lunch – Page 13 – Myfrenchkitchen

Autumn asks for rustic food. Because some days are sunny and mild, meals can still be enjoyed outside and as such a homey, rustic meal can add warmth and cosiness. A rustic meal also falls in step with the colours of the season, as the pumpkin tart shows. So what can be better than being right in the spirit of the season!

***Errata: 3. PASTRY: .. “Use a bit MORE water if too dry and add more flour if needed…”

Une pincée de sel:

Sweet potatoes are just as good instead of pumpkin..treat the sweet potatoes the same way.
Use wholewheat flour instead of plain flour.
Drizzle some herb honey over the pumpkin just before serving, or caramelize the pumpkin with some honey.
Make individual servings of tartlets instead of one large tart.
Use leeks instead of red onion.

..ingredients..

..and autumn gives us umber and sienna..

When I think of winter think of black and white, grey, mystery, design.. Spring makes me think of flowery pinks, blues, lavenders, whites..In summer it is the exuberance of reds and yellows, that come to mind… Autumn gives us siennas and umbers, rich, embracing us with its warmth. I always think that it is the season for artists.

I wish you a lovely artist’s season!

à bientôt

Ronelle

Yesterday was hot. Very very hot. I thought I was going to melt. Here in the southwest of France we are “au niveua 2 du canicule” (level 2 heatwave). In Paris everybody is in water…by the Eiffel, in die seine, in the fountains. We are drinking water by the tons, the ice cream shelves shelves are empty. We are thirsty and hot and sticky. We are like limp fish. But it isn’t the worst heat I’ve known, so I don’t complain..pretty soon it will be dark European winter days and I will miss this heat.

In the meantime, there are many ways to keep cool. One of them of course is eating cool meals…like sipping cold gazpacho!

Une petite pensée:

I don’t add bread to the gazpacho, but I love to serve it with croutons sprinkled on top. Omit the croutons and mix some country bread together with the vegetable mix.
Serve with vegetables cut into small dice(cucumber, peppers, spring onions)
Serve with a cocktail stick of goats cheese, cherry tomato, basil leaf.
Serve topped with a spoonful of scraped iced tomato juice.
Use a celery branch to stir.
Add cubes of ice in each glass
Serve in rustic Spanish glasses for the best effect.

A visit to Brive la Gaillarde..Les rues, des petits chemins, un bistro, la collegiale St. MArtin, lesboputis(quilts), l’architecturte et les fontaines..voilà Brive la Gaillarde a Corréze.