LindaK

As the person who first mentioned Parisian Home Cooking by Michael Roberts on the other thread, maybe I should clarify here what I should have done there. The premise of that cookbook is not to describe "authentic" Parisian cooking, whatever that might be. It is a collection of recipes experienced by the author while he lived in Paris--recipes that his French friends cooked for him in their homes, or that were suggested to him by his greengrocer, fishmonger, and other vendors from the local marchés. The recipes are often accompanied by a story or picture of his friends in their (often very tiny!) kitchens. It's a nice cookbook but nothing extraordinary. Whether the recipes reflect the typical range of Parisian home cooking, I don't know. But that they come from all over France reflects the point many are making here about how people bring their local recipes with them, wherever their origins may be.

I will definitely bake one or two this weekend, but in the interest of posting something more helpful in the meantime, I did a bit of homework, et voilà... First of all, in the Gâteau Breton recipe from Roberts’ Parisian Home Cooking, among the expected ingredients was another that surprised me: yeast. So this morning, it occurred to me to consult my one general purpose French cookbook, La Cuisine de Madame Saint-Ange (it’s much like the Joy of Cooking for French cuisine) and what I found was a Gâteau du Nord, which was basically the same recipe, including the yeast—but no nuts. According to the notes for the recipe, its origins are from the Artois (and that it’s currently en vogue in parisienne pâtisseries!). Then, I did a quick search for Gâteau Breton on Marmiton.org, a French recipe web site I keep bookmarked for emergencies like this. If you do the same, you should find 8 recipes, all more or less the same basic butter cake recipe. Two use yeast, the other do not. None have nuts. The variations are mostly around the butter/egg/egg yolk ratios as well as additional flavoring agents—mostly rum, cointreau, citrus zest. So, my conclusions, based only on reading: the real variation is in the yeast/no yeast version. Additional flavoring agents are optional, nuts seem dubious if originality is what you care about. The Roberts’ recipe has all the variations—nuts, rum, lemon zest—which makes sense if his is based on a fancy parisienne pâtisserie version.

I'm embarrassed to say that I have not yet tried this recipe. Rather I remembered reading it when this thread started and mentioned it beause I thought others might have some experience with it. If I were to post something right now, it would be the cookbook recipe verbatim. From reading the eGullet policy (thanks for the link, very helpful), it sounds as if this would not be allowed. Understandable. Assuming that I can't, I CAN promise to try it over this weekend and report back. If I'm reading the policy too strictly, someone with more experience should tell me, I'm happy to provide the recipe.

My personal favorite, if it's in season and my budget allows, is fresh swordfish. Just a bit of salt and pepper, lightly oiled to prevent sticking. And though it sounds crazy on the bbq, a small pat of butter just before taking if off the grill. nothing is better. A close second is a whole trout, when grilled whole it stays very moist. My favorite method: lightly brushed inside and out with evoo. inside: salt and pepper, one minced clove of garlic per trout and one or two fresh sage leaves en chiffonade. When I want to be over the top, I saute a slice or two of pancetta per trout, sliced, and use that for stuffing as well. Always a big hit at a dinner party.

please do! More often than not, that's how I do it. I'd love to hear how you fared. Plus, I made an impulse purchase of a round-trip ticket to Paris last night at 11:45 pm--Air France was running a special of $299 rt until midnight last night--and it's been too long.

I found a recipe for a Gâteau Breton in Michael Roberts cookbook, Parisian Home Cooking. As expected, it's basically a very rich butter cake but his does include ground nuts. Am I allowed to post the recipe here (not sure of copyright rules)?

Both good suggestions, thanks. I don't think Schoenhofs carries periodicals but OOTN I'll bet has at least one of these. And I'll bring everyone's list with me, I can probably convince them to try ordering others.

My electronic scale lets me measure weights in both oz/lbs or metric weights--just touch a button to go from one to the other. And for liquids I buy measuring cups with both systems marked on them. Both make it very easy.

