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!
8,116 13 4.8
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But instead of limiting yourself to the two initial options, alcohol alone (classic but outdated) or sorbet/ice (more modern but overused), it is also possible to think outside the box and go for something more daring, here are some ideas for, perhaps,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
Toss the salad
When you've finished preparing a salad, green or otherwise, it's usually time to add the dressing and toss. It's often said to "toss the salad", which means to season and mix. Is it easy? Not so easy...2,0575 March 8th 2024
Half milk, half cream
In a multitude of recipes, savoury or sweet, milk is used as the main ingredient, or at least as the main liquid ingredient. Milk is used instead of water, for example, because milk contains a proportion of fat, which adds roundness and softness to the recipe. This mellowness is very pleasant on...2,086 February 27th 2024
Cutting soft cheeses
As you may have already noticed, when you have to use a "soft" cheese in a recipe - their exact name is "soft cheese" - such as Camembert, Munster or Mont d'or, it's not easy to make anything other than thick slices.2,2195 February 20th 2024
It's spinning too fast!
When you need to grate or slice vegetables, you generally use an electric machine that does all the work: a food processor, a mixer with a "slicer" extension or similar. Are these machines really suitable? Generally speaking, yes of course, but there's one criterion that often poses a problem,...5,0835 November 12th 2023
When I was a kid, I didn't like...
Maybe you've already made this strange observation: when you were a kid, there were things you hated, but as an adult it's almost the opposite? For example, you used to hate spinach or chicory, but now you love it?4,7175 November 5th 2023
Other pages you may also like
Is it really necessary to cream egg yolks?
Let’s try and answer a question that crops up in cookery and patisserie, even if it verges on the existential: do the egg yolks in a custard recipe really need to be beaten until pale, or not?37K4.3 February 28th 2018
Stand mixer tools
Whether we call it a stand mixer, food processor, or simply refer to it by brand (Kenwood, KitchenAid, etc.), this machine is a valuable tool for amateur cooks, bakers or pastry chefs like ourselves. All these machines come supplied with 3 different tools. Let’s take a look at their names and...31K4.5 November 2nd 2019
What is the difference between bakery and patisserie?
This is a question that you may well have asked yourself and which I will attempt to answer. In France the two trades of "boulangerie" (bakery) and "pâtisserie" (patisserie and confectionery) have always been quite distinct, but where exactly do the boundaries lie? .119K 14.1 February 7th 2017
The golden-brown finish on puff pastry
Let's take a look at the tricky matter of producing puff pastry with an attractive, golden-brown finish. French pastry chefs call this "dorure" (literally, "gilding"). Behind this quirky term there lurks a real problem (and the solution): when using puff pastry (pâte feuilletée) for a pie, or...39K 24.7 February 8th 2018
The so-called "nervous" meats
You've probably heard this before, we're talking about "nervous" meat, or meat with nerves, to describe what is indicated by the blue arrow on the left. This is a piece of beef, and what we call a nerve is not a nerve, it is in fact collagen (chemists sometimes call it a "collagen sink"), a...22K4.5 April 16th 2021
Post your 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.