Ann Mah's Blog, page 29
June 28, 2011
Canicule
Paris is burning. I know, I say that every summer. But we really are suffering this week, with temperatures in the 90s (ugh) and no climatisation (double ugh). As I type this, I'm hiding in my apartment with all the shutters closed, crunching melting ice cubes.
Weather like that calls for food like this: Cold. Raw. Salady. Grilled. Anything that doesn't involve turning on the stove. I've been pretty much subsisting on avocado, or hummus, or both, on toast.
But sometimes it's nice to cook, especially if the stove isn't involved. Which is why I've found myself making two batches of Caesar salad in the last three days. Garlicky, crunchy, and deeply parmesan-cheesy satisfying, it's not quite a heat-free recipe because the croutons require toasting. (I know what you're thinking, but you really do want the homemade croutons — they're the best part.) I like to make the dressing in a big bowl and then toss the salad in it, and then eat the salad piled high on a plate with maybe some grilled chicken on the side. It's an unfussy meal that almost makes the canicule pleasurable.
Oh, who am I kidding? [Insert whimper.] I'm dreaming of icebergs.
Caesar Salad
Adapted from The Zuni Café Cookbook by Judy Rodgers
The original recipe for this salad is meticulously detailed, and well worth the price of the book.
Serves 2 for dinner
For the croutons:
2-3 slices (3-4 oz) chewy, hearty, rough-crumbed bread
2 tablespoons olive oil
For the salad:
3 gem lettuce hearts (I would use romaine but I can't find it in France)
1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1-2 anchovies, finely chopped (optional)
1 cold egg
1 1/2 ounces Parmagiano-Reggiano, finely grated
1/2 lemon (or more to taste)
Salt & pepper
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cut the bread into cubes, and toss with the olive oil. Toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes until golden and crunchy.
Wash and dry the lettuce and tear into bite-sized pieces. Store in the refrigerator until you're ready to toss the salad.
In a large salad bowl, whisk together the vinegar, garlic, and anchovies. Add the egg and a sprinkle or two of cheese and a few grinds of pepper. Whisk together until emulsified and add the lemon juice, squeezing it through a strainer to catch the seeds. Whisk together and taste, adding salt and more pepper if necessary. Add the lettuce, parmesan and croutons to the bowl, tossing well until all is well coated. Serve immediately on chilled plates.
June 23, 2011
Summer reading
Now that summer is officially here (though you'd never guess it from the rainy weather), I'm dreaming about vacation. Whole days of uninterrupted sloth reading by the pool. Which begs the question: Reading what? Last week I asked for your summer book suggestions. I got so many excellent ideas, I thought I'd share some of them…
Lindsey: "I highly recommend all of Jonathan Tropper's books. I just finished Everything Changes after loving This is Where I Leave You."
Me: I must be living under a rock because I'd never heard of this writer (and to think I used to have the entire NYT list memorized back when I worked in publishing). But I'm excited to learn about these funny, sensitive, breezy and smart novels about coming-of-age and coming to terms with family, parenthood and death (in a comic way! At least, according to the jacket copy).
Bob: "Ever since reading A Question of Honor by Lynne Olson and her husband, Stanley Cloud, I have new respect for the Poles and all things Polish!"
Me: This subtitle of this book is The Kosciuszko Squadron: Forgotten heroes of WWII, and it's about a band of Polish fighter pilots and the crucial role they played in the Battle of Britain.
Shannon: "On your recommendation Ann, I'm reading The Little Stranger right now…and can't put it down…which means all of Sarah Waters' books are about to go on my library list. Also on my list of things to read this summer: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Ransom Riggs. (The first three chapters are here.) After having sprinted (laughing the whole way) through Packing for Mars, I'm also taking a leisurely stroll through Spook, both by Mary Roach."
Me: I LOVED The Little Stranger even though it scared the bejeezus out of me. It's a ghost story set in post-war England, but it's about so much more than the supernatural: class, ambition, desire. I'm a huge fan of Sarah Waters. Miss Peregrine's Home looks like an amazing (and unique) reading experience — a novel about a remote island, an abandoned orphanage, and the dangerous children who might still be alive — illustrated by spooky vintage photographs — eeek! And I can't wait to check out Mary Roach's quirky science writing, both Packing for Mars, about the ins and outs of space travel, and Spook, her examination of the afterlife.
