dr.com Gerard Pangaud Dinner at L'Academie de Cuisine

[Meaghan]

It was a wonderful evening. Thanks to hillvalley and Don for organizing it.

Tell me more.

[dinwiddie]

Last night I joined a the group for the dinner prepared by Gerard Pangaud at L'Academie de Cuisine. This was my first donrockwell gathering, but I don't think I will let it be my last. Before dinner, while the group was enjoying a glass of L. Aubry Fils Champagne Brut, Chef Pangaud spoke to the group, telling us a little about his life, his students, and the meal we were to have.

Soup of Salsifis and Black Truffle finished with a Flan of Foie Gras. It was an absolutly wonderful soup, simple yet rich, creamy and delicious. I'd say it was funny to watch the folks there wipe up every drop of the soup with the wonderful bread that was passed, but I was too busy making sure I didn't miss a single drop to watch. I don't know why more chefs don't use salsifi as a soup base as it was out of this world.

The soup was accompanied by a 2002 Domaine Jo Pithon Coteaux du Layon Les 4 Villages. Amber colored, this Loire white was an elegant sweet wine, full of finesse. I was suprised at how well it went with the soups as I would have probably paired a dryer version of a Chenin Blanc, but it was perfect.

The second course, Rockfish with "Four Spices" and jus de vin rouge, served with potatoes sauteed in duck fat, was my favorite. I think this course was the favorite of most of the people at the table. It was perfectly cooked, and one of those dishes where you had to put your fork down between each bite so you could let the pleasure of each bite linger.

The third course, Seven Hour Leg of Lamb with Lentils from Le Puy. was so tender you could eat it with a spoon. Chef Pangaud braised the lamb forever at 200 degrees, and shredded it, mixed it with some minced and sauted shallots, sweated garlic, and jus then molded it to serve over a bed of lentals. (I was amazed that the two baby whole carrots that were served over the top, one orange, one yellow, were so good as I do not like cooked carrots, but these were wonderfully crisp to counterpoint the lamb's tenderness, and I finished both, even the green tops.)

The second and third courses were accompanied by a very good 2004 Domaine la Roubine Gigondas. Still young but a wonderful floral nose, rasberrys and graphite, well structured, a very good wine.

For the finale, a Mango Tart Tatin Caramelized with Ginger with a Coulis of Passion Fruit. I loved it, but you marry anything with passion fruit and I'm all over it. It was paired with a 2003 Domaine Jo Pithon Saint Lambert Les Bonnes Blondes. Elegant, concentrated wine, with good acidity and flavours that lingered for a long time. wonderful mouthfeel, it was the hit of the night. The chef apologized that it was really too young, but who could resist. It made the folks at the table with me want to explore dessert wines.

The meal was served in the kitchen of L'Academie de Cuisine and we got to watch the chef and his students prepare the meal. The students provided the service, and I think that it is a good thing that they learn how to do it properly (they were all wonderful and very professional, I wish every restaurant had such good service) because nothing ruins a great chef like a bad front of the house. It was a wonderful evening and we had to be shooed out of the kitchen so the chef and the students could go home. A wonderful evening.

[synaesthesia]

I think I am the only nerd who took pictures, which I've posted here: http://flickr.com/photos/synaesthesia/tags...demiedecuisine/

I would say, one of my other favorite things about the evening was hearing Chef go into an explanation of the reasoning and philosophy behind each dish and his own cooking/eating philosophy. He talked about the tendency for people to cook things because they are trendy, and his preference, rather, to cook things that he likes to eat, things that taste good.

And there were a number of ladies who commented on the handsomeness of Chef and the students

[dinwiddie]

I think I am the only nerd who took pictures, which I've posted here: http://flickr.com/photos/synaesthesia/tags...demiedecuisine/

I would say, one of my other favorite things about the evening was hearing Chef go into an explanation of the reasoning and philosophy behind each dish and his own cooking/eating philosophy. He talked about the tendency for people to cook things because they are trendy, and his preference, rather, to cook things that he likes to eat, things that taste good.

