When we bought our apartment in the Alps it was fully furnished and so acquired our first T.V. in France. We were still keen all day skiers back then so I don't know why we found ourselves at home around midday and having put the television on discovered a little cookery programme called 'Bon Appetit, Bien Sur' hosted by a funny little man we immediately fell in love with. He was quaint and endearing, a little bit shambolic in his presenting skills at times, his often quite famous guest chefs were treated like little school boys being encouraged to do well by a loving old school teacher. We were hooked and watched every day and to hell with skiing. It came as a great surprise to find out what an established, renowned, revered chef he was, he came across as very provincial and humble - but then our French was on the limited side at the time. Immediately we were big fans and eventually we added his cookbooks to our collection, admittedly we cook very little from them as they are vrai, vrai French cuisine - he is sort of the French equivalent of Elisabeth David.
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Most people (French people, as his immense fame has passed mainstream UK by) identify him by his 'catchphrase' - Bon appetit, bien sur, but we always remember the pose he struck when the dish of the day was completed - elbow on the edge of the worktop, other hand gently on arm, bending in to camera - it is a position adopted in the Craig kitchen when a dish is produced that looks particularly good, worthy of the great master.
For many years Joel has sat on our kitchen shelves and this was christened the shrine.
Yesterday we were at lunch in Lamalou (it was OK but I doubt Joel would have been impressed), when I checked my phone - message from no.1 son,
'Has he heard the bad news? If not go and get tissues before he reads it' - 'He' being the husband.
'Barry Chuckle?' I replied flippantly, who had died the previous day.
'No someone French. He will be able to build a shrine in the house, it is genuinely sad'
So with the mention of shrine I knew.
And as I walked past his little grin yesterday I did feel quite sad. He was so well regarded in his profession, admired and loved, and having a quality I value - unassuming, he very much touched the Craig family's hearts.
I hope today I'll stop having the theme tune to Bon Appetit, Bien Sur in my head!
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