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 »
Caramelized Onion and Tomato Quiche
Posted: 10/28/2011 Filed under: Recipes | Tags: Caramelized Onions, Quiche, Recipe, Tart, Tomatoes 1 Comment »After making this quiche, I wasn’t sure whether to call it a quiche or a tart. In fact, I wasn’t even sure what the difference was between the two. I decided, rather randomly, that it must have been a quiche. In my mind a quiche was made with that egg and milk mixture (called a migaine in French) that is then poured over the pastry dough, making it into a hearty meal perfect for cold weather. Savory tarts on the other hand would be more dainty and served on summer picnics, and, since the meal in question was made with eggs, it couldn’t possibly be a tart. But then, after his first bite, one of my French friends exclaimed, “Mmm… c’est bon cette tarte!”
Tarte?!
“Mais c’est une quiche!” I said sure of myself. Read the rest of this entry »
Cream Cheese – Raw Vegan Style
Posted: 05/21/2011 Filed under: Eating for Health, Gluten-Free, Raw Foods, Recipes, Vegan | Tags: cashews, cream cheese, Gluten-Free, health, nuts, raw food, Recipe, vegan 2 Comments »
When I first moved to France, it was nearly impossible to find real American cream cheese. The only place that I was able to find it was at La Grande Epicerie de Paris for an extortionate price. I never bought it - considering my money better spent on discovering the numerous French cheeses. Read the rest of this entry »
Fennel Risotto
Posted: 11/17/2010 Filed under: Gastronomy, Gluten-Free, Recipes, Wine Pairings | Tags: Arborio Rice, Fennel, Recipe, Risotto Leave a comment »
I learned how to make risotto while I was working in a little Italian restaurant in Australia (luckily the owner and chef was a petite Italian woman, because the kitchen was just about as big as my Parisian closet… tiny!) The owner, Laura, was passionate about Italian home cooking, art, and, most of all, conversing with her faithful customers and fellow shop owners in the neighborhood. In fact, she would often disappear in the middle of service and I would inevitably find her chatting away with an old friend around the corner. She made it very clear from the start that, despite her status as chef, she preferred socializing than working. This meant two things. Firstly, that when she disappeared the cooking was up to us…the servers. Secondly, that I learned all of her secrets, including how to make a good, creamy risotto. Read the rest of this entry »
