Category Archives: tart

une belle horizontale….

Of the phrases that exemplify the quality of French as a diplomatic language few can compare with “belle horizontale” as a well turned euphemism for an “expensive tart” and there is no doubt that the eponymous Tarte au Citron Cartet, … Continue reading

Posted in 2014, 2017, Baking, Cooking, creme fraiche, desserts, Digital photography, Eggs, France, Humour, Lemon tart, lemons, Paris, Patricia Wells, Photography, photography course, Recipes, tart, tarte au citron cartet, tarte au citron cartet, Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

another bloody pudding….

  Zombie families roam the streets of social media whilst the TV screens in our homes are awash with life size images of intestines being drawn from the bowels of a recusant Catholic*and to follow there is always the not … Continue reading

Posted in 2017, baking, Baking, Bistro, Cooking, Cream, creme fraiche, Cuisine bourgeoise, desserts, Food and Photography, Food photographer, France, Fruit, Photography, photography course, tart, tarte tatin, tarte tatin, Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

grape shot….

My mind was elsewhere as the sharp knife in my hands surgically removed the seeds from a large bunch of  putative “seedless” grapes. I was reflecting on whether Beulah’s response to her mistress Mae West’s request for a peeled grape … Continue reading

Posted in 2017, baking, Childhood memories, Cooking, Cuisine bourgeoise, desserts, Digital photography, Eggs, food, Food and Photography, Food photographer, France, Fruit, Good luck, grapes, Humour, Lait Cru, Luck, Milk, Photography, tart, tarte aux raisins, tarte aux raisins, UHT, Uncategorized, Writing, yolks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 26 Comments

darkly sweetly madly…..

” …we’re in the soup” ” in a bit of a stew” “there are too many cooks” “the salt has lost its savour” “it only takes one rotten apple” “our goose is well and truly cooked”. Being that the cooking … Continue reading

Posted in 2017, baking, Cookery Writers, Cream, desserts, Digital photography, Humour, Nigel Slater, Photography, photography course, Plum and raspberry lattice pie, Plums, raspberries, Recipes, tart, Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

et dieu crea la reine claude…

As I ate my five hundredth greengage of the day I began to ponder on aw and awe and concluded  how awful, meaningless and fucking annoying is the current use of awesome as a superlative particularly if Oh My God … Continue reading

Posted in 2017, Autumn, Baking, Cooking, creme fraiche, Excellence, food, Food and Photography, Food photographer, France, Fruit, Garden, greengages, Humour, Photography, photography course, Religion, tart, Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 33 Comments

the man from Marseille…

Our local supermarket’s male employees tend not to be slim, suntanned and, above all, smiling; nor do they wear their hair in the mini ponytail once popular with hipsters and now de rigueur with rugby players but yet there he … Continue reading

Posted in 2017, baking, Cheese, Cookery Writers, Cooking, Digital photography, food, Food and Photography, Food photographer, France, Humour, Jane Grigson, Mediterranean food, Mozzarella, mozzarella and tomatoes, Olive oil, olives, Parmesan, pastry, Pesto, Photography, Provence, Recipes, tart, tart of tapenade, Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

taking the piss….

Manneken Pis, Pissenlit, Pisse-Dru, Tant Pis, Pissaladiere…there’s something very French about pissing; about not searching for a convenient bush or shady corner but just having a piss when the moment takes you.  I should make it clear that this is singularly, … Continue reading

Posted in 2017, anchovies, Baking, Bay leaves, capers, Cooking, Digital photography, food, Food and Photography, Food photographer, Mediterranean food, Olive oil, olives, onions, photography course, Photography holiday, Pissaladiere, summer, tart, Thyme, Uncategorized, Wine, wine, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

giving up giving up……

There are so many things that I should have given up for Lent. I should have given up turning on the radio, reading newspapers, believing politicians, thinking that the daft cunts were politicians in the first place, having faith in … Continue reading

Posted in 2017, apples, Baking, desserts, Digital photography, Eggs, Excellence, food, Food and Photography, Food photographer, France, Patricia Wells, Photography, photography course, Photography holiday, Recipes, tart, Tarte aux Pommes a la Creme, Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

Shell shock…..

During my lifetime the word “simple”, or should I say its inference, has become the antithesis of that which I originally understood. My schooldays were passed in those halcyon days before society had become so cowed by the pinched face … Continue reading

Posted in 2016, apples, baking, Bistro, Childhood, Childhood memories, Cookery Writers, Cooking, cous cous, Cuisine bourgeoise, desserts, Digital photography, Excellence, food, Food and Photography, Food photographer, France, harmony, Humour, Pate Brisee, Patricia Wells, Photographic Prints, Photography, photography course, Photography holiday, Recipes, Stephane Reynaud, tart, tarte fine aux pommes, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 47 Comments

a last of the summer whine..

I’m wearing socks again which is significant as I have not worn socks for seven years. Those years account for half of the time that we have lived here; that half being the warm and sunny half. The coming up and the … Continue reading

Posted in 2015, Baking, desserts, Excellence, food, Food and Photography, Food photographer, France, Fruit, Humour, Memory, Photography, strawberries, summer, tart, Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments