Monday, December 29, 2014

Meyer Lemon Curd and Lemon Tart

DavidLebovitz

Meyer Lemon Curd and Lemon Tart
David, 2014-12-29 09:37

lemon curd tart recipe
There’s been an anglo-wave sweeping across Paris the past few years, and the latest to excite Parisians has been the return of Marks & Spencer. Their last store in France closed over a decade ago and after a lot of speculation, and anticipation, they’re back. Their initial rentrée was a shop on the Champs-Elysées, which gives more room to clothes than it does to the food. I’ve never heard anyone say they missed the selection of clothes that were available, but a lot of people – French and otherwise – got a little misty eyed over the loss of the availability of scones, le cheddar (pronounced ched-aire), streaky bacon, Chicken Tikka Masala and, my favorite, the crumpets. Since then, they’ve gone on to open specialty food stores in various neighborhoods, to great success.
Lemon tart and curd recipeOn British import that’s hard to explain is “curd,” which doesn’t quite translate into something that sounds like it would be tasty, even in English. Explanations tend to bring up notions of curdled custards, lumpy messes floating in a cloudy broth. But in spite of the connotations the word brings up, French people like lemon curd as much as Americans, and British, and I am sure someone else will point out that others like it, too. So let’s just agree that everybody loves lemon curd. (Okay, there are probably some people who don’t like lemon curd. But I’ve not met anyone yet.)
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Monday, December 22, 2014

A Noste

DavidLebovitz

A Noste
David, 2014-12-22 07:23

A Noste restaurant
Although I’m trying to make it less-so, it’s rare that I go out to lunch with friends. People tend to think that everybody in Paris sits around all day, eating dainty macarons and sipping a coffee at the corner café watching the world go by, while you’re all working away. But most of us are swamped like everybody else (including you), hurdling toward deadlines, waiting on hold to resolve problems, filing paperwork, or, as in my case, washing sinkloads of dishes. (Honestly, I don’t know where they all come from…)
So it’s nice every once in a while to just say, f**k it, ping a friend, and head out to lunch.
A Noste restaurantOn my list of places to go was A Noste, the Basque restaurant and tapas bar of Julien Doboué. Upstairs is a full-on restaurant, and downstairs is a lively tapas bar which has, parked against one wall, a food truck. While my first inclination was to think the concept of an indoor food truck silly, the truck is actually a charming “grilling” station that turns out taloa (sometimes called talo, which at A Noste, is a pocket bread-style sandwich made with bread crunchy with cornmeal. I’ve seen taloa described as “skillet cakes,” which resemble Mexican-style tortillas, but at A Noste, they’re split and filled with everything from chorizo sausage to Nutella. (Which is for dessert.)
A Noste restaurant
Ever since I heard about it, I’ve wanted taloa. So it was nice to have a rendez-vous with one. But like the frequent fermertures exceptionelles (closed for whatever reason), I was disappointed when the chalkboard outside said “Seulement à emporter” (to-go only). However when the server greeted us as we walking in the door, I asked if we could have one at a table if we ordered tapas, and he happily said “Sure!” One of the challenges in France can be getting people to go from “Non” to “Oui.” And either I’m getting better at it, or they are. Either way, it’s nice to find common ground.
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Friday, December 19, 2014

Caramelized Pineapple

DavidLebovitz

Caramelized Pineapple
David, 2014-12-19 09:53

Caramelized Pineapple
One fruit that’s always in season is pineapple, and the spiky beauties really help to brighten up winter, especially when you’ve had your fill of apples and pears. I like eating fresh pineapple after a meal because not only is it refreshing, but it has a pleasant acidity that tends to make me feel good about eating it. Although not local (we wish! because that would mean a tropical beach nearby…), pineapples are always available at the markets in Paris. You can get regular pineapples, sometimes called “Red Spanish” or “Cayenne” pineapples in the world of pineapples (although I think that second variety might give spice-averse locals pause), and there are also slender, smaller Victoria pineapples, that are much sweeter, although yield less edible flesh. (In the United States, there are Tahitian pineapples, which have similar characteristics.
I was reading Baking Chez Moi, Dorie Greenspan’s comprehensive, and deliciously readable book, about French home baking, and she notes that Parisians don’t bake the way Americans do. Americans bake to relax or as a hobby – in France, it’s something you do because, well…you need a dessert. They don’t make a big fuss about it or are all that concerned about appearances. I think people know they can’t compete with the professional pastry shop on the corner, so they’re just content to make what they feel will be fine for their guests. And in my experience, French people are always appreciative of homemade desserts, since so many people do go to the corner pâtisserie.
Bonne maman orange marmaladeNo one expects to go to a dinner party and find a spectacular cake for dessert, unless it was picked up at the local pastry shop. And there’s certainly no shame in that. People often ask me about how Parisians make macarons or baguettes or croissants, and I answer that no one makes those in Paris since you can buy them, good-quality ones, almost anywhere. Like charcuterie, they leave it up to the experts. French home bakers also tend to rely on reliable, tried-and-true desserts, always having a few in their repertoire, often passed down from their mothers – or in the case of chocolate mousse, the most famous recipe in France is on the back of the Nestlé chocolate baking bar package, sold in le supermarché.
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Thursday, December 18, 2014

EAT YOUR BOOKS



Do you find other people's comments on recipes helpful? Have you written your own recipe Notes? It’s a great way to remind yourself how a dish turned out and share your experience with the EYB community. On each Recipe Details page you'll find a Notes tab.

Adding online recipes to your EYB Bookshelf is a really great way to expand your personal recipe collection. You can now do this even if you have a free membership!

We're featuring online recipes from these books, magazines and blogs – check them out.

Happy cooking & baking everyone!
 

 

Claire Aldous' selection of four Christmas cookie recipes.

19 , December




I hope this newsletter finds you in festive spirits despite the changeable weather. If it's still wet next week, make the most of being indoors with Food Editor Claire Aldous' selection of four Christmas cookie recipes. The Honeycomb and Peanut Butter treats are my favourite bake this year - which is saying something!
Have a delicious Christmas and a fantastic New Year! 
Online Editor,
RECIPE

Strawberry and Chocolate Frangipane Tart (gf)

No pastry required, just the lovely moist filling from a traditional tart topped with rich vanilla mascarpone and juicy red strawberries – the perfect Christmas day dessert.

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Honeycomb and Peanut Butter Cookies

Quite possibly the Dish team's favourite bake of the year - it's easy to underestimate the powerful punch of flavour these little gooey cookies deliver.

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Christmas Mince Pies with White Chocolate and Cranberry

Sarah Tuck's easy and delicious mince pies, using bought Christmas mince and pastry, made decadent with chocolate, dried fruit and brandy for the ultimate homemade 'tah dah!' moment.

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