One of the many perks of being a food blogger is that I occasionally get sent cookery books to review. I love it when that happens as I really love cookbooks. I was recently sent the book, Kids Cook French, by Claudine Pepin, with illustrations by Jacques Pepin to review. This one is a delight!
I grew up in Canada watching Jacques Pepin cook on PBS along with Julia Child, and so I was excited to get this book, which has been written by his daughter Claudine. It only seems natural that Claudine (an accomplished home cook and wine educator who married a chef), should publish a cookbook for kids, since she grew up with the fine cuisine of her father and now cooks most nights for her own family.
This book was designed for the foodie chile and in a way which is sure to inspire children to want to get in the kitchen and cook and we all know that a way to get children to eat healthier and to eat a more varied diet is to get them in the kitchen cooking. Kids LOVE to cook what they eat!
As a keen artist myself, and a writer of my own small illustrated cookbooklets, I really enjoyed the illustrations done by Jacques Pepin himself. They are bright and colourful and quite entertaining. The recipes range from uncomplicated to somewhat complicated, with recipes for everything from croque monsieur to roasted cauliflower to apple tarts with almond frangipane.
There is a note to each the child and the parent to begin with, followed by four chapters . . . To Start (appetizers and beginnings), To Continue (main courses), On the Side (delicious side dishes) and To Finish (as you would expect some tasty desserts). Also included are a range of tasty menus using the recipes from the book.
Everything is in both English and French, which may even inspire your children to learn a second language. I find it quite charming . . .
There are also little tips interspersed throughout in colourful little boxes . . . ie. "Everything you cut, dice, slice, or chop is going to be eaten by someone, so take care and do it well."
True to Claudine’s guiding philosophy . . . that there is no such thing as “kids food,” only “good food” . . . Kids Cook French doesn’t look or read like a children’s cookbook. You won’t find rebus-like directions in large print with little measuring spoons, or yet another “recipe” for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. This is not to say that the recipes are overly complicated, only that adult supervision is required for what are clearly family projects.
I love the idea of families cooking together.
And once again, the illustrations truly are delightful.
I always like to try at least one recipe to show you from the cookbooks I review and so this time I chose Gougeres. Gougeres are a delicious cheese puff type of appetizer, which is composed of choux paste, which can be somewhat complicated to cook. The instructions were quite easy to follow however and I think you will agree that my Gougeres turned out just lovely!
If you haven't already gotten a gift for the special Father in your life for Father's Day on Sunday, I think this would be a fabulous gift. Nothing like getting Dad and the children into the kitchen for a little bit of family bonding over some cookery and good food!
All in all I think this is a purely delightful book, for parent and child alike. It's just complicated enough to make it interesting to the older child and adult, but not so complicated that it can't be understood by a younger child with supervision!
Kids Cook French
Les Enfants Cuisinent a La Francaise
by Claudine Pepin
with illustrations by Jacques Pepin
Cookbook for ages 5+, 96 pp.
ISBN 978-1-59253-953-6
Published by Quarry Books
RRP - $21.99 US/ £12.99 UK/ $23.99 CAN
I am truly a salad nut. I could eat salad seven nights a week and never tire of it . . . ever.
One of my favourite salad leaves to use, are the baby gems. I love them sliced into quarters and dressed with a simple vinaigrette, or a tasty blue cheese dressing . . . fabulous along with a scattering of sliced spring onion.
I don't know about you, but at my age, and with only two people living in this house, I struggle sometimes getting everything I bake eaten up. I do give a lot of it away, but food is money and in today's economy, I don't always want to be giving away half of everything I make because I can't use it or because it can't be frozen or stored. The perfect solution is to downsize recipes, cutting them in half, or only cooking and baking things that can be frozen.
We were cleaning out the freezer at the weekend and I found a nice piece of salt beef that was in danger of having been in there for far too long, so what's a gal to do. I thawed it out and cooked it. I know it's not St Patrick's Day or even close to it . . . but in all honesty I can eat salt or corned beef anytime! And of course the tastiest go with it side dish has to be cabbage!
My husband is a died and true Meat and Potatoes man. He's not bothered with having anything fancy. Simply prepared, meat and potatoes . . . he's a happy camper. It comes from having been brought up during WW2, during rationing, etc. He's happy with most things you put in front of him, but simple food pleases him most of all.
I can still remember the very first time I had a Cantuccini, or Biscotti as they are also known. I was probably in my early 30's. My ex and I were enjoying a weekend on our own at my ex Sister in Law's condo in Toronto . . . down on Young Street . . . in the midst of what was happening in Toronto.
>
Always the foodie . . . I remember seeing a glass jar on the counter filled with these long, crisp biscuits and I so wanted to taste one. They were very expensive as I recall . . . so it was a real treat when my husband bought one for me.
When my ex boss and her husband went on their yearly trips to Rome . . . they always brought back Italian Cantuccini and Amaretti, Torcetti and Baci . . . I do confess, I would sneak one just so that I could savour an Italian treat.
