June 30, 2009
Saskatoon Berry Tart
Two years ago, I received a sweet email from a Canadian woman named Delphine. She explained that she and her French boyfriend run a farm in the Aube, about two and a half hours to the Southeast of Paris, on which they grow -- among other things -- Saskatoon berries*. Did I know this North American fruit? Did I want to try it?
A new fruit! One I'd never even heard of! Of course I wanted to taste it!
Because Saskatoon berries are only in season...
"Saskatoon Berry Tart" continues »
June 26, 2009
[Edible Idiom] Ce n'est pas de la tarte
This is part of a series on French idiomatic expressions that relate to food. Browse the list of idioms featured so far.
This week's idiom is, "Ce n'est pas de la tarte."
Approximately translated as, "it's not pie*," it means that something is tricky, difficult to do or to handle. Because it is a colloquial expression that is mostly spoken, it is usually elided to, "C'est pas de la tarte."
Example: "J'essaye de lui faire faire une sieste, ma...
"[Edible Idiom] Ce n'est pas de la tarte" continues »
June 23, 2009
Gratin Dauphinois (Potato Gratin)
As promised when we talked about potato gnocchi earlier this month, here is my recipe for gratin dauphinois, the king of potato side dishes, named after the former French province whence it originates.
Before we begin, it is my duty to draw your attention to the fact that a proper gratin dauphinois does not involve cheese. No. It is a gloriously simple dish of sliced potatoes baked in milk and/or cream -- we'll get to that in a second -- that ...
"Gratin Dauphinois (Potato Gratin)" continues »
June 19, 2009
[Edible Idiom] Mettre son grain de sel
This is part of a series on French idiomatic expressions that relate to the culinary world. Browse the list of idioms featured so far.
This week's idiom is, "Mettre son grain de sel."
Literally translated as, "putting in one's grain of salt," it means interfering with a conversation or situation with an unsollicited comment or opinion. It is a colloquial expression that is somewhat similar to the American English idiom, "adding one's two cent...
"[Edible Idiom] Mettre son grain de sel" continues »
June 16, 2009
Matcha and Azuki (Green Tea and Red Bean) Cake Roll
[Gâteau roulé matcha et azuki]
The thing that happens when you buy a big pouch of anko (Japanese sweetened red bean paste) to make strawberry daifuku is that you're likely to run out of rice flour long before you use up all the azuki paste.
I assume it keeps for weeks if well wrapped, but I didn't want to let it sit in the fridge for too long (shelf space is in short supply), so I tried to think up ways to use it. A quick brainstorm led me to...
"Matcha and Azuki (Green Tea and Red Bean) Cake Roll" continues »
June 12, 2009
[Edible Idiom] Raisonner comme une casserole
This is part of a series on French idiomatic expressions that relate to the culinary world. Browse the list of idioms featured so far.
This week's idiom is, "Raisonner comme une casserole."
Literally translated as, "reasoning like a saucepan," it means demonstrating poor logic, formulating arguments that are evidently flawed. It is a colloquial expression that should only be used in informal conversation.
Example: "Ce n'est pas la peine d'es...
"[Edible Idiom] Raisonner comme une casserole" continues »
June 9, 2009
Potato Gnocchi
I have recently found myself with a bit of a potato glut, a rather unusual state of affairs for me. It being spring, all the potatoes wanted to do was sprout, however careful I was to keep them in a cool, dark place. Unable to temper their enthusiasm, I did what any responsible cook would do: I embraced the potato theme and cooked them in all sorts of different ways over a few weeks.
With the baking potatoes (the floury ones that fall apart wh...
June 5, 2009
[Edible Idiom] Le ver est dans le fruit
This is part of a series on French idiomatic expressions that relate to food. Browse the list of idioms featured so far.
This week's idiom is, "Le ver est dans le fruit."
Literally translated as, "the worm is in the fruit," it means that the damage is done, that a situation is inherently faulty, and that it's impossible or too late to do anything about it. It can also be used humorously, to comment with mock fatalism on the way a situation is...
"[Edible Idiom] Le ver est dans le fruit" continues »
June 2, 2009
Strawberry Daifuku Mochi
A few weeks ago, my friend Estérelle and I attended a mochi cooking class held at La Cocotte, a lovely little cookbook shop in Paris.
Before we go any further, I think a semantics note is in order: strictly speaking, mochi is the name of a Japanese preparation of steamed glutinous rice that is pounded to form a sticky paste*. Mochi can be boiled, steamed, grilled, baked, or fried, and because it doesn't have much inherent flavor, it is usually...
"Strawberry Daifuku Mochi" continues »
June 1, 2009
June 2009 Desktop Calendar
At the beginning of every month in 2009, I am offering C&Z; readers a new desktop calendar, i.e. a wallpaper to apply on the desktop of your computer, with a food-related picture and a calendar of the current month.
Our desktop calendar for June is a picture of gariguette strawberries taken at the Anvers greenmarket.
Maxence is in fact growing strawberry plants in one of our window boxes this year, and like the wild strawberries of a few summe...
"June 2009 Desktop Calendar" continues »