Raymond and Oli Blanc webchat 3 February

granjura

Bonjour Raymond et Olivier et Bonne Année de Franche-Comté.
I live near Pontarlier but was in the UK for nearly 40 years- and was always interested in your use of local products from the Jura. Could you tell me what your favourite local French 'terroir' products from the Franche-Comté area of your birth you truly love.

Meilleures salutations Odile

At least I've got three saucisse de Morteau and my sons do as well - Oli is a Saucisse de Morteau fan!

cheesepuff

How are you finding working together? Are you going to be a dynasty like the Rouxs?

Oh no - nothing like that, but I'm extremely proud of what Olivier's done with his app. It really connects children with food, the garden and cooking.

dorish

Also if I am permitted a second question

We are always told that the French have a very dim view of British food. Is this really true and is it changing? I think things are pretty good here now

We've been very fortunate to have Raymond (Pops) work on the recipes for the app. With this in mind, the dishes are all seasonal, healthy, and are easy to make. The reason for this is that we want children to participate in the cooking with their parents and to enjoy the same food as their parents so we've created dishes they can all enjoy together. An example of a dish would be grilled peaches with vanilla.

granjura

By the way, whenever I go to Besançon, I always look around for your mum Raymond. Saying that women in France to not get fat- as you know there are plenty of big women in rural Franche-Comté But your mum is so small and petite- and I'm sure I'd recognize her if I met her

Yes French women do get fat, but it seems that there is a food culture in France which often defines how people eat and in France we still eat well. Eating well, a varied diet (which omits bacon and eggs every morning or six glasses of wine at night) means a better diet. As far is my mum is concerned, she is tiny, like me she's always busy and she's a treasure - she's lovely.

granjura

Made me smile recently to see that 'saucisse de Morteau' a local produce, is becoming fashionable in the UK. First came about it at Hambleton Hall, a few years ago- and we really laughed as it was served to us as a very fancy starter, with lentils, toast and a balsamic reduction- but also a a small café we visit in Leicester, Mrs Bridge's, where one of my ex students is the Chef (taught French). Do you use 'saucisse de Morteau' yourself?

Saucisse de Morteau is, for me, the world's best sausage, and it's quite nice for my British friends to discover it. You can do fantastic, wholesome recipes with it and you will find it in my restaurant in all my Brasserie Blancs (Salade de Saucisse Morteau).

somewherehot

Can I ask what, in your view, are the best English dishes? Also, when I was (much) younger and a teenager, I stayed with a French family for a couple of weeks to learn French. The contrast between the mother's omelette and my own mother's was incredible - i don't really even like eggs, but she just made it taste so wonderful (sorry mum!). How do French people do this?!!

I'm sure an English omelette should taste exactly the same as a French one, but it comes down to skill and fresh ingredients. If you're able to add some small bacon, it will help to lift it up as well. One little tip - to give it the best texture, place it in with a little bit of foaming butter (only 10g per portion) and do not whisk immediately, let it sit for about 5-7 seconds. That's how you're going to get a wonderful texture.

iMac

What do you both make of Ludo Lefebvre as a judge on The Taste? Would you be interested in judging in the next series?

Actually I didn't see it. A few friends spoke to me about it but I haven't really heard of him so can't really comment but it's a very interesting programme because I've always tried to optimise taste and pass it on to my young chefs.

bethannie

The Restaurant was one of my favourite TV programmes. Will it ever come back do you think? Did you enjoy being a judge?

Being a judge in The Restaurant was a two-edged sword with so many people that were inept at cooking but "made very good television". They would have made terrible restauranteurs. But we have one best-kept secret, which is the two young men (James and JJ - the ones who winked at me) who are now running an extremely successful cocktail bar called The London Cocktail Bar. Would I do it again? If you give me the right gifted students, yes. Otherwise no!

nicky68

Hi Raymond. My husband has promised that one day he will take me to Le Manoir. I am dying to do - it looks amazing - but I am quite fussy and scared that the food will be too fancy for me. Can you reassure me before he changes his mind and takes me to Pizza Hut instead?