I have a whole Board on Pinterest dedicated to Biscotti! Biscotti and Cantuccini are pretty much the same thing. Biscotti (Twice Cooked in English) Cantuccini (Coffee Bread in English)
I found this recipe on a German Food Blog called Lykkelig. Her photograph was very beguiling . . . and I loved the combination of spices used in the dough . . . warm baking spices . . . cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, cloves . . .
It was a bit of a risk using a recipe from a foreign language, but the pictures on the blog looked okay.
Not to mention they smelled just like what I would imagine Heaven to smell like while they were baking!
Can you take yet another delicious blueberry recipe from me??? Oh, I am sure you can! As you know I love blueberries and I am betting that there is a fair number of you who feel the same. Can you ever have too many blueberry recipes??? I think not!
There is nothing more appealing than a delicious plate of English fish and chips. This is not considred to be the National favourite dish for nothing. We love, LOVE our fish and chips here in the UK!
As good as the ones taste that you can get at the seaside and at our fish and chips place that we like in Chester . . . nothing beats the Beer Battered Cod and Twice Fried Chips that you can make at home.
A bit of a fiddle yes . . . but as a once in a blue moon treat, well worth the bother!
That crisp batter is so light and crispy and those chips . . . sigh . . . a tiny taste of heaven. I like to keep the skin on my potatoes for even extra flavour and texture, but you can certainly peel it all off.
It's your choice. I like to have ketchup and Tartar Sauce and a wedge of lemon with mine.
I make my own tartar sauce. You must give it a go. It tastes so much better than any ready made sauce! Once you have made your own from scratch tartar sauce you will never go back to ready made!
You might think of Fish and Chips as being quintessentially British, and you would not be far wrong. The history of fish and chips might surprise you however.
Interestingly this favourite British dish dates back to the seventeenth century when Jewish immigrants from Spain and Portugal peddled battered fish cooked in huge cauldrons of hot oil as a street snack!
Originally the batter was supposed to just be a vessel to cook the fish in, meant to be discarded when i came to eating it. As if! The batter, done properly, is one of the best bits!
You cannot beat hot crisp batter, encasing a delicate sweet perfectly cooked piece of fresh fish. Its pure heaven on a plate to me!
Fish has always been plentiful in the coastal areas of these beautiful Islands, and with the advent of trains in the mid nineteenth century, the North Sea profided plenty of delicious fish which could be easily transported to the inland city markets.
Tasty and nutritious battered fish provided a delicious relief from the monotony of the diets of many city folks.
It wasn't long before demand ushered in the advent of new shops all over the UK, offering crisp battered fish . . . adding chips to the menu as well, making for a tasty and substantial supper.
Wrapped together in newspaper also helped to keep the costs down. To this day you will find Fish and Chip shops all over the UK providing this delicious dish to appreciative customers.
Although with the shortage of sustainable fresh Cod and the expense, other type of fish are gaining in popularity. I do hope you will give this version a go at home.
It is a bit of trouble, but more than worth the effort taken for a once in a blue moon treat. This batter is beautifully crisp and flavourful and the fish itself, perfectly cooked and succulent. Those chips . . . don't get me started!
*Beer Battered Cod with Tartar Sauce*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
This
is my homemade version of battered fish. With it's crisp and flavourful beer batter, you are in for a real treat if you
try this!
TARTAR SAUCE:
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 TBS finely chopped cornichons
1 TBS prepared horseradish
2 TBS coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley
½ tsp dry mustard
6 TBS good quality mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
FISH:
Oil for frying
1 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup beer (I use the non-alcohol version)
2 pounds of fish fillets (Cod, Haddock or Hake)(cut into 1 ½ by 3 inch pieces)
Mix all the ingredients for the tartar sauce in a bowl until well combined and set aside.
Heat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Cover a cookie sheet with paper towels and top with a wire rack.
Heat about 3" of oil to approximately 180*C/365*F in a medium sized pot.
Meanwhile,
mix flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whisk in egg. Slowly add the beer
while whisking. Dip fish pieces in the batter and place on plate or the
wire rack you will be using to drain the fried fish. I usually double
dip in the batter if I have some left over once the batter dries on the
awaiting fish.
Place fish pieces, two at a time in the oil. Cook
until the fish is done and the crust is lightly golden, about 4 minutes
for 3/4-inch thick fillets. Remove fish with tongs and put on rack to
drain. Sprinkle salt over the hot fish and put on the baking sheet in
the oven to keep warm. Repeat in batches with the remaining fish. Serve
with the tartar sauce and homemade chips.
a frying thermometer
When you are ready to fry
your chips heat your fat to 120*C/250*F. Add the chips in batches,
without crowding the pan. Blanch in the fat for 5 minutes, just until
cooked through. Remove, pat dry and drain on paper toweling. Once you
have blanched all the chips raise the temperature of the fat to
160*C/320*F. Fry the chips again until crisp and golden brown. Drain
well, season with some salt and serve immediately.