This discussion comes at a good time for me, I'm finally getting serious about a new kitchen. Several folks have mentioned putting the motor on the roof to cut down on noise...I understand things such as CFM requirements but am ignorant of the mechanics of hoods. how large are these motors? are there other options for exterior installation other than a roof? I live in a condo, and while my floorplan lets me vent to the outside-- so I assume I'll be able to install a decent hood--my condo is on the first floor so I don't have access to the roof.

I'm a latecomer to this thread and not sure why I even opened it, since I have no inclination to write a cookbook. But as usual the knowledge here--not to mention entertainment value--kept me reading. But as a cookbook consumer, I can say this--a great cookbook is food porn, and who can get enough of that? The more I know the more I want to know, but the more you know the harder it is to find cookbooks that satisfy. So many seem derivative or unimaginative. And I'm often shocked at the poor editing and recipe testing that I run across, even in otherwise good cookbooks. Which is why for me at least the writing and stories are sometimes the best part of a cookbook. A genuine sense of place or spirit of the cuisine conveyed by good prose can get me in the kitchen as fast as any recipe. I know how much work writing and research are, so I have tremendous respect for those of you doing this or aspiring to it.

When I saw the picture I also thought it was a gateau basque. It's one of my favorite things to make, though I also include sour cherries in with the pastry cream filling. So good. Until you posted the picture, I wondered if you weren't describing a Financier, an almond-y pastry that's available in most patisseries. They're small, however, but also rich, buttery, and delicious. I don't know their origin.

My French is good and Gourmet mostly bores me, so these would be fun if I can find them. Foreign language books aren't hard to find where I live but speciality magazines seem to be. My local Borders carries the usual Marie Claire Maison and Paris Match (which always have a few recipes) but nothing specifically culinary. Time to start hunting or planning an over-due trip to Paris...

Is it too much trouble to ask you--or anyone who knows these magazines--to briefly tell the rest of us something about them--level of difficulty of recipes, food writing, whatever it is that you like about them? it would be fun to investigate them but it would be helpful to know where to begin. merci.

These are many of my favorites too (had dinner at Central Kitchen last night, yum). I've never tried the Sudbury Oiishi but the tiny place in Chestnut Hill is close to Boston and worth the wait, the sushi chef came from Nobu in NYC, and even a non-sushi connaisseur--moi--was dazzled. B&G is good but overpriced I think, and though my one foray to Radius was impressive, I don't much care if I go back unless I'm with a friend with an expense account.

We have some excellent farmers markets here in Boston but their life span is short, end of May thru Thanksgiving. So for now this thread is just a taunt, thank you. I'll be first in line when they open at the end of the month and will report back then.

they aren't fashionable but I like Clark's. The offer some choices of style but most importantly they keep my back from aching from too much time on my awful hard tile kitchen floor.

Fresh bluefish is wonderful! Please provide more info... I've done some fishing off Cape Cod and in season have caught plenty of bluefish--and apparently I've tossed this delicacy. Bluefish on its own is sadly not a standard on restaurant menus so I've been happy to get people to eat it at all.

maybe I misread the recipe but I didn't see it calling for more than one fish... other than that, it seemeed like a fairly traditional recipe, the only item that struck an odd note was the olives. What do you find objectionable? Are there prefered combos of ingredients?

Where will you be staying? There is nothing like strolling home from a good dinner. A short taxi ride is fine but more than that detracts. Sage is wonderful, I agree, if you're close to the North End or downtown. Forget Blue Ginger unless you're staying in the western 'burbs anyway. If you're only in Boston for one night, don't spend it figuring out transportation.

