France Archives - Spoon & Suitcase

Blueberry Hill

Posted on July 25, 2012August 8, 2017 by Mary

Corner of Tarte — This tart is oh, so French!

As a pastry chef, fruit desserts were my specialty as well as my favorite pastries to create. If fruit was in season, it showed up in abundance in my pastry case from Strawberry Napoleons to a Blueberry Bourbon Cream Cake, a tall tower of thin cakes spread and layered with a light bourbon cream and fresh blueberries. It was delicious and decadent! If this blueberry cake recipe interests you, let me know and I will post it.

In researching blueberries in France, I came upon the region of Auvergne, just north of where I stayed in Languedoc, where blueberries reign and a famous Tarte au Myrtilles originated. I made the European version but was a bit disappointed with the results so chose to modify a Cooking Channel recipe with crème fraîche to give it a French flair.

Jacques Pepin’s recipe for Pate Sucre or a sugar cookie crust is by far my favorite.

Berries ready to go — Mis on place. Ready to get started.

Filling — The pillow top filling of cream cheese, crème fraîche and sugar.

Blueberry Sauce — Gently cook the berries to retain their gorgeous shape.

Pouring in filling — Mom pours the luscious berries over the creamy filling.

Finished Tarte — Decked out and ready to eat. I like the rustic look of it.

Each version of a fruit tart, like the Clafoutis, is a variation on a theme, each one with a different twist.

This weekend mom and I made multiple blueberry desserts and chose the best to share with you. My mom made divine blueberry sour cream ice cream.

Blueberries & Cream — Blueberries and Cream Ice Cream. You will not be satisfied with just one scoop!

Blueberry X 2 — A duet of flavors. The picture shows how beautifully the ice cream pairs with the tart.

Speaking of my mom, let me introduce her. She is a gourmet cook from the get-go, I’m sure inheriting the genes of her mother who also had a gift in the kitchen.

We’ve spent many days and nights cooking together canning mango chutney, pitting cherries or creating jams with the apricots from her tree. She is my inspiration. As we were steeped in blueberries and trying recipes, she began to tell me her blueberry story. I’d love to share it with you.

Blueberries…….How I wish I lived in the places where blueberries grow wild. My mom tells me stories of how she picked blueberries right in front of the cottage where her family vacationed in Michigan. If she and her sister filled a large pail of berries, Swedish pancakes were the reward. Her grandfather’s cousin, Uncle Axel, resided in another house on the property and was a master cook at those delectable pancakes smothered in blueberry “syrup”. Of course they ate as many as they picked but what was in the pail, appeared on cereal in the morning, in pie after dinner, and just “as is” in a bowl to eat as you passed by. My mom says that there has never been a blueberry that tasted as sweet and delicious as the wild ones that grew around Higgins Lake in Michigan.

Up Close — Anticipating the first bite of these juicy little gems.

Since I don’t live in “blueberry country”, I must do with the large containers of berries from Oregon and other growing places. What to do with them? Take a page out of mom’s childhood. Make syrup, make pies, make crumbles, and kuchens. Add them to a bowl of mixed fruit for a salad, and if you are so inclined, crank up the ice cream maker and add the blueberries to a custard for a cool and refreshing dessert.

Happy Birthday Mom!!

To make these desserts, you can visit these websites for the recipes:

Blueberry Tart In improvising, I made Jacques Pepin’s Pate Sucre recipe and added more crème fraîche than sour cream.

http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/laura-calder/fresh-blueberry-tart-recipe/index.html

Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream

http://jcocina.com/blueberry-sour-cream-ice-cream-4th-of-july-holidayrecipeclub/

Ruby Beauties

Posted on July 13, 2012May 20, 2017 by Mary

Powdered C820 — Cherry Clafoutis in its glory.

Hi my faithful readers,

Do you sometimes get that overwhelmed feeling? That’s where I am today. I so want to share with you everything that is swirling around in my head. But where do I find the time? Since returning from France with a million ideas to post, I find that my garden, my home, my real workplace, my dogs, and everything else is catching up with me..so be patient and as soon as I get caught up, my posts will come as regularly as you have come to expect. For now, enjoy the season of cherries.

I know summer has arrived when the cherries have finally made their appearance at my local markets. Worldwide shipping has made it possible to have peaches, nectarines and plums in out-of-peak season but there is only one cherry season – thank goodness.

P1010258 — Wild sweet cherries along the trail.

