I’ve had a light bulb moment and they don’t happen that often anymore.
I’ve discovered the elementary reason why French cookbooks are so frustrating.
And I should know-I have enough of them- but here’s a secret- I very rarely cook from them.
The frustration starts at around about this point;
“Take half a cup of crème fraiche.
Take a rib eye of beef.
Take 300 grams of boudin noir.
Take half a dozen snails.
Take 200 grams of lardons.
Take some sweetened chestnut puree.
Take some unsweetened chestnut puree.
Take two cups of du puy lentils.
Take four different types of goats cheese.
Take 500 ml of Belgium beer. “
Absolutely . I’ll do all of that after I’ve been to four specialty stores on the opposite sides of Sydney and spent around about $150.
Wandering through the local La Marche Franprix I had my eureka moment beneath its fluorescent lighting.
It’s all there. Everything from frozen escargot, little bags of lardons, three different types of sheeps milk yogurt, and everything else listed above is just casually displayed around the store at entirely sensible, supermarket style prices.
The Hungry One nearly did a jig when he saw a champagne sized bottle of one of his favourites; the Belgium beer Leffe for around three euro.
When I finally picked my jaw up off the ground, collected some washed rind chevre (the fromageries were all closed at this point) a bottle of Provence rose and an astoundingly good chocolate mousse for the Hungry one I had a thought- ‘What did you expect? You’re in France’.
I guess the inverse is also true. To anyone in Paris trying to find a Kangaroo fillet and some Tim Tams, I wish them the best of luck.