Our Food Week in Providence

This past week in Providence has been quiet and I mean that literally. There have been very few sirens screaming past our building in recent weeks, a most unusual phenomenon, believe me. I can't help but wonder: are personal tragedies on the decline or are the fire and police using a different route to help those in dire need of help?

As usual our week tends to revolve around, center on, find comfort in food. That goes without saying for the French Tarte, naturally, but I have to break free of my digital archiving duties during the day and seek out food experiences within a limited radius. So, I recently walked a couple blocks down Empire Street in order to purchase a rather unremarkable bean soup at AS220: lots of green leaves tucked in and among the beans and the bacon was a bit on the spongy side -- I suppose it was the broth, eh?

Later in the week Susie and I splurged on a Kermit Lynch wine dinner at Chez Pascal. It was a wonderful evening of delicious wines matched by equally delicious food, put on by the brilliant folks at Kermit Lynch. An importer of incredibly wonderful wines at a relatively decent price, Kermit Lynch has been one of those marques you find and never let go: you just know the product he selects and brings over here will be delicious and of good value. His organization has been a resource for us since we lived in Michigan.

During dinner we actually sat next to an Eisenhower, although she claimed that her branch of the family was very distant from the former President. There was really no resemblance, but still. . .

Unfortunately, the poor lighting and my mediocre photographic technique doesn't even begin to accurately depict the scrumptious food but I think you'll get the idea:

seared scallop with celery root, apple and saffron butter

beef short rib, white sweet potato gratin

pear custard gratin with bleu cheese

Our final dining experience for the week happened mostly by chance. One night we had to get out of the house for an hour or so right around dinnertime so we thought why not try the new Jacky's Galaxie in Johnston. (Jacky's is a small chain of Asian eateries in Rhode Island.) The service was very friendly, ambience neat and clean and the food, while tasty, was generally unremarkable. Still, the spring rolls were served with a very tasty crunchy peanut sauce rather than the ubiquitous orange "duck sauce." And the broccoli was just about perfect.

fried rice

The week ended, more or less, at the French Tarte's shop during the winter farmer's market. As usual there were plenty of goodies from the French and all sold before the market closed for the day.

vanilla bean flan

raspberry pistachio Breton shortbread tart

caramel nut tart

apricot flan buns

berry brioche

the three tartlets, or Lee returns from Paris 

French Tarte - March 9 2013

This last Saturday was more quiet than usual at Hope Artiste Village -- the typical controlled chaos during the morning Winter Farmers Market seemed less frenetic than usual, less hustle, and certainly less bustle. And for the first time in modern memory there were a few items left. Still, the Tarte sold nearly everything and took a couple of special orders; all-in-all a pretty good day.

Maybe it was the gorgeous day that kept some folks outside. For me it's always a wonderful experience to spend a few hours every Saturday morning watching men, women, kids, families, couples, friends, groups and singles, drift in drawn by the smell of butter and baking, like they're all children enjoying the simple wonders and pleasures of delicious, hand-baked pastries by the pastry surgeon herself.

This week, the Tarte tried another new recipe (last week it was Gateau Basque), the Bordeaux specialty canele -- and they came out incredibly good - crispy, caramelized on the outside and a baked custard-like filling!