The French love their cherries. Most homes I visited in the Dordogne have backyards abundant with fruit trees and they all have a couple of cherry trees. The hiking trails of southern France are dotted with wild cherry trees and hikers often stop for a quick nibble. Last year while hiking in the Perigord region, I was fortunate to experience this treat, along with the fraises des bois or wild strawberries that grew along the roadside.

P1010259 — Our hiking group enjoying a snack courtesy of Mother Nature. Note the cherry trees on the right.

My friend Jacques invited me to have drinks with friends of his in Villeneuve. When we arrived, our hostess was in the kitchen, her table overflowing with the harvest of her cherry trees. She explained that it was taking her all day just to pit the cherries so she could preserve her bounty. Of course, she will make the French traditional dessert, clafoutis as well.

SAM_0803 — Fresh, ruby cherries await their future.

Clafoutis is a country French dessert originating from the Limousin region. This rustic cherry-studded pancake, pronounced kla-foo-TEE, is a favorite among many French households. In fact, everywhere I was invited, it was cherry clafoutis – for an afternoon snack or for dessert. One thing that surprised me was that the home cooks do not pit their cherries. You just plow through the spongy cake, carefully chewing the cherry before removing the pit from your mouth somewhat gracefully. Upon researching the cherry and this recipe, I discovered that there is a very good reason for leaving the pits intact in the cherry. Traditionally the cherries were left unpitted so the kernels could release their delicate almond flavor as they baked.

Finished Clafoutis44 — Beautifully puffed straight out of the oven.

The recipe I’ve included here is from Joanne Weir in a Fine Cooking Magazine. Here is a link for the recipe. http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/cherry-almond-clafoutis.aspx

I chose this recipe above all others because the sliced almonds gave it a sexier appearance and I liked the fact that the cherries are soaked in Kirsch, a cherry liquor, to give the clafoutis a bit more flavor.

My recipe turned out perfectly and I loved how the cherries embraced the edges of the pie dish, forming a pretty crust. You might want to make this to celebrate Bastille Day, this Saturday, July the 14^th.

Slice of C — Warm clafoutis with a dust of powdered sugar makes an elegant, yet simple summer dessert. Serve with ice cream or crème fraîche for added decadence.

Preserving and canning are also my summer passions but this year I wanted to do something other than making jam. After perusing various cherry recipes, I landed upon Brandied Cherries. Yum! These too are easy to make, will be lovely holiday gifts and delicious spooned over some vanilla ice cream. The recipe, which I successfully halved, is from Epicurious http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Brandied-Black-Cherries-102090

DSCN0629 — Poached cherries ready for their brandy syrup bath.

Spoon the cherries into pretty jars, let them macerate in a cool dark place for a few months (if you can wait) and you will be rewarded with the fresh taste of cherries with a hint of brandy. Sophisticated.

DSCN0631 — Glistening cherries will sleep for several months to intensify the brandy flavor. Spoon over ice cream and use the liquid as a base for a spritzer or champagne cocktail.

Fruit desserts are my favorite so look for more creations in upcoming posts. I just bought a pound of blueberries so I will be experimenting this week with new ideas. Until next week, a bientot!

Cassis – a seaside treasure

Posted on July 5, 2012August 8, 2017 by Mary

When I think of seaside villages I’d like to visit, quaint comes to mind. My vision includes somewhere petite, void of tourists, with charming cafes brimming with fresh local specialties, small fishing boats lining the wharf, an unpretentious air, and clean, clear blue water. Do these places really exist other than some remote tropical island in the middle of the ocean? At first I thought Cassis (pronounced Casee) would be that typical touristy seaside resort. After driving through Marseille, a rambunctious sprawling city, on the way to Cassis, I realize that anything else has to be more civilized and polite. By the way, Cassis is a delicious black currant liqueur usually poured into a champagne flute followed by, what else, champagne and is called a “kir.” This dark purple liqueur originated in eastern Burgundy and is not affiliated with the village of Cassis.

Gorgeous wharf — This fits my petite and quaint criteria. I adore the pastel colored houses which frame the wharf.

The road to Cassis is windy with sharp turns and glimpses of ocean. The route we want to take called the Route des Cretes, for even more of a thrill, traverses steep cliffs overlooking the sea but is closed for construction. Disappointed, we look for other roads into the city. A very friendly woman gives us more directions than we can handle, and with our CD-learned French, we smile happily, thank her profusely and head downward which seemed in the right direction to the ocean. Soon we are in the neighborhood. Nous arrive!

