I remember gorging on paté, reblochon, tomme de savoie and comté when we first arrived in the region and then couldn't eat anything like it for 6 months. The maxim less is more definitely applies here.
But over time and little by little you eat more moderately and get schooled by the locals; my neighbour Charles introduced me to all sorts of combinations that I regret never having known about. For example the first time I tried a chilled Gerwuztraminer from Alsace with his home made sausage and cured ham, I was sold.
That combination of slight sweetness marries wonderfully with the salt and fat taste of the meat, it cannot be beaten. Yum. This is my own ham and sausage.
So here I was having lunch in the 4 épices in St Gervais the other day and I found myself ordering tartiflette, another freely available Savoyarde food item that normally I wouldn't have looked twice at, having been way too friendly with it in the past. But absence, heart and fonder my mouth was actually watering at the idea of this staple of wintry days and the thought of taking the chill off the air with this harbinger of winter actually left me relishing the carbohydrate boost that all that reblochon cheese, potato and lardon gives.
So I sat down to the restaurant's slight twist of the tartiflette and a crisp green salad with delicious oil and mustard dressing.
I don't know where the 4 épices got the idea from but instead of the usual oven proof dish presentation it looked as if it had been done like a tortilla - Crispy on both sides and not at all gloopy.
Not only did the 4 épices reinvigorate my liking for this dish but its not a bad restaurant either.
Try it next time you are in St Gervais.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall take note! Tartiflette is made with Reblochon not Tomme!
Miles Jefferson
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