Southern Fried French

Deconstructing 'Le Sandwich'

Sandwiches in photo: Jambon cru with goat cheese and crudités; tuna with tomato and boiled eggs.

Despite the fact that they were named after an English lord---the Earl of Sandwich, who liked to eat his meal between bread to keep his hands clean while he played cards--- I always thought of sandwiches as migrating from America to Europe.  But no,  my continuing European education has taught me that the reverse is true.  Sandwiches probably date from the first century BC, and made their way from the Middle East to Europe, and finally to the states.

Many classic American sandwiches are fabulous.  Is there anything better than a hot Reuben?  French sandwiches are very different, the bread in particular.  With the exception of a Croque Monsieur, they are nearly always served on a crispy baguette or roll.  They tend to go much lighter on the fillings and sauces. They are displayed so beautifully in the boulangeries that I’ve taken to snapping photos of them.  When it’s picnic weather, I say why cook when you can grab a sackful of them, and off you go?

If you’re in the mood for a French lunch, serve up les sandwichs--these photos may inspire you.  Start with a good baguette, split lengthwise.  You could also use a croissant or focaccia.   A classic is ham with gruyère.  Butter is a more common spread than mayonnaise or mustard. 

Jambon cru chèvre is a common choice too, which features thinly sliced ham that resembles prosciutto, with goat cheese.  Crudités is a vegetable sandwich (usually lettuce and tomatoes)  with hard boiled eggs; sometimes ham is added.  Caprese sandwiches are a classic, with tomato, mozzarella, and pesto.  I was intrigued by one sandwich (photo, left) which has a thin herbed omelette inside, gotta try that.

Now to be really French, wrap your sandwiches in parchment paper, put them in a pretty basket, and break out the wine.  Instant French pique nique!

 

RECIPE:  My Favorite American Sandwich

You’ve got lots of ideas for le sandwich now, but here is my favorite American one. There used to be a restaurant in Charleston that served it.  It’s a grilled chicken salad sandwich, not a logical sort of sandwich but it’s mighty fine.

Make a simple pulled or chopped chicken salad with cooked chicken, celery, mayo, maybe a little garlic powder.  You’ll need two thin slices of good, whole grain bread.  Put a good quantity of chicken salad on the bread and add a slice of deli-sliced swiss or gruyère cheese (or use your Cheese Plane for thin slices).  Melt some butter in a cast-iron skillet   (sorry, nothing else will do for a grilled sandwich) and brown it nicely on both sides.

 

In the COMMENTS: We're still talking gazpacho: Of course Rachel of the 'and then make soup' blog was interested in it, and she makes another cold tomato soup, Porro Antequera.  Heather serves it like shooters, in shotglasses.  Beth, merci, glad it turned out great!  Debbie at A French Opportunity is hanging out in her new swing and hammock (you'll like her upside-down kitchen story).  Nan at Silver Magpies has a waning veggie garden,as does Cynthia at The Daily Basics--same here, y'all.  Reader Jacki willl visit the château, bon voyage and  à bientôt in Burgundy!  Look forward to meeting you.

Favorite Reads:  We're always happy to learn about a new book, and reader Sue Wallace sent two that she rediscovered when she was dusting book shelves.  Both are by Ina Caro.  The first, Paris to the Past: Traveling through French History by Train is about  "day trips from her Paris apartment encompassing modern access (and nearby restaurants) and the history of each site, some of which I'd never heard of," says Sue.

The second one, The Road from the Past: Traveling through History in France, "is a fascinating premise....travelling through France and visiting only locales that were constructed at the same time. It didn't matter if a site from the 15th century was next door to Picasso's stash, she would only stay within the 15th century to get a real feel for that time. I loved it. Hope you do, too."  Merci Sue, I'm sure we will!

A Potager Worthy of a Château

Trivia question:  Which region of France has the most châteaux?  We will forgive you if you say the Loire Valley.  But the correct answer is Burgundy.  Welcome to CastleWorld, where they are strewn all over the countryside, all sizes and ages. I know of at least four within five miles of 'our' château.  

