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Switzerland: Antique Apples at Les Vergers d’Aigle et d’Yvorne, a Photo Essay

Published by Jonell Galloway + Tuesday, September 10, 2013 Permalink 0

Switzerland: Antique Apples at Les Vergers d’Aigle et d’Yvorne, a Photo Essay

The Renaissance of Antique Apples in Switzerland, a Photo Essay

The Vergers d”Aigle et d’Yvorne is tucked into the heart of the Chablais region in French-speaking Switzerland. For more than 40 years now, they have been growing a wide range of fruit, grown under strict environmentally-friendly conditions. This fruit expresses the true terroir of the Chablais region.

Their fruit, including more than 40 varieties of apples both antique and modern, are available at producer prices, much fresher than store-bought apples, with more than 20 varieties available. The website lists the expected dates for each fruit grown.

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In September, they also sell the cherished Fellenberg plums.

In season, you can pick your own cherries, with a choice of over 10 varieties.

Bertrand et Martine Cheseaux also offer a wide range of local artisanal products, including oils, vinegars, apple juice, eggs (great quality!), honey and fresh vegetables.

This year, in the context of the Semaine du Goût, or “tasting week”, which runs from September 13 to 23, 2013, they will be offering guided tours of their orchard of some 10 varieties of antique apples, along with tasting. This will take place on Saturday, September 21, with visits at 10 A.M. and 2:00 P.M. It is advisable to reserve a place. To reserve, call 41 (0)79 397 59 72 send an e-mail to info@vergers.ch.

Les Vergers d’Aigle et d’Yvorne
Bertrand & Martine Cheseaux
Route d’Evian 32
CH – 1860 AIGLE
Switzerland

Simon Says: Daily Food Quote, September 5, 2013

Published by Jonell Galloway + Thursday, September 5, 2013 Permalink 0

Simon Says: Daily Food Quote, September 5, 2013

by Simon de Swaan

Everything tastes better outdoors.–Claudia Roden

Claudia Roden is a cookbook writer and cultural anthropologist based in the United Kingdom. She was born in 1936 in Cairo, Egypt. A Book on Middle Eastern Food is a classic in the world of cookbooks, and James Beard referred to it as “a landmark in the field of cookery.”

Olive, Parmesan, & Speck Breadsticks

Published by Jonell Galloway + Thursday, September 5, 2013 Permalink 0

Destination Dessert: Not a dessert, but delicious nonetheless: olive, Parmesan, & speck breadsticks

by Jamie Schler

I am terrified of heights. Put me on the top floor of a building looking down through glass panes or, worse yet, from the edge of a balcony, and my knees buckle as I grasp for a handhold. My heart pounds at the idea of funiculars or Ferris wheels and their anticipatory crawl up into the clouds. That glance down comes with the fear of knowing that when I finally reach the summit I will be staring into emptiness, a deep void, an near-endless drop only broken by the tiny ant-like beings down on safe, sturdy ground staring up at me, ogling, daring me to make the leap so they can break my fall.

Roller Coasters slowly, painfully inching their way up until a mere thread is holding me over a dizzying descent make my head spin as my breath comes out, barely, in short, quick gasps. Airplanes, those silver boxes offering me quick passage to my loved ones, have me in a panic when I think of the nothingness holding them up. My very pragmatic, scientific husband refers to this seemingly (or so he says) irrational fear of heights as Cosmic Vertigo, these images in my overactive imagination of climbing up and standing on the edge of a precipice only to be pushed off of solid ground and plunging into emptiness, the unknown. So I never climb onto a Ferris wheel, it is impossible to convince me to climb aboard a roller coaster; as we spin our way up the glass elevator in the Mole Antonelliana in Torino or wander around the top balcony of the Eiffel Tower my eyes stay firmly squeezed shut and I can’t even look through the eyepiece of a telescope, nor am I comfortable wearing 3-D glasses or watching the world spin on Google maps. Yes, I am terrified of heights.

Switzerland: Bénichon Mustard, A Fribourg Specialty to Welcome the Cows Coming Home

Published by Jonell Galloway + Tuesday, September 3, 2013 Permalink 0

Switzerland: Bénichon Mustard, A Fribourg Specialty to Welcome the Descent of the Cows

by Jonell Galloway

Bénichon mustard is quintessentially Swiss. It is a specialty of the canton of Fribourg.

It is more like a spicy jam than a mustard, in the traditional sense of the word. Its ingredients give it a sweet and sour taste.

It is traditionally eaten with another Fribourg specialty, cuchaule, a light brioche-like sweet saffron bread, during an annual village fair to celebrate and “bless” the autumn harvest and bringing down the herds of cattle from the mountains. This is now held the second week in September.

There are numerous recipes, but they traditionally include mustard flour (or powder), extra-white flour, white wine, fortified wine, rock candy and water, to which cinnamon, star anise and whole cloves are added.

It’s really quite easy to make. I’ve translated the Bénichon recipe and adapted it.

Suggestion: Do this on a day when you’ll be at home all day, or soak the mustard powder over night and finish off the recipe the next day.

Bollywood Cooking: Mutter Paneer

Published by Jonell Galloway + Monday, September 2, 2013 Permalink 0

Bollywood Cooking: Mutter Paneer

by Meeta Khurana Wolff

Mutter paneer is an all-time favorite of mine. This popular North Indian dish is often found in Indian restaurants around the world, but nothing compares to the way my mother would make it.

Mutter paneer is basically a flavorful vegetarian dish made of soft homemade Indian cheese called “paneer”, which is lightly pan-fried, then added to a spiced gravy with peas and tomatoes.

I’ve adapted my mother’s recipe over the years and instead of a thin gravy, I have created a creamier version, with an intense, fruity-flavored tomato sauce which coats the soft homemade paneer.

