Three Minutes on a Park Bench With: Daniel Teboul

For Daniel Teboul of Larchmont, the act of preserving meat connects him back to his birthplace in the French Alps, but also, he recognizes, all the way back to Homer.

After all, what is an odyssey worth if your protagonist starves to death?

Luckily for residents of Larchmont and beyond, that historical arc (and artistry) of curing, smoking and preserving is alive and well in Teboul, who began his local sausage-making business Larchmont Charcuterie after a career as a professional photographer.

After tasting his delicious handiwork at Fishkill Farms in Hopewell Junction—definitely try the pork saucisson sec, a French dry sausage—we had to steal a few minutes of his time to learn more.

Patch: How did you get started in the business?

Daniel: My passion started when I first came to the U.S. over 30 years ago. After traveling cross-country in my Ford Galaxy 500, I soon realized I needed to get back east, but didn’t have the means to do so. That’s when I took a job as head salad-spinner at a five-star French restaurant on Venice Beach. Lucky for me, the chef took me under his wing and taught me everything I needed to know about French cuisine and what it takes to be a great French chef. I love to cook. In fact, I am the designated cook at home and my wife has only to show up for every meal. She’s from Minneapolis—the land of corn and butter—imagine, she sometimes complains about what’s for dinner!

P: What's something about smoking or curing meats that you think would surprise the average person?

D: It can take up to 16 weeks to cure meat.

P: What do you love about Larchmont?  

D: I love Larchmont, from the natural beauty of Manor Park to the trails of Saxon Woods, from its New England feel to the proximity to New York City. Larchmont has so much to offer. But, lets face it, it’s the people that make a place…and the people of Larchmont and Mamaroneck are very special and there is a great sense of community.

P: Your company bio says you grew up in the Alps. What was that like as a kid? Sounds idyllic. Do you think American kids can have equivalent childhoods or is it just so different?

D: Yes, growing up in the Alps was amazing in so many ways and beautiful. But I have to say that the U.S. is so vast that there are places here that are similar and the kids in the US have great opportunities. What’s different is the culture. Here, my 17-year-old daughter eats her lunch in 10 minutes sitting in the hallway at school. In my high school years I was being served a three-course meal at the cafeteria (with wine senior year) that lasted two hours.

P: What's your best-selling product? 

D: It’s a toss-up between my Magret De Canard (smoked duck breast) and my Beef Prosciutto/Bresaola. In the Alps we call it: “Viande des Grisons”

D: Cured Salmon (Gravlax) is easy to make at home and quite delicious—it only takes 3 to 4 days to make. A great French American classic cookbook I love: "Cooking at Home” by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin"—and the Internet is a wealth of information.

Bon Appétit!

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Nominate someone from your community for the Patch Park Bench interview. Send suggestions to kathleen@patch.com.