Myriam: the pied piper of chocolate
“It’s a Provence tradition where for Christmas Eve dinner, you eat thirteen desserts” my friend Myriam said and I have to confess that I scarcely heard anything after that. You know that I love dessert – this blog is pretty much a testament to my utter love of them, and the idea of eating thirteen desserts for a Christmas lunch seemed like the best excuse to move to France. Ever.
Pastis aperitif
Held at Tastevin bistro, a place that I had visited for my birthday last year and had a to-die-for gnocchi, dessert lovers assembled on sunny December afternoon. It wasn’t all dessert, we were to have an entree and main before our dessert extravaganza. While we’re mingling, and I chat to twitter stars @frombecca @hollingsworth @champagnejayne and @helencrozier and we sip a Pastis aperitif from the South of France. It is a deceptively aniseedy drink that looks like a lemon drink but is pure rich aniseed (too much for me I’m afraid!). Myriam tells us that there is a saying from a French actor Fernandel that says “Pastis is like boobs, one glass is not enough but three is too many”!
Personalised menu
The 13 desserts of Provence tradition starts as a recreation of a religious scene of the Last Supper with Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles with each course representing each attendee. Today’s meal would feature traditional Provence cuisine with an Australian twist. Despite the timing being so close to Christmas the event was a sold out success and we took our assigned seats at the table. We’re sitting next to Myriam and her husband Jean who will present a talk about Cognac.
Tastevin chef Martin Webster
We start off with a mixed Provençal antipasto plate to share. Chef Martin Webster comes out and explains them to us and says that the triangular slices of country style pork terrine are made from the pork shoulder and back fat with some liver and duck liver and Armagnac. It is hand chopped in order to get the pieces of pork fat in larger pieces. There is also an absolutely divine duck liver pate which is flavoured with Grand Marnier, pork and Armagnac. He makes this by pan frying it instead of baking the liver and it has an incredibly gorgeous texture-light but buttery and easily spread. Because it isn’t baked it also doesn’t oxidise and keeps its pink cheeked exterior.
Mixed Provençal antipasto
The last item, apart from the cornichons is the pork rillette which is gorgeously smooth. Usually rillette is pulled apart by forks and retains the texture of the meat but this is blended and smooth and easily spread still with that telltale rillette flavour. Also on the plate is a saucisson sausage which is brought in from a sausage maker Jean Marc who sells at Fox Studios markets. The house baked bread is excellent.
Easy Rose from St Tropez
We have a little break where they pour us a glass of “Easy Rose” Rose from St Tropez. This is to go with the traditional bouillabaisse which is paired with a sauce rouille and croutons. Myriam explains that the origins of Bouillabaisse go back as far as 6000BC where it originated at the sea port of Marseilles. The best fish was sold at the markets and any leftovers or cheaper fish were made into Bouillabaisse so whilst it’s features in good restaurants now it had rather humble beginnings.
Traditional Bouillabaisse
Sauce rouille and croutons
The word Bouillabaisse is broken up into bouil which is “to boil” and baisse refers to the cooking method. Every time a new fish was added to the soup, it slowed down the boiling process and abaisse means to “lower” which presumably means the fish into the pot. The word for rouille means “rust” and it is a mayonnnaise based garlic and tomato mixture. The Bouillabaisse here is lovely, a rich broth fragrant in rich prawn head stock and the fish is tender. There is also an enormous prawn and two mussels and the garlic crouton spread with the rouille provides a crunchy, creamy contrast.
Quiz time!
There’s a little break as Myriam gives us a little five question quiz about Provence where the winners will receive prizes. And then it’s dessert time! Actually no scratch that, it’s thirteen dessert time! I suspected that since it was a French tradition and they have some enviable self control, it wouldn’t be a dessertapalooza where we would be groaning and clutching our stomachs. I pictured civilised, dainty, chic morsels.
The 13 desserts have landed!
13 desserts are bound to coax the cameras out
And that’s what we got. I had to tweet “The 13 desserts have landed!” in my excitement. In the centre of the room plates of sweets are brought out and thank heavens they are petit four sized desserts as Mr NQN are supposed to go out for dinner that same night. Myriam explains that when choosing the desserts for this tradition, there are four key components:
1. Something from Africa to represent the Three Wise Men (dates)
2. A nougat-usually a dark and a white nougat to signify evil versus good (in this case just the one dark nougat)
Dessert #1: Chocolate nougat
3. A brioche which signifies breaking bread with others
4. Mendiants which feature four nuts and dried fruit representing the monastic orders of the Dominicans, Augustinians, Franciscans and Carmelites. The nuts and fruit that are used represent the colour of monastic robes. Traditionally the have raisins for the Dominicans, hazelnut for the Augustinians, fig for Franciscans and almonds for Carmelites but these ones have walnut, orange peel, goji berries, freeze dried raspberries and sunflower seeds.
