On Wednesday night we go to war

On Wednesday night we go to war.

I asked a chef that I once worked for what was a really good foundation cook book to buy to start teaching myself to cook. He said to me “I don’t really read cook books.” After a bit of coaxing he offered up the name of a book he had heard of in TAFE, “Larousse Gastronomique”, I don’t think he had read it, nor did I feel that he thought I should. Being the inquisitive kind of person I am I bought it, and have read it regularly ever since.

‘Larousse’, is an amazing book, packed with stories of food, history and recipes. Is probably one of the three most important culinary books to me, along with; ‘A Year in Provence’ and ‘Stephanie Alexander’s Cooks Companion’. Inside I was inspired by the story of Cassoulet and vowed to try it some day. Like most good things, once you come across them once, they keep popping up. I read an article by Terry Durack years ago about being a lone diner (eating cassoulet), until I read this I had not dined alone by choice, yet since I take every valuable opportunity to do just that.

Six years ago I was in Leura on my own for three days studying to become a licensee and one night took myself out to dinner. At the top of the menu was Cassoulet, my first chance had arrived, I still remember exactly what I had that night;

Ricard,

Fresh baked bread with French butter

A simple salad

Cassoulet, served with two glasses of Pinot Noir.

Since our second year of opening Chef Aaron has done his best every winter to pay tribute to this dish which is said to have a history that dates back 700 years. The dish was first cooked to help the occupants of Castelnaudary fight of a siege held by the Black Prince Edward of Wales in 1355. They used only the ingredients they had left, duck, pork, haricot beans and pork sausage. With the energy and moral gained from the stew they broke the siege.

This dish is not for everyone, but for us it is the only dish that cannot be compromised, it is packed full of history and every winter I eat it twice, then save one more serve for me in the freezer, to eat alone. It tasted like the earth, or like a farm. It wraps you up and holds you close, then gently helps you sleep. It is the kind of dish a farmer’s wife in Languedoc would cook her husband on his birthday, or…..before he goes to war.

Wednesday Night is Cassoulet Night

Our first cassoulet for 2010 will be served at 5pm, Wednesday, 9^th June. Bookings are recommended

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