The Taste of Things (2023)

1. THE POT-AU-FEU

2. Hello, Violette.

3. - Hello, sir. - Where's Eugenie?

4. She's in the garden.

5. She's picking vegetables with Louis.

6. Is my bath ready?

7. Just one more pot of hot water.

8. Thank you.

9. Thank you.

10. Violette.

11. Eugenie, it's delicious.

12. Who are you, young lady?

13. This is Pauline, my niece.

14. I'm looking after her today.

15. Have a seat, then.

16. Thank you, sir.

17. I advise you to eat it with a spoon. It makes all the difference.

18. Violette, if you're done, can you come here?

19. - I'm done. - You can take over.

20. The loin of veal, please.

21. Alright.

22. Thank you.

23. When you're done, you can get the crayfish.

24. The water's boiling.

25. Look, We'll add the fish.

26. Want to help me'?

27. That's good.

28. Go on.

29. Put that over there.

30. I'll prepare the quenelles.

31. Can I have the cream?

32. It's time to take out the veal.

33. The vegetables, Violette.

34. Thank you.

35. The rooster comb.

36. Violette, please strain the butter.

37. Yes, sir.

38. Pauline, come here.

39. Smell this.

40. - Smell good? - Yes.

41. Taste it.

42. Remember the taste.

43. You'll compare once it's been clarified.

44. You recognize this sauce?

45. No.

46. Can you name the ingredients?

47. Short ribs.

48. Smoked bacon.

49. Red bell peppers.

50. Mushrooms.

51. fennel

52. Tomatoes.

53. Oranges.

54. Wine.

55. Yes, flamed.

56. Parsley.

57. Thyme.

58. Bay leaf.

59. Cumin.

60. Juniper berry.

61. Clove.

62. Carry on.

63. That's all, I think.

64. There's also paprika and cognac.

65. And to soften the wine's acidity,

66. we add currant jelly.

67. There you go.

68. A Bourguignotte sauce.

69. Bravo.

70. Astonishing girl.

71. Yes.

72. Here, Violette.

73. The wine, please.

74. Careful.

75. You dip the ladle.

76. Then you drizzle

77. the stock over the egg white

78. to filter the scum.

79. That's how you obtain

80. a nice, clear broth.

81. Go ahead.

82. Taste.

83. Is it different, now that it's clarified?

84. Yes.

85. It's not as strong.

86. What you lose in taste you gain in color.

87. Before the flavor was stronger and coarser.

88. Now it's more subtle.

89. I say we should wait a while longer for him.

90. After all, Rabaz did a good deed today

91. by helping a young mother give birth.

92. What do you say, Magot?

93. And you, Beaubois?

94. I agree with you, Grimaud.

95. Man is the only animal that drinks without thirst.

96. Wine is the intellectual side of a meal.

97. Meat and vegetables, the material side.

98. Worse than hunger, is not knowing when you'll eat.

99. Here's Rabaz.

100. Excuse me, dear friends, I had to go home and change.

101. A lovely little girl

102. was born today.

103. We could barely resist tasting the consommé.

104. After her big effort, the newborn greedily threw herself

105. at her mother's breast for her first meal.

106. It whet my appetite.

107. This consommé is so gentle.

108. Here.

109. What perfect expression.

110. Puligny-Montrachet, my friend.

111. Are you unwell, Eugenie?

112. I... I'm...

113. I'll be fine.

114. We owe Antonio Caréme the vol-au-venz'.

115. They say he invented it

116. by snatching a botched puff pastry from the oven.

117. Do you believe that story?

118. We're not historians.

119. But we like a good story, even if untrue.

120. What an extraordinary fate.

121. The child was abandoned on the street at age 8.

122. Since his death, kings have been dethroned,

123. but Caréme,

124. the genius King of Gastronomy, still stands.

125. No rival's glory has cast a shadow over his.

126. When I think of Caréme, I see a frail child carrying a bundle,

127. abandoned in Paris at the height of the Revolution.

128. Weeping, he hears his father tell him

129. not to come home, for there's not enough food

130. for he and his 14 siblings.

131. It's incredible, he never saw his family again,

132. even though he never left Paris after that.

