Petanque!

The weather changed this week!  Then changed back.  Now they say it is going to be nice out tomorrow.  Lets hope so.  Tomorrow begins our new Petanque Club! 

A few years ago when I discovered Google Images I took a look around.  I was wondering if I could find pictures of Papa, Noel Lacan, from his days in New Orleans or in Boston in his Chef Whites circa 1960 to 1970.  I didn't.  On the other hand I did find a surprising picture when I put in his name. 

Noel Lacan, senior circa 1949

You see Papa was named after his father, my Pepe.  And that is his official photo from 1949 as Arbitre National du Drome, Petanque.  My Pepe was a registered French referee of Petanque, kind of cool, don't your think. 

Now I know you are saying cool?  sure?  if you say so.  I say so.  You have to understand that Petanque in France gets the kind of attention that Baseball in the US does.  The differences are that you start playing when you are young...

kids playing petanqueand you keep playing when your are young and cool... with drinks in hand!

ricard and petanque

and you continue to play when you are much older...between drinks at the local bistro.

retired petanqueYou play this game at family dinners.  Sunday in the park.  In-between aperitifs of Ricard, at the town square across from the Bistro, morning, noon and night.  Picnics by the Seine.  Les Bois de Boulogne, or Luxembourg.  Or at a 40th birthday party in Northern New Hampshire down a dirt driveway with 17 family members from France and another 20 or so American friends from all over the US who have no idea what they have gotten themselves into!

That particular day I paired my best friends father, Mike, who speaks a good amount of German but really no French.  With my Tonton Robert, a petanque expert.  Expert at what is another questions, but for the sake of this story...and expert. 

Then I paired my sister, Jacqueline or Ri-ki-ki (a mouthy wench if ever there was one), with my cousin, Le Grand Bernard...and Robert's son in law.  Now as long as my sister and I have been going to visit the relatives in France, even when she was just 10 or so years old, she and my tonton have gotten into massive trash talk jousts while playing Petanque.  This day was no different.  Poor Mike had no clue what was going on.  He pitched his boule when he was told.  But really...he laughed at the antics of his partner and his opponent more than anything. 

Petanque is the national past time for a reason...everyone can play, no real skill is necessary (though helpful) as long as you want to have a good time.  AND if you want to get serious about it, there is plenty of opportunity, there is (REALLY) a professional league.   

So enough  already Yolande!  How do you play?

It is very simple...very similar to Bocce (though the boule are half the size and made of metal instead of wood and are heavier).  Haven't played Bocce?  Try a kissing cousin to horse shoes.  The goal is to be on closest to the buoy.  The rest of the rules, don't worry, we will teach you. 

So if you are near New Haven...

And you want to learn...

And you are out for a laugh, and maybe a little French culture...

Come on down tomorrow, (April 13th and every other Saturday through the summer) from 2p to 4p.  We will be gathering at Yolande's Bistro and Creperie between 1:30 and 1:45pm.  99 Orange St., New Haven, CT. 

While you are thinking about it...a little history of when Bill Cosby introduced Petanque for the first time in popular culture to the US.  Click through, they are worth the giggle, and the trash talk, it is still there. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgN5J9zSKec

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLvBz7Efw8o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tr3YtYmMDo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXfvMu3ydi0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSeRDihcMu8

Regional Cooking of France

With the new restaurant (you did here about that right?) kicking my time management skills in the ***...the blog has definitely taken a back seat.  Every now and again though I find that I am missing the writing process and want to chat with you all (all 6 of you???).

The holidays have come and gone, Bonne Annee by the way.  A whirlwind trip to Florida to see the family and cook up Jacques first buck for the Christmas Eve "Fancy Schmancy" dinner (as Jacques has called it for the last 8 or so years).  Very cool, and as alway Maman created a spectacular feast with only a little help from yours truly.  The plan was to take pictures of the Roasted leg of venison and chestnuts, but I got wrapped up in the serving, sorry.   Major deviation this year...no Buche de Noel and a very Brittish Sticky Pudding instead.  Shocking I know, delicious too! 

New Year's Eve at Yolande's Bistro and Creperie was dissappointing in the amount of bodies that came out to play.  But we all had a lovely time and The George Lesiw band sounded great in the space.  I like live music in the space.  Will have to work on a few more special occasions to bring them back.  I left the restaurant at about 12:05 to very empty streets in New Haven.  A little strange.  The garage (across the street) was very dissappointed in the showing as well, not only slow early on from the restaurant traffic by really slow from the club side too?!?  More and more of you just seem to want to stay in with a small group of friend for these crazy party days.  Tell me, how do you like to spend New Year's Eve?

Anywho!  The title for today is regional cooking so lets talk about that.  Yolande's Bistro and Creperie sits squarely (ha ha) in the midst of the 9th Square in the original grid of downtown New Haven.  Did you know that New Haven is the original grid city in the US?  And New Haven is celebrating 375 years this year?  And the 9th Square was originally the entryway to the city with the water coming right up to the 9th Square, and Long Wharf being over here???  Okay I don't know all the history but that is what I have picked up in the last 3 months.  The 9th Square has been going through something of a rebirth in the last half dozen years and we continue to try finding ways to promote our little neighborhood.  Town Green association has dedicated some energy and dollars too, and the last year has seen the birth and success of First Fridays.  As the new kid trying to figure out how to fit in, I decided First Fridays would be a great time to create and share some of the great food from the different regions of France with the folks right here in New Haven. 

Yolande's FIRST of the Frist Fridays was in December and facebook page for Yolande's Bistro and Creperie showed a photo of a Cassoulet from the South West or Perigord region of France and Choucroute from the North East or Alsace region of France.  Cassoulet won, hand down.  So we made Cassoulet last month.  Cassoulet from scratch is not difficult...just long.  Many of the regional dishes Yolande's will be featuring are of this nature, not difficult just involved, back of the stove let it do its thing type of dishes.  Not dishes that lend themselves well to regular restaurant service but are such a nice treat when you find someone that has gone to the trouble to offer a sampling for you.

 

So in the coming weeks I will go back and try to recreate the actual recipe of the Cassoulet for you.  For those (again all 6 of you) who have been reading regularly you will know that the initial intent was to start to challenge myself to start to document, measure, time, note more precise measurements, etc.  With the restaurant that has gone out the window. 

Meanwhile this First Friday 9th square is not doing its festivities BUT!!!! We are doing ours.  We have already started the Choucroute for tomorrow night.  And before you turn your nose up at the thought of sour kraut let me tell you a little bit about how the French do Sour Kraut. 

Outside of Cornichon, we (the French) are not fans of much sour stuff.  So of course we find ways to smooth out some of those eyebrow raising sour notes.  A French sour kraut is washed then cooked forever.  No really, forever.  The team at Yolande's started last night with some onions and apples and pork belly and cooked it for about 4 hours in white wine.  We will bring it out today and add the smoked ham hocks, and the smoked turkey and cook it for another 4 or so hours.  Then we will finish it tomorrow with a garlicky cooked sausage (much like a polish kielbasa) some beef knockwurst, and all of those smoked meats and some boiled potatoes with sides of dijon and ancienne (whole grain) mustards. 

Hearty, warm, smoky, smooth and very satisfying.  Serve it with a glass of Alsace Wine (tomorrow at Yolande's a Domaine Ehrhart) or a glass of Stella, and you have a great winter meal. Give them at call for reservations at 203-787-7885.  Yolande's will be running the special through the weekend as an a la carte dish or as a prix fixe for the full effect. 

Nothing highlights the spirit of Americans better than Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  I know, everyone gets on the Christmas bandwagon.  While the romantics go for Valentines or New Years Eve.  And yet others go gaga for Halloween or Independence Day. 

Nope, Thanksgiving does it for me.  We never celebrated Thanksgiving at home, Never.  Remember both of my parents are French.  To this day I don't think Maman has ever roasted a turkey(other than the time Jacqueline panicked in the middle of her first hostessing of the holiday and both Maman and Papa went to rescue her).  There is no equivalent of Thanksgiving in France.  We were ALWAYS invited to someone elses house for Turkey and pie. 

From 1975 through 1983 Thanksgiving was spent with Dick(one of Papa's best buds) and Gaby and their kids and the rest of their families.  On average we were 25 to 30 for Thanksgiving dinner. The big Jewish family, the token 4 Frenchies and whoever else Dick found along the way to share his home and family with.  I mention the Jewish part because I was in college before I realized that Brisket and noodle kugel were not a normal part of Thanksgiving dinner. 

In my college years I was invited to one or another friends house for Thanksgiving and always welcomed with open arms.  In my first career years in Hotel Food and Beverage Departments it was always a day of work...and lots of it.  Thanksgiving Day buffet in the hotel industry is brutal.  I remember a Thanksgiving in New Jersey that we did more than 900 covers...the only thing you are thankful at the end of that day is getting off your feet!  But in true hotel family style, Thanksgiving dinner for those of us who worked would be either Wednesday of Friday. 

Always though, it is a bunch of people who gather together (who don't normally gather together) to sit around a table, share stories, share family traditions and recipes, and break bread together peacefully even if they don't particularly love each other all the time.  Everything gets put aside, we open our arms in welcome and celebrate the history of the day.  We do this better at the end of November than we seem to be able to do at any other time.  It isn't just about family it is about open houses, open arms and open hearts.  It shows the spirit of Americans better than any other time outside of a natural disaster.  It is the one time a year that I am NOT a dual citizen.  I am an American citizen Thanksgiving day and proud of it. 

