Culinary Delight

 Yesterday we made our best effort to do some gardening at Chez Pigeon. But today……

It”s safe to say that over the years we have had multiple wonderful culinary experiences in France. Today we can notch up another one. We opted for the restaurant only a few kilometres down the road from Chez Pigeon called Coteaux & Fourchettes. We have been here before but I guess we forgot how wonderful it was. It’s setting is not spectacular, on a roundabout right in the midst of the Plan de Dieu vineyards - not necessarily the best wines in the Cotes du Rhône area. They have however managed to get themselves into the Michelin guide and as such they clearly are doing something right.

Today we started off with a few showers and the rest of the day was mainly overcast. But by the time lunch came it was nice enough to sit out on the terrace, which has a great outlook towards the Dentelles de Montmirail .

After a glass of champagne and a lobster amuse bouche, we, with the help of the sommelier, ordered a wine from Cairanne and the Vineyard at Rabasse Charavin with its female vintner Corrine Courturier.

This wine was perfectly complementary to the meal that we ordered. We started by sharing a duo of duck liver- foie gras du canard. One was a cold pate while the other half was warm pure unadulterated duck liver. Both were fabulous but even Dawn agreed that the warm one was the best.

We both ordered the same main course which was medallions of beef tenderloin set on a bed of girolles mushrooms. In the past we have been wary of ordering beef in France because it doesn’t tend to live up to the tender reputation of North American beef. So much for that thought.

For dessert, Dawn chose a prune cake while I had the special of the day which was a raspberry sorbet with a chocolate mousse cake.

Today’s meal certainly rates as one of the best that we have had in France on this trip and maybe even over the years. Blown away!!!