#les secrets de la mère brazier

[timetraveltasting]

POULET SAUTÉ AUX DUCS DE BOURGOGNE (1932)

I've never had a Michelin-star meal before, but in this next Tasting History dish, I get to try one: Poulet Sauté aux Ducs de Bourgogne is a dish famous for being served at the Michelin-starred restaurants in Lyon, France, both called La Mère Brazier. While this recipe was created by Eugénie Brazier in 1932, it was in 1933 that both of her restaurants won 3 Michelin stars each, making her the first chef to have six. No other chef would earn six Michelin stars until Alain Ducasse did so in the 1988 Michelin Guide. Madame Brazier opened her first restaurant in 1921, building it into a nationally famous restaurant by the end of the decade and promptly opening up a second location in the foothills outside of Lyon. Brazier is considered one of Lyon's famous female cooks – the Mères lyonnaises – who were known for avoiding flashy, elaborate dishes, preferring instead to offer simple food of the highest quality. These chefs were known to have influenced many famous French chefs after them. By modern Michelin standards, this chicken dish is considered fairly plain. While Michelin stars were originally awarded to "fine dining establishments", originally only in France, the stars were given out primarily on the basis of taste, and less the presentation and ambience of the meals. In general, this is more my style, so I thought it would be fun to try and make this early Michelin meal - also since I can't afford to eat at a Michelin-starred restaurant nowadays! See Max’s video on how to make this dish here or see the ingredients and process at the end of this post, sourced from his website.

My experience making it:

Since I was cooking for two and not four, I halved the recipe. I used two chicken quarters, Taylor's Reserve Port, Flaschengeist Cognac, Pennypacker 2-Year Aged Bourbon, and Edelkirsch, since I couldn't find the usual clear Kirschwasser (a bit of a shock it was so hard to find here, since it's from Germany!), which is what the recipe is most likely referring to.

First, I preheated the oven and prepared some of the ingredients ahead of time: getting the egg yolk ready, mixing the alcohols in a bowl, and portioning out the cream and butter. Then, I began preparing the chicken for cooking by patting it dry with paper towel and rubbing it with salt and pepper. Then in an oven-safe, stainless steel pan, I heated up the butter until it was sizzling, adding in the chicken and cooking on both sides until lightly golden brown. I probably could have cooked them this way a little longer, as I didn't get quite enough browning as Max did, but I was a bit impatient. I tossed the pan in the oven and cooked until the chicken reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, about 35 minutes, a bit shorter than what Max recommends. I threw on an oven mitt and removed it from the oven - the chicken looked great, and there was still lots of butter sizzling in the bottom! Unfortunately, here is where I made a very stupid mistake. Not used to putting a frying pan in the oven, I reflexively tried to grab the still-burning-hot handle to shift the orientation of the pan without an oven mitt. OUCH! I did get burnt - luckily not too bad. I won't be making that mistake again! I ran my hand under cold water for a while.

For the next few steps of the recipe, I was holding my one hand under the water periodically while trying to continue cooking with the other, somewhat successfully. I used some tongs to grab the chicken and put it on a plate to rest, covering it with tinfoil while I began making the sauce. I deglazed the pan with the alcohol mixture, using a whisk to get all the cooked-on chicken juices to release into the sauce. I simmered it much longer than the recipe called for, as it was taking a long time to reduce to half the amount of liquid. Meanwhile, I whisked the egg yolk into the heavy cream, then slowly added it into the pan, whisking constantly. While Max says to whisk vigorously to prevent the sauce from becoming lumpy, I didn't really have to mix it that much somehow. I was taking breaks to hold my hand under cold water for my burn, and lazily stirring with the other hand, and never had any lumps develop in the sauce. It did, however, take a decent while to thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon. I tasted the sauce as it was thickening (so, so delicious!) and added as much salt and pepper as I thought it needed. As it was finishing up thickening, I quickly made an orzo garden salad to accompany our Michelin chicken, my hand hurting less and becoming more useful again. I took the sauce off the stove, strained it (with a non-conical strainer), and served it in a cute little measuring jug, plating up the chicken with the salad. I poured a little sauce on the chicken, and dinner was ready! It looked so wonderful and homey, I couldn't wait to dig in.

