It’s been a strange spring. The first two weeks of April were very warm with brilliant sunshine everyday. I planted the onions, shallots, radishes and chard and watered every day. My tomato and squash seedlings basked in the sun on the balcony every afternoon. The last two weeks have been cold with wind and rain every day. My seedlings are stuck inside with the rest of us and I’m hoping … Continue reading →
I found a great new source for good beef here: the vegetable store. There is a chain of supermarkets here in France, called Grand Frais (big fresh). When I first started going there it was 90% fruits and vegetables, with a side aisle of international packaged foods – dried mushrooms, specialty rices, Italian canned tomatoes, etc. and a small butcher counter. Over the years the specialty items, meat and fish … Continue reading →
Coq au Vin, Chicken Braised in Red Wine, is a French Classic. Doing it in white wine, less so. Doing it in a slow cooker is, well, shall we just say it’s something new. When I first made it, braised as one should, I used morels. When I decided to adapt this to the slow cooker I went in search of morels. I found them…. for 500 euro per kilo. … Continue reading →
Veal in white wine sauce is a classic French dish. It’s also a simple dish to make and an easy one to expand for a dinner party. Both veal and vegetables are braised, then finished with a white wine cream sauce. The Greek yogurt is not traditional, but we have to make some effort to keep things moderately health, now, don’t we?. Blanquette de Veau or Veal in White Wine Sauce … Continue reading →
The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Or so they say. I say if they are right I must be well on my way. But I really do try. Really. First the food…. I need sustenance. Pork and mustard go well together. It makes a lovely, quick, mid-week dinner, yet ‘gourmet’ enough for unexpected (or expected) guests! If the tenderloin has a lot of ‘silver’, trim it with … Continue reading →
The following is a Guest Post. I couldn’t miss the chance to discuss my favorite tipple and cooking ingredient….. White white and red wine differ in taste, color, and texture. But aside from drinking it, one of the best things about wine is that it can make your usual dishes into remarkable meals. In fact, white wine is normally used to “deglaze the brown bits for a pan sauce for … Continue reading →
I have done lots of slow-cooked beef dishes with red wine. This is with white wine. It’s based on a French recipe from the Alsace region and calls for Riesling or Sylvaner. Beef cooked in red wine has a hearty, wine-y flavor. This was a bit lighter and the wine taste was much less intense. Beef Stewed in White Wine Total time: 4 hours 15 minutes prep time … Continue reading →
