Cooking, Southern Style

Posted on by
4

Smothered Pork Chop, Mushrooms, and Onions with Sides
Southerners long ago perfected the art of braising—the technique that calls for cooking meats or vegetables until tender in simmering liquids over a long period of time. My husband grew up in Birmingham, and I in Memphis with mothers who described themselves as amateur cooks, but who were, in fact, gifted braisers. Ron’s mom made the best pot roast ever by browning her beef and vegetables thoroughly, and then simmering both in water in a covered pan. My mother’s specialties included “country fried” cube steaks and smothered pork chops. For both dishes she would dust the meat lightly with flour, sauté it with onions, add water, and leave the mixture to cook for several hours until fork tender.
My Southern table

All of this is a lead in as to why we hosted a Southern dinner last weekend. One of my spouse’s new friends is a recently arrived administrator at Amherst College where he teaches.

When we discovered that Biddy had been raised south of the Mason-Dixon line, we had an excuse to serve some of our childhood favorites in this small New England town.
Continue reading →

Alexia Sweet Potato Fries

Posted on by
Reply

Growing up in the South, I remember that sweet potatoes were practically a staple at our family table. However, I didn’t keep up the tradition of serving this bold-hued, extra nutritious vegetable in my own kitchen. That is until I discovered Alexia Sweet Potato Julienne Fries. My local Whole Foods stocks them in the frozen food section. On a whim one day, I picked up a package and discovered how Continue reading →

Bittersweet Chocolate Caramel Bars

Posted on by
Reply

For Valentine, why not try these scrumptious chocolate caramel bars composed of three sublime layers- a buttery crust, a caramel center, and a dark chocolate coating! They can be prepared 2 days ahead so there’s no last minute work, and the recipe, which yields 16 bars, can be doubled or tripled depending on your needs. Continue reading →

A New Twist on Salad

Posted on by
Reply

I’ve lived in New England for almost two decades, but for years, I made my home in Columbus, Ohio, where I headed up a large cooking school. Recently, to promote Sunday Roasts I returned to this friendly Midwestern city.
My host and longtime assistant, Emily, organized a small dinner at her house and planned a fabulous menu with others who had taught at my school. From my first sip of a delectable sweet potato soup to my last bite of sticky toffee pudding, I was in heaven. Bourbon-marinated and barbecued pork tenderloins set atop roasted root vegetables were a stellar entrée, but it was the salad that won the most raves.

Continue reading →

Halibut Steaks on a Bed of Piperade

Posted on by
Reply

Last month while eating in La Régalade St. Honoré, a favorite Parisian bistro of mine, I ordered cod studded with bits of chorizo. When the dish arrived at the table, there in a shallow bowl was a beautifully cooked cod fillet (studded with long strips of chorizo) set atop a colorful piperade, surrounded by a foamy fish broth. Every bite was heaven, so I took notes knowing I’d attempt a version of my own at home. Continue reading →

The Potluck Hostess

Posted on by
4

Cannellini Bean, Arugula, and Prosciutto Bruschette
My friend Maddy is a Putlitzer prize-winning journalist, a gifted professor at two colleges, and a frequent hostess. I don’t think she can go more than two or three weeks without planning a party. So how does she manage to entertain so often with such a hectic schedule?  She has mastered the art of the potluck.
Typically, when she phones or emails to say she’s thinking about having a party, those in her circle of friends automatically respond with “what can I bring?,” for we all know how busy she is. She graciously accepts our offers for appetizers, desserts, or sometimes salads, and then spends her time concentrating on the main course.
Last Saturday night my husband and I arrived at her house with all the fixings for brushette topped with cannellini bean puree, arugula, and crispy sautéed prosciutto.

Continue reading →

The Potluck Hostess

Posted on by
Reply

Cannellini Bean, Arugula, and Prosciuto Bruschette

My friend Maddy is a Putlitzer prize-winning journalist, a gifted professor at two colleges, and a frequent hostess. I don’t think she can go more than two or three weeks without planning a party. So how does she manage to entertain so often with such a hectic schedule?  She has mastered the art of the potluck.

