It's France Week, so we are running one of our favorite stories about the French way of life: David Lebovitz's tips to make your kitchen more Parisian. You'll be hearing more from David later this week; stay tuned.
1) Switch to salted butter.
Although for most baking projects, unsalted butter lets you control how much salt you’re using in a recipe, salted butter tastes much better on toast and in certain recipes, such as salted butter caramel and even chocolate sauce! I buy butter with crystals of sea salt kneaded in. You can copy it by working a very generous teaspoon or so of crunchy sea salt into a pound of softened butter.
More: Protect your beurre with a French butter keeper.
2) Keep a jar of Dijon mustard on hand at all times.
No French kitchen is without a pot of Dijon mustard in the refrigerator, which is used as a condiment for steaks, for adding to sauces (like the one in this mustard rabbit), and as a base for a simple vinaigrette. Use it quickly; once opened, mustard loses its zingy flavor after a few weeks.
3) Green lentils are your meilleur ami.
Keeping a box of French green lentils on hand means you can make a quick salad or side dish in less than 30 minutes, whenever you want. Simply boil them up (but don’t overcook them!), then toss the warm lentils in vinaigrette or dress them with hazelnut oil. You can cook some diced carrots and onions with the lentils, or add some crisp-cooked bacon when it’s finished. Other additions could include toasted hazelnuts and a handful of herbs. Green lentils are terrific served warm as a side dish, or at room temperature for a full-course salad, with crumbled goat or blue cheese tossed in just before serving.
4) Invest in “finishing salt,” such as fleur de sel.
You might not be used to paying so much for a small container of salt, but a sprinkle of these crunchy crystals over some steamed vegetables or a chocolate tart right before serving takes the flavor to a whole new level. A small container should last you at least a year. (If not, you’re eating too much salt!) I prefer the French fleur de sel de Guérande, although interestingly, Parisians have taken to Maldon salt from the U.K.
5) Switch to cloth napkins.
In addition to being more écologique, cloth napkins make any meal feel a little more special. Even your petit déjeuner (which literally means “break the fast” in French) can be improved with a nice swatch of linen next to your bowl of café au lait; or, use it to wipe up baguette crumbs when you’re all finished.
Photos by James Ransom
We originally ran this piece in 2014. We're running it again today in honor of France Week!
Written by: David Lebovitz
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16 Comments
Cloth napkins, yes! Funny how guests will stop and ask if it's OK to use them.
We don't keep lentils around; the wife isn't a fan of them. But I make up for it by always having cornichons on hand! Those and a rustic paté and we're back on the Rue Jacob.
But! As to the advice, I'm sort of already there:
I use both salted and unsalted butter.
I keep several, not one, jar of Dijon, and they are French, not a French label but made in Canada (amazing differences there). But within that, sometimes the labels that are most inexpensive in France are the most flavorful ones in the US.
I always have green lentils--walnut oil is my go-to, even more than hazelnut. I'm not vegetarian, but I think walnut oil on lentils is better than bacon.
Like with the mustard, I keep several finishing salts. Mine are from more places than just France, but I recommend keeping both Atlantic and Mediterranean French. They are pricey, but they last for years. Especially if you have several, like I do.
And yes, cloth napkins! Like several restaurants I've been to more and more in France and the US, I often use tea towels as napkins. Our favorites are the Jacquard ones from Provence. They make for big napkins and have wonderful motifs of pigs, cows, cheeses, olive oils, lavender, and a whole lot more.
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