My experience tasting it:

I cut straight into the chicken, making sure to sop up some sauce. The chicken was cooked perfectly, nice and tender, although it was not super warm after sitting for so long. Despite this, my first bite tasted absolutely fantastic. The sauce was silky and creamy, with a really unique flavour that must have come from the mix of port, cognac, whiskey, and kirsch. I was worried that this sauce would taste like alcohol, because there is a decent amount of it in there, but it must have cooked off quite a bit, leaving mostly the flavours behind. Like Max mentions, I couldn't identify the taste of any specific alcohol that I knew was in there. The flavour was just complex, earthy, with a nice amount of salt and pepper to balance it out. As I pulled apart my chicken, I poured more sauce on - it was so addictive! My husband and I both cleaned our plates, and I may have even used my finger to get every last remnant of it, it was so tasty. Luckily, we had a bit of leftover sauce, so I am excited to try it on another meal, maybe on some roasted potatoes. I think this dish may actually be my favourite Tasting History dish I have made yet, which is saying a lot, since there have been many I have really enjoyed! I will definitely make this again. It takes a bit of time, but it's totally worth it (even worth the burn!). I could specifically see myself making this when having a friend or two over for dinner, with a nice glass of red wine along with it. This Poulet Sauté aux Ducs de Bourgogne deserves every Michelin star it received! I can't wait to make it again. If you end up making this dish, if you liked it, or if you changed anything from the original recipe, do let me know!

Poulet Sauté aux Ducs de Bourgogne original recipe (1932)

Sourced from Les Secrets de La Mère Brazier by Eugénie Brazier (recipe from 1932, published in 1992).

Poulet Sauté aux Ducs de Bourgogne For 4 people 1.600 kg chicken porto cognac whisky kirsch crème fraîche eggs salt pepper butter Remove the chicken quarters and season with salt and pepper. Brown them in butter in a frying pan, then bake gently in the oven for 40 minutes. Remove the pieces and keep them warm. Deglaze the pan with a glass of port, a glass of cognac, a glass of kirsch and a glass of whisky. Allow to reduce and add 1/2 litre of crème fraîche in which 2 egg yolks have been mixed. Cook for a few minutes, whisking vigorously. Adjust the seasoning and strain over the chicken quarters. Serve on very hot plates.

Modern Recipe

Based on the recipe from Les Secrets de La Mère Brazier by Eugénie Brazier (recipe from 1932, published in 1992) and Max Miller’s version in his Tasting History video.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 lb (1 1/2 kg) chicken, quartered

Salt and pepper to taste

4 tbsp (56 g) butter

2 egg yolks

2 cups (475 ml) heavy cream

1 1/2 ounces (45 ml) port

1 1/2 ounces (45 ml) cognac

1 1/2 ounces (45 ml) whiskey

1 1/2 ounces (45 ml) kirsch

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).

Sprinkle the chicken quarters with plenty of salt and pepper and rub it into the skin.

Heat the butter in a deep oven-safe pan, and once it’s sizzling, place the chicken pieces in it. Cook for a few minutes until they’re a light golden brown, then flip and brown on the other side.

Put the pan in the oven and cook for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is done.

Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover it.

Return the pan with all the drippings to the stove. Deglaze it with the port, cognac, whiskey, and kirsch. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat and cook it until it’s reduced by about half, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Whisk the egg yolks into the heavy cream to combine. Add this mixture to the pan and whisk vigorously while it cooks for about 5 to 10 more minutes, or until it has thickened up. Whisk constantly, or the sauce will get lumpy. Taste, and add salt and pepper to your liking. When it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, pour it through a strainer. A conical strainer will be best for this if you have one.

Pour the sauce over the chicken, and serve it forth.

