Winter tends to pull me in two drastically different directions. A true need for more sunshine and heat, and not just vitamin D packed in a bottle, but the fantasy of going back to Italy, Spain, or California where temperatures are a little more polite; and a desire to walk in the snow and experience the cold on an outdoor film set then the joy of finding a comfortable couch near a warm fire, hibernating under a wool plaid, re-reading Monte-Cristo while sipping on a glass of hot mulled wine in between bites of freshly baked xmas biscuits. Snacking on frozen grapes could be the solution to both of these contradictory desires. Turns out they also make for the best addition to a winter cheeseboard with their cool frosty skin. Simply wash and dry grapes before putting in the freezer for a couple of hours (parchment paper is best but I've also done it on a plate or a tray). They shouldn't be rock hard, but at the beginning of the freezing process. They will be tart and sweet, flavors enhanced by the cold, and it will feel like a cool frozen candy when all you've done is freeze grapes. Making lacto-fermented lemons is even more rewarding. The result takes a bit more time but is packed with a sharp tangy flavor which will upgrade all your next year sandwiches, stews, butters, tajines - and life generally. I make mine with bergamot lemons (a cross between a lemon and a bitter orange, think Earl Grey), bay leaves and peppercorns. You can scroll down to find my method - there are many, as this technique first originated in Arab mediterranean cuisine in the 11th century. Other favorite winter things (which may serve as inspiration for your end of the year presents) include hand-blown vases, books about sourdough, love, post-partum and the borders of Sudan, essential sunscreens, and the best raw miso. |
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Marie-Victoire Winckler is a Paris based designer. I photographed her new collection of lamps and vases, hand-blown in Portugal. You can see my photographies here. Her creations are on display and on sale in Paris through December 18. |
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- Ghost season, Fatin Abbas, Norton (pre-order, the novel comes out on January 23rd). I loved the first chapter of this brilliant novel - published in Freeman's. Ghost season travels to the border between North and South Sudan and tells the entangled stories of 5 protagonists, living on an NGO compound, following the discovery of a mysterious burnt corpse. Fatin's style and gift for suspenseful narrative makes it the debut novel you don't want to miss in 2023. I also recommend reading Against white time, a short and fascinating essay by Fatin about how disruptive it is to be on black time, as it challenges the efficiency of neo-liberal capitalism. - Le language de l'amour, Julie Neveux, Grasset. Part essay, part narrative fiction, this book dives into the language that makes and defines our relationships, seen through the point of view of a Linguistic Professor at La Sorbonne : it's witty, funny, incredibly smart, very well researched (with examples from music, literature, cinema & TV, from Flaubert to Fleabag) and reminiscent of Barthes' classic A lover's discourse. Currently only available in French. - Ceci est notre post-partum, Illana Weizman, Marabout. A sociological and historical criticism of the myths and taboos of post-partum, a time frame that lasts up to 3 years. The essay lifts the veil on the challenges of maternity, beyond the injunctions to happiness, explores the glorification of pregnant women, dives into the pressure to hide the post-partum body & advocates for an extended parental leave that wouldn't solely weigh on mothers. - The perfect loaf, Maurizio Leo, Clarkson Potters. My new bedside book: this new sourdough bible is a joy to read. Maurizio's scientific and problem solving approach to all things sourdough (bread, English muffins, babkas, pancakes, scones) will be a game changer for your baking skills, whether you are a newbie or an experienced baker. Since I received my copy, I've made grissini with rosemary, babkas and twisted brioches, and new loaves of sourdough bread. I've also figured out the present I need to buy for myself: a thermometer to regularly check on my dough. Check out a photograph of a twisted babka brioche (with cardamom and marmalade), as well as my take on Maurizio's rustic loaf below. |
