Ann Mah's newsletter / September 2017
September 2017 newsletter
Bonjour!
In France, September means "la rentrée," which I always think of as the annual press of the "reset" button. Kids are back at school, diet pills are filling pharmacy windows, and everyone is making resolutions. It's an exciting, energized time of year – and now that I have a little one going back to school, I appreciate the spirit of the season afresh!
I have to say that we had a lovely time in France last month – and I was very sad to say goodbye. But now we're back in Washington DC and I am working hard on my French Instant Pot cookbook (it is due in mid-October YIKES) – and I'm having so much fun rethinking French classics for the electric pressure cooker that I feel only a tiny twinge of homesickness for Paris. I can't wait to share this book with you! Here's what else I've been up to...
What I've been eating
French onion soup
Mid-August is hardly the perfect moment for a bowl of soupe à l'oignon gratinée. But research demanded it, and so I headed to that old Les Halles standby, Au Pied de Cochon, which – lone among Parisian brasseries – is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The "gratinée" was everything you dream about when you dream about French onion soup. But dare I say that my quick version in the Instant Pot is even better? (STAY TUNED.)
Roasted veg
You probably already know this, but this BBC recipe was (for me) life changing, proving that you can roast any combination of summer veg AND potatoes at high heat and it will turn out fine – as long as you thinly slice the potatoes. I don't know why I've always been so concerned about different cooking times. Throw it all in the oven! It'll turn out delicious!
Harissa in a tube
"Le Phare du Cap Bon" harissa has always been one of my favorite Paris food items – and it makes a wonderful gift, less than €2 at the grocery store. I've started using it to spice up tuna fish – as in this sort-of salade Niçoise, which was the perfect summer lunch. Find it here.
What I've been reading
On a recent trip to the National Gallery of Art, I saw this painting, "Mound of Butter" by Antoine Vallon, and felt like I'd met a kindred spirit. This post analyzes this important (?) and enticing work.
A 100-year-old fruitcake is found in Antartica and it is "almost edible."
Maggie Habernan of the New York Times has been called "maybe the greatest political reporter working today" and while this article is ostensibly about how she gets it all done, I most loved reading about what keeps her going: "There is literally no adrenaline rush as good as a scoop, nothing as good as having information that somebody else doesn’t have."
I'm thrilled that my first novel, Kitchen Chinese, has just been released as an audio book with narration by Emily Woo Zeller – and it's won an "Earphones Award" from Audio File magazine! Here's an excerpt from the review: "Her pronunciation is spot-on when speaking Mandarin and Cantonese, and without exaggeration she captures the accents and intonations of Chinese characters who are speaking English."
Feeling thirsty – but thrifty? The Washington Post reviews 29 cheap wines.
Finally, bid farewell to summer, and her fading produce, with a delectable-sounding Roman stew of chicken and red peppers from Rachel Roddy as written by Emiko Davies.
A bientôt!
Thanks so much for reading this month! (I know, I post way too many of these Eiffel Tower photos – but the sky is so beautiful in this one!) This month I'll be working around the clock on my cookbook, and I'm excited to delve even further into the cult of French pressure cookery (yes, it's a thing). I'll be back in October for my next update, and if you'd like to subscribe to this newsletter, you can sign up here. Have a lovely month!
Amitiés,
Ann