It’s a puzzle: in this smaller and smaller world, some foods and food trends easily leap over the pond, and some don’t. Pourquoi?
Since the holidays in France stay in full swing until Twelfth Night, we’ll talk about two Christmas foods we’ve mentioned recently that haven’t made the jump. One is eggnog. English in origin, it’s popular in the states but rarely found in France. And in the US, at least in the South, you’ll have about as much trouble finding chestnuts (les châtaignes or les marrons), as you will eggnog here in France. “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire”, where I come from, is just a line in a song.
Few French Christmas tables are without some sort of chestnuts at Christmas. Roasted chestnuts are common street food in Europe in winter, the smoky aroma of the sweet toasted nuts wafting through the Christmas festivals. Marrons glacées, candied chestnuts, are a French holiday staple. This flavor even shows up in ice cream, in the summer.
The early Romans planted chestnut trees across Europe as they mounted their campaigns. As a result, France and Italy are both big producers. Early on, they were a food source in America too. But the reason for their lack of popularity there may be simply this: a terrible chestnut blight in the 1900’s wiped out most of the trees. Most US chestnuts are now imported.
For the holiday table, chestnuts, which have a soft potato-esque texture when roasted, are sometimes made into a purée. For our feast at the château this year, our Dutch friend Maria made a chestnut soup that was so good it inspired this week’s post. Her secret: since chestnuts have a sweet flavor, Maria added onions, leeks, and white wine to give it a bit of tang. It’s delicious and different, for the holidays and beyond!
RECIPE: Maria’s Chestnut Soup
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 large leek
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- olive oil, butter
- 1 16 oz. can (400 gr) chestnuts (drained if in liquid)
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cups white wine
- juice of half a lemon, or to taste
- salt and pepper
Garnish:
- sour cream, creme fraiche or heavy cream
- chopped hebs: parsley, chives, or scallions
Cut off root and most of the green part of leek, slice thinly, and immerse in water to wash. In a Dutch oven sauté onions, celery and leeks in a little olive oil and butter just until tender. Add broth, wine, and salt and pepper to taste. Add chesnuts, bring to boil and simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool it down a bit if you have time.
Purée soup with an Immersion Blender
Favorite Reads: We're off to the states this week, where my copy of Kristin Espinasse's new book Blossoming in Provence
In the Comments: Hey Linda, great minds…and Oh la, that Eggnog Royale, got to make it NOW! Y'all, don't miss Linda's recipe. Meanwhile Pam has a new Kindle, Mariella has a new ipad, and Sarah had a BIG anniversary, felicitations! Belinda, we miss you bunches (read her beautiful tribute to her stay last year at Château de Balleure here). As for finding the Revillon Chocolates stateside, Amazon.com now lists them, but they're 'not yet available'. Stay tuned. Plus, Martin has his own interesting quote to add. And MILLE MERCIS for all the beautiful holiday greetings, Bonne Année to all!
Our Reader's Blogs: Warning: if you visit Paris Through my Lens, fellow southerner Virginia's blog, you'll want to hop on a plane toute de suite! And here's a really intriguing blog: Reader Nancy Hinchliff's Business And Creative Womens Forum. You'll find all kind of good things here about women's interests and issues, but especially some thought provoking books for your book club or your library.
12 thoughts on “Foods that Refuse to Jump the Pond”
I have lovely memories of chestnuts roasting during a cold Italian winter. The aroma was heavenly and the mere presence of chestnut vendors made us feel warmer.
My sister, who lives up near Bennie’s on the island, tells me chestnuts drop on her tin roof, making an awful racket. We, of course, have just the acorns…..hundreds of thousands of the tiny little buggars. They are only now ceasing their clatter.
Happy New Year — see you soon!
Virginia, from Paris Through My Lens, was also mentioned in Living France Magazine, p.55: http://bit.ly/AmoitX (hope this link works!) But I had just seen that last night.
Immersion blender: ah yes, I keep meaning to buy one of those! Which brand do you recommend???
Being half Italian, chestnuts have always been a staple at our home at Christmas. I make a decadent chestnut puree with heavy cream and butter- a great accompaniment with meat, but I attribute my annual weight gain to sitting there and eating it by the spoonful!
I have a bag of chestnuts waiting to be made into this Chestnut Soup recipe you have just given me! Merci !!
Bonjour Lynne! We always had roasted chestnuts at my in-laws house during the holidays (they were of Sicilian descent) and I see them for sale in the stores around the holiday (this is in the Northeast, mind you).You can also buy roasted chectnuts on the streets in New York City during the winter…. However, I had never heard of soup made from marrons until our last trip to France in November. We were in Nimes and not only did we have an entree of soup made from marrons but also, for dessert, an ice cream from les marrons! I actually took a photo of the soup, which I will try to send to you via email (I took A LOT of photos of meals on this trip!)Thanks for posting le recette! I can’t wait to try it!
Regards, nancy L.
If you are returning to Charleston, I hope you’ll dine at Husk and tell the rest of us about it.
I chuckled out loud when I read about your immersion blender. I just got one this year and I’m in love with it–happy New Year!
Another yummy recipe, merci encore.
I just reread some of your early delightful blog entries Lynn. They continue to provide ongoing inspiration as we plot and plan our way to our move to France. Grateful.
Wishing you a lovely weekend.
I love the way roasting chestnuts smell on the sidewalks of Paris, but dislike the taste. Same for liver.
I love the smell of roasted chestnuts. When living in Aix a vendor for them could be found any where in town. I am glad, though, about the eggnog not being in France. I was never a fan when living in The States and always wondered how the heck it ever caught on! It’s bound to make it here at some point thought. The French are just a bit late on the draw:)
Chestnuts are a big agricultural product on Corse and those folks make good use of them in the form of superb pork products from the hog they raise in the mountains and feed on meal from the nuts. They also make some very good chestnut beer.
I know French folks who love chocolate covered peanut butter candies that they beg from their friends in the States. But try to find PB in France. It didn’t make it over yet either.
Mel
Your thinking mathces mine – great minds think alike!
Foods that dont jump the pond? Well, maybe you dont have chestnuts in the south, but in the Northeast you do. There are chestnuts roasting in carts on the street of NYC where you can buy them hot in a little bag. And I for one make a chestnut stuffing and serve marron glacé over vanilla ice cream… And up in Vermont on a ski weekend, we do have chestnuts roasting over that open fire…. Maybe it is just not a southern thing! Corn on the cob is something I think has not crossed over from the states… the French serve corn on the cob to pigs… we eat it at the table with our hands ( mon dieu, the french eat little if anything with their hands,,, they use a knife and fork to eat a hamburger, … ) ta!