Hangar Steak and Figs on the Grill

Eileen and Betsy are back! Busily grilling their way through French Grill, they’ve just sent this new missive!! “So we had last Saturday night set aside to do something simple for four people…we ended up with nine. Word travels when we get out our French Grill cookbooks. It’s like Catholics flocking to Lourdes for […]
Last Minute Labor Day Menu

EEEK! I almost forgot Labor Day! It’s my calendar’s fault; it is supposed to keep me informed of all holidays everywhere, but the “settings gremlin” flipped a switch and here I am, blissfully sipping coffee and nibbling a croissant and it’s almost Labor Day and I’ve been in the dark. I love blaming something like […]
Figs and Chocolate
You’ll swoon with pleasure when you try this handsome dessert. Seriously, handsome it is, and handsome it tastes (if you think that handsome is delicious, which I do). Figs are ephemeral, and when they’re in season I try to serve them often. My usual is to braise them in red wine, or simple sauté and […]
FIG CROSTATA

FIG CROSTATA – – For the Pastry – Pasta Frolla: plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, unsalted butter (at room temperature, 105g), large eggs (at room temperature, separated), ½vanilla sugar, Pinch of fine sea salt, Zest of 1 lemon (minced), For the Figs:: green or black figs (hard stems trimmed, 750g), vanilla sugar, to 3honey, To […]
Fig Crostata

I’ll be including plenty of gorgeous Italian recipes in classes this fall, and one of them is inspired by the air in this high spot of Tuscany, part of the Apuan alps, which smells like dessert. Walking along the lanes, climbing the trails, even cycling to the beach with cars whizzing by, the amber aroma of […]
A Fig Year

Oh, ye faithless. I was considering uprooting my fig tree because it has only eked out a handful of tiny figs during it’s five year life when, Eureka! It redeemed itself in my faithless eyes, producing a bumper crop. Its place in my garden, in the shadow of Notre Dame de Louviers, is assured. Bumper crop is a […]
Roasted Figs to Basil

This is the best season for cooking, when autumn isn’t quite here and summer produce is still juicy, ripe, full of flavor and color. For my first class in Louviers since returning from the U.S. (and with fond memories of corn on the cob, grilled lamb, tomatoes galore, and oh so many cocktails!), we’ve had […]