Ville with a view — I love the view of this fortress admiring the simple, but classy ville below.

Watching the other cars, we take note and park up the hill, avoiding the one-way streets and possible crowds below. We follow a steep cobblestone street, which luckily lands us smack dab in the middle of town.

Seaside cafes — The ambiance is overwhelming. So many cafes to choose from.

Cassis is small for such a popular seaside village. It rests at the bottom of a hill and has views of sea, sky and old fortresses. Intimate and colorful cafes line a short wharf, lined with fishing boats the size of an olive tree. To me, this is an indication that the fish on the menu is pulled out of the ocean daily. As we start to relax and settle into the warmth of the heating sun, we notice that this is not a tourist magnet. Café tables are filled with locals congregating for lunch. The vibe is low key and not frantic. Life slows down a notch. Eager for a seafood lunch, the restaurant we choose with the tastiest menu selections will close soon so we cannot be seated. The French definitely adhere to their lunch and afternoon time off schedules. A few cafes away, Café Cesar is happy to accommodate us. The menu looks basic, but basic it is not. Naively I order a shrimp cocktail and Bonnie an octopus salad. While waiting for our lunches, delicious aromas fill the air and our eyes follow the platters coming out of the kitchen brimming with fish and sauces and heaps of prawns and mussels. Blatantly, we stare at the table next to us and wonder why we didn’t order what they had. When our plates arrive, we are pleasantly surprised to see chunks of strikingly purple octopus and salmon colored prawns generously piled high on a bed of fresh, green, gorgeous lettuce, drizzled with a tangy and flavorful dressing. All the salads we have been fortunate to eat in France have been artistically presented and hearty.

Salade octopus — The octopus melted in your mouth – so tender and gushing with flavors of herbs and vinegars.

Salade crevette — I ordered a shrimp cocktail and this is what I got! Incredible and the crevettes (shrimp) taste of a clean and fresh sea.

The ocean sits a short walk from the cafes. There are smells of suntan lotion and briny sea air. Squeals of joy and sounds of giggling and laughter provide the accent for the splashing waves in the background. Scantily clad men and women of all ages relish in the sunshine and warm water. Groups of friends gather to enjoy a day at the beach. I know there are tourists here, including us, but it seems more local than “touristy.” The Mediterranean glistens with hues of aquamarine blues and greens, sharing its saltiness in the breeze. Yes, this is a place I could spend a few days.

Beach crowd — Such a gorgeous day to spend with friends.

Two French women — We try to fit in but really needed to be in bathing suits!

After dipping our toes in the warm water, and soaking up a few rays, I am now hungry for ice cream. It seems like everyone is carrying a cone of some sort, stuffed with chocolate, vanilla and other flavors of the south. On the main street, a gelato shop called Amorino catches our eye with the colorful ices in the window. You order by the size of the container and can choose as many flavors as will fit into that size. I think I squeeze in about six tastes ranging from noisette and strawberry to coffee and nougatine. Every melting bite is delicious.

Every region has its own specialties and shops that show them off. I am lured into one by baskets of perfectly shaped cookies with flavors of anise, rosemary, chocolate and lemon. Local olive oils and vinegars, herbes de Provence, lavender and jams also line the shelves. I buy a 4 oz. bottle of lemon basil olive oil that has a spray top so you can mist your salads. I also purchase rose wine vinegar infused with herbes de Provence with the same spray top. So clever. The creative packaging shows the typical French artistic flair. Rows of jams, baskets of marshmallow sticks, and tins of dried herbs have my camera clicking. What I like about stores like these is they are not a chain and an artisan is in the back, creating all the edible showpieces for which Provence is famous.

Marshallow sticks — Marshmallow sticks including the flavor “cola.”

Lovely oils & vinegars — A terrific selection of pungent oils and tangy vinegars awaits us.

Pretty packaging — I love the packaging and especially love that these herbs are local and organic.

Spectacular candied fruits are a specialty of the region.

Our day in beautiful Cassis has ended but leaves us with fond memories of a relaxed and laid back fishing village, full of color and warmth. I will return.

Look for my weekly posts on food and travel in which I will share more stories of France and soon-to-come recipes.

