Pithiviers with duck confit and mushrooms

On one of my early visits to France years ago, we stayed in a divine little Chambre d’Hôte, L ’Impasse du Temple, now called a Maison de Maître. It was located down a difficult to find narrow laneway, pre-GPS days, in a pretty, tiny town called Léran, in the Midi Pyrenées, near Mirepoix, a beautiful [...]

By |2023-08-19T16:49:05+10:00August 19th, 2023|Braising, Culinary Travel, Duck confit, Duck confit, Food, France, French food, French food, French Regional Cooking, On the Ridge at Kureelpa, Pithiviers - duck|Comments Off on Pithiviers with duck confit and mushrooms

Coronation Quiche

A few days before the Coronation of King Charles III, the BBC published this ‘official’ recipe from Buckingham Palace, created by Mark Flanagan and Lucy Wilson.  My long-time friend and cooking ‘partner’ Christine, who years ago inspired me to join her in learning to cook good French food, was quite taken by this quiche [...]

By |2023-06-19T12:04:58+10:00June 14th, 2023|Broad beans, Eggs, Mayonnaise, Mayonnaise, Recipes, Salads, Spinach, Tarts, Vegetables, Vinaigrete, Vinaigrette, Vinaigrette for salads|Comments Off on Coronation Quiche

Bûche de Noël – French Yule Log ‘Christmas cake’ – the tradition

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 [...]

By |2021-12-07T13:21:46+11:00December 7th, 2021|Christmas Fruit Cake, Christmas Fruit Cakr, Festive Food, Festive Food, French Cooking Classes, French food, French food, French Odyssey cooking class|Comments Off on Bûche de Noël – French Yule Log ‘Christmas cake’ – the tradition

Lemons – the ‘Queen of fruits’ and the Zest of Life!  A winner in my kitchen

Lemons are one of my favourite fruits, I use them almost every day; they are an indispensable part of my cooking. I just love having a large bowl of lemons decoratively gracing my kitchen bench.  There is always a refreshing squeeze of lemon in my water glass; lemon juice is also very rich in anti-scorbutic [...]

Lemon butter sauce – a lemon ‘beurre blanc’ – a wine butter sauce

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 [...]

By |2021-10-20T16:31:11+11:00October 20th, 2021|Condiments, Cook Real Food, French Odyssey cooking class, Lemon Butter sauce, Lemon butter Sauce, Lemons, Lemons, Recipes, Sauces, Seafood, Vegetables in season|Comments Off on Lemon butter sauce – a lemon ‘beurre blanc’ – a wine butter sauce

Caprilu Limone – lemon and almond ‘macaroon’ biscuits from the Isle of Capri

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 [...]

By |2021-10-22T14:21:46+11:00October 19th, 2021|Cakes and baking, Caprilu limone - lemon macaroon biscuits, Food, Italian Food, Italian Food, Lemon macaroon biscuits, Lemons, Lemons, Recipes|Comments Off on Caprilu Limone – lemon and almond ‘macaroon’ biscuits from the Isle of Capri

Limoncello

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 [...]

By |2021-10-19T14:32:37+11:00October 19th, 2021|Fruit in season, Italian Food, Italian Food, Lemons, Lemons, Limoncello, Limoncello, Napoli sauce, Recipes|Comments Off on Limoncello

Lemons – how much is the juice of a lemon?

In recipes, it is best to state lemon juice quantities in millilitres, rather than simply say the juice of a lemon. Often it is essential to be precise in the quantities one uses. When a recipe calls for the juice of a lemon, it always raises the question, how much is that?  Over the years, [...]

By |2021-10-24T14:47:59+11:00October 19th, 2021|Food, Fruit, Lemons, Lemons - hints and tips, Musings|Comments Off on Lemons – how much is the juice of a lemon?

In search of the perfect Tarte Tatin

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 [...]

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