Southern Fried French

What to Do with a French 'Fraise"

The French are the original seasonal eaters. They revel in what's fresh, celebrate the arrival of every fresh vegetable and fruit (even wild ones in the forest), and gorge themselveson them until their moment is over. Then they move on to the next ripening wonder.

A delicious example: strawberries. They're available most of the year, but imported, and ho-hum. But oh la la, when they come in season! The flavor is a berry wonder, heaven in a bright red package. And so on market day, I see folks carting big flats of them, heading home to preserve their fruity goodness.

So what does one do with a giant flat or two of berries?  We'll need plenty of ideas for that. 

Of course there is strawberry shortcake, one of my favorite desserts. I make it with sweet southern biscuits, and fresh whipped cream. But lately I've been folding those berries, right into the biscuits, for a breakfast scone. For that I drizzle some vanilla glaze over them.

The French are most likely to make a fresh strawberry tart, they like their fruit desserts very simple so the fruit comes shining through. In the tart's simplest form, they simply arrange berries on a sweet tart shell and glaze them with melted jam. To fancy it up, spread the tart with a bed of sweetened marscapone first, or on a simple custard if you prefer.

My husband's favorite: serve a bowl of berries with side dishes of creme fraiche and brown sugar, for dipping. Of course you can also go savory, with a strawberry and pecan salad, dressed with walnut oil and raspberry vinegar, or balsamic (recipe on this post).

I've been avoiding the J-word, which is what most of the French make with their berries: Jam. Though the French preserve enough stuff to stock their own bomb shelter, all that sterilizing terrifies me. My newest discovery: strawberry freezer jam! Just make a simple jam and freeze it for a bright taste of spring when the season has moved on. It takes less than half an hour!

Or maybe a strawberry cake? Wish I had a recipe for that. What are your best berry recipes?

 

 

RECIPE: Strawberry Shortcake Scones

This is adapted from an Epicurious recipe. They call for heavy cream, always yummy, but I use milk or buttermilk. If I use milk sometimes I replace a bit of the milk with a beaten egg, for richness. If you want a lemony flair, add some grated lemon zest and make your glaze with lemon juice instead of milk and vanilla.

(A TIP, that's une astuce in French: throw a little water on your counter, cover it with one piece of cling wrap and flour lightly. After you cut your scones, roll it up and pitch it. Instant clean counter!)

• 2 cups unbleached white flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder (cut amount in half if using buttermilk, and add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup (238 ml) heavy cream,  light cream, whole milk, or buttermilk
• 1 cup of chopped strawberries (wash and dry well first)
• confectioner's sugar (icing sugar) for glaze

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees.
Place dry ingredients in workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. Pulse six times.
Distribute butter evenly over dry ingredients. Cover and pulse 12 times, each pulse lasting 1 second. Transfer dough to large bowl.
 Stir in  cream with rubber spatula or fork until dough barely begins to form. Add berries and fold until dough forms, just a few seconds. 
Transfer dough and all dry, floury bits to countertop and knead dough by hand just until it comes together into a rough, slightly sticky ball, 5 to 10 seconds. Cut scones into wedges or cut with round cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheet, close together. (Baking sheet can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 hours.). Bake until scone tops are light brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Stir up a little glaze with confectioner's sugar, mixed with milk and a couple of drops of vanilla extract. Glaze. Serve with espresso and a smile.

  

 

RECIPE: Saucy Strawberry Freezer Jam 

I'm still experimenting with this one. I've made it a couple of times, but I've skipped the pectin because I forget to buy it. Strawberries have minimal natural pectin, so without it, you've got a chunky strawberry sauce instead of a thick jam. Which suits me just fine, actually. I stir it into yogurt or spoon it over ice cream. 

I was appalled at how much sugar goes into jam recipes. Yikes! I cut the sugar by a third in the recipes I found and it was still too sweet. There are lots of pectin recipes out there, (I'll try that next time), but this is what I did:

Chop up some tasty strawberries to make a generous 3 cups. Add a scant 1/4 cup of sugar and the juice of half a lemon. Put it all in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and boil for 10 minutes. Cool. Stir in a splash of brandy if you're feeling frisky.  Freeze. Fini!

 

You can also swirl some of this jam/sauce into meringue cookies  from BHG.com, pictured below. Don't these look beautiful? They'd be great at Christmas. I tried them and they were an utter failure. But that should not discourage you, as I've never been able to make a crunchy, non-gummy meringue cookie in my life. Even my mother, who doesn't really cook, can make them, nice and crisp. Sigh. Think I'll blame it on my oven.

 

Favorite Reads: might it be a good time to revisit the French classics? Or maybe, like me, you've missed a few. Dip into Victor Hugo with The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, or Les Miserables . Try Candide, or maybe Madame Bovary? You've seen The Phantom of the Opera but have you read it? Or head way back, maybe to your high school French class, and reexperience  Le Petit Prince . Gotta read that one In French, bien sûr.

A Pop-up Café in our Village

There are many ways to entertain, and one might say there are two camps: those who like to give the same big party every year, and those who like to shake things up.

Both have their merits. One relies on ritual and tradition, the other on the new or unexpected. Though I’m not above serving the same menu to successive groups, I fall into the latter camp. I find it hard to inject that element of surprise, that makes parties memorable, into an annual event.

Our creative and fun-loving next-door neighbors and dear friends, Marion and Jean Marie, are in my camp as well, in a more radical way. In fact they have a Thing about dining in the same spot, so they are always on the hunt for new ones. Marion told me that previously in their house in Holland, they've entertained in their guest room, inside their kid’s play house, in their garden shed, in their cellar.

Since we’ve lived here, we’ve dined chez eux in their barn, which they cleared out and decorated for a fête. They once fluffed up a tiny back-alley firewood storage space with candles and flowers and a portable fire pit, and transformed it into the most charming of venues. They pitched a tent in front of the steps of the village church for a drinks party. They had an intimate cocktail hour inside an abandoned tower in the village.

So Marion’s latest plan did not surprise me.

Between our house and the church, the road forks; one road leads through the village, the other down a small grassy lane. The Italians live between the two roads, but at the very point of the fork is a tiny and steep triangle which is village property. Years before our time the village walled it in, terraced it, added a few bushes, and installed a glass phone booth, back when many people in the village did not have phones (see photos). When we first moved in it was used occasionally by a phone-less artist down the road, or teen-agers arranging a secret tryst with girlfriends. But as cell phones became de rigueur, it’s become nothing more than a sad relic. One day recently, they simply hauled it away.


I was standing out in the road the other day, thinking the tiny new bare area might now be a fine place for a little bench. Then Marion walked over, her eyes twinkling. I know that look well. “We have to have dinner here! We’ll make it into sort of a village café!”, she said, with the enthusiasm of a child building a fort from cardboard boxes.

Within the hour we had the spades and buckets out. We weeded it and cleaned it up, and trimmed the hedges. “I’ll arrange it, we’ll eat at 6,” Marion said.

At 6 she rang the bell outside our gate, and we emerged to find a tiny table with a vase of plucked wild flowers, and candles glowing. The space is a bit public, so we had a few encounters as we sipped our rosé. A cute village boy stopped by to chat, looking for his brother. Friends passed and waved. A resident walked by leading her two miniature ponies, her sheep dog leading the way. We witnessed a near miss between a teen-ager on a moto and a car. A family of tourists strolled by, and looked a little puzzled when Marion called out to tell them that this was the new village resto.

Dutch friends who joined us have dubbed it the "Central Park" of our village (slightly smaller than the NY version). Who knows what comes next? Dinner in a cow field, maybe? We could lunch in that garden just outside the mayor’s office, with the fabulous view. Or perhaps breakfast on the boules court? Apéros in les pompiers parking lot? There’s just no telling what fun is ahead!

That's Jean Marie standing, Marion in the foreground, with Gerard and Marja, and Ron on the right.

 

Here is a photo from the party they gave in their barn, propped and pretty

 

The classic location for a French party: set a table or two out on the lawn. We’re lucky to have several areas in our small garden where we can entertain:

A grassy spot outside our living room…

Our terrace off the kitchen...

 

A shady spot under our big Laurier Sauce…

 

And we can squeeze about 8 on our galerie for drinks.

But I’m NOT cleaning out our barn for any party. Quelle horreur!

 

In the COMMENTS: Susan will make Poke bowls with duck, now there's a French/Hawaiian mash-up! Don't miss Natalia's book recommendation, it's one I want to read, set in Paris: The Room on Rue Amélie. 

 

Planning a TRIP TO BURGUNDY? Our charming French dentists (a husband/wife team) live near us, and they have renovated an outbuilding on their historic property, turning it into a wonderful gîte. A quiet village with great views, but close to Cormatin and Cluny. They have the facade of a historic church in their garden! Here's the link, which has lots of photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Taste of the Tropics, in a French Kitchen

 

Time for our annual Dinner Party Dilemma! The ex-pat and French crowd here entertain a bunch. The season is gearing up, so it’s time to get creative again. The menu criteria: something refreshing and fun; something to make-ahead, and not too complicated; and of course, delicious!

Here in Burgundy, where fancy French dishes are the norm, I like to serve something the Europeans wouldn’t normally eat, just to shake things up. In the past we’ve introduced them to grits, biscuits, tacos, pork barbeque, Beaufort Stew, pimento cheese, and other southern delicacies. And as my loyal readers know, I pick one menu and try it on a couple of groups, before moving to the next, which saves time in the planning stage.

So, future dinner guests, stop reading HERE if you want to be surprised. This year I’m going native with Hawaiian Poke Bowls. Which, if you’ve eaten out recently in the States, you will know well, as they are everywhere. There are many versions, and today I’m sharing mine.

I like Poke bowls (say poh-kay) because they’re fresh, healthy, and have lots of flavors. You can make them ahead, and you can change out the grain and veggies according to your liking. Plus different kinds of fish or shellfish will work.

I’m going with the traditional tuna, but with a twist. Poke typically features raw, marinated fish, but I like to sear the tuna first, just to rare or medium rare.

I’m not sure what sort of starter goes with a Poke Bowl, I'm hoping y'all will have some ideas. But I think dessert has to be a coconut cake or key lime pie, don't you agree? Or maybe just a bright mango sorbet.

Here’s my version, and I’m betting some of you have some interesting variations to share.

 

RECIPE: Hawaiian Poke Bowls, by way of Burgundy 

 

THE RICE:

In the bottom of the bowl, you need a grain. I like brown rice, but use white rice, or quinoa, or any grain you like. I serve the rice and the tuna warm, and the veggies chilled or at room temperature. The dish is  all about contrasts.

ON TOP OT THE RICE:

For the veggies and fruits, pick your combo, with varied textures and colors. Here is what I used:

sliced avocado

sliced scallions

grated carrots

sliced red cabbage

cucumbers

sliced radishes

chunks of pineapple, or mango would work nicely

Any kind of sliced peppers are good: bell or jalapeno, for example

To top it off, bean sprouts are common but I found some baby arugula

Chopped peanuts, for crunch

lime slices

THE TUNA

I cut the tuna into cubes and marinated it for a half hour to an hour. Sear it quickly in a hot iron skillet, just before serving. A pound will serve 4.

For the marinade, I used a couple of tablespoons of soy sauce, a tablespoon of grated ginger, a teaspoon of fish sauce, the juice of a lime, 2 teaspoons of toasted sesame oil, a pinch of brown sugar, and ground pepper.

THE SAUCE

Mix mayo with Sriracha, or other hot sauce, to taste, and a generous squeeze of lime. Serve on the side, for dipping.

