March 27, 2004
Galette Repas... ou pas!
This Galette Essene is a small loaf of sprouted cereals bread, which I found at my organic grocery store. I talked about a galette essénienne before, but this is a different animal : where my former galette was brittle and cracker-like, this one is a moist little thing.
The package, by calling it a "galette repas" proclaims it can be eaten as a whole meal. It came in different flavors, and I chose the white bean, tomato and basil. I brought it to work for lunch, along with some cherry tomatoes.
I was intrigued, I was curious, I was atiptoe, I was happy : it's not everyday that you get to taste something entirely alien. I took a first bite. Interesting. The texture very cake-like, not too dense, and a sweet, earthy taste. I took a few more bites, thinking ha, isn't this cool, I'm having cake for lunch, what a fine discovery.
And then the phone rings, or I get interrupted one way or the other and I stop eating. And then it hits me. A powerful, bitter aftertaste. Ack. Bleh. Double Ack and triple Bleh. I take another bite, thinking you really have to be sure about those things, give the galette a chance to redeem itself. The sweet cakey feeling returns, I swallow, hold my breath, all alertness, and sure enough in a matter of seconds, wham, the unpleasantness is back. Nasty. The bitterness was similar to the one I had detected in the former galette, but much much worse, taken to a whole new level.
I throw the rest of it out, and lunch on just cherry tomatoes. Well let me tell you, cherry tomatoes do not constitute a whole meal. But that's okay, because the girl has cookies in her desk drawer too.
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Yum, French bread. I really miss the smell and atmosphere of Parisian boulangeries in the morning when I read your entries...
Je me souviens avoir acheté une de ces galettes dans une boutique Vie Claire. Mauvais souvenir. Beurk !
Par contre, lors d'un récent passage chez Ikéa, j'ai fait provision de rollmops sauce curry et moutarde, de Marabou choco/menthe, de sirop d'airelles et fait la découverte d'un incroyable gâteau aux amandes, chocolat et éclats de Daim (yum !).
Ce week-end, je tente les épiceries asiatiques de l'av. d'Ivry : )
Ne faut'il pas s'éduquer le palais ?
Vive les nouvelles saveurs !
Et encore bravo pour ton blog et les envies qu'il génère.
Proving again, sometimes new-fangled is not always better than old-fashioned! Your post in some ways reinforces my experience with a new cookbook "Lost Recipes" that I just reviewed. It attempts to resurrect some of the oldies but goodies that have all but disapeared from Americna cuisine.
And when all else fails--have a cookie!
You do make me laugh, Clotilde -- thank you!
Yes, you have described perfectly the experience I had tasting that same sprout bread a few weeks ago.. A bit dissapointing I tought, such an interesting bread yet...I might be an aquired taste. I sure would have to eat lots before I start appreciating this...
Josie - Yes, I pass four boulangeries on my way to work in the morning, the smell is just intoxicating!
JoYa - Veinarde! Le sirop d'airelle, ça doit être super! Tu t'en sers pour quoi?
Amy - Actually, these essenian breads claim to be just like the ones they ate in the Essenian brotherhood Jesus belonged to! Not exactly new-fangled! :)
Jackie - You are quite welcome, dear!
Chloe - Oh good, I'm glad I'm not the only one who's not quite tastebud-ready for it!