The HÖFN association (Dominique Poulain, coordinator),
the À toutes les sauces association (Zohra Adda Attou, picker/cook ) and Hitomi Takeda (visual and graphic artist),
conceived together a special workshop , lasting for a whole day: PICKING, COOKING, DRAWING.
The associations HÖFN and À toutes les sauces are members of the HÔTEL DU NORD cooperative
which took this project within its other hospitality and welcome offers:
B&B, heritage walks in Marseilles Northern districts, support for artists working in this area of the city(....) and promoted it,
a « mouth, eyes and spirit appetizer » just before HÔTEL DU NORD walks programme .
- The HÖFN association conceived and organised this one day-workshop,
tried and made it go smoothly and joyfully, saw about its (modest) promotion before and after and will follow through all publication and edition forms that will ensue.
(Dominique Poulain and Jean Cristofol, her partner, both members as well of the HÔTEL DU NORD cooperative,
kept their house, terrace and garden door wide open for the 13 grown-ups and 4 children who took part in the workshop).
- Zohra Adda Attou played indeed that day many roles :
both guide and witness for the places we went through until the wild plants picking area,
both a learned and spirited picker in the morning,
and an imaginative cook with teaching and entertaining skills in the afternoon.
- Hitomi Takeda, who joined us for the whole day, (with her children now and then), thus becoming a fourteenth active and enthralled participant,
offered us at coffee-time (around 1.45 pm) an « exhibition-on-table » of her wild plants previous drawings, answered then all kinds of questions,
enlightenning in this way the participants about the quality and specific style of her work,
a concrete foretaste about what the plants we picked that very day could become at the tip of her pencil, drifting along her inks...
Here, the detailed and illustrated tale of the workshop : CUEILLETTE, CUISINE, DESSIN , the 20th of April 2014
... leaving home on her way to the meeting place (at about 8.30 am), Dominique Poulain says to herself that the weather is quite alarming...
FROM THE CAFÉ DE LA GARE TO THE PLAN D'AOU
The meeting place, at Saint Antoine : Café de la Gare;
it was built around 1880, almost at the same time as the Saint Antoine railway station;
Marcel and Maggie, two old lovebirds originally from Armenia, own the place since 1964
Around 9.45 am, the whole group was gathered there...
walking towards La Gare Franche-Cosmos Kolej, an association and cultural center, in the XVth "arrondissement" of Marseilles.
in the garden of La Gare Franche-Cosmos Kolej,
just in front of the house (on the ground floor: the administrative area and a commodious kitchen, upstairs: 4 rooms for artists in residence).
Zohra is actually employed at La Gare Franche, as THE "Lady of the House", cooking regularly for 8, 15, 25, sometimes 100 people!
La Gare Franche's gander (jars, in French) (called J.M. Jarre) Zohra in front of flower beds
assigned to gardenning and cooking workshops
for young children 3 times a week
Zohra, (foreground) who offers us ALSO that day a rather detailed visit of La Gare Franche,
points out, further down, "L'USINE" ("THE FACTORY"), a huge place for rehearsals, researches, experimental work for the Cosmos Kolej Company,
and all artists in residence, a great place as well for public and/or cultural events;
she mentions the association choice to work with and for the surrounding estates' inhabitants
as, for instance, the many social gardens that La Gare Franche has created for them.
La Gare Franche is indeed a real connection point, it plays a bridging role between the Saint Antoine district and the Plan d'Aou estate
stopping by a couple of cultivated plots, just before leaving La Gare Franche
Zohra shows us, in the corner of a parcel, THIS PLANT, extremely fragrant: the Common rue , or Figel (in Arabic),
that the gardener of the plot brought back from Algeria ,
a plant supposed to have healing and comforting effects in case of depression and anxiety attacks, as far as Zohra knows ... (Photo right: Michèle Maisonneuve)
... then, a bit further on, this other plant: Mariwa (in Arabic). Her known virtue, in Algeria: used in a brew, it is a treatment of head-lice!
Zohra locks the door (always opened on weekdays) of La Gare Franche behind us,
and we are suddenly and directly at the heart of the estate called: Le Plan d'Aou.
We'll stroll about for a long time. Zohra came and lived there when she was 12 years old.
Her parents still dwell there, like other elders (mainly).Their children were "invited" to leave their flats when, at last, there was the estate renewal,
that the inhabitants had been waiting for more than 10 years(!)
Zohra was for a long time the inhabitants' spokesperson face to face with the local authority landlord and the developers
who took decisions and used ways which left little room for the wishes and needs of the people living there...
