French Bistro Buffet Suggested by Savvy Mom Ruth Paget
There
are three cookbooks that give recipes for some of the most iconic foods of
Parisian bistros, including steak tartare.
(Steak tartare is ground, raw, high-grade beef that is made with raw egg
and seasonings. Since the advent of Mad
Cow Disease, most people avoid it in Europe now.)
You
can use all the following recipe books to recreate sans culotte, bistro
ambiance for your home buffet worthy of the French actress Arletty:
Suggested Cookbooks:
-Bistros
and Brasseries: Recipes and Reflections
on Classic Café Cooking by John W. Fischer and Lou Jones
--The
Bistros, Brasseries, and Wine Bars of Paris: Everyday Recipes from the Real
Paris by Daniel Young
-
Revolutionary French Cooking by Daniel Galmiche
Suggested Buffet Items:
Frisée aux Lardons
(Frisée
lettuce with chopped lettuce with warm bacon and boiled egg slices dressed with
warm, red wine vinaigrette called gastrique)
Salade Niçoise
There
are many ways to make this salad with major debate about the boiled egg slices
being authentic or not. I eat this salad
with boiled eggs in moderation, because they contain protein. Many people cannot eat eggs due to
cholesterol problems. I do not have this
problem, so consult a doctor about whether or not eggs are good for you on a
personal basis or not.
Poireaux Vinaigrette
(Leeks
in Vinaigrette)
Leeks
grow well in sandy soil. I have never
figured out why they are now grown in areas with sandy soil in the U.S. Leeks and potatoes are also used to make a
delicious chilled French soup called vichyssoise.
Chèvre Fermier Pain
Warm
goat cheese on toasted baguette
Pâté de champagne
Pork
and veal pâtés are great spread on toasted baguettes. They are similar to terrines, but these are
served in slices and eaten with a fork.
Soupe au Pistou
Vegetable
soup with French pesto from Provence called pistou
Chou de Bruxelles aux
Lardons
Brussels
sprouts with chopped, warm bacon
Râgout de Champignons
Basically,
this is a dish of mushrooms sautéed in lots of butter that you can eat with
toasted baguettes. This is not for
everyday, but it helps with “digestion” as the French say.
Sandwich de Saumon Fumé
Smoked
salmon open-faced sandwiches
I
make these sandwiches with horseradish mayonnaise on pumpernickel bread and
drink a Newcastle brown ale with them.
My favorite smoked salmon is Scottish, but it is hard to find. It is a light, pink color not bright orange.
Suggested Political
Discussion Topics
(These
have been the political topics of American expatriates for at least 30 years in
bistros or at the Hôtel de Ville in Paris with Jacques Chirac presiding when I
lived in Paris.)
How
to register in your home state to vote, so you do not lose US citizenship.
Taxation
issues for Americans abroad – real estate taxes, in particular, have always
been hush-hush, but hot.
Nationality
of children born overseas to at least one American parent.
TOEFL
requirements for children educated overseas.
American
financial aid available to children with dual nationality.
French
pension coverage for American citizens who go back to the U.S.
The
upcoming U.S. election.
Opinions
about the safety of steak tartare, swordfish (prone to tapeworms necessitating
well-done cookery), raw oysters, sushi, and foie gras standards.
Best
places to buy raw milk Brie (supposedly outlawed) and good picquet (French two
buck Chuck wine).
By
Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France
Click here for: Ruth Paget's Amazon Books
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