Anyway, since I've moved into my own apartment for the first time, this means that I've had to cook a lot! I am very happy about this fact, too, not overwhelmed. While I may not cook up elaborate creations every single night, cooking and baking are good destressing activities for me. And you can eat the results, even better!
Along with the salads and quesadillas and sandwiches that have comprised many a lunch and/or dinner, I have taken the time to make a few more elaborate dishes. Where do I turn for cooking inspiration? Well not surprisingly, my mind has turned to France.
A few weekends ago I made a quiche for dinner; zucchini and mint, completely from scratch. It was delicious. I realize this is bragging, but that was one of the best quiches that I have ever eaten, full stop. Yes, it took a while to bake the crust and then let the custard cook thoroughly, but it was so worth it. I'd bought some zucchini (courgettes, for all you non-Americans) at the farmer's market, and just by chance I found a patch of mint near my building in my apartment complex, so I knew the time was right to try this unusual combination out.
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| After prebaking the crust, I layered in the egg mixture and the zucchini before baking for another 45 minutes. |
Everyday the students would bring or make their lunches in one of two little kitchens at IES. Sandwiches, salads (la mâche!), bread and cheese were all commonly seen food items. On most days there were 5-10 students eating at the long picnic table in the center of the room, and sometimes the directrice Mme Rouchet would join us. She was always very happy to socialize with us, but I know she also wanted her presence in the room to remind us to only speak French - a reminder many students needed.
One day, I noticed that she was unwrapping a slice of quiche in aluminum foil as the main course in her lunch. It looked tasty, so I asked her what type of quiche it was. Her response was, "Oh, this is a zucchini and mint quiche. It's considered a very feminine type of quiche, but it's one of my favorites." This exchange was done in French, of course, which only added to the charm.
Since that day, I have wondered what a zucchini and mint quiche would taste like. I imagined it to be yummy, even if it is "feminine" (because it's vegetarian, maybe?). I now understand why it is one of Mme Rouchet's favorites: Zucchini and mint = delicious!
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| The final product. |
In other cooking news, I also made my very first Far Breton, which is like a milk custard with prunes. A Nantais friend was coming over for a going-away dinner (he just finished his PhD and was moving for a job), and I thought I would try to whip up a hopefully authentic taste of home. This dessert was one that I my Nantes host mother made for the family a few times, so it's dear to my heart. It's a dessert unlike any I've ever had in the US, too - the texture is somewhat chewy and heavy, with a lightly sweet but very pleasant taste. While I was not able to get the entire top to brown, it was still a big success! A delicious one too, I might add. Yumm...
Finally, since there's been so much lovely produce at my local farmer's market, I caved a week ago and bought a big zucchini with which to make zucchini bread. Sadly, the bread is not as delicious as I'd hoped (not enough zucchini taste!), but I'm going to try again and be more careful with my measurements this time.
That's all for now, folks; I hope you've been having a good end of summer!
