The "Savour The Cuisine Where The Flavors Of Yesteryear Respect The Seasons" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in the dining room of ... well, the dining room of our home which we affectionately call our "Beach Home" since we have it decorated with items we have accumulated over the years from travels to towns along the New Jersey shores as well as islands in the Caribbean.  Our meal tonight consists of small red potatoes with melted cheese, jellied cranberry sauce and Le Pave de saumon Avec miel et amandes grillees.  Carol has been working on the meal for the last hour making sure that it will be as delicious as the same meal we had while on vacation in St. Martin a month ago.  

Carol's meal at Le Piment in St. Martin.

While on the island we traveled to a small French restaurant in Orient Village known as Le Piment.  Pronounced several ways, but the correct French pronuncia- tion is: pa-ment.  We have been traveling to the island for almost twenty years now and for the last ten or twelve years have made Le Piment our go-to restaurant for the first evening on the island.  We also make a few other stops there throughout our vacation to sample all the delicious French, as well as Italian, menu items that are skillfully and delicately prepared by chef Sylvain and his team of expert cooks.  He is a very personable young fellow who seems to always give me the exact same pose when I ask him for a photograph.  He and Christelle, an extremely affable and charming host are the owners of the restaurant that seems to always be filled to the brim with people who enjoy the finest of French and Italian cooking.  I must also mention their great bartender Herve whose looks resemble chef Robert Irvine on The Food Channel and who also is willing to pose for me with a smile. This year Carol had the Pave de saumon Avec miel et amandes grillees on two occasions and pronounced that this is now her favorite way to prepare salmon.  The English version of the meal would be: Salmon filet with honey and roasted almonds.  Sounds much more romantic and edible in French!  I must tell you that Sylvain added a light layer of goat cheese on top of the salmon which tasted as good as it looked.  

Carol's rendition of Pave de saumon avec miel et amandes grillees

Now I should also tell you that Carol enjoys cooking and baking and has prepared salmon for us with a sauce of butter, garlic and capers which I just love.  I didn't chose the salmon at Le Piment, since I was busy with other menu items, but I did test it one of the two times she ordered it and did enjoy it.  What is sitting in front of me looks just about the same as the meal we had at Le Piment.  Only thing missing is the lovely music waifing through the night air, the sound of a variety of languages around us, the attention of Christille as she tells of the meals on the "Specials" board and the atmosphere that only can be described as Caribbean.  

Our cat Creamsicle checking out the salmon.

Well, Carol prepared her duplication of the Pave de saumon Avec miel et amandes grillees to just about perfection.  She placed the salmon on a bed of honey that was given to us by our friend Hal who raises bees and added the layer of goat cheese on top of the salmon and topped it with roasted almonds.  The meal was festive and the only thing missing was ... the island of St. Martin!  Carol's reproduction of the meal was fantastic and it just about matched the last line on the Le Piment website which says: Savour the cuisine where the flavors of yesteryear respect the seasons.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.