I, unlike my mother, have cooked Thanksgiving a number of times. The first time was just after college when I spent 6 months in France.  I cooked Thanksgiving for 24 family members who couldn't understand why I was missing Thanksgiving(and wasn't if fun trying and failing to find cranberries in France).  The next time was the next year.  About 18 or so ppl on a Wednesday because we were all going to be working on Thursday. 

My traditions have shifted and changed and over the last 15 years.  I now go join friends with their families.  No longer this year, but in past years I have been known to cook for my team members who got stuck at work.  Then on the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend I throw my trim-a-tree party.  This year the new restaurant is keeping me from my trim-a-tree.  But the recipes below always find a way onto the menu for the trim-a-tree.  

The holiday weekend isn't complete for me without a couple of dishes.  For these we go back to when Gaby cooked for us as kids.  Along with that Brisket and the Turkey and the Ham and the hundred or so sides...was a raw cranberry relish.  It is nothing like the canned jelly or the cooked whole cranberry sauce, AND it has become a standard in Jacqueline's Thanksgiving as well as mine. 

Then in the dessert world; Gaby used to make a Steamed Cranberry Pudding in the Brit style of steamed puddings.  It is the easiest thing in the world to make...about 5 minutes to assemble but it does take 2 to 3 hours to cook. 

So now my Thanksgiving is not complete unless I make a batch of both, and if you invite me over I will bring them to your house.  Yesterday as I unexpectedly found myself cooking a 13# bird for 3 ppl with all the traditional and non-traditional sides (nope, no noodle kugel).  I also planned for and made the steamed cranberry pudding and the cranberry relish.  Jacqueline even called to brag about making her own batch of cranberry relish, that is how easy that one is.

Today as everyone else was excited about turkey sandwiches I sat down to a breakfast and then again a late afternoon snack (before going off to the restaurant to work) of a bowl of my favorite steamed cranberry pudding. 

I made two this year so I will come back and post the recipe and a picture of it too. 

As the madness of the season and the crazy shopping and the over spending and the crazy consumerism and the season of debt gets under way, let me take a moment to wish you all a very happy, safe, and sane Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanza and Happy New Year.

Yolande's Bistro and Creperie

 Yolande's French bistro and creperie

Ta Daaaaa.  There it is.  My logo, my restaurant name...hell my name up in lights.  And here is the story of how that happened. 

On Sunday, September 23rd we gathered with friends and family, and francophiles, and those who were interested and unlocked the doors on the now closed Central Steak Houseto unveil a new chapter in 99 Orange St.  A new chapter in my life...and hell, celebrate a 45th birhtday.  It was quite a morning. 

Now on that agenda for that morning(besides food, drink and celebrating) were several things.  We were going to unveil the new paint colors and put a little paint up on the walls.  No spills, yay!

The guests were charged with picking a font,and let me add that of the 4 options I gave...it came out a 4 way tie???  Not so much help....

The guests were given sneak peaks at the menu and asked for feedback.  Good stuff.

And we were going to decide on a name.  Now THAT did not go at all as expected.  I had chatted with friends, I had chatted with professional colleagues, I had chatted with networking groups and clubs that I belong to.  I was stuck.  I was leaning towards "Bon Appetit, bistro and creperie" and "Bon Jour, bistro and creperie".  No one was over-the-moon for any of those.  Meanwhile I wasn't over-the-moon for any other name.  I didn't know how the conversation was going to go that morning but the result was not what was expected. 

The first to start the charge was the French Club of New Haven.  One of them came over very quietly and said they all agreed, "Yolande's".  I laughed it off as a silly and charming, thank you..never in a million years. 

The my friends in the hotel business, the ones so vocal about not loving the proposed names but not having any better suggestions (and no Karen's Crepes was never taken seriously), decided "Yolande's" or "Lacan".  Really? 

Then the networkers hanging at the bar, then the toastmasters.  It was a chant.  Now let me stop right here and go back about 35 years. 

One summer Papa put a new item on the menu...something Jacqueline.  That went over so well.... My sister thought is was cool to have something named after her and I pouted and said why not me?  I, at this point got a very important lesson in life, "Yolande, your name is mis-pronounced more often than not.  You will never have anything named after you unless you want your name butchered regularly."

I have been programmed for the last 35 years, and before that really, to never have anyone get my name right.  And be it the first day of school or anytime I have ever introduced myself, I always correct people the first time they meet me. 

Over the years I have gotten used to it and I now chuckle at the variations I get and how my teams get more upset than I do when others don't get it right.  For the last 3 or 4 hotels, the front desk agents would screen my calls by a callers ability to get my name right.  If a caller butchered it over the phone then they weren't going to be transferred to me but to my voice mail.  If they could say it correctly they might get transferred directly to me. 

