Comments on: Ortolan - At Last! http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/ foodblogging los angeles Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:50:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: MaxMillion http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/#comment-406022 MaxMillion Tue, 11 Nov 2008 23:12:35 +0000 http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/#comment-406022 OhMiGod - I just read Gianni's report on the history of force-feeding those tiny birds known as Ortolan. WOW! And I thought I'd heard everything (kidding!) OhMiGod - I just read Gianni’s report on the history of force-feeding those tiny birds known as Ortolan. WOW! And I thought I’d heard everything (kidding!)

]]> By: jocelyn torino http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/#comment-405951 jocelyn torino Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:42:58 +0000 http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/#comment-405951 i would like u to send me a photo and recipe for amuse bouche. i would like u to send me a photo and recipe for amuse bouche.

]]> By: Pauline http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/#comment-286469 Pauline Fri, 18 Jan 2008 06:31:04 +0000 http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/#comment-286469 Thanks for all that info Gianni Mac! While I am against eating endangered species, I am curious if any readers here have actually tasted ortolan. Anyone? (If you have, I'm hoping it was well over a decade ago and not recently, since the comment above says the bird became rare in 1999.) Thanks for all that info Gianni Mac!

While I am against eating endangered species, I am curious if any readers here have actually tasted ortolan. Anyone? (If you have, I’m hoping it was well over a decade ago and not recently, since the comment above says the bird became rare in 1999.)

]]> By: Gianni Mac http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/#comment-285105 Gianni Mac Tue, 15 Jan 2008 12:38:03 +0000 http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/#comment-285105 Great review and a wonderful restaurant! In case any of your readers wonder about the origin of the name.... Ortolan. This small songbird, part of the bunting family and found in southwest France, among many places, doesn't seem much less palatable than other small birds like squab. Even in the pages of the Larousse Gastronomique, one of France's cooking bibles, the ortolan receives straightforward treatment. “They can be prepared in any way suitable for Garden Warblers or Larks,â€? it says, as though either bird were regularly packaged by Perdue. “Gastronomes hold the opinion that the only way to cook this bird is to roast it in the oven or on the spit and insist that it should not be cooked in anything but its own fat.â€? Hmm ... what could they be hiding? The other half of the ortolan story isn't much talked about nowadays since France outlawed the eating of the increasingly rare bird in 1999. (When the French outlaw a food, you know something's up. This is the country trying to preserve foie gras as a legally sanctified culinary tradition.) Once captured, the ortolan would traditionally be left in a dark box, where the lack of light would prompt it to gorge itself. When plumped up to three or four times its normal size, the bird would be drowned in a snifter of armagnac, then quickly roasted for six or eight minutes and served hot. It's the brandy part that usually raises eyebrows; in an era of bolt guns and humane slaughter, drowning your food seems a tad gratuitous. The only obvious corollary is drunken prawns, found on some Singaporean and Indonesian menus, drowned in rice wine. Drowning a rare songbird somehow seems more sadistic than dunking a shrimp in booze. The traditional means of eating the ortolan is whole — bones, innards and all, except the head or beak, which is bitten off — with the diner's head covered by a napkin. The upfront explanation of the ritual? This impromptu headgear allows the diner to inhale all the roast bird's earthy, rich aroma. So claimed chef Jean-Louis Palladin in Stewart Lee Allen's book, "The Devil's Garden: A Sinful History Of Forbidden Food." "It is really like you are praying, see?" Palladin apparently said. "Like when you take the Mass into your mouth from the priest's hand in church and you think about God." The alternate explanation is that a priest developed the custom to shield his gluttony, and shame, from God. You decide. The ortolan's most recent brush with fame came in 1998, when it was revealed to have been a pivotal course in former French President François Mitterand's last meal. A week before dying of cancer, Mitterand ordered a grand feast for 30 that included oysters, foie gras and a long row of two-ounce ortolans. By some accounts, Mitterand polished off two, bones and all. Great review and a wonderful restaurant! In case any of your readers wonder about the origin of the name….
Ortolan. This small songbird, part of the bunting family and found in southwest France, among many places, doesn’t seem much less palatable than other small birds like squab.
Even in the pages of the Larousse Gastronomique, one of France’s cooking bibles, the ortolan receives straightforward treatment.
“They can be prepared in any way suitable for Garden Warblers or Larks,� it says, as though either bird were regularly packaged by Perdue. “Gastronomes hold the opinion that the only way to cook this bird is to roast it in the oven or on the spit and insist that it should not be cooked in anything but its own fat.�
Hmm … what could they be hiding?
The other half of the ortolan story isn’t much talked about nowadays since France outlawed the eating of the increasingly rare bird in 1999. (When the French outlaw a food, you know something’s up. This is the country trying to preserve foie gras as a legally sanctified culinary tradition.)
Once captured, the ortolan would traditionally be left in a dark box, where the lack of light would prompt it to gorge itself. When plumped up to three or four times its normal size, the bird would be drowned in a snifter of armagnac, then quickly roasted for six or eight minutes and served hot.
It’s the brandy part that usually raises eyebrows; in an era of bolt guns and humane slaughter, drowning your food seems a tad gratuitous. The only obvious corollary is drunken prawns, found on some Singaporean and Indonesian menus, drowned in rice wine. Drowning a rare songbird somehow seems more sadistic than dunking a shrimp in booze.
The traditional means of eating the ortolan is whole — bones, innards and all, except the head or beak, which is bitten off — with the diner’s head covered by a napkin.
The upfront explanation of the ritual? This impromptu headgear allows the diner to inhale all the roast bird’s earthy, rich aroma. So claimed chef Jean-Louis Palladin in Stewart Lee Allen’s book, “The Devil’s Garden: A Sinful History Of Forbidden Food.”
“It is really like you are praying, see?” Palladin apparently said. “Like when you take the Mass into your mouth from the priest’s hand in church and you think about God.”
The alternate explanation is that a priest developed the custom to shield his gluttony, and shame, from God. You decide.
The ortolan’s most recent brush with fame came in 1998, when it was revealed to have been a pivotal course in former French President François Mitterand’s last meal. A week before dying of cancer, Mitterand ordered a grand feast for 30 that included oysters, foie gras and a long row of two-ounce ortolans. By some accounts, Mitterand polished off two, bones and all.