And there were a number of ladies who commented on the handsomeness of Chef and the students

Yes I did notice a couple of the ladies eyeing the students who also acted as servers

Synaesthesia, the pictures are wonderful, I wish I could use them on a couple of the other boards where I wrote about the great meal.

[Banco]

I can echo much of what dinwiddie has already posted in greater detail. Chef Pangaud's hospitality made for a delightful evening, and I had a great time meeting some fellow Rockwellians for the first time, especially LydiaR, lackadaisi and Jlocke, for whom my reputation preceded me for some strange reason.

The soup was for me the most memorable dish of the evening. Chef explained that salsify is related to the artichoke, which was complete news to me. But the sweet finish of the soup did remind me of the herbal sweetness that artichokes have. It was thickened only with the natural starch of the vegetable, and the truffle and foie gras were not just trendy additions--as is so often the case with these luxury ingredients--but extended and highlighted the earthiness of the salsify. This was a perfect dish in every way.

The fish was seasoned with a blend of spices that Chef described in his opening remarks. If I remember correctly, it went somewhat beyond a standard quatre épices--pink and white peppercorns, I believe, plus something like cumin or even Cinnamon. It was a warming note for a winter fish dish, but played with great subtlety. Whereas the soup had elicited moans, the fish provoked discussion because it was an intellectual pleasure as well as a sensual one, forcing one to think about the nature of its flavoring and the care that went into its conception. The disks of sautéed potatoes in duck fat were a fitting accompaniment, though I would have preferred a somewhat crisper texture.

The 7-hour leg of lamb had a rich flavor and texture but suffered from an overwhelming presentation: a large disk of rilletes-like lamb on a bed of lentils, covered in a brown sauce, with a garnish of a few root vegetables on top. At that point in the menu, the heaviness of this dish was somewhat of a turnoff. In flavor, the lamb was wonderfully rich and gamey, but for the same reasons it could have used an acidic note to balance out this richness so as not to tire the palate. But mostly, the lamb was a good example of how the eye influences the appetite: I think a smaller portion, presented with a lighter touch, would have been gobbled up; as it was, I don't think anyone at our table finished his plate. Chef Pangaud noticed this and explained that serving this preparation in smaller portions would make it difficult to maintain the proper serving temperature.

The mango tart was a good example of a classic tatin, but LydiaR and I wanted more caramelization. In fact, we would have preferred the "burnt" ones the students kept for themselves and nibbled on at the end of the evening.

The wines were all imaginative choices, especially the semi-sweet Chenin with the soup, whose somewhat artichoke-like flavor is notoriously difficult to pair with wines. But I've never met a Loire Chenin Blanc that I didn't like, so I was well pleased with this and the other whites that evening. The Gigondas (also, by chance, one of my favorite wines) was a marvelous example of the type, full of complexity, and an inspired choice with the spiced fish.

Eating in the kitchen and watching Chef and his crew prepare our meals was a rare treat. The students I think impressed everybody with their professionalism and grace under the pressure of this group of food freaks. "Bravi" to Chef Pangaud and the students of the Academie for a memorable evening.

[Saycheese]

It was indeed a fabulous meal. The rockfish was astoundingly moist and succulent. When you're cooking for 40 people, that's not so easy to accomplish. The sauce, which included ketchup and soy sauce, had that certain je ne sais quoi -- the flavors were exotic and unexpected. While the lamb was substantial and rich, it made for really good leftovers. I'm sure I had the best brought from home lunch at work on Monday. Thanks to all who helped to organize this dinner and to the chef and his assistants. As a first-timer at one of these events, I really didn't know what to expect, but I had a great time and enjoyed meeting other Rockwellians in person. It seemed like it was a good mix of "regulars" and newbies. Plus, it was great to see the facilities at the Gaithersburg campus. It looks like a great place to learn the art of cooking.