Dessert # 2: Almond “calissons”
Dessert #3: Violet Dark Chocolate
Citrus is also featured as that is a popular item in Provence and today it comes in the form of an orange sorbet. Flowers like lavender and violet are also featured and today it comes in the form of a lavender panna cotta and a violet and lavender chocolate. Herbs such as fennel and tarragon are also used. Calissons are an item that are new to me and these come from Aix de Provence. These little diamond shaped morsels are made up of ground almond, candied melon and a glaze of icing sugar and originate in the 15th century of Provence.
Dessert #4: Blood orange milk chocolate with rosemary and tarragon
Dessert #5: Chocolate mendiants
Dessert #6 &7: Fresh melon and watermelon
We try the morsels-the chocolates are delicious and are a mixture of Kakawa and Boon chocolates, my favourites being the chocolate mendiants with a lovely combination of textures and the dark chocolate ganache with violet flowers. The blood orange milk chocolate with rosemary and tarragon features a jelly pate de fruits layer on top and is an interesting mix of flavours.
Dessert #8: brioche with sultanas
Dessert #9: grapefruit marmalade
We try a slice of sultana studded brioche with a moreish, thick grapefruit marmalade (divine) and the almond calissons are rich in almond flavour and oh so chic. I must admit that I gave the dates and fresh fruit a miss (my stomach’s priority is other sweets).
Dessert #10: dates
Dessert # 11 and 12: Lavender panna cotta with orange sorbet
The lavender panna cotta is wobbly with two layers and very strong in lavender. Perhaps too strong for me but I absolutely adore the orange sorbet which is just the right amount of citrus and sweet and is very refreshing. It’s so refreshing it spurs on some bravado from others who feel like they could go for another round of desserts.
Dessert #13: dark chocolate with cinnamon and orange peel
Our very last course is a taste of Hennessy XO Cognac with a dark chocolate and cinnamon and orange peel chocolate which is a very judicious pairing. I admit I’m not really a cognac drinker but it pairs wonderfully with the chocolate. Jean explains the process of cognac making. Cognac is made from a grape variety called Ugni Blanc and is only produced in the South West of France in the Charentes region as no other region in the world has the correct soil environment and characteristics. Cognac starts from white wines which are slow double distilled. 9 litres of wine produces 1 litre of eau-de-vie (water of life). The eaux-de-vie is then aged in oak barrels in Limousin in the centre of France for at least three years. Cognac is then made from a blend of several eaux-de-vie from different cru and years.
Jean Conrie explaining about how cognac is made
And the bottle was an innovation in itself when it first came out. Did you know that it is supposed to look like a bunch of grapes when it is tipped upside down? And with that he tells us about My Itinerary’s next lunch, one celebrating the Basque area in February.
With that, we’ve spent a leisurely four hours lunching on two savoury courses and thirteen desserts. Why can’t every day feature thirteen desserts?
So tell me Dear Reader, what would you just have to include on your 13 desserts list?
And a little chocolate encore in our goodie bags!
NQN and Mr NQN dined as guests of Myitinerary
The Thirteen Desserts of Provence
292-294 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9356 3429
Open 12noon-2am
Closed Tuesdays
http://www.tastevin.com.au/
http://www.mytinerary.com.au/
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51 Comments | Add your own
I adore Provence and wrote about the 13 desserts with my own version in my Christmas post last year at http://blog.maisoncupcake.com/13-desserts-for-christmas-eve-mes-treize-desserts-de-provence/
The event you went to do had a fabulous selection, I am just astonished you managed to eat them all after that stupendous meal?!
Ah, not been to the south of France this year and now I am pining for it…
13 desserts?? UM YES PLEASE!!! I would have to include creme brulee – I have had quite the craving for it lately
Yum! I’m so salivating now. The food puts the 12 days of Christmas song to shame. And dare I say it…looks better than an Oprah giveaway!!
i am so jealous of the delicious life you lead!! i think i might have to add macarons to my 13 dessert list… and perhaps something with marzipan. mmm.
I love your blog, Lorraine! It always makes me drool at my desk. But this time 13 desserts!!! That did it for me, yummo.