Yes Le Manoir is an amazing place. It has 11 gardens and wonderful food. Please, you must see it as the most welcoming place in the world. The first thing I did was to kill the protocol of tables, to create inclusive luxury. Please look at all the reviews, it's the most welcoming place in the world.

chelsss

Who came up with the name 'Henri Le Worm' ? Oli or Charlotte?

The actual idea was first formulated in my head, BUT it wouldn't have happened without Charlotte. So you could say we both gave birth to a worm... That my first-born is a giant, segmented creature that breathes through its skin.

rosesarered

Hello,
my 8 yr old Grandson is autistic and obsessed with worms; as in, he loves them, and I have to make up 'worm stories' all the time.So, they are a family who live in my garden, parents and 2 children. Daddy worm is very brave and likes having dangerous adventures. Am running out of steam with them though, so what you have created is 'just the job'!
Because Grandson doesn't eat much , do you have a very simple easy to eat recipe [no lumps or much chewing needed] that I could make for his supper. He likes strong flavours. Thank you.

Well Henri is thrilled that your grandson is a fan and you can tell him that Henri is a huge fan of his.

rosesarered

Hello,
my 8 yr old Grandson is autistic and obsessed with worms; as in, he loves them, and I have to make up 'worm stories' all the time.So, they are a family who live in my garden, parents and 2 children. Daddy worm is very brave and likes having dangerous adventures. Am running out of steam with them though, so what you have created is 'just the job'!
Because Grandson doesn't eat much , do you have a very simple easy to eat recipe [no lumps or much chewing needed] that I could make for his supper. He likes strong flavours. Thank you.

The simplest would be, as he likes strong flavours, to give him a nice ripe Camembert, place it in the oven and bake iot for about 10-15 minutes about 150 degrees. Then the flesh will become very creamy and dip toasted bread, cereal or rye in the liquid Camembert. Easy delicious and a great party dish. Of course, you can add as much garlic as you like, or rosemary, or even truffle.

wolfie

Following on from chelsss' question I wondered why a worm? I have never thought of worms as gastronomic experts although in this I may be quite wrong

Fair point - but I think if we look at having a rat as a chef in Ratatioulle, or friendly sharks in A Shark's Tale, I think if you have the right character and the right design you can make any creature appealing to children. A worm may seem humble but he has a vital job in the garden where he will aerate the soil and help enrich it through decomposition. But to be fair, Henri did complete a three year stage under RB's tutelage at Le Manoir and Brasserie Blanc and came through with flying colours.

CaffeineAddict

Hi Raymond and Oli. Who is your favourite chef?

Of course, there's only one Maman Blanc. She established the cornerstone of my own cooking which is about celebrating seasonality, the very best produce, best variety, and cooking them simply to create some wonderful, delicious food.

CaffeineAddict

Hi Raymond and Oli. Who is your favourite chef?

It has to be my Pops (he's got me in a headlock at the moment, which is affecting my choice). But in all seriousness I think some of my favourite recipes have come from Papa, such as essence of tomato, spring vegetables or cafe creme.But you can also cook some beautiful, simple and rustic food like Henri.

Hearmeroar

Your tweet about the Great British Back Off where you said, “The Great British Bake Off. Not much skills, female tears and a winner so thin who makes me doubt of her love for great cooking, baking.” - did you expect to receive the reaction you did? Do you think your comment was slightly misogynistic?

I don't remember that day!! Probably I was in a very out of sorts on that morning, which is very unusual. I agree that my comments were harsh and to some unfair, especially for young people as I understand how difficult it is to work on camera. I apologise!

Marthamuffin

Raymond I am interested to know how you got your kids cooking? Also curious to know at what stage to give them new tasks (cutting) and to let them near hot pans?

The fact is, I opened my restaurant as a 28-year-old, and was totally self taught. I had to devote my full attention to creating a successful restaurant and I must say, both my sons were at private school and we were both working so hard that there was no time. It's only after, when they were young adults, that we managed to cook together. They were only coming back once a month and during holidays.