Review of 'From my Chateau Kitchen' by Anne Willan

From My Château Kitchen by Anne Willan

Photographs by Langdon Clay

Clarkson Potter/ Publishers, 304 pages, $45.00

Cookbooks have a unique way of transporting a reader to different locations through food. This month I have “met” teacher extraordinaire Anne Willan and have been “invited” to Château Le Feÿ, her home and cooking school in Burgundy. Just by opening her book, From My Château Kitchen, I have taken a delightful holiday guided by Willan and the lush photography of Langdon Clay.

Preceding the title page there are a series of photographs that set the stage for the cookbook. A view of the valley at sunrise, three cows quizzically staring at the camera, vineyards and church steeples, and finally a shot of Willan’s quiet kitchen with a solitary pot on the stove which introduces us to this creative and sumptuous book.

The story of Willan’s château quest began in 1982 when the family decided to put down roots in the French countryside. It was to be a residence secondaire, a weekend and summer home close to Paris. Anne Willan and her husband Mark Chernaivsky first saw Le Feÿ on a rain drenched March day. Soon after, they became the seventh owners of the 360 year-old château and it became their primary residence. I “walked” with Willan over her property and discovered the chapel, dairy, pigeon house, and a bread oven that could almost bake 600 pounds of bread in a single batch!

Willan writes about the lifestyle her family has carved from the château, its caretakers, and the Burgundy area. I “met” town people, local chefs, and students who have become part of Le Feÿ’s experience. Roger Milbert and Madame Milbert are central characters. As caretakers they are in charge of the gardens and the self sufficiency of the château. The friendship between Willan’s family and the Milberts is special. Monsieur Bondat is a bee keeper who parks his beehives on the property and pays rent with honey. Willan’s children grow up through the book and I “watch” them become young adults.

Willan’s observations and humor pepper each story but it is her attention to detail, variety, and depth of recipes where her culinary genius shines. Willan wants to infuse you with her passion for château-life and food. Each story is punctuated with a recipe. They can be as humble as Mom’s Own Fried Potatoes and Butter Roast Chicken with Fresh Herbs to Braised Wild Boar with Juniper and Frogs’ Legs on a Red and Green Field. Sugar-Crusted sponge Cakes are pictured coming out of antique molds but thanks to Willan’s ingenuity we are told that simple soup cans may be substituted.

French country food is dominated by the seasons and availability of ingredients. In the tiny appellation of Irancy, quails were once common. Willan gives a recipe for Quail with Grapes on a Potato Cake as a nod to this fact. It is an elegant dish. The quail is first wrapped in jarred grape leaves and then wrapped again in bacon to protect the breasts from drying out. The finished quail perches on a crispy potato cake and is napped in natural juices augmented with Cognac, white wine, and seedless green grapes.

Croustades of Red Peppers with Goat Cheese is an easy “gourmetized” bruschetta topped with red peppers, fresh tomatoes, capers, thyme and a healthy garnish of goat cheese. Quickly broiled these morsels are great appetizers or served with salad as a light dinner. A pairing of crispy Cabbage Salad with Cabbage and Goat Cheese Quiche may seem like an unlikely meal but the two renditions of cabbage complement each other perfectly.

“We” took a trip to Dijon, the capital of Burgundy and I discovered that Burgundian dukes controlled the oriental spice trade, and spices infused the dishes of Burgundy. Pain d’Epices, Burgundian Spice Bread, is redolent of aniseed, cinnamon and cloves. The recipe is a two part process. First the batter is made covered and let sit refrigerated, 8-12 hours. Egg yolks and baking soda are added the next day and the loaf pans are baked in a 250°F oven. This recipe was a favorite of Willan’s children when they were young and still a much requested treat.

The best was yet to come when I was “invited” to Willan’s daughter’s wedding! I could feel the excitement grow as I read the last few pages. Willan generously shared a version of Emma’s cake, a pistachio cake filled with raspberry or lemon curd and iced with a lemon-white chocolate buttercream.

“I’ve come to the conclusion that passion is the key to a good teacher“. Willan’s passion and love of teaching can be felt throughout this book. There is so much to learn and cook From My Château Kitchen. It is a wonderful addition to any library.

Willan loves her home and by opening its door and sharing her recipes I have had a delightful break from Portland’s spring.