My introduction to French food was on my first trip to Paris at the age of eight. I vividly remember the first taste of a pain au raisin, the wonderful markets full of all sorts of fruit and vegetables (where my love of the shapes and colours of produce stems from I guess!) and biscuits that were nothing like the ones back in Scotland. There was a wonderful pastry filled with cheese, the horse butcher that we never went to. There was eating my first cassoulet and enjoying sparkling water mixed with fresh orange juice. French food has been a part of my life since I was a child, and if you want to know more, back in 2016, I wrote about my early cooking forays, which included making a soufflé from Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
Anyway, a book I have used a lot over the years is Rachel Khoo’s The Little Paris Kitchen. Pages are well splashed, the cover well worn, and it is one of those books I get down from the shelf at regular intervals. Her recipes may not be 100% traditional, but they are easy, well written and always tasty.
One of our favourites I hadn’t made for ages is her twist on Quiche Lorraine. Twist as she doesn’t bake the pastry shell blind, but brushes it with egg white before adding the filling. It works every time and saves a bit of hassle. A proper Quiche Lorraine has no cheese, just lardons or, as I used, some very good bacon, chopped up finely, from our local butcher.
This was the result, a golden brown delight, so full of flavour and even better the next day. I served it with fine stemmed broccoli, roasted, and topped with parmesan. Absolutely delicious!
Make again? Yes and again…and again….
The book? Is well used already!
Entered in the cook book club hosted by Jo of Brookford Kitchen Diaries.
Thistles and Kiwis is a Wellington, New Zealand based blog written by Barbara, who likes cats, summer, good food and pretends to garden.
Thistles and Kiwis 
I love Rachel and have followed her for a long time, but I don’t own her book. Perhaps it’s time I changed that. Your quiche looks amazing.
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It is a good book to have around.
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I smiled and enjoyed your post while reading these recipes which have been commonly cooked for years and which I make regularly (Quiche Lorraine for ex).
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It is a firm favourite in this house! I swear my interest in food and cooking stems from childhood summer holidays with my brother and sister-in-law in Paris.
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What a coincidence: I made a Quiche Lorraine on Monday! Your food photography is amazing 🙂
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Oh thank you!
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The quiche is a regular in our house and a search for a restaurant which served cassoulet while on a recent trip to Paris was unfruitful. Les Deux Magots on Boulevard Saint Germain was always a great place to enjoy it but it is no longer on its menu – it’s all coffee on the footpath, to be seen, now!
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A proper cassoulet is a wonder to behold.
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I love Rachel Khoo tho i only have her Swedish cookbook! And i love a quiche, tho I use a Ruth Reichel recipe, which is fab. Happy October.
cheers
sherry https://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/
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I have the Swedish one as well but don’t use it so much.
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Looks like a well used cookbook. I will look for a copy at our local bookstore.
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It is a well used book indeed. And pretty to look at too.
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I’ve also enjoyed Rachel Khoo’s cooking shows. Lovely review and cooking memories.
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Thank you! Yes her shows were fun too.
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Wonderful first paragraph filled with evocative details. Oh, but to eat a horse! I might be of French heritage, but I think it’s a low, mean thing to do. Why I value horses so highly, I cannot say. But somehow I do.
Interesting to note that the quiche doesn’t contain cheese. An omelet in a crust?
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I tried leaving a comment, but I’m not sure it went through. Sorry if this is repetitious. Anyway, wonderful, evocative first paragraph. But even though I’m of French descent, the thought of eating a horse fills me with horror.
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Thanks Laurie – it did come through as ‘anonymous’ for some reason. Anyway, thank you and I know what you mean about eating horse.
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I do like a quiche. You made my mouth water.
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Time to make one perhaps?
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We had one at a lunch out today. 🙂
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Nice!
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I saw this cookbook in one of your photographs, and I’m so glad you wrote about it today! The art of cooking, perfected in one good cookbook!
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Oh thank you! It is a book I return to quite often.
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Yum. Quiche Lorraine is one of my favourite things to eat. I didn’t know that about the no cheese though… must be like the carbonara with the no cream thing & Greek salad without lettuce. I love things like that. Thanks for linking up.
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It was a very good one I must say and honestly didn’t need cheese.
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Nice! I haven’t really dived into French cuisine yet
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Hi Barbara, how lucky to have been visiting Paris at age 8. I still haven’t been to Paris but hopefully in coming years. Rachel Koo’s recipe book and your Quiche look fabulous! You’ve reminded me of high school home economics where I had to create a three course french meal as an assignment. Can’t remember what I made off hand but I do remember the agony of having to cart all the gear to and from school on the bus and hope nothing broke as Mum would not have been pleased! Thanks for sharing with us at #WWWhimsy xo
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I was living in Scotland rather than New Zealand when we visited Paris so. bit easier to go go. Oh gosh – a three course French meal at school! Must have been quite a thing – and hope you didn’t break anything.
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