Letter from Laura (July, 2024)
Cuisine spontanée, cucina povera, the jet-lag trick, and more...
I’m home again and have finally shaken off the jet lag, which, unusually, hit me harder coming back across the Atlantic than it did going the other way. Call me crackers, but the only explanation is that, before leaving for Paris, I did the barefoot-walk-on-the-bare-ground trick (i.e., walking barefoot on the lawn for at least 20 minutes before going to the airport).
This is the second time I’ve taken that bit of yogic advice, and I swear it works. Coming back from Paris, I didn’t do it. And guess what? Days later, I was still zonked.
That trip was more of a seeing-friends getaway than anything to do with research. Still, I did find inspiration (how can one not in France?). Something I love about Parisian cooking of the contemporary sort (not bourgeois bistro food from days of yore, but the so-called néo-bistro dishes) is spontaneity. Everything is infused with a seize-the-day spirit, which, of course, goes hand-in-hand with seasonality. The idea, for chefs and home cooks alike, is that you find the best ingredients on offer in the moment, and then figure out something tasty and artistic to do with them. We often tend to operate in reverse, perusing cookbooks or the internet, landing on a recipe we want to try, and then, come hell or high water, tracking down the ingredients, even if it means they’re not at their best. Hence the depressing sight of things like caprese salad on restaurant menus in the dead of winter, or seared foie gras with brioche when it’s a sizzling 30 degrees Celsius outside.
I was talking with a friend over lunch last week in Paris about decorating houses, a subject of fascination to me and a natural talent of hers. I marvelled, “I don’t know how people do it these days. If it’s 150 bucks for every gallon of decent paint, 60 for every little cupboard door handle, and the price of a small car for a respectable sofa…” And she said, “No, no, no. The solution is to get second-hand things and have them recovered. Find furniture, lamps, and mirrors at flea markets; repurpose objects, do more of the work yourself. It’s a much more creative process. Way more fun!” I liked her inspiring attitude (incidentally, her place does not look remotely like it was flea-market furnished; it’s rather grand) and left remembering, “Necessity is the mother of invention.”
Wait a minute, we were talking about food, you say! Yes, well, the same applies. It’s the willingness to give whatever ingredient we have before us some attentive consideration, and then, with love and skill, take it from being just another tin of beans or stick of celery and turn it into something fabulous enough to send down the runway. The Italians are especially brilliant at this. Nobody can beat them when it comes to what they call cucina povera. Let me remind you that when the fridge is bare (as mine was upon return, nary a leaf or chunk of cheese therein) Spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncino, perhaps the ultimate example of cucina povera, comes to the rescue every time.
For two people (though keep in mind this is also a brilliant solution whenever an unexpected crowd lands upon you), bring a large pot of water to the boil, salt it, and put 7 ounces/200 g spaghetti in to cook. While that’s happening, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan and lay in a halved garlic clove. Fry this until golden brown, then add a good pinch of peperoncino (red chile flakes). When the pasta is done, lift it out of the water with tongs and add it to the oil in the pan, stirring around a few times to coat. Basta, unless you’d like to add a small handful of finely chopped parsley for embellishment, though some might consider that blasphemy (not me!). Twirl this onto two serving plates, sit up tall, and dine.
And now I must dash because this is Canada Day, and friends will be landing any minute to raise a glass to the nation. The rosé is chilling, marshmallow ice cream has been churned, and hot dogs (toastés) with coleslaw are coming right up. I know, I know: hot dogs are very un-Laura, but I eat only one a year and this is the day. What can I say? Sometimes, you’ve got to be a sport!
Happy 1st of July!
xo,
Laura
P.S. I’m doing another cookbook-writing workshop in late September that’s geared for home cooks who want to create a family keepsake. I’ll be sharing all the know-how I put into writing my own books, so it’s also great for anyone aiming to get published or produce a book for a school or other organization. If you’re interested, the details are here. Hope to see you there!
Thank you for sharing the toasted marshmallow ice cream! And a quick ad for anyone interested in the cookbook class, I attended the last one and it was inspiring and interesting!
Very interested in your cookbook keepsake class. Pls send details