Quince Tarte Tatin

Quince from the neighbors

I love the classic Tarte Tatin with carmelized apples.  We had a bowl of fresh quince, which grow prolifically around the Petite Chateau in the Loire Valley (the “jardin de France” as the French say).  So we dreamed up this recipe one day made with carmelized quince, butter, and agave.  We made a gluten free butter crust with almond flour.  Of course if you prefer the real thing you could use brown sugar in place of the agave, and white flour in place of the almond flour.  Quince turn a beautiful orange color with cooking.  One time we added a little fresh fig, which also grow in the Loire. A great variation of the tart.

For the quince mixture:
4-5 fresh quince, peeled, cored and sliced (quince are very hard, so be careful)
1/3 stick of butter
1/3 cup of agave

Sautée the quince for 10-15 minutes in the butter and agave until the quince is slightly soft. Arrange the slices artfully in the bottom of the pan or transfer to a pie plate for arrangement.

Quince Tarte Tatin at the Loire Petite Chateau

The crust:
1-1/4 cups of almond flour.
2/3 stick of cold butter worked into the almond flour with a pastry cutter.
Mix 1 large egg or two small eggs with the almond/butter mix.
Add a tablespoon or more of of cold water as need to form into a cohesive pastry ball.
Roll out the crust on a little loose flour.

Baking and forming the tart:
Place the crust over the arranged quince. Tuck crust ends into the side of the baking pan or pie plate.
Bake at 350 F (180 C) for about an hour until the tart is bubbling nicely.
Remove from the oven and cool for 5-10 minutes.
Place a large serving plate on top of the tart baking pan; with the plate on top of the tart baking pan, turn the tart over on to a serving plate.  You may need to remove any sticking quince pieces from the baking pan.

Cool and serve with crème fraîche, chantilly (whipped cream), or vanilla ice cream.  It may take you a few times to get the timing right for your preferred level of  carmelization.

Château d’Oiron

Château d’Oiron is fun because it juxtaposes a contemporary art museum with the classic setting.

There are many famous chateau to visit near the Loire Petite Chateau.  While classic chateau nearby are a lot of fun, we also enjoy something unusual.  Château d’Oiron is such a place.  It is a classic chateau juxtaposed with contemporary art.  The quirkiness and scale of the art is fascinating.  Large rooms are filled with unusual artistic perspective.

We also enjoy the natural setting of the chateau on a vast shallow valley.  On a nice day we just sit outside and enjoy the space.

The small puppet in the lower right corner speaks and performs. It makes you laugh.

After the museum we like lunch at Relais du Chateau in the village of Oiron.  This is a great value with good quality food at  reasonable prices.  There is an attractive outdoor terrace.

A enchanting gallery at Oiron with curiously modern old murals

Braised rabbit with mustard

Braised rabbit with mustard, leeks and white wine Loire Petite Chateau

Rabbit is one of my favorite meats to cook in France.  Whole fresh rabbit is plentiful in the markets, unlike the States.  My version is less creamy than the classic French recipe but feel free to add crème fraîch or cream to the sauce at the end. The leeks add a green component that I enjoy to cut the richness. A little celery, in addition, will work too.

Fresh rabbit cut in to serving pieces
Large shallot diced
2 leeks diced including green part
1/2 cup of lardons (diced unsmoked bacon)
2+ cups dry white white like Saumur
1/2 cup flour
Dijon mustard (or whole grain French ancienne)
salt and pepper

Sautée lardons, shallot and leek separately and set aside.
Cover rabbit with flour.
Sautee over medium-high heat.
Remove rabbit from pan and cover with mustard.
Place lardons, shallot and leek in bottom of roasting pan.
Place rabbit on top of vegetables.
Pour in white wine.
Roast at 350 F (180 C) for about 1-1/2 hours or until tender.
Add more wine if all juice evaporates but try to cook off most of the alcohol.

Restaurants on market day

Lunch with Beth after the Saumur market at Le Pot de Lapin

The best markets near the Loire Petite Chateau are in Saumur and Thouars on Friday and Saturday.  After a hard morning of café sitting and market shopping it’s time for lunch.  Saumur offers a good selection of market-day restaurants.

We might go to Le Grand Bleu for mussels and seafood.  Or Le Pot de Lapin where the menu changes frequently and daily wines are featured on the chalkboard.  We always like to eat outdoors in good weather.  The best place to watch the scene with good food is Bistrot de la Place on the north side of Place St. Pierre.  There are several others on the square like Auberge St. Pierre.  For a Michelin one-star experience walk over to Gambetta a few blocks away.  Near Gambetta is L’Alchemiste, less expensive but an excellent value.

There are fewer restaurants within walking distance of the Thouars market.  A good little one with an outdoor terrace behind l’Eglise St. Médard, Le Trait d’Union, 8 Place St. Médard.  Or you could drive ten minutes away to

Mussels at Le Grand Bleu after the Saturday Saumur market

Logis de Pompois, formal and very high quality, or 15 minutes away to the nearby village of Oiron to dine at Relais du Chateau, an excellent value.  See the unusual Château d’Oiron afterwards, where a classic chateau is juxtaposed with contemporary art.

After the market in Doué la Fontaine on Mondays you can walk to Le Dagobert or drive 5 minutes away to the best restaurant in the city and a Michelin Bib Gourmand,  Auberge Beinvenue, across from the unusual Doué Bio Park, where the zoo is set in the limestone caves of the area.

There is a small Tuesday market in Montrueil-Bellay, which is only 10 minutes from our village and considered one of the most beautiful in the Loire.  We love La Barbacane for coffee or lunch on the terrace with a splendid view of the Chateau.

For the Angers market on Saturday we are partial to Autor d’un Cep, a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant.  This is a casual restaurant with good wine and creative menu.

There are dozens of good restaurants around the Chinon market on Thursday.  It is one of our favorite medieval cities nearby. We enjoy a simple meal in the central square at Bistrot de la Place.  Award winning is L’Oceanic.

At the small Fontevraud market on Wednesday’s, the Restaurant Le Délice is an excellent value.  For the one-star experience in the village we recommend La Licorne. Combine your trip to Abbaye Fontevraud, one of the greatest in France.