The Auberge of the Flowering Hearth
Encyclopedia
The Auberge of the Flowering Hearth by Roy Andries De Groot
, was published in 1973, in which de Groot writes about the time he spent at a French
inn by that name (L'Auberge de l'Atre Fleuri in St-Pierre-de-Chartreuse, Savoy) and the good meals he ate there. It addresses the logic of constructing a meal of several dishes so that they harmonize with one another, to the use of primarily local and seasonal ingredients to contribute to this harmony, and also an internal harmony within individual dishes. It is also a snapshot of old-school aperitifs, such as kir
, and illustrates how a kitchen of little pretension can put out world-class food in an environment of passion, hard work, sound technique, long experience, etc. One of the more interesting aspects of the book is that de Groot was blind.
Roy Andries De Groot
Baron Roy Andries de Groot , was a British-born American culinary writer and wine critic.He was born in London, the son of a Dutch artist and a French noblewoman. He was educated at St Paul's School and at Oxford University.During the 1930s, de Groot worked as a news and feature writer, film...
, was published in 1973, in which de Groot writes about the time he spent at a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
inn by that name (L'Auberge de l'Atre Fleuri in St-Pierre-de-Chartreuse, Savoy) and the good meals he ate there. It addresses the logic of constructing a meal of several dishes so that they harmonize with one another, to the use of primarily local and seasonal ingredients to contribute to this harmony, and also an internal harmony within individual dishes. It is also a snapshot of old-school aperitifs, such as kir
Kir
Kir is a popular French cocktail made with a measure of crème de cassis topped up with white wine.In France it is usually drunk as an apéritif before a meal or snack. Originally the wine used was Bourgogne Aligoté, a lesser white wine of Burgundy. Nowadays, various white wines are used throughout...
, and illustrates how a kitchen of little pretension can put out world-class food in an environment of passion, hard work, sound technique, long experience, etc. One of the more interesting aspects of the book is that de Groot was blind.