Hunting for Chanterelles

Posted on June 27, 2012May 25, 2024 by Mary

I first heard about Jacques through my mom. She and my niece Maya spent two weeks at a grandparent-granddaughter Elderhostel in Villeneuve, France five years ago. My mom forms life-long relationships everywhere she goes, and she and Jacques, the French teacher, quickly became friends and then pen pals. Just so you know where Villeneuve-sur-Lot is, it is about two hours southeast of Bordeaux, in the heart of Bastide (walled cities) and wine country. My mom introduced me to Jacques via email and soon we were conversing about my upcoming travel a year ago to France. He graciously offered his “city” home to me while he reined over his summer “country” home outside of town. What I did not realize was that Jacques, a teacher by profession, was also a treasure trove of French history and culture. While in Villeneuve, he became my tour guide and introduced me to the customs, conversation, and little nuances that make the French so French. Tall for a French man (he’s half Italian), with longish grey hair often spilling out of a baseball hat and a wry smile, I was now seeing France through his steely blue eyes. One topic that often came up was hunting for wild mushrooms. His father taught him the secrets of finding these delicacies at a very young age. Jacques keeps jars and jars of mushrooms preserved in his pantry and is always searching for wild fungi on his frequent hikes in the forest. I secretly think he is obsessed with finding these much sought-after tasty morsels. Just last week, he sent me a note with photos of his recent mushroom find. I was amazed to hear it was near a place we had visited together, Bonaguil Castle, which I had found enchanting.

I felt as if I was in an epic movie. This gorgeous King Arthur castle, surrounded by woods hiding delicate mushrooms, is a perfect setting.

This week my friend Jacques wrote to me about his latest mushroom conquest.

Hello Mary!

Hope you’ll able to open and read the pictures I enclosed (I took them on Thursday). Those pictures are showing the last harvest I did in the numerous woods which are to be found close to Bonaguil (you remember the famous and so nice medieval castle of Bonaguil) .

Mysterious and elegant at the same time. So many stories to tell…

While visiting the castle last year, Jacques said that he had grown up nearby and that, as a child, he and his friends had the “keys” to the castle. When I asked what this meant, he replied that this was their personal “fort” where they were free to roam, explore, and live their wildest dreams. Such a childhood. Bonaguil was not yet a destination castle and was fairly unkempt, so it was wide open to curious kidlets.

Bonaguil’s entrance. Were there no keys?

We call those wild mushrooms “girolles ” or “chanterelles”…

Fresh and woodsy. I can smell the earth. Did the King’s servants hunt for these same mushrooms?

If you can’t have their smell, please look at the wonderful yellow colour they have ….maybe you ‘re thinking they ‘re easy to be found …then you would be wrong because such mushrooms grow under a thick carpet of brown dead leaves, so you must be for sure eagle-eyed to see them

Pidgeons scoping out where the mushrooms are hidden.

And you have to be very experimented too …I first followed my dear father in the forests when I was 7 or 8 years old! So I ‘m an old seeker right now!

Those “girolles” are so good fried in a pan with eggs, garlic, parsley and olive oil of course.

But you can eat them with chicken, pork or… rabbit ( we’re French!).

Which wine to choose ? Maybe a good red Bordeaux …or a white one with the French special omelette. (Meaning if you are to eat them with an omelette. Perhaps a good Viognier or Sancerre?)

A very special addition to any dinner. How fortunate the French are to be able to walk out their door, and Mother Nature is there to provide in the most gourmet way possible!

Just a last word: before cooking you must clean them …with a very smooth brush please, because the numerous gills under their cap are often very dirty (sand, leaves, small slugs and so on).

I must taste them right now …….hum so good .

Santé!

I am very excited about hunting one of my favorite fungi foods (my frig is never void of them) next year. Chanterelles and Truffles here I come!

Cathar Country

Posted on June 10, 2012May 25, 2024 by Mary

I first learned of Cathars from my friend Jacques, who wrote to me that his hiking group was planning a tour of these great monuments. Curious, I looked up what a Cathar was and where they were located. As it turns out, they are scattered throughout the Languedoc region very near to Carcassonne.

A web search revealed the history behind the Cathars, the name of the tall hilltop, castle-like structures, and the name of the people who inhabited them. The Cathars were a group of austere believers who formed their interpretation of Christianity around the 9^th century. Wikipedia states the word “Cathar” comes from the Greek word katharos, meaning unpolluted or “the pure ones.”

Preferring not to acknowledge the Old Testament, they lived very basic lives, were vegetarians, and were pacifists. By the 12^th century, the religion had quite a following, mostly in southern France and northern Italy. At this time, the Pope, believing the Cathars were heretics, ordered a crusade against them in an attempt to wipe them out, which eventually occurred, often in tortuous manners. What remains are magnificent outcroppings springing forth far away from villages on lonely country back roads.

