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A Different Dinner Roll For the Table

Anna Monette Roberts — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:05:09 PDT

If you've never had a pain d'epi, this pull-apart baguette is intended to mimic the appearance of the flower of the wheat stalk, or "epi" in French. Each little ear of wheat can be easily pulled apart, which makes this bread shape ideal to pass around the table at dinner parties or picnics.

If you don't have time to create a sourdough bread starter, this overnight dough is the next best thing. Complete the first step of the recipe the night before, allowing the bread to ferment overnight. This imparts a slightly sour yet floral aroma and taste.

Creating the baguette shape may seem daunting at first, but the process becomes more natural by the second or third try. To spread the dough into a rectangle shape with an even thickness, press your fingers in the center of the dough and then slowly knead it outward.

To cut even epi pieces, maintain the same 45-degree angle and spacing between each cut, then use your fingers to alternate the side that each "wheat petal" rests.

The bread will rise when it cooks, so space each loaf several inches apart. To learn how to make these beautiful pain d'epi loaves, keep reading

Get to Know the 5 French Mother Sauces

Laura Marie Given — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 14:15:00 PST

Ever heard of the five French mother sauces? Originally classified by Antonin Carême in the 19th century and later updated by Auguste Escoffier in the 20th century, the sauces include béchamel, velouté, espagnole, hollandaise, and tomato. Most other sauces find their origins in these five types, hence the term "mother." Here's a brief rundown on the ingredients of each sauce, plus common pairings:

Béchamel. This classic milk-based white sauce was named after Louis de Béchamel, chief steward to Louis XIV. It's composed of three main ingredients: flour, butter, and milk. The thickness of this cream sauce depends on the ratio of flour and butter to milk: the more milk, the thinner the sauce. It's usually served with eggs, fish, steamed veggies or poultry, or pastas, like macaroni and cheese.
Velouté. This sauce is made just like béchamel, only milk is swapped for stock. Whether it's made from chicken, veal, or fish stock, velouté is typically not flavored with extra seasonings, and it's regularly used on veal, eggs, fish, steamed vegetables, poultry, or pastas.
Espagnole. A brown stock-based sauce that may sound Spanish but is actually French in origin. Espagnole includes rich meat stock, browned vegetables, browned roux (a butter and flour mix), plus herbs and tomato paste. Unlike velouté, though, it's served mainly with roasted meats.
Hollandaise. Egg yolks and fat, usually butter, are the basic ingredients for this yellow emulsified sauce. Like mayonnaise, this rich, creamy sauce tends to top eggs, vegetables, light poultry, or fish.
Tomato. Whether it's made with raw, stewed tomatoes or a tomato paste, tomato-based sauce is generally used on pasta, fish, vegetables, veal, poultry, breads, and dumplings.

This list is still up for contention today, as still others believe that different sauces (like allemande, the egg-enriched velouté sauce, and vinaigrette) belong in the category of "mother sauce." How many of these have you made at home or sampled at a French restaurant?

Pretend You're in Paris With a French-Themed Fete

Camilla Salem — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 04:00:11 PST

Did you get lost in Woody Allen's latest film, Midnight in Paris? Did you find yourself wanting to go back in time with Owen Wilson and experience the Golden Age that was Paris in the '20s? Well, for now at least, you can create your own Parisian Golden Age Oscars party in the comfort of your living room. Dim the lights and light a bunch of candles to cast a romantic energy throughout the room, and play Cole Porter tunes in the background. Serve Champagne in old-fashioned glasses or drink Hemingway's cocktail, Death in the Afternoon. Munch on French-inspired bites throughout the evening and demand that everyone speak in French accents for the entire party.

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

C'est L'Amour: French Eats For Feb. 14

YumSugar — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:02:34 PST

If a global menu feels too daunting for your Valentine's Day dinner, try channeling a bit of Parisian romance by focusing on French foods. You don't need a view of the Eiffel Tower to feel the love - you can set the mood right at your own dinner table by pairing classic French dishes with your favorite sips. Here are 10 tasty dish ideas to help you create a Valentine's Day meal of festive French cuisine. Bon appetit!

