Cooking Courses 2010

Mediterranean Cooking

The South of France gives us a cusine both vibrant and fragrant. Its cooking is influenced by Spain to the West, Italy to the East and to a lesser extent by the rest of the Mediterranean Basin.

Olive oil is the fat of choice. Fish and seafood are staples, vegetables, fruit and herbs the essence of the cooking. Poultry, meat and game feature too but often in smaller quantities than in the North.

Sample Menu:

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Tapenade with Eggs and Croutes
Pissaladière
Fillets of Rascasse with Bay Leaves
Lavender Sorbet
La Bourride or Daube de Boeuf
Ratatouille Niçoise
Nougat Glacé with honey
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Cooking of the Loire

The Loire Valley is known as the bread basket of France. With the Atlantic Ocean just to the west and many tributaries feeding the river on its journey there, there is an abundance of fish and seafood.

The region is renowned for its pork, salt-marsh lamb and chicken. Wild Boar, wild rabbits and game birds are found throughout along with wild and cultivated mushrooms, chestnuts, hazelnuts and walnuts.

Sample Menu:

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Celeri Remoulade
Rillettes of Pork, Duck or Goose
Pike or Sandre with Beurre Blanc
Noisettes de Porc aux Pruneaux
Baked Giant Chard Stalks
A Tasting of Local Cheeses
La Tarte Des Demoiselles Tatin
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French Country Cooking

We combine the rustic and chic flavours of the French countryside to create a menu of contrasts. With the whole country to choose from, it's simply a matter of what looks fresh and delicious.

Sample Menu:

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Leeks served in a Coulis of Beetroot
Moules Marinières
Salmon Poached in Olive Oil
Red Onion Tart with Garlic and Olive oil Pastry
Orange Infused Duck Breast on a Bed of Lentils
Green Salad with a crown of potato crisps
Pear Belle-Hélène
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Vegetarian Gourmet

We explore the best of vegetarian cooking, looking for flavours and textures that will excite and delight the palate.

Sample Menu:

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Meze: Grilled Seasonal Vegetables, Tapenade, Land Cress Tzatziki, Sprouted Houmous
Fried Squash Blossoms stuffed with Sage and Light Cheese
Spaghetti with Garlic, Chili & Oven-Dried Tomatoes
Sauteed Baby Artichokes
Ratatouille Niçoise
Aaron's Open-Faced Mushroom Lasagne with Truffle Oil
A Trio of Fresh Fruit Sorbets
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Fearless with Fish

One of the joys of shopping in France is the abundance of fish and seafood in the markets, especially here in Thouars, where we are less than ninety minutes from the Atlantic ocean and surrounded by rivers which abound with fish.

Preparing and cooking fish and seafood can be intimidating, but we are here to make that easy. Whether it's oysters, mussels and langoustines followed by Bouillabaisse, La Bourride or Sea-Bass grilled with fennel fronds and finshed with Pastis, you'll leave Misse with the ability and confidence to prepare and fillet almost any fish, make a fish stock and with a couple of great fish and seafood recipes to add to your repertoire.

Sample Menu:

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Marenne Oysters with Mignonette
Carpaccio of Wild Salmon or Sea Trout
Grilled Langoustines with a Fresh Citrus Mayonnaise
Spicy Pan-Fried Squid with Rocket and Lime
Spaghetti with a Sauce of Fresh Tuna
Fillets of Red Mullet with Parmesan
Ile Flottante in (chocolate) shark infested custard
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Flavours of the South-West France

The wines of Bordeaux and Cognac are renowned world-wide, the cooking is varied, the best known dishes hearty. This is the region of goose fat, foie-gras and truffles.

Fish and Seafood are excellent here, but perhaps the region is best known for Cassoulet, Toulouse Sausages and Foie Gras.

Sample Menu:

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Marenne Oysters with Mignonette
Scallops sautéed with shallots and parsley
Pan-fried Foie Gras
Confit de Canard
Cassoulet
Pommes de Terres Sarladaise
Merveilles Charentais
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A Menu of Your Choosing

Whether there is something you have always wanted to cook or you just want to see what looks good on the day, just give us a ring and book the date you'd like.