La Cuisine-Food

Are Wine Carafes (and Cheap Glasses) the 8th Deadly Sin?

Yesterday, I wrote about the wine carafe we purchased in Old Quebec City as a souvenir. Carafes and decanters are used to aerate wine, which is a very controversial topic in the world of wine. Some believe that the wine benefits from aeration, allowing the wine to "breathe". A carafe is meant to work in the same way that swirling wine in your glass does: it triggers the release of a wine's more aromatic compounds and smoothes out the tannins. Other wine experts say aerating wine is detrimental, causing it to oxidize and lose some of its aromatic qualities. But, most agree that transferring heartier red wines into a carafe or decanter does greatly enhance the aesthetic value, particularly if the carafe is one with an elegant design, made of clear glass.

The same controversy exists over whether wine tastes the same in a dollar-store drinking glass versus a crystal wine glass. Reidel, the famous glass makers, fervently insist that their glasses make wine taste better. Many wine experts support their claim. But in a double blind scientific test (where the taste testers did not know which glass was a $20 Reidel and which was priced at just $1), taste testers could not discern any difference in taste.

Here at South 'n France we subscribe to the philosophy that dining should be a pleasurable experience for all of the senses. When Pascal worked at Daniel, I tasted the cuisine as it is intended to enjoyed - served by attentive staff while I was seated in the luxurious restaurant, eating on fine china, listening to great music, and sipping good wine. I also ate the same meal, cooked by the same chefs, while seated in my living room, watching a movie in my pajamas. Believe me; the food did not "taste" the same.


To what extent does ambiance affect the taste of food? We think it matters a lot. But, then again, beauty, taste, and aesthetics are all subjective. Even though this carafe by French sculptor Etienne Meneau costs 2200 Euros, we can't imagine that it makes wine taste that much better (And, how pray tell, do you clean it?). Likewise, although we admire the originality of these custom-made glasses inspired by the Seven Deadly Sins, they don't look very user-friendly. We think we'll stick with our traditional wine glasses and carafes.

Real Men Make Crepes

One of our goals with our Grapes and Crepes Parties, is to show that French cooking is fun and easy for everyone. Sometimes, we hear of men who have declined invitations to come to our Bon Bon and Champagne Parties or our crepe-making parties because they think that our interactive cooking demonstrations are for women and girls only. Nothing could be further than the truth! Real men eat quiche, bon bons, and crepes — and they know how to make them too! A word of advice from Pascal to the men folk: "You think that the women, they like French men because we have the sexy accent. Non. This is not the only reason. It's because we also know how to cook good food." This past weekend, we hosted a birthday celebration where a few real men showed us just how sexy a man in the kitchen can be!

Bon Bon Number 7

Eet Eezn’t Easy to Speek Like Ze French!

Happy Bastille Day! Today is the day that the French celebrate their independence from the royal monarchy. While Parisians fete the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille 4,000 miles away, fourteen lucky locals in Wilmington will be dining like kings and queens. Today, Pascal and I are in the kitchen preparing a seven-course feast that will illustrate the art of regal French dining. During the evening, I’ll be regaling our guests with stories about life at the royal court in France.

I love to tell a good story, and those who've heard my stories know that I often slip into a French accent when appropriate. After fifteen years with Pascal, my accent is pretty faithful to the original I copy, but every now and again it strays. There have been moments when my imitation of a French chef sounds more like a cross between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Chef Boyardee. But at least I'm not alone. Listen to this improvisational skit performed by professional comedians Ryan Stiles and Colin Mochrie on Whose Line Is It Anyway? You'll hear that it happens to the best of us!

Everything’s Comin’ Up Rosa

A while ago, I promised that I'd share some of my favorite foodie secrets. I just finished a jar of Rosa Mexicano Pomegranate-Black Bean Salsa, which just may be the best salsa in the world. (Rosa's Salsa de Piña runs a close second.) I'm so grateful that Rosa Mexicano now offers a retail line of gourmet salsas, marinades and chips. (They're available at Fresh Market or online).  

For years, if you wanted a taste of this amazing, authentic Mexican haute cuisine, you had to travel to New York to find it. It was where Josefina Howard (who had an amazing life story) realized her dream of opening a restaurant that showcased the best of Mexican cooking. One of her signatures was (and still is) guacamole freshly made at tableside in a volcanic stone molcajete, the rustic mortar and pestle of the Mexican kitchen. I defy you to find a better guacamole!  

