What is ?????

My friend Cathy's comments on my Facebook posting the other day (What is Gambas? what is Puy Réal ? etc) made me laugh and took me back to when I first arrived in Paris in 1990 and my first real encounter with French Cuisine and someone that knew loads about it. And who was a total Gourmet on top of it!

After a couple of hours walking around in amazement in the city of love and lights, I decided that that is where I want to live! (Knew no-one, did not speak a word of French, with only a tourist visa!! but had my 'Afrikaner' headstrongness and determination!!)

In front of the entrance to the Hôtel Particulier in which Mathilda had her appartment

So the first obstacle was to get a place to stay and a job - a little add on the noticeboard at the American Church said : 'Authoress looking for companion-cook. First Paris then Scotland!' This was for me!

Little did I know when I phoned from the nearest phonebooth (no cellphones in those days) that I'll work a short while for, and become friends with, Mathilda Mortimer, Dowager Duchess of Argylle.

Mathilda was a wonderful, eccentric woman who LOVED food. I was this real uncouthed girl from 'souf africa' that lived for 5 years in the Tsitsikamma Forest and knew NOTHING about cooking except the concoctions I made on my wood stove in the forest! She took me to the old Saint Germain du Pré market and taught me so many things about buying fresh fish, meat, veggies etc.  It was amazing. She also loathed going to restaurants on her own and this way I accompanied her (in her Ford Mustang Cabriolet - the first car I drove through the tiny streets of Paris) to many a great restaurant all over Paris (and learned even more about food with a capital F)!

In Matilda's flat rue Tournon, Paris

One of the first meals she wanted me to cook was a 'Blanquette de Lotte' and for dessert a 'Sabayon'.

So I asked her : 

What is Blanquette ?

What is Lotte (monkfish or devilfish) ?

What is sabayon - zabaglione??

* Blanquette - Originally invented to  make something with left over meat, blanquette has become a proper dish with an unctuous sauce - I suppose in English we'll call it a kind of stew! The basis for this Rural Stew is to cook the meat (or fish) in a white wine and vegetable stock and when ready to serve, coat it with a Roux sauce additioned with an egg yolk.

* Zabaglione - [zah-bahl-YOH-nay] is a simple Italian dessert made of egg yolks, sugar and Marsala wine (although you can use rum, or champagne, or sweet wine) and served warm. The French refer to this as Sabayon and it is used as a dessert or a sauce. Other variations include the addition of whipped egg whites to lighten the dish, as well as a frozen version.
A bit of History from one of the most incredible reference books on food :

ALAN DAVIDSON, The Oxford Companion to Food
'Zabaglione is said to have been invented in the 16th Century in Florence, Italy in the court of the Medici. This dessert is classified as a "caudle" rather than a custard.  A "caudle" is a sauce used as a custard to fill pies or tarts. The original pre-sixteenth century version was a drink made or wine or ale thickened with egg yolks.'

Now, if I get down to it sometime soon, will do step by step pics of how to do sabayon and post it - but you'll have to be patient!

Life is about sharing !



Bisous
Lynn

SHOWCOOK

I know I know, I do not really do the recipes, gram by gram explaining all in detail bit - but warned you all in the first writing! This is about sharing and today just want to share a quick quick one with you!

South African Food Doyenne ANNETTE KESLER had the brilliant idea to start Showcook! 

One of Annette's Cookbooks I've had since 1988!

Do go and have a look at all the wonderful articles on food, places, restaurants, cookbooks etc on:

 http://www.showcook.com/

I did a couple of articles for Showcook on some of the lovely places we have had the privilege to eat!

http://www.showcook.com/2008/travel-culture/aubrac-adventure/   

Aubrac Cows

http://www.showcook.com/2009/travel-culture/a-few-leaves-fromle-restaurant/

 

Salmon terrinne with herb oil

http://www.showcook.com/2009/travel-culture/troisgros-at-iguerande-with-lynne-chaulieu/

Outside 'Le Grand Couvert' looking towards the 'Colombier' and 'Salade Bucolique'

Life is about sharing!

