Marvelous Recipes From The French Heartland. Regis Marcon

Régis Marcon grew up in Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid, in the Auvergne region of France. His hotel restaurant, like the village, puts on no airs ("peu protocolaire," as Marcon describes it). It is one of those rare places that, in spite of its star status, has not forgotten that it started out life as the village café run by Marcon's mother. Marcon started the Auberge des Cimes as a modest local eatery in 1982. Over the years, he and his wife Michèle have gradually upgraded their small establishment to a two star Michelin restaurant with a twelve room hotel connected to the restaurant by a tunnel. The rooms in the hotel are spacious and modern with stunning views of the forested slopes surrounding the hilltop town. The restaurant has a similar feel with colorful lamps, waiters wearing mushroom pins, and interesting knickknacks. He is very proud that he and his wife were able to take over the family business and make it what it is today. Marcon's cuisine relies on the elements unique to his region, including a dazzling array of mushrooms, cheeses, and local herbs. Marcon combines all those ingredients in a personal style that emphasizes brilliant flavors in new ways. In addition to presenting his recipes, he offers a firsthand look at, and tells the stories of, his countrymen-farmers, foragers, fishermen, and purveyors. Born from traditional French cuisine, the recipes take on a new dimension in the simplicity and modernity of Marcon's approach. Organized by season, the recipes take you from "Trout with Auvergne Blue Cheese Sauce" for Spring to "Winter Luxury Squash Crêpes." His reputation has spread all over Europe, and his restaurant is a landmark and a destination for an ever increasing number of gastronomes.