Voie de Vie: I'm currently reading Life of Pi and loving it.
Matthew: Life of Pi is great.
Me: I think I'm the last person on earth who hasn't read and loved this magical, expansive novel. Thanks for reminding me about it!
Chris: "Three items for this summer: A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan, The Greater Journey by David McCullough, a history of Americans in Paris, and … the final Stieg, which I've been saving since LAST summer!"
Me: I'm a little worried I won't have the patience for Jennifer Egan's time-hopping, post-modern novel (which won the National Book Award) but I've heard so many raves, I'm eager to dip into it.
Janet: "I am reading Lisa See's latest, Dreams of Joy. It is a continuation of her book, Shanghai Girls, and takes place after the revolution in 1957 China.
Me: I love the idea of a continuing story of two sisters, set against the backdrop of China and the United States from the 1930s and beyond.
Camille: "I'm on a waiting list to borrow Blood, Bones, and Butter and Bossypants from a couple of friends."
Me: I really enjoyed Blood, Bones and Butter, Gabrielle Hamilton's memoir of chef-ing in New York. Though the story has some major gaps, there was some beautiful language and unforgettable imagery. And, like so many of you, I can't wait to read Tina Fey's memoir.
Sweet Freak: I'm reading La Seduction at the moment, which is fascinating and well-written and a nice connection to my time in Paris.
Me: New York Times reporter Elaine Sciolino's journalistic look at the role seduction plays in French life and culture has been getting great reviews — and what a timely topic!
Matthew: I just read and enjoyed I Do Not Come to You By Chance which is the set in world of Nigerian 419 scammers.
Me: Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani's debut novel is an entertaining look at the people behind Internet scams — in case you've ever been curious about those emails urging you to help liberate gold bullion bars (and who hasn't?).
Thank you for the suggestions, mes amis. I can't wait to start reading!
June 21, 2011
Savory cake
The first time I had a savory cake in France, I was at a cocktail party talking about Beijing, my home of four years. "It was an interesting experience, but difficult," I said. "La ville est très salée."
Everyone laughed uproariously — including me (though with decidedly less gusto). I also blushed because I knew the difference between sale — dirty — and salé – salty. But give me a glass of wine and the pressure of a cocktail party and who knows what nonsense will come out of my mouth?
Of course, I was probably distracted by the delicious cake salé on offer at the party, a booze-soaked version larded with ham and cheese. I had salé on the mind, you might say.
I baked this savory cake with Roquefort and walnuts for lunch at a friend's country house last week. Thirty seconds after I took this photo, I tried to unmold the cake and it stuck to the pan, breaking into chunks all over the counter. Cake-tastrophe! I managed to pat it back together (sort of) and, thankfully, it's odd shape didn't affect the taste.
The moral of the story? Mistakes happen but you can usually patch them up and (maybe) laugh about them. And: Always, always, always grease and flour your cake pan — no matter what the recipe says.
Cake au Roquefort et aux noix
(Adapted from Les Cakes de Sophie by Sophie Dudemaine)
3 eggs
150 grams flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
Scant 1/2 cup sunflower seed oil
1/2 cup milk
100 grams Gruyère, grated
150 grams Roquefort
80 grams walnuts, toasted and chopped
Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Butter and flour a loaf pan.
In a large bowl, mix the eggs with the flour and baking powder. Add the oil and milk slowly, alternating between the two. Stir in the grated Gruyère and season lightly (remember, the cheeses are very salty). Crumble the roquefort into the batter and add the nuts. Stir gently to combine.
Transfer the batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
June 16, 2011
Polish edition
I'm so excited to share the cover for the Polish edition of Kitchen Chinese! Called "Love in Five Flavors" the book is published by Nasza Ksiegarnia and is currently available throughout book stores in Poland.
And speaking of books — I'd love to know, what's on your summer reading list?
