La Cuisine- The Cook's Resource

I just got home from vacation. Ten days of travel from Georgia to New Jersey and back. What a road trip. It was hot! However,  I had the pleasure of shopping (in what is now my favorite store), La Cuisine.

La Cuisine is owned by Nancy Purves Pollard . Pollard opened La Cuisine at the age of 25, in 1970( !) , in Old Town Alexandria , Virginia . A woman way ahead of the cooking curve.  A culinary  en visionary. She was cooking Chicken Calvados and Cream , and created a huge mess of the dish because she did not have the correct pot to complete the dish correctly.
Thus, her baby/store was born.

Here is the article featured in The Washington Post....http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2010/07/06/ST2010070602766.html

My pictures....

French extracts, sugars,  and Bronte pistachios!

Mauviel - French Copper

candied fruit and jams

 Roger Martin wooden bowls

Italian Ceramics and French Copper



 Cookbooks, pastry tips, bags, and French baking pans

Professional Cutlery and Nancy Purves Pollard

My Haul for the day :)

Cuisinette Services 

*Knife Sharpening

*Classes and Special Events - cookie decorating, knife skills

*In Store Saturday tastings of products and recipes

*Professional Discounts

La Cuisine- The Cook's Resource 

323 Cameron Street

Alexandria, VA 22314

local (703) 836-4435

TF  - 1-800 521-1176

FAX (703) 836-8925

 Website :  http://www.lacuisineus.com/ 

*ships to USA and Canada

*will order special request items- ex. I am looking for candied Angelica  

I will be ordering frequently............

Chicken With Calvados and Cream

The Washington Post, July 7, 2010

• Cuisine: French
• Course: Main Course

Summary:

This classic dish from Normany ignited La Cuisine owner Nancy Purves Pollard's passion for copper cookware many years ago.
Pollard had not previously measured the amount of butter used in this recipe, cooking from memory; consider the 5 tablespoons mentioned to be a guide.
Serve with farro or a rice pilaf.
4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 4- to 5-pound chicken, preferably organic
• Unsalted butter (at least 5 tablespoons)
• 1 medium yellow onion, cut into small dice (3/4 to 1 cup)
• 2 medium Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground white pepper
• 6 to 8 ounces button mushrooms, stemmed and rinsed
• Calvados
• 1 cup heavy cream, plus more as needed

Directions:

Cut the chicken into a total of 10 pieces: thighs, drumsticks, breast (in 4 pieces) and wings. The pieces should be roughly the same size. Trim off the wing tips and reserve for another use such as making stock, if desired, along with the chicken back and gizzard.
Melt a large knob of butter (about 2 tablespoons) in a large copper rondeau or heavy saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is pale golden. Add the apples and cook for 5 minutes, until they are warmed through and slightly tender. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.
Add about 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan, then add the chicken pieces; you might have to do this in 2 batches to keep from crowding the pan. Turn them to coat, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the chicken is golden on all sides but not brown. Transfer to a platter; the chicken will not be cooked through.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter (or more) to the pan, then add the mushrooms. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they release their juices and that moisture evaporates. Transfer to a separate medium bowl.
Return all of the chicken pieces to the pan (they will fit) over medium heat, and add the remaining tablespoon of butter (or more). When the butter has melted, carefully pour in enough Calvados to generously cover the bottom of the pan. Cook for 4 or 5 minutes or until the liquid has been reduced by half.
Add the cream, stirring to incorporate. Return the onion-apple mixture to the pan; cook uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, turning the chicken to coat once or twice, then return the mushrooms to the pan; partially cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and a silky sauce has formed, coating all the pieces in the pan.
Taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed. Divide among individual plates; serve warm.

Recipe Source:

Adapted from Nancy Purves Pollard, owner of La Cuisine in Old Town Alexandria.