At the restaurant, master guacamole makers arrive at the table with a lush selection of the ripest, freshest avocados I've ever seen and a handful of other simple ingredients needed to make the dish. Watching my guy "rock the guac" forever changed the way I prepare guacamole at home. For one thing, the avocado should be sliced into chunks, not mashed. The avocado chunks are then blended with a paste of onion, chilies, cilantro and salt. The result is a fresh, intensely flavorful guacamole with a rich texture. Time Out New York called it "green ecstasy in a stone bowl", and I agree that the taste is pure bliss. If you're ever in New York, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Palm Beach or Miami, seek out the Rosa Mexicano!

Crepe Balls of Fire

One of the things I love about our Grapes & Crepes Parties is that, just like Chef Gusteau's motto in Ratatouille, they prove that "Anyone Can Cook". Even Thera Storm.
Here is Thera's culinary background prior to her South 'n France crepe-making lesson, as told to us in her own words:

1. I thought "scratch" was something you added to food to make it spectacular.
2. I thought eggs were supposed to be boiled overnight.
3. I didn't know you were supposed to make a hamburger patty, THEN cook it. I cooked it and wondered why I couldn't get it to stick together.
4. Every time I cook I start a fire.



At first glance, you might think that things aren't going so well. Her crepe is on fire, and she did set off our smoke alarm. But look more closely and you'll notice the bottle of Gran Marnier near the crepe griddle; the butter, sugar and fresh-squeezed orange juice bubbling on her crepe; and the chocolate sauce just waiting to be pressed into service as a lovely garnishing drizzle. Perhaps it is true that every time Thera cooks she starts a fire. But it is also true that for at least one evening fire worked in her favor. Thera ended up with a delicious Crepe Suzette for dessert. She didn't even need to add "scratch".

Movies on the Brain...

The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
We love how Bret Fetzer described this movie: "Everything you expect from a Hollywood blockbuster - romance, violence, humor, sorrow, strong personalities in conflict - is here in spades, except that the heroes and heroines have bright red and green feathers."  The film follows Mark Bittner, a homeless musician, as he befriends, feeds, and names the members of a wild flock of parrots that live in the green niches of San Francisco. The parrots seem to have been cast perfectly: a hero, a clown, two lovers, a ladies' man, a villain, and the villain's daughter. Who knew that a film about birds could be packed with comedy and a surprise ending that "makes you feel like you could fly out of the theater" (San Jose Mercury News)? The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill reminds us how wondrously similar the human and animal worlds can be.


Who the #$&% Is Jackson Pollock?
When brash trailer park resident Teri Horton bought a secondhand painting for five bucks, little did she know it could be a genuine Jackson Pollock worth millions. This film documents Horton's volatile 15-year journey into the heart of the art world's elitist establishment to have the painting authenticated. The clash between stuffy art dealers and the cussin', beer-drinkin' Horton is funny, eye-opening and utterly unforgettable. One of the most interesting (and surprising) documentaries we've seen.


The Hobart Shakespeareans
The Hobart Shakespeareans is about one phenomenal teacher (Rafe Esquith), his eager students, and the power of real education. Esquith turns the Asian-American and Latino children of a violence-stricken Los Angeles neighborhood on to the wonders of Mark Twain, Shakespearean plays, and mathematics. These "below average" fifth-graders can rattle off the names of Shakespeare's thirty-seven plays and do rapid-fire arithmetic in their heads. You may think you're smarter than a fifth-grader, but there's no way you're smarter than Rafe’s fifth-graders! Quick - can you name the six states that border Iowa? These kids can. It's a story that looks at the failures of education in the United States, while simultaneously offering hope and inspiration...


My Date with Drew
This is a feel-good documentary for the dreamers, believers and optimists of the world. 27-year-old aspiring filmmaker, Brian Herzlinger, wins $1,100 on a game show (where the winning answer happened to be "Drew Barrymore"), and decides to use the money to make a film about pursuing his dream of asking Barrymore out on a date. It's not easy for an ordinary guy to get face time with a busy star. Herzlinger has to make his way through Barrymore's entourage of publicists, agents, producers and assistants (without appearing like a stalker), so he can get near the object of his lifelong crush.

R.I.P.: Rest in Pringles?

Food as Art

One of Pascal's great talents is food presentation. I still marvel at how he can turn a cherry tomato into a lotus flower and a pile of beans and lentils into a gorgeous food backdrop for passed hors d'oeuvres. Years ago, when it was first published, I bought Pascal the book, Play with Your Food. Now there is an entire series of products and books: Food Play, Food for Thought, and Fast Food to name a few. I'm sure you've seen the books and greetings cards that depict inspired ways to turn a lemon into a teddy bear, a red pepper into a cartoon face, a cucumber into a car. But if these cute creations are like food animation, now we've discovered food art! Check out these amazing "Foodscape" photos from food photographer, Carl Warner.

The Great Chocolate Depression

To see how chicken and chocolate should go together, pay a visit to the Domestic Goddess in Training.  She’ll give you the recipes for this delicious looking dinner: