Home//Delicious UK/September 2023/In This Issue
Delicious UK|September 2023from the editor.Bienvenue! As you’ll have spotted, this issue has a French theme – an idea spawned months ago when we were discussing dishes we love. Many featured cheese and cream, their appeal heightened by the unseasonably cold summer (bah!), and many were French. Then I went to an event where chef-presenter Andi Oliver discussed, among other things, how French cookery came to dominate world cuisine. The topic is complex, I thought, and where there’s complexity there’s fascination; therefore it warrants delving into over more pages than just a few. So here you have it: a magazine overflowing with joie de vivre. Meet five chefs (p37) influenced by French food in different ways – with stunning recipes as a result. On p88 historian Annie Gray gives insight into the rise of French…2 min
Delicious UK|September 2023APPETISERSWHERE ENGLAND AND FRANCE MEET The Channel Island of Guernsey will host a celebration of all things French from 10 to 15 October. An exhibition will commemorate the 140th anniversary of artist Renoir’s visit, including works created during his stay. See the views that inspired his paintings on the self-guided Renoir Walk at Moulin Huet Bay (pictured) – where the Renoir Garden Café serves popular crab sarnies – or explore Victor Hugo’s house, where he wrote Les Misérables. There’ll be French menus at island restaurants, while a special food market will offer French cheeses, ciders and meats. visitguernsey.com RETURN OF THE NATIVE Native oyster season is here – and it’s a good time to enjoy UK crab and the last of summer’s native lobsters. Witness the Scottish Oyster Shucking Championship…3 min
Delicious UK|September 2023LEARN TO DO IT FRENCH-STYLEIf our French special fires your interest, you might want to invest in the new edition of The Complete Book of French Cooking by Hubert Delorme and Vincent Boué. The 500 pageplus tome covers techniques including pastry, preparing veg, sauces and filleting fish, with guides to meat cuts, French cheeses and fruit. Some of the recipes and photography are dated, but there are plenty of enduring classics such as quiche lorraine, duck à l’orange and profiteroles. A rich reference. Flammarion £35, out 7 Sep…1 min
Delicious UK|September 2023MEET THE READERFollow us on social @deliciousmag “Tacos remind me of my hometown of Chicago” When did you start cooking? I’ve always loved food but ramped things up after training at Westminster Kingsway College. Treasured food memory? Cracking walnuts with my dad while watching US sitcoms. Favourite family recipe? A friend’s recipe for beef goulash – clean plates all round. Cheer-up meal? A spicy carrot, cumin and red lentil soup topped with grated hard-boiled egg. Signature recipe? Fully loaded chicken tinga tacos remind me of my hometown of Chicago, where the Mexican food is outstanding. Kitchen stalwart? My special wine glass, which always aids the cooking process. Secret weapon? Chillies – I add them to anything and everything. Food adventure? We had lamb brains in Marrakech and antelope in South Africa. Cooking…1 min
Delicious UK|September 20236 of the best three-star winners1UP YOUR CURRY GAME Or try this organic ghee for cooking sublime roasties. It’s produced in small batches in the West Country using butter from grass-fed cattle. What the judges said… “The aroma is of creamy butter warmth and the flavour is fabulous…” Happy Butter Organic Ghee, £9.50 for 300g, Ocado and happybutter.co.uk/shop 2ACE THE ACID Lee Kum Kee is a top brand and this rice vinegar wowed the Great Taste judges. Your new storecupboard essential. What the judges said… “It’s malty and tangy with caramel and bitter chocolate notes and a long, savoury, fermented finish… Wonderful vinegar to cook with or serve as a dipping sauce.” Lee Kum Kee Seasoned Rice Vinegar, £1.50 for 120ml, Tesco 3GAMECHANGER PASTRY This traditionally made, additive-free, ready-rolled puff pastry is as good as…2 min
Delicious UK|September 2023Vive la France!Discover your inner patissier and learn how to make proper custard, then whip up everybody’s favourite custardy puds Bake Off star Manon Lagrève reveals how easy it is to create traditional French bakes at home Trish Deseine cooks a recipe inspired by Elisabeth Scotto, whose books gave her a lifelong love of Gallic food Award-winning writer Felicity Cloake tours la belle France’s best restaurants you’ve never heard of IN ASSOCIATION WITH…1 min
Delicious UK|September 2023A glass of Suze with Raymond BlancRAYMOND'S LATE SUMMER TREAT I love to go to the fête du Biou d’Arbois in the Jura, held in September to celebrate the grape harvest. This extraordinary area is full of wine and amazing cheeses, such as comté and morbier. Here, the pig is a god: we honour the pig on more days than the Virgin Mary! I’ll enjoy it in all sorts of ways, from black pudding and terrine to pork belly and what is probably the world’s best sausage: morteau. And I’ll soak up the atmosphere and enjoy a glass of Suze, a colourful digestif made from the gentian flower. One of the first things I remember eating was earth. My father was a keen gardener and one day when I was about six – it was raining,…4 min
Delicious UK|September 2023Crème de la crème CUSTARDbe a better cook. In simplest terms, custard is the result of thickening liquid (usually milk and/or cream) with eggs – but that undersells this brilliant and versatile concoction. When I was at cookery school, there was a time when we were making a type of custard every day – to pour on puds or fill pastries and tarts, as a base for chilled or baked desserts and, of course, for ice cream. Although I’m glad those custard cookery days are behind me, I appreciate what I learned. The rules for success have become second nature and I still enjoy the process of transforming a few simple ingredients into something smooth and velvety. THE BACK STORY Custard’s been popular since the Middle Ages in Europe, when baked custard tarts were…14 min
Delicious UK|September 2023DON'T BIN IT! The French stickTARTINES VS CROUTONS If you like a tartine, slice the French stick and brush with oil, then grill or toast in a pan (you may need a bit more oil). Top with grated tomatoes (rub the toast with a garlic clove first and finish with an anchovy fillet, if you like), goat’s cheese and caramelised onions, or white crabmeat, peas, pea shoots and lemon zest (below). For team crouton, cut the bread into chunks, toast in a pan with oil until golden, then add to a salad. Bread salads always need time to soak up all the flavours – mix the ingredients together without adding any leafy greens or delicate herbs, then leave at room temperature for 20 minutes. Stir in the leaves to serve. CHICKEN TRIVETS Tear your slightly…2 min
Delicious UK|September 2023C'est si bon!brilliant bakes. In France, pâtisser (to bake) is mostly used when talking about a professional, not a home baker. Instead, we simply faire un gâteau (make a cake) for a weekly dessert or a Sunday family meal – a sweet treat, made without fuss, for the joy of sharing. I want people to know that a cake with a fancy French name doesn’t have to be difficult to make. My mum and grandma ran a farm, so they didn’t have time to spend hours baking, but there was always a homemade dessert at every meal. I hope you’ll enjoy making and sharing my recipes with people you love – because there’s no better feeling than having a bit of la belle vie (the good life) A BIT ABOUT MANON After…10 min
Delicious UK|September 20235 international dishes created with French inspirationClam chowder The name comes from the French for cauldron – chaudière – the vessel in which stews were cooked at sea. The original chowders used salt pork and fish with ships’ biscuits as a thickener. Later iterations – often regional within North America – opted for bacon, clams and a flour and butter roux. Sugar pie A Québécois open tart, loosely descended from 18th century custard flans but with maple syrup in place of sugar and cream in place of eggs. Northern France still has a tarte au sucre, and US versions also exist, including the pecan pie of New Orleans. Meen puyabaise The Indian interpretation of the seafood French soup bouillabaisse. Native to Puduch*erry (which used to be called Pondicherry). Spicier and tangier than the southern French dish,…1 min
