  Dear Roland, Spring is upon us and I would like to know more about my favorite spring vegetable - asparagus. Can you tell me how to choose them and can I look forward to asparagus being on the spring menu? Signed, Longing for More Asparagus in Larkspur Dear Longing for More Asparagus: Asparagus is one of my favorites, too. A member of the lily family, asparagus was first cultivated about 2,500 years ago in Greece. There are three types of asparagus: green, white, and purple. France's Louis XIV loved the white variety so much that he got his gardener to develop a cultivation method that would allow him to have fresh asparagus all year round. It is famous in Argenteuil (a Paris suburb), where you can purchase heirloomseeds. The French love white asparagus for its delicate, tender sweetness and smooth tips. They grow the asparagus mounded under a sandy soil to protect it from sunlight and stop it from turning green. The purple variety, Viola, is rare and once was thought to be poisonous - not true. If you can't find white asparagus in the stores, go for traditional green. If the stalks are too thick, don't be afraid to peel them. Look for asparagus with firm, tight heads, bright green or light ivory. Enjoy this healthy vegetable throughout the spring. It is high in folic acid and potassium, with no fat or cholesterol. I look forward to tasting great dishes on the spring menu, including asparagus soup, asparagus flan, gratin asparagus, and, of course, asparagus salad drizzled with truffle oil - just like my mother made it for me as a boy in France. Chef Roland Passot |
  Summer holiday is an important part of French culture. Traditionally, most people take an entire month off (July or August) to spend time either unwinding in the countryside or sitting by the sea. Families may go camping while couples steal away for romantic rendezvous. Still, not everyone can drop everything and leave town, especially the busy Parisians. So what do Parisians do? They bring the “beach” to Paris, of course! Thanks to Frenchfriends.info for the article. Continue reading |
 In Larkspur... New Sunday Brunch Menu offered from 11AM to 4PM Happy Hour: Monday through Friday, 4-6:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. to closing Thursday night music: 7:30-9:30 p.m., featuring Michael LaMacchia, Hot Club of Marin, and The Frisky Frolics Upcoming "Cooks with Books" Events • James Paterson, April 20 • Joey Altman, May 18 • Patricia Wells, May 13 For ticket information, please contact Book Passage at (415) 927-0960 or visit www.bookpassage.com In Pleasant Hill... Happy hour "deux fois" twice a day, 3-6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. to closing, with wine, beer, and cocktail specials, and a great, casual French-inspired bar food menu from $2.95. Top Shelf Thursday ( $7 special cocktails every Thursday!) and Parisian Jazz Soirées on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, featuring great local jazz bands. In San Mateo... Happy Hour featured seven days a week, 4-6 p.m., with wine, beer and cocktail specials, and a great, casual French-inspired bar food menu. Live Music the second Friday of each month starting in April; great local musicians featured 6-8 p.m. Left Bank To-Go: Always an option for those who want a French-inspired dinner on the table at home. |
First Ever Tour of France Culinary Expedition a Huge Success!The Left Bank Brasserie's first-ever Tour of France culinary expedition was a tremendous success in 2007, serving a wondrous array of French regional dishes to more than 20,000 satisfied guests. It was exciting for everyone at Left Bank to see featured cuisines appeal to both our guests' curiosity and their sincere desire to experience a menu as unique and diverse as any in France. Tour of France 2007 Prize Winners On January 15, Left Bank held a random drawing for eight lucky Tour of France 2007 winners. The winner of our grand prize, a trip for two to France, was Mrs. Paula Hendricks-Prieur of Moss Landing. Paris Las Vegas Weekend winners were Susan Valenta of Gilroy and Alan Seymour of Martinez. Private dinners for the winner and five guests were awarded to John Emerson of Walnut Creek, Janine and Bruce Melior of San Jose, Joan Cesca of Martinez, Marylou Heslet of San Francisco, and Martin Johnson of Martinez. After notifying the winners of their good fortune, I had the pleasure of sharing lunch with many of them. They were excited to have won, and unanimously agreed that it was a great way to begin the new year. Grand Prize Our grand prize winner Paula Hendricks-Prieur will travel to Paris this fall with her husband René Prieur, a native of France. Both look forward to meeting family members during their stay. Paula is an Independent Beauty Consultant for Mary Kay Cosmetics in San Jose. Paris Las Vegas Weekend Our two Paris Las Vegas Weekend winners were very excited about their Las Vegas getaway. Alan Seymour says he'll use it to take a break from the ordinary and enjoy some time in the sun. Susan Valenta, a regular at Left Bank Brasserie in San Jose, looks forward to enjoying the bright lights and excitement of Las Vegas later this fall. Private Dinners The five winners of private dinners all plan to share their intimate in - home dining experience - a personalized three-course menu created by the Left Bank chef of their choice - with friends and family but were undecided as to the occasion they would celebrate. Birthday, anniversary, and "just for fun" were all top-of-mind. Most of the winners said that the hardest part about winning the private dinner was deciding whom to include on their guest list. But for Marylou