Note: I sometimes will make my own oven
chips to go with this, rather than frying chips. I just take some baking potatoes, washing and
cutting them into thick wedges. I toss the wedges with some olive oil
and salt and pepper and roast them in a very hot oven for about 30
minutes until they are crispy and browned all over. You can keep them
warm while you are frying the fish.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Some days you just want to bury your face into an indulgent fruity dessert, but having no fruity fruit to hand, you make do with what you do have . . . and today it was bananas.
We always have bananas in this house, them being one of the Toddsters favourite snacks . . . the fact that they are loaded with potassium and good for you not withstanding . . .
I've never been overly fond of raw banana, unless they are sliced on top of my rice crispies, or in a banana cream pie. I do love a Banoffee Pie also . . . a quintessentially British Dessert, composed of Bananas and caramel in a buttery digestive crust and topped with whipped cream!
I suppose it is a British version of Banana Cream, but in true British fashion . . . over the top! ☺ In a very tasty way.
This recipe today is a play on a traditional British indulgence known as Eton Mess . . . a dessert composed of red berries, whipped cream and crushed meringues, all folded together into a . . . well a splodgy mess which is oh so delicious!
In doing some research just now to tell you where the name Eton Mess came from, I have discovered that they have also been known to use Bananas in this indulgent dessert, so I may not be as innovative as I thought I was!
In any case allow me to present Banoffee Mess . . . an indulgent dessert composed of whipped cream, crushed meringues, sliced bananas, toasted pecan nuts and a delicious toffee sauce . . . all moreishly folded together.
Light. Delicious. Satisfying for the sweet tooth. Easy and quick to throw together. Need I say more? Dig in!
Pour the cream into a large chilled bowl. Whip just until soft peaks form. (Don't be tempted to over whip) Crumble in the meringue nests, then gently fold in the sliced bananas. Swirl in the toffee sauce. Divide the mixture between six dessert dishes and then scatter over the toasted pecans and drizzle with a little more toffee sauce. Delicious!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
When I was growing up my mother used to treat us every now and again to a steak supper called Swiss Steak. It was delicious and one of my father's favourite meals. Easy to do . . . it involved beating tougher cuts of steak to tenderize them, browning them and then braising them in a mix of tinned tomatoes and onions. When I had my own family, I added peppers and herbs to the mix. Everyone loved it.
Once the weather starts to turn warmer, the North American in me starts pining for a good old BBQ! There is nothing like warm temps and the smell of a charcoal grill to get the tastebuds tingling. My Brit husband tends to think that there is nothing like planning a BBQ at the weekend to insure a good sprinkling of rain. After having been over here for almost fifteen years now I don't think a BBQ would be complete with at least the risk of showers!
The people at the Mill Race Garden Centre have put together a really humorous list of 21 Signs You are at a Quintessentially British BBQ! It's brilliantly witty and oh so true! I really had to chuckle when I read it myself, because it is all so true! Do hop on over to their page and get in on the fun. (That's another thing I love about the Brits . . . their ability to poke fun at themselves in a very tongue in the cheek way!)
We had the most delicious chicken for lunch last week when we went to our friend's house. It was incredibly tasty, and I think it's pretty safe to say that nobody was worrying about calories that day! (What with this chicken dish and the Malva Pudding and all!) It's nice to indulge once in a while and this chicken was incredibly tasty. My friend Tina got the recipe from her daughter Kim and it was sooo good that I had to make it for the Missionaries when they came for tea. Once again no complaints. I am calling it Kim's Chicken Dish, but it really should be called the Flippingly Amazingly Delicous Chicken Dish!!
One thing that the British do really well are biscuits, or cookies as they are known in North America. There are whole aisles in the grocery shops devoted to the British Biscuit containing every indulgence under the sun! I was quite amazed when I first moved over here and saw the variety available! It's quite mind boggling, really . . . but after 15 years I have come to have favourites amongst the lot!
We were invited to have lunch with some friends earlier this week in their home. Tina and Tony. We love spending time with them. They are a fascinating couple and good people. They've lived several places in their lives, including South Africa and Australia and now they live in Wales. They're retired just like us and just like me, Tina loves to cook. You can be certain that when you are invited to theirs for a meal, you are in for a real treat, and boy oh boy was lunch the other day a treat!
Dessert was this fabulous pudding which is South African in origin. Hands down the most delicious pudding I have ever eaten. I just had to ask for the recipe and one of the nice things about Tina is she doesn't mind sharing, which is great!
This dessert was soooooooo delicious that I ended up making it for the Missionary Elders when they came to us for tea on Thursday evening and it went down a real treat then too!
It's like a dense, sticky rich cake. You make a batter first, which you bake in a casserole dish in a slow oven for about 45 minutes, covered with foil.
The sauce soaks into the batter adding to it's moistness . . . rich, sticky . . . scrumptiously delicious. Almost dangerous.
Tina served hers with warm custard, but I served it with pouring cream . . . mostly because I ran out of time and didn't have time to make custard . . .
There were no complaints. 'Nuff said.
Social Icons