When in France, Phone Before Driving Up Narrow Roads for Lunch, But Not When Walking in Alpine Meadows (10/02)

Our agenda for the day was to have lunch once again at Châlet la Pricaz and the have a nice leisurely walk through Alpine meadows. We drove all the way to Forclaz, up the steep and narrow mountain road, only to discover that they were closed. Despite the fact that it wasn't their scheduled week day to be closed. This is a valuable lesson my friends: while in France, if you don't like steep and narrow roads, please do phone and check an establishment's agenda for the day before making the trek up.
I was gutted, but it gave me time to visit the Cows.

The Tarentaise cows are one of the breeds whose milk is used to make Reblochon cheese.

We also spotted this, Montbéliard. This is a well known dairy breed that is mainly used for making cheese.

The cows were lovely, and so was the location, so we decided to move on for our Alpine Meadow walk in hopes of finding lunch on the way.

What to Eat After Walking Through Alpine Pastures (10/01)

After a long, high altitude walk through Alpine Pastures (in which I've spared you from the photos), we were ravenous! It was my turn to make dinner that night, so I went for an easy classic: steak, sauteed mushrooms, and salad.
The steak was cooked à point, and served with Sauce béarnaise, from a jar I'm afraid, and not made by my own fair hand. Though making it from scratch is yet another thing I'd like to attempt in the upcoming year. I've never made béarnaise sauce before, and am somewhat terrified of ending up with scrambled eggs.

The steak was followed by a cheese course. We had some lovely cheeses: (clockwise from the top) Comté, Bleu des Causses, Reblochon, and Epoisses.

We finished with a box of Bonne Maman Lemon Tartlets, which were surprisingly good. They were nice and tart - not too sweet.

Stomach full, legs tired, I was ready for bed. Another good day in France...

Lunch at Châlet la Pricaz (9/29)

Our first full day there, we drove into the mountains to have lunch at this lovely restaurant with breathtaking views of the lake. The restaurant was Châlet la Pricaz and is located in Forclaz, which offers these stunning views of Lac d'Annecy:
The most popular dish that day seemed to be the Tartiflette: a Savoyard gratin consisting of potatoes, cheese, and some kind of meat such as bacon. Traditionally, the cheese in tartiflette is Reblochon*, and it is believe that the dish was launched in the 1980's by the Reblochon trade union in an attempt to increase sales of the cheese.
Châlet la Pricaz's presentation was brilliant, a simple piece of wood, with the dish of baked gratin, a sealed jar with nicely dressed salad greens, and a couple slices of jambon fumé de Savoie that were the best I've ever tasted: nice and thick with an earthly smoked flavor.

This was our first official "proper" meal out in France, and I was not disappointed. The presentation, coupled with the flavors and view created a perfect afternoon in France that I will always cherish. It will definitely go down as one of my all time favorite food memories.
Now I'm not sure if it is traditional of all tartiflette, this one was topped with thinly sliced bread. Here is a close up for you to enjoy... in the upcoming months, I will try to perfect my own version and will post the results when I do.

J opted for the meat platter: Again, I was so struck by the simple presentation: luscious meats, massive cornichons, and a dab of butter - all served on a plank of wood! While J's parents and I opted for a nice bottle of Apremont, J opted for a local brew:

* Reblochon is a nutty tasting, soft washed-rind cheese French cheese from the Alps region of Savoie, made from raw cow's milk. The cow breeds best for producing the milk needed for this cheese are the Abondance, Tarentaise and the Montbéliard. The owners of Châlet la Pricaz make their own Reblochon nearby from the milk of their Tarine cows. (photos of the cows to be added to this posting in the upcoming week)

For more info (including a menu and more photos) of Châlet la Pricaz, please click the following link: http://www.lapricaz.com/

Our Menu Choices:

Me: Gratin de la ferme, jambon fumé de Savoie, salade de saison 18.00€

J: Ecorce de charcuterie, confiture d’oignon jaune paille, beurre de ferme 16.00€

Chalet La Pricaz Restaurant avec vue panoramique sur le Lac d' Annecy depuis le Col de la Forclaz

Tèl: 04.50.60.72.61 Fax: 04.50.60.71.31

E-mail:lapricaz@aliceadsl.fr