[grantmkemp]

Born 125 years ago today, 12th June 1895, Eugénie Brazier, known as "la mère Brazier" was a French chef who, in 1933, became the first person to attain a total of six Michelin stars, three each at two restaurants: La Mère Brazier on Rue Royale, one of the main streets of Lyon, and a second, also called La Mère Brazier, in the Alpine foothills at Col de la Luère. This was unmatched until Alain Ducasse was awarded six stars in the 1998 Michelin Guide. She was also the first woman to earn three Michelin stars.

Brazier was born on 12 June 1895 in Bourg-en-Bresse. Her parents owned a farm near Certines. By the time she was five she had learned to make two pies which were specialities of her mother. When she was 10 her mother died, and she was placed with a family to help working their farm; in addition to her room and board she received a pair of clogs and a new dress each year. She remained working on various farms until she was twenty.

In 1914, at the age of 19, she became a single mother; some sources mention her father throwing her out at this time. She then entered domestic service in Lyon for a family named Milliat, working first as a maid and nanny and then as a cook

In order to increase her income she started working for Mère Filloux, another of the Mères Lyonnaises, one whose kitchen employed only women. During her time at La Mère Fillioux she learned to make volaille demi-deuil, also called poularde de Bresse demi-deuil (chicken in half-mourning), her version of which would make her famous. The dish consisted of a Bresse chicken with slices of black truffle inserted under its skin that was then poached in bouillon. When it was cooked, the truffle showed through the white skin of the chicken so that the overall appearance was black-and white; hence the name half-mourning.

In 1921, when she was 26, she opened her first restaurant, at 12 Rue Royale. She was hired to prepare a cold buffet for participants in Spido, an annual horse race, and the race's director was so pleasantly surprised by her cooking that he asked her to come to Pairs to prepare the event's banquet every year. This established her reputation.

She was famously picky about ingredients; her chicken vendor once joked that soon he would be expected to give the birds manicures before she would accept them. She was equally demanding about cleanliness, emptying storage areas daily for cleaning. She avoided waste, creating staff dinners from trimmings and saving anything left on diners' plates to feed the pigs. Her menu changed as required by seasonal availability. When there were few vegetables, she served a macaroni gratin.

She expanded her premises on Rue Royale twice and finally opened the second restaurant in 1932, west of Lyon in Le Col de la Luere, in a former hunting camp. The building had no water, gas, or electricity when she purchased it. Michelin awarded the new restaurant two stars that year.

In 1933, both restaurants were awarded three Michelin stars, the first time any chef had held six stars.

During the Second World War she was fined and imprisoned for breaking rationing laws.

Paul Bocuse apprenticed with her there starting in 1946 when he was 20, becoming commis. In a 1970s interview Bocuse said he'd rather have a woman in his bed than in his kitchen. Bernard Pacaud apprenticed with her starting in 1962, crediting her with inspiring him to become a cuisinier.

Brazier retired in 1972,  it would be 50 years before Michelin awarded a third star to another woman.

Brazier's cookbook, Les secrets de la mère Brazier, was published posthumously in 1977. In 2014 it was translated into English under the title La Mere Brazier: The Mother of Modern French Cooking. Bocuse and Pacaud each wrote forewords

After her death her accomplishments were largely forgotten; when Alain Ducasse received a sixth Michelin star in 1998, the New York Times' food and wine writer, Florence Fabricant, and several other newspapers announced it as the first time it any chef had received six stars. The paper later issued a correction. vIn 2016 Eater wrote a feature on her, subheadlined, "How history erased this influential chef," which noted that Quentin Crewe's 1978 book, Great Chefs of France, barely mentions her and doesn't mention her at all in the section on Bocuse, and that the 2007 Food: The History of Taste, a collection of essays by French, German, Belgian, American, and British food historians, discusses all of Brazier's important contemporaries but doesn't mention her.

She was recognised by a Google Doodle on 12 June 2018, the 123rd anniversary of her birth.

Drew Smith wrote "It is not going too far to say that her cuisine was the start of modern French gastronomy".

