My guest this week is Aleksandra Crapanzano with her new book Gâteaux – The Surprising Simplicity of French Cakes
James Beard Award–winning writer Aleksandra Crapanzano shares the secrets of the cakes Parisians bake at home: the gâteau in its many splendors from the simplest yogurt cakes to deceptively easy bûches de Noël, from nut tortes to boozy flourless chocolate cakes, from yuzu madeleines to rum-soaked babas.
When we think of French desserts, we tend to imagine ornate creations and confections. Perhaps we envision a tarte Tatin, but rarely a homemade cake, whipped up on a weeknight with little fuss. But that is exactly what Parisians make and eat. Gâteaux are simple, delicious cakes, both sweet and savory, served to family and friends.
You might expect elaborate home baking to rival the extraordinary pâtisseries in town. Who hasn’t wondered if the French are born knowing how to make the exquisitely fine layers of puff pastry for a mille-feuille, or how to poach a soft meringue for an île flottante? As food-columnist Aleksandra Crapanzano spent time with Parisian friends who were cooking at home, navigating children and careers and gathering friends around their table at night, often impromptu, always delicious, she realized that the real magic is a certain savoir-faire, that distinctly French know-how that blends style and functionality in every aspect of life.
Gâteau gets to the essence of Parisian home cooking. By and large, the French do not try to compete with their chefs, nor with their boulangères and pâtissières. But many Parisians are natural cooks, and Aleksandra has yet to meet a Parisian who didn’t finish dinner with a little something sweet, effortlessly made and casually served. The trick is having an arsenal of recipes that, once mastered, become blueprints, allowing for myriad variations, depending on what’s in season and what’s in the cupboard. It is a practical approach, and the French are nothing if not practical. That is the savoir-faire—from tying a silk scarf just so to popping a gâteau in the oven without anyone even noticing. When you know what you’re doing, there’s no need to overthink it. It looks easy because it is easy.
Aleksandra Crapanzano is a James Beard–winning writer and dessert columnist for The Wall Street Journal. She is the author of The London Cookbook and Eat. Cook. LA., and her work has been widely anthologized, most notably in Best American Food Writing. She has been a frequent contributor to Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, Food52, Saveur, Town & Country, Elle, The Daily Beast, Departures, Travel + Leisure, and The New York Times Magazine. She has years of experience in the film world, consults in the food space, and serves on several boards with a focus on sustainability. Aleksandra grew up in New York and Paris, received her BA from Harvard and her MFA from NYU, where she has also taught writing. She is married to the writer John Burnham Schwartz, and they live in New York with their son, Garrick, and Bouvier des Flandres, Griffin.
Follow Aleksandra on Facebook and Instagram to learn more!
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Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2017 Petit Guiraud Sauternes www.chateauguiraud.com
Following vinification with the property’s Grand Cru, the second wine is a blend of wines from several batches, selected for their style. Aged in oak barrels or in stainless steel vats, the main characteristic of the second wine is its freshness and the fact that it can be enjoyed relatively young. Petit Guiraud thus makes the pleasure of drinking this modern wine available to all. With bold flavors of fresh fruit, like grapefruit, passionfruit and pineapple, this sauterne is light, feminine and floral. It pairs best with desserts and a cheese plate, notably blue cheese. ABV13.5%
Critical Acclaim JSJames Suckling
A creamy, fruity Sauternes with apple and pear-skin aromas and flavors, as well as hints of honey. Medium-bodied, fresh and bright with a clean finish. Second wine of Château Guiraud. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.
This is a great value, well made example of what wines from this region can bring to the dinner table or cheese board!
Grab some at Jacob Liquor Exchange on North Rock Road…