The blog of cooking-ez.com
The return of the "Norman hole"
You maybe know the "trou normand", this old gastronomic custom typically French which consists in taking a (small) glass of calvados, generally between the last course and the dessert?
It's something that seems a bit anachronistic nowadays, having a glass of an alcohol of more than 60° in the middle of a meal, often with wines, to supposedly "ease digestion", ouch!
It's something that seems a bit anachronistic nowadays, having a glass of an alcohol of more than 60° in the middle of a meal, often with wines, to supposedly "ease digestion", ouch!
8,535 4.8/5 based on 13 reviews
Last modified on: December 18th 2021
Keywords for this post:MealCustomNormandyNormandCalvadosSorbetThe return of the "Norman hole"
If the original practice is rather debatable (personally, I'm almost sure that I won't see the dessert, or else in a fog :-), the principle on the other hand is not stupid: In a rather rich meal, like a holiday meal, take a little break before the dessert, and why not, by tasting something different.
It is a little bit towards that that the usage has been adapted for several decades, we always practice the Norman hole, but it is rather with something fresh, like a sorbet, often alcoholic, we do not completely remake.
The great classic, always in the Norman spirit, is a small dish with an apple sorbet, without or with a dash of calvados poured over it just before serving, or its "colonel" version with lemon and vodka sorbet.
The freshness of the sorbet, welcome at the end of the meal, is typical of what great restaurants call the pre-dessert.
In the end, it is a certain contrast that is sought, we have just eaten the main course, often quite substantial, perhaps washed down with strong wines, our mouths are a little full, a touch of lightness, of freshness, would be welcome.
Someone who is a bit strict might tell you to stop fussing, and simply drink a glass of fresh water, that it would be enough, and he would probably be right, but it is a holiday meal, we want to get out of the ordinary.
But instead of limiting yourself to the two initial options, alcohol alone (classic but outdated) or sorbet/ice (more modern but overused), it is also possible to think outside the box and go for something more daring, here are some ideas for, perhaps, your upcoming holiday meals.
- You don't serve anything with it, no little cookies or sweets, that would be too much.
- We serve the guests, and we sit with them right away, it is also a moment of exchange, the preparation of the dessert can wait a little.
- Or something fresh like a small iced coffee, a fruit mousse, a very light cream, a red fruit chantilly, or even a small fresh fruit salad.
- More daring, it could be something hot: a sabayon, vanilla or with a hint of citrus, served in a tiny cup.
- Last hot/tidy idea: mulled apple juice (my favourite), or hot cider.
In all of this, you should find something that will pass the "trou normand" test with flying colors with your guests, and who knows, maybe even surprise them a bit.
In summary:The "trou normand" in its principle, a refreshing break in a meal, is a good idea that can be declined in many ways, not necessarily alcoholic.
It is a little bit towards that that the usage has been adapted for several decades, we always practice the Norman hole, but it is rather with something fresh, like a sorbet, often alcoholic, we do not completely remake.
The great classic, always in the Norman spirit, is a small dish with an apple sorbet, without or with a dash of calvados poured over it just before serving, or its "colonel" version with lemon and vodka sorbet.
The freshness of the sorbet, welcome at the end of the meal, is typical of what great restaurants call the pre-dessert.
In the end, it is a certain contrast that is sought, we have just eaten the main course, often quite substantial, perhaps washed down with strong wines, our mouths are a little full, a touch of lightness, of freshness, would be welcome.
Someone who is a bit strict might tell you to stop fussing, and simply drink a glass of fresh water, that it would be enough, and he would probably be right, but it is a holiday meal, we want to get out of the ordinary.
But instead of limiting yourself to the two initial options, alcohol alone (classic but outdated) or sorbet/ice (more modern but overused), it is also possible to think outside the box and go for something more daring, here are some ideas for, perhaps, your upcoming holiday meals.
