Category Archives: Food and Dining

Valentines Day in Val d’Isere

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luxury chalet valentines dayHow did you spend Valentines’ Day? Did your loved one surprise you with flowers, chocolates or a romantic meal for two in your favourite restaurant?

In our chalets out in Val d’Isere, our female guests woke up to a single rose beside their bed and a chocolate on each pillow.

The romantic theme was to last througout the day, starting at breakfast where the adults enjoyed a small champagne cocktail and even the little ones were treated to a delicious Valentines’ milk shake.

skiing chalet valentines day cocktailskiing chalet childrens milkshake

A little parcel of heart shaped cookies were ready to be taken onto the Val d’Isere slopes as a snack, but…

Dinner in the evening is where our gourmet chefs excel! The tables were laid with heart shaped and rose folded napkins, candles were lit and a romantic ambience pervaded as canapés with oysters and spiced king prawns were enjoyed with champagne.

Sitting down to eat, our guests were absolutely thrilled with the chef’s choice:

Starter
Tian of grapefruit dressed crab with avocado and tomato, asparagus, parsley sauce

Main
Rolled loin of lamb crusted with harissa and crushed cashew nuts, garden peas, butternut squash, parmesan and polenta cake

Cheese
Baked Mont D’or with homemade oat cakes and dried fruit

Dessert
Passionate Fourplay! (passion fruit brulee, cheesecake, home made sorbet and white chocolate and passion fruit fondant)

Petit 4
Chocolate dipped Strawberries

All served with a variety of fine wine and champagne. We always stress that it’s the little touches that make the difference and yesterday proved just as popular with our male guests and their loved ones.

Great food can make all the difference to skiing performance

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View of breakfast table at Le Chardon luxury catered ski chaletEnergy and lots of it is required when exploring the spectacular snow covered slopes of the popular ski resort of Val d’Isere.  Preparing for a ski trip by being physically fit as well as enjoying a healthy, nutritious diet both before departure and at the resort can make all the difference to the whole skiing experience.  At the luxuryLe Chardon catered ski chalets located in the private area of La Legettaz in Val d’Isere, cuisine is of paramount importance, with locally sourced fresh gastronomic food and fine wines available.  Each chalet has a personal chef who designs delicious menus and creates splendid meals for visitors.

Being exposed to higher altitudes means the air is dryer, so when out all day on the slopes it is so important to keep hydrated by drinking lots of water.  Drinking water will re-hydrate the body and keep energy levels high reducing the risk of a mid-morning or afternoon dip.  The ideal way to start the day in preparation of being on the snow is to have a healthy filling breakfast, which will keep the body and muscles fuelled all morning.  Carbohydrates are an excellent source of energy and also a great choice for a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack.

Hot tub view from Le Chardon luxury catered ski chaletCome lunch-time, the body is ready for a balanced meal combining lean protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats which provide the vital ingredients to keep energy levels up until it’s time to head back for a well deserved rest and a tasty evening meal.  To re-charge the muscles after a long day out on the snow, nothing beats a soak in an outdoor hot tub.  From there you can relax and take in the stunning scenery from a different point of view whilst you recall the twists and turns of the day and plan tomorrow’s adventures. To enjoy the ultimate skiing and food experience in Val d’Isere, visit Le Chardon to find out more about a luxury ski break in one of the leading French ski resorts.

Image credits: http://www.lechardonvaldisere.com

Paul Websdale, our gourmet chalet chef explains…

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catered chalet chef cookbookLucky guests at Chalet Mistral last season were treated to delights from the extremely talented and creative Paul Websdale as their chalet chef. Paul specialises in using locally-sourced ingredients in creating his delicious dishes, which can be seen in The Island Ingredient – a fantastic book featuring recipes from the man himself and described as ‘a book for anyone interested in islands and remote places, as well as cookery’.

We’re delighted to say that Paul is joining us for another season with Le Chardon Mountain Lodges, and I know I’ll certainly be the first volunteer if anyone is needed to test his new creations! If you do happen to be lucky enough to have Paul as your chef next winter don’t forget to stop by the kitchen as he’s always on hand for a friendly chat, the occasional cooking tip or even a signing of the book if you ask very nicely!

