ASSOCIATION DES AMIS
Gourmand Club
The Gourmand Club aims to bring together the gourmands and gourmets of the Association Des Amis who want to discover new restaurants, share good food with friends, taste local products (crepes, bread, honey, chocolate, jam, biscuits, beer...) or products from further afield (wine for example) and exchange recipes from France, Britain or all over the world.
Janet has taken over the reins from Val to run the Gourmand Club, but we encourage all members of the Foodies Club to help by suggesting activities, visits or restaurants they know or would like to try, and even take over the organisation of the event.
Visit to Chatillon Chocolatier at Pleyben, followed by lunch at Le Stirwen restaurant (also at Pleyben) - 11 December
19 members of the Gourmand Club met at Pleyben in Finistère. Janet had planned two events with help from Annie.
The first was a visit to Chatillon Chocolatier where they make chocolates by hand (their speciality being the well-known florentines), but also wonderful fruit jellies and a wide range of fruit-flavoured marshmallows.
The second event was lunch at the restaurant called "Le Stirwen" where we ate well for a very reasonable price. Eveyone seems to have had a great day!
Updated 30/06/2020
Tuesday Club
If you are interested, please contact Catherine Sinclair, President of the Association:
(telephone: 02.96.45.95.94 or email: info@associationdesamis.com).
Recent Events
November Event - Visit to La Rotonde, Carhaix
Fish Lunch at La Closerie, part of the Lycée Professionnel at Saint-Quay-Portrieux - 29 January
16 members of the Gourmand Club met at the Lycée Professionnel restaurant in Saint-Quay-Portrieux for a "seafood" lunch.
Meat Lunch at La Closerie, part of the Lycée Professionnel at Saint-Quay-Portrieux - 5 February
Wednesday, 5 February was our second visit in two weeks to "La Closerie", this time for a meal intended more for meat lovers. There were 12 of us, all seated at the same table.
The food was delicious, the service friendly and the company very pleasant.
Future Events
It seems a long time since we were able to meet to share food and friendship. Having recently met with the President and Vice-President of the Association it has been decided it is too early in the de-confinement to plan for the group to meet for lunch.
It is anticipated that a further reduction in rules for restaurants will occur in Mid July, if there is not an increase in number of people contracting the virus, so we will wait and see before discussing the potential for the group to recommence.
It is interesting to see how many restaurants have adapted to the difficult trading circumstances. Many have prepared 3 course take away lunches which have looked very appetizing and of course take-away evening menus seem very popular.
Restaurants’ have worked hard to comply with the new health regulations and are slowly opening, some at reduced hours and some have completely altered the lay-out of their restaurants to comply with distancing requirements.
The government has recently increased the daily meal allowance for workers from €19 a day to €38 a day for people who have to travel for work, and it can be used at weekends and bank holidays as an essential boost to the restaurant trade, so let’s hope there are not too many restaurant closures.
Until we can meet again, it would be good to keep the spirit of the group going through sharing recipes, maybe some pictures of dishes you have prepared and telling us a bit about them, or any food related article of interest.
I look forward to seeing your posts and pictures and to meeting up with you again as soon as we can.
Bon appetit and à bientôt.
Janet.
Many of us will have fresh beetroot growing in the garden. My childhood memory of beetroot is of it being pickled in vinegar and used throughout the year. But for me the earthy flavour of beetroot deserves to be treated more gently.
This recipe combines the sweetness of carrots and the earthiness of beetroot simply cooked.
Oven Roast Carrot and Beetroot
4 med carrots
4 fresh cooked beetroot
1tbsp balsamic vinegar
2tbsp honey
1tbsp olive oil
Fresh herbs of your choice
Pumpkin seeds optional
Heat oven to 180c gas 4.
Dice the carrots and mix with vinegar, honey and oil.
Roast for 30 minutes.
Add beetroot 5 minutes before the end and return to the oven.
Sprinkle with herbs and seeds.
