Event Recaps > Bastille Day event and cooking demo at La Ferme
July 10, 2008
Excellent food was accompanied by great conversation at the French International Culinary Society’s Bastille Day cooking demonstration by Chef Alain Roussel - held at La Ferme restaurant in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Since its opening in 1985, La Ferme restaurant has kept locals coming back with classic contemporary French food and a relaxing atmosphere that many busy Washingtonians appreciate.
During the "Techniques of a Maître Cuisinier de France," Chef Roussel demonstrated his secrets of preparing vegetable paella, chilled ratatouille soup with basil, and aspic de pêches blanches au vin de Sauternes (white peach aspic prepared with Sauternes wine). To review the cooking demo recipes, download the .pdf version.
Read our report on the Techniques of a Maître Cuisinier de France, and click on the photos for a larger version:
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Chef Roussel started the demonstration by creating a chilled ratatouille soup with basil. He provided tips on how to make the recipes adaptable to items guests might find in their own refrigerators, and supplied some of his personal tips on creating the perfect consistency for such soups. |
Following Chef Roussel’s demonstration, FICS members were given the opportunity to continue the evening with a champagne and wine cocktail get-together on the La Ferme’s newly-renovated terrace. This enabled attendees to ask Chef Roussel questions on French cooking, and provided a casual and elegant networking opportunity. |
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As the FICS guests sat down for dinner, they were presented with the chilled ratatouille soup that was demonstrated earlier in the evening by Chef Roussel. This provided a refreshing start, and was a welcomed contrast to the evening’s warm summer temperatures. For the second course (shown here), attendees were treated to Tilapia with a white Champagne sauce and fresh local vegetables. |
| The evening’s finishing touch was aspic de pêches blanches au vin de Sauternes, with a scoop of freshly made peach ice cream and a brioche to top it off. |
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