A week of French Food

This week I've been given the gift of time during my spring break.  My children and I are on different schedules for school so I've been alone much of the week.  It's been a great time to hit the pause button, go to yoga, read books, watch my TV and of course cook.  I received Mimi Thorisson's 2 books for my birthday in February and I thought it was time to start delving in.  The pictures are beautiful and what I have tried so far is delicious.  Of course I also did a nod to Julia and Dorrie Greenspan's Around my French Table.  What follows are pictures of my various French dishes throughout the week.

For lunch Dorrie's celery-celery soup.  This is a combination of apples, celery root and celery. It's sweet and light.  I served it with cheese and bread for a wonderful lunch.

To keep warm in late winter early spring, thanks to Julia, I made a potato gratin with kielbasa sausage layered inside.  This is one of her variations in Mastering Vol. 1.

Next for dinner I made poulet chasseur, from Mimi Thorisson's French Country Cooking.  A delightful combination of braised chicken legs, mushrooms, onions and sage.  I served it with polenta and asparagus for Sunday dinner. I also made chestnut bread.  Not having used chestnuts, I find the bread to have a very different interesting flavor. 

Finally this week from A Kitchen in France I made Chocolate Meringues.  The recipe called to serve them with chocolate sauce and whip cream.  I like sweet, but this was a bit too sweet.  I think next time I serve the meringues I'll serve them with fresh strawberries or raspberries and whip cream.  

Bon Appétit!

 and as always with love from the Midwest,

Beth 

Lunch on a hot summer's day

Lunch is in general not something I really love during the school year.  I try to make it interesting, but I'm still making it the day before and warming it up.  One of the things I really like about the weekends or vacation is the ability to make a lunch for that moment.  In the summer that means cool summer salads.  Today since it is 80 degrees and sunny that means eating on my patio wearing my sunglasses and hat and enjoying on of my favorites, peaches and Burrata cheese. If you haven't tried Burrata yet you must.  It is a much creamier version of fresh Mozzarella.   The peaches are from a local farmer, Sleepy Hollow Produce, who uses the same Georgia farmer every year, and the peaches are always excellent. I can honestly say I've never had a bad peach.  The Burrata is from Bel Gioioso, they also make my favorite Ricotta cheese for breakfast.

 The salad today includes;

Peaches -peeled and sliced

Burrata -torn

Fresh taragon -chopped

Procuitto - a few slices

A drizzle of olive oil and black pepper

I served mine with a slice of my sourdough bread.  

Honestly I think the only thing that would have made this better is a glass of wine.  

With love from the midwest,

Beth 

A Few of My Favorites... Cookbooks part 1

I love cookbooks.  When I get a new one I like to read them from cover to cover and mark them with little post-it notes of recipes to try. I probably have too many, but over the years I have collected a few that I've used more than one or two recipes.  

The Joy of Cooking is really a useful book that every cook should have in their kitchen. No there aren't glossy photos, but there are some great recipes to teach you how to cook.  In addition there is a recipe or use for almost anything you can think of as well as teaching you to apply what you've learned to other foods.  I've learned how to make several sauces, use up chicken and make great fruit pies.

The Bread Bible is my favorite (quick and yeast) bread cookbook.  The directions are clear and not overly complicated. A few of my favorites are: cracked wheat bread, vanilla waffles, pain de campagne, and 7 grain honey bread.  

Deborah Madison's Vegitarien Cooking for Everyone is a great book for everything non meat oriented.  I love my meat however it is really nice to expand one's repertoire of side dishes, breakfasts, desserts and meatless mains.  I use her mixed leftover vegetable soup recipe as one of my main go to quick lunches on the weekend. I also love her breakfast musuli, zucchini fritters and saffron noodle bake.

The last one for today is The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2007.  I just really like the recipes I've tried in this book.  They are clear and easy to read. Date-nut bread, Sirloin steak with mustard sauce, and Alabama BBQ chicken are great.  Just to name a few.

I encourage you to go and dust off some of your old cookbooks and see what is inside. Maybe it is a forgotten favorite or something totally new.

As always, bon appétit!
Beth 

New cookbook

Every once in a while I purchase a new cookbook.  I love cookbooks. I really do.  I read them like books.  I've been enjoying watching Jacques Pépin in PBS lately.  He has such an easy style.  So I thought I'd give the companion cook book a try.  As you can see by the photo I've marked with orange notes what recipes to try.  I can't wait to try his Rice Paper Rolls with Avocado and Sun-dried Tomatoes as well as well as Pumpkin Gratin and Corn Parfait.

What are some new cookbooks you've tried recently?

Beth