Food | Gourmandistan

Halve a tart, save an apple.

November 18, 2010 by Steve

Winter is slowly, inexorably grinding its way into Gourmandistan, and our supply of local crops is dwindling. We’ve been told there are only a couple of more weeks left for local apples. While we have them, we’re occasionally enjoying one of our favorite desserts, tarte Tatin—or, as we make it, half a tarte Tatin. This tart takes a fairly long time to make, because the apples need to slowly caramelize over low heat before going into the oven. Steve contributes […]

Categories: Apples, Cooking, Food, France, Fruit Desserts, Pies & Tarts, Recipes

France, meet farm share

November 12, 2010 by Michelle

On our recent trip to Gascony we once again enjoyed the sight of plump orange potiron squash at local markets. We’ve watched vendors slice wedges from these squat, pumpkin-esque gourds, but never bought even a piece—although we would often joke about what we’d do if we ended up with a whole one for ourselves. Now, thanks to our friends at Foxhollow Farm, we know (sort of). The drought-stricken year seems to have barely slowed Foxhollow’s production of squashes, and as […]

Categories: Cooking, Food, France, Recipes, Soups & Stews, Winter squash

Gourmandistan-to-go: Bacon, egg & cheese “biscuits”

November 10, 2010 by Steve

Michelle’s family was leaving Gourmandistan in 30 minutes or so, and we knew their plans for dinner didn’t include slowing down much before reaching their Western Kentucky home. We despaired at the thought of Mom, Dad and Sister dining on fast food. Then we thought, “Why not make our own?” We had several of Mrs. Gritton’s potato rolls in the freezer, a few nubs of home-cured bacon, a little mayo, some melty (local-ish!) cheese and our usual surfeit of eggs. […]

Categories: Breads & Crackers, Cooking, Cured meats, Eggs, Food • Tags: Locavore

Not-so-scary Halloween Winter Squash Panade

October 31, 2010 by Steve

Gourmandistan gets no trick-or-treaters on Halloween, since our land is remote, inaccessible and surrounded by old people. So we have no bowls of candy, and no pumpkin carved into a frightening jack-o’-lantern. What we did have this evening were a number of winter squashes, a good amount of chicken stock, and half a loaf of day-old no-knead bread. And that, plus onions, is pretty much all you need for a squash panade. Panades have an established place in Gourmandistan, usually […]

Categories: Cooking, Food, Halloween, Recipes, Winter squash

Popcorn balls

October 26, 2010 by Michelle

Starting in the 1930s, Michelle’s 96-year-old grandmother cooked many a farm meal, and legions of farmhands claim she cooked them well—homemade and from scratch. But with the advent of “modern” convenience foods, by the Sixties (the time Michelle was a kid), Mamo felt it was quite forward-looking to seek out shortcuts. Soup mix, pie crust mix, whatever—if it came in a box or a can, it had to be better than “from scratch.” But one thing Mamo always did make […]

Categories: Cooking, Desserts & Sweets, Family, Food, Nuts, Recipes, Sorghum, Vegetarian

Stock & eggs — the circle of life is complete.

October 17, 2010 by Steve

Faithful readers may recall that before Gourmandistan left for Gascony our nation’s population declined by 18—at least in spirit. The flesh of our flock remains in freezers, awaiting our final tribute to our former chickens. Steve is eager to try coq au vin, but he’ll have to wait for a visit from his friend Bill because Michelle has no interest in tenderizing tough yard birds. She thinks the best way to use them is simply making very delicious batches of […]

Categories: Basics, Chicken, Chicken keeping, Cooking, Food, Recipes

Amis and apple clafoutis

October 10, 2010 by Steve

Apples are one of Gourmandistan’s favorite fruits, especially now that, through vigorous research in several countries, we’ve honed in on a few favorites. We’re big fans of crisp, tart apples (although Steve, in a pinch, will eat just about any apple). In France, we prefer thick-skinned Boskoop or Canada varieties. In the U.S., we love GoldRush, developed at Indiana’s Purdue University and grown in large quantities at nearby Huber’s Orchard. Steve will happily gnaw his way through several a day, […]

Categories: Apples, Cooking, Food, France, Fruit Desserts, Recipes, Vegetarian

Of rice and nems

September 26, 2010 by Steve

Many people have expressed astonishment that, even in France, we often enjoy Asian meals. “But you’re in France!,” people exclaim. “Shouldn’t you be enjoying French food?” We have two somewhat inter-related answers. First, even for Gourmandistanis, there can be such a thing as too much foie gras. Second, in many ways, Asian food in France is still very, very French. France was a colonial power in much of Southeast Asia for much of the 19th and 20th centuries, until leaving […]

Categories: Appetizers, Food, France, Restaurants, Vietnam

France, Southern style

September 8, 2010 by Michelle

We invited our British neighbors-for-the-week over for drinks and hors d’oeuvres this evening, a reciprocation for their including us in poolside drinks on Monday. Initially, we planned on an assortment of sausages, cheeses and perhaps a tapenade to accompany bottles of local wines. Then Michelle had a moment of genius. Instead of serving French food to British people vacationing in France, why not instead serve them Southeast U.S. classics made with Southwest French ingredients? Thus were born two marvelous appetizers: […]

Categories: Appetizers, Cheese, Cooking, Duck, Food, France, Recipes