The spot where we'll go and pick wild plants is at the very edge of the estate.
Taking some time to scrutinize it, to grasp its architectural and geographical plan, to see where and why some walls were raised,
or some areas were neglected as to become wastelands since the so-called "renovation", WITH ZOHRA,
was a direct, and meaningful way to start understanding its history, its present reality, and its future...
Yes.... it's raining now... Those coloured wood trays that you catch sight of were created by Greek artists,
residents at Cosmos Kolej.
Made out of recovered materials, they were placed on one those derelict areas,
making possible at last for the inhabitants to sit there, chat,
to plant flowers and herbs, some sort of outdoors furniture
for all to be used...
At the very edge of the estate, the panorama is stunning,
that day malancholy, seemingly petrified.The sky is cloudy and grim...
Here, we tower all; Almost directly below the big water tank,
we are exactly in front of the Verduron hills. on the other side of the boulevard Henri Barnier,
Between them and the Plan d'Aou area, in the "hollow", The Association and Writing Residency HÖFN
not visible on this picture, the boulevard Henri Barnier
The artist Jean-Luc Brisson, often a resident at Cosmos Kolej, for long periods of time, has worked a lot in and around the Plan d'Aou estate, always interelating with the inhabitants, young and old alike...
(Above) "The Cyclops", a trail he left, among many others... (Photo Danièle Ducellier)
There is HERE, at the edge of the estate, a long line planted with pine trees, (a swing hangs from one of them ),
in front of the Verduron hills, endowed with a cinematic sea view that many developers to-day lust for...
The place invited us, in a very natural way, to pause for a short while, and chat, for some, or daydream for others...
It is actually a spot where the inhabitants like to gather together during summertime,
for siestas on the grass, or picnics, or Marseille lawn bowling: the Pétanque ... (Photo de gauche: Michèle Maisonneuve)
PICKING... in the rain
It is HERE, around this little path, a bit further down this long line of pine-trees, where it is so pleasant having a nap on a sunny day(!),
that you might find more plants, not only edible but tasty, than you'd ever believe...
Here a wild and luxuriant plum tree... Zohra tells us that she has ALWAYS known about it - Yuzu, Hitomi's daughter, gathers few plants: only what her mom will draw later on...
Zohra makes us notice a plant that her grand-mother knew as a medecine to cure jaundice
The 3 wild plants that we found, and picked aplenty, for our future recepees:
from left to right: Calamint / Calament nepeta, Fennel / Foeniculum vulgare, Spinach and Chard / Beta maritima ...
... spinachs and chards were already gone to seed, (this spring was specially early, and our workshop... late!).
So, we mixed spinachs and chards, following Zohra's advise . They grew more or less on the same spots...
It is very easy to confuse one for the other actually! (Photos Danièle Ducellier)
Here a range of the flora on our picking area...
Indeed an incredible variety on a tiny area, just at the foot of the Plan d'Aou blocks... (Photo Danièle Ducellier)
A last glimpse on the panorama which seems now literally dissolve under the rain,
and we are on our way to Jean and Dominique's home and associative writing residency HÖFN
(from left to right: photos 1 and 2)We walk across the estate again, heading now for the Boulevard Henri Barnier.
(photo 3) Here, much further down the Plan d'Aou, the "new mosque".
Formerly at the heart of the Plan d'Aou estate, it was outright removed during the "renovation".
Further to the inhabitant's persistent demands (many of them are Muslim),
this "prefab" has been given to them, unfortunately too far from the Plan d'Aou for old people on foot...
(Photo 4, Ã droite) Reaching our final destination: 66, bd Henri Barnier.
PICNIC TOGETHER... under cover...
when we arrived, nothing could let us imagine a joyful picnic on the terrace, as we had hoped...
... but a retreat inside had been anticipated, just as suitable for a real meeting, exchanging, chatting time between all...
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At coffee time for the grown-ups, the children got their own paschal picking ritual, as it ought to be in such a day, in the garden...
HITOMI TAKEDA's drawings
It was then the proper time for Hitomi's drawings to be discovered... We organized some sort of an exhibition-on-table...
A chance for all to see her work these last years: drawing wild plants, seeds, gleaned here and there, whenever she felt like it.
Hitomi uses japonese inks and paper but draws the flora around, here in Marseilles in the North districts, on her doorstep...
She lives in Cap 15, one of an artists' collective, at the heart of Saint-Antoine, not far from La Gare franche.
