Comics and Doodles and Good Byes

Having 10 hours of French language class a week begins to wear on you by around week 2. My friend Laura coped by constructing elegant postures to hide her napping habit. I, on the other hand, doodled… constantly. Whether attempting to master the Times New Roman font in pen or drawing people in my class (and in the case of German vocab master, turning them into pirates), I was left with a collection of hundreds of sheets covered in doodles.

I also took a comic book class this semester. For our final, two of us decided to get our hands dirty and attempt our own comic books, along with an accompanying critical essay. 10 pages of critique and 3 extremely unfinished looking pages of comic strips later, I am handing it all in tonight at our farewell dinner. This marks the close of my semester abroad and my delusions that I actually know how to draw. I have so much respect for illustrators and comic book makers, it’s unreal.

To be honest, I’m feeling really sad about leaving France. It has been an amazing semester and I thank my host family and the warm people of Grenoble… and the fine artisan bakers for making it so special. This sadness is tempered by excitement to travel to Berlin, Brussels, Bruges, and London with my friend Jon before returning stateside. This will be my last post until 2010, so happy holidays and New Year and all that jazz.

Jumping the gun: Early New Years Resolutions

In the midst of a late night (read 2:42 am) paper writing session, and a momentary feeling of writer’s block, I have decided to use this time to announce publicly my resolutions for 2010. Please don’t be surprised that all of them listed here revolve around food, as it is in the title of the blog and is the focus of most of my non-school efforts. I probably will think of something non-food related at a later, more appropriate date. I have listed them in order of importance/urgency, to know which ones need to be handled sooner than others.

1. Decide between Local Agriculture/Slow Food Movements in Philly or Issues  in Anti-Hunger Advocacy in DC for my thesis topic and, subsequently, my summer plans.

2. Perfect the Macaron. These light, meringue based marvels are the fashionable pastry equivalent to cupcakes in France, except that they are impossibly difficult to make and, therefore, the perfect challenge for a fledgling pastry warrior. Flavors to learn (starred* flavors are ones that I have thought of as potentially great macarons, while the rest are flavors that exist in pastries around France): Chocolate, Raspberry, S’mores, Caramel Apple, Orange Blossom, Matcha Green Tea/Sesame, Red Velvet*, Mud Pie*, Blueberry Rosemary (inspired by a Cocktail)*, and Tomato Basil Mozzarella (my host mom told me about a baker at her office who makes savory macarons, and the idea does sound fairly crazy, potentially delicious)

3. Become a soup master. I don’t know what else to say about this one really, other than that I have realized abroad I really really like soups. Perfect comfort food, very nourishing, endless flavor combinations. 

4. Learn to make jams with the proportions the woman in Provence taught me. (Fig/Ginger, Strawberry, and Abricot). 

5. Open online Coconut Cake Wedding Cake Shop. I know I probably (definitely) won’t sell any, but it will give me the chance to make a really really big version of my favorite recipe of coconut cake (which I have yet to share on ff&f) and maybe one day add other items (like macarons and jams, made to order). 

I’m not going to reread what I wrote, because it will be funny in the future to have proof of my slow descent into madness during finals season abroad.

Nicole’s Perfect Pâte brisée.

My cooking teacher, Nicole, is a 60 something (if I had to guess) year old culinary school grad and daughter of a pastry maker . This means that she knows practically everything you’d ever want to know about French cooking. Our course is designed to teach us simple, versatile, and traditional French cooking that we can bring back home with us. While I absolutely adore her, I feel like I am walking on egg shells in her kitchen the entire class. I am told that I consistently under-salt and over-pepper, and all my work is double checked. So far, I have been doing everything to Nicole’s satisfaction (except for one Bechamel incident which wasn’t entirely my fault) and the course is definitely the highlight of my week.

One of the recipes that I am most grateful for is Nicole’s full-proof Pâte brisée recipe. It’s not everyday you get a pie crust recipe that has stood the test of generations of bakers and culinary school instructors. One thing you will notice about this recipe, is that it lacks the egg yolk many other traditional recipes use. I don’t know why, and don’t really care because the result is always a perfectly flaky crust. I asked for Nicole’s permission and she is thrilled to share the recipe with all of you, on the sole condition that you never forget the pinch of salt when you make it. 