133. Wait, do it slowly.

134. I'll start over.

135. Was the vol-au-vent good?

136. It's the best thing I ever ate.

137. Finish your food.

138. Do you like it?

139. Yes.

140. The fish flesh is very gentle.

141. Clos-Vougeot!

142. Well done, Rabaz.

143. Excellent.

144. Good old Rabaz.

145. God created water,

146. but Man created wine.

147. It's fabulous.

148. I have a nice story about Clos-Vougeot for you.

149. In 1364, Pope Urban V

150. wanted to leave Avignon and return to Rome with his Court.

151. And...

152. Oh my God.

153. I agree, Grimaud, all conversation must cease

154. when a truffled turkey appears.

155. But this is merely veal loin with braised lettuce.

156. Very well.

157. Petrarch tells us that the cardinals

158. had no desire to leave Avignon.

159. They imagined a wretched life far from their Burgundy wines.

160. Resistance was so great,

161. the pope threatened to excommunicate the Abbot of CTteaux Abbey,

162. Jean de Bussières,

163. should he not cease to supply Avignon with Clos-Vougeot.

164. Upon the death of Urban V,

165. his successor Pope Gregory XI,

166. immediately annulled the threat of excommunication,

167. so that his court might enjoy Clos-Vougeot again.

168. Violette.

169. Here.

170. Always impressive.

171. Magnificent.

172. There's ice cream inside.

173. It's a miracle.

174. No, not a miracle,

175. merely a scientific reaction.

176. Beaten egg whites make an excellent insulator.

177. Truly?

178. The ice cream remains frozen.

179. I didn't know that.

180. An American physicist discovered this phenomenon,

181. which gave Balzac the idea to create the desert.

182. I see.

183. Balzac, the head chef at the Grand Hotel.

184. Oh yes!

185. He's the one who created...

186. Absolutely.

187. What's it called again?

188. Baked Alaska.

189. So in the end,

190. it's a scientific dessert.

191. Sort of.

192. What's it called?

193. Baked Alaska.

194. Why Alaska?

195. I don't know.

196. Thank you.

197. It was utterly exquisite.

198. We miss you in the dining room.

199. Yes, why don't you ever eat with us?

200. Dodin, can't you do something

201. to make Eugenie join us?

202. That's up to Eugenie.

203. It's simply not possible.

204. Why not? It must be.

205. Your presence would be greatly appreciated.

206. To do things right, I need to be here.

207. In the kitchen.

208. I converse with you in the dining room through what you eat.

209. What more can I say?

210. And there's nothing you eat that I don't eat too.

211. The turbot, for example.

212. I tasted it before you when it was delivered this morning.

213. I inhaled its scent...

214. I turned it, stroked it every moment it was in this kitchen.

215. I know by heart

216. its color,

217. texture and even taste.

218. Without having taken a bite.

219. So this turbot did not give you more than I received.

220. Now, gentlemen, off to the salon.

221. Violette will serve liqueurs.

222. You're an artist.

223. Thank you.

224. They say you're an artist. Is it true?

225. They talk nonsense.

226. They speak the truth.

227. He, was an artist.

228. Who is he?

229. Antonio Caréme.

230. Why are their hats different?

231. The chef's hat in Carême's day

232. evoked a man getting out of bed.

233. You see?

234. That's why he changed it.

235. He slipped a cardboard disc inside.

236. This drawing by him shows how to wear it, tilted to one side.

237. What is it?

238. How long have you cooked at the manor?

239. I've been here...

240. for years.

241. Mr. Dodin taught you to cook?

242. I cooked long before I met him.

243. Then who taught you?

244. My parents. My father was a pastry chef in Paris.

245. A famous one too.

246. But it was mainly my mother.

247. He wasn't very patient.

248. Where are they now?

249. They died long ago.

250. What did you feel at your first bite of Baked Alaska?

251. I almost cried.

252. Why?

253. I don't know.

254. Have you ever cried when you ate something?

255. No.

256. What do you think happened?

257. I don't know.

258. Listen to this.

259. Auguste Escoffier and a certain César Ritz

260. are going to open a so-called "palace" in Monte Carlo.

261. The first hotel of its kind

262. to offer its clientele haute cuisine.

263. But won't Escoffier lose his soul in such a big place?

264. To the contrary.

265. It's perfect for a man like Escoffier.

266. We live with the legacy of Caréme.

267. With Escoffier, we dream of the future.

268. To think he's only 38 years old.

269. Merely 13 years

270. separate Antonio Careme's death and the birth of Escoffier.