Many of the really spectacular ones are open to the public.  The fanciest one in our area is the Château de Cormatin.  I've taken the tour of the magnificent interiors and the formal gardens with many a guest, but the real attraction for me is their potager.  This is a vegetable garden like none you've ever seen.  

It helps to have a grand 18th century châteauy as your backdrop, complete with moat, and a team of gardeners doesn't hurt either--see monsieur at work below. And what a garden!  Love the parterres, with the twig supports in the center, and flowers popping up everywhere amongst the veggies.  There are umbrellas and chairs where they will serve you tea or ice cream, while you contemplate going home to rip out and redesign your own vegetable garden.

And now, what shall we do with all those veggies?

 

RECIPE: Maria's Salad Buffet

Our friends Maria and Gerard had a big lunch for our crowd this week.  Lunch was a luscious salad buffet.  Is there a better way to eat in summer?

On the table:  a lovely Italian number, with baby greens, artichokes, green and black olives, roasted peppers.  An unusual potato salad that was a big hit, with celery, apples, chopped corned beef, and a curry dressing.  A cherry tomato tart, melons, and tabouli. And an idea I especially liked:  a carrot salad that was pretty, crunchy, and a nice foil for the other salads.  Here is how Maria made it:

Cut carrots into thin sticks and place on a platter.  Top with sliced radishes.  Sprinkle this with whole, roasted pistachios.  Then drizzle it all with a mild, creamy dressing made from creme fraîche (or sour cream), a little mustard, and a splash of ginger syrup (or use grated ginger and a touch of honey).  Easy, pretty, delicious: all our favorite qualities! 

In the COMMENTS:  Lots of new gazpacho ideas.  My friend Gordon, who photographed Alix and Paul's home in Provence, added radishes and cayenne pepper to his version. He recommends a whisk and a seive, to strain it.  Keith adds olives, and thank you Keith, I forgot how yummy croutons are with gazpacho.   Abel uses a recipe from a James Michener novel. Natalia recommends a Pouilly-Fuissé. Don't miss Hampton's recipe for a summer soup with avocado and buttermilk.  Sue has a good cooking tip, too. 

 

Summer Soul Food: A Gazpacho from Spain, by Way of Provence

Seasonal eating, always popular in France (and more and more, in the states) is even stronger in the countryside, where the fruits fall from trees in backyard orchards and everyone’s potager is groaning with veggies. We stuff ourselves with cherries in the spring, we gather wild asparagus.  We feast on the luscious Cavaillon melons in June, and pluck peaches from our trees.  And now, in mid-summer, we are awash in zingy red tomatoes, glossy cucumbers, and all the fruits of the vegetable patch. Must be time to make gazpacho!

Now there many ways to make gazpacho.  You can keep it simple, or you can thicken it with bread crumbs or enrich it with cream.  There are also two major camps:  the chunky crowd and the smooth group.  I was always in the chunky camp and turned up my nose at the puréed stuff.  That is, until I met Alix.  Her recipe is now my one and only recette for gazpacho.  

Loyal Readers, you may remember Alix, a fellow southern girl, from my post of May 31:  we shot Alix and Paul’s lovely house in Provence for the Country French Bookazine (which should be out soon, I’ll let you know!).  Alix got this recipe from a friend in Spain, and she made it for us on a warm spring day.  It immediately entered into the food memory hall of fame for everyone à table.  It’s also quite easy and a crowd pleaser, for a party.  

I had a gazpacho recently at a French restaurant, and they served it with tiny bowls of goodies  for garnishing.  This idea works well with Alix’s recipe, and adds a little fun.  So when I serve the soup, I do it family style and pass a plate of small bowls filled with chopped avocado, sliced limes, creme fraiche, chopped red onion, and chopped basil.  Everyone gets to garnish their own.