Delicious UK|September 20237 things to embrace from the French approach1 TAKE YOUR TIME Leave your desk for lunch and avoid eating in front of a screen to give your brain and digestive system time to recognise when you’re full. “Take at least 25 minutes,” Dr Cohen suggests. 2 PREPARE MEALS FROM SCRATCH It doesn’t have to be a complicated recipe, so do this wherever possible. “It might be something made with three simple ingredients and a dressing,” Boulstridge says. 3 TRY TO SIT DOWN AND EAT WITH FRIENDS OR FAMILY It’s not possible all the time, but research shows that frequently enjoying meals with others promotes healthier eating habits. 4 START MEALS WITH VEGETABLES “My mum would give us vegetable batons, dips and olives as a sort of aperitif while we waited for dinner to be cooked,” says Boulstridge.…1 min
Delicious UK|September 2023THE FOOD QUIZ1 Bringing courses individually to the diner is known as? a) English serviceb) French servicec) Russian serviced) Civil service 2 Arbequina, cerignola and castelvetrano are all types of… a) Cherryb) Ricec) Olived) Lentil 3 What did the French ban in 2011? a) Ketchup in school cafeteriasb) English on menusc) Toad-in-the-holed) British beef 4 Which of these is the best source of vitamin D? a) Orange juiceb) Kalec) Steakd) Eggs 5 Which of these items is not a French invention? a) Quicheb) Margarinec) Tarte tatind) Vol-au-vent 6 What is a fear of vegetables called? a) Turophobiab) Lachanophobiac) Arachibutyrophobiad) Mageirocophobia 7 In a kitchen, a spider is a… a) Ring of hooks for hanging equipmentb) Wire mesh strainerc) Eight-pronged forkd) Special type of tongs 8 Which of these is not a Paul…2 min
Delicious UK|September 2023WHAT'S ON THE MENU?KEEP IT CLASSIQUE Red wine-braised short ribs and beans (p74) Gratin dauphinois (p64) Kouign amann (p84) French cooking has influenced cuisines the world over, so getting a few traditional recipes in your repertoire will instantly upgrade your back catalogue of culinary stonkers. The classic beef in red wine has the acidity to take on the rich creamy potatoes, then follow it up with a buttery, laminated bake. This hearty menu feeds a crowd of 6-8. NEW NOUVELLE CUISINE Saint Agur gougères (p61) Butternut squash tarte tatin (p107) Chai crème brûlée (p57) The classics are great, but the odd twist or adaptation can produce something even better. Gougères are given a punchy update with a tangy blue cheese sauce; tarte tatin turns savoury and the never-goes-out-of-fashion crème brûlée gets infused with…1 min
Delicious UK|September 2023PUB OF THE MONTHthecrownatpantygelli.com PUBBY CREDS This whitewashed local favourite is near Abergavenny, whose famous food festival is 16-17 Sep this year. Farmers prop up the flagstone-floored bar and regulars tuck in at mis-matched tables. New owners Amy and Nick have zhuzhed up the menu. THE BOOZE Choose from 11 brews on tap, including a Welsh guest beer and Apple County Cider, made up the road. Penderyn Distillery spirits round out the local line-up, and the wine list brims with affordable Old and New World finds. THE FOOD The head chef is Italian, so alongside pub classics (the steak and ale pie, £14, is great), expect seasonal risottos and Med-style starters such as braised baby octopus, tomatoes and capers on homemade friselle bread (£9). THE WALK Sugar Loaf Mountain is on the doorstep,…1 min
Delicious UK|September 2023OVER TO YOUSTAR EMAIL ★ Subject: Summer’s burning issue From: Becca Bedson While nodding along to Fliss Freeborn’s article on disposable barbecues [Aug, p130], one thought kept occurring to me: what was so bad about the great British picnic that we felt the need to replace it with the simultaneously burnt and half-raw food cooked on the worst piece of cooking equipment since the counter top pizza cooker? My childhood wouldn’t have been the same without summers filled with sausage rolls, cucumber sandwiches and potato salad. Please, for the love of food, let’s do away with the foil-trayed harbinger of food poisoning and wildfires, and once again embrace the tradition of checked blankets, cold finger food and wine served in plastic cups (juice for the kids). Subject: Words matter From: Florence I…2 min