 

In the COMMENTS: Ellen, you should do a US food map! And sharp-eyed Guy spotted a very intriguing dish, which you must translate. I don't think I want to sample it! Ann, sounds like I need to dip into the Nero Wolf mysteries. And speaking of books, don't miss Vicky's recommendation for a couple of wonderful novels. 

Meg Behle is a fine artist, and it happens that she painted a French food map of a different sort as a gift for her son and daughter-in-law (he proposed to his wife at the Eiffel tower). She has kindly shared it with us. Wonderful!

Favorite READS: My week of mysteries: It so happens that while I was visiting Charleston this year, I went to hear not one but three mystery writers speak about their books, all in one week. Phew! The first was A.J. Finn (that's his nom de plume), author of the wildly popular new mystery, The Woman in the Window, An interesting and different sort of novel which I liked (old movie buffs, you'll love his thorough list), and he gets my Best Speaker Award, he's a great wit. Then we heard Stephan Kurkjian, author of a non-ficion mystery, as yet unsolved, called Master Thieves, which is about the greatest art heist in history. Ron read this and liked it. Then at an elegant ladies luncheon I heard Plum Sykes, socialite of British Vogue fame, talk about her new book, called Party Girls Die in Pearls: An Oxford Girl Mystery, which I have not yet read. Quite a range of thrillers!

 

Putting France's Favorite Foods on the Map

All countries have their regional specialties,  foods associated with a particular area or even a city. Think Cincinnati Chili, or Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits. In France, this is true but several times squared. In France, specialties, a point of great pride, come down to a town, or a zip code.

Many of those hundreds of types of cheeses can only be bought in a particular area. Our own Délice de Bourgogne is my favorite, though that’s more widely available now. But every town seems to have adopted a food that is their own. I’m reminded of this when we pass through Montélimar on the way to the Provence, and suddenly every store is full of nougat. Or in Nyons, where their special olives are on every shelf.

So I was intrigued when I came across a food map of France. Then I did a search, and found even more. Time to make a cross country trip to sample the specialties I’ve missed! My dear readers, you are sure to find a familiar favorite dish on these fanciful maps, if you’ve traveled to France.

The food map above is by Nancy Nikko and is available at Etsy. Check out these other  "food maps" below and see how many of the specialties you've sampled (to take a closer look, click on the links).

 

The Local claims this is the definitive food map of France:

 

Love the graphics on this one: 

 

Here's one by region:

 

And one by Claudine Panagopoulos:

 

Here's one just for cheese

 

And to polish off our meal, here's one for desserts! You can buy this watercolor print at Lucile's Kitchen

 

 A special note: Your Key to Burgundy is offering a special 10 day tour to celebrate women's rights, called Women in Burgundy 2018: Life, laughter, and the French Paradox. Sounds fun, n'est-ce pas?

 

 

Lessons from Across the Border: Living Italian Style

Ron always has one wish for visitors from the states: that there will be at least one takeaway from their trip that they will adopt at home. Something that captures the better part of French living. Like maybe the occasional glass of wine with lunch at home, or taking a Sunday stroll with the family, as all the French do in the countryside, or having a decadent cheese course after a meal.

We spent a week in Italy recently, also the land of the lovely lifestyle, and we nabbed a number of take-aways from the Italians, who do things with great style.  I'll share my list with you today. (hmm.. most of them involve food!).

 

--You DO decorate your cappuchinos, don’t you?  Just a little effort can bring a smile. 

 

No mistaking it, this one is certainly Italian:

 

 

Up your apero game.  These Aperol sprizers, ubiquitous in Italy, have become our summertime drink (recipe here). And they always serve them with a little treat, like ham on  tiny baguette squares, with an olive on top. Easy!

 

Pimp your pizza. Look at those toppings!

 

Travel in style 

 

The slow food movement got it’s start in Italy. Turn off your phone, eat in slow motion, and employ the art of conversation. 

 

A 2-gelato day is a good day. A 3-gelato day is even better (especially with a friend; that's my buddy Pete below, gelato-obcessed as well).

 

If your are a city dweller with no garden, a pretty window will do.

 

Cooking simply with fresh ingredients is the way to go .

 

Make it fun to eat your fruit. Kids were lining up to buy these colorful concoctions. Grown-ups were too!

 

Fashion is everything.

 

In the COMMENTS: And speaking of Italy, Patricia, how is it that I've been to Parma at least 3 times and missed the antique market?? Several of our readers have romantic ties to Vernona, including Natalia and Suzanne and Anne. Paula, I agree with you, exploring France is a lifetime adventure and then some. Gregory, thanks for the link to the article on Charleston wine, I had heard about it but not read it. Kathy, de rien!

 

Favorite Reads: spotted on Goodreads, a series of novels set in Bordeaux by a UK expat who lived there a while, Fiona Valpy. Her latest is called Sea of Memories. Sounds like a find--Anyone read/recommend them? 

 

How to Renew Your Romance in Italia

Does anyone else have this particular marital issue? I like to travel to places I’ve never been. Ron always wants to go back again and again to his favorite haunts.

So this time I was clever. “Want to go to Parma?" I said? He quickly packed his bags, it’s a favorite destination. “Oh, and by the way, Verona, where we’ve never been, is just a bit up the road!” And so we compromised (or, as Ron said, he was hoodwinked). Anyway, if you want to settle marital difficulties, what better place than the setting for Romeo and Juliet, Italy's most romantic city?

We’re not opera fans, but it’s what you do in Verona, and we heard it was an experience, so off we went to see “Aida”. And an experience it was! The huge Roman amphitheatre, the Arena, which dates from 30 AD, sits right in the middle of town, and holds 24,000 people. Under the stars in the cool night air we watched a fantastical production on a stage that sometimes included over a hundred costumed singers, a full troupe of ballet dancers, and at one point, four large white horses prancing about. Yowsa! And of course, the story is one the greatest romantic tales in opera: a slave (secretly, a princess) who falls in love with the General of the country where she is enslaved, and he with her---a doomed love affair if there ever was one. 

And then there was the gelato, and the wonderful food that is reason enough to check out this region of Italy. 

  I was totally unprepared for the beauty of Verona, with it’s colorful masonry rowhouses and fanciful architecture. It really is  the city of romance, and we ate at what was some of the tour books claimed was the “most romantic restaurant in the world,” the Osteria Ponte Pietra. Since restaurants in this area were amazingly affordable, don’t worry about the price, it’s a must-do. The inside is cozy and brimming with Italian charm. We ate on the narrow, flowery balcony overlooking the Adige river and the Pietra bridge. Great food and impeccable, personal service. And a fine bit of romance. Ciao, Baby!

 

If you go: we stayed in an unusual place, called Opera Relais de Charme, in a great location. It was a hotel right in the center with not much lobby to speak of, with just one employee. It had a new but slow elevator, so we got lots of exercise getting to our 3rd floor room. But it was newly renovated, pristine really, with a fun decor, and the rooms are actually small apartments with a kitchenette/salon. Be aware that the city can be crowded, especially during the opera season when we were there (mid-August). Next time we would stay just a bit away from the very center, as we were right off the busiest pedestrian street. See last photo for our choice for next time.

 

The Arena (pictured at the top) is right in the heart of the city. The colorful buildings below are just across from the Arena in the same square, the Piazza del Bra.

 

 

The Arena fills up at dusk; and below, Aida in all its glory.

 

The castle, Castelvecchio, right in the city, is definetely worth a visit.

 

There is hardly an unadorned window or door in Verona. This one reflects the castle wall, and below that, a door opens out to  one of Verona's many romantic balconies.

 

Cappuccino time in Verona

 

...and an art show on the street

 

Here is the hotel we're looking at for next time, a bit off the main square and who can resist the name? "The Gentlemen of Verona".

 

In the COMMENTS:  Suzanne, who could resist a truffle recipe with the calories of carrot sticks! Please do share! Francine, most of the photos were from Les Carroz in the alps, and some from Cluny. Natalia has a US source for those chocolate mushrooms. Jacqui has a chocolatier to recommend in the charming town of Châteauneuf du Pape--some with Marc, which is potent stuff!

 

I Could Live Here: A French Chocolaterie

Can you think of a better place to take up residence than a French chocolate shop?  The fanciful creations dazzle, it's a chocolate fantasy world. Truffles, bonbons, nougat stuffed with nuts and fruit, all dressed in their Sunday best, with ribbons and bows.

I was in a lovely chocolaterie recently in the Alps with our friends Pete and Dee, snapping photos of all the confections. There was one photo I did not take (which I regret!). We spotted chocolates molded from pages of the Kama Sutra. In intricate detail. Milk chocoate or dark, your choice!

A couple of recipes are below, but first, some typical French creations from chocolateries I have known and loved: 

 

 Below, a Christmas tree made of chocolate dazzles in a shop window. Works for me.

 

Nougat is a traditional French confection. Usually filled with nuts, often pistachios, this colorful loaf has dried fruit as well.

 

 

Beautifully packaged cones of milk and white chocolates.

 

Notice that these pretty cones, full of chocolates, are paired with Absinthe. Now there's a lively combo!

 

Chocolate teddy bears, in a Christmas shop window

 

You will often see candied oranges, dipped in chocolate (I like to make them, see my post with the recipe here!)

 

Chocolate lollipops, for les enfants of all ages.

 

There may be macaroons, in bright colors...

 

...and you may even find that some mushrooms have sprouted.

 

RECIPE: Two Quick Chocolate Tricks

If you want to add a French touch to dinner, either for company or just for fun with your family, serve an espresso with a little homemade chocolate treat on the side. There is no dessert as easy as these: melt 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate in a metal bowl over barely simmering water, stirring frequently (sometimes I add a tablespoon of peanut butter to the chocolate, your choice). When melted, remove from heat. Stir in a cup of cornflakes (doesn't sound good, tastes great), or granola, or chopped nuts, or any combination of the above. Drop onto a plate in small teaspoons, and chill. The photo shows something similar in a Chocolaterie, made with almonds and with dark, milk, or white chocolate. 

The second trick, taught to me by youngest daughter Suzanne: buy some short pretzel sticks. Dip them in melted dark chocolate. Chill by standing them up in a small, short glass. Done and done!

 

In the COMMENTS: RE those villages, a couple of our readers live in fabulous villages which could fall into the very best category, but I didn't want to let the cat out of the bag and have them overrun with tourists, by publishing their names on my blog (Ha!). But they have been revealed, so do not miss: Goult in Provence (home of Alix and Paul, and also recommended by another reader) and Collioure, on the coast near Spain, where you should look for Suzanne. Note that Jan has another humane way to kill a lobster, worth a try. Colleen (of Colleen Taylor Fine Art), it's true that many towns in the Alsace have a German feel, as they have been occupied by them in the past, and the food tilts toward hardy German fare as well.

Favorite READS: Our reader Suzanne Dunaway, blogger and author, emailed me about an important new book, Modernist Bread which the New York Times calls "an important, myth-busting book". It's a 6 volume read! Suzanne has written two very accessible books on bread-making herself, which are in fact covered in Modernist Bread; you can find Suzanne's books at her website.

 

 

THE Most Beautiful Village, Chosen by the French

I read in The Local recently that the French had voted this year on THE most beautiful village in France. Now how you choose the most beaufiful village in a country of astoundingly beautiful villages, I don’t know. But the French themselves have spoken. And their answer is: Kaysersberg!

