Tarbais Beans grow on a pole-type bean plant. Some Tarbais Beans are harvested young to be sold as a fresh green beans; some are let fully ripen for harvesting as a dried bean. The dried beans are large white beans that look a bit like shorter, flattened white kidney beans. Tarbais Beans have a mild…
French Food
Tartiflette Tart
Tartiflette is a French savoury pie. There are many variations on how to make this. A casserole dish is buttered. Into this is placed a layer of fried diced potatoes. Some recipes have you boil them then slice them first; other recipes have you peel them but put the potatoes in raw. Most advise that…
Tartine
Tartine is a French term for a slice of bread on which either a spread has been put such as butter, jam, or a piece of cheese. It was traditionally eaten for breakfast. The bread could be toasted or not first. Now, however, the word Tartine is also used to mean a savoury, open-faced sandwich,…
Timbale Brillat-Savarin
Timbale Brillat-Savarin is a dessert. To start, a crust is make from a hollowed-out brioche that has been cooked in a charlotte mould. The inside of the crust is brushed with a glaze made from apricot jam flavoured with kirsch, then baked for a short while in the oven to set the glaze (thereby stopping…
Tranche Napolitaine
Tranche Napolitaine is a French dessert. It is a cake made of Neapolitan Ice Cream and mousse. The layered ice cream is placed on top the mousse. It is served in slices. In France, most people expect the Neapolitan ice cream layers to be red (strawberry), white (vanilla), and green (pistachio.) The dessert is not…
Truffle Butter
Truffle Butter is butter that is flavoured and scented with truffle shavings. Some versions are also mixed with olives, anchovies, etc. In a classical French version, 100g of fresh truffles are blended with 150g of butter, then forced through a sieve. Black Truffle Butter Usually French-style. It uses black truffles and therefore will be dark-coloured….
Truffle Oil
Truffle Oil. Italy 2005. © Leclaire & Schenk Truffle Oil is olive oil that has been infused with Truffles. The Truffles are freeze-dried and pulverized first before being steeped in the oil. There are some artificial Truffle Oils on the market. For the real thing, check that the ingredients actually list Truffles. You can make…
Truffles
Truffles are funguses that grow underground near tree roots. They are found in Asia, North Africa, North America and of course, Europe. There are also false Truffles, some of which are poisonous, that resemble the edible ones. Truffles are round. They can be in size anywhere from a walnut to a lemon. They are the…
Ventrèche
Ventrèche is made from the part of the pork belly where the muscles are separated by strips of fat. Ventrèche has both fat and meat, like streaky bacon or American bacon. The meat is rolled up and cured. The pieces can be of varying sizes. Ventrèche is used in South-Western French regional cooking. There are…
Vermouth
Vermouth is wine that has been flavoured and fortified; the flavouring used will vary from maker to maker. The wines used are lesser-quality wines, whose taste is improved by the herbs and fruits used to flavour it. There are two main kinds of Vermouth; dry (also called French or white) with an average alcohol content…
Vichyssoise
A creamed potato and leek soup, served cold. Cream and onions are also used. Often serve topped with chopped chives. Cooking Tips Good as a refreshing summer soup. History Notes Vichyssoise is thought of as French food, but it’s actually an American creation. It was invented in New York City in 1917 by a chef…
Vin de Noix
Vin de Noix is a French liqueur made from “green walnuts” — made from immature walnuts that haven’t ripened yet. The liqueur is a dark brown colour, with a touch of astringency in its taste. It is not as sweet or thick as the Italian equivalent liqueur, nocino. It is served as an aperitif, in…
Vinaigre d’Orléans
Vinaigre d’Orléans is vinegar made in Orléans, France. It is 7% acid. To make it, 240 litre barrels are laid on their side, with the bung hole (the hole that can be plugged) on the side that is up. Holes in each end of the barrel, above what will be the 3/4 full mark when…
Violet Syrup
Violet Syrup is a syrup made from violet petals. It is a specialty of the village called “Tourrettes sur Loup” in the south of France. To make it, fresh violet petals are covered with boiling water, and let stand and infuse for a day. Then it is strained to get the petals out, which are…
Walnut Oil
Walnut Oil © Denzil Green Walnut Oil is an oil made from walnuts. It has a very strong flavour. It is primarily valued in cooking for the depth of flavour that it can add; you usually use it in small quantities to enhance the flavours of salad dressings, etc. To make Walnut Oil, the walnuts…
White Roux
A white roux is a pale-coloured thickener made from starch and fat, typically wheat flour and butter. It is used to thicken sauces, soups and stews where a light-colour is desired.
White Wine Vinegar
White Wine Vinegar is a tangy vinegar made from white wine. It is used in light-coloured sauces (such as Hollandaise and Béarnaise), and light-coloured dressings, where a darker vinegar such as red-wine vinegar would give the wrong colour. It has a subtler, less harsh taste than the standard white distilled vinegar popular throughout North America….
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented juice. Unless otherwise specified, the juice will be from grapes. Wine can also be used as an ingredient in cooking, and occasionally, in food preservation. See also: Drink Wine Day, Wine Day, Wine and Cheese Day Wine corks “Cork taint” is when the taste and smell of…
Yule Log
Yule Log, also known by its French name of Bûche de Noël, is a rolled-up, iced cake made and served at Christmas time. The cake can be chocolate or a plain sponge or a Genoise, cooked in a long flat pan. You spread a filling out on top the cake, then roll it up carefully,…