I've been working quite intensely at a summer job the last few weeks, so when I have the odd day off, it's much appreciated. A week or two ago, the Mixmaster and I made this lovely wilted greens dish, along with a whole wheat meat sauce and spinach lasagna. The escarole is a rather quick dish to make, and substitutions can be made; I didn't have a red onion, so I used white, and while eating it, I mused at how lovely a scattering of toasting of pine nuts would taste over it.
Last week, I yet again had one day off on Sunday, and thought heading over to Pain Perdu for their mouth watering croissants would be great. I've heard that Bonjour Brioche (81
2 Queen Street East) has a pretty good croissant too, but for my money, PP's croissants are the best in town. As you bite into one, a small shower of pastry flakes will dust your shirt, as they should. It tastes mildly of butter and bread and yeast and nothing else. No preservatives. The croissants are obviously lovingly and meticulously made over the course of a day, by folding chilled butter and dough mixture over and over, quite patiently. Don't believe how time consuming croissant making is? Watch this long-ish video, and you'll get the drift...Pain Perdu's croissants are perfect to grab for a stroll down St. Clair West, and there's even a little bench outside PP, for you to sit down and people watch while eating your pastry. And if plain croissants are a little ennuyeux for you, try some of their other viennoiserie.
Croissants were said to have been created in 1686 in a rather interesting and mythic story. As the story goes, a baker working late in Budapest, Hungary heard an alarming noise and alerted the city officials. It seems that the Turkish army was tunneling under the cities walls, and this lone baker saved the day. He was asked if he wanted anything, and all he asked is that he could make a special pastry to commemorate the occasion- in the shape of the Islamic crescent.
Neat little tale, eh? Too bad it's all a zenophobic myth. There's no documented proof of the thwarted invasion in history books, and croissants recipes were first found in France around 1850.
love that apocryphal origin story. it's been a minute, but bonjour brioche had the best and most original french toast ever (more like a very moist loaf).
ReplyDeleteso, do you think we might get an alphonso salad recipe? or an alphonso lassi?
look, another islamophobic cookie recipe, by way of Gwyneth Paltrow:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.goop.com/newsletter/38
scroll down to evi's Vanillekipferl
what's with these europeans and their alerting each other of the arrival of the alien other through baking? *rolls eyes*
loving the blog, btw!
Thx for the comment Kalimba! Yeah, I remember hearing that story as a teen, but it was told as fact. And yes, I've had the Bonjour Brioche french toast. Mmmmmm.
ReplyDeleteI'll try to think up some alphonso recipes when the season comes around. And don't worry, ample notice will be given of alphonso season, and prices, and choosing a good box, etc...
Hey Rachel! Wow thanks for the link to the vanillekipferl recipe. What a fascination with the shape of the crescent! And to be consuming in in a buttered or sugared form...there's an article in there somewhere. Islamophobia and pastries; sounds like a seminar! Thanks for your support. It's so appreciated!