November 2006 Archive

November 30, 2006

Le Pain qu'on ne pétrit pas

[No-Knead Bread] Complete fiascoes are few and far between in my kitchen. I'm not sure whom to thank for this -- my lucky star, my karma, my mom? -- but the fact is that the things I cook or bake very rarely end up in the trash. I have disappointments of course, dishes that turn out a bit meh despite my high hopes, but nothing quite as débâcle-l...

"Le Pain qu'on ne pétrit pas" continues »

November 28, 2006

Biscuits Très Gingembre

[Very Ginger Cookies] One should always be careful what one writes about on one's blog, for one never knows what hungry demons one might unleash as one mulls over edible memories from one's past. After I wrote about shortbread last week and listed some of the things we liked to buy at Marks & Spencer's, I could not get their stem ginger biscuit...

"Biscuits Très Gingembre" continues »

November 22, 2006

Cours de Boulangerie

[Bread Baking Class] Hi, my name is Clotilde, and I have conquered my fear of yeast. For years and years, everytime a recipe called for yeast -- dry, instant, fresh, whatever -- I would write it off with a resigned sigh, like the plain teenaged girl writes off the popular unkempt boy, thinking, "He's not for me." I didn't know the moves, I did...

"Cours de Boulangerie" continues »

November 17, 2006

Shortbread

I grew up in the most anglophile French household I know, where the paperbacks strewn about the coffee table often bore little penguins, where the parents used English as a secret language when they didn't want their daughters to understand, and where sending them to England every summer sounded like a good idea (that question is still up for deb...

"Shortbread" continues »

November 14, 2006

Soupe de Haricots Verts aux Amandes

[Green Bean and Almond Soup] None of my friends need to be reminded how I feel about Rose Bakery, their salad plates, their assortment of British goods (including Neal's Yard cheeses), and their superb sweets that one simply must try and reproduce at home. "Where should we go for lunch in your neighborhood?" they ask. "I like Rose Bakery," I rep...

"Soupe de Haricots Verts aux Amandes" continues »

November 10, 2006

Scones au Gouda Vieux et Poires Séchées

[Aged Gouda and Dried Pear Scones] Before we begin, I would like to address the scone/biscuit question. To Americans, a biscuit is the hand-held version of a quick bread, leavened with baking powder. Usually round and savory, the American biscuit may be served in place of bread to accompany a main course, especially if said main course involves ...

"Scones au Gouda Vieux et Poires Séchées" continues »

November 8, 2006

Poires Séchées

[Dried Pears] I oven-dry tomatoes all through late summer, when I can lay my hands on cheap and tasty specimens, and I like to apply that method to pears in the fall, too: the drying sublimates the pear flavor into a hauntingly sweet concentrate of itself. This does mean it is a good way to cut your losses on below-average pears, but for superb ...

"Poires Séchées" continues »

November 6, 2006

Chocolate & Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen

[Click here to enlarge.] As those of you who subscribe to the C&Z newsletter already know, my upcoming cookbook is now available for pre-order on Amazon (and on Amazon.fr, too). It feels quite peculiar to see it there, as does each step that leads to the book's release* and makes it more real: I have seen the production schedule, I have gone ov...

"Chocolate & Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen" continues »

November 2, 2006

Cake à la Banane Flambée et Noix de Pécan Caramélisées

[Flambé Banana Bread with Caramelized Pecans] One of the things I love the most about kitchen activities is that they come in all shapes and sizes to fit your mood, and how much time you have on your hands. Whether you're looking for instant gratification or a way to spend some quality moments with your pans and spatulas, there is a project out ...

"Cake à la Banane Flambée et Noix de Pécan Caramélisées" continues »