June 14, 2011
Mix and match
Happy Tuesday, mes amis! We had a lovely, long weekend in France (thanks to Lundi de Pentecôte), which gave me the chance to revisit some old restaurant favorites. Can you guess where I've been eating based on these photos?
What were your favorite bites of the weekend, mes amis? I'd love to hear!
Carnet d'adresses
Thursday: Le Severo
8 rue des Plantes, 14e
tel: 01 45 40 40 91
Saturday: Bob's Kitchen
74 rue des Gravilliers, 3e
tel: 09 52 55 11 66
Sunday: Krishna Bhavan
24 rue Cail, 10e
tel: 01 42 05 78 43
Monday: Chez les Filles
64 rue du Cherche Midi, 6e
tel: 01 45 48 61 54
June 9, 2011
Clafoutis aux cerises
Last week I bought a bag of cherries at the market in Lyon, but after they spent the whole day in my handbag, they were a little worse for wear. What could I do with a handful of bruised fruit? The words "clafoutis aux cerises" kept calling to me.
A clafoutis is a dessert, kind of like a solid soufflé, or moist flan. I'd eaten it in restaurants, but didn't have a recipe. Luckily, I did have Twitter. My friend, Theobaldino, sent me his recipe in a series of tweets. How's that for cutting edge technology? I only wish I could have shared with him the sweet almond scent of baking clafoutis, or, indeed, a slice warm from the oven.
Theobaldino's Clafoutis aux cerises
Adapted slightly (because of my pantry's contents)
500 grams cherries
3 eggs
80 grams sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
50 grams almond flour
50 grams flour
1 cup of milk
Wash and pit the cherries. (Side note: I'd never made clafoutis before because I don't own a pitter. Turns out you don't need one. A paring knife and a bit of determination work, too.) Butter a baking dish and scatter the fruit across the bottom.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar vigorously, add the vanilla. Slowly stir the almond flour, flour, and milk into the egg mixture, alternating between the three. When the mixture is well combined, pour over the batter over the fruit. Bake for 45 minutes in an oven at 180ºC.
June 6, 2011
Stroll Lyonnais
Lyon is called the capital of French gastronomy, and, yes, the food here can be very, very good.
And if you're inclined to walk off all the cream, butter, saucisson and cracklin' (called gratons) that you've consumed with a post-prandial stroll, you'll discover that this city is as lovely as it is delicious (even in the rain).
With its Roman roots, and gentle hills, and secret passageways, Lyon is endlessly fascinating, a gem of a city, with two rivers piercing its center.
There are secret courtyards hiding towers that seem plucked from a fairy tale. I could almost imagine Rapunzel herself leaning out and letting down her hair.
There are also glimpses of life as it was during the Renaissance…
And there are markets — here, the marché quai Saint-Antoine — bursting with produce so luscious I wanted to rent an apartment, just so I could cook.
Though I'm saving the full report of my eating adventures for my book, I will say that one of my favorite meals of the trip was at Chez Hugon, a comfortable bouchon (i.e. traditional Lyonnais brasserie) that maintains an iron grip on the classics, especially the quenelle. I also loved discussing quenelles and gastronomic history with the delightful Lucy Vanel, who offers Lyon food tours and cooking classes. (If you're planning a trip to Lyon, I highly recommend contacting her.)
And I absolutely adored my B&B, the one-room Chambre d'Hugo, in the heart of the Presqu'ile, quiet and elegant with linen curtains, and parquet floors, and 18th-century moldings painted a pale grey. After I explained that I was in Lyon researching bouchons (and eating heavy meals), the charming propriétaire, Mme Branche, kindly prepared a light, fruitarian breakfast for me with homemade cherry compote, and sliced grapefruit, and a kiwi smoothie. It was the perfect antidote to all my other bacon-strewed meals.
Marché Quai Saint-Antoine
Quai Saint-Antoine, 2e, Lyon
Open everyday, except Monday, until 1pm
Chez Hugon
12 rue Pizay, 1e, Lyon
tel: 04 78 28 10 94
Lucy Vanel
Lyon food & wine tours, cooking classes, and blog.
