De Denis Roland, we already knew several things: he is a historian (1); he likes to write colorfully; he handles a bit of British humor with joy; the good dear is rather his friend. So we are not surprised to learn that he has just cooked up a book which is published by Hachette and which is entitled “Du gosier, le plus grand banquet de France”. A sum that Rabelais would not deny.
On the South-West cheese route
With only three AOC-AOP appellations, ossau-iraty, chabichou and rocamadour, the South-West is not a land of cheeses. However, producers and cheese makers offer quality products.
The affair happened a bit by chance. The fifty-year-old from Rochefort had already worked for Hachette coordinating Marine Le Breton's book on nautical charts. For his part, Paul Solier, co-founder of the company “La Fédération française de l’apéritif”, published his “Aperitif Dictionary” there. So when the latter had the idea for this opus on gastronomic and bacchanalian brotherhoods – this is the official subject of the book – he wanted to take care of the aperitif part, but not the rest of the menu. Immediately, the publishing house thought of Denis Roland who accepted.
K. C.
From the cover signed Carla Dalvy, the reader wants to sit down at the table… or in the kitchen.
Culinary heritage
“Writing texts on black pudding and apple pie immediately excited me, especially as I was ordered a book, informative of course, but funny and light,” says the cheerful fellow. From his first texts on leeks, carrots and watercress, he found the tone and convinced his co-author. 300 pages later and ten months later, the book comes out of the oven all beautiful, all hot exalting the sardine, celebrating the mayo egg, honoring the sausages, praising the quenelle, glorifying chouquettes and other wafers. Without forgetting to sing the glory of the delicious bottle accompanying these dishes.
K. C.
Denis Roland intends to dedicate his book to lovers of dishes that rock and products that rock.
“The facade is outdated, but the point is relevant because the brotherhoods are fighting against the standardization of taste”
The idea was to start from the brotherhoods, well 200 out of the 1,500 that exist, but without succumbing to their outdated folklore. “Behind, there are happy guardians of local know-how and dishes. The facade is outdated, but the point is relevant because the brotherhoods are fighting against the standardization of taste, defending short circuits, organic and local products! Without the brotherhoods, many products would have gone by the wayside,” explains the man for whom Bazas beef or Bidart squid no longer hold any secrets.
With striking illustrations by Carla Calvy and Léa Chassagne and quotes from great writers, this big book can be savored like a banquet: you lick your lips from the aperitif and end up satisfied with dessert, having gorged yourself on starters, gluttonous with fish, stuffed with meat, gluttonous with cheese. In short, with recipes, legends and anecdotes, the book that you want to bite into just by seeing the cover, tells about the brotherhoods and their good products and makes you want to have a feast around a table which brings friends together. “The real subject of the book is the pleasure of drinking and eating together, in conviviality,” announces Denis Roland by way of menu.
(1) He is the former curator of the Rochefort Marine Museum.
Denis Roland will sign his book (35 euros) Saturday November 16 from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pierre-Loti bookstore in Rochefort.
