After the success of last year's launch of Goût de France, this worldwide event which celebrates French gastronomy on five continents was this year again held on 21 March. Over 1,500 chefs and 150 embassies participated.
My invitation this year came from Waterbiscuit at the Intercontinental. As one 'kind' blogger put it 'You will never be thin'. My reply to her is: 'Nor will you!' So, diets aside I accepted the invitation with alacrity. I had only just invited a friend to the Waterbiscuit and we had enjoyed its charms and not for the first time either.
I am intrigued as to why this day is now referred to as Goût de France/Good France. This 'Good France' like Good Friday is a misnomer as far as I am concerned. It does not make sense in the English language. But perhaps there is a perfectly reasonable explanation to it.
Three restaurants participated in Malta this year: the Xara Palace's De Mondion, Michael's in Valletta and the Intercontinental's Waterbiscuit restaurant, all first class eateries where I have been fortunate enough to eat, several times. The energetic and molto simpatica Ambassador of France, Béatrice Le Fraper du Hellen, held her own gala dinner, as she had last year, at the French residence in Zebbug.
The idea behind this event is to showcase French cuisine. The five-course menus were based on classical French techniques but with an innovative twist in order to offer something a little different.
The objectives of Goût de France are to carry the colours of French cuisine with pride, these objectives being contemporaneity and excellence thanks to healthy dishes prepared from fresh, seasonal and local produce, with low fat, salt and sugar content.
In 1912 Auguste Escoffier started Les Diners d'Epicure (Epicurean Dinners): one day, one menu, served in cities around the world, to as many guests as possible. Last year, the first edition of Goût de France took the idea further, bringing all categories of restaurants together globally. This is not meant to be an elite event. After all most of us do not go to five-star restaurant but to well-priced eateries where you can eat well too. This year's edition marked the concrete demonstration of French cuisine's recent listing in the 'Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity' category by UNESCO, and its influence on the world.
At the Waterbiscuit drinks were served at the bar where I made a few new acquaintances including Sophie Woltz, President of the Association Malte-Accueil who explained how the association helps out newcomers to Malta and helps them to settle down.
And so upstairs to the restaurant where I landed on a 'happy 'table. Host was Vice-Consul at the French embassy, Delphine Vidal. Like all those in the Police force Superintendent Stephen Mallia related several stories about his experiences.
No less than five different wines helped lubricate the conversation that evening, from a Chablie J. Moreau Burgandy to a delicious Gewürztraminer with dessert.
We set off with a Porcini mushroom, truffle velouté Brioche and went on to Foie gras and smoked eel parfait, sweet wine jelly and crisp pain d'épices. What is a French menu without Foie gras? The young chef James Oakley later told me that the Foie Gras was made on the premises and not imported. The only thing I found wrong with it was the use of too much salt and it was a little 'loose.' I really cannot complain about anything else in a five-course menu apart from that. But imagine trying to make foie gras in your own kitchen. The effort on the part of the kitchen brigade deserves praise.
The third course was a slow roasted Charolais beef sirloin, escargot bonbon, pommes Anna and a garlic purée. We were all intrigued by the escargot bonbon. Well someone decided to look inside and yes, indeed, there was a snail in there. In Mauritius snails were exported to France regularly but I have never liked the idea of eating a snail so I discreetly put it aside. The beef was first class and cooked perfectly.
For cheese we had a Baked Brie de Meaux, candied walnut, fig and Port Purée. For me this was a completely perfect dish. Dare I bake brie at home? I have a dozen recipes as to how to go about doing this but I have never dared so far. The accompanying bits and pieces further enhanced the taste. I loved every mouthful, accompanied by a Riesling.
Dessert was an Almond and Apple Pithivier, Cinnamon and Apple Sauce and Brown butter Financier. The Financier is delicate: a sponge mixture made with ground almonds and whisked egg white, rich but not heavy. Pithivier means puff pastry which I love.
The Intercontinental has one enormous advantage: a car park is close by. That in an age when parking rules our very lives, is a great plus and when there is excellent food as well, venturing into Paceville for a good meal becomes an attraction. I have to say that the service at Waterbiscuit has been very good everytime I ate there whether as invitee or hostess. Most of the staff is 'foreign'. Charlene Le Gall the Intercontinental's Marketing manager is French and soon to marry a Maltese. She is very good at her job and efficiency itself.
This was a dinner of which Escoffier would have been proud.