At Christmas time, in our French Odyssey – Journey through France and the French Bistro Classics Desserts cooking classes we make this beautiful and delicious Bûche de Noël - French Yule Log 'Christmas cake'. During the last class, I was asked about the French traditions behind this cake and so after a little research and [...]
This is a simple, rich and delicious sauce to accompany a variety of fish dishes as well as scallops, prawns, chicken, pork, and vegetables too. Like the classic wine butter sauces, it is less stable than the classic emulsion sauces because no eggs are used. This lemon butter sauce is simply a reduction of [...]
These treasures have a crisp, sugar-dusted exterior, with a chewy, lemony-marzipan centre. Traditionally made with almonds, honey, and lemons for that quintessential Italian citrus goodness, these biscuits go perfectly with a chilled glass of the other island specialty, limoncello. Makes 30-35 cookies Ingredients: 2 egg whites, room temperature 1 pinch salt [...]
When lemons are plentiful it is a good time for making limoncello, the delicious, refreshing, lemon Italian liqueur that is so popular on the Amalfi Coast and the Cinque Terre. Serve it on ice, sip it, and be transported to summer in Italy. My Limoncello recipe is drawn from my collection of various Italian [...]
Italians enjoy citrus cakes at breakfast time and so we always have one freshly baked for our arrival morning tea in the Italianicious Cooking classes at Cooking on the Bay. For some time now, this has been one of our favourites. It is a very light and fresh cake, one which may be made [...]
Years ago, in 2007, I attended La Varenne Cooking School in Burgundy, and one of the many dishes we cooked there with the chefs was the classic Tarte Tatin. The class was held in one of the beautiful kitchens of the Chateau du Fëy, the home of La Varenne Cooking School and its founder, Anne [...]
This brown beef stock recipe forms part of my Mastery in the kitchen - the foundations of cookery - Stocks, sauces and soups program. To be a good cook you need to master the fundamentals of cookery and stock-making is one of those. The best stock is full of flavour, colour, body and aroma. Good [...]
Clarified butter, also called ghee, is made when the milk fat is rendered from butter to separate the milk solids and water from the butterfat. Melting the butter allows the components to separate by density. The resulting clear, golden coloured liquid fat called ghee, has a high smoking point, making it an excellent cooking medium. [...]
Pain d’épices is a Burgundian classic; it is a lovely unusual ‘bread’ or ‘cake’ made with rye flour, spices and honey, without yeast, using baking powder and bicarbonate soda instead. It tastes something like gingerbread, although ginger is not one of the spices I use. In France, it is sold in loaves, sometimes, in [...]
For this rich terrine, use a sharp blue cheese like Bleu d’Auvergne, Roquefort or Shadows of Blue. Serve it as a cheese course with my walnut and onion bread,or with a pear, rocket and salad. Ingredients: 250g blue cheese 125g butter 1 tbsp brandy or cognac 65ml cream or ¼ cup [...]
