Here is a list of things we all should have in our kitchen at all times. This is if you want to cook proper French food of course…
- BUTTER!!!
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Heavy whipping cream
- Bay leaves (if you are in the US, get some fresh ones shipped to you from New Orleans. That is the only place in the States where they have the same aromas as they have here. DO NOT use the dried ones from the supermarkets. They will give a nasty sweet taste to everything you cook)
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Parsley
- Onions
- Shallots
- Duck grease
There may be other important ingredients to have, but these are absolutely essential.
MY FRENCH HEAVEN 
I think I might need to move to France if these are the things you cook with!
Easy! Just get a plane ticket and come on over:) We’ll be happy to have you:)
Oh, Sauternes are the best! We don’t drink them often enough in California. Now I must go buy a bottle.
🙂
Hmmm…duck grease. Is this something you buy or do you make duck and store the grease?
I don’t know if you can buy it where you live, but you can certainly keep it from a duck you cook as long as it’s not burnt. It should be of a clear yellow color:)
Aha! I have 9 of the 11 essential ingredients. Missing: duck grease (never considered it) and garlic (hubby can’t stand the smell). So, I’m close 🙂
Perfect (almost) 🙂
Tellement d’accord avec vous pour cette belle petite liste ! Les feuilles de laurier fraiches, c’est un must !
J’en ais plein le jardin:)
Love it. You have my wholehearted agreement on the dried supermarket bay. They do have a nasty sweet taste which I personally dislike a LOT. Thankfully, bay laurel also grows well in pots, ensuring a steady supply of fresh leaves:-)
Perfect:)
And parsley, Stephane! I always get given a bunch of this at the local market and it just about goes into everything..And maybe onions or shallots?
Absolutely right! I added them to the list:)
Good – we need accuracy here, my sweet. Anyway, when you say heavy whipping cream what is this in French? Creme fleurette?
Crème fraiche:)
But that doesn’t whip, no?
To whip, you need the liquid kind.
The liquid kind does. You’ll find it under the brand “Elle et Vire”. The white boxed with green or red checkers on them…
Thanks Stephane. It’s been a long and painful road to find whipping cream here as I know it in the UK so that helps!
Stephane – You left out PARSLEY.
Did I? I left out onions too I think. I need to rewrite the damn thing:)
Rosemary and whipping cream….the English language☺Love it.
Laurie
🙂 🙂
Stephane – I wanted to make sure you read this!
http://chefmimiblog.com/2012/12/29/to-cheese-or-not/
mimi
I even commented on it:) Very good post!
Les onions, perhaps?!!
Of course!!
Now I’m hungry.
🙂
What time is dinner! 🙂
🙂