The Cauliflower Days of Christmas

En Français – les Jours de Choux-Fleur de Noël.

So, you must be wondering why on earth IS this soul choosing to chat about cauliflower during the season of feasting on so many delicious things in France.   It is also the season to see these beautiful brainy looking heads of creamy wonder at the market and dream about what I can do with them. Why do I dream when I can just type in ‘recette pour choux-fleur’ on the site that wants us to believe it knows everything, and I only have to choose someone else’s idea? And believe me, I concur that others’ ideas can be magnifique, inspiring, delicious, and often very quick to assemble. But this is not what I do.   

In almost every endeavour I embrace, there is this moment of pure ecstasy when something I feel is beautiful, be it an idea for creating special events, a restaurant, a culinary bookshop, a garden, OR a cauliflower – that I obsess about, until I make it my creation. And I feel I must do it differently.  

When I was catering director for the Mandarin Hotel, I needed to present menus to the groups that had booked a meal. I could never do the same menu twice; it drove the kitchen crazy. I am not competitive. I do not want to be better than others, or win the big prize. I enjoy feeling unique. I love to research others’ ideas, recipes, experience restaurants, feel the joy from those that put their heart and soul into their creation. I try to come up with an idea that has not been done, often I am inspired from the ideas that I have learnt from others. In some cases, there are similarities, but I want to taste my recipe, live in my design, run a business that came from my cauliflower brain. And if it pleases you – I am overjoyed.

My time in France has allowed me a lot of thoughts about the make up of me. I am very comfortable with my own company. Yes, I embrace my introverted independent self - but adore SHARING time with others, especially in this big old house that has become my home.  I did believe I was an entrepreneur, but truly, I am not. Nor I am I ambitious. Just a curious soul, sometimes smart, often creative.  I do not gamble, but find risk a worthy challenge. My biggest fear is losing loved ones, and that has happened in spades. The other is not making folk happy.  This has happened too. One of my lessons learned is to stop obsessing about making others happy.  

So, I carry on. I am content. I spend more time observing the desire of others, and do my best to ensure a bon moment for those who cross my French threshold.    

This Christmas I offer you ideas for embracing the humble Cauliflower.  In my adopted French manner.  A gift from these years in France that have given me a lot. Mostly it has strengthened my life-long belief that FOOD IS EVERYTHING, and that the farmers, fish-folk, hunters and gatherers, vignerons, who care about sustainable practice, and provide me with their offerings, are my gods. I love to celebrate at the end of each year, grateful for the magic one can feel, for another year of life, and for still having THE desire to dream about what could be.

Simply - 

Take your cauliflower, separate into florets, place in a pot, cover with milk.  Bring to a boil then simmer until soft.  Drain the milk away – save if you wish – and puree the cauliflower with a spoon of butter, a spoon or three of crème fraiche, salt and white pepper, and a grating of nutmeg.

You can use your puree as a side, or as a base for a melange of brunoised legumes – I love to sear scallops and place on top – braised pork with apples enjoy the puree too, and is delicious meaty meal.   

Or, you can add broth, and turn your puree into a velouté.

I sneak a peak into my copy of Louis Saulnier’s “Le Repertoire de La Cuisine”.  When I went to culinary school this book was the mainstay of our required reading.    

The following is the text written under the heading:  

Choux-fleurs – Cauliflower  

Cooking Process

Trim and wash in water containing lemon, then cook in salted water, served with either of the following sauces:  Batarde, Melted Butter, Hollandaise, Mousseline and Cream.

Then there are brief descriptions for these other ideas; 

Anglaise, Dubarry, Fritot, Gratin, Italienne, Milanaise, Polonaise, Puree.

I leave you with these ideas that you can further investigate on your own, or perhaps, come for a stay, and together we can explore our cauliflower brains.   Imagine spending time in a French kitchen and leaving with a pamphlet of recipes to share with those who dine at your table.

Here’s to the spirit and mirth of the holiday season.

- Barbara-jo et Minette (who scampers away at the smell of choux-fleur – but often licks the plate after I have finished a fine puree)