Brazier's cooking was renowned, attracting clientele including Charles de Gaulle, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, and Marlene Dietrich, who loved her Langouste Belle Aurore, a whole sweet lobster drenched in brandy and cream. Her New York Times obituary said she was a friend of Prime Minister Édouard Herriot.

Eugénie Brazier died in March 1977 in Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon. She had one son, Gaston. She was never married but had a partner who worked as a chauffeur during her time in Lyon.

This is my colourised version of a black, and white photograph taken in 1950 as part of the series "La Vie Lyonnaise" a photo exhibition devoted to the work of Marcelle Vallet

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[mujeresbacanas]

La madre de la cocina francesa

Eugénie Brazier

1895-1977

Sin estudios formales, la cocinera Eugénie Brazier se convirtió en la madre de la cocina francesa, y en la primera persona en obtener 6 estrellas de la guía de restaurantes Michelin, gracias al excepcional menú de sus dos restaurantes en Lyon.

Eugénie Brazier nació en una granja en la región de Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes en 1895. Tuvo una infancia dura y pobre, donde su madre le preparó platos que iniciaron su fascinación con la comida. Con 10 años, debió irse a trabajar a una granja para mantenerse ante la muerte de su madre. A los 19, con un hijo entonces considerado bastardo, se fue a Lyon a trabajar como niñera.

En la casa de Les Milliat, unos célebres de fabricantes de pastas, Eugéne cambió su inicial trabajo de niñera por los fogones, y así se convirtió en la cocinera oficial de la casa. Sin embargo, la necesidad de ganar más dinero para poder sustentar a su hijo Gastón, hizo que decidiera irse a La Mère Fillioux. Este era un establecimiento distinguido, comandado solamente por mujeres que habían abandonado el trabajo de servicio doméstico, para convertirse en dueñas de un lugar donde se servía un menú fijo. 

Ahí Brazier perfeccionó su mano cocinera y logró juntar suficiente dinero para independizarse. En 1921 abrió el lugar que se convertiría en el famoso La Mère Brazier. Un pequeño almacén que redefinió el estilo de los “mère” (cocinas pintorescas con mujeres cocineras), típicas de la región lionesa. 

Eugénie comenzó sirviendo cangrejos de río con mayonesa y chancho con guisantes. De a poco almuerzo y cena comenzaron a llenarse, gracias al boca a boca, para convertirse durante años en un destino de presidentes y turistas. 12 años después de su apertura fue la primera mujer en recibir tres estrellas de la guía Michelin, una de las máximas distinciones culinarias, que Brazier recibió con 38 años. 

En 1928 Eugénie amplió su espectro culinario hacia los Alpes, donde se compró un coto de caza, e instaló su segundo restaurante, Le Col de Luère. Aquí se formó Paul Bocuse, a quien se le considera el padre de la nouvelle cuisine, una reinterpretación de la cocina francesa donde se comenzó a hacer platos más ligeros y con preocupación en la presentación.

El éxito de Le Col de Luere fue tal que Eugénie recibió otras tres estrellas Michelin en 1933, y se convirtió en la primera persona en tener 6 estrellas a la vez, gracias a la excelencia de sus dos restaurantes, que se mantuvieron con la máxima distinción de la guía Michelin durante 20 años. Seis décadas después, en 1997, el chef Alain Ducasse logró el mismo número de estrellas, y The New York Times lo proclamó erróneamente como el primero en lograr este número de distinciones.

La cocina de Brazier, enfocada en productos de calidad y de la zona, decantó en un mismo menú en ambos restaurantes: entrada de embutidos de la zona, luego quenelle de brochet (un pescado cremoso en una masa de sémola), de principal un pollo demi-deuil (cocinado en un caldo con trufas bajo la piel y terminado con abundante crema,  y para terminar, sus famosos fondos de alcachofa rellenos de foie gras.

Dos años antes de que muriera, en 1977, comenzó a escribir un libro de cocina, que por décadas pasó desapercibido hasta que sus descendientes decidieron rescatarlo y publicar en 2009: Les secrets de la Mère Brazier