271. Gentlemen.

272. Sir.

273. My master the Prince of Eurasia

274. sent me to invite you to dine at his table with your suite.

275. Excuse me,

276. but to whom do you speak?

277. There are five men in this room.

278. I wish to address Mr. Dodin,

279. the Napoleon of culinary arts.

280. How do you know it's me?

281. It's not you?

282. Yes.

283. Please, carry on.

284. Forgive me.

285. As I was saying,

286. my master the Prince of Eurasia,

287. who is traveling through,

288. invites you to dine at his table with your suite.

289. For the occasion, His Highness sent for his master chef.

290. He will assist the chef specially hired by the hotel at his request

291. to serve you.

292. He'll never accept.

293. Please tell

294. His Highness

295. that I accept his invitation.

296. Thank him warmly.

297. These four gentlemen are my suite.

298. I thank you in the name of the prince.

299. An official invitation will be sent tomorrow.

300. Gentlemen, I wish you a pleasant evening.

301. The Napoleon...

302. We were certain you'd refuse.

303. I couldn't refuse.

304. Several days ago, I was begged to accept it.

305. What do you think of Pauline?

306. The girl has something.

307. I agree, she obviously has a gift for culinary arts.

308. When she tasted the Baked Alaska,

309. I thought she would cry.

310. One can have perfect pitch at age 3,

311. at age 5 decipher a score

312. seen for the first time, like Mozart.

313. One cannot be a gourmet before 40.

314. It's a pity not to develop a gift

315. that our fellow gourmets could enjoy.

316. I see it's important to you.

317. And not to you?

318. Apparently less than for you.

319. Tomorrow, I'll take Pauline home

320. and talk to her parents.

321. Thank you.

322. But if you please, I'd like to speak to her parents.

323. As you like.

324. I see her inventing an exceptional dish several years from now.

325. The discovery of a new dish

326. brings more joy to humanity than the discovery of a new star.

327. Eugenie.

328. May I knock at your door tonight?

329. Since when do you ask beforehand?

330. Knock.

331. You'll see if it's open or not.

332. If I ask, it's to ensure it's not locked.

333. You'll see.

334. I ask you once again...

335. marry me.

336. How many times will you ask me?

337. Once married, I doubt I'd have the right to lock my door.

338. We spend more time together than many spouses.

339. We study texts and recipes,

340. make them and eat them.

341. And your wit makes me laugh.

342. So tell me...

343. aren't we happy like this?

344. There is much witticism against marriage.

345. You might like this one.

346. "Marriage is a dinner that begins with dessert."

347. How dreadful!

348. The first couple, Adam and Eve, started with dessert.

349. It's true, everything started with something they ate.

350. So the answer is no.

351. Next Friday, I'd like to come to your farm

352. to buy a few calves.

353. Friday you have your weekly meeting with your banker.

354. As your notary, I'll take the opportunity to give him

355. several deeds to put in his safe.

356. Very well.

357. For the calves, I'll tell Antonio.

358. He'll meet you in the pen.

359. I'd like to see them too.

360. Unless something comes up, I'll be there too.

361. Hello, sweetheart.

362. Hello.

363. Hello, how are you?

364. Thank you for bringing her home.

365. It was my pleasure.

366. - How are you? - Very well.

367. Only six?

368. I only have one small pan.

369. We'll cook them in batches.

370. Ortolans.

371. Eugenie buys them at the market.

372. But they're never as good as here.

373. Augustin gorges them with millet seed

374. until they're tender little balls.

375. He plucks them without gutting them. And voila!

376. They're almost done.

377. With your permission, I'd like to train Pauline.

378. Mr. Dodin agrees.

379. She has the qualities to become an exceptional cook.

380. Exceptional.

381. It's a great honor.

382. She's still a child.

383. It's the best age to learn.

384. Pauline told me about your vegetable patch.

385. It's a marvel.

386. Take the time to think. My kitchen door will always be open.

387. What's that?

388. A copper antenna crowned with zinc.

389. We planted them all over.

390. They're placed 20 feet apart.

391. Very surprising.

392. What are they for?

393. They create an electric current in the ground.

394. It makes the plants healthier and more robust,

395. and our crop is better.

396. - Really? - Yes.

