Yewande Komolafe brings us a recipe for a Breton pastry alongside a touching column.
| Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks. |
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Finding Solace in French Pastry |
Yewande Komolafe explores the connection between sorrow and cooking in a poignant column for The Times this week. With it is a recipe for kouign-amann (above) a layered, butter-filled Breton pastry that she adapted from a bakery in Montreal. Perfecting this challenging recipe was an all-encompassing project that helped Yewande heal after the devastation of her 3-year-old daughter's febrile seizure and loss of consciousness. "I sought refuge in the kitchen," she writes, "where I've always found grief to be at its most reasonable. Grief occupies all of the senses, but in the kitchen, it neither aids in my cooking nor meddles with it." |
Yewande's daughter woke up after 10 hours in the hospital, and immediately asked for her iPad. It's a beautiful read — and a truly remarkable recipe, with layers of buttery croissant-like dough baked in a skillet until golden, and doused with spice-scented syrup. It does take time to make, but the ethereal results are well worth it. And you can watch a helpful video of Yewande making it here. |
Although kouign-amann is arguably the most famous pastry from Brittany, the region, known for its excellent salted butter, is home to many other delightful confections. One of them is the sablé Breton, a crumbly butter cookie. In Dorie Greenspan's version, she turns the simple shortbread-like dough into a galette, topping it with lemon curd and berries. Or you can slice the baked sablé into wedges; it's a lovely treat any which way. |
Before the sweets, you could start your meal with a nourishing, warming soup. Naz Deravian's got a new soup I can't wait to try, a vegan, pantry-friendly white bean and rice soup that's golden from turmeric and seasoned with dill. Also from Naz is a terrific recipe for soft, spiced mushroom veggie patties. Serve them hot or at room temperature, with tangy pickles (maybe Alexa Weibel's quick-pickled vegetable salad) as a contrast to their deeply earthy flavors. |
Now, back to kouign-amann. Caitlin Raux Gunther wrote a fascinating piece for Food52 that dives into the origins of the pastry. Give it a read and see what you think. |
Sam's back on Friday, and I'll see you on Monday. |
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