Pâte brisée

200 g of Flour

100 g of Butter cut into small cubes (cold)

1 Pinch of Salt (!!!!!)

1/2 a cup of cold water

Combine the butter, flour and pinch of salt together with the tips of your fingers. Nicole explains that the tips of your fingers and your knuckles are the only appropriate parts of your hands to touch the dough, because they store the least amount of heat. Once well combined, add the water and kneed until it forms a ball. If it seems a little dry sprinkle a little water on it and kneed it again. Conversely, if it seems to sticky you can sprinkle a little flour on it continue to kneed. The result should be a firm ball of dough. Let cool in the fridge (or outside in the cold) for 30 minutes before using.

Since making a Leek Quiche with the dough in our course under the watchful (sometimes vaguely threatening) eyes of Nicole, I have used the recipe twice for my own pie creations. The first was an apple pie I made for my host family (who have continued to ask for American treats). I am referring to it as à la Grenobloise because I added local Grenoble walnuts in the topping. The second was for Thanksgiving when I made a pumpkin pie and a pecan pie with the recipe. 

I can’t really include recipes for any of the pies since I sort of experimented with all of them (except the pumpkin pie which was just standard back of the can instructions and not worth sharing anyway). Also, the apple pie was not very spicey because my host father doesn’t like cinnamon and the filling wasn’t as syrupy because you can’t get brown sugar in France, so I just opted for cane sugar. The pecan pie was a total guessing game because I substituted 1 cup  of corn syrup for a 454 g can of Lyle’s Golden Syrup. Needless to say, I will never use corn syrup again because LGS is way more delicious. It gives the pie a really nice caramelly taste instead of just sweetness like corn syrup. 

What I can include is a picture of the apple pie and a picture of Lyle’s Golden Syrup. Enjoy!

Early 90’s Music Appreciation Post

I keep listening to The Magnetic Fields’ The Wayward Bus and Liz Phair’s Exile in Guyville. Did anyone else expect college to be sort of like the early 90’s: sullen, flannel-wearing, and Baywatch obsessed? Ok, so maybe that wasn’t my expectation and more of just a strange parallel. 

I love how hilariously bad these vids are, but the Liz Phair one does make me want to do Karaoke a little bit. 

Chocolate Three Ways

OMGOMG I know!! I’m posting a recipe.  This is so strange.

I need this post. I am so swamped with work and ff&f seems like the perfect refuge from papers. Also, I finally got a picture from my professor of this dessert.

Weeks and weeks ago, the Grenoble group celebrated the birthdays of two students. Both are really big fans of chocolate, one so much so that she is willing to be shunned by the French (or so French language professors will have you believe) by drinking hot chocolate at all the little cafes that line the streets of this enchanting city (3 weeks to go and I’m already feeling nostalgic). I opt for “le petit cafe” because social anxiety drives me to conform, and because I really like the little spoons.

At any rate, I figured I’d try my hand at a “trio” of desserts and pretend I was on Top Chef for a night. Everything was really well received, even though I wasn’t thrilled with how the white chocolate on the candied orange peels tasted. *ff&f Warning* Nestle Baking White Chocolate doesn’t melt well at all and tastes funny.  

Moelleux au Chocolat- (Fudgey Chocolate Cake) I have notice that when it comes to their food, French people are extremely precise. It is for this reason that there are three words for chocolate cake (fondant, moelleux, and gateau). I was planning on doing a flourless chocolate cake, which I think falls closer on the range of fondant, but I got nervous as I was chopping the chocolate and opted to add some of flour. After searching around and reading the recommendations of French mothers on a parenting websites’ baking forum, I chose to add 100 g of flour and another egg. The flour brought it more to what I think a moelleux is, but maybe that’s because I soaked it in ganache while it cooled.