Typically, when she phones or emails to say she’s thinking about having a party, those in her circle of friends automatically respond with “what can I bring?,” for we all know how busy she is. She graciously accepts our offers for appetizers, desserts, or sometimes salads, and then spends her time concentrating on the main course.

Continue reading →

My Favorite French Blogs and Web Sites

Posted on by
Reply
    

 Last night while teaching a class on winter soups from Sunday Soup, I mentioned to my students that I had just returned from Paris where I had spent a good part of a three-week stay trying new restaurants. Whenever I give a course, I can’t stop, as a devoted Francophile, from talking about the French, their customs, their food, their art. So, it wasn’t surprising that at the end of this class several people (a few with plans to visit France this year) asked me to recommend some blogs, and web sites.   

It then dawned on me that my followers would be interested in the French blogs and sites that I read. Here are my top five favorites.
French Word-A-Day: Kristin Espinasse, an American married to a French wine-maker in the South of France, recounts her daily life with her husband and two teenagers. In each of her three weekly posts, she includes French words and expressions in touching stories. At the end of each narrative, she lists the vocabulary words with definitions and an audio for pronunciation. I love her honest, direct style and have become one of more than 30,000 people reading her tales of French life.
Hungry for Paris: Alec Lobrano, a former correspondent for Gourmet Magazineand one of Paris’ best known American restaurant reviewers, has an amazing site filled with the latest news about restaurants in Paris and throughout France. His posts are detailed, intimately written and will make you long to be at the table with him.
John Talbotts’ Paris– John Talbott posts several times every week on his restaurant forays in Paris. His style is brief and to the point, and his posts are filled with practical information and photos about the newest and most interesting places to dine in Paris.
Paris by Mouth: This is a fabulous site about all things culinary in Paris. It’s a collaborative effort that includes restaurant reviews by such notable American writers as  Alec Lobrano, John Talbot, and Patricia Wells. French gourmands as well offer their opinions. You’ll find information and reviews for restaurants, wine bars, pastry, bread, and cheese shops and more.
The Provence Post: This is a blog written by Julie Mautner, an American who lives in St-Remy-de-Provence. You never know what Julie will post, but her style is so warm and engaging that I always read every word. One day she might describe an art exhibition or a concert in a nearby town; on another she shows you the photo of a fabulous villa for sale in her area. She might share a favorite restaurant or culinary experience another time. With each post, she makes you wish you were living in Provence.

Fromagerie Quatrehomme, Paris, France

Posted on by
Reply

Fromagerie Quatrehomme in Paris 62 rue de Sèvres, Paris 75007, 01-47-34-33-45, Metro: Vanneau or Duroc

For the past few years, I’ve stayed in an apartment that is only a few steps from one of Paris’s best cheese shops. Quatrehomme, located on the busy rue de Sèvres in the 7th, is small, but boasts one of the best selections of cheeses in the capital. As well known food blogger David Leibovitz says, “It’s le top du top!” From the moment you enter, your senses are energized by the sight and smell of exquisite cheeses. I’ve bought countless chèvres there, while my spouse has explored most of the bleus. Comté, Reblochon, Mont d’Or—you name it and they have it! And, they have the best and most beautifully aged version of each cheese. Marie Quatrehomme, a proprietor, was the first woman to earn France’s high honor of being a Meilleur Ouvrier de France, awarded to the finest artisans in their fields.

Cooking in a Small Paris Apartment Kitchen

Posted on by
1
Photo from Sunday Roasts by Susie Cushner

The kitchen in the Paris apartment we rent is tiny without much counter space, but it does have a 4-burner gas cook top, a dishwasher, and a garbage disposal (a rarity here).
The oven is my real challenge. It measures only about 18 inches wide by 14 high and is not deep. Try roasting in it. There are no temperature settings, just numbers with French names accompanying the figures–5 is for “cake,” 6 and 7 are marked “white meat, veal, and soufflés,” while 8 says “flans,” and 9 indicates “red meat.” Go figure!
Over the decade that we have been staying in this Left Bank place, I’ve learned how to turn out successes from this “ovenette.”

Continue reading →