An Elegant Fall Outing

Autumn is a beautiful time of year for picnicking outdoors.It really cries for an elegant spin on the meal, with whole cold roasts as opposed to the usual quickly made sandwiches and slaws The menu should be both classy and classic.Top it off with a soft or hard cider for some variety and kick.

Instead of the usual picnic fare think whole roasts. You can roast a chicken, Cornish hens or even a turkey breast the night before and let chill(you can also use leftovers too).Quail or partridge also works here and you can either buy it on line or from a good poultry farm in your area. A cold London broil is another good choice.. Nix any gravy , it would be to messy to bring along . Besides the roasts have their own juices anyway that can be sopped up with bread.As for bread aim for baguettes.or brioches. These can accompany the meat or are perfect for pates and cheeses. Sides can be simple: tomatoes with a sprinkle of  sea salt, boiled artichokes with lemon wedges or lettuce wraps filled with steamed veggies. Another route is fish and seafood. You could have cold poached salmon with a light sauce or even a shrimp cocktail with a spicy dip. Make sure the shrimp have been peeled before you pack them. Nothing ruins an elegant outing more than having piles of shells scattered about. For something much simpler think easy pates or a variety of cheeses, form sharp English cheddar to creamy French brie dabbed on sliced baguette rounds.

Desserts can be simple yet decadent. Shortbread is always a good choice. It's rich and classy along with being the perfect end to an outdoor meal.Tuiles, those delicate French butter cookies would be  right in place too. They can be baked into cones and filled with raspberries(in season right now) and crème fraiche for a decadent dessert. They are also good just baked in the traditional style , a square resembling a roofing tile,hence the name. Pears are just coming into season and creating a pear tart with a buttery crust would be a perfect end to a feast of  cold roasted Cornish hens or salmon. Apples, too are also out right now. Pair slices with sharp cheddar for a different take or bake into a galette. This  last is a rustic Gallic spin on the traditional pie and is just as easy to make. Have thermoses of good espresso or tea  to drink with it.if you can , bring a flask of brandy along to add for fun and to keep the chill out along with containers of whole cream for the coffee and tea. A packet of chocolate mints is a nice touch so remember to pack those.

The crisp air and even crisper fall ware call for an elegant outdoor meal. Pack up one and take to your favorite place  and enjoy. Nothing is better or more decadent than eating classy food outdoors on a beautiful chilly day.

Viva le Patisserie Francaise

In honor of French Independence Day (or the day the Capet monarchy was destroyed in France, depending upon how you look at it) I'm dedicating today's entry to French pastries. These sinfully delicious treats have always been a part of French life. Luckily , they're a part of American life as well. The problem is what to buy when you go to to your local patisserie.

There's really so much to choose from upon entering this kind of bakery. It will be mostly sweets and very little breads. These are sold in what's known as a boulangerie , a store that sells nothing but bread and rolls. A pastry shop will have a variety of tarts and cakes. You'll can get every kind of flavor from chocolate Savoyard (which are a rich cream and chocolate ganache filled loaves) to fraise bavaroise ,(a filling strawberry cake)There will be baba au rhums, wine cork shaped yeast cakes soaked in rum. A typcal patisserie will also serve plum and apricot tarts. These are cream filled buttery shells topped off with the fruits and glazed with an apricot jam. You can also buy similar ones in apple and strawberry depending upon the season.The French love raspberries so don't be surprised to find a few tartes and cakes filled with them. There is also a plain cake known as a galette which is usually served on Twelfth Nigh t or Three Kings Day , January 6th.

Most patisseries here sell variations of eclairs and Napoleons. The first usually has a chocolate covering as opposed to the traditional caramel. It's usually filled with a vanilla cream but also can be filled with just whipped cream. Napoleon, that classic French treat is another dessert It is also called mille feulle meaning a thousand layers. This was a spin on Greek pastries with the name coming from the Greek word for neck. Patisseries will also sell variations on that sweet roll, the brioche, as well as almond and chocolate croissants.

The French love cookies but not the thick hearty kind. You'll be able to buy tuiles (French for tiles) which are thin crunchy butter cookies. Gaufrettes or wafers are also sold. These are rolled cookies sometimes dipped in chocolate.

Celebrate Bastille Day with a visit t your own patisserie. have a love tart au fraise or some tuiles with your afternoon coffee.