397. The first year we experimented on half of the garden.

398. The other half had no antennas.

399. The difference was striking.

400. Thank you, Augustin.

401. Thank you and to the next round!

402. I'll get started.

403. Have you seen Eugenie?

404. She's been in her room since she took Pauline home.

405. - There you are. - Are you alright?

406. Yes.

407. I heard you come in.

408. I was about to make your dinner.

409. How were the ortolans?

410. Violette said you stayed in your room.

411. It's nothing.

412. What about Pauline's parents?

413. It went well.

414. They agreed to her apprenticeship?

415. No.

416. They didn't agree or disagree.

417. They want to think!

418. Eugenie, I'm worried.

419. Wouldn't it be wiser for Dr. Rabaz to come check you?

420. No, he'd be wasting his time.

421. Master, with no pretentiousness intended,

422. my head chef shall read the modest meal he has the honor of serving.

423. Hearing a menu is always a pleasure.

424. One perceives the construction of the meal

425. and the chef's intent.

426. Please read.

427. The menu is comprised of three services.

428. For the first, the soups are Pigeon Bisque,

429. Quail in Coulis à la Reine, Shrimp.

430. Lastly, Stuffed Soles.

431. For the center dish, a Yearling Boar,

432. with at either end, a Royal Pate and a Peasant Pie

433. with Summer Truffles.

434. Hors D'oeuvres.

435. Spitted Partridges with Herbs and Essence of Ham,

436. Poupetin of Turtledoves, and Stuffed Pike.

437. The main Entrées.

438. Two Stuffed Chickens in Cream and Young Rabbits à la Saingaraz.

439. The wines for this first course.

440. After the soup, dry Sherry.

441. For the white wine,

442. Carbonnieux, Langon, Meursault and Pouilly.

443. For the red, Chainette, Thorins and Saint Estéphe.

444. Whilst the second service is being laid,

445. Cyprus Malvoisie and Madeira will be sewed.

446. The second course will have two Entrées

447. before the four roast dishes.

448. Lottes à la Vestale from the Lake of Geneva

449. and Torrent Trout à la Chartreuse.

450. The roasts will be Turkey à la Daube,

451. Ribs of Beef Hollandaise,

452. Breast of Veal au Pontife

453. with Sweetbreads in similar fashion

454. and Quenelles from the same cut.

455. Lastly, thinly sliced Stuffed Leg of Mutton.

456. There will be three sauces,

457. Piquante, Poor Man's Sauce and Sky Blue,

458. and three salads, Herbs, Oranges and Olives.

459. The side-dishes to accompany the Roasts and Salads...

460. The prince's generosity turned into an ordeal.

461. The meal lasted over eight hours.

462. The prince believes that a gourmet should fear no menu,

463. even if the meal lasts one day and one night.

464. At the start of the third service,

465. I thought my stomach would fail me.

466. But my discomfort ended

467. and I surprisingly carried through to the end.

468. What did Dodin think?

469. I haven't had a chance to talk to him.

470. In short, Dodin saw the prince's meal

471. as a thick-set construction.

472. Abundant and rich, but no light or clarity.

473. No air, no logic, no line.

474. Custom, but no rules.

475. A parade, but no organization.

476. A meal marked with flaws in the succession

477. of flavors and textures.

478. What about the desserts?

479. The almond pastries,

480. which demand such attention, were served after the ices,

481. which paralyze and lull the senses,

482. and before the cheeses,

483. also iced.

484. Served this way, they leave a mediocre aftertaste.

485. More precisely, he said:

486. "An aftertaste of common creamed butter."

487. That was it.

488. Was anything irreproachable?

489. The wines.

490. Though their order was not.

491. The cigars.

492. The ratafias

493. and the eaux-de-vie too.

494. When he got home yesterday,

495. did he dine before retiring?

496. He didn't want to sleep on the memory of the prince's meal.

497. I simply served him

498. a clear soup with a poached egg and wisps of tarragon,

499. turkey breast in wine jelly and a fricassee of asparagus tips.

500. A few biscuits with a glass of Grenache,

501. a large draught of honeyed lime-tea

502. and he went to bed.

503. What is he doing now?

504. He's studying.

505. A menu.

506. - To invite the prince? - Yes.

507. Eugenie, we would be grateful if you could tell us

508. what he plans to serve the prince as soon as you know.