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fermented foods - Levain, the new sourdough bakery of Olivier Nasti in Kaysesberg, a tiny village in Alsace, France, who is also the chef of Le Chambard, a 2 Michelin star restaurant. The head baker, Rémi Vanoverschelde knows a thing or two about long fermentation. His loaves are not only stunning but also incredibly tasty: a very moist & open crumb under a dark & flavorful crust, they taste even better the next day, and keep for a long time (I loved the pain de campagne with T80, and the buckwheat loaf). - Rye bread miso, by Hugo Chaise (aka 'My fermentation'), an unpasteurized (thus alive!) miso made with rye bread - a flavor bomb in soups, in a risotto, a vinaigrette, with cabbage, beans, broccoli, or spread on bread (kind of like a more artisanal Marmite). Once you try you won't go back (to store-bought pasteurized miso). Hugo's lab is hosted by Poilâne bakery in the Marais and his fermentation chamber is really worth the visit. - New World Bakery pop-up: Bryan Ford (baker, author of the classic New World Sourdough) is opening a new bakery in New York, specializing in Latin American baked goods (the tag line, which I love, reads: “No croissants. No baguettes”). This Saturday December 17th, he'll be hosting a pop-up in Downtown Brooklyn. Medialunas will be on the menu - and perhaps you'll catch him rap about dough! winter sunscreen - Mineral sunscreen SPF 30, Indie Lee. I wear and swear by sunscreen year round. This one by Indie Lee is incredibly easy to apply, doesn't leave any white marks and leaves your skin feeling smooth, not sticky nor greasy. Also love the Mineral sundrops SPF 50 by Odacité, very light weight, no white cast. |
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LACTO-FERMENTED BERGAMOT LEMONS bergamot lemons salt sterilized jars add-ons: lemon juice - to top up bay leaves or thyme cinnamon sticks peppercorns Cut the lemons in quarters, but keep them connected at the base. Add salt. Pack tight in a sterilized jar. Add a weight. Close. Leave to ferment for a few weeks. Wait. What lemons? I love to use bergamot lemons, because they not only look amazing, but their flavor . You could use lemons, lime, or Meyer lemons if you have access to these gems that are quite sweet and have a soft skin. How many? It all depends on how many jars of fermented lemons you will like. The idea is to pack as many lemons as possible in the jar, pressing them to extract the juice - it's always nice to have extra lemon juice to fill up the jars. Lacto-fermented? Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are your friends, in the kitchen, and inside your gut (they are also in sourdough). The process of lacto-fermentation is also called anaerobic fermentation, which means that the bacteria don't require any oxygen to thrive. LAB can grow in a salty environment - in which other type of not-so-desirable bacteria would not survive. What type of salt? Kosher salt, grey salt, fleur de sel. Ideally not too coarse of a salt because it might not dissolve in the brine properly. I like using grey salt from Guérande. How much salt? You can use about 1 to 2 teaspoons per lemon (I did about 2 teaspoons on the picture below but will go with less next time). If you want to measure, the popes of fermentation (René Redzepi and David Zilber, authors of the famous NOMA guide to fermentation) don't have formula for lemons but generally advise using 2% salt - 2% of the whole weight of ingredients (ie: here, lemons + additional lemon juice). How long? You can ferment at room temperature, in a cool (17-20 celsius), dark place for 3 weeks. Then either leave it out to ferment more or store in the fridge (the cold will slow down the fermentation drastically. Once opened store in the fridge and use within a year. Sterilize my jars? Really? The easiest way to do this with minimum effort is to put clean jars in your oven at 130 C / 275 F for 20 mn. I use Ball Canning jars in the US and Le Parfait jars in France (both are easy to find second hand). What can I do with fermented lemons? I rinse them under water and discard the pulp that is usually too salty. Then I cut the rind in strips or a tiny julienne before putting on literally everything and more specifically every time you need to balance out sweetness or add a tangy flavor: on sardines on toast, on a pumpkin soup, in a vinaigrette in lieu of salt, on steamed broccoli, with chicken or fish, on a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with a great olive oil. One lemon quarter will usually go a long way - unless you are making a big chicken for 6. Like miso, fermented lemons are the Swiss army knife of the kitchen. |
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Hello! I'm Marie C., a director and photographer who loves to bake films and make cakes. In my portfolio, you will find food, travel, portrait photography as well as the commercial films I directed. I also write narrative films - including my life in sourdough, a rom com about a girl falling in love with her sourdough starter. I write this newsletter a few times a year, usually at the change of every season. You can expect around 4 emails from me a year. Too much for you? I get it! Unsubscribe below. |
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