Revisit Capon with Emily Gaudichon

Revisit Capon with Emily Gaudichon

As Christmas approaches, Fabulously Delicious, The French Food Podcast revisits a beautifully seasonal episode all about capon, one of the most traditional centrepieces of the French festive table. This replay is shared especially for listeners who may have missed it the first time — or who would love to rediscover a classic Christmas conversation.

In this episode, host Andrew Prior is joined by Emily Gaudichon, widely known as the real Emily in Paris, for an engaging and informative discussion about what capon really is, why it holds such an important place in French Christmas celebrations, and how it differs from everyday poultry.

Originally recorded earlier in the podcast’s journey, this episode is replayed in full, with no new material added — simply a chance to enjoy a timely, festive conversation that feels perfectly suited to the season. It’s a reminder of how deeply French food traditions are tied to celebration, family, and the rhythm of the year.

Whether you’re planning a French-inspired Christmas menu or simply curious about the foods that define festive tables in France, this Christmas replay offers insight, context, and plenty of fabulously delicious food talk to enjoy during the holidays.

Transcript

Speaker: 0:05

Bonjour and B Avenue. This is fabulously delicious. The French food podcast, the It's your ticket to all things stories behind the dishes that year, French food turns rooted in tradition. So today, rather than something favorite episode, one I wanted have missed it the first time simply feel like revisiting a In this episode, we return to the world of the Capon or as I say, chapon many a time incorrectly in the episode a classic Christmas centrepiece in France with Emily, widely known as the real Emily in Paris, it's a conversation that feels especially fitting for the festive season, rich in tradition, French food culture and the stories that make Christmas at the table so special. I'm your host, Andrew Pryor. Enchanté. I'm a former MasterChef calling France home. From my kitchen to markets, farms and fringe dining tables, I spend my days cooking, tasting and celebrating the extraordinary food traditions of this country. And I share them with you, my fabulously delicious audience, every week. So if this is your first time you've heard it all before, I Pour yourself a glass of wine. That's of course, if you're not Tear off a chunk of baguette. Add a smear of some creamy little saucy song and settle in. Welcome to Fabulously Delicious. And so on to today's topic, the My first question is around how So is it? It's spelled c h a p o n. But that's not how it's pronounced, is it? Well, I think my in-laws say They do. See, we had Camille from French Sudan last week, and her pronunciation is a couple, so she doesn't pronounce the h. I'm thinking back. I think they do, but maybe I just invented that, I don't know. Well, no, because I thought it But then I heard other people Well, in the USA it's called the H in the spelling. Hmm. Okay, well, let's go with whichever we'll go with with that. Whichever you can. You'll say what you say and I'll And somebody people can leave what's not right. Please don't invite people to Oh, no. It's okay. What? Comments. What? So what is a chapel? So it's basically a concentrated Um, whether chemically or So they do that before they sort of, um, have any hormonal changes, and I don't know why they started. There's a few different answers. Um, it was to stop roosters from castrated, you can keep them in Otherwise you can only have one one enclosed space. Um, and basically because they teenage hormone phase, um, the, which is why people use them things like that, that you have Um, so this the meat is more is more fatty and it's more tender and, and they grow into a bigger bird. They're, they're given quite a prepared for, for eating. So yeah. And so it's called cap and a cap It is. See, that's apparently the term for neutering or castrating a rooster. It does make me feel a little bit uncomfortable talking about it. How is the capon different, Um, it's a bit more intense of a It it still tastes quite sort Chickeny. Um, it's definitely not gamey, or, uh, a pigeon. Um. It's just a really. I think it's just a really nice And unlike Turkey, it doesn't So you don't really have that still quite a fatty bird. Um, so you don't really have that panic about, you know, how you're gonna cook it and keep it dry. It doesn't need a lot of It's usually cooked at quite a like you're slow roasting the Obviously we eat it at time you eat it? I've had it a few other times of Christmassy type bird. Yeah, the US would probably do turkey for Christmas, the UK do geese. The Aussies do a shrimp on the It's the French equivalent. Is it? It is. Yeah. It's a really Christmassy Um, in fact, I, I think this is I've never had anything else, so cooked for me. One year we made some quail. Um, and everyone was a bit So I think it it is what you're supposed to serve on Christmas, is it? Yeah. I think it's a very traditional, I mean, I had never seen it I'd never looked for it, but I definitely never seen it anywhere else. I don't think you'd pick one up at the local butcher in Brisbane. Um, and I never I'd never seen So. I mean, London's very turkey Um, yeah. It's not cheap when you say you butchers in Brisbane. I remember when we lived in a and the butcher there. There was ninety eight euros a Yeah. It's not a cheap bird. Anything up from fifty euros a Uh, because it's a big bird, Yeah. So usually if you want a little three kilos for six to eight four hundred grams per person. Um. Yeah it is. I mean, yeah, it's not a cheap go all out for Christmas. I mean, they really try. And it's their moment to shine Is it like a frog? Is the bird force fed or Or does it just naturally just eat a lot because it's been castrated? Uh. It's science. Okay, so in Spain, sometimes They do have them in Spain. Um, in France they're not. It's not. That's not part of the the plan They get big because they they don't really stop growing after they're castrated. Um, they keep I mean, obviously period of time and they get I chickens are killed quite sort of grow into a big bird. Yeah. I mean, so let's be clear, if very, you know, sort of, uh, have had a longer life and have being force fed. I can't speak for all the farms, Um, and I'm sure there are some that are not doing it in the best possible way, but generally it's. Yeah, it's because they're given than being force fed? Bonjour fabulous listeners! Are you ready to take your love