Rustic Apple Tart with Blé Noir
Posted: 12/15/2011 Filed under: Gastronomy, Recipes | Tags: Apple tart, Dessert, Galette aux pommes, Recipe, Vegetarian 1 Comment »We all know the old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Which is all the more reason to make (and eat) an apple tart. In France, you can find apple tarts in just about any bakery. Each baker has his or her own version of an apple tart, but usually stays within the usual boundaries. You’ll find the tarte tatin (an upside down apple tart), the tarte fine aux pommes (a delicate pastry decorated with apple slices), and the galette aux pommes, which would be the closest relative to this apple tart.
The basis for this recipe is the good ol’ American apple pie, but due to cultural influences it took on a flavor and shape of its own. I added buckwheat flour, called blé noir or sarrasin in French, to the crust to give it a nutty flavor and also to make it more nutritious. Contrary to what many people may think, buckwheat is actually not a grain like wheat, but a seed relate Read the rest of this entry »
Jacu Bird Coffee
Posted: 07/28/2011 Filed under: Gastronomy, Paris, Places | Tags: Brazil, Caféothèque, coffee, Jacu Bird Coffee, Marais, Paris 1 Comment »
Sometimes it’s better not knowing what you’re eating or drinking until after the fact. Any gross or abnormal ingredients just might ruin the experience. However, when you’re ordering a cup of coffee, you would naturally assume that you’re pretty safe, right? Well, after a recent experience of mine in a favorite Parisian coffee shop, I wouldn’t make any assumptions too quickly… Read the rest of this entry »
Julia’s Frosting
Posted: 06/04/2011 Filed under: Gastronomy, Gluten-Free, Recipes | Tags: birthday cakes, Butter Cream, crème au beurre, French cooking, Frosting, Gluten-Free, Julia Child, Recipes 1 Comment »
I remember meeting Julia Child once when I was growing up. I can’t remember how old I was exactly, maybe seven or eight, but I do remember being impressed. The line of people waiting to see her spread out onto the sidewalk of Cookworks – the first and only cooking supply store I knew growing up in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I loved going there and seeing all the different sized pots and pans, and all the shiny knives. They had a big yellow cat too that reminded me of Alice in Wonderland (my favorite book at the time). But this time, we weren’t there to pick out a new gadget for our wish list. No, we were there to meet Julia. Read the rest of this entry »
Un Apéritif Almost Perfect
Posted: 04/01/2011 Filed under: Gastronomy, Paris, Places, Wine, Wine Pairings | Tags: Apéritif, France, tapas, Wine Leave a comment »
My two favorite meals in France are “brunch,” which deserves a post all to itself, and the famous “apéritif.” I know what you’re thinking, an apéritif isn’t a meal! It’s a drink! …but there’s always food that comes along with an apéritif so in my opinion it counts as a meal, or at least a good first course. Long gone are the days when the apéritif was just a drink with a couple of stale crackers. It’s become a statement – the way people express their culinary creativity (or lack thereof) without having to play it safe. Anything goes. So here’s a short compilation of different apéritifs that I’ve witnessed during my time in France. Read the rest of this entry »
