Our Daily Bread

For those who may not know, Elizabeth Winkler, Editor of Living Earth magazine has a blog entitled Real Food Lover. (See blogroll)
She is hosting a competition about (not unsurprisingly) real food. As I understand the rules of engagement, she wants us budding competitors to blog about a comparison between “The Real Thing” and a commercially produced “Poor Relation” She cites a few examples – Chicken Kiev and bread are two candidates for scrutiny.
As bread is such a core food for everyone on the planet, I have decided to write about it here.
I am an enthusiastic bread maker. I have a bread machine, which does make light of all the tedious kneading.
I am , however, probably one of those rare mortals who never actually cooks with a bread maker. I use it as a mixer and to prove, I get the dough out when prompted, shape it into a loaf, leave it to rise for about half an hour and then bake it. As an Aga fan, there is nothing that really comes close to bread baked this way.
So why bake bread in France? It seems that there is a bakery on every street corner – for the moment.
La boulangerie is not only a place to buy bread and pastries, but any baker in France will sell you fresh yeast and flour to bake at home. He will make your wedding cake as well – We are truly spoiled.
It is however, a changing trend, as small communities with ageing populations are slowly losing the convenience of local bakers. Many of them are “of a certain age” and sadly cannot find anyone to take over their role when they retire. We are shortly to lose ours as is our neighbouring village two miles away.
This leads us into the quandary of driving about six miles just buy a fresh loaf of bread – Not too encouraging on the carbon footprint front. Here in the heart of the French countryside, we are being forced to consider other options. None seem to be very enticing.
Some people are using convenience bread products, and part baked loaves.
However it is the the ubiquitous sliced loaf that is enjoying an increasingly high profile on the supermarket shelves.
It is doubtless that the disappearance of the local bakeries, coupled with the ever increasing pressures of time on family life (even here in rural France) that force people into these sub standard options.
However, there is a glimmer of hope on the baking horizon. The French are leaping into bread production at home. There are literally mountains of bread machines for sale in every supermarket – with a price to suit every pocket.
Bread flour of excellent quality is available as well, and there is always organic flour for sale, even in the smaller places.
In addition to all this good news, France is blessed with about 2500 independent flour mills, compared to about 25 in the UK*(1) – They are everywhere, and sell an impressive range of flours. I buy mine from the nearby Moulin de Sarre, where the organic side of the business is still done with a mill wheel and water supply that dates back to the 1200’s. It is not expensive, and you can buy as little as a kilo. The taste of the bread is unsurpassed, and for my part, I don’t know how it could get any better than this.
I am sympathetic to time constraints. However, whilst convenience products have come into our lives as there was clearly a demand, we are not obliged to keep on using them like automatons. It seems that the French, want an assurance of continued high quality bread on their tables.
My sister has three hungry boys (and husband) to feed, and has two bread makers on the go daily to keep everyone fed. She dryly commented that a loaf doesn’t last for one meal so she has upped production.
To state my case for real bread, I have scrutinised the additives on the products in the picture above, and compared them with the four basic ingredients that were kneaded (sorry – I just couldn’t resist) to make my loaf of bread: Flour, water, salt and yeast.
I discovered four extra ingredients in the part baked rolls, and four in the bread mix (despite its enticing packaging).The clear winner by far was the white sliced loaf. There were no less than SEVEN extra ingredients in the loaf.
My lack of scientific knowledge prevents me from understanding fully the actual reasons that these extras are in the loaf – I can only assume that it is to extend the life of the loaf.
I seriously question whether bread’s nutritional value or taste can be enhanced by simply making it last longer.
If we are all honest with ourselves, we know that these products have an inferior taste, and yet we continue to use them.
Enough said. I have decided to quote the standard proportions for a plain white loaf, and to provide a photo for reinforcement of my thoughts here.
I have used French flour ,  T65 Grade.It is not white. It is described as “farine bise” which is slightly brown-pink, with an excellent flavour
Here is a recipe for a simple loaf – this can be made with British white bread flour with the same result.
I have based it on a bread machine recipe by Annette Yates.

Every Day (White) LOAF.* (2)

INGREDIENTS

500G BREAD FLOUR

350 ML WATER

1.25 TSP SALT

1TSP DRIED YEAST, FOR BREAD MAKERS. – I USE DOVES FARM

METHOD

1. Place all ingredients into the bread maker in the order suggested by the manufacturer.

2.Set on to Dough setting – sometimes this is called Pizza setting

3. When the alarm sounds to indicate the dough is ready, get it out on to a floured board.

4. Shape into a loaf and place into an oiled loaf tin.

5. Cover and leave in a warm place for about 30 minutes.

6. Place in a pre heated oven on 220 degrees C FOR 15 minutes.

7. After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees c.and cook for a further 25 minutes until the loaf sounds hollow when knocked on the bottom. -It is a good idea to get the loaf out of its tin 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time and turn it upside down to brown the bottom crust.