I will have to try this place out soon, thanks for blogging about it.
Oh how delicious! I love anything that even has a hint of France, but you didn’t give the answers to the questions… how will we know how we fared??
The desserts all look amazing and so cute. Once again YUM!
Wow, what a superb, delicious post, Lorraine!! merci, merci!
I’m really glad you enjoyed the Provencal lunch and 13 desserts – on my end it was a really fun event to work on, digging all these stories around the bouillabaisse, calissons et al.
Hope my “7 Wonders of Basque Cuisine” on Feb 5 is as entertaining
Ah… Pastis and bouillabaise! you just helped bringing back some really good memories of many summers spent in Cote d’Azur…
And those desserts!! No more words
Dario
13 desserts – what fun!
What a wonderful experience. I think my favorite would have been the panna cotta but I would have liked to have been there just to make sure.
Oh my goodness I have to stop reading this over breakfast. 8am chocolate cravings are not good.
Vanilla panna cotta, brownie, creme brulee and something with almonds and strawberries would be on my list. Yum!
Haha, I love that opening paragraph, Lorraine! Also what a great idea for a Christmas event.
Can I come to the Christmas meal of desserts?
Thirteen desserts? The French have such fabulous ideas when it comes to food! You would have thought that 13 would be overload, but it looks just right!
Great story!
Having just returned from our foodies honeymoon Tour of England & France my 13 desserts would have to include the following: sticky pudding w/ rich vanilla custard, crepes, Zumbo Macarons, tarte tartin, anything Nutella, Patrick Roger handpainted lime chocolates, praline tarte, creme brûlée , Valhrona dark orange chocolate with candied orange pieces, Normany Brie w/ figs, glacé strawberries from the markets in Loches, chocolate Fondant and to finish a yummy sauterne , Devine
Always lovely to see you at an event Lorraine. Thanks for adding to my memory of the day with this post. Have a happy Christmas @frombecca x
oh wow – 13 desserts? i could really have some panna cotta right now!
Definitely chocolate, and gelato, not necessarily together. (And forget about the desserts, the chefs looked quite tasty..)
Oh yessss! These Frenchies have such dam good ideas. 13 desserts indeedy, am lovin’ the idea.
In fact… Christmas for me is ALL ABOUT the desserts., for many a long year I’ve saved myself for the desserts at the Christmas table.
Can’t imagine even suggesting anything else…., will just have to say. ‘I’m having what she’s having’
Hi Lorraine
We attended Myriam’s fabulous event also and your blog is a brilliant summary of the wonderful afternoon of dining, drinking, laughter and fun and of course tucking into those amazing dessertsand the pictures are again making my mouth water all over again!!!
Cant wait for the Basque event next year
Merry Christmas
Leanne xx
Wow, captured the memories so deliciously!
13 desserts?! All I can say is can I move to France with you, lol! They all look gorgeous, Lorraine, especially the chocolates and that refreshing orange sorbet. I love how everything has significance too!
I’m italian, and we do 12 courses on Christmas eve, which relates (somehow, please don’t ask me to elabourate!)to the 12 apostles… This looks amazing, I’m swooning…
WHAT a delightful experience, TRUE!
THANKS!
Too bad is only for Christmas Eve too!:)
Mini bite portions, world cuisines are my forte!
Raspberry tiramisi (mini bite portion of course) would make my day!
Not really a dessert person, TRUE!
But enjoy something lemony to cleanse the palate too!
Tim Tam truffles! Mini Bombe Alaska with mini sparklers, does kind of excite!
Better stop there lol, wishing a great day to all….or night!
Why are all these great events in Sydney? Melbourne is missing out!
13 desserts….that sounds like my type of Christmas. I think I need to move to Provence.
A 13 dessert menu, it is too good to be true ey?! The dessert looks awesome and I’m so intrigued that a restaurant would serve it. Lucky you!
13 desserts! I’m so jealous!! I was trying to figure out which I’d like best but they all sound pretty good. How could you even eat the savouries knowing what you had lying ahead?
13 desserts? Yep, that completely works for me.
It is sovery important to maintain some of these traditions – don’t you think?!
Oh, how heavenly! You know how I feel about desserts and chocolate
FOr me, the 13 desserts would have to involve cocoa nibs, salted caramel, chestnuts, lavendar, lemon, pistachios… oh, heavens, this is torture when I just ate Qantas “vegetable fats and oils-based” shortbread star on my flight…
twitter star indeed.. i’ve never been called that
)
was super great to finally meet you and thank you for such a delicious write-up – my descriptions have not been doing it justice but this along with Rebecca’s post complete the picture.