Continue Reading…

Mediterranean Food Connection: “Cocas à la Frita”, or Sweet Pepper & Tomato Compote Turnovers

Published by Jonell Galloway + Tuesday, August 27, 2013 Permalink 0

Recette de Christophe Certain

This recipe is currently being translated into English.

Les cocas à la frita recette facile en images, chaussons de pâte brisée fourrés d’oignons, tomates et poivrons revenus

Voila ma recette de cocas, testée à de nombreuses reprises, elle est infaillible, même si elle n’est pas traditionnelle.

Ne pas mettre trop de farce (2 C.A.S.) sinon les cocas risquent d’exploser à la cuisson.

Si vous utilisez de la frita, veillez à ce qu’elle ne soit pas trop liquide pour les mêmes raisons. Otez le jus s’il y en a. Le blanc d’oeuf permet de bien stabiliser la fermeture de la pâte à la cuisson, le jaune d’avoir une belle couleur dorée.

La recette traditionnelle de la pâte à coca se compose de 50% farine, 50% saindoux, avec un peu de sel. Comme ça vous pourrez comparer !

Food Play: Piruletas de gazpacho / Gazpacho lollipops

Published by Jonell Galloway + Monday, August 26, 2013 Permalink 0

Food Play: Piruletas de gazpacho / Gazpacho lollipops, in English y Español

por SandeeA / by SandeeA

Quieres impresionar a tus invitados con un plato diferente? Típicamente español, el gazpacho es una sopa fría con múltiples variantes dentro de la geografía española, que suele incluir tomate, pepino, cebolla, ajo, vinagre, y en ocasiones pan para espesar, y que se suele tomar en los meses calurosos de verano.

Want to impress your guests? Gazpacho is a typical Spanish dish, a cold soup with many variations within Spanish geography, but which usually includes tomatoes, cucumber, onion, garlic, vinegar, and occasionally bread to thicken. It is usually served in hot summer months.

Continue Reading…

Spontaneous Cuisine: Easy Corn Flan

Published by Jonell Galloway + Wednesday, August 21, 2013 Permalink 0

by Jonell Galloway

From the archives

Recipe: Easy Corn Flan (Corn Pudding)

Ingredients

© Copyright 2008 Corbis Corporation, no rights photo

500 g / 1 lb. of fresh corn, cut off cob, or canned corn, drained
2 eggs
1 T. of fresh chives
2 dl / 1 cup crème fraîche
Optional: 1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped (optional)
Small baking dish
Another baking dish that is a little larger to make a bain-marie

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180°C / Mark 7 / 350° F.
Put 8/10 of corn in a food processor. Blend until smooth.
In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs. Add cream and corn from food processor. Beat gently until smooth.
Fold in remaining corn kernels and chives. Salt and pepper to taste.
Pour mixture into smaller baking dish. Put smaller baking dish into larger one. Pour hot water in bottom dish, about half-way up.
Bake for 30 minutes or until flan sets.

Switzerland: Fresh-fruit Marmalade and Meringue Recipe

Published by Jonell Galloway + Sunday, August 18, 2013 Permalink 0

Summer fruit marmalade meringue, a Swiss specialty. Recipe by Jonell Galloway, Spontaneous Cuisine. The Rambling Epicure. Editor, Jonell Galloway.

Switzerland: Fresh-fruit Marmalade and Meringue Recipe

Spontaneous Cuisine, by Jonell Galloway

From the archives

We often think of traditional Swiss meringue as winter food, but it can also be great with summer fruit, such as plums, berries, apricots, etc., either mixed or on their own.

This recipe can also be appropriate to make with children. They will especially love using the pastry sleeve to decorate the marmalade.

Recipe

Click here for metric recipe converter

Marmalade

1 kg fruit

Approx. 1 dl water

Sugar to taste

Wash fruit. If it has stones, cut in half and remove stones.
Place fruit in a saucepan, preferably copper or stainless steel.
Add water. Cover.
Cook on medium until the fruit starts to “melt” and lose its shape.
Add sugar and mix well.
Set aside to cool.

Note: If you want it to be smooth like a coulis, run it through a chinois or fine colander or sieve.

Meringues

3 egg whites (large free-range or organic eggs give a lot better taste and result)

100 g white castor sugar

Put egg whites in a large mixing bowl. Beat until they form stiff peaks.
Little by little, fold in sugar until the mixtures forms a very stiff paste.

Assembly

Preheat oven to 175° C.
Butter an oblong baking dish.
Evenly spread marmalade in baking dish.
Use a rubber spatula to spread egg white mixture evenly over marmalade or use a pastry bag to spread it in a decorative manner.
Lightly sprinkle with sugar.
Bake in oven for about 10 minutes or until lightly golden.

Switzerland: Mountaintop Rösti with Ham, Tomatoes and Fried Egg

Published by Jenn + Saturday, August 10, 2013 Permalink 0

Switzerland: Mountaintop Rösti with Ham, Tomatoes and Fried Egg

by Jenn Oliver

A photo essay with recipe

Sometimes we need to let go of the world around us, our daily cares, issues that cause stress, and get away for a few days – relax, recollect, and come back ready to face the world with new resolve and vigor. This Summer my husband and I have been doing just that, in a series of short little trips. Last weekend, we went to the top of the world (well, it felt like it to us) to slip away for three beautifully brisk and sunny days in Zermatt. It was majestic, incredible, awe-inspiring, and magical. It was pure escapism as we explored the fantasy-like region around Zermatt and the Matterhorn, and all of our day to day cares floated with the clouds that sailed on past the mountaintops. No worries, no stresses, nothing but pure meditative existence, scenery, and a sense of childlike exploration. What more can one want in a holiday?