Cake

100 g of flour

125 g of sugar

200 g of butter

200 g of baking chocolate

4 eggs

Chocolate Ganache (follow any recipe you find. I think I used the first one that comes up on a Google search for ganache au chocolat, but it made way too much. It calls for 200 gr of chopped baking chocolate, 125 g whipping cream, and 50 grams of butter. Heat the cream and pour over chocolate, then melt in butter. It will look broken and loose at first… don’t panic.)

Cake Instructions:

Melt Chocolate and butter gently in a double boiler. Let cool a bit. Beat eggs and sugar together until pale yellow in color. Pour in chocolate and combine. Stir in flour just until combined. Bake at 375 for 15 to 25 minutes. Poke a few holes on the surface with a fork and then pour ganache over the top, just to cover the surface. Sprinkle some cocoa or powder sugar on top to if you don’t like shiny cakes. 

Hot Chocolate with Sceneted Marshmallows

I wish I kept track of this better, because it was pretty tasty, but for me Hot Chocolate is more of a feeling than a science. I used a mixture of milk and cream because I felt like it. Heat it up with cocoa and cane sugar to whatever intensity and sweetness you like and serve in espresso cups along with the cake and the orange peels. I also added a tablespoon of vanilla sugar to the pot, but usually I’d opt for a little vanilla extract. 

The special part about the hot chocolates was that I served marshmallows made by the amazing chocolate and candy makers at La Culte de Chocolat in Grenoble, along with the cups. They came in  plain, violet, anise, and lemon, but I only went with the first three. Anise was my clear favorite and definitely added a nice flavor to the hot chocolate. 

Candied Orange Peels, Dipped in Chocolate- 

I have explained how to do this in an earlier post (Bread Pudding Recipe), so I’ll keep it brief. Boil the peels in water (just the orange part) twice for 1 minute then boil them in a simple syrup for 5 minutes. Let them cool then dip them in melted chocolate. 

Ps. I’m sure there are a million typos but my English has seriously deteriorated, and I’m tired to edit tonight. Yay ff&f Lives!

Dissatisfaction Guaranteed

I know that I one point this blog had a stream (make that trickle) of steady viewers. They are probably long gone, since I am posting at a rate quickly approaching 0. I think about updating, I really do… just usually on a train en route to some weekend trip, or in bed before sleeping, or in a cafe where the thought of anything resembling work (homework included) seems grossly out of place. What I am trying to say is that while I do have lots to update, I can not offer a steady stream of posts until I return. 

Here is what I can offer to post sometime in the near future:

3 new recipes (Apple Pie à la Grenobloise, Mouelleux au Chocolat, Pumpkin Pie)

Rough translations of some of the recipes I’ve learned in my cooking cooking class  

A new batch of photographs

Some end of the semester reflecting

 

Budgeted Entertaining, or how to cook for 10 people for under 50 euros.

The benefit of an abroad program with only 9 students, is that we all become sort of an extended family here in France. This means that birthdays are celebrated together in our professor’s beautiful apartment. I decided to take command of the kitchen for Darcy’s birthday, our group’s second in France. Darcy is a vegetarian, but I wanted to create a meatless menu that would satisfy even the most carnivorous amongst us. Along with the resulting salad and pasta, Laura made some totally delicious guacamole for a starter and our professor purchased two tarts for dessert. The whole meal cost under 50 euros, but an attention to little details and good ingredients made it feel much more expensive. Below are the recipes modified for 4 people, but they are great for entertaining a crowd.

Salad with Pears, Fennel, and Emmental Tartines

1 head of soft, mild lettuce (I used a French type de salade that I haven’t ever seen in the states, but think butter/bibb lettuce)

2 small bulbs or 1 large bulb of fennel (Roast with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper at 350 F until tender and sweet… or leave it raw)

3 pears sliced thin

Vinaigrette (I used a mixture of Red Wine Vinegar, Olive Oil, Dijon Mustard, Honey, and Herbes de Provence)

2 cups of shredded Emmental cheese

8 or 12 rounds of baguette (I served two tartines with each salad, but 3 might be nice if you know your guests are hungry)

Directions:

Sprinkle cheese on each round and crack of pepper on top. Toast/melt in 350 over for around 2 minutes, until bubbly and browned.