Kaysersberg? Never heard of it! But of course I wanted to go. And when I googled it, I was shocked: it was right on the route my American girlfriends were taking on our annual French vacation, a mere 10 off course. So of course we were most excited to see it.

Kaysersberg is in the Alsace, and it has the half-timbered houses typical of the region. The difference is, these houses are painted in bright, Crayola. There was a beautiful church in the middle. Everything was pristine. Flowers were everywhere, of course. But, no surprise: so were the tourists, and the souvenir shops.

Well yes, it was pretty and colorful, but a little too Disney for our taste. We walked around for an hour, then off we went. Somehow it just didn’t wow us. But to be fair, it was August, the height of the tourist season. My French neighbor visited the town this month when it was much quieter, and she adored it.

Afterwards we went to Riquewihr, another tourist village which had more of an air of reality, where we found our favorite restaurant of the trip. If you do the Alsace route, it’s easy to hit both of these, along with Eguisheim, which is another charm-soaked village, even smaller but with some quirky architecture that’s not to be missed, plus some pleasant cafes. And you SHOULD do the Alsace wine route--so beautiful and we were pleasantly surprised by the wines.

So what’s my favorite village in France? I can’t pick just one. Near us, the tiny village of St Clement sur Guye gets my vote. In Provence, I’d probably choose Venasque. In the Dordogne, Carrenac. And now dear readers, what’s your choice?

 

More pix of Kaysersberg:

 

Here are my US girlfriends, Dee, Darlene, and Sandi, classy as always

French villages tend to go crazy with the flowers. Love it!

And grapes in France grow everywhere, even in the middle of Kayserberg.

In the COMMENTS: The comments were great this week. Not only did we get into a discussion about the best coffeemakers, but also about Starbucks! (For info, I think their coffee is not bad if you keep it simple, but I love to support the independent cafés). Christine has a great suggestion for an inexpensive and high quality espresso maker. I have to admit though, part of my love for the Nespresso machine is that you make a cup or two and there is absolutely nothing to clean up. Also, as Natalia points out, you can whip out both a decaf and a regular in a flash, a cup at a time.

 

And speaking of our faithful reader Natalia, she emailed me a great recipe for lobster Thermidor. What better way to perk up a dreary January day? I'm including it here, thanks Natalia. (But may I add a recipe suggestion? Lobsters have been in the news this week because Switzerland banned boiling them alive. And there's no way I can throw an animal in boiling water and listen to it's frantic scratching around in the pot. Though there is debate on the best way, apparently a more humane way to kill them is to plunge a sharp knife between their eyes, then quickly split them in half from the bottom. I am going to try making this recipe with shrimp, I think that will also be yummy). 

 

RECIPE: Natalia's Lobster Thermidor

 

 

Really simple, basically four steps: remove cooked lobster from shells, cut into bite size pieces; mix into Mornay Sauce; spoon into shells and top with additional Gruyere; place on lined baking sheet; place under broiler for a few minutes,watching carefully. I like mine served with haricots verts, Rod likes a sliced tomato salad. Enjoy!

 

This is au pif: (approximate):

Serves 2 (adjust number of lobster tails to how many you are serving; ditto for increasing Mornay sauce).

 

Line baking sheet with non stick foil or parchment. Preheat oven to broil. Use 2 larger cooked lobster tails,or 4 smaller ones, and have fish man split in half so each half lies flat on pan. Remove meat from tails and cut into bite size pieces.

 

For Mornay sauce: Make bechamel sauce: warm 6-7 oz milk, sprinkle with a dash of nutmeg. Make roux and slowly pour milk into it, stirring--don’t let bechamel get too thick because you will now be adding 1 or so small non heaping handfuls (to taste) of grated Gruyere (I prefer Comté but haven’t been able to get it; used Kalbach Cave from Whole Foods and it was great).

Stir this in until cheese melts and is a yummy creamy mixture. Remove sauce from heat. Stir in lobster meat. Spoon into empty shells; top with additional gruyere. Place under broiler till cheese melts and is yummy. Serve and enjoy!!!

 

Favorite READS: Above I mentioned the Local, which is a French newspape, heavy on French culture, for expats, written in English from a mostly British perspective (I'm too lazy to wade through the French papers, except occasionally).  There is another one called the Connexion. Both are available on-line for free, and you can also find them in the App store for your phone or ipad. If you want to keep a pulse on French culture, this is a good way. 

 

The Hunt for the Perfect Espresso

I'm sure that for this nouvelle année you have made many a noble resolution. Here is a small one to make: no more bad coffee.

Ron and I both fell in love with espresso  when we first started visiting Europe, early in our marriage. So we went in search of the perfect espresso machine. We bought a cheap model, didn't work. So we upgraded to a fancy expensive model. We found it all very messy and time consuming, packing and tamping the coffee for every cup, and the frother was hard to manage, and we finally gave up and took it back. We tried another one, same result. We were still longing for the perfect cup.

Then we moved to France. Right away I hit Darty (the French equivalent of Best Buy) to look for a machine. The charming young sales guy told me there was only one real choice. He had bought this machine and no other would do. He regaled me with his lavish description of the ultimate cup of espresso. The machine was called Nespresso. Against my better judgment—-espresso from a capsule?--I brought it home. It was worth a try.

Merci, monsieur, because we are now fanatics. Yes, the capsules are expensive, and probably bad for the environment. (They're easy to recycle, though--you mail them in for free). Yes, it’s too much money to pay for a tiny cup of coffee you make at home, though nothing near the price of  Starbucks. But here’s the deal: the coffee is absolutely fabulous, every time. No muss, no fuss, no cleanup.

And so we are addicts. We’ve even been known to take the machine on vacation with us. (Photo below: a painting by Patricia Glee, of beautiful coffee pots from a different era).

You may wonder if we are on the Nespresso payroll. The answer, sadly, is no, but we should be. Almost every friend who has visited our house over the years has gone home and bought one. Nicole, our châtelaine, was one of the first to try ours, and she now has two machines in the kitchen and one in her guest room. Nespresso now has a perfect little plug-in frothing machine that is equally wonderful, so I can easily do  cappuccinos now.

If you ever pass a Nespresso shop, you MUST go in, because they are masters at clever marketing. They are the Apple store of coffee. They understand all too well that they're selling an indulgent little luxury, and they milk it (pun intended) for all it's worth. Prepare to be dazzled and seduced, as we clearly have been.

But here is a bad thing: capsules in the states cost almost twice what they do in France. Such a rip-off! So if you are a fan, and if you travel to France, do as we do when we come back to the states, and bring an extra suitcase along to pack with capsules (tip—Ron fills his shoes with them!). And fuss at Nespresso about the price difference, because they deserve it.

 Here's hoping your new year is a delicious one, full of happiness, peace and good health!

 

RECIPES: Fluffing Up Your Espressos

--Though it's hard to improve on a good espresso, here are a few tricks:

--Often in Europe they are served with a little slice of lemon zest.

--I put just a dab of sugar in mine and I like to use brown sugar, which has a more caramel-y taste.

--The ultimate way to serve an espresso: as a Café Gourmand, one of my favorite French restaurant desserts.  See my post on that here.

--I've said it before: espresso's are helpful for weight loss! First of all, they are creamy and filling, so if you're still a bit hungry, they will help take the edge off. Also, since every lunch and dinner in France is followed by an espresso, it becomes a sort of signal: I'm done here! No more courses, the meal is truly over. And if you're trying to cut back on desserts, a cappuccino is a nice alternative, especially since lowfat milk foams better than any other.

--If you're not dieting, here's a recipe (from the Nespresso folks) that really IS dessert:

Barista Caramel Honey Latte

Add a tablespoon of caramel sauce to a coffee mug. Use a double-espersso capsule, steaming it directly in the cup with the sauce, and stir. Froth or heat some lowfat milk and add a dollop of honey. Pour the milk into the coffee and stir.

 

In the COMMENTS: Merci for all the nice Christmas greetings! Tom, we look forward to hearing about your move-to-France adventure. In the comments last time, Natalia mentioned a delicious sweet potato recipe which readers then asked for. She kindly sent it by email. It's as easy as the cookies! Here is her recipe for Mascarpone Maple Sweet Potatoes: Preheat oven to 400. Bake 2 sweet potatoes, pricked with a fork, on a baking pan lined with parchment paper, 45 minutes or until done. Let them cool a bit. Meanwhile let 4 oz. of mascarpone (more if you like) come to room temperature. With a spoon stir the marscapone till creamy; add in 2 to 4 tablespoons of maple syrup, to taste, and stir to combine. Slit open potatoes (like you do a baked potato); spoon in mascarpone mixture. Partake and enjoy. Merci, Natalia! 

 

Favorite READS, special Cat edition: It seems I went on a cat bender when I gave Christmas gifts this year. I gifted copies of The Lion in the Living Room: How House Cats Tamed Us and Took Over the World, to my feline inclined friends. I loved this book, and even if you're not a cat lover, you're going to enjoy this funny and well-researched book by a science journalist, on how cats cleverly domesticated themselves. I'm also looking forward to reading Call of the Cats: What I Learned about Life and Love from a Feral Colony. This one is about a guy who bought a house that came with a passel of feral cats, and how they transformed him. For your stressed out friends, try  Lazy-Ass Cats: A Coloring Book for Adults. Meanwhile, I've fallen in love with our reader Suzanne Dunaway's sassy French cat Loulou, who has her own blog, Living with Loulou.

 

 

A French Christmas Gift for You

Seven years ago when I started this “blob”, as my mother calls it, I was only thinking of keeping a journal of my new life in France. Never did I envision all the wonderful friendships, conversations and meet-ups with readers along the way that would enrich my French life. Never did I imagine that so many loyal readers would plump up this blob with their advice, wisdom, recipes, and enthusiasm along the way.

I think of this as I write my Christmas post, how I would love to give a little Christmas gift to all of you. All I can offer is this: a life-changing recipe. Well, not quite that, but as recipes go, this one is pretty amazing. You can take it to a potluck, or as a hostess gift, or put it in your Christmas repertoire, or just whip it out for a week-night dinner. I can virtually guarantee rave reviews. But the really special thing about this recipe is…well, let’s start at the beginning of our story.

Our lovely French friends Henri and André live in Lyon but visit often, and Henri, besides being a Colorful Character, is an accomplished cook. (You may remember his antics and cooking abilities from prior posts, like this one.) A few months ago we went over to Nicole’s house for dinner and they were there. Henri met me at the door, bursting with enthusiasm, and bustled me into the kitchen before I even got a bisous on each cheek. “On fait les petits gâteaux minute," he said excitedly." Pour le blog!" (We're making 'quick' cookies, for the blog!).

"Trois ingredients!", said Henri triumphantly. He flashed a thumb and two fingers, in the French manner. "Trois!" Henri positioned me at the island, and began tearing open packages of sliced almonds. These he dumped into a bowl. He added a beaten egg and some sugar. Et voila! He spooned them out on a cookie sheet, and 12 minutes later we were sampling cookies.

These cookies are  downright addictive. AND you can whip them out in three minutes AND they are mostly almonds so they are healthy AND you can adjust the sugar to your liking. AND—they’re French! What more can you ask of a cookie? I’ve taken these to a couple of parties and I’ve now learned  to print out a few recipe cards to hand out, because everyone wants to make them.

So get on into that kitchen and start your holiday baking—your first batch of cookies will be well on their way before the first song on your Christmas playlist has ended. Better yet, drag a kid or a reluctant cook into the kitchen with you, and they’ll soon be preening over their success.