La Grasse is a small, delightful village we stumbled across along the Cathar trail. Here, we enjoyed a fresh salad of local vegetables and anchovies, which tasted nothing like the canned version in the US.

Every salad is an art form and an expression of the local ingredients.

I hope this parrot made it. He looked a little over-heated!

I loved the color in this tiny ville on our road trip.

The light was high in the sky until 9:30 p.m., when dusk finally sank in, so our Peugeot just kept taking us further and further into the green landscape. Some of the Cathars I photographed are unnamed because they were in the distance and unmarked. If you are fascinated by history like I am, viewing the Cathars is well worth the effort it takes to reach them in the countryside of southern France. You will also be surprised by the quaint villages you happen to chance upon.

Green, Red & Ancient

Posted on June 7, 2012May 22, 2024 by Mary

Bonnie and I are now staying in a tiny town in Provence near Avignon called Noves. Our little apartment is actually part of an old mill on a twelve-acre estate called Le Moulin de la Roque. This gem of a villa is tucked into a wooded area lush with tall trees and ancient stone, hosted by the warm and friendly Gaby and Guy. http://www.moulindelaroque.com/

Our sweet apartment at Moulin de la Roque.

Gaby was happy to share her favorite parts of Provence and insisted we see the nearby Luberon region of France. Peter Mayle wrote his famous book A Year in Provence there, and now I know what drives throngs of tourists here each year. Our Peugeot winds us back and forth past lavender fields, not quite in bloom, interspersed with lime green vineyards and groves of sagey green olive trees. The lighting is soft, and I feel as if I am driving through a painting. From the valley, we ascend uphill, taking more than a few hairpin turns. My breath is taken away as I turn the corner and peer to the right. Perched high upon a steep cliff is the ancient village of Gordes, so majestically rooted into the earth. This is one of the most photographed sites in France.

Bonnie and me at the outlook before driving over into Gourdes.

Gordes is now a traditional Provençal village with cobblestone paths that wind past boutiques and bistros and lead to a church and a castle. This year, the church houses photo exhibits featuring the work of Hans Sylvester, who became famous for documenting Provence in the 1950s. Specialty shops like this produce stand, and local product shops are numerous.

We lunch outdoors, munching on a pizza of Corsican sausage, olives, and chestnuts and a salad of tomato and chevre (goat cheese).

Nearby is the village of Roussillon, where the red ochre stone dominates and contrasts with the Monet blue sky. The colors are so deep, I cannot capture them with a camera, only with my eyes and mind. The depth of vibrancy is reminiscent of Santa Fe.

Magenta fleur — Color abounds in every groove of Roussillon.

Red walls provide a pretty contrast to blues and pinks.

This red is splattered over the entire town.

SAM_0586 — Even the pigeons love it here.

Quiet cafe. Perfect for viewing the light changes.

A day of light, color, and surprises has ended. I am so grateful for this mind-expanding experience.

Until next time,

Bonjour!

Posted on May 27, 2012May 13, 2024 by Mary

The seemingly endless jet lag and lack of wifi until today have stalled this blog – but not for long! I am still figuring out how to add the correct accent marks to the French words so please forgive their absence for now.

We arrived in Toulouse Friday night, and then traveled to Carcassonne Saturday afternoon. This medieval ville is a fortified French town in the region of Languedoc & Roussillon. High on a hilltop is perched the older, Cite de Carcassonne, a fairy-tale-like castle, settled as far back as the sixth century BC by Romans and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Below the Cite lies the ville of Carcassonne, a bastide and beautiful walled city in its own right.

Carcassonne’s lively energy is evident in the many colorful cafes and bistros that crowd its place, or plaza. Lured by the smell of intoxicating spices from a tiny Moroccan restaurant that was closed, we curiously peered through the window to see bright orange walls and about four small tables. The owner, Nibil, noticed us and enthusiastically invited us in through the back door. Once inside, he introduced us to his wife, the chef, who creates all the Moroccan dishes with fresh ingredients daily. Excited to share his love of food and people with us and as a sign of friendship, he offered us a small glass of Moroccan white wine. We promised to return for dinner one night this week. Meeting the real people who live here and getting the behind-the-scene tours is what life is all about. I’ll take lots of photos!

These photos are a snapshot of this pretty ville.

The markets are closed today and tomorrow for a holiday so I can’t get my fix until Tuesday. More on food and the fabulous dinner we had last night later…

Au Revoir!

Mary

Tag: France