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Crème de la Crème

by mana on November 16th, 2011

When most Americans hear the word Chantilly, they think of the 1958 rock and roll hit by the Big Bopper, Chantilly Lace.

But of course, Chantilly is really a town in France and near the town is the beautiful Château de Chantilly. Of all the many fine châteaux in France, this is my favorite.

Château de Chantilly

Château de Chantilly


The Château de Chantilly has a unique charm that results from the manner in which it was developed. In the Middle Ages, it was a fortress of seven towers surrounded by an irregular moat. In the 17th century, its aristocratic owners decided to preserve these old structures and to build the garden around them. Other Châteaux such as the Palace of Fontainebleau feature a rectilinear layout in which the central axis of the gardens bisects the main house at right angles to the main elevation. At Chantilly, necessity compelled the eminent landscape architect André Le Nôtre to adopt a daring design. The axis runs parallel to the front of the château, with the central focus on an impressive equestrian statue of Anne de Montmorency, the 16th-century Constable of France and the château’s onetime owner.

Château de Fontainebleau, interior frescoes

Château de Fontainebleau, interior frescoes


As you approach, you see the horse and rider against the sandy paths; as you get closer the statue shifts against a different background, the sky. Only when you reach the moat does the château itself come into view. In this design, the gardens dominate the architecture but each element, sand, sky, water, gardens comes into view in a dynamic manner, creating a very intimate and poetic feel. The castle also houses the Musée Condé, one of the finest art galleries in France, second only to the Louvre, as well as one of the most magnificent libraries in France.

In April, 1671, Louis de Bourbon, the Prince of Condé, held an extravagant banquet at the Château in honor of Louis XIV. There were 2000 guests and the Prince spared no effort to make a good impression on the King. According to legend, his maître d’hôtel, Francois Vatel, grew so upset when the fish arrived late that he committed suicide by running himself through with his sword. It is also claimed that Crème Chantilly was served for the first time on this occasion. Whether this is true or not, it is indisputable that the Château became a symbol of refined food at a time when the French were raising cookery to a fine art.

Crème Chantilly is whipped cream sweetened with sugar and often flavored with vanilla. You might like to try it this Thanksgiving on your pumpkin pie. As you enjoy your food and company, be glad that you do not have the 2000 guests of the poor Vatel.

From → Musings

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