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Michel Bras

Our first serious meal this trip is at Michel Bras. He’s a legend in cooking having invented much of what is done today in haute cuisine. In a quote attributed to Wiley Dufresne “he has been copied by every chef in the world. We’ve all taken a page out of the Bras book – the smear, the spoon drag, putting food on a plate like it fell off a tree.” Set on a hill the architecture and location is spectacular. Here’s a photo of it from the air. This blog has a great history of his achievements. And so it was, our first meal:
Michel Bras - Laguiole - France - 27 July 2011
Michel Bras - Laguiole - France - 27 July 2011
After a couple of amuse bouche and talking with the sommelier (there are three!) our first course arrived. This dish had probably over 10 different ingredients and to say eating a bowl of flowers and leaves never tasted better is an understatement. Every bite was different and unique, the combination of flavours and sauces never repeating itself. So if you enjoyed a mouthful you may never experience again!
Michel Bras - Laguiole - France - 27 July 2011
The second dish as a just cooked piece of Turbot from Brittany. A beautiful delicate white fish. Sublime flavours:
Michel Bras - Laguiole - France - 27 July 2011
Then a scarily big piece of duck foie gras. Perfectly cooked. Just a hint of pink when cut through and accompanied with baby blueberries. This went so well with a 2001 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc our sommelier had suggested:
Michel Bras - Laguiole - France - 27 July 2011
I missed a photo of the next plate, a special ham (like the Gascoyne black pig tasted in Avignon) with poached pear. We switched to a Coche Dury burgundy which had been opened and breathing from the start. The next dish was a plate of baby peas with truffle:
Michel Bras - Laguiole - France - 27 July 2011
Michel Bras - Laguiole - France - 27 July 2011
The Coche Dury matched beautifully with the milk-fed lamb:
Michel Bras - Laguiole - France - 27 July 2011
With the lamb a side dish of Aligot – mashed potato with cheese from Michel Bra’s mother arrived:
Michel Bras - Laguiole - France - 27 July 2011
The savoury dishes done it was onto the cheese course. We selected 3 cheeses to taste – can’t remember the names – getting a bit blurry b:
Michel Bras - Laguiole - France - 27 July 2011
There were three deserts:
Michel Bras - Laguiole - France - 27 July 2011
Michel Bras - Laguiole - France - 27 July 2011
Michel Bras - Laguiole - France - 27 July 2011
Dinner done – we went into the lounge for a tea and more food!:
Michel Bras - Laguiole - France - 27 July 2011