I wish all of you the very merriest of Christmases, or whatever wonderful holiday you are celebrating this season!

 

RECIPE: Henri’s Petits Gâteaux Minute

12 oz (400 gr) of sliced almonds
1/2 cup (100 gr) of sugar
1 beaten egg, large

Heat oven to 370 (180C). Dump everything in to a bowl. Mix until well combined. Drop by the tablespoonful onto a cookie sheet, maybe lined with parchment paper to keep it easy (I use a Silpat, a silicone liner). Bake 10 to 12 minutes until they just start to turn golden brown around the edges. Cool and eat. Makes 2 dozen-ish.

 

Dreaming of a White Christmas? It doesn't often snow in Burgundy, but one year we got lucky on Christmas day. This is me in our village, Christmas 2009, gearing up to make a snowman.

 

In the COMMENTS: Lots of chatting about that fabulous colombier last week! Vicky, Anthea, and Natalia all have their own pigeon stories. Peter, Harry Potter is a perfect description. Natalia, we have requests for your recipe for sweet potatos with maple syrup and marscapone, will you share? Michaela, I wouldn't mind making that "flat" pear and cranberry pie, either.

Favorite Reads: Two very different books this week. Edwin Morris is a physician and philosophy professor who has written a book called Discovering Meaning in Your Life. It's a serious overview of philosophy, thought provoking and intelligent. I'm planning on making it my standard gift to serious students and new grads. In a lighter mode: We've enjoyed watching the miniseries The Durrells in Corfu (PBS, on Amazon Prime), which we relate to because it's all about 'running away from home', for the sake of adventure, as we've done. Then I discovered the series was based on a popular trilogy. I've just finished the first book, My Family and Other Animals. You won't find a more beautiful descriptive writer, and it's a funny and endearing memoir which reads like a novel. Highly recommended.

 

A Very Chic Home for a Lowly Pigeon

A nice thing about blogging: the great folks you connect with, from unexpected corners.

After reading my post on pumpkin spice, reader Doris Wolfe, an American who lives in Normandy with her husband John, sent me a photo of John with his prize pumpkin (40 lbs!). He was standing in front of a fanciful building, the likes of which I had never seen. A garden folly perhaps? I wasn't sure.

But it is in fact a type of pigeonnier, or dovecote, as Doris explained in an email. It's a colombier, which is a pigeonnier which is free-standing.

We happen to have a pigeonnier attached to our house (pictured below). Our village is known for having a great number of them. In the French countryside, it was a status symbol to have your own pigeonnier.  Funny, since its purpose is to collect pigeon caca (the funny French word for "droppings"--animal or human!). And why was it la di da to have one? Because pigeon caca is said to be the premium fertilizer for the garden.

Dovecotes are still a status symbol here in France, but for a different reason now: they're cute! A tiny tower, connected to your house or free-standing, is an architectural delight. And folks now re-purpose them, for all kinds of things.  Mine is now a tiny boudoir off my guest room, where guests can retreat to read a book. But Doris and John's is in a class by itself, as you will see.

I asked Doris to be our guest blogger today.  Here is the story of her divine columbier: 

"Built in 1590, this building is a colombier. A couple of thousand pigeons would have lived in it. It was falling down and my husband completely renovated it, in the 1980’s.

Inside now, there are three floors, the main floor has a walk-in brick and stone fireplace, big beams in the building. Wonderful to entertain in, great place for afternoon tea or dining. It can hold a crowd.

In the original state (inside) it would have been open all the way to the top with only one door and a window at the top for the pigeons to fly in and out. Clay pigeon holes for nesting pigeons to lay their eggs lined the walls. The pigeon droppings where most valued for gardens and could be part of a bride’s dowery."

More photos:

"It’s a great building and we love it. When the village named streets, ours was named appropriately, Rue du Colombier." This is the first floor.

 

Here is the second floor:

 

"No more, the home of pigeons. John made it into a place to spend time.This is the very top floor. Not a nail in the building. Beautiful wood beams."

 

"Almost finished...a needlepoint that I am currently working on, it will be a bench cushion. Le Colombier is much loved."

 

Doris and John in front of their Colombier

 

And Doris sends a photo of their fabulous home:

 

And finally, a picture of our (more modest!) pigeonnier in Burgundy:

 Merci, Doris and John, for sharing your lovely home with us!

 

In the COMMENTS: New Thanksgiving traditions I'm going to steal: Natalia's sweet potato casserole with maple syrup and marscapone, and Michaela's flat pie with pear and cranberry. Francine, thanks for being our French language expert! Meanwhile, more on Morning Buns from Nancy Jane.

Favorite READS, & videos:  How on earth did I miss the "Alice in Paris" series? Thank you, Bonnie, for posting this! Alice in Paris is a series of short videos by a Parisian named Alice. They're funny and clever. If you love France, or just need a smile, check these out! 

Christmas shopping tip: Our friends at the European Market have curated gifts which they collect in Europe. Take a look!

 

 

 

Thanksgiving Heresy: Skip the Bird?

It's nearly Thanksgiving, that uniquely American holiday. Friends in France love to get invited to Thanksgiving dinner at our house, so they can see what it's like. 

Today let's take a minute to pay tribute to the animals who give their lives for us all year, and it is a sad fact that most of them suffer terribly for our benefit. (If you don't believe it, read what Mark Bittman,one of our foremost American food writers, has to say, here and here, . See if you can still eat industrially raised meat after watching the video).

I can't get away with skipping the bird at my house, I've got to please our carnivorous members, though I'm a vegetarian (I'll be sure to buy a humanely raised bird, though). But I'll be putting a vegetarian main dish on the table as well, which needs to be special, since it's Thanksgiving. And if you've got a big enough family to have a variety of diets, you may be doing the same.

My ideal Thanksgiving consists of a whole bunch of wonderful side dishes. So if you're going vegetarian, forget the tofu turkeys, just make something fabulous! Have you ever noticed, you can fix a big honkin' steak or pork chop, but put a great side with it, and watch what people dig into first. That's the kind of vegetarian dish you want for Thanksgiving. So just make some wonderful new sides and skip the bird, or not.

I'm reminded of this when we go to one of our favorite brasseries  here, Chez Jack. With the main  meat dish they bring a huge steaming casserole for the whole table, a Gratin Dauphinois. Everyone's eyes pop out and they dig in. Even the carnivores at the table often suggest we order ONLY the potatoes on the next visit.

And if you do cook a turkey, please respect the bird by choosing a free-range one and by making use of every bit of it, from carcass to gizzards to drippings--and because those parts can be the best.

 And now, it's time for me to start cooking, and to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!

 

RECIPES: Thanksgiving Vegetarian Dishes, to Stand Alone or to Sit by the Turkey

Below, I've listed some ideas  for enticing vegetarian side dishes, with links, that could stand alone as a main dish. Some go well alongside a turkey, some could replace the turkey or be a great main dish another day. Some I've tried, some are on my list to try.  I'd love more contributions, please jump right into the discussion! (photos below are not mine, see links for credits).

Tomato cobbler with cornmeal-cheddar biscuits (pictured, right). Let's start with something really southern. It's possible to get good cherry tomatoes year-round now, and roasting them brings out even more flavor.

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese. No reason not to try this one with pumpkin, too.

Mushroom Mille-feuille with Tomato Coulis. Been meaning to try this one. It's fancy enough to stand alone, and really different. What the French call mille-feuille is what we call a Napoleon, and it means "a thousand layers".

Corn, Cheddar, and Scallion Strata. A make ahead dish, and great for a crowd.

Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage browned Butter Sauce and Pecans.  A classic combo. This one uses canned pumpkin and wonton wrappers, but if you can find some fresh pumpkin ravioli, it's even easier.

Mushroom and Wild Rice Casserole. Topped with a deep layer of toasted breadcrumbs. Definitley on my to-try list.

Gratin Dauphinois. From Chez Jack.

 

Below, Pumpkin Ravioli, Corn Strata, Mushroom Wild Rice Casserole, and Mushroom Mille-feuille

In the COMMENTS: Yea! It looks like there are many kindred souls out there who prefer an independent café to the Starbucks of the world.Those Pumpkin Spice Lattes are not lowfat either, just ask Natalia! Who, by the way, has a good roasted pumpkin recipe for us. Jan suggests a stuffed pumpkin, a pretty presentation for sure. Robyn, I agree that canned pumpkin has many good uses, as in one of the recipes above. Just wish I could get it in France. Angie, I know, and love, those 5 hour meals! Jan, I know pumpkins as potirons, but I've heard citrouille too. I poked around on some French sites and read that potiron is the edible one, and citrouilles are decorative pumpkins for carving or display, a different variety too tough to eat. Any French folks care to weigh in on this?

FAVORITE READS: This week I met author Jerry Marterer, who lives in Paris part of the year. He wrote a great book about Paris, an insider's travel guide called Paris 201: Uncommon Places in the City of Lights. You can read a review of it in the December issue of France Magazine. Find his book, and his blog, here.

My friend Sandi, always up on the latest books, loved The Bonjour Effect: The Secret Codes of French Conversation Revealed. Sound intriguing.

Jane Webster, who lives in Normandy, has put out a new design book called French House Chic, a glimse inside the beautiful private homes of France. It will be out in May on Amazon.com, but you can get it now on Amazon.fr.

 

 

The Great Pumpkin Comes to France

 

When you live in France, you miss out on a lot of cultural phenomena that happen in the US. And so I was surprised to hear of the “Pumpkin Spice Lifestyle”, wittily satirized recently in this Washington Post Article: I Used Every Pumpkin Spice Product I Could Find for a Week. Now my Armpits Smell Like Nutmeg. Read it for a good chuckle. Then treat your dog to a pumpkin spice dog biscuit (yes, they exist).

I totally missed the Pumpkin Spice Latte craze; I may be the last American who has never tasted one. So I decided I’d just have to make my own. (There are some Starbucks in Europe of course, they are unavoidable on this planet; but I prefer to give my business to the small French cafés).

The French are big on pumpkins, there are many varieties of potiron in the markets now: plump and round or gourd shaped, pale yellow or bright orange. They don't carve them, they eat them. My neighbor Jean-Marie grows them, his big-leafed vines snaking over the stone wall between our houses--see his prize Great Pumpkin, above.  I cook with them all the time, mostly soup, or I roast big chunks of them. But pumpkin purée in a can? The French would be horrified.

And so it was I set off on my Pumpkin Spice Latte adventure. I am probably the only cook ever to cook a fresh pumpkin for this purpose, but c’est la vie.

I used the latte recipe from The Kitchn blog. Not bad, but then I’ve never tasted the Starbucks original (which has no real pumpkin in it, by the way). Next time I make it,  I think I would add an extra teaspoon of cinnamon, and one more tablespoon of  purée. The black pepper was an inspired addition.

Here’s one tip: The recipe makes two, and I cut the sugar in half for Ron, who takes his coffee black. Then I added a splash of maple syrup to mine after I added the coffee, which was quite delicious (it’s dessert after all!).

Making your own Pumpkin Spice Latte takes a bit of time, definitely a project for the first chilly and rainy fall day, and perfect to drink by the fire, as we did. BUT my best discovery was: the wonderfulness of having a whole bunch of fresh pumpkin purée in the frige! It puts the canned stuff to shame. Here's what to do with it: put some in your pancakes, or your biscuits, or your muffins. Make spiced pumpkin butter spread for toast. Serve it as a side with butter, salt and pepper. Make soup, as I did, with the recipe below. And have a  Happy Pumpkin Spice Season!