Bisous

Lynn

www.jardins-des-thevenets.com

 

Soupettes - more

Winter is almost upon us (although not the last couple of days with the wonderful weather we've been having here in our beautiful Auvergne) and it is time to do those delicious thick brothy soups that liven up our hearts and souls in the cold grey winter months.

The art of soupmaking has been perfected though by our longtime friend Anne-Catherine Bley who opened the first 'Bar-a-Soupes' in Paris in 2000. Not only does she do 6 divine soups per day winter AND summer, she is also the author of various books about Soups - also translated into English and available on Amazon!!
http://www.amazon.com/Soup-Anne-Catherine-Bley/dp/1552858340

When next in Paris, do go and have a soup chez elle in the very 'branché' area near Bastille : 

Le Bar à Soupes

33 rue de charonne 75011 Paris
01 43 57 53 79

http://www.lebarasoupes.com/ 

(And have a good look at the series of 'Grosses Legumes' paitings in the restaurant done by Olivier, my dear husband!)    

   
I have, since a couple of years now, started to serve a little soup at the start of my dinners here Aux Jardins des Thevenets. Our gastronomic critic friend Eric Roux quickly baptised it 'Soupettes' (meaning little soups).

In summer there's my favourite 'Bloody Mary' soupette (with a good dose of Vodka especially when I have my mother-in-law for dinner), and I also make strange concoctions that does seem to work like a green bean and olive soupette !

A summer soup decorated with a Hysope Flower

In winter I use a lot of lentils especially since we have wondeful varieties in our Auvergne region :

* 'Lentille Vertes du Puy' - Green Puy Lentils (http://www.lalentillevertedupuy.com/uk/i_actu.html)

or

* 'Lentille Blonde de Saint Flour - Blond Lentils from Saint Flour (http://www.lentille-blonde.fr/)

One of my winter favourites is Lentils with Coconut Milk and a dash of Cumin and Olivier's favourite is Cauliflower with Bleu Cheese. Or how about Butternut with smoked salmon? Or Carrot and orange juice?
Once again just use your imagination and try those strange mixtures - they might just work!


Life is about sharing!


Bisous
Lynn 

Chestnut soup with grilled bacon bits

Below a recipe from my favourite restaurant here near us, AUBERGE DU PONT

http://auberge-du-pont-billy.com/

Le velouté Dubarry à notre façon

Prendre un chou fleur de plein champ, le cabosser. Porter une grande quantité d’eau salée à ébullition, plonger le chou durant deux minutes puis le rafraichir dans de l’eau glacée puis l’égoutter. Peser le chou, puis peser la même quantité de lait entier et la moitié de celle-ci en crème. Porter à ébullition le lait et la crème puis ajouter le choux, laisser cuire durant 5 minutes puis mixer, assaisonner (sel, poivre, muscade pour mémoire). Servir le velouté en assiette creuse puis disposer , au centre de l’assiette, quelques dés de saumon mariné ainsi qu’une petite quantité de chou-fleur poêlé minute à l’huile d’olive.  and a lovely translation found on another foody blog: http://www.whiskblog.com/2009/07/whisk-wednesdaysveloute-du-barry-cream.html

Discovering the Auvergne!

How did you end up in the Auvergne? The question asked many a time.

Well, whilst still living in Paris, I looked a bit after South African artist and it so happened that I met Louis Jansen van Vuuren and helped him with an exhibition in Paris. www.louisjansenvanvuuren.com 

Louis painted by my husband Olivier

He invited us to his then holiday home in a tiny village in the Auvergne, Lapeyrouse.

We spent many a great weekend there eating the lovely produce from the region (not to mention emptying quite  a couple of bottles of wine amongst other the local St Pourçain wines) and when we decided to leave Paris to look for our humble abode, we found a tiny little house in a tiny little hameau close to Lapeyrouse. This became our base for the next 2 years which we spent searching for the perfect place and I went back to Agricultural College to do an Organic Farming Diploma.

Louis and his partner Hardy Olivier sold their beautiful little holiday home and bought a Château in Boussac, in the Creuse.

They do wonderful cooking and painting courses - Look at their website : www.lacreuzette.com

and

The main reason for this quick one is the launching this coming weekend of their new book along with Anet Pienaar called 

'FESTIVE FRANCE' 
that can be bought on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.fr/Festive-France-Reflections-Recipes-Countryside/dp/1868423611

Life is about sharing !

Bisous

Lynn

www.jardins-des-thevenets.com

Green Tomatoes Suite.....

Frank kept his promise, so here goes with the Green Tomato Relish!

GREEN TOMATO RELISH

1.5 kgs green tomatoes

2 large onions

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp garam masala

½ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp mustard seeds

pinch of ground cloves

pinch of ground turmeric

100ml cider vinegar or white-wine vinegar

100 g sugar

1 tsp cornflour

Thinly slice tomatoes and onions, then put all ingredients except cornflour into a large non-reactive stockpot.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook, uncovered for 1 ¼ hours.  Mix cornflour to a cream with a little water.  Remove a ladleful of hot liquid from pot and add to cornflour cream.  Stir, then quickly return mixture to pot, giving it a good stir so that liquid thickens evenly.  Cook for 15 minutes, then spoon into hot, sterilized jars and seal at once.  Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

……….and if you still have some green tomatoes left – Fried Green Tomato

Dip thickly sliced green tomato into lightly whisked egg and then polenta and fry in olive oil until golden and crunchy.  Great with anchovies, bacon or sausages, or just as they are!

Enjoy and greetings to y’all from sunny & Springy Daylesford in southern Australia.

Frank

Green Tomatoes

I think most remember the delicious movie 'Fried Green Tomatoes at the WhistleStop Café'. Every year at the end of summer, there's a profusion of green tomatoes that has to be used before the first frost and since I do not do Fried Green Tomatoes, I have elaborated a Green Tomato Jam as well as a Green Tomato Chutney. I put word out at our local Café (Chez Minou et Kiki) that I am in business for Green Tomatoes and low and behold, different people from the village arrived with boxes of them! So here I am just going to give you a basic Green Tomato Jam recipe, and you can spruce it up with different spices to make it your creation! (I add vanilla pods and it gives it a divine taste)

• Cut up the green tomatoes into blocks (the purest remove the pips - I do not have time and have not found any difference!)
• Weigh 700 grams of Sugar for 1 kg of Tomatoes
• Heat in a large casserole (or if you have a copper jam casserole even better) until the first bubbling!
• 
• Leave overnight and the next day cook until the bubbles are golden and bottle straight away.
• 

Last night I did my 'Easy Cake' recipe and added some of my Green Tomato Jam. Rather nice must say!

I shall give you this easy recipe - really good to have and then to add whatever you feel like!

2 Eggs
160 Sugar
1 plain Yogurt
150 g Self Raising Flour
10 cl Sunflower Oil (Organic if possible)

Mix Eggs and Sugar together and beat until frothy.

Add yogurt Then stir Flour into this mixture
Add Oil at the end
Add 100 g of Green Tomato Jam (Other variations : 80g Coconut and Cinnamon; 100g Chestnut Purée; or other jams! Let the inspiration flow!!!!)

Bake in 180° oven until brown AND ENJOY!

Life is about sharing
Bisous
Lynn

ps I shall ask my Australian friend Frank Page for his wonderful Green Tomato Relish and if he's ok with me publishing it on the blog!!

Other Auvergne Adventures

My friend Marlene normally buzzes around like a busy bee and when you see what she's been up to the last 3 years, well, you'll take your hat off to her. (Seen here in her Food Studio with 2 of our French Friends)

She renovated a lovely old house in the Medieval Village of Charroux with lots of help from our dear friend Charl Mouton and his Capey team, 18 km's from our humble abode here in the Auvergne, then she started with cooking courses at her home here in Charroux (something she's been doing in Cape Town for a number of years), brought out a first cookbook called Delectable : Food from Rural France to Urban Cape, renovated a beautiful old place in Green Point Cape Town (again lots of help from Charl) to create the 'Food Studio' and brought out a next cookbook with photographer friend Gerda Genis,
Sumptuous : Food from the heart of France to the Cape, allready on the bestseller list in South Africa!

Sumptuous Cover Above

In both of her books, Aux Jardins des Thevenets has a chapter and with this I shall give you a tiny peep of what was said and done in Sumptuous...

Visit her website : http://www.foodstudio.co.za/ and why not join one of her cooking courses!

Some of my friends at a recent lunch at the Food Studio,
17 Braeside Rd, Green Point

Life is about sharing!

Bisous
Lynn
www.jardins-des-thevenets.com

Samedi 14 après vendredi 13!!!

Bon - Friday the 13th I did my first 'Table d'hôte' since my return from South Africa. I still felt like sitting on a beach, sipping chardonnay and watching a delicious sunset over the ocean but hey, a man's got to do what a man's got to do.

So I plopped some pumpkins in the pot with garlic and onions and did a very thick brothy pumpkin soup dotted with my most favourite black pepper from Cameroon (Penja) and some Ina Paarman (this is for my SA friend's) rosemary and lemon spice.

This was followed by a kind of Pork Colombo with Basmati rice, cheese from our beautiful Auvergne region and then I really improvised a stunning dessert - sautéed apples in salted butter with brown sugar, some cranberries and pecan nuts scooped into a philo cone!

Not too bad after a lazy -almost 3 weeks in Africa!

So tonight 14th, no table d'hôte and Olivier said to me, why do you not do a blog about the 'table', your recipes and just well, whatever you feel like telling! And eureka, we did this thing on Google blogger and from now on you'll have to put up with my yacking away about all and nothing and food and life in Frogland and and and.........

Before I bore you too much, I shall get some old pics on and a couple of things like my jams in case I do not have time to liven up your day (or week) with some chattering from my dear Frogland.

Also, just to say that I cannot come close to Pam ,the Gypsy Chef's blog, or Neeta doing a wonderful thing on healthy eating.
This is just about sharing the things I love : Food, Wine, France (and my french husband Olivier of course)! Bisous
ps and you'll have to put up with my not perfect written English. Do not forget that I am actually a 'Boerin' living in French and trying to write in INGLISH!!


White pepper from Penja -Info found on this website - http://www.gourmetstore.be/en/shop-produits/poivre-penja.asp

		The pearl from paradise, as it was called by the Venetians, was for a long time a rare and expensive spice. Nowadays it has become the most widespread spice in the world. There’s however one pepper that hardly anyone knows: the white pepper of the Penja valley in Cameroon. It’s rareness, origin and perfume makes it one of the most unique peppers. It is sought after by the most distinguished chefs and gourmets. The taste of the Penja pepper is not comparable to any other pepper. It has a very delicate perfume, that is soft and refined, which goes together with a flavoursome warmth, more than any other spice. It starts by elegantly delighting the nostrils and brings out a warm, round, insisting feeling. Penja pepper complements the musked savours of pork, gives vigour to beef, accentuates the taste of eggs and raises the delicacy of fish preparations. The perfumers classify the Penja pepper into the family of the “fresh spices”. Not very volatile, this pepper has a particularly dry and rich smell. Strong and exquisite at the same time, the white Penja pepper is contradictory with its smooth and savage taste. Its roundness overrides the spiciness and its powerful, woody, amber aromas do not mask its fineness. Every pepper in the world comes from the pepper plant, a giant creeper called piper nigrum, originally from the humid Monsoon forests of India. Its round shaped berries grow in clumps, similar to the redcurrant. These same berries can be consumed in 4 different colours: green, black, red or white.