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Ramblings of a retiree in France
Category: Food and Wine
The Musette: Flourless Chocolate Cake
If you’ve never baked a flourless chocolate cake, please consider this serious encouragement. Not much of a baker? This is the cake that will change your mind. It’s a classic. Nearly every baker I know has a version in their repertoire. Likely because it’s… Continue Reading “The Musette: Flourless Chocolate Cake”
The Musette: Ribollita
Ribollita is a beautifully thick Tuscan soup made with dark greens, lots of beans, vegetables, olive oil and it’s thickened with day-old bread. One of my winter favourites. It is hearty, filling, infinitely nourishing, and flat-out, the sort of food I crave when the temperatures… Continue Reading “The Musette: Ribollita”
The Musette: [More] Baked Caramel Pears
I’m always looking for new ways to turn fresh fruit into dessert for my beloved. For example, I frequently poach pears in “vin chaud.” But seriously these baked pears are the best – but then I would day that wouldn’t I? These pears are… Continue Reading “The Musette: [More] Baked Caramel Pears”
Well-thumbed cookery books – Mar 2023
Once a month I’m going to write a short piece about one of my favourite cookery books from my extensive collection and why I’ve cooked so many recipes from it. After a quick browse among my many books, I’ve selected John Tovey’s Feast of… Continue Reading “Well-thumbed cookery books – Mar 2023”
The Musette: Savoury Nibbles
These are two of my favourite nibbles for cocktail — or mocktail —hour. They are deliciously addictive and have just the right amount of bite! Spiced pecans There are so many different ways to make truly delicious seasoned, baked pecans — but, as you’d… Continue Reading “The Musette: Savoury Nibbles”
The Musette: Super, Duper Dip
I’m going to share the best thing in my fridge right now. It’s a dip, and I can’t get enough of it. The base is a trifecta of creamy ripe avocado, nuts (cashews or almonds) and chickpeas. Citrus juice kicks in with acidity from… Continue Reading “The Musette: Super, Duper Dip”
The Musette: Homemade Bouillon Powder
I love home-made soup and generally make it with vegan bouillon powder. I use so much that I’ve started to make my own homemade version. I don’t like to use bouillon cubes because most of the commercially available options are very salty, have artificial ingredients… Continue Reading “The Musette: Homemade Bouillon Powder”
The Musette: Fresh Pasta
Have you ever made homemade pasta? If you have flour, two eggs, a splash of olive oil and a bit of salt, you can do it right now. You don’t need special Italian pasta flours to make great homemade pasta, and you don’t need… Continue Reading “The Musette: Fresh Pasta”
Well-thumbed cookery books – Feb 2023
Once a month I’m going to write a short piece about one of my favourite cookery books from my extensive collection and why I’ve cooked so many recipes from it. Today I’m featuring two from Swiss chef Anton Mosiman whom I’ve had the pleasure… Continue Reading “Well-thumbed cookery books – Feb 2023”
La Chandeleur
Today, 2 February, is La Chandeleur celebrated 40 days after Christmas Eve. The word Chandeleur evokes the French word for candles (chandelles) which were lit in Jesus’s honour as the “light of the world”. For those who are not religious, it is known just… Continue Reading “La Chandeleur”
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