While farm-to-table is bandied about a lot in the food industry, in France however, the variety of fresh produce grown by artisan farmers makes it feel a lot more genuine. We were all the more convinced that we were going to be in for lots of honestly good meals in this charming country when one of the first things we saw upon arriving at a Bresse poultry farm in Curtafond—our first stop of the trip—located south east of France, was hundreds of happy chickens roaming freely on open fields.
These chickens are free to move around outdoors as they please, enjoying ample fresh air and sunlight, and are given adequate food— it’s no wonder they look so carefree and healthy.
Compared to the living conditions of factory farmed chickens— most are raised in artificially-lit confined spaces with no access to fresh air and barely any room to move—it’s a far cry from how these Bresse chickens are bred. And according to breeder Jean-Michel Sibelle, a happy chicken is part of the recipe for a top quality end product.
“Our chickens are comfortable, relaxed and happy, and it reflects in the taste and texture of the meat,” Jean-Michel explains.
BRESSE IS BEST
Often referred to as the wagyu of all poultry, the Bresse chicken is truly quite a unique bird.
Apart from its distinctive features like its red crests, untainted white feathers and blue feet—a result of its terroir as the soil in Bresse is said to contain acids which act as a bleach, rendering the feathers white and the feet blue—the Bresse chicken is the only poultry in France to be granted the illustrious AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) status.
Denne historien er fra September - October 2019-utgaven av WINE&DINE.
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Denne historien er fra September - October 2019-utgaven av WINE&DINE.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
New Blood
The next-generation is breathing new life into the forgotten art of spice-mixing, peppering the traditional trade with renewed ideas and fresh perspectives.
Sharing Is Caring
Compared to its flagship at Serene Centre, Fat Belly Social at Boon Tat Street is a classier and bolder affair, in more than one sense.
Nutmeg's Role In Singapore's History
From tales of it being used to ward off the plague in mid-1300s Europe to one of the ingredients in dessert, we have all known, tasted, or at least heard of nutmeg. But not many know of the spice’s role in Singapore’s history.
New And Improved
The ever-profound chef-owner Kenjiro ‘Hatch’ Hashida finds more room, three to be exact, to express a Ha Ri philosophy at Hashida Singapore’s new location at Amoy Street.
Pairing Spice-Driven Cuisines With Wine
Pairing spice-driven cuisines with wine has long been a challenge but with a little imagination, it doesn’t have to be.
Let Land Grow Wild
Niew Tai-Ran has worn many hats: aeronautical engineering major, investment banker, avid surfer, and, for the last 14 years, winemaker. Discover how this Malaysia-born, Singapore-native is championing the “do-nothing farming” philosophy at his vineyard in Oregon.
The South Asian Misnomer
Incredibly diverse and varied than most know, Indian food is far more intriguing than butter chicken or thosai. Here is a crash course on the extensive cuisine from region to region, recognisable for the seemingly infinite ways of using spices.
Keepers Of The Spice Trade
From its glory days along trade routes to pantry staples all over the world, spices have become so commonplace that we’ve taken them for granted. For these three trailblazers, however, spice is their livelihood and motivation: Langit Collective working with indigenous rural farming communities in Malaysia; IDH’s Sustainable Spice Initiative; and chef Nak’s one-woman mission to share forgotten Khmer cuisine.
Sugar, Spice And Everything Nice
Like food, spices bring vibrancy and variety to alcoholic beverages. Surfacing in unexpected ways on the palate, find everything from cumin to tamarind, cloves to cardamom enriching these drinks.
Building Blocks From The Archipelago
For the smorgasbord of dishes found in Indonesian cuisine, it is a little known secret that the modest bumbu, in all its variants, is the bedrock of such flavourful fare.