]]> By: Pauline http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/#comment-275235 Pauline Wed, 02 Jan 2008 19:15:00 +0000 http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/#comment-275235 Thanks for reading the blog and for writing, Jenny! The test tubes definitely made for an interesting conversation piece. More importantly, the food was excellent! Bon Appetit! Thanks for reading the blog and for writing, Jenny! The test tubes definitely made for an interesting conversation piece. More importantly, the food was excellent! Bon Appetit!

]]> By: Jenny http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/#comment-274813 Jenny Wed, 02 Jan 2008 07:32:37 +0000 http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/#comment-274813 I've been following your blog for a while now and I am just so intrigued by this entry that I had to write you. The test tubes look fun. I am feeling a bit hungry now.. I’ve been following your blog for a while now and I am just so intrigued by this entry that I had to write you. The test tubes look fun. I am feeling a bit hungry now..

]]> By: molly http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/#comment-272545 molly Sun, 30 Dec 2007 01:26:26 +0000 http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/#comment-272545 the french certainly know how to dine. Helpful Hint: search restaurant reviews and recipes from your mobile phone with Boopsie. www.boopsie.com the french certainly know how to dine.

Helpful Hint: search restaurant reviews and recipes from your mobile phone with Boopsie.

http://www.boopsie.com

]]> By: Pauline http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/#comment-270389 Pauline Thu, 27 Dec 2007 07:01:48 +0000 http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/#comment-270389 Anne - Chez Panisse is pretty awesome, so no arguments from me there. I've never tried the Upstairs Cafe, so I'll have to give that a shot. I can't imagine you had to wait an hour for food at Ortolan! When I went, we never waited for long before there was some food at the table. While I don't think Ortolan's menu changes on a weekly rotation, I do think it changes. While I enjoyed my desserts a lot, I definitely would have ordered a chocolate soufflé if it had been on the menu! :) foodette - We actually only got foam with the appetizer and amuse bouche, so I don't know if that means it's en vogue or not. My personal take on foam (as well as anything related to food) is that as long as it tastes good, I'm happy. Thanks for the compliment about the photos! Max - We started off with cocktails. 2 people had a pear bellini, I had a violet bellini, and 1 other person ordered a stinger. We also went through about 3 bottles of sparkling water. We also ordered a bottle of Jaffurs Syrah (Santa Barbara). The wine was actually quite good - it mellowed out after a while but retained a nice amount of flavor and spiciness that paired my pork really well. Our total averaged out to about $100 per person after tax and tip. Anne - Chez Panisse is pretty awesome, so no arguments from me there. I’ve never tried the Upstairs Cafe, so I’ll have to give that a shot. I can’t imagine you had to wait an hour for food at Ortolan! When I went, we never waited for long before there was some food at the table. While I don’t think Ortolan’s menu changes on a weekly rotation, I do think it changes. While I enjoyed my desserts a lot, I definitely would have ordered a chocolate soufflé if it had been on the menu! :)

foodette - We actually only got foam with the appetizer and amuse bouche, so I don’t know if that means it’s en vogue or not. My personal take on foam (as well as anything related to food) is that as long as it tastes good, I’m happy. Thanks for the compliment about the photos!

Max - We started off with cocktails. 2 people had a pear bellini, I had a violet bellini, and 1 other person ordered a stinger. We also went through about 3 bottles of sparkling water. We also ordered a bottle of Jaffurs Syrah (Santa Barbara). The wine was actually quite good - it mellowed out after a while but retained a nice amount of flavor and spiciness that paired my pork really well. Our total averaged out to about $100 per person after tax and tip.

]]> By: MaxMillion http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/#comment-268932 MaxMillion Mon, 24 Dec 2007 18:12:25 +0000 http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/#comment-268932 My sweetheart and I dined at Ortolan for Christmas Eve last year. It was a truly memorable and superb meal and dining experience. We sat in the comfy leather banquettes, under the chandeliers. I didn't need that piercing flashlight to read my menu either! We met Chef Eme and he signed my menu. But it cost around $450, all up (including paired wines and a glass of champagne), so we won't be doing that again tonight... Pauline, can you give us all a ball park figure on what your evening cost you all? Also, no wine? My sweetheart and I dined at Ortolan for Christmas Eve last year. It was a truly memorable and superb meal and dining experience. We sat in the comfy leather banquettes, under the chandeliers. I didn’t need that piercing flashlight to read my menu either! We met Chef Eme and he signed my menu. But it cost around $450, all up (including paired wines and a glass of champagne), so we won’t be doing that again tonight…

Pauline, can you give us all a ball park figure on what your evening cost you all? Also, no wine?

]]> By: foodette http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/#comment-268732 foodette Mon, 24 Dec 2007 07:14:30 +0000 http://la.foodblogging.com/2007/12/23/ortolan-at-last/#comment-268732 Your pictures are gorgeous, but I thought foam was out of style? Anyway, it does sound like a memorable meal, and a great way to celebrate a return to LA from the Frozen Tundra. Your pictures are gorgeous, but I thought foam was out of style? Anyway, it does sound like a memorable meal, and a great way to celebrate a return to LA from the Frozen Tundra.

]]>