Cooking
Technicals
Films and papers in the kitchen
Various papers and plastic films used in cooking .568K 93.6 August 29th 2023
Ice-cream and sorbets
All about ice-creams and sorbets, their differences and how to make the most of them .420K4.0 August 29th 2023
A little molecular gastronomy
A little molecular gastronomy ot understand how slow cooking makes meat tender.37K4.4 August 29th 2023
Calendar of seasons
Calendar of what's in season, for buying fresh ingredients following their natural cycle.178K3.8 August 29th 2023
Foie gras proportions calculator
Small foie gras calculator, to find the right proportions of spices and alcohol needed according to weight.815K5 December 25th 2023
The amateur baker
You may have noticed over the pages of this site, I am passionate about everything that is related to the bakery: I love making bread, pastries, maintain my leaven, etc.. This page contains links to all the different parts of the site where we talk about bread: recipes, special pages, etc.162K 44.1 August 29th 2023
Slashing loaves
Cutting the top of the loaf so that it rises better during baking: slashing.279K 43.6 August 29th 2023
Soured dough
Underneath this strange name lies a baking secret: when you want to give a bread or pastry dough (without leaven, but with yeast) a certain percentage of fermented dough must be added, i.e. the same dough made the day before, and left to ferment overnight in the refrigerator.143K 24.1 February 23th 2024
Calculator for water temperature in bread-making
The temperature of the water, known as "process water" ("eau de coulage" in French), in a bakery recipe is very important, here is a small calculator allowing you to determine it quickly and simply.73K4.4 August 29th 2023
Products
Flours
At the most basic level, wheat grain is put through a mill, which produces a white-ish powder flour... Well, actually it's not quite that simple. First of all we need to distinguish between the different grains that can be made into flour: wheat of course, but also rye, barley, buckwheat, etc. So we...720K 413.6 August 29th 2023
Herbs in the kitchen
Herbs: there's nothing else so small that can add so much to a recipe. They are not only for garnishing, but are a true part of the dish, sometimes one of the main ingredients. A small example of the "power" of herbs: you make a chopped carrot salad, which is very good with a vinaigrette, but if you...182K 13.9 August 29th 2023
chives
Chives grow in clumps, and the leaves used as a herb have an extraodinary taste. It's an essential for adding to salads, and everything else that can be eaten cold, because it doesn't like long cooking during which it loses most of its flavour.75K3.8 August 29th 2023
parsley
There are different kinds of parsley, the two main ones are curled parsley and flat-leaf (or Italian) parsley. The most important difference between the two, except the leaf shape, is taste: flat-leaf parsley has much more flavour.59K4.1 August 29th 2023
bayleaf
Bay is a kind of laurel, grown as a shrub or small tree, of which the leaves are used, fresh or dry (other laurels are toxic). Bayleaves are used frequently in mediterraneen cooking.87K4.2 August 29th 2023
fresh coriander (cilantro)
This is a plant of which the leaves are used fresh. It has a very subtle flavour which is remarkable in salads. It is an indispensible ingredient in Asian and Mediterranean cuisine. The seeds are also available (like white pepper grains but paler), which have a different taste.40K4.2 August 29th 2023
sage
This is a plant of which the leaves are used. It's goes perfectly (in my opinion) with white meats like pork, veal or poultry.40K4.2 August 29th 2023
sorrel
This is a plant of which only the leaves are used. There is a wild species, very tasty, with small red and green leaves, and a cultivated variety with large green leaves.41K4.3 August 29th 2023
tarragon
Tarragon is a herb with strongly aromatic leaves. These are used for their characteristic flavour that goes very well with meat and fish.49K4.1 August 29th 2023
mint
There are several kinds of mint with different flavours, some stronger than others. The important thing, if you have the choice, is to use the strongest flavour possible (crush a leaf with your fingers, and smell to compare).36K4.2 August 29th 2023
thyme
Thyme is an aromatic plant of which the leaves are used. There are several kinds of thyme, and its flavour is very typical of Mediterranean cooking.49K4.6 August 29th 2023
Chervil
Chervil is very similar in appearance to parsley, but its leaves are smaller, and its taste (delicate) is very different, sometimes with a slight hint of licorice.29K4.4 August 29th 2023
Verbena
Verbena is an herb with a delicate flavor, which is best used in sweet recipes (cakes, custards, creams, etc.).0 September 13th 2023