PS Update, I've just read that Pumpkin Spice is SO over. Next up: the "Maple Pecan Lifestyle". Stay tuned!

 

RECIPE: Pumpkin Soup on the Fly

We love pumpkin soup, and I particularly like it because I don't have to even glance at a a recipe.  I had about 2 cups of fresh pumpkin purée left over to make soup and here is what I added:

a generous pinch of: salt, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon, and cayenne pepper

a small can of coconut milk

the juice of a large orange

a big pinch of brown sugar

a generous splash of brandy

Taste as you go to see what it needs. Ideally it is a bit spicy with a hint of sweetness.

Then I thinned it down to the right consistency for soup. To thin it you can stir in some broth, orange juice, pineapple juice, milk, cream, coconut milk, or water.

Serve it hot with a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche if you like, and some chopped chives.

 

In the COMMENTS: Morning buns, or All Day buns, as Colleen suggests? Debbie has a good shortcut recipe, and Natalia notes that Williams Sonoma sells frozen croissant dough. Excellent! Vicky tried puff pastry, another good idea. Morning buns have traveled as far as Sydney, according to Lee; and Paula, I think you had the very first morning bun! Suzanne, I don't use shortening in biscuits, only butter, recipe here. Love the caramel apple crossants, sounds like an inspired variation.

Favorite READS: Language lovers, here's a blog with a twist, that might interest you: Le Mot Juste en Anglais. It's a blog for Francophones interested in all things English. It's in French, and the contributors are international. There are interviews, book reviews, humor--if you want to read in French, there's plenty here to hold your interest.  

Rethinking Le Petit Déjeuner: The Mystery of the Morning Buns

  I blame my recent weight gain on food writer Melissa Clark. In an article about a visit to San Francisco, she mentioned she had “eaten her weight in Morning Buns”.

What on earth is a Morning Bun? I had to know. A brief googling revealed a French connection! Morning buns, a specialty of the west coast, apparently, are a sort of caramely roll with a hint of orange, made from croissant dough. Then I read that they actually originated in France! False news, I think, as I’ve never seen a morning bun here. I think the real story is, a French restaurant in Wisconsin made them to use up their leftover croissant dough, and they spread from there.

I was intrigued by the name. Maybe because it’s like getting permission to eat such a delicious thing in the morning, instead of boring cereal?

And so began my Morning Bun experiment. Now maybe you are the type of person who jumps up at 6 am to make homemade croissant dough. I have a step-daughter like that, but sadly we do not share baking genes.

And so I was off to my local boulangerie, where I asked if I might buy some raw and ready-to-cook croissant dough. Whereupon they gave me the familiar “uh-oh, another crazy American” look and told me they would discuss it and get back to me within a few days. Which they did not.

Undeterred, I went to a second boulangerie, where I got the same look. But after disappearing for a lengthy consultation with the baker, Madame told me I could buy some sur commande (special order) so I arranged to pick it up later in the week. (I tried to explain the Morning Bun concept to her, but I got that look again).

I found several recipe for Morning Buns, all a bit different, so I stole from all of them, of course skipping the whole step of making the dough, so there was like ten minutes of prep time.

Anyway the photos with the recipes I read showed these perfectly shaped pinwheels (see above, from the Brown Eyed Baker), since you do the final rise in a muffin pan. Not possible since my dough was flat and never rose. So mine were messy, flat, misshapen things, which were so good that we each scarfed up three of them in one go, and had polished off the whole lot by the end of the day. So much for a healthy breakfast. Photo: my Morning Buns, flat and flat-out tasty.

Ron suggests I make more and take a few to Monsieur le boulanger to sample, just for fun. Hey, already I’ve outsourced the dough, maybe I can talk them into making the buns for me! But will a French country baker embrace a California recipe? There’s always a first time! Or not.

Though it's probably heresy, I’ve since developed a Southern Fried French LAZY morning bun recipe. I used biscuit dough instead of croissant dough. Still light and flaky and pretty good, though there are those who would argue they are more like a cinnamon roll. Still, it took me all of about 12 minutes to whip them up (you DO have your biscuit recipe memorized, don’t you?).

And so, Dear Readers, choose your recipe, as I have included both, and I await your comments/improvements/Morning Bun experiences.

 

RECIPE: Real French Morning Buns

If you’re a baker, you will make your own dough. Of course I have not tried it myself. There is a good from-scratch Morning Bun recipe here from the Brown Eyed Baker, but below is what I did.

I asked the boulanger for dough for 4 croissants. (It would have been a good idea to ask them exactly what to do with it from there, but I didn’t think of that). He gave me a rectangle about 8 x 10” (20x25 cm). It made about a dozen small buns. They were not puffed up like a croissant, though they were quite flaky. I’m sure some of you who actually know how to bake will be able to tell me what I should have done with this dough.

Croissant dough is layered so I pulled it apart and spread it out on the counter, then rolled it out just a little so I had a rectangle of about 12 by 18”. The dough should be well chilled when you do this. Zest one large orange and have your zest at the ready.

For the filling: Melt half a stick of butter in a pan on low heat, then stir in 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and a generous pinch of cardamon. Stir well until everything is mixed together and bring it just to a simmer. (Do not turn your back for a minute or two, and let the mixture bubble away, unless you want to make some very hard caramel candy. Had to start over). Remove from heat and set aside to to cool.

Brush the caramel over the whole surface. Sprinkle it all with the orange zest. Roll it up, starting with the shorter side, using the plastic wrap to lift and roll. Put it in the fridge for about 20 minutes. Then pre-heat oven to 350.

Unwrap dough and cut it into buns with a sharp knife, about 1” thick, and place them on a sheet pan, a couple of inches apart.  (Try them in a muffin tin, if you have dough that might rise properly). Optional: brush with a little melted butter and sprinkle with raw or regular sugar.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown. You will find that the caramel has oozed out somewhat onto the pan. This is a good thing, as it makes a nice layer of caramel on the bottom of the buns. With a spatula, remove immediately to a plate. Eat the whole plate-full, they’re not as good the next day. Or at least I imagine not.

 

RECIPE: SFF Faux Morning Buns

 

Photo left: they may not LOOK like Morning Buns, but they work for me!

Make biscuits—your recipe, or try mine (these days I substitue  1/2 cup of a farine céréale for 1/2 cup of the white flour, which is wheat flour with some interesting seeds mixed in. I like the slight nuttiness it gives). Zest an orange.

Roll out the dough as thin as you can get it. Brush top with a couple of tablespoons of melted butter.

Sprinkle with 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 1/4 cup raw sugar or white sugar. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Add 1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans if you like, because we're not aiming for authenticity here. Roll up, from the long side, and slice, 3/4" thick. Nestle them close together on a cookie sheet.

Bake about 15-18 minutes until the edges start to brown. Remove from oven and cool just while you make the glaze.

Put 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar (that’s icing sugar, to you Brits) in a bowl with the orange zest. Stir in some orange juice, a little at a time, until it’s glazing consistency. Glaze buns and serve. If there's any left the next day, they're best reheated.

BAKING TIP: When I roll out biscuits, I have une astuce (a tip) for easy clean-up. Throw a few drops of water on your counter, then smooth out a large piece of plastic wrap over that. Pat or roll out your biscuits, and when you’re done, just fold up the plastic wrap. Instant clean counter!

 

In the COMMENTS: As might be expected, we got some interesting comments on last week's "pissing contest", and I loved reading them.  Fiona cracked me up with the pee-spotting car game, as did Cynthia's P signs. Most folks reacted like Martin--at first it's a bit shocking, but you get to the "French shrug" stage after a while. Natalia and Vicky have some French stories to share too.

Favorite READS: Do take a moment to visit our reader Fiona's blog, Made in a Muddle. This month she visited the Pays de La Loire, and she's got lots of photos.

 

 

A Pissing Contest: The French Way, or Our Way?

This blog post is going to be about the bathrooms habits of the French. An indelicate topic to be sure, but a timely one, as Americans have gone apoplectic (one might say anal) about being in a restroom with someone who may or may not be of the same sex. The French response would of course be: Bof! Big Gallic shrug, if not absolute bewilderment.

The very first time we came to France, (quite a while ago), we were surprised to see that the French men had no compunction about peeing when they need to pee, wherever they were. They normally displayed some shred of decorum; they stepped off to the side of the street, or down an alley, or behind a bush perhaps. This has become less common since we've been here, but you still see it sometimes. (Photo left: un gar, as yet untrained in discretion, does his thing in Cluny, ). 

On the main street of nearby Buxy, there is un pissoir (a urinal) positioned just behind a fence on the sidewalk between two buildings, but facing the sidewalk. So one often passes a guy standing there, only his feet, head, and shoulders visible, and you can hear the, ahem, activity. And if le gentilhomme is wearing a hat, he might tip it to les femmes as they pass. No one is bothered in the least.

In our favorite café in the middle of Cluny, until recently there was one closed toilet room and then a unisex sink just outside of it, plus a pissoir. So often, when I was washing my hands or touching up my lipstick, and there was  a man with his back to me, about six inches away, doing his thing. 

Anywhere in France where there are separate restrooms for genders, what you will not see is a long line to the women’s restroom and none to the men’s. The women will simply go right into the men’s room and take care of their business, and ignore les mecs. No one even raises an eyebrow. And I should note that at our (admittedly small) local elementary school they manage to cope just fine with one group restroom.

Perhaps you’ve seen the latest tourist attraction in Paris. They have placed pissoirs on the sidewalks, and to dress them up, they painted them bright red and plunked a planter on top, overflowing with flowers. The box below holds straw, which is recycled into fertilizer. Now that’s class! Well sort of.

Unlike in the States, in France personal finances or investments of any sort are a taboo subject. Nicole always says this: "The French can’t talk about money and Americans can’t talk about sex." This is spot on. The French are refreshingly loose about matters sexual, even when it comes to basic and natural bodily functions. Why can’t everyone be left  to do their own thing, and we all just get on with it? In our pissing contest, I declare France the winner.

 

In the COMMENTS: Do not miss Natalia's main dish recipe for stuffed tomatoes, which sounds fabulous and which I must make toute de suite before the summer tomatoes disappear. By email, Michaela (of Villa Ragazzi wine fame) sends an easy tomato gratin, find the recipe here. Meanwhile Jane has a clever solution for the liquid in tomato dishes, thanks Jane! Artist Coleen Taylor (if you haven't seen her wonderful work, check it out here), has a great new tomato variety to tell you about. Colleen, I couldn't resist showing off one of your wonderful new florals (left).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Favorite READS:  Here are two great cookbooks by one of our readers. Both on subjects I want to read about! Suzanne Dunaway is the author, and she's an artist as well--her site is here. Her books are Rome, At Home : The Spirit of La Cucina Romana in Your Own Kitchen and No Need to Knead: Handmade Artisan Breads in 90 minutes . Do check them out!

PS I've added a SEARCH feature to my blog, so you can now search for recipes or posts by key words.

A New Tomato Pie for Summer’s End

  We are still deep into summer tomatoes here in France, a time of year when it seems we (happily!) eat almost nothing else. Where we are the tomatoes come  late to the party (mid July) but then they hang around a while in a most leisurely fashion. Maybe you've got a vine-ripe batch chez vous as well.

The French make great tomato tarts (recipe here for Monty's Tomato Tart), which I make often. But when I want the ultimate tomato overload, nothing will do but a very southern tomato pie. This is my resident carnivore’s absolutely favorite dish, and mine too, so it’s especially pleasing to the vegetarians among us.

