

Not a cassoulet - leftovers 3
"The cassoulet is a dish which may be infinitely varied so long as it is not made into a mockery with a sausage or two heated up with...
Nov 1, 2023


Solving the leftover problem - 1
"The main flavouring ingredients should be well spiced and piquant; they can vary according to the taste and skill of the cook." Jane...
Oct 29, 2023


A ball of string
I took the above photograph back in April. This week I decided to change the 'wallpaper' on my computer desktop which I do every few...
Oct 19, 2023


Normandy apples and cream
"The best thing I know between France and England is the sea." Douglas William Jerrold Last week was a guru week and it was Jane...
Oct 16, 2023


Deconstructing Tomates Provençales
"Why mess with perfection?" Jamie of Jamie and Julia I began with this Baked tomatoes, crumbs and herbs from Nigel Slater in a recent...
Sep 21, 2023


Orzo or rice? with chicken
"an urgent need for dishes that served to soothe rather than excite. " Nigel Slater Nigella gets top billing again - this time with her...
Sep 16, 2023


Sainte Ménéhould
"I only wish I could have cooked it for her, as I know it was one of her favourites. We would have drunk a bottle of old Rhone with it....
Sep 14, 2023


History in a kind of pancake - or flatbread, maybe even chips
Cecina, Asfrisciolata, Socca, Turta, Turtellassu, Fainá, Torta di ceci, Calentita, Panisse, Panelle, Pizza a caballo ... so many names...
Sep 9, 2023


Fruit toad in the hole - Clafoutis
"This seemingly simple recipe baffled me for many years, as I endlessly ended up with a leaden duffer of a pud, so much so that I quite...
Sep 2, 2023


Herbes de Provence
"When tidying up your herbs at the end of the summer, cut lots of each, tie them in bundles, dry in a cool, dry, airy place and turn them...
Aug 26, 2023


A new word - gastrique
"The best thing about learning how to make a gastrique is that it's extremely easy for the clueless chef to do. It makes a simple dish...
Aug 10, 2023


French in Fitzroy
"the things Melbourne and France value in dining: character, charm, classics executed well and an atmosphere-charged place to take it all...
Jul 26, 2023


A dish to make if you have a spare bottle of Crème de Cassis
"A thick rich taste that is felt as much as tasted. Deep jammy currants roll over and coat the tongue in a wave of black currants. Like...
Jul 18, 2023


A French lunch on Bastille Day
"It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?" A. A....
Jul 15, 2023


An oldie but a goodie
"There was this woman tossing French omelettes, splashing eggs about the place, brandishing big knives, panting heavily as she careened...
Jul 11, 2023


Why do Paris when you can do la France profonde?
"To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a...
Jun 28, 2023


Carrot soup
"a recipe designed to be as fluid as the weather" Nigel Slater Yesterday I wrote about boredom and looking at the title of this post you...
Apr 29, 2023


Cuisse de canard rôtie aux prunes
"It is rich meltingly tender when young, and fairly cries out to be simmered with wine, herbs and brandy" Robert Carrier This is my...
Apr 21, 2023


Shreds
"a strip of material, such as paper, cloth, or food, that has been torn, cut, or scraped from something larger." Oxford Languages...
Apr 5, 2023


Bostock
"quite possibly the best-tasting yet widely unknown breakfast treat you’ll find." Erin Clarke/Well Plated Do you know what a bostock is?...
Mar 19, 2023