8. Take out and stand on a wire cake rack to cool down.

9. To store the loaf, wrap in a clean tea cloth.

10. Better still, serve with lashings of salted butter (mine has salt crystals embedded in it) with blackcurrant conserve (home made of course)

SOURCES:
1. Baker and Spice:Baking With Passion – Dan Lepard and Richard Whittington
2. Fresh Bread in the Morning – Annette Yates.

Wanted – Dead or Alive: Crab for Supper.

The British have a certain way with words. We find it difficult to be too direct – a fine asset in some situations. There are however, times when we simply fail to say what we mean. Take dressed crab for instance.
My immediate vision is, admittedly somewhat bizarre – say, a cheeky little black dress, string of pearls with kitten heels. Common sense soon takes a hold and I re-focus. We, in the foodie inner junta know this is a diplomatic way of describing the finished item for the table – all the nasty bits have been done with tongs, pliers, hammers and the like. No mess, no evidence, just fabulous crab meat , sitting gently in its shell, no need even for a plate.
British reserve is intact – job done, details are scarce and not required.
NOT SO IN FRANCE!
Our Gallic cousins don’t mince their words, when it comes to food “Tourteau” or crab for eating is a far more unwieldy creature – it is possible to get it cooked, but NEVER dressed.
I feel my life has been too sheltered on the culinary front, and am not too brave on the kill it, eat it front.
I spend my first crab season here, wandering up and down the fish stalls looking for a cooked crab. What is so embarrassing, is that I got myself a bit of a reputation as “La Folle Galloise” – the one who constantly asked politely “Les Tourteaux…………..ils sont morts???”
I have to share the sad fact with those reading this, I was frightened of something that might might make a lunge at me while I was “dressing” it. Too Hitchcock for my liking.
My first experience with a cooked crab, went relatively well – This was because I laid it on the centre of a large white cloth………and watched it for about half and hour before making my attack. Yes, its’ pathetic I know.
Even more so when youngsters at the local restaurant take to the precision surgery that is eating crab with effortless agility and panache, gaily splattering all those around them with various bits of……….well, you get the picture.
I felt it was a rite of passage to cook a live crab and dress it – not to mention the guarantee of the freshest product available – It made so much sense.
So, a few weeks ago, I went to see the very sympathetic Ann Sophie at the local Friday market. She picked me out a nice crab, and then gave me careful instructions to prepare a court bouillon – I have the ingredients pictured above – rock salt, peppercorns, thyme and bay. I was told to bring the water, seasoning and herbs to the boil and then cool.
The crab was placed in the cold liquid and brought to the boil once more and kept at a rolling simmer for 20 minutes.
I then drained it, chilled it, dressed (!) it, and ate it. Wonderful.

Black Lava

Well……………….that’s not technically correct. It is, in fact a bowl of hot, steaming blackberries and apples, ready for a crumble.
Call me biased, but I think British puddings are the best in the world. They’re not particularly elegant and on times thoroughly un-photogenic, But they’re F.A.B.to eat and everyone loves them.Lots of them are very simple and quick to put together. Winners all round, wouldn’t you say?
This one couldn’t get more local either. We bought the apples from one of the numerous road side sellers that you see here at this time of year, and we picked the blackberries when doing our daily cycle ride past Vermette, our village’s moated castle.
So, here’s how it’s done – a bit flung together, but a result every time.
Note: If custad is your topping of choice, go to my recipe for rosewater and strawberry ice cream, and follow the instructions for the custard base used for the recipe)

BLACKBERRY AND APPLE CRUMBLE
SERVES 6.

INGREDIENTS.
6 EATING APPLES – AS TART AS YOU CAN GET.
A BOWL OF BLACKBERRIES – WHATEVER YOU CAN PICK
SUGAR TO TASTE

CRUMBLE TOPPING
200G FLOUR
100G BUTTER, UNSALTED
50G SUGAR
50G GROUND ALMONDS
HALF A TEASPOON OF GROUND GINGER.