One of my standard salads is arugula and shaved fennel tossed with a citrus vinaigrette--I like fresh orange juice with a little orange zest. light but falvorful. It also makes a nice bed for cold grilled seafod or sliced meat if you want a more substantial course or main course salad.

hey...we're not so bad, really. In addition to the North End thread cited earlier, another thread had a lot of recommendations, including some of mine . They include a favorite cheese shop, Formaggio Kitchen, easily the best selection in Boston. Though this is too late for Smithy (sorry!) who was looking for a N. African place in Cambridge, I really like Casablanca, in Harvard Square. Lots of tasty "small plates" of which many are vegetarian, at a very reasonable price and informal atmostphere (note: eat in the bar area, not the dining room, there's a high per person minimum in the DR).

I don't recall the precise address but I uderstand it will be on Mass Ave in Arlington. It was chosen over other Boston area locations because the location was central to both city and suburn as well as parking availability--and probably the real estate was more affordable than downtown. Earlier reports indicated that it should be open by end of May. I've been buying Penzey's spices mail order for years now and will swear by their quality and value. Plus I like the fact that you can order small 1/4 cup containers of just about every spice they have--it lets me try new things without breaking the bank as well as not get stuck with old, stale spices. Do check out their web site. I'm very excited to have a retail operation in the area.

not me. I wish I could say that I took refuge in labor-intensive cooking, but for me just the opposite. I remember nibbling on cheese some evenings, a bowl of soup on others...introspective music and wine were the constants. Lest I not offer any constructive advice here, try inviting a friend over to share the cheese, soup, and wine, as well as your stories on those nights when you can't bring yourself to go out. You may not be ready for parties ("so, where is ____ [fill in the name]?" from well-meaning but ignorant acquaintances) or other large scale socializing, but some company will do you good. And start planning your first dinner party...

Yes, prep your soil! Who knew that worms would be your friend, but it's true. You hit one of my enthusiasms, so sorry in advance if this post is too long. An herb garden is a great thing—a desire to eat well is what turned me onto gardening in general. Plus they can be really beautiful if you plan well. If I can do it you can too--I can’t keep a houseplant alive more than a year. Northern climates are a challenge, though. I miss my days of gardening in Missouri. I agree with the advice here—chives, thyme, and sage are perennials that even harsh winters never manage to kill. There are some really interesting scented thymes (I like lemon) and sages (such as purple and variegated) that can add visual interest to your garden. They all flower at some point in the season, you can use the flowers in salads. And though mints are a pest, the variety is astonishing. In addition to standard mint, I love orange, pineapple, and chocolate mints—really. They make great additions to fruit salads and desserts. But as others have noted, put them in a pot unless you have a piece of your yard that you want them to take over. Oregano is another that seems to get through winters. I never bother to start these from seed, the growing season in New England is too short. Buy plants. Herbs such as parsley you’ll have to plant every year. I have mixed results with tarragon, sometimes it lives through the winter, other years not. Never any luck overwintering rosemary. Friends with sunny windows keep it in a pot and bring it in during the winter, but alas my shady home doesn’t allow it. A benefit of cooler climates is that annual herbs such as chervil and cilantro do well—they like a bit of shade. Don’t get me started on basils. If you just want some occasional snippings for tomatoes, a few plants will do. Otherwise, a packet of seed will give you enough for plenty of snippings and a few batches of pesto. I also like to grow a few plants of opal (red) basil, great color when you want basil flavor. This summer I’m also going to try some thai basil for my experiments in asian cuisine. Though they are not herbs, there are other things that are nice additions to an herb garden if you have the space. Edible flowers such as nasturtiums are beautiful and easy to grow from seed. I like to grow small greens such as arugula and sorrel—they grow quickly from seed, don’t take up much space, and are great to throw into an otherwise basic salad. Finally, one or two hot pepper plants (jalapeno and habanero) have become standards in my little kitchen garden. For summer salsas, I don’t use enough of them to warrant a whole pint at my local farmers market, usually I want just one or two. Not at all an herb but great to have around. Most of all enjoy getting your hands in the dirt. It's very therapeutic.

I cannot believe that I am looking at the same kitchen you posted at the start of this thread. Are you pinching yourself? I would be if my kitchen looked like that. great lighting, by the way.