All Cognac is brandy, but not all brandy is Cognac. Brandy can be made by the distillation of any wine made from not only any grape but almost any fruit. However, Cognac  has to be made from the wines of particular regions in Cognac called delimited areas. So when is brandy Cognac and not brandy and why?  Two thousand years ago, when Julius Caesar conquered Gaul, the foundation for Cognac was laid, even though the actual Cognac wasn’t made until the 17th century. They brought their knowledge of viticulture to France and evidence of this was found when Roman ruins when carvings depicting both fruit and leaf were

discovered between Cognac and the Atlantic coast.   No evidence of ancient vineyards exist in the Charente and Charente-Maritime départements, where the river Charente, referred to by Henry IV as the “most beautiful stream in my kingdom“, runs through. On the banks of this river lies the town of Cognac, historically a perfect location for easy transport of this precious liquid. The early history wasn’t an easy

one thanks to Domitian’s decree in AD 92 that wine not be planted north of the Gironde river – that put the valley out of the wine business. The winemakers were livid but since there was random planting of vineyards causing massive overproduction of wine which was putting Bordeaux’s nose firmly out of joint, it is understandable that the emperor, in his bid to protect the empire’s business had little option.  Luckily Probus, a Roman with foresight, promptly overturned the decree in AD 300 and the wine planting in this area started again in earnest.   The beautiful Mediterranean climate, the soil, the genetic ability of the French to work with the terroir and the water of the Charente river all contribute to making a liquid known

to all the world as Cognac - unmakeable anywhere else in the world. After the decline of the Roman Empire, the region of Cognac declined into unimaginable chaos and a tug of war ensued as warlords and kings fought to occupy the land. The first man known as the ‘lord of Cognac’ was a man called Hélie de Villebois who named the town for a king of Gaul called Conos. He built the first chateaux on the left bank of the river – unfortunately, today nothing remains of it.   As we all know during AD 1100 and AD 1400 France was ruled alternatively by English and French kings and the wine-making region flourished under the rule of William X of Aquitaine.  He was an astute ruler and traded with Vikings, Scots and Moors and left his duchy to his daughter Eleanor, herself astute, who married well twice and finally with her second husband became king and queen of England. Henry ruled for 34 years developing the wine industry and after them, their heir, the English King John (after kidnapping Isabelle Taillefer in true English fashion) became intimately involved with Cognac, the town. The end of the 100 years war, at first, proved disastrous for the inhabitants of Charente because their biggest market, the English, disappeared as a result of the victory. Because there were no markets it became economically suicidal

to plant vines and many vineyards were uprooted and planted with grain instead. All the Grande and Petite Champagne areas were, at one stage, grainlands – not winelands. Other areas became forestland and thus the zones Fins Bois, Bois and Bois Communs are designated as they are.   The winds of change started blowing on the 12th of  September 1494 when Francois I (who would grow up into a real ladies man) was born in Cognac and 23 years later, when he became king, would change forever the fortunes of the inhabitants of this town. (It is interesting to note here that the Scots started to distill whisky in 1494 as well). Peace had not been agreed upon, yet the King rewarded the inhabitants of his town by exempting them from paying taxes or levies and that included the hated gabelle (the 20% salt tax that was payable each time the river was used).  After his death in 1457 many traders objected vehemently to these taxes and the grumblings of the wars were beginning. In 1532 the reformist, Calvin, arrived in the area and fleeing Protestants found safety in the forests on the banks of the Charante.

The French religious wars caused many battles with the Royalists – most fought in these forests, on the same land where the most sought after liquid in the world would be made centuries later. There was only a brief respite when the Edict of Nantes was signed in 1598 but the inability of man to comprehend that God would prefer him to spill Cognac than blood would not lead to peace then.  Pauline Reverchon, one of the most famous historians on the matter, believes that the Charentais were already distilling some of their wine and exporting a rather rough, course brandy at the beginning of these senseless wars.  The Protestants sold this rough brew to their compatriots in London, Amsterdam, Copenhagen and even Hamburg. So, in effect the trade in brandy began – brandy that would one day, if good enough, become Cognac.   At this point there was a preparation of the palate so that the artist could paint  the story of Cognac – it was almost a renaissance of sorts – a new mingling of nationalities, traders, wine growers, wine makers and entrepreneurs that would, eventually, be to the benefit of Cognac. It was only with expertise and the mingling and the learning in those early days that the great Cognac Houses could be established in the mid 1600′s.

PATE DE FOIE DE VOLAILLE

Ingredients

• 500 g chicken livers, cleaned, trimmed and drained
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 180 ml melted and butter (*optional clarify the butter)
• 60 ml grated onion
• 50 ml really good Cognac
• 50 ml cream
• 7ml salt (or to taste)
• 7ml dried French mustard powder
• 2 ml freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp mace
• 1 tsp fresh, finely diced oreganum
• Butter for frying

Method

• Fry the livers and the onion lightly in butter until pink, yet cooked.
• Process the liver in electric food processor until very smooth.
• Add all the remaining ingredients (except the melted butter) and combine very well so that everything is incorporated well (you are looking for a smooth paste here).
• Pack into a large pate dish or little pate dishes and press down firmly, pour over the melted butter to cover the pate and refrigerate for at least four hours.
• Serve with melba toast as an appetizer.

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Ingredients

• 1,5 kgs well-trimmed beef entrecote (rump, chuck), cut into 3cm cubes
• 250 g smoked streaky bacon
• 150 ml flour
• 600 g baby onions, peeled
• 300 g large carrots, cut into 2 cm pieces
• 4 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 liter beef stock
• 300 ml Cognac
• 2 x 750ml bottles red Burgundy wine
• 500 g mushrooms
• 100 g chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp preservative free tomato paste

Method

Preheat oven to 200 C.

• Sauté bacon in heavy large pot that can be used in the oven, over high heat until light brown and crisp.
• Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels and set aside.
• Season beef generously with salt and pepper and coat shake in the flour, discarding what is not used.
• Working in a few batches, brown beef in same pot over high heat.
• Transfer meat to large bowl.
• Add onions and carrots to same pot and sauté until golded brown.
• Transfer the vegetables and the raw garlic to the bowl with the beef.
• Add half the stock and the Cognac to pot and boil until reduced to a third, scraping up all the browned bits for about 5 minutes. Return meat and vegetables and their juices to pot. Add wine, mushrooms, thyme, sugar, tomato paste and the rest of the stock.
• Bring to the boil stirring occasionally.
• Cover pot and put in the oven, cooking it unitl the beef is tender.
• Ladle liquid from stew into large saucepan and poon off any fat. Boil liquid until reduced to about half (about 40 minutes).
• Taste and correct the salt and pepper.
• Pour liquid back over beef and vegetables.
• This is perfect if you make it the day before.
• Serve with rice, potatoes or loads of crunchy bread and really good wine.