We've always had a soft spot for French imports. Whether it's champagne, croissants or a great cheese, we're always happy to dine like they do in France. So when we had the opportunity to talk to Laura Calder, author of French Food at Home, we just couldn't resist. (PLUS put Laura's French food knowledge to the test. Try our Parisian Delights menu excerpted from her latest cookbook French Taste.)
With so many types of cheese, picking something new can be intimidating. Any tips on choosing the perfect cheese?
There is no such thing as the perfect cheese. Everyone likes different types. I tend to like hard-cooked cheeses from mountainous regions (Basque cheeses for instance, or Comté) and blue cheeses (blue d'Auvergne, for example). Others prefer creamier and/or stinkier types, or goat cheeses. What's important is to buy cheese, whatever type we like, from a shop that specializes in them. You're not going to get great cheese in a grocery store (at least I never have). And, for anyone who doesn't know cheese and wants to learn more, the only way is to taste (my type of education!).
I’ve heard there is a secret to the way the French eat. Can you explain it?
The French have a value system that respects physical and aesthetic pleasures in a way we don't. That's why they put a lot of emphasis on things like looking good and eating well. Anglo-Saxon cultures tend to dismiss this sort of thing as shallow, whereas to the French, pleasure is absolutely vital to health and happiness. The secret to how they eat, then, is simply that they put pleasure first. When pleasure is paramount, your body gets the best ingredients, your eyes get beautiful presentation, your soul gets the good company of other fine souls dining with you; you care enough to make sure all those elements are involved in every experience of eating. Call it "the pleasure principle", if you want a name. It's a bit elusive, but it's what makes French food magic.
I know that the French love their wine (as do we!), are there any extraordinary food-wine pairings that you can recommend?
I'm not all that fussy about food and wine pairings to be honest (all I know is that I'm not fond of wine with cheese). The point I'd really like to make about French wine is that its meant to be enjoyed with food. New World wines tend to be very big, and part of the reason English-speaking countries like them that way is because we are a culture that enjoys wine alone so we seem to want them very substantial (like beer). Many accuse French wines of being weak in taste by comparison to New World wines, but I love them for precisely that reason. I prefer the taste, and I find them easier to pair with food.
Laura Calder studied cooking at Dubrulle Culinary Arts in Vancouver and L’École de Cuisine La Varenne in Burgundy, France, with renowned culinary teacher Anne Willan. She also studied wine-making in France and California. Her food writing has appeared in Vogue Entertaining + Travel, The Times (London), and The Wine Journal. The author of French Food at Home, Calder also hosts the Food Network Canada program inspired by her book.
Thought that was sweet? You'll enjoy: