Sunday, July 14, 2019

French Foods for a Bastille Day Picnic

If you are still trying to decide how to celebrate Bastille Day today, here are some food suggestions. The passage also comes from my book, Henrietta's Legacy.


What do you think of this list?” she asked Roger. “We’ll have salade Niçoise, olive tapenade, French baguettes, cold ham, assorted cheeses, sliced tomatoes, tiny sweet cornichons, quiche Lorraine, vegetable tarts, gougères, warm lentil salad, macarons with raspberry jam, madeleines, and assorted wines. Sound good?”
“Sounds wonderful, except for those items I’ve never heard of. I explained French games to you. Now it’s your turn. What is salade Niçoise?”
It’s a lettuce-based salad with anchovies, tuna, boiled potatoes, and green beans. You might say it’s a meal in a bowl.”
“And gougères?”
“Little puff pastries flavored with your choice of grated cheese.”
“Tapenade?”
“A spread containing chopped olives, capers, parsley, lemon juice, and seasonings. You can eat it plain or smear it on anything from bread to meats.”
“And quiche Lorraine?”
“A custard-like egg and cheese tart baked in a pastry shell, flavored with bits of ham, or even a vegetable such as broccoli. My goodness, Roger, what do you eat in your house?”
“Pretty much nothing but beef, potatoes, and peas. My father is not one to experiment with food. If we get him to come to this picnic, which I doubt, he’ll settle for a baguette filled with slices of ham.” Then he laughed at the worried expression on Rachel’s face. “My father’s Irish, through and through. You’re planning a party for a neighborhood of Frenchmen. They’ll love every bite you serve.”
“Even the Germans? You said we should invite the German volunteer firemen, but what if they don’t like French food?”
“They’re firemen. They’ll eat anything. Don’t worry. They’ll love it.”



Want to read more? Henrietta's Legacy is available in both paperback and digital formats at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PQZ8K2L

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