A few rules that can't be ignored
- We stick to something small, a ramekin for example is too big, you need a very small glass, or a cup, or an espresso/ristretto cup.- You don't serve anything with it, no little cookies or sweets, that would be too much.
- We serve the guests, and we sit with them right away, it is also a moment of exchange, the preparation of the dessert can wait a little.
And some suggestions
-It can be something very cold, a fruit sorbet with a little acidity for example: apple already mentioned, citrus fruits (clementine for example) or red fruits.- Or something fresh like a small iced coffee, a fruit mousse, a very light cream, a red fruit chantilly, or even a small fresh fruit salad.
- More daring, it could be something hot: a sabayon, vanilla or with a hint of citrus, served in a tiny cup.
- Last hot/tidy idea: mulled apple juice (my favourite), or hot cider.
In all of this, you should find something that will pass the "trou normand" test with flying colors with your guests, and who knows, maybe even surprise them a bit.
In summary:The "trou normand" in its principle, a refreshing break in a meal, is a good idea that can be declined in many ways, not necessarily alcoholic.
Lasts posts
Clean your mixer easily
If you use a "bowl" or "blender" mixer, as opposed to a plunger, you've probably noticed that it's a bit of a hassle to clean it after use. And yet, with a simple trick, it can be done very quickly. See how here.1,4955 June 26th 2024
Preserving egg yolks
If you're using only the egg whites in a recipe (such as meringues ), you'll need to store the yolks until you're ready to use them again. There's nothing very complicated about this in principle - all you have to do is chill them, but there are a few pitfalls to be avoided in practice.2,0195 June 18th 2024
Preservative oil, an asset for taste
When you prepare a dish using an ingredient that has been preserved in fat, for example a springtime mixed salad with tuna in oil or sun-dried tomatoes, you're probably going to make a french dressing (vinaigrette) next. In that case, why not use the preserved oil from the tuna or tomatoes?2,1825 June 5th 2024
Don't throw away disposable piping bags
Nowadays, it's fairly easy to find what professionals use as piping bags, i.e. disposable or "single-use" plastic ones. They're practical, functional and inexpensive, but disposable? That's debatable...3,5695 May 28th 2024
Should asparagus really be cooked in bunches?
You'll probably read recipes here and there explaining how to cook asparagus "en botte", i.e. in a small package (the famous "botte"). Is this really the right way to cook asparagus?2,7245 May 22th 2024
Other pages you may also like
Kitchen ovens
You certainly have one in your kitchen, an oven, the essential tool for all kinds of cooking, whether in the kitchen of course, but also in pastry, bakery, pizza, and many others. Here is some information on its structure and operation.23K4.4 May 16th 2020
The skin side of the fish first?
When it comes to cooking fresh fish, if it's filleted with its skin on and you're planning to pan-fry it in a little olive oil, for example, you might ask yourself the following question: Which side, skin or flesh, should come into contact with the pan first?19K4.4 February 13th 2021
The return of the vegetable grater
If you are of a certain age (say +50) you may have known, when you were a kid, something that your grandmother had in her kitchen set, the vegetable grater. A kind of mill, to be turned by hand, and which with cutting discs of different sizes, allowed to grate a lot of vegetables, carrots first...12K4.6 March 20th 2021
The super powers of cornstarch
I start this new year by evoking an old product, that you most probably have in your cupboards, a white powder, often in a small cardboard package with a slightly outdated look, only the "gluten free" is relatively recent, it is simply cornstarch, hence its name of maïzena. It's used for a lot...8,813 January 14th 2022
Tranché, dissociated, failed, in short... missed!
When preparing a sauce or a cream, there's always a (small) risk that the creamy preparation you're working on will suddenly separate into two parts of different textures: a liquid part, for example, and a more or less solid part, or even become lumpy. It's terribly frustrating, but we'll see...6,1055 June 19th 2023
Post a comment or question
Follow this page
If you are interested in this page, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the page is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.