the next level? Join the fabulously delicious and unlock a world of exclusive and francophiles alike. As a free subscriber, you'll French cuisine and culture. But for those ready to indulge in even more fabulousness, a paid subscription gives you access to expert restaurant recommendations and honest reviews. Exclusive city and regional food must visit places, recipes, French kitchen and travels It's your passport to the delightful, all with my Don't miss out. Tap the link in the show notes for this episode or visit Andrew Pryor fabulously. Com to subscribe now let's make I often hear people comment that sometimes the chicken's a bit gamey compared to what they have at home. So why is it that we have so many different types here and varieties here of chicken and poultry? Ah, I think those people are So this is also, um, become a much bigger discussion in the UK. Um, so, you know, farms started hundred Day Chicken and it well, okay, that doesn't seem a, you know, a really a long chicken farming to to have a hatching until it's being Uh, so I think it really I mean, here you can, I can go commercial chicken that, you you get anywhere in Australia, buy an organic chicken, which buy from, you can get an organic is quite delicate to cook used its muscles. So it, it feels a lot tougher And you have to sort of, you know, cook it almost like a rooster. Um, and that's because it's used So it all really depends on the If the chicken's just sitting have a lot of space to move, and muscles and it's going to be, I don't know about you, but I chicken in Australia. We never really had that when I Whereas here you definitely chicken and then there'll be a And it's been corn fed. Yeah. I'm not I can't say that I difference to the taste. Um, but people do seem to have a like, you know, um, corn fed To be honest, I'm, you know, I It's all the same. Just tastes like chicken. Back to the coupon you briefly cooking, but yes. How do you cook a coupon? So first thing. Bring it home from the butcher. Can stay in the fridge for a You know what the butcher tells Um, and the best thing to do is let it come up to room start cooking it. So don't try and put a really In the oven. Um, that's not the best way to Uh, make sure some will come. Will be quite authentic when So be really clear with your come with or without, um, Um, so just explain to the butcher what you're comfortable with, because a lot of people really like getting the extra bits because they use it for sauce. Um, anyway. And then it really depends how to put into it. So, I mean, there's there's no Uh, it's really traditional to stuff it, um, with a mix of, you know, roasted chestnuts or I mean, you're usually you always serve it with chestnuts at Christmas time. Um, but it's just you can also either have them on the side or you can can, you know, stuff it, um, with chestnuts, a mix of sausage meat, maybe with some foie gras. Figs. Uh, there's a whole different stuffing recipes. I am not a huge fan of stuffing. I tend to roast it, um, empty. So just with maybe put a lemon and some herbs in there and a bit of garlic, which is really nice. Um, make sure that it's really it with fat or with butter, with Um, whatever you want. I tend to keep the duck fat from when I'm making duck confit and just keep that in a jar in the fridge. And then when you're roasting rub on, um, and use it to do the It's just really nice. Yes. Well, speaking of that, what do you serve traditionally with a coupon. So usually seasonal vegetables. Um, we always do fine green We always do chestnuts. Uh, and then usually either sweet potatoes and potatoes and carrots. Um, anything you want. They're not that bad. My family's not that big on I really like them. But yeah, I do too. Yeah, the French don't do the Uh, the same dishes. There's no bread sauce. Um, there's no Yorkshire They don't have any of that. And they tend to also be quite There's not that sort of last keeping the bird warm and etc., serve the juices from the bird, down or thickened with with It's it's just sort of served as Um, which is really nice. Um, and I see you've got your bird, you've brought it up to room temperature. You've, you know, covered it in You've seasoned it really well Um, it's quite good if you can gonna stuff it. Uh, ideally, you would make sure stuffing is already cooked. Just the health and safety Um, and that the stuffing is That's what we were taught. Um, and everyone has their own Stuffing rules. Uh, and then that's it. So one in one sixty oven and There's two hand the oven at two the first twenty minutes or the Um, just to make the skin a bit But I've done it both ways, and Either way, I generally do it then just do it sort of high And that really stops the, you rest of the chicken doesn't oh, Will you be cooking a champion Uh, we're going to our in-laws so we'll definitely be having one. Whether whether I'm cooking it or not depends on whether, uh, someone else will look after the children, uh, because they love to sit on the, um, on the kitchen floor when I'm cooking and, you know, really get under my feet. Before I go, I just wanted to say a heartfelt thank you for listening. Whether you've been for your fabulously delicious full year round or you've discovered the podcasts for the very first time this Christmas, however, you're celebrating the festive season here in France or elsewhere in the world. I hope it's filled with good few fabulously delicious moments Maybe there'll be laughter, long dishes made with love. Thank you for welcoming me into your ears and your kitchens this year. Joyeux Noel, bon fit, and I'll Or in the next episode of And that's a wrap for this If this was your first time discovering this episode, I hope it's given you a deeper appreciation for Capone and its special place on the French Christmas table. And if you've heard it well all comforting and delicious to like a favorite festive dish year after year. I'd love to hear from you. Is Capone part of your Christmas something entirely new to you? You can slide into my DMs on Let's chat about all things French food, festive traditions, and what's on your table this season because, well, food really is one of the best ways to bring people together, don't you think? You enjoyed this episode? Please consider sharing it family, or any food lovers or and Christmas traditions maybe And if you're feeling extra wonderful way to help more food Thank you so much for listening, festive time of the year. Your love of French food and Remember my motto whatever you Merci beaucoup Zola Noel. And as always, Bon appetit. Until next time. Over.