 Serge is writing a food
and wine column for
French Magazine, available at all good newsagents.
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Message from Le Patron
 How will independent restaurants survive the next millennium?
Our industry has radically changed over the last 30 years. Today, national restaurant chains seem to control its very direction. I question the quality of some of their outlets, many of which seem to rely on extensive advertising and aggressive sales targets. The chains’ buying power allows them to obtain keen deals and to snap up prime locations. All this can make it easy for them to squeeze out established, independent businesses, sometimes unintentionally.
In the late 1970's, you would need just one hand to count the number of chain-operated restaurants in most towns. The landscape was rich with independent, family-run eateries which gave each town centre a unique atmosphere. Together, these businesses had an influential voice and steered their industry. Today, it is much harder for this voice to be heard.
Individuality is vital for a community to retain its liveliness. By having many privately-owned businesses, Reigate has so far managed to retain its character.
The best way for independent restaurants to continue to flourish is for them to go on offering great food, excellent service and a genuinely friendly atmosphere. We will always go out of our way to ensure that La Barbe is truly unique, not merely a clone of another 100 identical restaurants, and we thank our clients for their on-going support. Hopefully, we will continue for many years to contribute to the diversity that is so precious to Reigate. Serge Tassi |
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La Barbe Can, Can You?
The team from La Barbe will be putting their best foot forward to raise money for Surrey’s CHASE Children’s Hospice by doing a high kicking cancan to this year’s Community Festival in Priory Park at 12.50pm on Saturday, 26th June 2010.
If you are interested in sponsoring the team from La Barbe, please either come along on the day to see one of the dancers, pop into the restaurant or log onto www.justgiving.com/labarbecancan |
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Come Try the Wine
Exclusive Winemaker’s Dinner Thursday 22nd April
 At La Barbe, a great deal of time and thought is devoted to the wine list. Restaurateur Serge Tassi makes regular trips to French vineyards, meeting viticulturists and discovering lesser-known gems.
“A meal at La Barbe is about the whole experience, the food, the wine, the ambience,” says Serge. “I like to bring our customers a little piece of France, and that includes offering them the opportunity to taste wines which they may not otherwise have come across.”
One of Serge’s most recent discoveries is Domaine Cazal Viel, an independent vineyard in the Languedoc region of the South of France. Their fine wines benefit from the uniquely French concept of 'terroirs', specified areas of land, which ensure low yields of intensely flavoured grapes. The resulting wines have real personality and character.
So it is with great pleasure that Serge is not only welcoming Domain Cazal Viel’s wines to La Barbe, but also Neasa Corish Miquel from the vineyard. She has kindly agreed to host a “Winemaker’s Dinner” on Thursday 22nd April. Neasa hails from Ireland, but for many years has lived in France, where she helps run Domaine Cazal Viel alongside her husband Laurent, a talented young winemaker, whose family has owned the estate since the French revolution in 1789.
Read more about Neasa and Domaine Cazal Viel at www.laurent-miquel.com . |
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Are you e-enabled?
To join our email Newsletter simply click on the “Sign Up” tab. If you’re already a La Barbe Club Card holder, you can use this facility to give us your email address.
 Do it today to ensure you’re kept up to date with news, promotions and special events.
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Make a night of it
The Cranleigh Hotel is offering La Barbe Club Card holders a special rate for double rooms. The hotel is in West Street, Reigate, just a short stroll from the restaurant, and has an outdoor swimming pool. The special rates, which are subject to availability, are £80 for a Saturday and £85 all other nights, including full English breakfast. To book, please call The Cranleigh direct on 01737 223417. Read more – www.CranleighHotel.com |
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Morsels of history
A quick look at the heritage behind timeless classics
 Tarte Tatin
Initially this delicious tart was made of apples cooked in butter and sugar under a golden crispy pastry crust. It was devised by the Tatin sisters who ran a restaurant, Hotel Tatin, in Lamotte-Beuvron, France at the beginning of the 20th Century. Some say one of the sisters accidentally put an apple tart in the oven upside down, others that she burnt some apples she was cooking in a pan and quickly covered them with pastry. What we do know is that the “upside down” tart is still a classic dish today and remains a speciality on the menu at Maxim’s of Paris. Savoury versions of Tarte Tatin are also popular - such as La Barbe’s Tarte Tatin aux Echalotes Confites et Crottin (Caramelized Shallot and Goat’s Cheese Tart).
 Italian intrigue
Thanks to Malcolm Williamson, who was the first to respond to our email newsletter when we asked if anyone could shed light on the connection between the dish Oeuf Poché Florentine and the city of Florence.
Malcolm has uncovered an explanation on www.foodreference.com , which we believe sounds pretty plausible. It runs along these lines:
'A la Florentine' means in the style of Florence, and usually refers to dishes which contain spinach. The connection to Florence, Italy is a little obscure, but there is a story that Catherine de Medici (the Italian wife of Henry II of France) introduced spinach to the Court of France (or at least made it popular). To honour her Italian roots, she supposedly dubbed any dish containing spinach 'Florentine'. There is really no substantive evidence that this story is true, other than that she did without doubt introduce many Italian foods to France (ices, ice cream, sherbet, quenelles, zabaglione, pasta, etc.) |
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What's on at La Barbe
Our programme for the year is still incomplete but so far here are the diary dates:
click here for more information about our events
Contact La Barbe on 01737 241966, email info@labarbe.co.uk or complete the online form to book your tables. |
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Sunday celebrations
Anniversaries, birthdays, christenings and family
gatherings – whatever the occasion, La Barbe is
a great place to meet for Sunday lunch, followed
by a stroll in beautiful Priory Park, where the
play area and sports grounds are perfect for
younger members of the group to let off steam.
On Sundays, the car park is free and on-street
restrictions are lifted in Bell Street outside the
restaurant – very handy if you have elderly or
disabled members of the party. |
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