METHOD
1. Place topping ingredients into a food processor and blitz until the mix is like fine crumbs. – Set aside.
2.Peel, core and chop apples into rough chunks
3.Wash and pick through blackberries for unwanted visitors.
4. Put both fruits into a large pan, add a quarter of a cup of water and cover. On a medium heat bring up to the boil and simmer gently for about 10-15 minutes.
5. Taste the fruit and decide if it needs to be sweetened and add sugar as you think necessary.
6. Place the fruit in a large oven proof dish and sprinkle over the crumble topping. DO NOT PRESS DOWN!
7. Bake in a pre heated oven for 30 minutes on 180 degrees.
8. Remove and serve with custard, cream, evaporated milk (best colour when mixing with blackberries) or on its own.

Gratin of Sweet Potato and Cauliflower.

It’s hot outside today, so this is not the best dish to serve for a late summer supper.
It is however a family staple that we all love.
It’s quick to prepare and served out of one dish.
If you are feeling particularly organised you can place it in individual oven proof serving dishes so you can cut down on the washing up.
Never works chez Haddock, because everyone wants seconds.
Anyway, here’s the recipe.

INGREDIENTS.
500 ML MILK
150G CHEDDAR
THREE MEDIUM SWEET POTATOES.
ONE GOOD SIZED CAULIFLOWER.
2TBSP FLOUR
25G BUTTER
SALT AND WHITE PEPPER TO TASTE
A TEASPOON OF MUSTARD OF YOUR CHOICE – WHOLEGRAIN IS GOOD FOR THIS
A FEW GRATINGS FROM A NUTMEG

TOPPING
50G CHEDDAR
A FEW HANDFULS OF HAND GRATED FRESH BREADCRUMBS.

METHOD.
1. Prick sweet potatoes and place in an oven on a tray (Heat 200 degrees c)
2. Bake until a knife goes through them easily – approx 40 mins.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the cauliflower into small florets, and cook in a small amount of salted water (no need to cover completely).
4. Cook until you think it’s done – some like it quite hard, some prefer it softer – either way, don’t let it turn into a mush, as the flavour will disappear.
5. While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the cheese sauce, using the milk, flour, butter, seasoning, mustard and nutmeg.. Keep warm to one side. ( Novice cooks: Get Delia out of the bookshelf)
6. When the potatoes are done, take them from the oven and carefully slit them open and scoop out the flesh into a bowl.
7. Drain cooked cauliflower into a colander.
8. In a large oven proof dish place the sweet potato down the centre, and then arrange the cauliflower florets around it on both sides.
9. Pour over the sauce and sprinkle over the cheese and breadcrumbs.
10. Bake in the oven at 200 degrees c for 20 minutes – turn the dish once if your oven is a bit one sided on the temperature front.

Serve the dish as it is.A complete meal in itself. Comfort food at its best.

Guilty Pleasures.

Every picture tells a story so they say.
I’m not too sure what the two images above this post are meant to signify.
One is of a dubious collection of tins and packets from my larder, and the other is of my organic herb garden.
They represent two opposites in food values – that much is obvious, but how are they connected?
Suffice to say I have been moved to write this piece after reading an article in the food magazine Delicious, entitled “Don’t Tell the Food Police” written by Tim Hayward.
It deals with the author’s struggle within him between the two main food types. For those who are unaware of what these are, let me enlighten you.
Broadly speaking, in the red corner, we have Good Food, and in the blue corner we have “Bad Food”.
Mr. Hayward is far more expansive than this in this article, but I am sure you are getting my drift here.
The author talks of his moral compulsion to buy organic/ethically produced/locally sourced food EVEN THOUGH it may not even taste that good, fuelled by an unease over incurring the potential wrath of “The Food Police”. He additionally has the occasional dilemma between ethically produced and locally produced. Life can be complicated, don’t you think?
I recently dined with my daughter on the Ile de Re at what she affectionately calls “The Free Buffet” (That is so say that her ever indulgent parents were paying) Despite this, she wavered over choosing cod due to the over fishing question that she flagged up as a question of personal food ethics. Her resolve to choose an alternative clearly signalled her feeling that somewhere the Food Police that Mr. Hayward similarly feared were lurking, furtively making notes.
So, what do I think about it all? I am likewise challenged with the same problems from time to time. My garden is organic and I am proud of this. My eggs come from my sister’s chickens, a lot of my meat comes from my neighbours free range animals, we have a “Bio -Coop” nearby, a nirvana of ethically produced, organic food that I am irresistibly drawn to week after week. I have already praised our local market here earlier in this blog.
However, I cannot be a hypocrite. The first picture in the post is a collection of the British foodstuffs that find their way into my larder by way of visitors from the UK and my trips there by car. Even the most cursory of glances will show that we are slipping into the realms of “bad food” here. Take the large jar of peanut butter for example. My mother brought that back recently, after I had specifically requested “the trashy stuff” Ironically, I make my own from whole roasted nuts and it is rather good, even if I say so myself.
But there are markers deeply embedded in all of us that make us crave comfort food, and for me the foods pictured above are high up there in that special category.
I remember the time when I was recovering from a bad shoulder injury. I existed on a diet of Heinz Tomato Soup, Rowntrees Fruit Pastilles and Cheerios. Happy days!
Every jar and pot in that image has a similar memory that I won’t bore you with, other than to say they all taste good, despite the dubious contents of some.
I believe that life is about balance and compromise. A modicum of trashy food countered by something that is nutritionally sound will ensure an acceptable equilibrium – If the food hails from a locally sourced, ethically produced or organic provenance so much the better.
One thing is clear here. It MUST taste good for us to enjoy it, otherwise we really need to start on a diet followed by NASA astronauts where the pleasure factor is totally absent.
Mr. Hayward decides that the taste and enjoyment factors are to be his mantras in future. Sensible chap.
I hope this post does some justice to Mr. Hayward’s article which I enjoyed, and that the sentiments I feel are duly conveyed in this post.
To conclude, I am currently pawing through Nigel Slater’s “Appetite” – One of my favoured authors, who sees fit to have a full page picture of a packet of instant noodles on one of the early pages of the book, and quotes Smarties as a store cupboard staple. Both have additives that would make your eyes water, but they taste great.
You get the point? Good.

