Angela cooking duck breasts.
We are happy today to focus on Angela, your chef during your stay at Périgord Retreats. Angela, in addition to managing this company, knows how to receive her guests. She definitly has more than one string to her bow!
So without delay, here are some excerpts from Angela’s interview…
Where does your cooking passion come from?
Angela Turner: “From an early age, I have always been an observer in the kitchen. My Mum was a fantastic cake maker, my grandmother a brilliant pastry chef and I gained knowledge through experience of watching what they were doing, how they used ingredients and then both of them letting me get on with it myself. As World War Two survivors, their approach to cooking included typical wartime savings – less eggs, less meat, expanding vegetables and some of their philosophies have stuck with me all my life – my pantry and freezers are always full to bursting just in case.”
What makes you love cooking?
Angela Turner: “My creativity is displayed through cooking. I am not frightened to experiment, rarely stick to a recipe, improvise and adapt to create food which is good to look at and great to eat. A compliment goes a long way to making me happy and I have an immense sense of satisfaction when feeding everyone, family or guests.”
What does a chef absolutely need in their kitchen?
Angela Turner: “Sharp knives. As a former butcher, Adrian is an expert at sharpening and we are very fortunate to always have every type of knife razor sharp.”
a light and delicious “entree” you’ll enjoy during your stay.
In your opinion, how is french food different than english food?
Angela Turner: “The difference between the two is quite extraordinary. Nowadays, English food is very multi-cultural and a week’s menu may include dishes from all over the world, Indian curry, Italian spaghetti, Mexican chilli as traditional English food is stodgy and heavy – stew and dumplings, meat pies, sausage and mash. French food meanwhile takes advantage of the season and this dictates what is sold in shops and markets. Cream, butter, wine all feature very heavily in the French menu but are used to enhance and compliment the dishes. Flavours are also more subtle.”
What are you going to cook for you guests at Périgord Retreats?
Angela Turner: “Here in France, the selection of ingredients is perfect – there is an abundance of in season fruit and vegetables and that is what I use to ensure freshness.
Harrison’s vegetable garden provides most of our supplies which adds an extra special touch. Duck will feature on the menu as it is a regional speciality. Fresh seafood particularly gambas and salmon create a delightful dish.
When it’s very hot, we may even cook outdoors and create a paella treat or sit in the sun with a glass of wine and cook on the barbeque. There will always be the best selection of pastries you can imagine, fresh fruit salads, hand made quiches by Chloe, delightful vegetable combinations in salad and cooked form and homemade soups. Chocolate, fruit, cream desserts – everything to suit the sweet toothed amongst us will round off every meal. You are unlikely to leave Perigord Retreats hungry !”
If you’d like to see some of the food we make here, follow us on instagram.
We hope that this article will have made you want to come to taste the culinary specialities of the Dordogne and the refined cuisine of Angela. See you soon on Périgord Retreats!
You can explore most of the property in 3D by following this link.