Posts Tagged “French”
Under-priced and under-estimated Blanquette De Limoux Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée is great value for money. Yes, it’s certainly more expensive here than in France but far less pricey than its celebrated cousin, Champagne. In 1531, the Benedictine monks from the Abbey of SaintHilaire in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon in the south-west of France discovered the secret…
International foods at Waitrose and Ocado It might seem a bit early to be thinking of planning your festive meals, but a bit of organisation now will really help Christmas catering run smoothly. Unearthed products will fit perfectly with your traditional foods but will add a little international interest. Most of us will have missed…
It’s new to me, Cap Gin, but this spirit has character and it’s far more than a novelty. Yes, it’s a French gin. Well, we in the UK are making good quality wine, so a French gin should be no surprise. Cap Gin is a new premium spirit from the Côte d’Azur in France, and…
Dishing it Up: The Story Behind Twenty Icons of French Food & Drink is by one of my favourite food writers. Paola Westbeek isn’t French, but she is a prolific and skilled writer on the subject. Food, like perfume, has the power to evoke memories, to comfort and console. Each family will have its favourite…
What a great little book. My Winter Kitchen: Warming Recipes for the Coldest Months is a book for cooks. Its small format makes it ideal for the kitchen book-stand and that’s where it will live with pages smeared with sauce. I am working my way through each of these delicious recipes, which are written in…
It’s the Festive Season and thoughts turn to fizz. Supermarkets fill their shelves with bottles of sparkling wine from Europe and the New World. Let us not be wine snobs, dear reader! There are a great many very good Cavas and Proseccos out there, and even some ‘sparkling wine of mixed origin’, to tempt both…
This classic Brut Rosé by celebrated Champagne House Nicolas Feuillatte would make a perfect gift for any lady. Note I say ‘lady’ rather than ‘girl (but over the age of 18)’. Think Audrey Hepburn rather than Barbie. Think Givenchy rather than Woolworths. Founded in 1976 in the heart of the Côte des Blancs, in the…
Maison 54 Pét Nat was a totally new wine for me and it was a revelation. If this is the quality of naturally sparkling wine, then sign me up for a case or two! But firstly, what’s in a name? The name ‘Maison 54’ gives a nod to the address in Paris where surrealist artists…
There are few hotels I like more than the characterful Petersham, overlooking the River Thames in Richmond. And to compound the joy, there is a restaurant to admirably partner that hotel, and its Head Chef is Jean-Didier Gouges! This young man is charming, with a smile that seems never far from his lips. He is…
Master Recipes and Techniques from the Ferrandi School of Culinary Arts Mostly Food & Travel Journal Baking Book of 2017 I review many books during the year. The majority of them have great culinary merit and illustrate the passion of those who penned these volumes. They come in all sizes but sometimes they are just…
Le Garrick restaurant and wine bar is conveniently located in the heart of Covent Garden in London’s West End. I am no stranger here even though this neighbourhood has a wealth of restaurants of every culinary hue. It’s a timeless treasure and became one of my favourite restaurants after that very first visit. As I…
by Royal Warrant butcher Donald Russell Ingredients 1 Rack of Lamb with fat scored 2 Shallots (finely chopped) 3 tbsp Olive Oil 2 large Garlic cloves (finely chopped) 6 slices White Bread (remove crusts and crumb) ½ tsp ground Thyme ¼ tsp ground Rosemary 2 tbsp finely chopped Parsley Salt and Pepper 1 Egg…
This is a lovely spot on the River Thames and well patronised by shoppers during the day and socialisers in the evening. But despite its modern façade, Kingston has history and how a lote of restaurants such as Côte. It belonged to the king in Saxon times, as its name suggests, and was the earliest…
Le Garrick restaurant and wine bar is conveniently located in the heart of Covent Garden in London’s West End. It’s a little gem and after just one visit has become my preferred restaurant, my dining establishment of choice and a place I am almost loathe to promote for fear I won’t get a table next…
We are spoilt for choice in London, and indeed in many cities. We can chance a fishy Japanese breakfast, indulge in lavish Italian lunches, feast at eventide on exotic Indian fare, and feed our need for iffy kebabs in the wee small hours. Every restaurant, café and street cart offers extensive menus showcasing its particular…
This is a unique and surprising book in so many ways. It’s a Parisian cookbook but it’s a vegetarian recipe book. It’s undoubtedly French but reflects the fresher dishes from the traditional repertoire. It’s a Paris-market cookbook, but those markets offer produce from across the country. The author of French Market Cookbook – Vegetarian recipes…
The world loves chocolate, and combine that with a dashing chef with a rich French accent and recipes for goods that have graced many a French patisserie window, and one has the makings of a successful cookbook. Yes, it’s true that one can’t actually hear Eric’s Gallic tones but one can imagine. Eric has impeccable…
(This restaurant has now closed) This has become, after just one visit, a favourite restaurant. Brompton Bar & Grill is a confident and classic establishment with all those attributes for which we search, mostly in vain, across the Channel. Phrases like ‘you can’t eat like that in England’ and ‘nobody does a steak like the…
Pierre Hermé is the fourth generation of a family of bakers from Alsace in France. He has been working and learning his trade since he was just 14 years old, when he started as a lowly apprentice. He was in Paris with the celebrated pâtissier, Gaston Lenôtre, who was to become Pierre’s greatest professional influence….
Ginette Mathiot was one of the most celebrated French food writers. She was so respected that she was awarded Officier de la Légion d’Honneur by the French government. She was into her 90s when she died after a long and celebrated career. Ginette Mathiot wrote over 30 books including the famous Je Sais Cuisiner –…