Sweet Success: 10 Tips For Baking the Perfect Macaron

Sara Yoo — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:06:19 PST

With their vibrant colors and lacy frills, dainty, crisp-crusted French macarons are the perfect Valentine's Day baking project. But these lovely little delicacies are temperamental enough to stump even the most accomplished chefs. Even if you follow a detailed recipe down to the letter, a batch of macarons can go very wrong very quickly. Thanks to humidity, an unreliable oven temperature gauge, or an overly enthusiastic stirring hand, you may find yourself facing macaron-ageddon rather than baking bliss. But before you throw in the tea towel, we've assembled a few tips to solve your sugary conundrums.

Soup's On: Easy French Onion Soup

Susannah Chen — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:36:00 PST

My new favorite weeknight meal is a soup recipe that comes together in minutes. It's a very abbreviated version of French onion soup, which traditionally begins with yellow onions, cooked down and reduced for hours until dark and sweet. This quick and dirty version begins with our butter-braised onions, which I always keep on hand, and calls for little more than broth, bread, and cheese. It may not be an exact replica, but this fast soup hits the spot on a cold Winter day, and it's an easily transportable work lunch, too. Read on for the recipe.

We're Talking Croquembouches!

YumSugar — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:35:20 PST

Lately, I've been seeing towers of cream puffs, or croquembouches, appearing all over the place, particularly in bridal magazines or on wedding blogs. The croquembouche is most certainly a delicious trend – we had one at our wedding and it was quite a hit! - but these magnificent sweet sculptures are more complicated than they may appear. To get an inside look at how these profiterole towers are made, I reached out to Gerhard and Mary Michler, the driving force behind Gerhard Michler Fine European Pastries and Creative International Pastries, in San Francisco.

Gerhard first started baking at age 17 in his native Austria, so it's safe to say he knows a bit about French pastry. Michler chalks the growing cream puff tower trend up to the fact that people seem to want to see new things these days, and that a croquembouche (also known as a pièce montée) is an exciting conversational piece. For more on this amazing French dessert sculpture, keep reading.

Easy Winter Salad: French Lentils With Potatoes

YumSugar — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:39:16 PST

All of the richness that comes with the month of December is wonderful and delicious, but some days I just need a break from it all. I still want something filling and flavorful that will satisfy me. That's where legumes come into play for me – specifically, lentils. This salad incorporates classic French flavors, including whole grain mustard, onions, carrots, parsley, and french lentils. I added steamed potatoes because I wanted the salad to be slightly more substantial and have variation of texture, but this is definitely optional.

This salad is much, much better cold and on the second day when the flavors have had a chance to party together overnight in a refrigerator. It makes for a great protein-packed lunch, and you'll find yourself craving it all hours of the day. For the recipe, keep reading.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt Serenades Us En Francais

Annie Scudder — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 12:40:26 PDT

Joseph Gordon-Levitt channeled Serge Gainsbourg last weekend in his latest exercise in hotness. During a tribute to the late French singer-songwriter, JGL sang in French. Although he didn't know all the words by heart, instead relying on a handy notebook, the actor had a decent voice and French accent. Bradley Cooper's interview in fluent French still tops my list of handsome American actors speaking a foreign language, but watch Joseph Gordon-Levitt give Bradley a run for his money and judge for yourself.

Oh La La! Bradley Cooper Proves It's Hot When Guys Speak a Foreign Language

Annie Scudder — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:05:51 PDT

With his piercing blue eyes, impressive acting and comedy skills, and friendly demeanor, Bradley Cooper couldn't be any hotter. Unless, say, he spoke fluent French. This past weekend, the star of The Hangover Part II, or Very Bad Trip 2 in France, came on French TV to discuss the movie's popularity, getting his big break after 30, and the possibility of a third Hangover movie (he said he'd be down). And thanks to his time living with a French family while studying abroad, Brad gave the entire interview in French! Watch him speak the language of love. I bet the hotness will translate even if you don't speak anything but English.