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FINE FRENCH DINING ON THE EDGE OF THE WILDERNE'' d'elk
et so souce
on the edge of the witderness just hatf an hour from downtown
menu was in French. After atl, my hostess, Christiane Champeval,
Whitehorse.
chef.
But my high school French seemed to be letting me down. My rough transtation of the next course was "elk stew with choc-
otate sauce." That couldn't be right, coutd it? I coaxed myself to keep an open mind. The first two dishes had been deticious and the chef
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todge. So then I tailored this menu
rious bed and breakfast perched
4eloutde au chocolat noir. I-ngout I I was not surprised the was from France. And she had invited me for a gourmet dinner prepared by her imported French
October 28,2010
Most of us sharing the tabte were strangers when the evening began, but that feeting was quickty waning.
physicatty. In every ptace there is something new to discover," said Chef Phitippe Kientzter. "My job is to mix my skitts with the quatity [oca[ produce and
interpret the food to connect with the place and the ctients." I had never thought that deepty
We had enjoyed two intriguing courses atready, including an appetizer of freshty prepared guacamole with a crisp rasher of
about food. I fett as if Chef Phitippe had come att the way from France to chatlenge and stretch me. But
bacon to scoop it up. lt was served in individua[ preserving jars. That seemed a different use of jam jars . . . but why not? The novetty of presentation set off the piquant flavour and added a cer-
dinners at the lodge for a week and connecting with other Yukoners too.
seemed quite sane.
tain je ne sais quoi.
I was dining in late September at the Takhini River Lodge, a [uxu-
"ldeatty, a chef is a traveting person - traveling spiritualty and
he had been presenting gourmet
"f call it l'arte culinaire," continued Chef Phitippe. "Connecting with this ptace is easy - the beautiful setting, the immediacy and vigour of the landscape, the comfort and tasteful decor of the
to you, our guests and worked with the food from here." The fitet of Arctic char wrapped in crisp phyto pastry served on a bed of leeks in white vermouth butter sauce had been amazing. Even my husband, who strictly avoids at[ members of the onion family, had devoured it with murmuring approvat.
The etk and chocotate was next. | leaned across the table for a perspective from Brook Bouquot, one of the other guests. Bouquot is a baker, the owneroperator of The Birdhouse, a restaurant in Porter Creek. She knows a lot about food. "Can you put
meat and chocolate together?" queried. Bouquot tooked
at me kindly,
I
U/lYlY.W
October 28,2010
PHOTOIz lean
CheJ
H
ATq U PYU K9 N, C,
l{otc Champ*al
Philippe
wasn't
it was. lt wasn't weird. lt a combination of entr6e
I was no longer squinting at the
cate.
not atways a sweet. Cacao is used to enrich and complement the flavours. Think of Latin cuisine with its chicken in chocolate sauce."
and dessert. lt was a rich, tender,
tion of what was next. I trusted this Chef Phitippe. He was good
realizing
it
was her duty to edu-
"Oh yes! Chocotate is
I
at her Latin American reference but she looked btank
seemed adamant this next course would be fabutous.
And
moist stew with the subtle dark
chocolate flavour creeping up behind the gamey-ness.
[' woutd never have imagined such a deticious combination. At ple end of the course, every ptate was empty. By the time dessert arrived,
menu trying to transtate a predic-
and his food was even better. Christiane was briltiant to bring
him to the Yukon to experiment with our food and detight our taste
buds. I can hardty wait until next fa[[ when Chef Phitippe returns to connect with us again.