FRENCH BREAD. The endless world of French bread. Baguettes… God, after thirty-some years in France you would think I could walk into a bakery and not drool on myself.
At the market a woman walked by carrying three baguettes, they looked the same at a glance, but look at the ends-
Each one has a slightly different end… Different endings though the taste is the same. With that said I prefer the one on the left, a ficelle it is long and narrow, more chewy crust per bite. Good for dips and spreads.
The square-ended one is called a pain de Campagne, it has some rye or whole wheat flour, last longer than a day.
The one in the middle is a batard, Shorter, half the size and thicker than a baguette. Sounds like body types don't they? The whole body that is. Batard means 'bast-rd" in English. When the baker comes to the end of the dough, and there isn't enough for a baguette he uses the leftover bit to make a batard.
Anyway bread, cheese, wine, some fruit… the daily feast.
The last supper, my favorite supper. Oh, these French classic basics. Give or take a beret, Soccer, and cigarettes.
Thick edible crusty goat cheese, Valencay is covered in charcoal. Direct from the farm. Soft center.
The name of these cracks me up…
Bouton de Culotte – Underwear Buttons. Also a goat cheese. Can you imagine asking you guests if they would like some more "Underwear Buttons and a Bast-rd piece of bread?
Lovely.
The French know how to add humor to their daily rituals. They know how to hide a smile. They know how to beat the system. They know that life is not that serious even if they get caught up with how to cut the cheese.
Goat cheese is my favorite
(no it doesn't smell like goat urine, any more than cow cheese does.)
This one is a soft cheese with rosemary.
Add some tomato chutney, a bit of this cheese, and a glass of Medoc.
Sechons, or dried hard like a rock, tough as brick, break your teeth goat cheese.
I think if you take fresh goat cheese (above photo) and let it dry for ten years and a day, without counting you would have Sechons. Doesn't that sound yummy? They are, but they are not my favorite. Honestly hard as a rock cheese, why?
My theory is leftover cheese that didn't fly off the shelf. Re-brand it. Call it Sechons.
Marketing baby.
(Actually, these can be grated, and or soaked in olive oil, garlic, and herbs.)
Bleu d'Avergne, Gorgonzola, Roquefort…. love it.
Endive Roquefort Walnut Tart is one of my stand-by quick dinners.
Isn't there a saying that says, "You can tell a foreigner by the shoes they wear?" I am sure I have heard that before.
Anyway, in France, they say, "You can tell a foreigner by how they wear their scarf."
I am teasing they don't say that.
They know I am a foreigner when I open my mouth.
Melons and strawberries, cherries, and peaches.
Summer is for romancing the taste buds.
I love these little signs, especially when they are attached with these metal hooks.
Onions in a basket from Cevennes.
Flowers in a zinc bucket.
Fish in shells.
Picturesque.
Then I saw the cherries which caused me to shiver.
If you cannot pick them from your neighbor's tree,
if you have burnt them making jam.
Then you can buy them at the market…but only if you are going to eat them and forego making jam.
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