Delicious UK|September 2023FIGS The original fruitseasonal. Thought to be one of the first fruits cultivated by humans over 11,000 years ago in the Middle East, fresh figs are fantastic. The Ancient Romans went bonkers for them, fuelling their army on energy-rich dried figs, and today they’re still the poster child for sunny Mediterranean cooking, offering their juicy sweetness to puddings, bakes and savoury dishes in equal measure. Beef carpaccio with fresh figs, crispy capers and manchego Serves 4-6 Hands-on time 15 min, plus 1-2 hours freezing • 500g British beef fillet, in a single piece • Olive oil to brush and fry • 1 tbsp plain flour • 3 tbsp capers, drained • 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar • 1½ tsp balsamic glaze or balsamic vinegar • 8-12 figs,…9 min
Delicious UK|September 2023delicious. discoveries FRENCH SPECIALThe Chanel of cocoa Deputy digital editor Thea Everett says no chocolate cake had ever wowed her – until she used classy Valrhona cocoa, beloved of chefs and food writers. “Boy does this pack a punch,” she says. “It’s what’s known as dutchprocessed, meaning it’s washed to neutralise the acidity, making for a deeper colour and a smoother flavour. If brownies and fancy choc cakes are your thing, this cocoa might just change your life.” Valrhona cocoa powder, £10.95 for 250g, souschef.co.uk PLAUDITS FOR PICARD Our emigré columnist Debora Robertson is ebullient about French frozen food retailer Picard on p48 – and so are we! Vic, head of digital, loves Picard’s frozen spinach with cream, while managing editor Les is in awe of the brand’s Superior margherita pizza. “It’s a…3 min
Delicious UK|September 2023THE FRENCH CONNECTION“My cooking is rooted in France – it’s my life story” "The first dish I learned to cook was when I was 14: escalopes de veau à la normande, with mushrooms and cream. It was the only recipe I knew and I cooked it for the other children at the orphanage where I grew up (I lost my parents when I was little). At 16 I spent four years at cookery school, learning the basics. The cookbook we used was La Cuisine de Référence by Michel Maincent-Morel, and recently I saw that one of my apprentices is using the same book almost 30 years later! French cuisine is important because it classifies cooking – it’s still very relevant and a reference in the world of gastronomy. What has changed is…20 min
Delicious UK|September 2023The project. Gougères“Describe a gougère to someone who’s never had one and they sound a bit like a fancy cheese puff. But these savoury choux buns (usually made with cheese) are so much more than that – they’re a guaranteed crowdpleaser, especially when served warm from the oven alongside a glass of something chilled and fizzy. Sure, they might not have the fancy look of some canapés, but what they lack in looks they more than make up for in flavour. Strictly speaking, a classic gougère is unfilled; it gets its flavour from the cheese added to the dough, but I like to amp up the flavour and create a little textural contrast by filling them with a creamy sauce. I find the punchy tang of blue cheese works particularly well in…5 min
Delicious UK|September 2023A NEW DAWN FOR SUSTAINABLE WINEMAKINGWHAT DOES AN ECO-CONSCIOUS VINEYARD LOOK LIKE? A gaggle of geese on pest patrol and a line of pigs on lawn-mowing duty might not be the first thing you think of when you picture a vineyard – but they, and many other animals, are being put to use across the globe as part of the wine industry’s attempt to become more sustainable. Geese and ducks reduce the use of pesticides by gobbling up snails and other pests, while the pigs keep weeds in check without the soil compaction that comes from using machinery, which can lead to poor root growth. The nutrient-rich manure comes in handy too. While vines are by their nature mono-cultural, an eco-conscious vineyard understands they’re part of a bigger ecosystem, so introducing wetlands and increasing biodiversity…8 min
