While we’re on the subject

All this talk about beef and noble cuts reminds me of yet another remarkable restaurant in the Aisne department. During one of our Fère-en-Tardenois weekends we set out to visit the Château of Pierrefonds (Oise department). The castle of Pierrefonds is one of the most impressive I’ve ever seen. It can easily compete with the Loire châteaux, by its size as well as by its beauty.

Because our visit goes all the way back to 1993, I decided to do some internet research on the castle before writing this post. It took me less than 15 minutes to gather a mass of facts and figures which have once again left me flabbergasted. Whichever way you look at it, all the places I’ve been to in my ‘pre-Loire-fascination’ days are in one way or another related to my favourite French region!

I’m not going to bore you with all the historical details today – maybe later, so be prepared! – and will stick to our restaurant experience.

We probably visited the château in the morning, although I’m not quite sure. Especially as the restaurant – La Couronne – is or rather was located between Fère and Pierrefonds. We found it perchance in the village of Coeuvre St. Vasery. At first sight it looked rather shabby, but this was largely made up for by the floral decorations. The menu card by the door was short and very mysterious. It read: ‘17th Century Cuisine’. It was a bit of gamble, but we decided to go for it.

1993: La Couronne in Coeuvres St. Vasery (Aisne)

As soon as we pushed the door, it was like walking back in time: wooden beams, a large fireplace, tapestries (not the real thing, but nevertheless very handsome) and a smiling young couple in 17th-18th century outfit, including the inevitable white wig. Once again we seemed to be the only patrons. One can’t help wondering how these local, off-the-beaten-track restaurants manage to survive.

Our hosts in traditional costume, including a white wig 'for him'.

While we were having our aperitif we studied the menu card. Nothing on it sounded even the least familiar. Just when I beginning to feel that walking into this restaurant had been a mistake, my friend said: “This is nice. ‘Boeuf à la ficelle’. My grandmother used to make that.”

I just ‘googled’ the recipe, in order to post a link and found out that it was invented in Paris in the … 19th century. So much for the ‘17th Century Cuisine’! Never mind; it was very good and the young 17th century couple was absolutely charming.

But what is ‘Boeuf à la ficelle’, I can hear you asking. Well, It’s a lean fillet of beef which you leave hanging from a string (la ficelle) in a large pot of boiling water to which you have added a coarsely chopped carrot, leek, onion, thyme, a bay leaf, ½ organically grown lemon, black pepper corns and sea salt. If you want your beef rare you leave it for 10 minutes; 13 to 15 if you like it well done. You attach the string to the stem of a wooden ladle which you rest horizontally on the rim of the pot, because the beef is not supposed to touch the bottom of the pot.

While the beef is happily boiling away, make a sauce by melting some butter in a bain-marie. Add three tablespoons of spicy mustard, three tablespoons of crème-fraîche, pepper and salt.

The beef is served, cut in thin slices, like a roast beef. Put the slices in a shallow dish; put some of the vegetables and broth around them. You can also add a few boiled potatoes. Serve the sauce separately and add to taste. A very original dish if you want to surprise and impress your guests!