In My Kitchen: November 2023

Welcome to my kitchen this month fellow IMKers! October has been a progressively better month for me, I finally started to climb out of the dark hole that was August - it was a kind of grief in saying goodbye to my old life and starting life again in France. One of the hardest things has been people saying things like "oh it's so exciting that you get to live in France" or "Paris is the most beautiful city in the world". I just didn't know what to say to those people, who were well-intentioned but their comments struck at a time when I was so low and I felt all alone in feeling like I was having a hard time. Anyway, this is IMK and not In My Life so let's get on with the kitchen... 

Things I baked this month... 

I don't remember if I mentioned it previously, but my sourdough son Barney has been (sympathetically?)  depressed since the move to France. Whatever I tried, he was giving awful flat loaves that were making me even more depressed. I finally decided to try and fix him this month... Starting with twice daily feeding and rehoming in the fruit bowl to try and pick up some of the local yeast.. 

Improving... not quite there, but he did make some pretty good bagels 

A loaf definitely on the improve...

A cinnamon cranberry babka I made for music! My friend was visiting from Toronto and we headed off to S' friend's place to play piano quartets - the Brahms in C minor and the Faure. The texture of this babka was still not quite right, but I was just glad and so happy to be baking something to share with others! And of course to be playing music in a big group again. 

A cranberry sourdough loaf with the rest of the cranberries.. on the improve again!

And finally an excellent loaf! I was so glad when Barney came back to life. I haven't been this excited about baking bread for a few years. 

This was a challah symbolising unity that I made last week. 

Followed by sourdough pitas in solidarity with all the people in the zone who are unable to access bakeries due to the war. We ate them with some falafels and a homemade tahini sauce for lunch one day. 

Other things in my kitchen... 

We had a classic Mont Blanc from Angelina when my dad was here visiting, it's a chestnut creme on top of a heart of meringue and cream. Rich and decadent!

With my depression I haven't been cooking much but finally the craving for cabbage rolls got me looking through my Manga Monday cookbook again 

Here is a Pain Aux Raisins from one of my favourite boulangerie-patisseries in Paris

Some walnut flavoured cheese from our excellent local fromagerie

We chanced by this giant pumpkin in a random hall in a tiny village, the farmer said he wasn't sure how much it weighed but was definitely more than 20kg (here you see an apple for comparison!) He sold us what seemed a tiny sliver for 1 euro, which weighed 1.7kg when we got home! 

The curveball this month is from the sea from Villerville, one of the closest beaches to Paris. We woke up one Sunday morning and decided to go to the sea. I felt this kind of calling to be near the water. 

It was like a Mastercard ad: 

Last minute car rental - $An arm and $A leg 

Petrol - 60 euros (it was a giant luxury SUV, all that was left available for rent!) 

Tolls - 20 euros (crazy expensive tollway!) 

Standing by the sea, listening to the waves roll in - Priceless 

I'm sending this to Sherry who hosts the monthly IMK events, thanks for hosting Sherry!