Chambre d'Hugo
21 rue Victor Hugo, 2e
tel: 06 18 38 27 68
June 2, 2011
Unleashed
Paris gets a bad rap for dog mess, and it's true that some streets are worse than others. In my neighborhood, I've learned to watch my feet on rue Dupin and rue Coëtlogon, which, after several unfortunate incidents, we now call rue de la Merde.
I thought I was the only one who noticed the piles of dog scat steaming up the street. But out for a walk last week, I had to laugh when I spotted this irritated scrawl chalked on the sidewalk.
Someone has obviously reached the end of their leash.
May 30, 2011
Alphonso mangoes
I have a guilty pleasure, mes amis. I try to buy seasonally and locally, but there is one fruit that tempts me every spring with its sweet, siren call: the alphonso mango.
Why the Alphonso? It has everything you'd ever want in a mango: juiciness, sweetness, intense flavor, butter-soft flesh, and a color reminiscent of the setting sun.
Why the guilt? Because the King of Mangoes is grown in India and exported around the world (mine came straight from Mumbai). Interestingly, I read here that Alphosos were banned from the United States for 18 years because they carried non-native fruit flies and other disease. The ban was lifted in 2007 and the mangoes are sprayed before crossing the border.
Where can you find Alphonso mangoes in Paris? I bought mine at the VS & Co. Cash and Carry near the Gare du Nord, where customers were snatching up boxes of the fruit like they were lifejackets on a sinking ship. Alphonso mango season is almost over, though, so it's best to act quickly if you're interested in your own box of subcontinental sunshine.
VS Co. Cash and Carry
197 rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 10e
tel: 01 40 34 71 65
May 23, 2011
Mastering the Art of French Eating
There's something I've been wanting to tell you, mes amis, but I didn't want to jinx it. But now that the news has appeared today in Publishers Lunch, I'm so excited to announce: I'm writing another book! Here's what happened…
I was working very happily on my second novel — about a female sommelier — when one day in the shower I was simply SEIZED with an idea for another book. A nonfiction book. About French regional cuisine.
I found myself writing a book proposal, not without a bit of anguish – have you ever worked on one of these? It's a most unnatural exercise — which I then sent to my literary agent. She offered advice and ideas and suggested I add another sample chapter. I wrote and rewrote, sent it to her again, and, two weeks ago she called me to tell me it had sold!
The book is called Mastering the Art of French Eating and it's my quest to travel through France and discover the country's best known regional dishes. Each chapter will focus on the history of a different place and its signature dish — for example, crêpes from Brittany, choucroute from Alsace, or boeuf Bourguignon from Burgundy.
Tying the book together will be my experiences as a diplomat's wife — a trailing spouse — living in France. It's a story about forging an identity through food. About the solitary year I spent in Paris while my husband was in Iraq. About striving to eat the French way — not just to fuel the body, but also to nourish the soul. Above all, it's the story of a young woman learning to build a balanced life of love and work — dish by dish.
I'm so thrilled that the book will be edited by Pamela Dorman and published by her eponymous imprint at Viking Penguin. Especially thrilled because — here's the amazing, wonderful part — once upon a time, I was Pam's editorial assistant! Yes, as a young college graduate, I worked for Pam at Viking, making photocopies, fielding phone calls, nursing paper cuts, and learning all about the publishing industry. Working with her again is a huge honor.
The manuscript is due next spring, and the book will be published sometime in the spring of 2013. Until then, I'll be traveling, researching, eating and writing. (If it sounds like I thought up this project just so I'd have an excuse to drift about France indulging in delicious food… well — you just might be right.)
As always, I look forward to keeping you posted on my voyages and eating adventures via this blog, mes amis! Thank you for sharing this happy news with me. I'm simply brimming over with excitement and enthusiasm for this project.
Julia Child, another member of the trailing spouse sisterhood, once said: "It's so beautifully arranged on the plate, you know someone's fingers have been all over it." Just kidding. Well, she did say that, but the quote I really want to share is this: "It's fun to get together and have something good to eat at least once a day. That's what human life is all about — enjoying things."
I'm ready to eat, aren't you?
