The Glories of Gastronomy! - Wednesday, 20 April

Anne-Sophie Pic, the chef/owner of La Dame de Pic, is one of only four female chefs in the world to have obtained three Michelin stars (for her resto Maison Pic in Valence in southeast France), and she has a total of 8 Michelin stars (adding up the stars for all of her restos), which is the most of any woman chef, and she was named the "World's Best Female Chef" in 2011.  This was my second visit to La Dame de Pic at 20, rue du Louvre, and it was as glorious as my first visit!  

I ordered a glass of her house champagne for my apéritif.  There’s nothing like watching the bubbles rise to get you in the mood for a fantastic meal (as if I needed help getting in the mood!).  Tiny bubbles, beautiful fruit, only slightly dry, aaahhhhh…

Two amuse buche:  On the left a leaf-shaped fried “cracker” that had a texture like krumkake but was savory and seeded, with dabs of an herbal purée that tasted sort of like yellow Chartreuse (my waiter had a very soft voice and I couldn’t quite catch what he said!), a pea purée, and some baby watercress leaves.  On the right, a pastry cup with lime curd (underneath), eggwhite foam, and a shower of micro-chopped chives.  (The rice is just there to keep things standing upright!)

Then a hemisphere of herb pesto covered with with crème fraîche foam and topped with a disk of vegetable stock gel and some tiny petals.  (Sorry that you can’t see the layers in this photo.)

Don’t pass up her crunchy sourdough with the knob of a-a-a-mazing Madagascar pepper butter that they place on the container’s lid (the perfume of the freshly ground peppercorns combined with the glorious fat of the first-class butter is an experience you won’t forget).   And do not forget to use the bread to soak up all the juices left on your plate in each course!

Madame Pic offers 4- 5- and 7-course options at lunchtime.  I exercised restraint this time and went with the 4-course option with the beverage pairing!

First up, a giant grilled asparagus spear with some raw ribbons and braised slices - tender, sweet, not at all astringent - with some sharp lemon pulp/zest purée and a scoop of ice cream perfumed with verbena and green cardamom - refreshing, earthy, balanced, perfect.   

The asparagus was served with Weingut Knoll Ried Schütt Loibner Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2018 - a beautiful, viscous, slightly sweet Riesling with hints of apricot, pear and, honey.   Outta sight!

Next, tiny tiny carrots that, I swear, tasted like candy - I have never experienced such sweet ones before.  They were grilled with lard on the plancha until they just charred in places.  Then the sabayon with saffron and Amaretto pushed it right over the top!  With this, a slightly warm green tea that tasted honey-sweetened, almost yammy - sweet on its own, but with those carrots it provided the refreshing element!!!

Then the most spectacular baby lamb that I have ever had, prepared medium-rare - so tender it had almost no texture and it just melted in your mouth - one rib and two slices, each prepared appropriately for the muscle and given enough char to deepen the flavor.  With it, a little pastry cup containing roasted leg meat, just-cooked wild garlic tops and little crunchy beads of some starch (or maybe pastry - not sure!).  

With the lamb, a powerful 100% Syrah from the south of France near Languedoc: Camp Del Mas Gravis Rouge, slightly sweet and tasting of dark fruits.  It was amazing how the delicate and powerful flavors in this course and in the pairing managed to complement each other.  

(BTW, my previous winner for best baby lamb was 20 years ago at La Belle Vie in Stillwater - memorable to this day - but Madame Pic eclipsed it!)

For the pre-dessert, a scoop of herb sorbet covered with a thick layer of whipped goat cheese “ice cream,” then showered with very finely grated sweet coconut, then scattered with some fresh herbs and petals.  It was amazingly (and gently) palate-cleansing and delicious!

Then for dessert, chocolate wafers topped with chocolate mousse, and then with scoops of coconut sorbet, and then with semisweet chocolate rings, and served with slightly sweetened passionfruit sauce and ribbons of fresh coconut and very finely grated toasted coconut.  Hooo boy!

It was served with a wonderful not-too-sweet white 10-year Andresen Port from Vila Nova da Gaia, Portugal.  Again, a beautiful pairing that made the dessert course sing!  If someone had joined me for this lunch we could have sung harmony!

And finally, great coffee with a couple of fruit gels and chocolate disks!

I view these “fancy” lunches as aesthetic experiences providing many moments of wonder at the seemingly inexhaustible variety of aromas, flavors and textures in earth’s edibles, of the genius artistry, creativity and understanding of chefs, of stellar technique of cooks, and of the earthy understanding and hard work of farmers and winemakers.  Not to mention that these experiences feed your body as well as your soul!  This was a 2.5 hour event in a gorgeous space.  Many people pay way more than this to attend a football game.  I go for gastronomy!  

https://anne-sophie-pic.com/paris/?lang=en

Now all I have to do is decide whether Accents Table Bourse or La Dame de Pic is my favorite!  Or maybe I can allow myself two favorites.....