NOTES FROM A FRENCH KITCHEN: Cooling Summer Watermelon
By Marie-Christine Perry The very versatile watermelon enchants our summers: eaten out of hand or in drinks, sorbets, salads and condiments, it refreshes during hot spells and pleases the palate with its discreet flavor. Watermelon agua fresca, a Mexican favorite, is very simple to make: Process four cups of cubed and seeded watermelon in a […]
NOTES FROM A FRENCH KITCHEN
Rhubarb Heralds the Spring By Marie-Christine Perry The first edible in my garden is usually rhubarb, followed quickly by asparagus, both valued in my kitchen—fresh and preserved! Beyond the celebrated strawberry rhubarb pie, I like rhubarb in many guises: in compote, jam, chutney and cake, but also in unexpected savory dishes, where its acidity is […]
NOTES FROM A FRENCH KITCHEN
Spring Stirs Green Market Memories By Marie-Christine Perry Growing up as I did in a family of nine, with seven food-loving children and a mother who was a delightful cook, meal preparation was joyful, sometimes simple and sometimes complex—particularly when a new recipe was tried. It all started with gathering ingredients. Whether at home—which in […]
In a French Kitchen
Pasta, Pasta! By Marie-Christine Perry Having spent two years of my life (eons ago) in Rome, Italy, I am very partial to pasta, no longer like in Rome as the beginning of a meal, but as a meal in itself. This is why I was delighted when our Ministry of Bread group decided to devote […]
Notes from a French Kitchen
Celebrating Holidays Across Cultures By Marie-Christine Perry Knowing that the Norfolk Historical Society cake auction is fast approaching, I have been musing about cultural celebrations and the foods associated with them. Because I am part of a bi-national household with three religious traditions (Jewish, Catholic and Buddhist), I have the immense joy to partake in a […]
Notes from a French Kitchen
Preserving your garden bounty By Marie-Christine Perry Mushroom foraging, a beloved activity in France, is starting as autumn is turning woods into a rich tapestry. This to me usually means I need to bring my dehydrator from its basement storage, and indeed some friends recently took me to some of their chicken of the woods […]
Notes from a French Kitchen
June is Cherry Time! By Marie-Christine Perry The two cherry trees I planted four years ago, a sour cherry and a sweet cherry grafted with 5 different varieties, have been in full bloom for the first time! I had small crops from the sour cherry every year—mostly eaten by birds the day before I was […]
Notes from a French Kitchen
Enjoy Citrus Flavors in Winter By Marie-Christine Perry Winter is here, and although I do not have in Norfolk the Meyer lemon trees of my Northern California yard, I still stock my pantry with countless citrusy delights that we will enjoy through spring, summer and fall. Citrus fruits have a way of waking up the […]
Notes From a French Kitchen
Of Smoke and Burned Sugar I am in the kitchen and, as I put things away, wash in the sink what needs to be washed by hand, and inspect the contents of my pantry, I get lost in familiar tasks as usual, gathering all the baggies from the freezer and starting the weekly pot of […]
Notes From a French Kitchen
Pesto and Dressings By Marie-Christine Perry Having been gifted a huge bag of cilantro recently by a gardening friend, I started to think about what I could do with it. My partner is one of these rare people who cannot abide the taste, or the smell, of fresh cilantro and ginger, apparently because of an […]