Copies can be found on Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-Ingredient-Jude-Law/dp/0955835305

Sarah, Le Chardon Mountain Lodges
sarah@lechardonvaldisere.com

Summer Chardon Mojito

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Guess what…its raining in Edinburgh again, so we are v envious of Chardon’s own Mr Jetsetter, David Ralph who is currently in Val d’Isere frolicking with the marmottes in the hazy sunshine.  His summery photos have inspired us to cheer ourselves up by creating our own Summer Chardon cocktail, the Chardon Cherry Mojito.  We are heading out to buy the ingredients now, and we will be mixing them up at lunchtime….so best not call us after about 2pm !

Here’s how you do it…..

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • Juice of 9 freshly squeezed limes
  • 3 pounds juicy cherries
  • 500ml black cherry or plain vodka
  • 750ml sparkling water

Directions

  1. Bring sugar and 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat; let cool completely. (Makes about 2 cups syrup.) Top tip: The syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 month
  2. Put lime juice into a bowl. Halve and pit cherries; add to lime juice. Stir in syrup. Refrigerate at least 1 hour (or overnight).
  3. Stir cherry mixture and vodka in a large serving bowl. Fill 12 glasses with ice. Spoon 1/2 cup cherry-vodka mixture into each glass. Top off with sparkling water. Serve immediately.                                                                                                            Or….if you are in Val d’Isere like our man, Dave…. Pop up to the glacier, pick yourself up some nice fresh ice, dash back to Le Chardon as quickly as possible, pop it in your cocktail glass, get the IPod dock out on the terrace and put your feet up on comfy terrace sofa and start sipping.

Not that we are at jealous of course!

Cocktail evenings at Le Chardon last season were a great hit.  If you have already booked for 2012/13, let the concierge team know what your favourite tipple is and we will do our best to have the cabinet well stocked!

Alpine inspired Food for Rainy Days

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Raclette is a delicious and fun way to dine! It is both a type of Swiss cow’s milk cheese and a dish. It is perfect for gathering friends and family together and sitting around a table cooking together.

The term raclette derives from the French word racler meaning to scrape. The cheese is heated on the raclette and once melted it is scraped off and eaten. Traditionally, the cheese is accompanied by baby potatoes, gherkins, pickled onions, chunks of bread and dried meats. Delicious!

Raclette was mentioned in medieval writings and was often eaten by peasants in the Swiss and French Alps. Originally the cheese was melted on warm stones laid around a fire. The traditional dish dates back as far as 700 years.

The modern way of serving raclette involves an electric table-top grill with small wedge shaped pans, known as coupelles, to heat slices of raclette cheese in. Some raclettes come with eight coupelles allowing a good number of people to join in. The grill is surmounted by a hot plate upon which you can cook strips of beef, prawns and vegetables to accompany your coupelle of melting cheese, green salad and pommes frites!

L’Arolay at La Fornet and Le Coin Savoyarde in Val d’Isere specialise in raclette. For a home version raclettes can also be bought in stores.

Bon appetit!

Penny, Le Chardon Mountain Lodges

http://lechardonvaldisere.com/

Le Chardon’s House Champagne

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Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut is our house champagne of choice. We have favoured Perrier-Jouet for our guests for years and last season we hosted Perrier-Jouet UK for an educational champagne tasting supper which was a superb success. Our guests certainly love the champagne!

Perrier-Jouet is a champagne producer in the Épernay region of Champagne. The house was founded in 1811 by Pierre-Nicolas-Marie Perrier-Jouët and produces both vintage and non vintage cuvee and around 3 million bottles annually. Perrier-Jouet owns an impressive 266 acres of vineyard in the Champagne region. One of the world’s oldest champagnes, a Perrier-Jouet Vintage 1825, was opened, tasted and celebrated in 2009.

The history of the 200 year old champagne house began when a local cork merchant Pierre-Nicolas married Adèle Jouët in 1811. They celebrated their marriage by founding a champagne house. Perrier-Jouet champagne soon became highly prestigious with followers including Queen Victoria, Napoleon III and King Leopold of Belgium.

The family business has since been passed through the generations building the reputation of the house and expanding their produce. First the Brut, then a Vintage then the Belle Epoque were created. The inspiration for the beautiful design of the Belle Epoque bottle was the discovery of a bottle, dating from 1902, found gathering dust in a cupboard. The bottle featured artwork by the now renowned glassmaker Emile Gallé. Gallé had created this bottle at the request of the house to celebrate the 1890s but it was never used. The first Vintage of Belle Epoque, a Brut, was the 1964. It was followed by the Belle Epoque Rose in the 1976 Vintage and then by the precious Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs of which only a limited number of bottles are produced and exported.

At Le Chardon our guests enjoy Perrier-Jouet champagne, with all its history and beauty, with canapes each evening before sitting down to dinner.

Bonne santé!

 

Penny, Le Chardon Mountain Lodges

http://www.lechardonvaldisere.com/

Lake Annecy en route to Val d’Isere

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Annecy is a beautiful lakeside town on the road to the Alps between Geneva and Val d’Isere.

The chic Haute-Savoie capital is perfect for holidaying. A favourite summertime destination for the French who often avoid the crowds and tourists of the Cote d’Azur, Annecy offers beaches, restaurants, culture, history and sporting activities on and around its stunning lake. Sitting on the northern tip of Lake Annecy against the backdrop of the French Alps the town blossoms in summer and is riddled with medieval houses, historic buildings in pretty pastel colours, flower adorned bridges over the Thiou canal and endless restaurants, cafes and boutiques on winding cobbled streets. Due to its canal and bridges it is commonly knows as the Venice of Savoie. They say the locals glance at Mont Blanc in the distance to predict the daily weather.

From Savoyard gastronomy to extreme sports it is a superb choice for family and friends. Savoyard specialities are served up in the al fresco restaurants where you can sample tartiflette, galettes, crepes oozing the local reblochon cheese and award winning ice creams. The lake is a hub of activity and this month the town hosts the Paragliding World Cup. It also has some beautiful beaches – Plage d’Annecy-le-Vieux is ideal for some wild summer swimming! It is the cleanest lake in Europe. Popular lake activities include wakeboarding, waterskiing and boat cruises and cycling and roller blading are also very popular along the lakeside paths.

The Palais de l’Isle, an old prison, in the centre of the historic old part of Annecy, hails from the 12th century. It is the symbol of the town located in the middle of the canal and is amongst the most photographed monuments in France. Annecy Castle and the European Gardens are also striking features. The market is a must and frequented by the locals. It is held along the historic streets and has been held every Tuesday since 1170.

Either as a lunch or overnight stop en route to Val d’Isere or as a summer hot spot, beautiful Annecy is worth a visit.

La Folie Douce, Val d’Isere

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La Folie Douce is one of Val d’Isere’s most renowned establishments and famous across the Alps.  Self-styled as the highest club in Europe.

Sitting at an altitude of 2,400 metres and located on piste OK en route to La Daille, La Folie is an open air day restaurant, bar and club which is alive and jumping from about 2pm.

There are two restaurants, La Fruitiere, one of the best in resort with a superb outdoor terrace to do some bronzing and Nuvoself, a trendy self-service cafe.

Open for late morning ski break hot chocolates and long lazy lunches, Folie attracts everyone in resort for the afternoon party where musicians, singers and djs have a huge crowd dancing on the terrace, bar top, tables and even roof to the happy alpine beats until 5pm…

Come and experience it! Le Chardon’s chauffeur can pick you up at the bottom of the piste afterwards and drive you home to your chalet.

http://www.lafoliedouce.com/

Le Chardon Val d’Isere Sample Dinner Menu

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Salmon and beetroot tartare amuse bouche

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Starter

Fois gras cappuccino with quince jelly and brioche soldiers

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Main

Seared sea bass with crab crushed new potatoes, seasoned spinach and a citrus mussel beurre blanc

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Dessert

Pear soufflé with cinnamon ice cream crumble and pear martini

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Coffees with mini toffee apple and truffles petit fours

 

Come and stay at Le Chardon Mountain Lodges to taste fine dining at altitude created by one of our 5 professional chefs. Our five luxury catered ski in ski out chalets provide our guests with exceptional dining from traditional local French Savoyard specialities to Asian, Scottish, British and other specialities of cuisine. You can also liaise with our chefs to create your ideal and bespoke menus suited to your tastes, ideas and dietary requirements for during your stay.