Category Archives: Food Writing

Propagation

Posted on September 16, 2012 by Francois Lachance

Some history and some speculation… The saga of Jefferson and his favorite herb, tarragon, is a typically exasperating story of failure and futility. Jefferson likely encountered tarragon, or estragon, while in Paris as minister to France. After returning home in … Continue reading →

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how sweetly flows that liquefaction

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Francois Lachance

Michael Lavers from The Burden of Humans in New Ohio Review https://www.ohio.edu/nor/a/content/pdfs/lavers.pdf The frost tattoos its sermon on the rose, but in a language only you can read; Calls to mind poems by Lorna Crozier in The Garden Going On … Continue reading →

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The Secret to Dip and Sip

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Francois Lachance

Naomi Duguid Taste of Persia: A Cook’s Travels Through Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, and Kurdistan Occasionally an older person in Iran will dip a sugar cube into the tea and then take a bite of it. This is the story … Continue reading →

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The Human Element: Modern Business Managment

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Francois Lachance

At the beginning of Mast Brothers Chocolate: A Family Cookbook one finds the business principles that guide their philosophy and practice. They are called “Seven Crowns” and they are: Love, respect, and serve family and community Master your craft Make … Continue reading →

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Charm Bibbles Over and Over

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Francois Lachance

I had seen the title many times offered by various booksellers over the years. It was Ruby Tandoh’s savouring of the mean aunts that tipped me into actually reading James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. And indeed Aunt … Continue reading →

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Appreciation

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Francois Lachance

At the very beginning of her introduction, Elisabeth Andoh sets the bar high: KANSHA means “appreciation,” an expression evident in many aspects of Japanese society and daily living. In a culinary context, the word acknowledges both nature’s bounty and the … Continue reading →

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Zen of Cooking – Zazen of Eating

Posted on September 2, 2012 by Francois Lachance

Ruby Tandoh invites us to be contemplative… Waiting for a pan of water to come to the boil is a kind of therapy — being forced to slow down, chill out and be patient while you watch a shimmer of … Continue reading →

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Double Flip Slide

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Francois Lachance

Paul Bocuse (Bocuse in Your Kitchen) provides instructions for how to handle the flipping of a pan-sized potato crêpe. Cook over moderately high heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until the underside has browned then slide the crêpe out … Continue reading →

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Cornucopia

Posted on August 23, 2012 by Francois Lachance

Marcella Hazan in the introduction to The Classic Italian Cookbook stresses the seasons. The sober winter taste, the austere whites and gray-greens of artichokes, cardoons, celery, cauliflower; the sweetness and the tender hues of spring in the first asparagus, the … Continue reading →

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Nobody’s Mama

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Francois Lachance

John Edgar Wideman. Hiding Place. When you finish you bring that bowl up here. That’s all there is and ain’t nothing else. Just set it here by mine. We ain’t got no waitress service here. I don’t like to cook. … Continue reading →

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