Thursday, September 27, 2012

C comme Compote et Chats

 Do you wanna be a French girl?
Eat compote!
Something rarely if ever mentioned in the many tomes on achieving utter Frenchiness. Yet every French child learns to eat compote in the creche and before and being French, they never give it up.


 Not too many calories in plain old apple sauce are there, ahem

 And you can gussie it up with a touch of peche or figue or whatever your heart desires.

 Whilst in Maine, Monsieur Jacquie aka Jackie, a Maine Coon with great 'je n'ai sai quoi', taught me the way of making compote a la Francaise

 Your pommes/apples do not have to be French by the way. Macintosh will do just fine.

 Serving your compote de pomme in Frenchie-looking bleu dinner ware can't hurt in your efforts to achieve true Frenchiness

Le recipe received from cher Jacquie yesterday:
Ingredients: Apples, water, cinnamon, and a scant of sugar if desired. (makes about 2+ cups)

6-8 medium apples, peeled and sliced. ( I don't bother coring them, just slice to the core) into a medium size sauce pan. Pour enough water to fill the bottom of the pan. (about an inch high).

Cover and place on med heat. Boil/steam until the apples are softened.

Check often to be sure the apples do not burn and stick to the bottom.

If the apples are not softened and there is no water remaining, add a bit more water.

When the apples are softened, remove from heat. Stir with a fork until you reach a consistency that you like.

Add cinnamon and sugar to taste. I often forgo sugar depending on the tartness of the apple.

I like tart- so I often use Macintosh or Macouns. Cortlands are rumored the best for cooking. A matter of taste.
(I threw in zest + juice from 1/2 organic lemon + a teaspoon of brown sugar to counteract the lemon).
miam miam
There are tons more compote recipes at Clotilde's Chocolate and Zucchini.
 
 As an homage to Jacquie's skills in la cuisine in watercolor. Surely M.J. deserves this!

 Further homages I found in this book, I Could Pee on This: And Other Poems by Cats

 Have you read it? Truly adorbs

Her new sweater doesn't smell of me



I could pee on that


She's gone out for the day and left her laptop on the counter


I could pee on that


Her new boyfriend just pushed my head away

I could pee on him

She's ignoring me ignoring her


I could pee everywhere

She's making up for it by putting me on her lap

I could pee on this

I could pee on this
 
Merci Jacquie and I could Pee On That
Eat your COMPOTE!

23 comments:

  1. I came across the cat poetry book a little while ago and laughed so hard.

    I'm not going to let my cats read it.

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  2. Monsieur Jacquie est mignon et un bon cuisinier! A Franco-Maine coon cat, one special cat! You could always have your compote cinammon roll too, yes?

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  3. oops, meant to say compote WITH a cinammon roll...

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  4. Who knew COMPOTE was the secret solution of all French girls??
    will make this recipe TODAY
    I wanna B A French girl!!

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  5. Lucinda10:45 AM

    lurve applesauce tho I didn't know it was the key to ouvre le porte francais
    will eat more regularly henceforth!
    Delish kitty

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  6. Apple compote looks tres facile to compose. I will try it after my next farmers market visit.

    Carol, this post also shows why I prefer dogs.

    Merci!

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  7. I didn't realize the the French version of compote is so smushy....I always think of compote as big chunks of fruit stewed in their own juices. So sad that I've missed the peak peach season! But wait, I bet frozen would work out just fine!

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    Replies
    1. I read you can FREEZE applesauce up to a YEAR!!
      Thin for a year at least...

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  8. I grew up with compotes for dessert. Apple compote was served often, I also remember homemade cherry compote in Mason jars and pear compote.

    Can you still find Newtown Pippin apples at the Union Square farmers market? They were my favorites.

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    Replies
    1. cherry compote in Mason jars...
      memories of Grandma...

      Newtown Pippins-I will look tomorrow

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  9. Bonjour Carol. You must be on to something because this French Girl ADORES la compote and eats it almost daily here in the US (love it on top of some plain Greek yogurt... since I can't have my French "fromage blanc" here.) I sometimes make it in a pressure cooker (another item you are almost sure to find in most French women's kitchen.) So fast, and utterly delicious. Great post. Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)

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    Replies
    1. Ah ha! I knew it.
      I was going to show it on top of my Greek yogurt but there were too many pics

      Delete
  10. J'adore Compote!!! Especially apple, reminds me of my childhood x

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  11. La Pâtisserie des Rêves has also launched a delicious apricot compote...

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  12. Cute sketch, Carol! We make applesauce sometimes--it's soooo good homemade. I love it with cinnamon in it. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

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  13. I love the cat watercolor and the photos :)
    I think I'll pass on applesauce.......

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  14. II love seeing you cook:-) Love the blues too.

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  15. I make such a mess Monique!

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  16. Hmmm cats.

    Biff x

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  17. How often do they eat compote? Is it a meal replacement thing?

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  18. 4:30 gouter/snack or for dessert
    not an entire meal though...

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  19. Oh wow! I was browsing for compote recipes and as soon as Google delivered me a result that said [i]Monsieur Jacquie aka Jackie, a Maine Coon with great 'je n'ai sai quoi', taught me the way of making compote a la Francaise...[/i] I clicked over immediately!

    I have two MCs with a definite je ne sais quoi overload and indeed, as I scrolled down the screen and happened upon "I could pee on this..." I looked round for my dear Pyewacket, my Maine Coon who does indeed occasionally (very occasionally) indulge in revenge peeing. Under our bed. The joy.

    Thank you for giving me a chuckle (a guffaw of laughter more like) on this windy and rainy Normandy evening. I love your blog, cannot understand why I have not happened on it before and have bookmarked it so that I can return at will. And frequently. :-)

    Carole
    lafosse.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete

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