CHEZ SIMONE
TEL: 05 62 29 44 40

We had spent the day driving around the vineyards of Madiran and Juranon, returning to the heart of Gascony and the village of Montreal du Gers.


Here you'll find Chez Simone, now run by Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Daubin.  Andre and Simone, Bernard's parents, live just around the corner in the center of town.

 
We arrived around 8:30 in the evening with some bottles of wines we'd gathered during the previous 3000 kilometers of our excursion.  

Bernard had a bottle or two of wine he wanted us to taste, as well.
He immediately decanted bottle of a lovely white wine of Elian da Ros, a producer in the Ctes-du-Marmandais appellation.  But this was some wine that was made outside of the regulations, so it was "merely" a "Vin de Table," rather than a "Ctes-du-Marmandais".  "Sua Sponte," as it's called,  was an interesting combination of honeyed notes and an herbal tone.

While everyone was busy tasting wines over the next two hours, I decided to do some "espionage," and poked around the kitchen.











Waiting for a call to arms.


More "soldiers."


Bernard had a large group of people to cook for aside from ours.
He's baking some breads for them.


Voila !!!



Being in the South-West of France, the Perigord is nearby.  That's truffle country!
Bernard shows off a large truffle he's got lying in wait in the kitchen.


Showing off other culinary treasures, Bernard slices what I thought was, perhaps, Prosciutto from Italy's San Daniele region in Friuli.
"Better!" shouted Bernard.  "This is the best of the best!  It's Jamon Iberico from Spain."


Bernard then sliced up a local specialty, a sort of Duck Prosciutto.  This platter was gone in seconds, as the aperitif hour was about 140 minutes.


Charles Neal, Eric Entricky, Gerald Weisl and Allan Fischer, heir to the famed Fischer Family Fortune of France.



Meanwhile, the Chef was busy in the kitchen preparing some dishes for the other group of hungry folks.



We were finally ushered to our table around 11:45 to start our wine & food marathon, Faon Daubin.


Grassa's "La Hitaire" was paired with Mi-Cuit Foie Gras.  The wine is a blend of Gros and Petit Manseng.  Served thoroughly chilled, this moderately sweet wines was delicious with the Foie Gras.  



Next, we had a Duck Tartare, Bernard seasoning the duck with Olive Oil, Soy, Balsamic Vinegar, Garlic and the Chef's Secrets...
It was paired with a mildly berryish, lightly smoky Chteauneuf-du-Pape of Pierre Usseglio.  2000 Vintage.

CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE