French Food

When I have more time to extol the virtues of French food I will write several posts dedicated to the amazing array of beautiful foods available everywhere. The French have managed to get it all right when it comes to eating.......................and drinking.

Meanwhile, a quick peek from markets I've visited these past weeks thanks to Corey and Linda while in Provence, my family here in the Minervois, and of course my ever patient dh whom I've dragged to every market day in every village and town along the way.

French breads are the best in the world. Most people buy twice a day with a fresh baguette or other shaped loaf for breakfast and lunch, returning to the boulangerie at 5:30 PM for another fresh baked beauty for dinner later in the evening.

I admit I am a cheese-aholic! No meat of any description, much to a French cook's disappointment, but perhaps I'm pardoned when I gobble their fabulous cheeses.

A healthy salad is always fresh from the potager. Lettuce at the market is never in a plastic bag. Just-picked heads are displayed proudly in boxes, the crispness visible to the senses, and just a simple oil and vinegar dressing required. My brother's is great, and of course the lettuce from his garden the best. Good olive oil, a little walnut oil, balsamic vinegar, a gentle shake in a bottle and the perfect salad arrives on the table.
Because the French rarely eat between meals, sweet treats are saved for dessert. Yes, those gorgeously slim ladies DO eat small portions of scrumptious desserts!

Below is a 'take away' dessert treat Corey shared with us following lunch in Aix-en-Provence. The prettiest, intensely flavored, cream-filled macaroons. I chose coffee flavor, dh pistachio - eaten on the wall of one of Aix's many lovely fountains.

More on food later....................off now to enjoy another of my sister-in-law's gourmet meals. Can honestly say I haven't had a bad French meal yet - every morsel has been perfection. Did I hear someone mention "diet"? Oh yes, that word looms in my future, however you need to know that we have walked, and walked, including a 5 mile hike through the vineyards this week!!

French Breakfast

Southwest France ~ June 2006

Notice the pink shutters match the climbing roses - how fabulous - and you can click to enlarge and see croissants in the shop window.

I don't push many prepared food products but have mentioned how much I enjoy certain items found at Trader Joe's. We have to drive about 15 mins. to shop at their store in Cary, NC, however, Raleigh will have it's own in about a year - and it will be just down the street from my house, yippee!!!

There is no tiny French boulangerie with freshly baked bread and pastry smells wafting on the early morning breeze near my house. So, just had to mention these great croissants they were sampling last week at the store, and which we enjoyed for breakfast this morning. This little 4X6 inch box holds 8 frozen croissants (takes up just a small freezer space).

You leave them out on a baking sheet overnight, in the morning they are proofed and puffed - brush with beaten egg if desired (I did) - bake for 15 mins. and voila, light, crispy croissants to eat with nothing better than French strawberry preserves. Not for every day perhaps - altho' they don't seem to hurt the French - but great to have on hand for company or a weekend treat. I plan to have them on sunny Spring mornings when we can breakfast in the gazebo and share the crumbs with the birds.

Notice, I'm using my new cake plate already!

Salt of the Earth

While salting my veggies last evening I thought, why do we say "the salt of the earth" when it comes mostly from the sea? Throughout history salt has been important and was at one time traded for gold.

Why is American packaging somewhat boring.......sometimes just plain ugly.........while in France, something as ordinary as salt is not only vibrant with flavor, it comes in beautiful containers like this.

SEL DU JARDINIER (Gardener's Salt) is beautiful.............gritty crystals with tiny specks of herbs mixed in. This metal trimmed wooden box complete with attached string ties looks lovely sitting on the kitchen counter.

The usual blue box of iodized American salt has only one redeeming factor...........'when it rains it pours'. My French salt will never pour - it's damp and sticky as if it really did come straight from the sea. It needs help from a spoon or one's finger tips - but even that feels right. Sometimes, perhaps all times, the old ways are better.


Well OK, the little girl with the umbrella is pretty and I do like how the company is showing the old illustrations on their packaging lately.