Assemble and dress salad. Serve with Tartines and leave some extra vinaigrette for those who like their salad swimming.

Farfalle with Eggplant “meat” Sauce, Fresh Goat Cheese, and Basil

2 Large eggplants cut in large dice

4 roma tomatoes diced

1 shallot finely chopped

1 clove of garlic

2 tablespoons Herbes de Provence

Olive Oil

1 8 oz. can of plain Tomato Sauce

4 servings of Farfalle Pasta 

1 round of Fresh goat cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons of fresh basil, ripped 

Directions:

Liberally Coat the bottom of a heavy pot with olive oil. Add eggplants, tomatoes, shallot, garlic, and Herbes de Provence. Roast in 375 degree oven until veggies meld together and eggplant is tender (about 10-15 minutes). Remove from oven and add can of tomato sauce, salting and peppering to taste. Cover pot and heat on stovetop to keep warm.

Cook pasta, drain and toss in olive oil. Spoon over “meat” sauce. Sprinkle on some goat cheese crumbles and some basil. Serve with slices of baguette to soak up the sauce.

Ricotta Tart

I won’t even try to make an excuse for how poor of a job I am doing at updating ff&f this semester abroad. Luckily, I have been cooking a bit and return to bring you new recipes, so I feel I am earning my keep in the world of non-paid electronic journalism. As a point of reference, France is still wonderful.  I continue to slowly crawl towards that distant horizon of linguistic proficiency, all the while eating everything in sight.

This post is about a tart that was never meant to be. I knew I wanted to cook for my host family, but hadn’t the slightest clue what to make. My host brother took the lead when he declared he’s always wanted to try cheesecake. Without any hesitation I agreed. After learning that cream cheese and graham crackers are unavailable in France, I changed from a traditional New York cheesecake to an Italian, ricotta-based varietal. Ingredients purchased and aprons strings metaphorically tied, I was shocked to find out that a 9 inch round cake pan is fairly uncommon in French kitchens. With the clock ticking and meal time approaching, I decided to improvise with a tart pan, measuring just slightly over 10 inches. The result was a different, but altogether successful dish. So successful that I remade it for my professor’s birthday dinner, to 10 more pleased diners.

The tart is rich like a cheesecake, but in a different, denser sort of way. Sweetened only with honey, it seemed like a perfect platform for the phenomenally delicious figs of Les Halles, a beautiful gourmet market in Grenoble. For those of you keeping track, this is my second dessert comprised of honey and figs. I know it’s time to move on, but the flavor combination is just so perfect. 

Ingredients

~90 cg of fresh ricotta (I purchased 1 kg both times and eyeballed the amount. The first time I used about 85 and the second time about 93. This could be due to different ricottas or different honeys, but as long as it is smooth and tastes good, you are fine)

6 large eggs

2/3 cup of honey

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 lemon zested

1 package of Amaretti cookies (you will only need about 1 1/2 cups for the crust, but when you drop 1 crust on the floor and burn another when you try bland baking, having the whole package on hand is a life-saver.) 

1 small knob of butter melted , and one tab of butter for buttering the tart pan.

Several fresh figs. 

Directions:

Mix all ingredients except butter and cookies until combined. Butter pan. Crush cookies and mix with melted butter. Pour onto pan until evenly coated with a thin layer. Pour over ricotta mixture. Bake at 325 for between 25 and 35 minutes. Cover with sliced figs and paint on some warmed honey, or marinate fig segments in honey and a squeeze of lemon juice or put 2 or 3 on each slice.