Photo (above): Danièle Ducellier
In the next days, Hitomi will pick at Plan d'Aou again the same plants that we have found and cooked, in order to draw them: wild fenel, calamint, spinach and chard.
Her drawings will be part of a digital edition of the recepes, specially dedicated to this first workshop's participants.
The HÖFN association, with Zohra and Hitomi, and a few other partners, will explore possible forms of paper printout as well ensuing from this workshop, and may others (?)
Photo: Fabienne La Cabucelloise
COOKING TOGETHER, under Zohra's - cheerful - guidance
At the beginning of the afternoon, it would have been a bit excessive to say we enjoyed a bright spell, but at least it had stopped raining.
It will allow us, depending on our cookery tasks, to be sometimes indoors (in the kitchen and living-room), or outdoors (on a big adjoining terrace ).
Zohra's first recepe: CALAMINT BREAD.
The whole organisation, the recepes order (we'll understand it afterwards), were precisely thought out.
In a bit less than 3 hours (from 2 pm until 5 pm), at a rather leisurely pace, 3 recepes for 12 to 15 servings were "concocted".
First, we had to "sort" the calamint: desdaining the stems, we kept only the leaves that we rinsed thoroughly ...
Photo above: Fabienne La Cabucelloise
Photo above: Fabienne La Cabucelloise
Then we had to grind the leaves until we'd end up with a rough mince.
All kinds of techniques were used, depending on the utensils at hand, and personnal options(!):
mortar and pestle out of brass, mortar and pestle out of earthernware and wood, cutting boards and good knivesz, cutting board and... meat mincer.
The concoction we got at the end was not exactly smooth, but it did not seem to disconcert Zohra, who was rather satisfied with the result,
and mentioned, post hoc, that it would have been also possible to use a... blender, providing one should be careful not to pulverise the leaves...
Photo above: Michèle Maisonneuve
Here, (see below), Zohra captures everybody's attention: it is time for the making of the bread dough ...
Photo above: Fabienne La Cabucelloise
... a good quality wholemeal flour, some water, salt, some baker's yeast dissolved in some warm water,
Zohra mixes all the ingredients in a big bowl until she obtains an elastic dough that is not sticky any more : the TEMPERING...
at that point, we'll take few minutes to chat, comment, ask questions, listen to Zohra's answers... a very convenient time to let the dough stand for a little while...
Photo above: Fabienne La Cabucelloise
... Time now for the PETRISSAGE; Zohra buckled down and tackled the job, once in a while incorporating little amouts of calamint..
Photos above: Fabienne La Cabucelloise
... finally splitting the dough in several portions offered to those who wanted to experiment concretely the art of petrissage...
The whole process will last at least for 15, 20 minutes until Zohra decides she must regain control...
Photos above (2 et 3): Danièle Ducellier
Zohra gets then to the last step of the whole process, STRETCHING mightily the dough; she will split the big dough ball in two ,
and accept, not even being finicky about them, the two dishes at hand: a baking tray, and a large gratin dish as containers for the two dough balls.
We'll keep them now at room temperature (it is quite warm inside, thanks to the wood burning stove, and everybody's heat!)
We'll place the two dishes very closed to the cooker, covered with clean and dry tea towels.
We'll just forget them there for quite a while...
Zohra's second recepe: FENNEL COUSCOUS.
Photo: Danièle Ducellier
A - small - amount of the fennel we picked (and some wild spinach and chard leaves that we'll use for the third recepe)
Photos: Danièle Ducellier
Preparation of the couscous itself
Some olive oil is added, and mixed thoroughly into the couscous...
... then, everybody paying close attention, Zohra moistens the couscous with a bit of water.
Mixing the couscous, the olive oil, the water is made gradually, using your own hands .
Photo: Danièle Ducellier
... and we move on to the first cooking of the couscous, which will be stopped as soon as we'll see steam appear from the basket (or the upper part of a couscous steamer)...
Photos: Michèle Maisonneuve (1), Dominique Poulain (2), Danièle Ducellier (3, 4)
... During the meanwhile, on the terrace, others are busy sorting and preparing the fennel:
We'll keep only the "leaves" (looking like dill), and the very end, fine and tender, of the stems, that we 'll chop finely...
... We rinse our fennel, and let it drain; we are going to use it soon ...
center]From left to right: photo 1: Danièle Ducellier, photos 2 et 3: Fabienne La Cabuelloise/center
... but before all, we must prepare the sauce:
we cube oignons, let them slightly brown in olive oil, in a stew pot,
as we have NOT fogotten to stop the - first - steaming of the couscous...
