Tag: French

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Macaroni Gratin

It’s worth bringing out the good china!

Doesn’t Macaroni Gratin sound nice and fancy? Something you might get at an upscale restaurant. Of course, you and I know that Macaroni Gratin is pretty much Mac ‘n’ Cheese. Well, not that neon yellow sauce- coated macaroni that some pass off as Mac ‘n’ Cheese (yes, of course, we’ve had that kind, too). This recipe for Macaroni Gratin is far more upscale, and you wouldn’t really make it for the kiddies, either, as you definitely need to put effort into making this version.

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Vanilla Macarons

Ooh, la la! So French!

We’ve been wanting to make macarons for ages. We’ve looked at recipes. We’ve copied down some of them. We’ve read the tips for perfect macarons. We’ve had them in French bakeries. We’ve just never made them before. Why? Is it that they seem impossible to make? Nah, that won’t stop us from trying. Besides, plenty of people have made macarons. The real reason is more mundane: we’ve not had fine enough almond flour. You see, normally we make our own almond meal/flour from whole almonds by grinding them in a food processor; but, that makes a moderately coarse flour, too coarse for macarons. So, they fall by the wayside. We’ve waited long enough, so let’s make some macarons!

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Worth the trouble?
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The Mi-Cuit

Best cake in the world? Maybe!

How would you like to make the cake that’s the best in the world, according to Pierre Hermé, named the world’s best pastry chef in 2016? Are you thinking that it’s going to be some super-complex recipe, with difficult to find ingredients, hard to follow instructions, and specialized equipment, that would be far beyond your capabilities? Well, it’s not true. This cake is simple, contains just five ingredients, and you can mix it up with a spatula and a fork. It’s true.

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Worth the trouble?
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Torte au Chocolat (Chocolate Mousse Tart with a Hazelnut Crust)

As tasty as it looks.

This is what we were planning to make with the Bouchon’s Chocolate Mousse that posted the other day. Basically, a simple chocolate-hazelnut tart. And, it is pretty simple. A simple crust that you bake and fill with chocolate mousse. Nothing more. But, don’t let simple fool you into thinking that it won’t stand out. Sometimes the simplest desserts can be the best.

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Worth the trouble?
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Bouchon’s Chocolate Mousse

And we have mousse!

This is our third recipe for chocolate mousse, and a fair question would be, why? Well, let us explain. Our first Chocolate Mousse recipe is probably the easiest mousse recipe you’ll find. It makes a pretty tasty mousse, but it has two drawbacks: one, it doesn’t hold well, meaning you need to eat it soon after making (okay, maybe that’s not a real drawback), and two, it contains raw eggs, which might concern some people. The second Dark Chocolate Mousse recipe …

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Worth the trouble?
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Swiss Chard in a Mustard Cream Sauce

Swiss chard in a mustard cream sauce
Swiss chard in a mustard cream sauce
Just as fast as plain Swiss chard, but tastier!

Sure, you can steam or saute Swiss chard; it’s quick, and, let’s face it, it’s good, but rather pedestrian. What if we were able to tell you a way to amp up the flavor of your Swiss chard without any additional effort? Would you go for it? Of course you would, fellow scratchers. Who wouldn’t? We would, and did, and you can, too.

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Worth the trouble?
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Mushroom Bourguignon

mushroom bourguinon
mushroom bourguinon
Hearty enough for a meal.

I have a hard time pronouncing bourguignon correctly, but, that’s okay. It’s a difficult word to get exactly right. Does that also describe you? If so, you can do as I do and simply call this dish mushroom boogeyman. It’s easier, and, if you’re like me, at least it’ll seem funny. Well, a little bit funny. A tiny bit?

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