Hannah and Shay make French food.
France’s medieval cities, Mediterranean beaches, art museums, and booming fashion scene are only some of the amazing things it has to offer. France is seen as one of the spearheads of culinary technique and design and some of the beauty of this Western European nation is conveyed through the art of food. In fact, France is known for collecting Michelin stars like it’s nobody’s business. Let’s just say, the French can cook…and they know it.
Like many other large nations, the cuisine varies from region to region, but one thing the whole of France is known for, is its use of butter, wine, and fresh herbs in its cooking. There are honestly so many great dishes which have come from this country, that choosing only a few proved to be challenging. But we decided to make a classic; coq au vin, which is originally made with rooster and wine. We stuck with chicken for obvious reasons; Real Canadian Superstore was fresh out of roosters. This dish was divine; tender chicken bathed in an herb-infused rich red wine gravy. This dish really does show off what French cuisine has to offer, and I’m very glad we chose this as our main course.
Now lets talk butter…I mean potatoes! If I’m being honest,, it’s basically a 1:1 ratio here. Pomme puree is arguably the best way to eat potatoes…maybe even better than French fries and if you haven’t tried preparing spuds this way, you should try it. One main difference here, besides the ungodly amount of butter, is that we boiled the potatoes in milk. This gave the final dish that extra degree of velvetiness that is associated with pomme puree.
Shay made a simple sauteed kale and bacon side dish in the same pan in which he cooked the garnish for the coq au vin. Bacon fat and butter coated the kale leaves as the heat wilted them and salty bacon pieces lingered throughout. This was a side dish which can be hastily thrown together in minutes and would pair nicely with most other dishes too.
After years of imagining baking my own French bread, I finally made my dreams come true with a classic baguette. This crusty bread was the ideal choice for sopping up the unctuous juices from the coq au vin. With a hard exterior and fluffy interior, it should sound hollow when it is tapped with your finger. We even made this bread without the use of a couche, which is the cloth that bakers use to help the dough keep its shape while rising in the oven. Were they crooked? Yes. But were they beautiful? Also, yes.
We were intimidated by this episode but walked away feeling very happy with our meal. French cuisine really is something special and even the few techniques we have been able to learn, are so useful and leave us saying “Wow. That makes so much sense.” Like the Beurre Manié, or kneaded butter, shay used in the coq au vin. French cooking is efficient, yet methodical. It is a happy and everlasting marriage between art and science and it has truly helped make the culinary world what it is today. Now go to the store, buy some butter, and make some French food.