Delicious UK|September 2023WHO DECIDED FRENCH FOOD WAS BEST?There’s a long history of tension between what the British have dismissed as overly fussy French food versus plain English fare. We’ve had a love-hate relationship with our nearest neighbour for over a thousand years. And during that time, French food conquered not just Britain but quite a lot of the world. But who decided French food was best? Essentially, the French did, then persuaded everyone else to agree. The French takeover began for Britain in 1066 when the Normans invaded, bringing with them the culinary words we still use for cow (boeuf/beef), sheep (mouton/mutton) and pig (porc/pork). They even ferried over Cistercian monks to fix the cheese culture. The idea of French culinary supremacy was thus embedded in English gastronomy from the start. French became the court language and…7 min
Delicious UK|September 2023Letter to my food hero. Trish Deseine writes to Elisabeth Scottovoices in food. Dear Elisabeth I first met you on a wet Friday afternoon in Edinburgh in the late Eighties, in the second year of my French degree. I had just moved into a shabby Old Town flat with two other students, my first taste of proper cohabitation since sharing a home and meals with parents and brothers. I’d invited six friends for dinner the next evening, my first ever dinner party. I thought it all terribly grown-up but didn’t have the first clue about what I should cook, only that it must be French. You weren’t there in person of course, but your written voice – calm, assured, encouraging – rang loud and clear from the pages of my first cookbook, The Encyclopedia of French Cooking, hurriedly bought the…6 min
Delicious UK|September 2023Bistro at homeMakeahead dinner Only 15 min prep This chicken recipe hails from the south of France and is a great minimal-effort-maximum-flavour meal. The brilliant potatoes will go with almost anything Meatfree meal This easy stew is inspired by the French dish poulet breton (chicken braised in cider) from Brittany. Simple, comforting and ready in just 35 minutes Good to freeze French classic Sole véronique, invented by the great French chef Escoffier, combines a creamy vermouth sauce with fresh grapes and earthy mushrooms; perfect for late summer and the beginning of autumn. It’s wonderful served with a creamy tarragon mash Sole véronique with tarragon mash Serves 2 Hands-on time 30 min Specialist kit Toothpicks; potato ricer (optional) BE A BETTER COOK Fat is the best carrier of flavour, so stirring a tarragon…8 min
Delicious UK|September 2023Felicity Cloake's restaurant tour de Francetravel. Seasoned travellers love to claim that French cooking isn’t what it used to be – that gone are the days when you could roll into any little roadside restaurant and eat like a king (or perhaps a president) for the price of a Pret sandwich – but there are few countries around the world that take their food as seriously as our nearest continental neighbours. Bien sûr, they still respect the classics but increasingly you’ll also find young chefs playing around with old favourites, incorporating influences from around the world in menus championing local, seasonal ingredients. And they have a lot of ingredients to work with. Over twice the size of the UK, France runs from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, aubergines to oysters, from the cheese-lovers’ paradise of…8 min
Delicious UK|September 2023If you make one thing…Breton galettes with beetroot and brie Serves 4 Hands-on time 20 min Oven time 5 min Whisk 75g buckwheat flour in a bowl with 1 medium free-range egg, 230ml whole milk and a pinch of salt and pepper to make a smooth batter. Heat a splash of vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan over a low-medium heat, then add a ladleful of the batter and cook for 3 minutes until the pancake is golden underneath. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until golden on the other side, then put on a plate and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter to make 4 galettes. Cut 3 cooked beetroot (not in vinegar) and 200g brie into thin slices, trimming the rind from the brie if you prefer. Put all…1 min
