Paul Young
Educator, Designer, Culinary Explorer
@cooking.with.paul
@cooking.with.paul.young
cooking-with-paul.blogspot.com
info@cooking-with-paul.com
Do a deep dive into French cuisine as we survey all the deliciousness that France has to offer, region by region. We'll start in Burgundy wine country where we'll learn how to cook with wine. Next, we'll taste the Mediterranean-style Provençal cuisine from the south of France where bouillabaisse and ratatouille were invented. Lastly, we'll head to the gastronomic capital of France to investigate Lyon's influential nouvelle cuisine.
Arguably, French gastronomy is the most influential of European culinary traditions. The French invented haute cuisine, then turned everything upside-down and re-invented itself with nouvelle cuisine — a simpler, lighter approach with an emphasis on fresh ingredients and presentation. All of this tradition and innovation was supported and promoted by another French invention: the highly influential Michelin Guide and its star-rating system. Even in our everyday language, French words like cuisine, gourmet, récipé, and bon appétit are universally understood and associated with good food.
Do come hungry and thirsty because we’ll be cooking and tasting at the same time. Each class in this series is also a traditional multi-course French dinner including a luscious dessert course and a welcome cocktail. Featured French wines selected by Harvest Market's wine steward will also be available for purchase by the glass.
Students will leave each session with easy-to-follow recipes of all the dishes on the menu. These recipes have all been adapted for the typical home cook and contain many tips & tricks to help minimize your time in the kitchen while staying true to the spirit of the original flavor profiles.
All the planned menu items below will use ingredients available at Harvest Market, but are subject to change based on availability.
Deep Dive Session #1 (September 11):
Classic Burgundy Wine Country Cuisine
Located just east of Paris, the Bourgogne region is known for its rich and full-flavored dishes, creamy cheeses, Dijon mustard, and of course its world-class vineyards. Tonight's menu features all French classics made famous in Burgundy wine country:
Deep Dive Session #2 (October 2)
Mediterranean Flavors of Provençal Cooking
Provençal cuisine is where France meets the Mediterranean. Where France borders Italy, the dishes of Provence feature fresh seafood, garlic, olive oil, and fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary. Satisfyingly rich and colorful presentations are the key features of tonight's menu:
Deep Dive Session #3 (October 23)
The Philosophy of Lyon's Nouvelle Cuisine
Considered by many as the gastronomic capital of France, Lyon is also home to Chef Paul Bocuse who is credited with ushering in France’s era of nouvelle cuisine. Tonight's menu follows the spirit of this modern culinary philosophy with an emphasis on simple preparations and quality fresh ingredients:
