Chef David's Culinary Tour: Day Two

This morning after having a basket of bread and pastries for breakfast at our hotel, we ventured off into the square across the street. There we found a beautiful market with tons of fresh seasonal product from local producers. We were happy to buy some fruit, but wished we had a kitchen to prepare some of the vegetables we saw.

After we took a brisk walk to see the Chapelle Du Rosaire, where famous artist Henri Matisse designed the decor and layout of the building. Many of his sketches and works were on display, including huge murals inside the chapel.

 

The highlight of our day was spending time with Jean-Claude Bayle, Manager of R&D at IFF's Laboratory Monique REMY (LMR) in Grasse. It was difficult navigating our way from Vence to Grasse, but after a few lucky guesses and we found our way. Once there, we met up with Jean-Claude who gave us an overview of what is manufactured from his facility, and how IFF partners with growers to secure the highest quality materials, and even has farms of their own. Many ingredients need to be extracted right at the farm, due to the short life of the precious volatiles, explained Jean-Claude. At LMR much of the work there is to purify the materials due to unwanted allergens or other compounds that are not friendly to people.

We toured the production facility were they processed extracts into absolutes by removing the solvents and waxes; as well as distilling materials to remove color and fractionate compounds. There were a few different types of stills, each had their unique functions for use. In the stock room, Jean-Claude explained that right now they are harvesting roses, all month they will process rose extract, then as other natural materials bloom they process them. Things are not made to order, but made when nature is ready. In the refrigerated stockroom there was small containers of extracts, the room was no bigger than an average bedroom, but contained millions of dollars worth of inventory, wow!

 

As it is the time to harvest roses, Jean-Claude took the opportunity to bring my wife and I to the area where IFF grows their roses to make the extracts. Everyday in the morning, after the dew evaporates, farmers who tend to the flowers, pick the roses and deliver them to IFF to be extracted. Jean Claude told us, that IFF is one of the few flavor and fragrance companies that still extract roses from Grasse, as many buy extracts from India, China, and Turkey, but there is nothing quite the same as the extract that come from here.

If only you could smell those roses on the farm!

Tomorrow we hope to drive to Gordon and tour the candy factory: Confiserie Florian.

Au Revoir!

David