine for the red wine jus with the fish dish.

http://www.pibarnon.com/
 
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Daniel Vuillon, Artichoke Farmer
Daniel supplies artichokes. Barigoule is a traditional Provençal dish.

www.amapduperelachaise.free.fr
 
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André & Marie Ange Gouiran
André Gouiran produces Brousse du Rove, a fresh goat cheese unique to this area of Provence

http://www.marseille-provence.info/brousse-du-rove

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La P’tite Cour
The restaurant in Sanary sur Mer which Raymond took over for the Provence service

http://www.laptitecour.com/la-p-tite-cour/

Raymond Blanc's book, Kitchen Secrets, featuring recipes from Kitchen Secrets Series 1 & 2 and many more, was published by Bloomsbury on 14 February and is available to buy online from Amazon, from Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Brasserie Blanc, Maison Blanc, and from online and retail bookstores.

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