Heslet, deciding who will come to dinner was somewhat easier. She is one of a group of three women who dined together during the year, each vowing to share any prize with the others. Marylou and friends again will dine at Left Bank for a chance to win prizes during the Tour of France 2008. This year they're hoping the luck of the draw will land one of them a flight to Paris. Congratulations once again to our prize-winning guests. Meeting with you and sharing your Left Bank dining experiences was truly wonderful. Service Staff Award Finally, I would like to congratulate Sophie Letort, service staff extraordinaire in Pleasant Hill, who sold more than 602 Tour of France lunches and dinners throughout 2007. For her outstanding achievement, Sophie received roundtrip airfare to France. She is a native of Normandy and plans to use her trip abroad to reconnect with friends and family. We wish Sophie an exciting and fun-filled trip and look forward to hearing about her adventures when she returns. I want to thank each and every guest who participated in our Tour of France 2007, and invite you and your friends to secure a dining passport and join us again for what looks to be an even more exciting Tour of France 2008. You'll experience an entire year of culinary inspiration, education, and fun-to-win prizes  |
  A Yearlong Culinary Expidition This month and for the next ten months, Left Bank Brasseries celebrate extraordinary cuisine from France's culturally rich and diverse regions. We will award our guests approximately $10,000 in prizes, including a trip for two to France! Here is how it works: Ask your host or waitstaff for your Passeport. 1. Dine with Left Bank and choose two (2) out of three (3) featured specialties of the month for lunch or dinner one (1) time in a given month, and receive that month's regional stamp in your Passeport. 2. Accumulate three (3) different stamps from three (3) different months in your Passeport to become eligible for a chance to win Tour of France prizes at our biannual contests, and/or accumulate six (6) different stamps from six (6) different months in your Passeport to become eligible to enter for a chance to win the grand prize. 3. Drop your completed Passeport in the entry box, or give it to your host or waitstaff to enter it for you. You must include your name, phone number, and email contact on your Passeport. March features Normandy, renowned for its apples and dairy products. Its proximity to the sea ensures that a banquet of fish and seafood is part of the local cuisine. Invariably, traditional dishes feature lavish, creamy sauces laced with apples, cider, or Calvados, a dry apple brandy. |
Featured Normandy RecipeSole Normande, serves 6 1 cup fish stock (purchase at grocery store or use unsalted chicken stock) 6 (8-10 ounces) petrale sole fillets 2 dozen jumbo prawns 2 dozen live mussels ¾ cup heavy cream ¾ cup hollandaise sauce (recipe follows) Mushrooms à blanc (recipe follows) Parsley, minced (for garnish) Step 1: Mushrooms à blanc Ingredients: ½ cup dry white wine Bouquet garni: 1 bay leaf, 2 thyme sprigs, 4 tarragon sprigs, 1/4 tsp. whole peppercorns 12 small button mushrooms, whole (trim stems and wipe clean) Method: Bring wine to a boil, add bouquet garni, simmer 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat, leaving mushrooms in juice and reserve. Step 2: Mussels à La Marinière Ingredients: 2 dozen live mussels, scrubbed and debeared 2 tbsp. shallots, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 3 sprigs tarragon 1 cup dry white wine Method: Bring wine to a boil, add shallots, garlic, and tarragon, and simmer 3 minutes. Add mussels, remove and set aside when they open. Reserve mussel juice. Step 3: Hollandaise Sauce for the Home Chef Ingredients: 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten 1 stick cold butter 2 tbsp. lemon juice Method: Place egg yolks, lemon juice, and butter in saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until butter melts and is slightly thickened. Step 4: Sole Normande Ingredients: 6 petrale sole fillets 2 dozen jumbo prawns 1 cup fish stock (or unsalted chicken stock) Juice from mushroom stock Juice from mussel stock ¾ cup heavy cream ¾ cup hollandaise sauce Salt and pepper to taste Parsley, minced (for garnish) Method: Bring fish stock, mushroom stock, and mussel stock to a boil on high heat. Bring to a low simmer, add prawns and poach till done, 5 minutes. Remove prawns and set aside. Add petrale sole and poach till done, white and flaky, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. Strain stock. Return heat to medium to reduce stock by half, add cream and simmer 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add hollandaise to creamy fish stock, simmer for 10 minutes. Have 6 shallow warm bowls or 1 large family-style shallow platter ready for serving. To serve: For family-style platter: Arrange fish on platter, ladle generous servings of sauce atop the fish, garnish with mushrooms, prawns, mussels, and minced parsley. For individual servings, arrange in each bowl: 1 petrale sole, ladle generous serving of sauce atop the fish, garnish with mushrooms, 4 prawns, 4 mussels, and minced parsley. Bon Appétit! |
 Joyeuses Pâques! Easter is Sunday, March 23. Join us for brunch and dinner as we feature festive chef's suggestions and our regular à la carte brunch menu. Left Bank Menus Easter is celebrated in France much as it is in America, with various religious ceremonies commemorating the resurrection of Jesus, and cultural customs involving rabbits, chocolates, and eggs. Continue reading |
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