Who doesn’t remember with delighted longing a meal (or two or twenty) from our travels? When we look back on a trip, images of an elegant meal presentation or scenic setting, a succulent roast or to-die-for dessert can eclipse those of the cathedral or museum we saw that day.
A great pleasure of discovering a destination is sampling its regional specialties. Although joy might be found in a juicy bratwurst or a perfect platter of fish and chips, one has special appreciation for the culinary skills, artistic vision and long hours of preparation orchestrated by the world’s special destination restaurants.
Enter Michelin, the standard bearer of refined taste. We thought we’d share with you highlights of a menu from Le Millénaire, the Michelin-starred restaurant in Reims where travelers on our recent “Pleasures of Paris” trip lunched between a Champagne dégustation and cooking demonstration at Le Cordon Bleu, poor chaps. Remember, calories don’t count when you’re on vacation!
Which foods stand out from your travels?
Le Millénaire Menu
LES ENTREES (Appetizers)
Le homard en salade et en tartare; une rémoulade de tourteau, pomme verte et wasabi
Lobster salad and lobster tartar; remoulade of crab, green apple and wasabi
L’escalope de foie gras de canard “des Landes” poêlée aux saveurs de la région
Escalope of foie gras from des Landes duck, pan fried with regional herbs and spices
Les langoustines en trois versions: nems, tartare et cappucino
A trio of crawfish: spring roll, tartar and cappuccino
POISSONS ET CRUSTACES (Fish and Shellfish)
Le bar breton cuit en vapeur douce, petits pois en bouillon à la Française, caviar d’aquitaine
Steamed Breton sea bass, peas in French bouillon, Aquitaine caviar
Les noix de coquilles St. Jacques grillées, des rattes écrasées au beurre fumé, une salade d’herbes et bouillon vert pré
Grilled scallops, mashed potatoes with smoked butter, herb salad and green herb sauce
Le homard rôti, risotto au safran et petits légumes, sauce légére au corail de homard
Roasted lobster, risotto with saffron and vegetables, light lobster roe sauce
VIANDES ET VOLAILLES (Meat and Poultry)
La pomme de ris de veau de lait braisée au four, des côtes de feuilles de blettes au jus de truffe
Oven-braised veal sweetbreads, Swiss chard leaves with truffle juice
Le carré de cochon “Ibérique” en cuisson lente, une fricassée de rattes, champignons et lard fumé
Slow-cooked Iberian rack of pork, fricassee of charlotte potatoes, mushrooms and smoked lard
Les suprêmes de pigeonneau fermier rôtis au sautoir, legumes façon tajine et citron confit
Farm-raised pan-roasted pigeon squab, vegetable tajine and lemon confit
LES DESSERTS (Desserts)
La crème brulée à l’orchidée des îles
Crème brulee with island orchids
Le 360° de sorbets et fruits frais de saison
360° of sorbets and fresh seasonal fruit
La fine boule au chocolat et crémeux manjari
Balls of chocolate and creamy manjari