Last night nine beautiful people came over to my house to discuss Hemingway's A Moveable Feast, drink an aperitif and good wine and eat a meal that I prepared.
If ya'll haven't read A Moveable Feast, you should -- particularly if you're a writer or a lover of wine or food or Paris. I practically ate the book itself, and I've never been a Hemingway-lovah.
Here's my menu:
Chambery Cassis
(vermouth, creme de cassis and soda water)
Pissaladiere
Puff Pastry with Caramelized Onions, Anchovies and Black Olives
Camembert with Crackers
Soupe au Pistou
(Hearty vegetable soup with pesto)
Coq au Vin
Endive Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
French Apple Tart with Creme Fraiche
Here are some pictures:
I have to say that my French Apple Tart was the piece de resistance (without accents that looks really, really bad). I don't bake as much as I used to, and while I trained under some amazing pastry chefs in New York City, it's been some time. I've forgotten how much I love to make pastry dough and assemble something beautiful. Like other good things happening in my life, classic pastry is at my fingertips. I apparently haven't lost my touch and I'm grateful for that. A moveable feast --
Oh la la.
As Lis said when she saw the picture of the apple tart- DAMNATION!
ReplyDeleteAnd she meant that in the best possible way.
You are a woman of so many talents.
Where do you find the time and energy?! That feast looks gorgeous. I loved the book, and, like you, not a big fan of the writer's other works. Having just been in Paris, your post resonates especially well with me. Have you tried a Pastis? I did and it was delicious and refreshing. And I'm not a big fan of anise.
ReplyDeleteSure wish I were a member of your book club. Though my dinners could not compare to yours.
Arrrgh. I missed it.
ReplyDeleteAh. Trained French Chef in a former life. The incredibleness makes sense now. You're quite amazing, Elizabeth.
ReplyDeleteIt all looks so French, so elegant. And you at the center of it all, gorgeousness. I love that you do these salons. So perfect.
ReplyDeleteSounds delicious, that first photo is a great image of a dinner party, and accents are
ReplyDeleteeasy on a Mac – use the option key!
The meal looks gorgeous! And I haven't read the book, but your review of it makes me want to go out and get it.
ReplyDeleteA woman like you could never loose her touch - in all good things.
ReplyDeleteEverything there looks gorgeous.
Bravo!!
ReplyDeleteBest,
Bonnie
Pièce de résistance... in Canada we just have to click a button and we get the French Canadian keyboard. Actually, I often hit the button by accident and when I am asking a question the question mark turns to é <--- that.
ReplyDeleteYour food looks amazing!
That's a beautiful table and a beautiful apple tart! I recently had a book club meeting at my house where we paired the food and drink with the book we had just read--but my party didn't look nearly as nice as yours! :)
ReplyDeleteyou have such a beautiful home! For whom the bells tolls was one of the mandatory reads in high school, and - sadly - I consequently hated Hemingway. I read the Movable Feast years later, in my late twenties when I lived in Rome, and loved it. However, when I tried reading it again a few year back, I couldn't even start it. Perhaps this is the year when I will appreciate it again.
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