The Dilettante’s Eye: Photos from my Weekend in Provence

Even though my first roll of film perished in the unfortunate film ripping incident of week three, my second attempt at photography with my dad’s old A-1 proved much more fruitful. Despite some ugly photos and random splotches of blue and a holographic dog (see below), I am generally pleased with the results. Our trip to Provence brought us to a vineyard, a monastery, 2 mountainy towns, and a castle. We stayed in small cottages run by a charming couple who cooked wonderful meals for us. They taught me their recipe for jams (60-40 ratio of fruit to sugar, plus a little something else I will share when i finally try the recipe), the difference between pates and terrines, and how to make radishes the perfect vessel for dips and tapenades (make an X shaped slit at the end of each radish). Despite all these amazing experiences, Provence was mostly a trip about lavender. I purchased 60 g’s of cooking lavender grown by monks, tried lavender biscuits, and watched the sunrise in a lavender field.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the roll (I splurged and got them put on a CD). The titles are in French to make them appear more authentically like art. Hope you freak out about these colors as much as I did. 

 ”Chateau de la Croix Chabrieres”

 ”Champ de Lavende”

 ”Aurore Lavande”

 ”Notre Dame de Senanque”

 ”Saint Nicholas” (can anyone confirm this?)

 ”Gordes”

 ”Chateau de Grignon”

 

Now for the oops…

 ”Le Chien Holographique”

Glace Gluttons 1

I am lucky to be traveling abroad with a group of students who appear to be just as passionate for ice cream as I am. We chow down on the cold stuff just about all the time. On the whole, you can except to find the usual culprits in any French ice cream shop, but also a bevy of new flavor combinations and interesting creations. I tend to focus on trying all of the unconventional flavors, and rely on the kindness of others to taste the tried and true ones. Here are the three ice cream spots that have really impressed me so far.

Punto Gusto (Grenoble)- This charming cafe and glacier whips up deliciously creamy ice cream. The man who works behind the counter is also a wizard with the ice cream spoon/scoop  and turns ice cream cones into floral sculptures like he’s been doing it his whole life (he really might have.) I accidentally deleted the pictures I took of the ice cream there… but I’ll return and snap a few so that you can see the flowers. 

Flavor to Try: Meringue- there is some serious French magic going into this ice cream because it is basically like eating freshly whipped meringue, only colder, denser, and fattier. Mmm… Their Fraise was also unbelievable, and there Toble (which we thought was toblerone flavored) is chocolate/orange and also a fine treat. 

Glacier des Alpes (Annecy)- Annecy is pretty touristy, so there are tons of glaciers on every street. We knew we stumbled upon the right choice when we saw our tour guide/social director, Vincent, waiting in the 20 person line. He told us this was the place to go for a scoop or two. We listened and weren’t disappointed. This family operated creamery, whips up a ton of different flavors. Every “parfum” I tried was great (5 in total amongst the group), so if you are in Annecy, this is a pretty safe bet.

Flavor(s) to Try: Kibana- I thought I was going to talk about the Honey Lavender ice cream I had when I ordered it, but a last minute decision to add a second scoop changed everything. Kibana is a combination of kiwi and banana, and it is out of this world. It basically tastes like banana ice cream with a little added tang. The chunks of kiwi in it really put it over the top. If you are interested in something less fruity/floral, try the Cookie Flavor. Vanilla ice cream, HUGE cookie chunks, and chocolate swirl… done deal. 

Royal Chocolate Carincotte (Grenoble)- Earlier today, on our way to do homework (or sit around a drink tea) Laura spotted a chocolate shop selling Fig ice cream and we decided to stop in. Royal Chocolate also happens to be the kitschiest/cutest chocolate shop I’ve seen so far in Grenoble. All the other clients were elderly, so you know they make good stuff. The owner is a really sweet lady, and I felt bad not ordering anything, but I had just eaten a pastry. After tasting Laura’s ice cream, I really wish I had.

Flavor to try: Figue- As long-time readers know, I made Honey Fig ice cream this summer. While I still think my version was successful, I had no idea the full potential of figs and ice cream. Royal’s version is so jam-packed with figs, that is a deep maroon in color. If figs were creamy, they would taste like this ice cream. I will definitely be returning to try their Mangue épicée flavor. Mango, lime, cardamum, and coriander in an ice cream? I’ll let you know how it goes. 

 

Also, here is how ice cream ought to be served (courtesy of Glacier Les Alpes and Darcy’s photos)…