French cuisine Archives - thedancingcucumber.com thedancingcucumber.com Wed, 11 Oct 2023 23:08:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3 Have the Best of Both Worlds With Potatoes au Gratin https://thedancingcucumber.com/have-the-best-of-both-worlds-with-potatoes-au-gratin/ Fri, 13 Oct 2023 08:32:00 +0000 https://thedancingcucumber.com/?p=8974 Name a better combination than potatoes and cheese. Go on, we’ll wait… Potatoes are the king of carbs and melted cheese makes everything better. That’s why potatoes au gratin is one of the best dishes you can make. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Women's Weekly Food (@womensweeklyfood) Ingredients: Instructions:

The post Have the Best of Both Worlds With Potatoes au Gratin appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

]]> Name a better combination than potatoes and cheese. Go on, we’ll wait… Potatoes are the king of carbs and melted cheese makes everything better. That’s why potatoes au gratin is one of the best dishes you can make.

Ingredients:

  • 4 medium russet potatoes, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium onion, sliced into rings
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 
  • 1 cup Gruyère cheese, shredded 
  • Chopped thyme
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Ground black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and butter a casserole dish.
  2. Layer half of the potatoes in the bottom of the casserole dish and season with salt and pepper. Layer onion slices on top, then top with the remaining potatoes. Season again with salt and pepper.
  3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Gradually whisk in flour and salt and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, until the raw flour flavor has cooked off.
  4. Gradually add milk, about 1/4 cup at a time, whisking well after each addition. 
  5. Once the mixture has thickened, stir in the cheese and continue stirring until melted. Pour the cheese sauce over the potatoes, top with thyme, and cover the dish with aluminum foil.
  6. Bake in the oven for 1.5 hours until the potatoes are tender and the sauce is bubbly.

The post Have the Best of Both Worlds With Potatoes au Gratin appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

]]> 4 Lessons From the French About Enjoying Food https://thedancingcucumber.com/4-lessons-from-the-french-about-enjoying-food/ Sat, 02 Sep 2023 08:54:00 +0000 https://thedancingcucumber.com/?p=8202 When it comes to sophisticated dining, no one does it better than the French. The country’s love of food is well documented, with a certain je ne sais quoi applied when eating and drinking. Although it may not always be possible to sojourn in the south of France or picnic in Paris, these lessons from […]

The post 4 Lessons From the French About Enjoying Food appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

]]> When it comes to sophisticated dining, no one does it better than the French. The country’s love of food is well documented, with a certain je ne sais quoi applied when eating and drinking. Although it may not always be possible to sojourn in the south of France or picnic in Paris, these lessons from the French will make dining an enriching experience wherever you are in the world.

Make Space For Cheese

Camembert, Brie, Gruyère, and Roquefort are just some of the glorious cheeses we have France to thank for (there are more than 1,000 kinds!) and there is no reason they shouldn’t be part of the meal. Traditionally, a cheese platter is served after the main course, prior to dessert.

Life is Short—Order Dessert

Speaking of dessert, the French believe in ending their meals with something sweet. This doesn’t always have to be a crème brûlée or soufflé (though we definitely won’t say no)—a piece of chocolate, biscuit, liqueur, or coffee all do well to wrap up the meal nicely.

Full Flavor

The French don’t believe in compromising on flavor, so it is common for most dishes to include full-fat versions of milk, cream, cheese, and the like. While such elements should be consumed in moderation, food is viewed among life’s simple pleasures, so enjoy!

Take Your Time

With dishes full of flavor, the French know that it is important to slow down and savor every bite. Eating slower is also better for your health as it gives the body time to realize that it is full and prevents over-eating. Meals can turn into long, leisurely affairs that don’t always align with workdays around the world, but hopefully, you’ll be inspired to give yourself some time to enjoy your food.

The post 4 Lessons From the French About Enjoying Food appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

]]> ersion="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> French cuisine Archives - thedancingcucumber.com thedancingcucumber.com Wed, 11 Oct 2023 23:08:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3 Have the Best of Both Worlds With Potatoes au Gratin https://thedancingcucumber.com/have-the-best-of-both-worlds-with-potatoes-au-gratin/ Fri, 13 Oct 2023 08:32:00 +0000 https://thedancingcucumber.com/?p=8974 Name a better combination than potatoes and cheese. Go on, we’ll wait… Potatoes are the king of carbs and melted cheese makes everything better. That’s why potatoes au gratin is one of the best dishes you can make. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Women's Weekly Food (@womensweeklyfood) Ingredients: Instructions:

The post Have the Best of Both Worlds With Potatoes au Gratin appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

]]> Name a better combination than potatoes and cheese. Go on, we’ll wait… Potatoes are the king of carbs and melted cheese makes everything better. That’s why potatoes au gratin is one of the best dishes you can make.

Ingredients:

  • 4 medium russet potatoes, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium onion, sliced into rings
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 
  • 1 cup Gruyère cheese, shredded 
  • Chopped thyme
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Ground black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and butter a casserole dish.
  2. Layer half of the potatoes in the bottom of the casserole dish and season with salt and pepper. Layer onion slices on top, then top with the remaining potatoes. Season again with salt and pepper.
  3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Gradually whisk in flour and salt and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, until the raw flour flavor has cooked off.
  4. Gradually add milk, about 1/4 cup at a time, whisking well after each addition. 
  5. Once the mixture has thickened, stir in the cheese and continue stirring until melted. Pour the cheese sauce over the potatoes, top with thyme, and cover the dish with aluminum foil.
  6. Bake in the oven for 1.5 hours until the potatoes are tender and the sauce is bubbly.

The post Have the Best of Both Worlds With Potatoes au Gratin appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

]]> 4 Lessons From the French About Enjoying Food https://thedancingcucumber.com/4-lessons-from-the-french-about-enjoying-food/ Sat, 02 Sep 2023 08:54:00 +0000 https://thedancingcucumber.com/?p=8202 When it comes to sophisticated dining, no one does it better than the French. The country’s love of food is well documented, with a certain je ne sais quoi applied when eating and drinking. Although it may not always be possible to sojourn in the south of France or picnic in Paris, these lessons from […]

The post 4 Lessons From the French About Enjoying Food appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

]]> When it comes to sophisticated dining, no one does it better than the French. The country’s love of food is well documented, with a certain je ne sais quoi applied when eating and drinking. Although it may not always be possible to sojourn in the south of France or picnic in Paris, these lessons from the French will make dining an enriching experience wherever you are in the world.

Make Space For Cheese

Camembert, Brie, Gruyère, and Roquefort are just some of the glorious cheeses we have France to thank for (there are more than 1,000 kinds!) and there is no reason they shouldn’t be part of the meal. Traditionally, a cheese platter is served after the main course, prior to dessert.

Life is Short—Order Dessert

Speaking of dessert, the French believe in ending their meals with something sweet. This doesn’t always have to be a crème brûlée or soufflé (though we definitely won’t say no)—a piece of chocolate, biscuit, liqueur, or coffee all do well to wrap up the meal nicely.

Full Flavor

The French don’t believe in compromising on flavor, so it is common for most dishes to include full-fat versions of milk, cream, cheese, and the like. While such elements should be consumed in moderation, food is viewed among life’s simple pleasures, so enjoy!

Take Your Time

With dishes full of flavor, the French know that it is important to slow down and savor every bite. Eating slower is also better for your health as it gives the body time to realize that it is full and prevents over-eating. Meals can turn into long, leisurely affairs that don’t always align with workdays around the world, but hopefully, you’ll be inspired to give yourself some time to enjoy your food.

The post 4 Lessons From the French About Enjoying Food appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

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