My Little Frenchy Kitchen

Entranced by another episode of ‘The Little Paris Kitchen’ featuring Rachel Khoo last night I thought I’d show off my French styled kitchen and the various objects I have collected over the years to feed my love of all things French. Alas, I live in rural Nottinghamshire not Paris but one can dream.

I had a bit of a tidy before I took the pictures and the interior isn’t as charmingly chaotic as Rachel Khoo’s tiny Parisian kitchen but it suits me. I sometimes listen to French radio stations (online) as I cook as a bit of fun background noise. My language skills aren’t enough to understand half of what is being said but I like the French sounds and get some of it. And when I’ve had a few glasses of Merlot I feel that I could walk out of the door and be in Paris itself.

Not that I’m obsessed or owt but, over the years, I have also built up a collection of modern French music on CDs and a movable feast of French language DVDs most of which seem to feature the lovely Audrey Tautou. Odd that. And then there’s a collection of books for Francophiles covering every aspect of French life and a big pile of France magazines and more cookery books about French Cooking. Oooh la la!

I was going to list them for you but got inspired to create an Eiffel Tower out of some of them instead. More fun.

I think I’m going to have severe withdrawal symptoms when Rachel Khoo’s six part programme is finished. I do hope that a video is produced. Last night’s programme interested me as a butcher because she went to the largest wholesale food market in Rungis, south of Paris and wowed the butchers (all but one) with her version of Steak Tartare. I also loved the cheeses at the award winning cheese shop and what she did with the goat’s cheese.

Tonight I am cooking a lemon and thyme chicken with some simple roasted vegetables. At the time of writing this it is still in the oven and smells great.

Rachel Khoo and fun in the kitchen

Well, what a fun day I had yesterday. A full day off work (first in two weeks) and a full day in the kitchen with a break when I popped into Nottingham to buy a copy of Rachel Khoo’s book, The Little Paris Kitchen. Whilst in town I had a café complet style late breakfast in Café Rouge as a treat.

 

                                                             

Back in the kitchen I made some Madeleine cakes and gave the mixture a real good fluffing up with a fork and the result was perfect Madeleines! The secret is to not overfill the shell like trays and to whisk the mixture well before cooling it in the fridge. Mine were lemony though I did like Rachel Khoo’s take on the classic French cakes by adding a raspberry and filling it with lemon curd. Hmmm!

I also made a loaf of bread from a packet and salivated over three sirloin steaks before putting them in the freezer for another day. In between cooking I got on with some clothes washing and ironing and took a dish of Madeleine cakes round to my neighbour Jo as a late birthday present.

Later on I checked out my Facebook page and saw a link to a ‘just for fun’ competition run by the Royal Ballet. They wanted people to send a video of themselves performing a grand jeté (big leap) for a Royal Ballet Live event on Friday 23^rd March. It didn’t matter if you couldn't dance (that’s handy) and to make it fun. So I got out my tutu – like you do – and made a silly video. It might be too long as they only wanted 30 seconds but it was fun to mess about. By the way – in case you are now worried why Phil would have a tutu – I found it on top of a post box early one frosty morning as I was going to work and kept the lacy thing to decorate my lectern for A Christmas Carol. There you go.

My day was full of anticipation because in the evening the BBC were showing a new programme called The Little Paris Kitchen and it looked right up my rue. Paris, lovely home cooked food, and a very beautiful and talented presenter, Rachel Khoo.

On Sunday night I had made a big pot of Moroccan lamb stew after coming home from a day’s work and it wasn’t ready until about 9.30pm and I just didn’t feel like eating so late so I left it to cool down and went to bed. Last night I heated it up and it was delicious and I still have enough left for two more meals.

So, back to Monday night. Half past eight finally arrived and I sat down to watch Rachel’s programme. Superb!!! A feast for the eyes, and then there was Paris in the background. I want the video now!!! I loved the bee hives on top of a grand building in Paris and the views of the markets around the 13^th arrondisment and her no messing cooking style and enthusiasm. I was licking my lips by the end of the programme and was gutted when the half hour had finished. Encore! Encore! I might well watch it again on BBCiplayer. Might well? Who am I kidding? I WILL be watching it again on BBCiplayer.