George is king of the castle says Wills
The news that Prince George’s school dinner options included Puy lentils has prompted a surge in orders for the peppery pulse
THE Duke of Cambridge revealed yesterday how his son Prince George rules the roost at home.
Taking to elderly patients at Aintree University Hospital, in Liverpool, he said that after his first week at school George, four, had not yet realised he now had to go to classes every day.
William, 35, also said Charlotte was fast catching up George and would be “trouble” when she was older.
He told Teresa Jones, 87, from Kirkby, Liverpool: “George has been really easy. He hasn’t said ‘Have I got to do this for the rest of my life?’”
When she congratulated him on his children, he said: “George rules the roost but Charlotte’s not far behind.”
A woman suspected of trying to break into Prince George’s school was released on bail last night pending further inquiries by Scotland Yard amid fears of a security breach which could have endangered the young royal. The 40-year-old was arrested after a suspected break-in at 2.15pm on Wednesday at Thomas’s Battersea in south London.
THEY used to call it “the Delia Effect” – whereby sales of an ingredient would soar after an endorsement from the TV chef. But move over Ms Smith – there’s a new kid in town. After it was revealed this week that among the lunches on offer at Prince George’s prep school is “smoked mackerel on a bed of Puy lentils”, it seems demand for the French pulse has hit unprecedented levels… even though it remains unclear if the four-year-old prince actually ate his school dinner or not.
Farmers in the area of France in which Puy lentils are grown have reported a “frenzy” of interest, with Franck Rocher, chairman of the Puy lentil producer’s association, saying: “There have been a lot of people making contact with us. Just yesterday I had a call from a wholesaler. We’re certainly happy to get the publicity.”
Antoine Wassner, chairman of distributor Sabarot, told L’Express newspaper: “We’ve had high demand from clients in Britain, notably from restaurants. It’s the ‘star effect’ you get as soon as a VIP is linked to a product.”
So how much do you know about the latest must-have foodstuff? Here we present the definitive guide to the wonderful world of the Puy lentil…
Only green lentils grown in the Le Puy-en-Velay region of central France are allowed to be called Puy lentils, according to an EU protected designation of origin directive. The pulses have been farmed there for 2,000 years and there are currently 700 producers in the region.
Known as “poor man’s caviar”, owing more to its appearance than its taste, the slate-grey lentils are most distinctive for their unique peppery flavour and ability to retain their shape after cooking.
According to Monsieur Rocher, the terrain and geography of Le Puy-en-Velay gives their lentils a distinct advantage over other lentil-growing areas. “We grow them at an altitude of 1,000 metres in a zone that gets a wave of heat that comes up from the south every June,” he says. “The plants ripen very quickly, which means the skin is very thin and the lentils are not at all floury.”
Cooking them couldn’t be simpler. Unlike other dried vegetables they don’t require soaking, simply pour them into unsalted cold water, bring to the boil and let them simmer for 25-30 minutes.
They are also very good for you. As well as being very high in protein, lentils are only one per cent fat and 44 per cent insoluble dietary fibre, which helps fight blood cholesterol. They also contain a long list of proteins and complex carbohydrates, as well as vitamins A and C and other phytochemicals that help prevent disease.
Lentils were among the first plants to be cultivated by man, and are featured in the Bible. Puy lentils were introduced to France by the Romans, with archaeological excavations in the region uncovering Roman amphorae, a type of ancient storage pot, containing preserved Puy lentils.
They are grown like beans, in pods that contain one or two round lentil seeds. After harvesting, the pods are snapped open to reveal the pulses. Once dried and shelled they can be stored for up to 12 months, making them a valuable store cupboard staple. So proud are the residents of Le Puy-en-Velay of their distinctive lentil variety the pulse is known locally as “la perle verte de Velay”, or the green pearl of Velay. There is also a “Lentil trail”, a tourist route which includes stops to visit local producers and, naturally, restaurants offering Puy lentil-based menus.
The lentil also inspires patriotic fervour among many of France’s most famous chefs, with three Michelin starred Regis Marcon declaring: “The green lentil from Le Puy is the fruit of the work of all these farmers who believe in their country.” Fellow three Michelin starred chef Michel Troisgros adds: “It has the rare quality to be timeless. It is at the same time tradition and modernity. Its authenticity reassures, its simplicity exalts flavours and allows all imaginations.”
Even our own Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is a fan: he has gone so far as to say, “Should the apocalypse approach, I’d hoard lentilles du Puy in far greater quantities than penne or potatoes. Whereas a meal of pasta or rice alone would lack interest and nutritional range, I could polish off a bowl of lentils with just some salt, pepper and good olive oil, and feel satisfied on every level.”
Despite the royal endorsement, 2017 has not been a vintage year for Puy lentils. With the harvest officially ending this week, only 1,800 tons of the distinctive pulse were reaped this season, compared to a usual crop of 4,000 tons. A succession of rainy summers has been blamed.