509. Would you?

510. Yes, of course.

511. Help yourself.

512. Hello, Augustin.

513. Hello, Eugenie.

514. It will be a pot-au-feu.

515. Are you sure?

516. A pot-au-feu?

517. He will serve the prince boiled beef and vegetables.

518. One selects a cut of fresh beef, bled as little as possible.

519. It must be a thick cut.

520. Rump is an excellent choice

521. due to its balance of lean meat and fat.

522. The meat is not rinsed, to keep its juices.

523. After removing the bones,

524. the meat is tied up, so that it does not fall apart,

525. then placed in a pot with one pint of water per pound of meat.

526. Incomprehensible!

527. My friends!

528. My friends.

529. Have you seen Eugenie?

530. She was here earlier, but she left.

531. Beaubois,

532. did you see her when you accompanied our banker?

533. Rabaz!

534. Eugenie, what's wrong?

535. Are you alright?

536. I fell asleep.

537. Don't move.

538. What's wrong?

539. - What happened? - I'm fine.

540. I don't know.

541. I think I fell asleep.

542. Fell asleep?

543. Everyone's here.

544. Yes, come with us.

545. Careful.

546. I'll help you.

547. Lean on me.

548. Nothing serious.

549. But you did not inherit good health from your ancestors.

550. I'll bring you some medication later.

551. - How do you feel? - Perfectly fine.

552. You won't keep me in bed.

553. You need rest.

554. Be reasonable and stay in bed.

555. I am known to have a certain competence in my field,

556. and I'm a friend.

557. Trust me, would you?

558. Okay.

559. Thank you.

560. Get some rest.

561. I'll walk the good doctor out and be right back.

562. Your broth is delicious.

563. I might develop a taste for being waited on.

564. Any time you like.

565. It's my pleasure.

566. You have better things to do.

567. Violette can cook for me.

568. She can barely boil water.

569. Despite your smile, you seem...

570. serious.

571. Even grave.

572. The wit I love so much is gone.

573. What's wrong?

574. When I...

575. When I found you in the garden,

576. I thought...

577. I thought I would...

578. die myself.

579. I feel full of life.

580. I'm so HAPPY-

581. And grateful.

582. I would love

583. some more of your broth

584. unless it's against the good doctor's recommendations.

585. Of course.

586. You can send an invitation to the prince whenever you like.

587. I'm well and ready.

588. Unless you aren't?

589. I have a better idea.

590. Thank you.

591. Remember...

592. last year, I purchased three bottles in a London auction.

593. An 1837 Krug Clos d'Ambonnay champagne.

594. It spent 50 years at the bottom of the ocean

595. when the boat transporting 2,000 bottles to America was shipwrecked.

596. Everything is still here.

597. Thank you.

598. May I watch you eat?

599. If you want.

600. An 11th century Chinese poet

601. obeyed one rule his entire life.

602. He worked one year,

603. then devoted the entire next year to his wife.

604. I should have followed his example.

605. In what you just said,

606. several words pose a problem.

607. For example, you're neither a poet nor Chinese.

608. I'm not a poet...

609. The Napoleon of gastronomy,

610. the prince, the king...

611. and many other names, but not poet.

612. Let's say,

613. not yet.

614. And there was the word "wife."

615. I'm working on that.

616. I'll be back.

617. The teeth...

618. Yes, the teeth

619. break up the food.

620. Next, the glands of all species

621. moisten it inside the mouth.

622. The tongue mixes the food by moving it around,

623. then presses it against the palate

624. to release the juices

625. and savor the flavor.

626. The food is brought to the center of the mouth,

627. after which

628. the tongue rests against the lower jaw.

629. It rises in the middle,

630. forming a slope at its base,

631. which draws the food to the back of the mouth.

632. There, the pharynx takes over and contracts in turn.

633. It transports the food to the esophagus,

634. whose peristaltic movement carries it to the stomach.

635. But with you Eugenie,

636. this activity

637. is absolutely beautiful.

638. Wonderful.

639. Be very careful to present the plate

640. facing Eugenie, like this.

641. Yes, sir.

642. You can go now.

643. Careful, the plate must be facing a certain way.

644. Yes, I know.

645. Friends!

646. Dear friends.

647. Eugenie and I

648. have decided to wed in our autumn years.

