Finally feasted on my dream dish

If you know me, you know how much I love food, grilling, cooking, eating, I love food.  I've read Hemingway's memoir "Movable feast" at least two times, and parts of the book caught my attention and stirred within me a dull curiosity about French cuisine.  But, instead of EH, it was Bourdain who started me off on a French themed quest that would take years to find its destination.  

Thanks to Bourdain, for several years now I have wanted to try a French fare called foie gras. As a foodie, it became my Holy Grail. When I stumbled across foie gras for the very first time in the writings of Anthony Bourdain I assumed it was some type of collard greens from the name/spelling of it. 

So, I googled it.  It's not a green.  

Foie gras, pronounced “fuwa gra” is typically goose liver though duck is used too.  The only restaurants to serve this dish to my knowledge are French.   Therefore when Tammy and I were planning a visit with good friends near a French restaurant, we made reservations at the Maison Blanche

I made the reservations two weeks beforehand.  To say I was anxiously anticipating our meal would be an understatement. I love liver sausage, liverwurst, beef liver, chicken liver, so I knew that the fattened goose liver had to be great as well.  But, could it turn out like Turkish delight?

I remember reading in “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” where C. S. Lewis wrote about Turkish delight, and it was supposed to be so good when the White witch offers it to Edmund, it’s irresistible. Well, when Tammy and I visited England, that wasn’t my experience with Turkish delight at all. 

I’m not embarrassed, I’ll admit it, foie gras became an obsession for me, it became my ambrosia.  I talked about it often, I asked questions of those who were familiar with it, and eagerly sought it out.  For years.  

The big night finally came, but the Maison Blanche (White mansion in French) wasn’t much to look at from the street. In fact, it is adjoining a lackluster looking hotel. Once you enter, there’s an absence of artwork, windows, or any attractive décor. There are white curtains from floor to ceiling throughout. You can’t see into the kitchen. The hostess station looked more like one for a hair salon than a restaurant.  The tables were slightly smaller than I expected. 

Your elementary school teacher was right, don’t ever judge a book by its cover.  Clearly the chef wants no distractions from the real reason you come to his restaurant, you are there for the gourmet food, not the decorations.  

The entire evening at the Maison Blanche was amazing, absolutely exceeding my expectations.  Each course was excellent. We all enjoyed our food, and yes, the foie gras which is served as an appetizer was beyond delicious.  

Tasting the foie gras for the first time was to me like a combination of one's first flight in a jet and watching a sunset over the south rim of the Grand Canyon.  To say it was nearly a mystical experience for me personally wouldn't be an exaggeration.  

The portion was not much more than a morsel, yet it had more flavor packed in it than an entire slab of meat.  The chef drizzled a flavorful reduction sauce on the liver, and the liver was resting on a bed of risotto.  

The delicate, tender, and flavorful liver was nut-brown on the outside, the inside held a pale tone that was as soft in color as it was in texture while the outer part had a wonderful firm pleasurable texture from being seared.  The inside was nearly moist, much more fragile and frail than the exterior.  

Unlike what you might expect from liver there was no bitterness nor strong scent at all, it tasted fantastic, slightly buttery, deeply flavorful.  It was extremely delicious and eating it was the most delightful meal I've ever experienced at the table.  

I had never eaten French food or even been in a French restaurant before, I didn't really know what to expect.  Maison Blanche exposed me to a standard of service like I've never experienced in my entire life.  I have never been so well attended to. The silverware was small but the superb service wasn't. 

I will say this: A night out at the Maison Blanche isn't one you do alone.  It's best experienced with good friends and loved ones.  Like most of the best times in life, it's better when you share those special experiences together. 

A final word on foie gras, I'm slowly building up the courage to one day prepare foie gras myself.  I've reached out to a culinary friend for advice on where to get it, and how to cook it --actually, I reached out to him before we ate at Maison Blanche.  I'm quite sure there will be pictures to follow when that day comes, but until then I'll relish this memory.  

Yes, a night like that is pricey.  Without hesitation I would do it again, Lord willing we will next time we are in town.  Tammy and I enjoy gathering fresh and memorable experiences more so than accumulating possessions.  

We are taking a philosophy or approach to living that memories fill our life better than gathering that which would clutter.  While we never stop improving our home and creating a space we don't need a vacation from, as the saying goes, lately in this phase of life we are enjoying traveling and sharing good meals together more than pursuing collections. 

Food, fun, fellowship, and time with people who love you for who you are, I highly recommend it.