I have two tomato pie recipes in my repertoire. One is a very light version, and so easy I can just tell you about it right now. Slice some tomatoes, put them in a regular pie plate. Top with thin slices of Vidalia onions and some cheddar cheese. Repeat the layers, one or two times, ending with cheese. Beat one egg, pour it over all, and bake at 350 til the egg is set, 20 minutes-ish. So easy, so good. 

But a really over the top tomato pie is in a deep dish pie plate with a crust, served as the main dish. For years I have used the ultimate recipe from  the Fat Hen restaurant (kindly shared by my friend John). It’s a version of the pretty typical one that southern cooks know, with a crust on the bottom, and a mayo/cheese mixture spread on top. (Can't find the Fat Hen's recipe on line, but this one is close). But I can’t for the life of me keep the crust from getting soggy. Those plump tomatoes just won’t give up their juice ahead of time. I’ve tried salting and draining them for hours; I’ve smushed them and pressed them. I’ve pre-baked pie crusts to a rigid state. Still tons of liquid in the bottom, and a soggy crust. 

But this year, I nailed it! I put the crust ON TOP! And none on the bottom to get soggy. Now why didn’t I think of that before? Any liquid in the bottom can just be drained off and it doesn’t affect the crispy top crust. I thought it wouldn’t come out in neat slices, but it did pretty well. Anyway, it's so good no one will mind.

Use the above crustless one as a great side dish (or if you’re going low-carb). Use the more lavish crusted one as a main dish. And profitez from the last days of summer!

(There are as many tomato pie recipes as there are Southern cooks--and lots of French ones, too. Do share if you have a good one!)

 

RECIPE:  Southern Fried French Tomato Pie 

 

Strictly optional, but if I have some fresh corn, I like to cut the kernels off of a couple of cobs and layer them in as well. No need to cook it. Or use leftover cooked corn.

--4 large tomatoes
--one mild onion, sliced thin with a mandoline: red, white, or Vidalia will do
--about 2 cups of grated cheddar, or gruyere if you’re feeling French (if you have some fresh
    Parmesan on hand, grate a bit of that in too and you will not be sorry)
--2 ears of corn, kernals cut off
--a handful of basil leaves, torn if large
--1 egg
--2 tablespoons mayonnaise
--juice of a small lemon
--pie dough for a single pie

 
Slice tomatoes about 1/2" thick, and put them on a cooling rack over a cutting board. Salt and pepper both sides and leave to drain, a half hour or longer (no big deal if you skip this step).

Make a single pie crust and chill it, or use Pillsbury, I think it's the best.

Pre-heat oven to 375. Press tomatoes lightly against the rack to drain. Cover the bottom of a deep dish pie plate with tomatoes. Spread some onion slices around a layer of onions, then 1/3 of the cheese, and some basil leaves. Repeat twice, so you have 3 layers, ending with cheese. Layer in some corn, if using. Don't worry if you run out of an ingredient, unless it's tomatoes (just slice a few more). Beat the egg with the mayo and lemon juice and pour it over all.

Cut out the pie crust and cover the pie, crimping edges. Put it in the oven with a  cookie sheet on the shelf below, in case it bubbles over (mine did a bit). Bake until crust is golden, about 20 minutes. Let it sit a spell, maybe 10 minutes but it can sit longer.

Cut the first piece and take it out with a slotted spatula, letting it drain a second on the spatula if needed. Tilt it to see if there is juice in the bottom (there probably will be), then carefully tilt the pie over the sink and drain the liquid, holding the crust in place. Finish slicing the pie with the slotted spatula.

One pie will serve 4. Ron recommends a crisp Chardonnay or a light red wine with this, but a cold beer would work just fine too.

 

Once again, we are talking hurricanes--this time the dreaded Irma. Which hit my (other) home of Charleston, where there was major flooding but no major damage for most folks. Bon courage to the many victims who did not fare as well in this terrible storm. And Harvey victims, we have not forgotten you and your continuing struggles.

In the COMMENTS: In response to our party ideas request: Natalia offers up a full menu, including Cordon Bleu and the delicious (English) Eaton Mess. Suzanne Hurst has more good pimento cheese tips. Suzanne Dunaway offers up an interesting potato salad I want to try, and a great main dish. Jacqueline has a great menu too, and I can’t wait to try that dressing! Jacqueline, I douse my peaches with lemon or lime juice and cover them tightly, and that holds them for quite a while.

Favorite READS: My friend Rita, cooped up at home with Irma, is just finishing up A Gentleman in Moscow, which she says is one of the best books she's ever read. My son in law agrees, so I'm well into it now too. A great and quirky read!

 

 

Party Time, Late Summer Edition

We didn’t start our summer entertaining until August this year, and it seems we will still be working on it through September. Each year I like to share my summer plein air entertaining recipes, with a hidden agenda: I want to hear yours! My criteria for entertaining: it MUST be make-ahead, delicious, and preferably easy. So I’m a bit late this year, well really late, but here goes:

First the l'entrée (starter): My best summer party trick is: a split bowl of soups! This is a really pretty presentation, and it’s easy. Make gazpacho and cucumber soup in the blender--see below for the how to. 

 

For the main dish (le plat): I’ve been making a lot of composed salads, with steak or chicken sliced on a bed of lettuce with interesting vegetables, and with that I pass French Dressing #1 and maybe a béarnaise mayonnaise. But if you want to really wow, try this roulade of beef stuffed with herbed pesto, by David Tanis. The trick to getting this right is to cut the meat properly. My butcher didn’t understand until I showed him the detailed photos included in the article—then he understood right away and it was perfect (Photo, Karstan Moran, NYT).

Le plâteau de fromage (cheese platter): I serve the usual French plâteau of cheeses which is de rigeur here after a meal, but I added a bowl of pimento cheese (recipe here), to introduce it to the expats and the French.

Le dessert: I’m very lazy about dessert, because I figure in summer, what could I make that would be better than ice cream and fruit? I’ve been layering fresh peaches with ice cream and crushed amaretto cookies, plus a swirl of whipped cream on top and some toasted almonds.

Et maintenant, c’est a vous! Your turn to share your summer menus, and I hope you will. I’ve got a few more parties to give yet!

 

RECIPE: Duo of Summer Soups

 Here's the trick:  Put both gazpacho and cucumber soup  in small pitchers. Pour each into opposite sides of a soup bowl at the same time. Garnish with chives, and you’re done! It seems magic. I think it  works best if both soups have roughly the same viscosity, as these do (Thanks Joan, for the photo!).

For the gazpacho, I make Alix Rico's gazpacho, it's super. My very simple cucumber soup recipe is below. Sorry, I don't really measure--no need!

Peel a large cucumber and slit it longways into quarters. Slice off the seeds. Cut into smaller pieces. Put a few pieces in a blender with 1/2 cup of chicken broth (homemade is best!), the juice of a lemon, and a quarter of a smallish red, white, or vidalia onion, or whole scallions. Add a generous pinch of sea salt and ground pepper and a few large basil leaves (or dill, or parsley, or a combo). Blend until smooth. Add remaining cucumber, and more chicken broth as needed until it's the thickness you want.  Add a couple of tablespoons of creme fraiche or sour cream, if you like it creamy. Taste to correct seasoning. Of course you can keep going with more cukes and broth, if you have a crowd.

 

Here's another starter idea:  Keep it really simple  and colorful with a groaning platter of summer tomaotes and crudités.

 

In a final note, our hearts go out to our fellow Americans in Texas and Louisiana who are still caught up in Harvey's mess.  Been through Hurricane Hugo, we feel your pain, but this is much worse, and we wish you a speedy recovery.

 

In the COMMENTS: Check out the comments for more great country restaurants. Paula knows one in the Indre; Jane, we love L'Estaminet and Linda, as you know we now love L'Embellie as well!

 

Favorite READS: Thanks to several readers who told me about Louise Penny, I am now enjoying one of her books, in addition to the Bruno series. My friend Sandi recommends Suite Française, a poignant war novel set in France, with lovely writing.

 

 

Finding a Great French Country Restaurant: A Traveler's Guide

Looking for a good restaurant in your French travels? As usual, things are a little different in France. This is the land of the Destination Restaurant. Cities have lots of restaurants, but often very good and even important restaurants are located in the middle of nowhere, typically on the chef’s home turf. The French will think nothing of traveling great distances just to find a great meal. And a chef will think nothing of installing a restaurant where no mere mortal can find it. 

 We’ve gradually come to know the good restaurants in our coin (corner), but then, we live here! Even then, we had to sniff them out.

Case in point: there are not many good restaurants in Cluny, but three fun, tasty, good value restaurants where we love to dine that are in small villages nearby come to mind. Some are in villages without so much as a boulangerie. I can’t imagine that tourists, other than in-the-know French ones, ever find them (they are L'Auberge Larochette in Bourgvilain, L'Estaminet in Mazille, and Le Relais d'Ozenay in Ozenay).

So, if you’re traveling around the countryside, how do you find that secret treasure that you’ll be talking about forever? And I’m assuming here that you’re looking not for a famous 3 star Michelin experience, but something memorable and affordable.

Of course there is always the Michelin Guide, but another way is to do a search of the famous chefs of France, who very often have moderately priced brasseries or bistros in their hood. A couple of examples, in our neighborhood: Georges Blanc has his famous starry restaurant gourmand in the rural village of Vonnas in the Bresse. But right across the street is his Ancienne Auberge: affordable, delicious, and charming. He also has a brasserie in nearby Macon, Le Saint Laurent and also Le Château Igé in the small town of Igé in the Maconnais. Another is Chef Michel Troisgros, whose pricey restaurant is in Roanne. But in a rural spot in the Brionnais is the amazing La Colline de Columbier.

Of course you can pour over travel sites, but my favorite tact is to look to bloggers for local knowledge. Ex-pats bloggers are everywhere (French blogs too, if you speak the langauge), and you'll get real insider info.  Try adding “blog” or “blogger” to your Google search for a particular region, and the local blogs will pop right up. 

As we've discussed before, if you're looking for very cheap but good food, cherchez les camionettes. Every French workman owns a little white truck, and if you see a cluster of them in a parking lot, you've found the spot.

Another way to find restaurants: the local tourisme. Chat them up about what you’re looking for, and with luck you’ll be directed to a great spot. We were in Annecy once, and we asked at the tourisme for a fun restaurant but something quieter, out of town and away from tourists. We ended up having one of our most memorable French lunches (in fact, we're going back next week!).

Or you can use Ron’s method. When we’re in a small town, he seeks out the classiest, most stylish, best looking woman around, then walks right up and asks her for a recommentation. I think it's a ruse, but I have to admit it seems to work well. I think he’s starting to behave way too much like a true Frenchman! 

Photos below: with friends Pete and Dee, our find near Annecy, Auberge du Lac in Veyrier-du-lac is toes in the water with a backdrop of mountains. Next, we scored a Provencal jewel when our friends Alix and Paul took us to Bistrot Le 5 in Ménerbes. In the Pouilly-Fuissé wine area, you must try La Courtille, with its great terrace (no photo of this one). If you're in the Beaujolais, check out Auberge du Paradis (this one has a Michelin star actually, it's a bit pricey) In St. Amour, as Ron and friend Chris are doing in the last photo, or the lovely Chez la Rose in nearby Julianas, or La Tour d'Orée in Oingt. Well, I could go on and on...but I've bet you've got some to share too!  