Oh your photos Lorraine…. the duck liver pate, the divine bouillabaise and wonderful pannacotta/lemon sorbet..!!!
I want to do it all over again!
Helen
Anywhere that has 13 desserts has five stars in my book! WOW…
fabulous.
I’m with Helen. Super to finally meet you face to face Lorraine, and a pleasure to be seated next to you and watch you work! Wow, the photos, and attention to detail you’ve shown in this post is inspiring. The memories of the day have been enhanced, so thank you for that.
Best,
Tony
Hi Lorraine,
Fantastic story, beautiful pictures and great company on that day too. Good to read you enjoyed the Hennessy X.O! Thank you very much for everything!
Best,
Jean
Gorgeous pics of that beautiful Myriam!
The experience sounds and looks absolutely divine!
Thank goodness some of those desserts were dainty in size. Otherwise, I feared for your life. LOL
Wow, 13 desserts AFTER a meal. Now, that’s an accomplishment.
Divine decadence! Truffles, calissons, mendiants, and brioche – what a spread. Only, I felt something was missing…er, they didn’t serve the classic Buche de Noel?
I feel like I’ve learnt a lot from this post alone. Like the process of making cognac. I feel that the explanation is simple yet delivers a lot.
Thank you.
I can only pick 13? Oh lordie lordie where to start!
1. My Nans Lemon Delicious Pudding
2. My Nans Chocolate Banana Cream Roll
(CWA Ladies Classics)
3. A Creme Brulee (with a little drizzle of Genipe on top)
4. Candied orange, dipped in dark chocolate
5. Choc Pot with Dipping Ginger Shortbread
6. Turkish Delight
7. Baklava
8. Brown Sugar Pavlova
9. Raspberry Champagne Jelly
10. Tart Tatin
11. Blood Orange Sorbet
12. Brandy Poached cherries with chantilly cream
13. Lamington
Sheesh – now all I want is vegemite toast! Virtual Sugar OD.
My list would have to include that lavender pannacotta and violet chocolates. Maybe I could revolve the whole thing around floral scents and flavours… Jasmine marshmallows, vanilla macarons(it is an orchid blossom), orange blossom madeleines, rose gellees, saffron(crocus)sponge fingers,sweet ricotta zucchini flower fritters, only 5 more to go…magnolia (iflavour spray), pansies, thyme blossoms, single origin honey- like yellow box blossom, and rosella(wild hibiscus blooms). Doesn’t that sound like a posy of tasty pleasure?
In this French dessert line-up, I’d like to see a Profiterole or two !
I’ve always wanted to make a Christmas Eve meal ending with les treize desserts! The blood orange milk chocolate with rosemary and tarragon sounds amazing.
Well, I tend to focus on the savory side so I think 13 desserts would be too much for me!! I would however be VERY happy with those appys and the main. What a fun experience!
Wow! This is taking les 13 desserts to an new all-time high! Funny, i just wrote about the 13 desserts for a Huff Post piece and I can tell you none were wrapped in chocolate. But oh if they were! Perfect day, gorgeous lunch and a fabulous ending!
Oh wow! What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon! I really enjoyed learning about how the courses relate to the Last Supper and Christian Christmas. Totally cool!
haHA–at first, i thought that said violeNt dark chocolate and then i scrolled down to see BLOOD orange. i was beginning to wonder where this post was going!
What a brilliant tradition! Almond calissons are a favourite. *sigh* take me back to Provence! Aix-en-provence is one of my favourite places in the world.
The Lavender panna cotta with orange sorbet sounds just beautiful.
The antipasto plate looks delicious. As do all the desserts! SO very chic and dainty
On my list would have to be a creme brulee , some gelati (lemon or something citrusy, and also cinnamon) and something incredibly decadent like chocolate fondant or souffle.
Heidi xo
Oh my, 13 desserts! Heaven. I would definitely need to include a lemon curd tart on my desserts list
13 desserts sounds like a fabulous end to a meal. I would have to include chocolate mousse.
My liver hurts just thinking about actually eating that many
desserts. I like Boure Joungens
on a plain scoop of vanilla ice
cream. “Farmer Boys”, as the Dutch do, are raisins fermented
in brandy with cinnamon sticks for a month. Yummy by the spoon-
ful, yummy as a topping. Good for
a warm buzz.
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