What the French really eat

Patrick Heuberger conducted a cooking presentation at Shermay titled "What the French really eat". He cooked a selection of some of the dishes he serves in his restaurant, Le Bistrot du Sommelier.

The cooking demonstration was extremely smooth, enjoyable and easy to follow. He really made the cooking process look as simple as possible, although behind that simplicity there are years of practice.

I would strongly recommend attending some of Partick's presentations to anyone who is interested in classic French cooking, since watching a master at work can really save you a lot of failed attempts. He also conducts a lesson on basic French cooking techniques, which would be a better starting point for those with little cooking experience.

Out of the recipes presented, I am planning to try the rabbit, the frogs legs and the tongue.

The complete set of recipes was:

• Rabbit stew with mustard (Lapin a la Dijonaise)
• Oven-roasted lamb rack with olive oil mashed potatoes
• Braised ox tongue in horseradish sauce (Langue de boeuf au raifort)
• Sauteed frog's legs with garlic and parsley (Cuisses de grenouilles)
• Baked Burgundy snails with tomato and garlic butter

Presentation aside, the end result was superb, just like in his restaurant, and I ate a lot more than I intended.... It's my third French meal in a row this weekend. I think I will take a break for a week or two!