Instants, dans la cuisine
[Moments, in the kitchen]
Sat at the table for breakfast. A breakfast that smells of toast and salted butter – the one with crisp fleur de sel – and, of course, coffee.
My grand-mère talks too much in the morning, but for all the gold in the world, I wouldn’t want to stop her from doing so. Her stories and her laughters. Our laughters, in fact.
She likes to peel tomatoes with bare hands. And a knife. No boiling water involved here. Add more garlic than you think you could take, a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of sea salt, and the ultimate tomato salad just happened in front of your very eyes.
Not only it tastes how tomato really should; but you get a bonus made of juice and pips. Just enough, in fact, to be soaked with a slice of baguette. Or as I’ve been known to do – back in the good old nineties – drink from my plate, making sure to get all of my outfit, from top to socks tinted red.
And as evident as evident can be, an apple tart closes lunch-time. With its soft yet flaky crust, all about almonds and vanilla and butter, of course. Its mountain of apples: small ones, from the neighbour’s garden, and large ones, from the COOP (that organic supermarket where my grand-mère clearly spends too much time and cash). And enough eggy cream to cover it all.
Dinner, to come…
Steve
Sep 21, 2011
Lov how you tell it Fanny :) I wished my grandma didn’t live so far.
Magda
Sep 21, 2011
You made me miss my grandma…
Inês
Sep 21, 2011
It’s amazing how the time we spend alone with our grandmothers always seems so peaceful, magical and respectful at the same time. When I say respectful I’m not talking about good manners, but about respecting the wisdom they can give us. I’m fortunate to still have my grandmothers alive and love to be with them!
Lucia
Sep 27, 2011
Dear Fanny. Grandmothers are precious. Apple tarts are precious. Bare tomatoes are precious. Writing about those simple marvellous things is even more precious.
Victoria
Oct 04, 2011
As I grow older and have (3) grandchildren of my own…..my memories and times I spent with my grandmother become even more precious to me. She taught me how to quilt and preserve food….traditions I love to carry on to this day. I miss her….and wish she were still around.
cathy
Oct 05, 2011
your grandmother has beautiful hands
grand mère
Dec 01, 2011
je tenvoie pleins de gros Bisous je ne sais pas si tu as le temps de me lire moi tu vois je me debrouille avec mes touches ‘,,, mes pas les touches que l’on pense 79 ans tu te rends compte à bientot ta G M de FOURAS LES BAINS