Les TonTons Trinqueurs Edition 2015

by Paige Donner 

What's better than sipping Burgundy on a barge parked along the Seine in Paris? 

Burgundy Wine Tasting at Les TonTons Trinqueurs Paris 2015. Photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015.

The wittily named Les TonTons Trinqueurs (which is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the old cult French comedy film, les TonTons Flingueurs, or Crooks in Clover) took place on what felt like the first spring day of the year in Paris. 

To "trinqueur" in French means to drink to someone's health, and by 10:30 am this vast and roomy barge, accommodating easily 300 people, was already nearly filled to capacity. That's what the call of Burgundy wines does. It gets even Parisians up and out of bed early enough to enjoy a morning of excellent wine tasting.

Burgundy Wine Tasting at Les TonTons Trinqueurs Paris 2015. Photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015.

There were other wines at the tasting as well, notably two champagnes, including the distinguished house of Jacquesson who were just releasing their Cuvée no.738 for public scrutiny. There were also a few wines fom Languedoc (Olivier Pithon), the Loire (Gérard Boulay), Provence (Jempier), and the Rhone (Ogier). But the large majority, present by the dozens, were the many and varied Burgundy vignerons who were pouring fom their 2013 vintage. 

Burgundy Wine Tasting at Les TonTons Trinqueurs Paris 2015. Laura Coffinet of Domaine Coffinet-Duvernay. Photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015.

I asked Laura Coffinet and Philippe Duvernay what they were drinking now at home, and they frankly replied that their Chassagne-Montrachet 2008s are just coming into their own.

Tastings like these teach you how to anticipate and also how to recognize outstanding quality even when it's still young and fresh and lacks nothing but a bit of age. 

More Info at tontons-trinqueurs.com 



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L’Institut Paul Bocuse Celebrates Its 25th Year

by Paige Donner 

Hervé Fleury, CEO of L'Institut Paul Bocuse, addressing Press at Le Pavillon Ledoyen, photo copyright Paige Donner

Celebrating its 25th year, the Institut Paul Bocuse culinary arts school chose a most fitting location for its fête: Le Pavillon Ledoyen Paris, recently awarded its 3rd Michelin star under the new ownership of Chef Yannick Alléno. Present also was one of the institute's founding advisors, former Cultural Minister of France, Jack Lang.

L-R Jack Lang speaks with Chef Yannick Alléno and Gérard Pélisson at Le Pavillon Ledoyen, Paris, at the 25th anniversary celebration of L'Institut Paul Bocuse. photo by Paige Donner copyright all rights reserved.

Celebrating its successful graduates and partnerships over the past 25 years, including with Accor Hotels, Danone and many others, under the leadership of the illustrious chef, Paul Bocuse and his indispensable team, Gérard Péllisson and Hervé Fleury, they are looking forward to the even more culinary creativity and innovation in French cuisine as they train the next generations. 

The institute also serves as a business incubator for new concepts in the hospitality, F&B and culinary arts world. It has helped launch four operational businesses so far. 

It als has implemented a new 11-week course for professionals looking to create and establish their own restaurant. These professionals might come from a culinary background with training, or perhaps are looking for a career change.  Some of the participants are French, while others come from a diverse multicultural and international background. 

Photo courtesy Institut Paul Bocuse

In French: 

...nouvellement créé, ce programme de 11 semaines est destiné à celles  et ceux qui souhaitent créer et diriger leur restaurant. L'Institut paul Bocuse a initié un partenariat avec CCI Formation Lyon et collabore avec l'uMIH Formation. 10 stagiaires amateurs en reconversion (40 ans de moyenne d'âge) viennent de la France entière, de l'étranger et d'horizons très divers (chef de vente, directeur commercial et marketing, informaticien, DRH, médecin, etc.). L'objectif de l'Institut paul Bocuse est d'inscrire ce programme au Registre national de la Certification professionnelle (RnCp) dans les 3 ans. 

On the school's premises in the city center of Lyon, France there is one gastronomic restaurant open to the public:  Saisons

Le restaurant gastronomique Saisons Ouvert au public, ce restaurant pédagogique permet aux étudiants d'évoluer en situation réelle et ainsi d'acquérir les connaissances nécessaires à l'exigence des métiers de la restauration gastronomique.

More information can be found on their website: institutpaulbocuse.com

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La Bonnotte of Ile de Noirmoutier - The World's Most Expensive Potato

by Paige Donner

It's nearly May - and that means La Bonnotte is just about in season! 

La Bonnotte, for those of you not familiar with it, is a little yellow gem that grows on the small, sheltered Isle of Noirmoutier in France's northwest region of the Vendée. And while myself and other culinary gourmands can easily mistake this little tuber for the Royal Star of Paris diamond, it is, in fact, entirely edible. Yes, this little tuber is a potato... île de Noirmoutier... Read my full article HERE

Early potatoes from the Ile de Noirmoutier - a feverishly awaited seasonal delicacy in France!

Its tubers have smooth, yellow skin and dark yellow flesh, finely grained. They are round, and the eyes are semi-sunken. The plant is sizeable and upright with a pigmented stalk and fairly short leaves, marked with a very glossy dark green. The leaflets have an embossed aspect. The flowers are small and white, and the fruits are reddish. It is resistant to potato wart and also, it seems, to degeneration disease. Its period of dormancy is quite long and it is also fairly slow to sprout – a delay it catches up on later. - Diehl

île de Noirmoutier... Read my full article HERE

Ile de Noirmoutier - Lady on bicycle with baguette. Photo by Paige Donner copyright 2014 all rights reserved. Find More of Paige's photography here:  http://paigedonnerphotography.wordpress.com

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Paris GOODfood+wine - Episode 4

GOODfood+wine aka Paris GOODfood+wine © Paige Donner 2014

Paris GOODfood+wine airing on World Radio Paris

Episode 4 

1. Climats de Bourgogne  by Paige Donner - Interview with Guillaume D'Angerville

2. Emily Dilling Interview by Paige Donner - In studio interview with our GOODfood+wine fresh market reporter

3. Chef Singer (formerly) of Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School Paris -  Interview by Gabrielle Mondesire 

4. Restaurant Review L'Amarante - Paige Donner interviews Alec Lobrano, Paris restaurant critic,  in-studio

Episode 4 airs on World Radio Paris on April 5th, Easter Sunday, at 11am. Listen for it at the same time the rest of the month or on-demand, streaming at WorldRadioParis.fr/listen-again

In this episode of Paris GOODfood+wine ….

You'll be hearing from one of Burgundy's most knowledgeable proponents, Guillaume D'Angerville, of their UNESCO World Heritage candidacy which at present is being considered for inclusion as a world cultural site of outstanding universal value,

Next Emily Dilling, our market report regular contributor stops by the World Radio Paris studios to chat with us a bit and tell us about her upcoming book release.

photo courtesy tastings.fr

Then Gabrielle Mondesire shares her interview with the former head chef of Paris' Le Cordon Bleu cooking school where she works as a translator.

And, finally, Alec Lobrano brings us his newest bistro pick, L'Amarante, which happens to also be a hot new Paris address that has several of his French restaurant critic peers abuzz these days, too.

photo courtesy AlexanderLobrano.com

Paige Donner hosts and produces Paris GOODfood+wine.

This episode of GOODfood+wine was brought to you in part by the generous support of FUSAC. FUSAC.fr is Paris' expat community resource and infomration publication since 1988.

And by the generous support of Paris Food And Wine

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