649. Not autumn!

650. Don't you dare protest with Pauline!

651. Reassure me, you know nothing of autumn, Pauline?

652. We are in our autumn years and I say this without melancholy.

653. And we shall wed in autumn.

654. Autumn, of gold and rain, is a wise season of good counsel.

655. It's also a fine season for gastronomy.

656. An autumn rose is more exquisite than another.

657. In autumn,

658. the grape harvests bring cool winds, game and good cheer.

659. You have chestnuts, artichokes, green grapes and pears.

660. And though quails, Warblers and corncrakes depart,

661. the woodpigeon, Woodcock and duck arrive

662. from the other end of the world to whet our appetite.

663. Meanwhile, the sea recovers from the fright

664. caused by the summer heat.

665. In Normandy, apples are harvested with sticks

666. to embellish and vary our sweet courses.

667. In autumn, one dines by candlelight,

668. better and longer, with greater pleasure and joy.

669. That's true!

670. Ducks and wild geese travel from North to South.

671. Autumn is the transition from the frugal joys of summer

672. to the solid pleasures of winter.

673. Eugenie, let us wed in autumn

674. and welcome winter's pleasures together.

675. The guests were pleased, I think.

676. We are fortunate to have such enjoyable friends.

677. So, you say we're in our autumn years.

678. Speak for yourself!

679. I'm in the summer of my life.

680. And when I leave, it will still be summer.

681. I love summer.

682. Don't you?

683. I like all seasons.

684. The first cool drops of rain, the first snowflakes,

685. the first chimney fires, the first buds.

686. These first things that come back each year delight me.

687. But the summer sun!

688. I love the burning sensation.

689. I need that sensation

690. inside my body.

691. Like the embers I handle each day.

692. I understand.

693. Come in.

694. This is now your room too.

695. So.

696. Here we go.

697. The menu for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Eurasia.

698. Dainties before the Soup.

699. Eugenie Chatagne's Soup.

700. Brillat-Savarin's Fritters.

701. Dodin's Pot-au-Feu.

702. Soubise Purée.

703. Dessert.

704. White Wines of the slopes of Dézaley and Chéteau-Grillet.

705. Red Wines of Chéteauneuf-du-Pape, Séguret and Chambolle.

706. There.

707. And that's all?

708. It's...

709. It's... how should I put this?

710. I hesitate between the words

711. "hazardous"

712. and...

713. "audacious."

714. Choose "audacious."

715. Such a meagre menu would hardly comprise

716. the first course of the prince's ordinary meals.

717. And...

718. there's the pot-au-feu.

719. I know what you think.

720. These three vulgar words are inglorious and scented with grease.

721. But boiled beef and vegetables

722. is so French.

723. It has survived the centuries and nourished many families.

724. Thus, I take up the challenge

725. to marvel the prince with my own personal pot-au-feu.

726. With your help, of course.

727. Thank you.

728. It doesn't frighten me.

729. And you?

730. Do you sense me wavering?

731. Yes.

732. Why would I be afraid?

733. Take me in your arms.

734. What's wrong?

735. You agree, dear colleague, that medicine is not an exact science.

736. Come now, this is absurd.

737. You're not here to define medicine.

738. Yet, it's useful.

739. It explains why we don't know certain things

740. in the actual state of our science.

741. So you don't know what's wrong with Eugenie?

742. You know nothing!

743. No, we don't know.

744. We don't know if it's serious or not,

745. or how it might evolve.

746. It's highly possible that it does not evolve at all.

747. Her fainting spells might disappear like they came.

748. Let's hope so.

749. Yes, let's hope.

750. How do you feel?

751. Fine.

752. Eugenie, I'm sorry but you are not fine.

753. Only hours ago, you fainted in my arms.

754. I'm worried. Do you understand?

755. I'm sorry I scared you.

756. But only an hour later, I felt fine.

757. Thank you for coming all this way

758. to give our friend Dr. Rabaz a second opinion.

759. The two of you agree, I'm perfectly well.

760. It's even rather embarrassing for me.

761. I knew that when you arrived,

762. you'd find a healthy woman.

763. Rabaz, say something.

764. What more can I say?

765. This is the best moment of the day.

766. Thank you.

767. I know I was unreasonably anxious.

768. Right now,

769. I'm reassured that you're well.

770. Some of my nights you know,

771. because you share them with me.

772. But the other nights...

773. would you like to know about them?