Colour Blocks of Flavour at Thouars Weekly Market.

Blog posts abound in Food World about the fabulous markets that we all visit.
In truth , I think we are all a little wistful that Summer is slowly fading, and inevitably draws away the vibrancy that summer food offers us. We have had it too good for too long. The season of the ugly sister root vegetable approaches.
In a frenzied attempt to hold on to those dazzling colours and tastes, I, along with many others have traipsed through our local markets tasting, buying and taking a few furtive photos.
When the last tastes have gone, it is these images that will see us through the cooler, months – known in the Haddock household as “The Dark Time”
I am instantly attracted to the stalls where only a few items are for sale.These are usually the modest offerings of small producers. They bring what they have from their small holding and place out their wares with due pride on a small trestle table to sell.
It is these fruits and vegetables that fill the car with a heady fragrance on the way home – freshly picked in the early hours preceding sale. It doesn’t get much better than this. Here, less is most certainly the new culinary more.

La Baleine Bleue – Ile de Re

The Ile de Re is situated off the West coast of France opposite the old port of La Rochelle on the mainland.
Often described as “A jewel in the French Tourist Board’s crown”, it is a small island haven for holiday makers from both the mainland and further afield.
Unsurprisingly, the quay side is festooned with small and inviting restaurants that beckon hungry tourists in through their doors to try out the plats du jour.
Choosing is difficult, but always hastened by one’s level of hunger – severe in our case. So much so that after viewing the menu, we considered gnawing on the tables and chairs outside.
We were spotted by a sympathetic waiter, and we were swiftly settled at an outside table on the scrubbed decking.
We wasted no time in setting about that pleasant task of poring over the menu whilst nibbling away at bowls of tiny olives, tapenade and the like (along with the obligatory sipping on our pre lunch aperitifs.)
I started with a platter of fresh oysters served with lemon wedges, sticks of unsalted butter and generous hunks of rye bread.
It is probably too much of a cliché to say they tasted of the sea, but they did, so I’ll say it. Fabulous, and quickly devoured.
To follow I chose the fillet of pan seared cod served with caramelised aubergines – not a vegetable of my usual choosing, but their sweetness complimented the slight (but yummy) bitterness of the crisped skin of the cod.
My intent at the outset of the meal was to go the whole hog and order cheese and dessert.
However, my resolve had weakened by the time I had cleared my plate, and in truth the Chablis at this point had begun to take a very relaxing hold over me.
Reluctantly I left it there and made a mental note to browse the patisserie opposite before I left for the day.
We chatted idly over coffee and Cognac and we were not harried by the waiting staff even though we were the last to leave.
If you get the chance, go there and enjoy.
RESTAURANT DETAILS: La Baleine Bleue, Quai Launy Razilly, 17410 St. Martin de Re, Ile de Re. France
TEL. 00 33 5 46 09 03 30 WEBSITE: www.baleinebleue.com