Delicious UK|September 2023HOW WE COOK TODAY35% rated themselves as a ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’ cook – but more than a quarter can’t boil an egg and 55% have never baked a victoria sponge. Health is the greatest motivation for cooking at home – followed by exploring new recipes and flavours. A third find it helps them budget. Over a third think the term ‘dinner party’ is old hat. One in 10 serve charcuterie or mezzestyle food to share. A third ‘sometimes’ bother with a plated starter. 32% couldn’t live without their microwave. The second most popular gadget was the air fryer (12%) followed by slow cookers and coffee machines. Nearly half often let pans boil over, 38% have burnt something so badly the fire alarm went off and over a quarter have used too much…1 min
Delicious UK|September 2023STAR PRIZEThis month’s star email wins a Magimix Le Micro Mini Chopper, worth £60 Small, powerful and easy to use, the mini chopper purées, grinds, blends, liquidises and, of course, chops. With an 800ml capacity, it’s compact and easy to stash away – ideal for smaller kitchens. The durable stainless steel blade makes light work of vegetables, nuts, herbs and spices, while the pulse function allows for control over texture and consistency. magimix.co.uk FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A MAGIMIX MINI CHOPPER… Let us know your thoughts on this month’s issue by emailing us at info@deliciousmagazine.co.uk*…1 min
Delicious UK|September 2023The booklistRecipe I can’t wait to make: Buttery butter bean stew with kimchi and sausages (above). I didn’t know that… The temperature at which extra-virgin olive oil smokes lowers as an opened bottle ages. BOOK OF THE MONTH THE SECRET OF COOKING If you know Bee Wilson from her numerous food books and journalism, you’ll be especially delighted that she has – finally – produced a cookbook. This book is full of recipes so numerous in their appeal that Post-it notes are pointless: I immediately made the crispy cauliflower with pasta and mustard croutons, and the pear, lemon and ginger cake. This is so much more than a recipe book, though. As its subtitle, Recipes For An Easier Life In The Kitchen, promises, the primary aim is to “crack the code…3 min
Delicious UK|September 2023GRILLING FIGS AND USING THEIR LEAVESFresh figs are great for grilling and barbecuing. Halve and put cut-side down in a griddle pan or on the grill; they’ll soften and caramelise in minutes. Pair them with something creamy (goat’s cheese or burrata are our favourites), something crunchy (toasted hazelnuts are a winner) and something fresh (dressed rocket is a classic). Add a drizzle of honey and ta-da! If you have your own fig tree (or have access to one), not only can you get a crop of fruit each late summer and early autumn but you can harvest the leaves too. They’re wonderful used to infuse milk or to wrap fish or rice. Surprisingly, the leaves taste nothing like the fruit but impart a vanilla or coconut-like flavour, a little nutty and earthy.…1 min
Delicious UK|September 2023HOTLIST1. TIMELESS STYLE Traditionally, the French stored duck or goose confit for the winter in glazed terracotta jars. You can find these antique pots in brocantes (second-hand shops) if you’re in France. If you’re not, look on Etsy or vinterior.co – or invest in this crackle-glazed vase from Neptune. Stunning with or without blooms. Bayswater vase, £65 (small), £100 (tall), neptune.com 2. GREAT LITTLE RUNNER ECO PICK Looks like linen, feels soft to the touch, but all is not what it seems: here’s a table runner made entirely from recycled plastic bottles, so even a spilled glass of red wine will wash out. There are napkins too. Marseille table runner from the Cote d’Azur range, from £55; napkins £35 for 4; weavergreen.com 3. TWO FOR LESS THAN £20! BARGAIN BUY…2 min
Delicious UK|September 2023My cooking year: September Doing it the French wayWhen we moved to France almost two years ago, I pictured myself shopping each day, basket swinging from one arm, a scarf tied jauntily around my neck and a song in my heart. In truth, the setting was more busy Hackney pavement than small village in the Languedoc, and resembled my London life quite closely. I’d spent decades cos-playing the French lifestyle – it informed my shopping and my cooking – until I finally got to play it for real. Tuesday, market day, is the highlight of my week. It took months to train myself not to buy everything in sight, rendered greedily grabby by the quality and variety of the produce. I tried to remind myself it would still be there tomorrow, if not on the stalls, then at…7 min
Delicious UK|September 2023Best of the best. GRATIN DAUPHINOISFrench cuisine, eh? Cook everything in butter, cream, milk and more cream. A stereotype, sure, but in the case of gratin dauphinois, it’s pretty accurate. Thankfully, potatoes and dairy go hand in hand, providing the flavours of pure comfort food. It’s decadent, it’s luxurious, it’s not something you’d want to eat every day – but it’s very, very delicious. As with any dish, there’s good dauphinois and there’s bad dauphinois. For me, those that are sloppy and swimming in cream are bad. But the dense, brick-like ones with a sturdy structure and lots of layers are good. This guide will walk you through making not just a good dauphinois, but the best you’ve ever eaten. GRATIN VS DAUPHINOIS Fancy throwing in some caramelised onions? Tempted to scatter over some breadcrumbs…7 min
Delicious UK|September 2023How to choose more sustainablyGet your phone out Later this year the EU is bringing in ingredient listings on wine bottles. “Most producers will use QR codes for this,” says Richard Bampfield. “Although we aren’t in the EU, a lot of the bottles that reach our shelves will have QR codes because it’ll be easier to leave them on. If I were going to the trouble of making information accessible by a QR code, I’d want it to show my sustainable credentials, too, so consumers should also start looking for that.” Look for keywords At the moment, it’s best to look for terms such as ‘regenerative’ or ‘minimum intervention’. Labels denoting sustainable practices are useful, too, but bear in mind that every country’s scheme has different criteria. If you have go-to countries for your…1 min
Delicious UK|September 20235 French dishes that changed the worldCroissant Originally a Viennese-inspired almondy cake, it became the puffpastry-like thing of today in the early 20th century. Now it’s become standard hotel breakfast fare around the world. Pommes frites They might be Belgian, they may be French; either way, chips have gone global. France vies with the UK to be the second biggest consumer of fast food in the world, after the US. Duck à la presse Cooking as theatre started here and the Edwardians absolutely loved it… A macabre tabletop contraption squeezed the blood out of the flash-fried duck carcass to make a sauce for the meat. Sauce mayonnaise We owe the concept of ‘mother sauces’ to Carême. Sauces for hot dishes were velouté, bechamel, espagnole, tomato and hollandaise. Mayo was one of the mother sauces for cold…1 min
Delicious UK|September 2023Why are the French healthier than we are?The French are famously able to have their gateaux and eat it, too – to enjoy an apparently indulgent diet without damaging their health. In 1980, scientists even coined an expression for this remarkable contradiction: the French paradox. It referred to the fact that in the UK and US, where saturated fat consumption was roughly the same as France, the death rate from heart disease was higher. Researchers attributed this to the French love of red wine, a source of heartprotective plant compounds. Eventually, the wine theory was discounted. Many more factors are involved in heart disease than just saturated fat, scientists reasoned, and glasses of vin rouge would not make it better. But it is true that the French score higher on key health markers. Obesity levels in France,…4 min
Delicious UK|September 2023Pardon my FrenchLanguage shouldn’t really matter when it comes to food. All that should matter is how the food looks and, of course, how it tastes. ‘A rose by any other name would smell as sweet’, wrote Shakespeare. Noble sentiments, but tragically naïve. If a rose variety were called Taylor’s Skunkhole, would you be rushing to smell it? Words do matter and, let’s face it, the French have the ones that sound most appetising. French cultural imperialism has a lot to answer for, but ‘chou farci’ is always going to sound better than ‘stuffed cabbage’. For every prosaic, uninspiring food word or phrase we have in English, the French have an enticing, effortlessly superior version. They fashion quenelles, we make dumplings; as they breathe in the aromatic scent of a bouillabaisse, we…3 min