774. More than anything.

775. The nights when my door remains open for you are numerous.

776. Not as much as I'd like.

777. The ones when it's locked are numerous too.

778. Far too numerous.

779. There are also many nights when...

780. lying in my bed, I imagine you

781. walking from your room to mine.

782. Noiselessly.

783. My heart pounding each time.

784. Something extraordinary happened twice.

785. What was that?

786. I imagined you quietly coming out of your room.

787. I saw you walk up the flight of stairs,

788. turn right and go down the hallway.

789. Then you took the service stairs up to my floor.

790. A few more steps

791. and you reached my door.

792. At last, you rested your hand upon the handle.

793. Twice,

794. only twice,

795. during all these years,

796. the very moment I imagined you opening my door,

797. it really opened.

798. It's Eugenie.

799. Can you go see?

800. You don't want to eat?

801. I can make you something simple.

802. Thank you, I'm fine.

803. You haven't eaten in two days. It's not reasonable.

804. Could you ask Louis

805. to remove these things?

806. I don't need you anymore.

807. I had a strange dream a while back.

808. I dreamt I was humanity's first cook.

809. When you say "first," do you mean the "best"?

810. Or the first male cook.

811. I told Eugenie my dream, like I told you.

812. But I realize now,

813. she must not have really understood what I wanted to say.

814. It's stupid, I should have been more...

815. I should've paid attention, made sure there was no misunderstanding.

816. I'm sure she knew exactly what you wanted to say.

817. To make dishes as they appeared in your mind,

818. Eugenie needed exceptional intuition

819. and a perfect understanding of the man you are.

820. Let's give Dodin our suggestions.

821. We'll see.

822. We can't just do nothing.

823. I have faith in this list of cooks.

824. Does Dodin have faith?

825. One thing we never said enough,

826. Eugenie was a very beautiful woman.

827. The question is,

828. who will talk to Dodin?

829. Not me, in any case.

830. I might have an idea.

831. We know what Dodin eats for breakfast.

832. What's that?

833. What's going on?

834. Who are you?

835. Who said you could wear that apron?

836. Sir.

837. Take it off at once.

838. Take it off!

839. Go.

840. Go!

841. Go, I said!

842. Why did you...

843. What came over you, Violette?

844. We apologize.

845. It was my idea. It was stupid.

846. Speak of it no more.

847. We've drawn up a list of cooks.

848. Sir.

849. Gentlemen.

850. Ma'am.

851. Sir.

852. Forgive us for coming unannounced.

853. No harm done, ma'am.

854. Please, have a seat.

855. How is Pauline?

856. Actually, that's why we came to see you.

857. She's very unhappy.

858. Ever since Eugenie's death...

859. she asks if she can still be your apprentice?

860. Without a qualified cook,

861. it would be impossible.

862. We understand and we've explained the situation.

863. But she seems

864. unwilling to forget your proposal.

865. It's beyond me.

866. Very well, we understand.

867. Thank you for hearing us out.

868. Pauline...

869. Despite her young age,

870. Pauline is endowed with a willpower that astounds us.

871. This is not a whim, rather true determination.

872. Forgive me for asking you this...

873. Would you be willing to explain your reasons to her in person?

874. Of course.

875. I'll speak to her.

876. Thank you.

877. Thank you very much.

878. Gentlemen.

879. Mr. Dodin.

880. Here is a list of candidates

881. that we drew up together.

882. Fillet your sole, remove the skin

883. and cut the fillets into equal-sized pieces.

884. Trim them.

885. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet.

886. Sprinkle the fillets with salt.

887. Baste them with a bit of melted butter.

888. When it's time, put them on the stove.

889. When one side is firm, turn them over.

890. Once cooked, dry them and set them in a ring on a dish.

891. Pour maître d'hôtel sauce over the fillets

892. to which you have added reduced velouté

893. and extra lemon.

894. Very well, sir.

895. Thank you, miss, you may leave.

896. Very well, sir.

897. Here, taste.

898. Thank you.

899. Perfectly cooked.

900. Your veal fricandeau.

901. This very complex soup

902. has singular old-fashioned charm.

903. It must have one flavor,

904. but each part of this flavor

905. must keep its own personal and natural quality.

906. Broadly speaking, it should be reminiscent of a sonata's development,

907. where each theme retains its own life and individual flavor

908. within the blended power and harmony of the whole.

