25 mars 2007
This Spring's serial: Alain Passard at Manresa (1)
This gloved hand stroking young turnip greens belongs to Cynthia
Sandberg, gardener at the Love Apple Farm, in the Santa Cruz Hills,
California. The production of this spacious herb and vegetable garden
is entirely dedicated to the kitchens of the Manresa
restaurant (two Michelin stars), in Los Gatos. The posts of this early Spring will
revolve around everything this hand sows, nurses, picks and gathers.
And, of course, the subject will be food, great food. On March 9, 10
and 11, chef Alain Passard from L'Arpège was invited to cook for three nights by his friend David Kinch,
chef of Manresa. Both chefs joined skills and inspiration to compose a
tasting menu based on local products, primarily on vegetables produced
at Love Apple Farm.
"Vegetables" will ring a bell for those who are
already familiar with chef Alain Passard. They do know about his own
personal vegetable garden in Fillé-sur-Sarthe, a work in progress but
already a nearly perfect ecologic paradise. They certainly have heard,
also, of Passard's creative, poetical love of vegetables. It was only logical
that these two chefs should meet, appreciate each other and communicate through their adoration of the green stuff.
"I would like to bring all things
around me to a slow, gentle pace", says Alain Passard on the L'Arpège
website. Well said: there is plenty to tell about these few blessed
days, and I mean to tell it slowly, with proper attention to detail. So,
dear readers, be patient!
Before I begin, I would like to thank warmly my friends Pim Techamuanvivit
and David Kinch for their friendship, their hospitality and their
trusting; Alain Passard and his assistant Julie Coppé for letting me be
part of this experience; and everyone at the Manresa restaurant for
their welcoming and exquisite kindness. Not forgetting, of course,
Cynthia Sandberg and Gene Lester.
Purple kale and Chinese mustard plants at Love Apple Farm.
Manresa's stock, or concentrated vegetable poetry.
Commentaires
Thank you, Sophie!
What beautiful photos - I recognized my vegetables instantly! I'd love to see more photos, of course, and read more about your impressions of the Passard dinners at Manresa. Hope your insect bite is better...it looked quite awful.
You're welcome, Cynthia — you will see more photos as I find the time to post them day after day. First, you will recognize your radishes! As for the insect bite, there's almost nothing left of it. It would probably have gone worse without that little drop of disinfectant you gave me. So, thank you for helping me fight the hazards of country living!
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