 

 

 

In the COMMENTS:  Thank you all so much for the beautiful comments about Pierre, which were comforting to read for us, as they were for Nicole. By email, Natalia sent a lovely piece by Ralph Waldo Emerson, which you've heard before but it's a lovely thought for the occasion: "To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."

 

 

 

Adieu, Notre Châtelain

Of all the blog posts I’ve written, this is the most difficult. Loyal readers of this blog know about Nicole and Pierre, châtelains of the château where we first lived in France (you can read about our first meeting here). Quite a few of my readers have even come to the château for a visit. We think of Nicole and Pierre as our French family, and in a sense, "Ecole Nicole", the French conversation group they host, is at the heart of our expat community here. Our Pierre, kind friend to us all, passed away after a long illness, on July 18.

In Nicole and Pierre’s garden, the day of the funeral, our friends sat in the shade of the big cherry tree and spoke fondly about Pierre. He was a man of multiple facets: a nature lover who collected rocks and fossils, and a gardener; he knew his plants, and birds; he was a wonderful wood worker, a collector of old tools. He was a teacher, a painter. He was invariably kind. He was in many ways defined by the magnificent family château that he and Nicole spent much of their lives lovingly restoring.

I can’t count the number of times I went to Pierre with some problem that involved a city girl trying to figure out the countryside. What dastardly bug was this, eating my plants? What is that furry animal I saw zipping through my garden? Why did I dig up the fossil of a sea shell in my garden, when we are hours from the sea? Always I got a thoughtful, often carefully researched, answer. And When Pierre and Nicole came to visit us in Charleston, it was the woodland gardens and the alligators and the seashells on remote beaches that drew them, more than the buzzing city.

For me, Pierre’s most endearing quality was his wit. Normally a quiet, gentle, and distinguished gentilhomme, at the most unexpected moments he would turn into a Wild Child. He could go from thoughtfully sucking on his pipe to a brilliant comedy routine in nothing flat.

His sense of humor was unique, physical, and difficult to define. But at his wake, I tried to tell the story with a montage of photos, of Pierre and friends. I’m sharing them here, and I think you will get the picture. Chère Pierre, beloved by all who knew him,vous nous manquez. Adieu, notre châtelain.

FAVORITE READS: To lighten up the sadness, here's a book Pierre would have loved: Bruno, Chief of Police: A Novel of the French Countryside. How did it take me so long to discover the  best-selling Bruno series? They are written by an English expat in the Perigord, Martin Walker, who lives in a rural village and writes about the local culture, Peter Mayle-style. Except these books (there are 10 in the series) are a genre I believe is called "cozy mysteries". They are humorous, and Walker captures the rhythm and the quirkiness of life in the French countryside.  This article about the author, and real life in his village, will give you a good preview.

The Queen of French breads

Who can pass by a French boulangerie in the morning hours, and not stop in for a special pain for a petit déjeuner? Certainly not me. Some go right for the croissants. Moi, I head for that most royal of treats: the little puffy crown called la brioche.

Brioche is a rich egg bread, taking the form of a small crown with a topknot, or a knotted loaf in its larger version, which is great for bread pudding or French toast. Sometimes an individual brioche will be sucrée, with coarse sugar on top, or full of tiny chocolate chips.

Our English friends Pete and Dee are always welcome visitors, but were especially welcomed on their last visit, since they arrived with a gorgeous brioche loaf which Dee had made herself. I’m not much of a baker, so I was dead impressed, especially when I saw that was stuffed with blueberries! I’ve never seen blueberries in a brioche, and neither had Dee. But she had lots of fresh berries, and she said, why not? Pourquoi pas indeed, it was delicious for breakfast.

Dee invented her blueberry brioche as she went along. She used a traditional recipe, but then rolled it out, sprinkling it with sugar and nutmeg and berries. Then she rolled it up and cut it like cinnamon rolls. She then laid the slices in a ring-mold cake pan, and when they rose they formed the beautiful shape you see above, and they pull right apart. Photo right, from BBC Food: the traditional crowns, called "brioche à tête".

Dee swears this is easy to make, and she avoids kneading by putting it in a standing mixer. Patience, however, is required; it must rise 40 minutes or so, and it’s even better if you leave it overnight in the fridge.

Try this at home, it looks pretty easy. Me, I’m just going to invite Pete and Dee back again soon!

 

RECIPE: Dee's Beautiful Blueberry Brioche

Dee shared her recipe, but you can use any brioche recipe you like for this, and then add the steps with the berries. Dee put the slices in a ring mold or ring pan to make these.
Dee says, “Alternatively, you could put the cut rolls into muffin cases in a muffin tin and bake like that, just reduce the baking time a bit.”

350g (a scant 3 cups) unbleached all purpose flour, or bread flour
175ml (3/4 cup) warm milk
8g (1.5 teaspoons) salt
40g (1/4 cup) sugar
75g (1/3 cup) butter
3 eggs
15 grams (4.5 teaspoons) active dry yeast ( leave it in about a third of the warm milk with a teaspoon of sugar for 10 mins)

Filling/Topping:

2 tablespoons of brown sugar
pinch of nutmeg
2 cups blueberries
1 egg

Mix first set of ingredients together well and knead until smooth and silky (by hand or with a mixer and dough hook). This is going to take 10 to 20 minutes.
Leave in a warm place until at least double in size. Knead by hand for a minute then roll dough on floured surface into a rectangle (about 38x21cm, 15x8"). Doesn't need to be too neat. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture dough, then the blueberries. Rolled up the dough to enclose the blueberries and sugar making a 38cm (15") roll.

Cut into slices about 3cm (1") thick and arrange them in the tin evenly, standing on their sides.  Leave in warm place to rise. Alternatively they can be left in the fridge overnight before baking .
  
Heat oven to 350F (180C). While waiting for the oven to warm, brush with beaten egg, or egg and milk mixture.
Bake for 20 mins. Protect the brioche with tin foil if it browns too quickly.

 

In the COMMENTS:  I asked for your best restaurant in France, and we got lots of answers! Im keeping this list and I'd love to visit every one. There were several in Paris, on the Riviera, and in between. Connie, I think the restaurant you're thinking of in Tournus is called Aux Terraces.  Suzanne, I've been to Le Grand Courbot too! Funny story about the waiter. Clyde--Billy Joel, wow! Hope you pay that bill off someday.

And going back to the previous post on the French alps, Debbie of the blog A French Opportunity has written several posts on the French alps, so check out her blog if you're thinking of touring that area.

Favorite Reads: Here's a French memoir by Debbie Woods, one of our readers, that you need to check out! Debbie took a life leap and bought a place on the Riviera. You can visit her blog here. Her memoir is called girl Lost--Found in France.

 

The Best Restaurant in France? Time to Vote!

OK readers, time to vote: what’s your very favorite restaurant in France?

Sure, we could search under the starry skies of Michelin and find something wonderful, if we took out a loan. But our criteria for today shall be: great food and service of course, an authentic French ambiance, nice setting, good value, and pure fun to eat there. For both Ron and me, the answer is easy: Café de la Fontaine in La Turbie, perched high on the Côte d’Azur.

It’s not a fancy place, it’s a brasserie, but it has that typical Frenchiness about it: professional waiters in crisp white shirts and red aprons, the daily menu on a chalkboard, outdoor dining right on the sidewalk, with great people-watching. The clientele is mixed. On our last visit, at the table on one side of us was a German couple who arrived by vélo, sweating in their cycling gear; and behind us, a couple who arrived in a shiny  black Porchse, looking every inch the stereotyped Riviera couple (him: older, white hair, sunglasses, cashmere sweater thrown around his neck, loafers and no socks. Her: much younger, bleached blond beach hair, limping along in tall platforms and expensive resort wear, big shades, big jewelry). And at the table right next to us, we ended up chatting with a charming French/Polish university professor.

And the food! The chef owns the fancy high-priced restaurant which is across the street, called Restaurant Jerome (at right). Dinner will set you back a few hundred euros, and we’re told it’s fantastic. But the same chef cooks here, and Sunday lunch is a pittance, compared to that. We often see waiters dashing back and forth across the street, carrying trays of desserts and such between the two establishments.

Recently we were in the south of France, and we headed there immediately. On the menu, which changes daily: homemade ravioli, with fresh baby spinach that has been lightly swirled in butter, topped with fresh tomato puree, which elicited absolute moans of pleasure from my husband. Then a sea bass, sautéed with capers and nestled in a beurre blanc. For dessert un fraisier, a strawberry cake.

Then there is the setting. La Turbie, something between une ville and un village and not a major Côte d’Azur tourist hub in spite of it’s considerable charm, is full of winding little lanes that make a great post-déjeuner stroll.

So—how about you, dear readers, what is your favorite restaurant in France? Or beyond! And we wont' limit you to just one.

Photo below: Wandering the village streets after lunch, we encountered the Grumpy Cat of La Turbie.

 In the COMMENTS:  Natalia, thanks for turning me on to Simone Beck's classic cookbook, New Menus from Simca's Cuisine. Simone Beck was Julia Childs' partner, and her cookbooks, which I was not familiar with, are apparently much loved. Natalia recommends a recipe called Le Montmorency. Many thanks, Natalia! Vicky, I came close to hiking the Camino de Santiago trail once, which is so fascinating, nice to hear you did it!

 

 

Seduced by Summer in the French Alps

I’m not much of a mountain girl. Most of my life I’ve lived by the sea, and I get a bit queasy with those monsters closing in around me. I like a big horizon, warmth and sun and wide skies.

So when I think of visiting the French Alps, my thoughts turn to snow and forbidding cold. But how about a summer visit? The Alps may be at their most charming in summer: think carpets of wild flowers in soft green meadows, with a dramatic backdrop of blue-hued mountains.

Our great friends Pete and Dee, who abandoned Burgundy for the pleasures of skiing a few years ago, invited us to visit their chalet in the Haute-Savoie recently, to experience the mountains in summer. A mere three hour drive, and we were immersed in the pointy peaks and vertiginous valleys of the French Alps.

For the guys, it was white water rafting time. The cold frothy waters of the Giffre river run very close to their house. Dee and I dropped them off and went to visit Samoëns ,a sweet town nearby with a shady alpine garden to tour, built in the center of town on a sleep slope by a garden enthusiast in 1906. Photo right: A waterfall in the hilly Alpine Botanic Garden.

Their own town of Les Carroz d'Araches is a ski resort in winter and a resort in summer too, brimming with  flowers and cafés and beautiful shops with sausages and cheeses and chocolate. We drank beer and watched all the happy tourists drift by, pink-cheeked and relaxed from their nature hikes.

Maybe I could be a mountain girl after all!

 

If you go: either Les Carroz or Samoëns both make a great home base for hiking, rafting, or just cafe sitting amongst les fleurs. 

 

Photo at top: wandering in the town of Samoëns. Below: with a short, intense growing season, flowers do well, and are in abundance on houses and in villages.  These adorn our friends' deck.

 

The bell tower in Samoëns.

 

Airy génoise cakes, fragrant with lemon zest, are unique to the region.

 

 

The view from Pete and Dee's living room.

 

Hog Heaven: sausages are a specialty in the Haute-Savoie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flowers everywhere! Dee and me, in the entrance to an old chapel in Les Carroz.

 

In the COMMENTS: Julie (of the Traveling Through blog) recommends Clafoutis for our cherries, as does Francine. Sounds like a subject for a future blog, I’m on a recipe hunt! I’m not fond of it myself, I think because I’ve been served it by the French, who often make it with the cherry pits still in, which I’ve always found odd (they say the cherries retain more flavor that way). Jan, welcome to France! Kiki, the peaches are just starting to arrive, sorry you will miss them! Paula, rum and cherries, how could THAT not be good? And Natalia, I’ve forgotten about cherries with duck, I’m off to the kitchen!