909. Here's the recipe. Please read it carefully.

910. Eugenie could make this soup?

911. Yes, of course.

912. Very well, in fact.

913. It was named after her.

914. I'm sorry, I'm not capable of making this soup.

915. But if you think I could learn it from you,

916. please let me know.

917. Goodbye, sir.

918. How are the onions doing?

919. Show me.

920. You can take them off the stove.

921. Start sautéing the mushrooms.

922. Salt and pepper.

923. Now add bacon and butter.

924. I'm coming.

925. Pastry dough makes the pot airtight

926. and prevents the aromas from escaping.

927. When the dough is cooked,

928. the pot is sealed.

929. Then we take it out of the oven

930. and cook it gently over a low flame.

931. Pauline, wake up.

932. We're going to make a pot-au-feu.

933. Pauline, wake up.

934. Put this on the stove.

935. That's good.

936. Help me.

937. Taste the marrow.

938. Well?

939. You like it?

940. No, you don't.

941. It's normal, you're too young.

942. Bone marrow

943. is very complex.

944. It takes culture and a good memory to shape one's taste.

945. This is what marrow must taste like.

946. Remember it.

947. - Yes, sir. - Good.

948. There.

949. Skimming spoon.

950. Thank you.

951. Just wet your lips.

952. It's good.

953. It makes the meat taste even better.

954. Chambolle Musigny.

955. It has everything. Class, elegance, pureness.

956. A long finish,

957. and an extraordinary bouquet.

958. It's the pinnacle of Burgundys.

959. The epitome of grace.

960. And the favorite wine of Eugenie.

961. The food we made is very good.

962. But it's like an outline or a sketch.

963. Twenty years.

964. We worked together for over 20 years.

965. We cooked every day.

966. I read a recipe and she worked magic on the stove.

967. I miss her.

968. When she spoke to me,

969. I watched her mouth and her eyes as intensely as I listened.

970. But now...

971. it's over.

972. I think of her every second.

973. Forgive me for bursting in.

974. I'd better come back later.

975. Grimaud!

976. Actually, it can't wait.

977. Then come in.

978. I was having lunch at an acquaintance's home.

979. After a consommé of sturgeon bone marrow...

980. Dazzling!

981. This dish appeared.

982. I quickly came here

983. to have you taste it.

984. Seabream.

985. Perfectly cooked,

986. a long time over low heat to respect the fish.

987. Sweetbreads sautéed in butter...

988. With foie gras?

989. I've never seen that.

990. I'd never paired them together.

991. Morel mushrooms,

992. are the springtime.

993. Simmered in a bit of cream with...

994. a hint of coffee that goes well.

995. The blend of sweetbreads and celeriac is muted, subdued,

996. not explosive and very enveloping.

997. The cucumber,

998. intentionally left raw for its tonus,

999. and the lemon's note of acidity bring freshness to this construction.

1000. With the fish, it's another story.

1001. The sweetbreads act as a condiment for the fish,

1002. which retains its natural savor

1003. with these perfectly-cooked vegetables.

1004. A fine encounter of earth and sea

1005. that praises the beauty of the land.

1006. Grimaud, this is admirable.

1007. Her name is Adéle Pidou.

1008. Let's go see her.

1009. Have we found her?

1010. I believe so.

1011. Pauline, what are you doing? We're waiting for you.

1012. The guests were pleased, I think.

1013. Yes.

1014. We are fortunate to have such enjoyable friends.

1015. So, you say we're in our autumn years.

1016. Speak for yourself! I'm in the summer of my life.

1017. And when I leave, it will still be summer.

1018. I love summer.

1019. Don't you?

1020. I like all seasons.

1021. The first cool drops of rain,

1022. the first snowflakes,

1023. the first chimney fires,

1024. the first buds.

1025. These first things that come back each year delight me.

1026. But the summer sun!

1027. I love the burning sensation in my body.

1028. Like the embers I handle each day.

1029. I understand.

1030. We've lived under the same roof for over 20 years.

1031. How have you kept your constancy and perseverance with me?

1032. St. Augustin said

1033. happiness

1034. is continuing to desire what we already have.

1035. But you, have I ever had you?

1036. May I ask you a question?

1037. It's very important for me.

1038. Am I your cook or...

1039. am I your wife?

1040. My cook.

1041. Thank you.