A few coworkers in recent years have out and out scolded people who don't get it right after I have corrected them.  Amusing.

So back to Sept 23rd.  Overwhelmingly the cry was for "Yolande's bistro and creperie".  My guests wandered off, I sent Maman and Jacqueline home to Florida, and I locked the doors at 99 Orange St and went home to think.  I needed a name to apply for the liquor permit!

As the evening progressed I picked up the phone and chatted with some folks who couldn't be at the festivities and still, no decision. 

Finally I went to bed and decided that the first "sign" I got in the morning...that would be the name of the restaurant.  The first "sign" was a text from Jacqueline at about 7:30am.  She was in her car pool and said everyone agreed, "Yolande's bistro and creperie".  Ta Daaaa!

Jacqueline then asked, do you like it?  And quite frankly I had been programmed to not like it for the last 35 years.  So I didn't.  Jacqueline was apalled.  You have to like it.  My reply was that it was growing on me and by the time I had a logo that I love, I would like it. 

Fast forward to today:  I love my logo, I do love my name, and now I love my restaurant name...but boy was it a job to get there.  psst...the hostess won't correct you too often if you don't quite have the pronunciation right.

As dreams go...

This one is pretty big.  It also is one that I have thought of over the past 15 years and wondered how to make happen.  No less, I had just about given up this go round when...it happened.  Now, I, need to make it happen.  YIKES!

So, lets begin at the beginning.  I was born at one...no, not that beginning.  How about the beginning that I have always, way down deep inside wanted to run/own my own business.  Always.  Over the last 15 years I have been seeing properties and putting together financial plans and prospective budgets for them. No really, I have a full computer file labeled "projects" and no less than a dozen sub files with each businesses name or address or town with a partial business plan attached.  Most of them are for Inns, but there are a fair amount of restaurant plans in there as well.  At some point in the process the financial plan falls apart and I move on to the next one. 

Well about 4 months ago I started to take a look around New Haven.  I like living here. But I must say a good French bistro is missing.  Hmmm.  I wonder?  I took a closer look and started to look at real estate.  Commercial real estate dudes are funny.  Unlike residential who will drag you through what you did ask for as well as what you didn't...these guys won't even take you through what you are asking for unless you twist their arms.  No fun at all. 

I did get in to see about a half a dozen places.  The location, the financing the landlord...at each something wasn't going to work out correctly.  I was about to put the dream away again for a year or so.  Then, in a casual conversation, with someone I had been networking with irregularly, a different conversation happened.  He, "you are looking for a restaurant space?"  Me, "yes, how did we not have this conversation in the last 4 months?"  He, "I don't know, but I do know of a space that might be just right for you..."

5 minutes later I had the number and I was peeking in the windows.  Another 5 minutes later I was speaking with the landlord.  And an hour later we were talking about a lease. 

Suffice it to say for my 45th birthday I signed a lease for my dream.  My own place. 

Now the work begins.  I have been writing menu's, writing schedules.  I have been shopping...new napkins, new wine glasses, cheese boards, and more.  I have been wading through paperwork.  Lots and lots of bureaucratic paper work.  Can someone tell me why the right hand of government won't talk to the left hand of government?  I know, loosing battle.  I have been writing checks, bldg inspector for a signature here.  fire marshal for a signature there, liquor consultant for streamlining, attorney for the lease, liquor commissioner for the license, electrician, hood inspection, hood cleaning, HVAC maintenance, I could go on...really I could.

But each step brings me closer and closer to opening the doors.  The paint has been picked out, and scheduled to go up on Saturday.  The art has been purchased and is getting ready to go into new frames.  The staff is being interviewed this week.  Food purveyor meeting tomorrow, and wine tasting on Thursday.  Really it is coming together.  Every day lunch...is a new creation from the menu.  Breakfast and afternoon snack too! 

AND every evening I lock the doors on my new restaurant and go home and start thinking about marketing.  How do I get into that condo bldg, reach the students, parents weekend, the court house, etc. 

I am lucky!  Life is good!  Fortune is looking down and smiling!  Karma rocks!  You sent good juju and mojo!  Thank YOU! 

I have to stop a couple of times a day during the current crazy to remind myself about those statements just above.  They are so true.  This ride is a blast at the moment and I can't do anything but keep the box car on the tracks and keep making progress.  But please don't worry, I like the crazy. 

So if you haven't already, click on over, see more about what is going on.  If you can make a contribution.  If you can't, that is okay, share the news, the location, the information, the link...share, Share, SHARE! 

If all goes as planned, and by all I do me the liquor license.  The doors will open at 99 Orange St., New Haven, CT on OCTOBER 19th. 

The Name?  Stay tuned.  You can actually find it to the left on the twitter link.  You can find it on The Innkeeper's Daughter facebook page.  AND I will tell you here how it came to be in the next post. 

Chat soon!