FAVORITE READS:  My friend Bennett, writing from California, has a book for us: "May I recommend Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland. Tells the story of Renoir’s painting by the same name, brings to life all the characters in the painting. In English, but very French."

 

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A Dessert that Serves up Summer

We were over at our châtelains’ home this week, Nicole and Pierre’s new digs. I had admired the enormous tree that covered half of their back garden before, but I hadn’t quite realized it was a  un cerisier. But now there was no mistaking it: it was a mass of lush green, waving in the soft breeze, festooned with bright red polka dots. “Take all you want!” said Nicole. “There is plenty for everyone.”

And so we did. There is nothing that marks the beginning of summer in France quite like gathering cherries under the shade of a huge tree, lush and verdant on a lazy, warm, day in May. Some of the limbs were so long and heavy that I could sit on the ground with my basket and pick them.

When we finished, our baskets, and our bellies, were quite full. Now, what to do with a surfeit of cherries? And is there even such a thing as a surfeit of cherries?

After giving baskets of them away to neighbors, I began to contemplate desserts. A black forest cake came immediately to mind, but that sounded way too complex for the early days of l’été. So I decided to make a deconstructed one: A slice of simple French chocolate cake, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, all topped with a brandied cherry sauce.

Nicole has given me a present: a cherry pitter! I knew they existed, but I’d never seen one (I’ve been using a low-tech chopstick for the task). It made pitting them a snap, and kind of fun, though it still takes a while. A bored spouse or child is perfect for this task. That's my new cherry pitter, at the right.

The French make the best chocolate cakes ever. They are not flourless; I find those too rich, like eating a large, heavy candy bar. Nor are they spongy like American layer cakes, which are made to stand up to layers of frosting. These are just rich enough, and made to be eaten without frosting. I’ve written about them in two different posts: Catherine’s Mystery Cake, and Valerie's Chocolate Cake. The recipes are similar, and not too hard to make.

The cherry sauce is dead-easy. A taste of the best seasonal fruit, paired with chocolate: welcome to summer!

 

RECIPE: Brandied Cherry Sauce

Merci to our friends John and Joan, who inspired this recipe. This will make about 8 servings.

Remove the pits from a pound  (500mg) of cherries. Using this opportunity to pry a teen away from their cell phone is ideal. (or if you're just going to make these up for snacking on, leave the pitts in).

Place cherries in a saucepan. Add 1/2 cup (100 gr) sugar and 1/2 cup (120ml) of brandy or Kirsch, and a cinnamon stick. Bring them just to the boil, then simmer them for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. They should hold their shape and the liquid should be syrupy (if too thin, remove cherries and cook sauce down a little more). Cool and pour them into a jar and refrigerate. Serve them over French chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream. The leftovers will not be unwelcome spooned over your vanilla yogurt in the morning.

Photo left: Ron the Gatherer, hard at work.

 

In the COMMENTS, on pimento cheese: Who knew pimento cheese would evoke such passions and food memories? Lots of interesting additions to our recipe: Maryanne, a Charleston girl, adds the juice from the pimentos for color—and a bit of olive juice! Suzanne skips the onion for just a touch of honey. Julie, another SC native, argues for minimal salt. Cynthia, I like the idea of a bit of lemon juice. And Vicky, I'd forgotten, pecans are a great addition. Several people suggest Duke’s mayo as the only way to go, but Sarah is duking it out with Helmans. Clyde, we love Bonnie, but please tell her to step away from the pimento cheese. Clyde also has another gourmet brand to suggest. Christine, it all sounds good except the pickle juice. Natalia, we are counting on you to bring pimento cheese to Arizona!

Angie, welcome to France, that’s a beautiful area. And Paula, what a food story, you are fearless!

Favorite READS: My friend Sandi recommends a new edition of an old, classic cookbook by Richard Olney, Simple French Food 40th Anniversary Edition.  "It reads like a 19th century novel!", she says. "Here is a ravishing description of Impromptu Composed Salad, Salad Canaille: 'To baptize this kind of salad canaille {common, rabble}, underlining the French affection for the delinquent and the demi-monde, is to suggest a quality of refreshing vitality allied to insolence -a certain flaunting refusal to respect accepted formulas.' " Oh la la!

 

 

A Southern Delight, Rediscovered

If you grew up in the South, and it was a while back, you will no doubt remember that dreaded staple of a southern quick lunch: pimento cheese sandwiches on white bread.

Pimento cheese way back then was a kind of industrial product that came in a plastic tub, favored by busy mothers and school cafeterias. Thick and cloying and bright orange, when spread on Wonder bread it made a kind of a tasteless mush sandwich. I avoided it at all costs.

Then several years ago we went to the swanky bar at Charleston Place, and chef Louis Osteen had positioned a huge bowl of homemade pimento cheese right at the entrance to the bar. Next to it was a pile of crunchy lavash to spread it on. I tasted it, and swooned. It in no way resembled the orange horror of my youth. It was crack on a cracker.

Later, our Charleston grocery store began carrying a gourmet brand called My Three Sons that was fabulous. For some reason it never occurred to me to make my own.

Until France, that is. Unable to buy it here, I decided to wade in. It is only recently that I’ve been able to find cheddar here in France routinely, so it’s a new endeavor. Who knew pimento cheese was so easy to make? 

The only hard part is settling on your favorite recipe. Louis Osteen’s recipe is now on-line, and everyone from Paula Deen to the Lee Brothers has checked in with their version. The differences are small, but important.

Pimento cheese is basically a grated cheddar/mayo mash-up, with chopped pimentos or roasted red peppers. Other possible additions include a bit of grated onion, and something for heat, like chopped jalapenos or cayenne pepper. But the biggest decision you must make is this: chefs have started adding cream cheese in various proportions, or even replacing the mayo with cream cheese. The latter, in my opinion, makes it into something else entirely, namely a cheeseball, and makes it too heavy. I prefer a good mayo, with just a bit of cream cheese thrown in for richness.

Of course folks are experimenting with other ingredients, such as gruyere and other cheeses, and all sorts of additions  (my sister's friend Collin has a pimento cheese business near Atlanta called Aunt Lollies', she makes a different variety for every day of the week!).  Play if you like, but do come back to the original, which if truth be told cannot be much improved upon.

Below is the result of my experimenting. The French, by the way, do not love cheddar (it’s English, after all) and are cheese purists who generally turn their noses up at cheese balls or blends of any kind. I can’t wait to spring this on them! 

I'm happy to hear from anybody else who has made their own, dissenting opinions welcome!

 

RECIPE: Southern Pimento Cheese

One recipe suggested using homemade mayo. Now that would be delicious!
I prefer to serve pimento cheese with crackers, because I like the contrast of soft cheese with crunch.  Or melt some onto a burger, or pair it with a slice of tomato on a grilled cheese sandwich.

2 1/2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup good quality mayonnaise
1 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon grated onion (or finely chopped scallion bulb)
1 roasted red pepper, chopped fine, drained if from a jar ( and from a jar is fine)
a finely chopped small hot pepper (optional, and/or use cayenne pepper to taste)
sea salt and black pepper to taste
chopped chives or green part of scallions, chopped, for garnish
crackers

Grate the cheese. It doesn’t need to be finely grated; I do it with a box grater, using the largest holes.

Add the mayo and cream cheese and mash together well with a fork. Or use a mixer if you like, on low speed. It’s not meant to be super-smooth, it’s a bit chunky and rustic.  Stir in the onion, peppers, and spices. Taste and correct seasonings.

Turn it out into a pretty bowl and garnish with chives or scallions. Serve with crackers.

 

In the COMMENTS, on our Kangoo camionette: Bonnie, I love that idea, a Kangoo is the perfect getaway car! Vicky, the red Morgan IS a bit more classy. Frank, I'm not surprised they would press them into service for ambulances, they use them for everything else. Lin, Ron is a proud "white van man"! Bonnie, we shall now forever call them "vin vans".  Because we often use ours, not to gather grapes, but to stack up with cases of wine for the cave!  And Debbie, thank you for the kind comments.

Favorite Reads: If you, like me, tend to get dispirited over the current sorry political situation in the US, time for an escape from the horrors. I've gone way back, to humorist PG Wodehouse, remember him?  I'm finding comfort in reading about that famous valet, Jeeves.  Wodehouse was prolific, but try Carry on, Jeeves. What ho, old chaps!

And in the French blog department, here's a great new one for you, from one of our readers: Eiffel-Tells, reflections on French life from an Australian living in the northern part of Burgundy. You'll enjoy her post on lavoirs this week.

 

In Search of Les Camionnettes

Ron and his truck, with friends Trevor, Monty, and Tess the dog

On our early vacation trips to France, I often pointed out to Ron a vehicle I admired that one doesn’t see in the US: a little closed-in truck called a camionnette. They were everywhere. They were always white, and always driven by a guy. As a renovator, gardener, and schlepper of props for magazine photoshoots, I was really coveting this compact little number.

Every ovrier (laborer), bricoleur (handyman) or tradesman of any sort owns a camionnette. They are very inexpensive, and absolutely basic inside. Two people can squeeze in the front, then there is usually a wire grill behind the seats, dividing front from back. The back is open storage, and the two doors on the back open wide. The fanciest option a camionnettte might have is a radio. When we were thinking of moving to France, I told Ron, "That will be my first purchase." He rolled his eyes.

As it turned out a used camionnette WAS an early purchase, but I can hardly get my hands on it: Ron pre-empted it as his own. It was even of part of Ron’s French “business”, 3 Men and a Truck (which you can read about here).

WE discovered that having a camionnette makes you a  popular village resident. There is very often a need for one: to pick up plants for the garden, or furniture, or whatever else won’t fit in the trunk of (mostly small) French cars. So we often lend it out. Like our village cat, it has been the village truck.  When I drive it, I get lots of looks--you don't much see an older woman tooling around in one. Photo, right: Our neighbor and dear friend Jean-Marie, here with Ron in front of our barn, is a frequent borrower of our truck---you can't get much in that trunk!

Moving day at the château

Early on we discovered a great way to find an affordable, good restaurant while driving around the French countryside: cherchez les camionnettes! The local ouvriers always search out the best deal to déjeuner, so when we see those dusty white trucks filling up a parking lot, we pull right in, confident that we've scored a good, hearty lunch.

Our little camionnette just turned sweet 16—and she’s still truckin’!

 

In the COMMENTS, on Random Acts and casseroles: Suzanne, like me, prefers no-recipe recipes. Paula, where I couldn’t agree more. Readers, any tips for Jan? I think leaving the cheese out would work fine. Patricia, once again your village makes an appearance in the blog. We are so happy to know the back-story on that cat! 

FAVORITE READS:  this article, which I believe every American should read, is a chart which compares the ACA to Trumpcare. Under the proposed Trumpcare: No requirement to have insurance, so the rest of us pay when the uninsured go to the expensive ER for routine medical treatment. Companies  are not required to offer affordable insurance to employees. Pre-existing condition? Your state can jack up your prices as they wish. States can also cancel maternity care, ER, preventive services. Are you older? You can now be charged 5 times (or more) what a young person pays.

Is this what anybody wants?  Sorry to get political here, but folks, we are the only western nation without strong universal health care, so let's get out of third world mode and take care of the most basic needs of our citizens!