Véronique Malo is very happy to have been able to drive the famous red Peugeot 304 which crisscrosses France, during the shootings of Julie’s Notebooks. The discovery of the gastronomic land dear to this France 3 program hosted by Julie Andrieu had, this time, chosen the country of Caux. « This is precisely the theme of the show that earned me to be contacted by the production : culinary techniques seen through a local author, Guy de Maupassant in this case, explains Véronique Malo. One of my lodgings is called “Les Douillons”, a typical Cauchois dessert, and that’s how they found me. ! Guy de Maupassant has written extensively on the culinary art, always staying very close to popular traditions and daily life in the Cauchoise. »
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“One imperative: never boil! “
The first morning of filming takes Véronique Malo to the Goderville market where she is filmed alongside the poultry, the fishmonger or even with the domino “stirrers”, at the local café, near the post office. The whole team will also visit the Laiterie Brin d’herbe in Bréauté, where Véronique Malo is used to buying butter and cream. Then, the architecture of the clos-hovel, still in Bréauté, will be captured by a drone. « So characteristic of the Cauchois habitat, the clos-hovel is surrounded by a double row of trees planted on an embankment to break the wind and protect the thatched roofs of traditional houses. » Filming continued in Fécamp, with the unmissable Palais de la Bénédictine and the famous smoked herrings.
It was from the third day of filming that serious things began for Véronique Malo, called upon for her recipe for turbot à la Normande. « Maupassant says he is very fond of turbot, a local fish that was caught in his time. » His recipe uses only products from his vegetable garden: zucchini, onions, shallots, tomatoes and white grapes from his greenhouse … Even the aromatic herbs (thyme, tarragon, bay leaf) are from the garden.
« For the Normandy sauce, made from cream, butter, cider vinegar and white pepper – and capers on public holidays because it is expensive -, we must respect an imperative : never boil ! » Julie Andrieu did not hesitate to get involved, according to her hostess. « We discussed local customs, traditions while I was cooking. And we covered the douillons, which I prepare from A to Z. »
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The “good” recipe for a Norman dessert
The subject seems thorny as the preparation divides the specialists! « Douillons are prepared with rooster pears, very hard fruits that are not edible raw. You have to put them in a puff pastry, without sugar, and weld the edges in cold water. The preparation should be placed in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Then brush the dough with sugar water, then bake it in a hot oven for at least 2 h at 2 h 30. » Véronique Malo assures him, her recipe is ” the maid ! »
She can’t resist the urge to deliver one last literary anecdote. « Maupassant described in his short story The old, the worries of a couple who must cook douillons, traditionally offered after a funeral. However, the grandfather, against all odds, is slow to die and the douillons have already been eaten by the visitors. Once the death has occurred, it will be necessary to prepare again ! »
To see the show on television, you will have to wait a little longer, the broadcast not being scheduled before the beginning of January.
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