Photos: Fabienne La Cabucelloise
Zohra transfers the couscous from the basket into a large bowl,
moistens it with a bit of water, mixing thoroughly water and couscous,
covers the bottom of the basket with the chopped fennel,
and pours back the couscous on top of it...
We are going to proceed to the - second - steaming of the couscous, at the same time as we finish preparing and cooking the sauce...
Photos: Danièle Ducellier
Now that the oignons are slightly brown, we can add:
crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, water, a stock cube (instead of salt), pepper, and a pinch of ras-el-hanout.
The sauce will simmer over low heat in the stew pot with the lid on, as the fennel and coucous will be ready as soon as we'll see steam over the basket...
Zohra's third recepe: FONDUE OF SPINACHS, CANDIED LEMONS, AND PURPLE OLIVES.
"candied lemons": in French "citrons confits"
Photos1 and 3: Danièle Ducellier
On the terrace, we cut off the stems of the spinach, (and chard) leaves, chop them roughly, and rinse them
Photos1and 3: Danièle Ducellier, photo 2: Fabienne La Cabucelloise
During the meanwhile, Jean cleans up, clears the table, tidies up, does the dishesas he did nonstop ctually since the beginning of the afternoon ...
Time to put one of the two loaves, doubled in size now, in the oven.
We stop the - second and laste - steaming of the fennel couscous...
In a large bowl, Zohra mixes thoroughly the couscous and the fennel, and as thoroughly, incorporates the sauce...
... some watching...
other(s) tasting... at last! ...
before sharing out the fennel couscous into punnets for everybody...
Photo 1: Danièle Ducellier, photos 2 and 3: Fabienne La Cabucelloise
We return to our third recepe:
slicing thinly candied lemons,
pouring a bit of olive oil into our stew-pot, and throwing un spinach and chard...
just long enough to melt them down...
We add the candied lemons, the pitted purple olives, the crushed tomatoes, some cumin, paprika, salt and pepper...
... and we leave to simmer uncovered 3 or 4 minutes, not much more...
Zohra recommends a pinch of cayenne pepper for those who like spicy food....
Photo above: Danièle Ducellier
As soon as the first loaf of bread was cooked through, and showed a golden crust on the surface,
(we had actually to turn it over for ten minutes in the oven to brown it on both sides),
we put the second one in the already heated oven.
We of course succumbed to temptation and tasted the warm, both moist and crusty AND flavourful calamint bread;
some ate it spread with honey from our North districts of Marseilles,
others with the tasty spinach fondue with candied lemons and purple olives which was by then ready to serve...
Photo above: Danièle Ducellier
The day culminated in bit of piano music,
sharing between everybody punnets of fennel couscous , fondue of spinach, candied lemons and purple olivess and ample slices calamint bread...
Photos: Danièle Ducellier, Fabienne La Cabucelloise, Michèle Maisonneuve, Dominique Poulain
If this workshop had some ambition, it was to be plain, straightforward, and certainly not outstanding(!)
It meant to put together important objectives for both the HÖFN Assocaition and the HÔTEL DU NORD cooperative:
- creating on this "territory" of ours (the Northern districts of Marseilles) various offers,
and by way of hospitality, exchanging experiences, know-how, and knowledge,
- playing with the notion and reality of "neighbourhood" to make the most of the potential within easy reach, and yet often unheard of,
- collating points of view originating from different cultures and knowledge
(on that occasion culinary and artistic points of view, between Mediterranean shores and East Asia),
- refuting the notion of "experts", and bringing out the many talents, skills, and knowledge of the inhabitants of our quarters,
- forging bounds between the associations, organisations, cooperative (...) working in the same area,
(in this case: the associations À toutes les sauces, La Gare Franche/Cosmos Kolej, HÖFN, the cooperative HÔTEL DU NORD)
- revealing that hospitality is as much welcoming people in a precise place as walking them through a part of a town,
the best way to unveil some of its secrets (that more often that not only the inhabitants of the neighbourhood know of....
The HÖFN Association thanks warmly all the participants, brave enough to experience this first - and totally experimental - workshop,
and its partners and friends Hitomi and Zohra...
HERE, THE 3 DETAILED RECEPES:
The calamint bread: files/recettecalamintheANGLAIS.pdf
The fennel couscous: files/RecettefenouilANGLAIS.pdf
The fondue of spinach, candied lemons and purple olives: files/recetteepinardsANGLAIS.pdf