This gazpacho really should be taken on a hot summer day on a shady terrace under the wisteria, with good friends, much laughter, and a crisp white Burgundy.  Bon appetit, Y’all!

 

RECIPE:  Alix’s Gazpacho 

Alix’s recipe, which originated with her friend Beth in Spain, has a secret ingredient which is unusual: a raw egg.  She says  a chef once told her to add it, to cut the acidity of the tomatoes. If raw eggs are a concern, just skip it.

“Put 1/2 cup olive oil and 3 tablespoons vinegar in a bender. Add vegetables a few at a time:

• 4-5 Tomatoes  in chunks ( not skinned or seeded)
• ½  of a medium cucumber, peeled
• 1 red bell pepper (ribbed and seeded)
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 onion, peeled
• 2 tsp. salt
• pepper to taste
• 1 raw egg at the end / some basil to taste

“Blend well (you may need to do it in batches).  When smooth, add the egg if using and blend again, briefly.

"Then you MUST put the mixture through a moulin, or  Food Mill. " (my note:  I used a Conical Strainer and a Wooden Pestle for this and it worked fine.  You could even use a large strainer and press it with the back of a spoon.  What you want is to strain out the seeds and tomato skin, and have a smooth soup). 

Chill until nice and cold and serve.  Garnish as desired with any/all of these:  avocado, chives, basil, chopped red onion, lime slices, creme fraîche or sour cream.  Mille mercis, Alix!

 

In the COMMENTS:  We have lots of readers who love to photograph French windows.  And really, who can resist them?  Sue wonders why bugs don't come in without screens  (good question--there aren't many bugs here, but the flies do wander in).  But Cindy has an unusual solution!  We also talked about French music last time and Chef Katherine, who has two French bakeries in Colorado, suggests setting up an Edith Piaf station on Pandora and streaming it.  Sounds like a bakery we need to visit!

Favorite Reads:  Be sure to catch Mel's comment from the last post.  He's discovered Secret France: Charming Villages and Country Tours. There is also a French version. Published by the Automobile Association of Great Britain, it has driving tours of France and reflections on French life.

Windows To The French Soul

The French window:  as different from an American window as can be, just like so many things in France.

The way it opens is the first difference.  The French window is divided vertically in the center, and it swings open to the inside by turning an iron handle.  There is no screen. It will almost always have a shutter, on the outside---a real working shutter, that will be pulled shut in summer against the unwelcome heat of early afternoon.  In the late afternoon it will be flung open again, then closed again as dark sets in. (We thought this was an odd custom, until we moved here, and adopted the same habit. It's actually very efficient passive solor cooling). 

On the tight medieval streets of old villages, the windows and doors may be the only spots where one can dress up a house with a bit of greenery or flowers.  And so they become a site for ornamentation, for plants, a spot for airing out a quilt, for drying laundry, a perch for a house cat, a social network.

Most of all, French windows have personality.  They are quirky, adorned, windows to the French soul. Here are some I've snapped in my travels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos: top, traditional lace curtains in the Morvan. Above left, laundry day on the Med; right, A freshly painted volet jaune in the trendy Luberon, closed against the sun for the afternoon nap.

Above, a church window in our neighborhood; a mini-garden in a provençal window.  Below, a fausse fenêtre painted on a building in Nice, to trick your eye.

In the COMMENTS:  Carmie asked readers about cooking schools last week---hmm, I liked the answers, may have to try them myself!  Several folks know and love village fêtes.  Nathalie, thanks for your inspiring words, as always.  Christine, a comparison to Peter Mayle is the best compliment!

Favorite MUSIC:  Just got back from Paris, which has me longing for some nostalgic French music from back in the day.  Great background music for a French-themed dinner party:  Cafe De Paris - 50 French Classics  or Les Grandes Chansons Francaises: Classic Hits of French Song.

Our Readers Blogs:  Speaking of French villages, Mary James in Provence is blogging about her favorite French villages this week, including Tournus, the closest town to the Château de Balleure.

Southern Fried French will be en vacances next week.