Claude Monet, Still Life with Eggs (Nature morte aux œufs), 1907
oil on canvas, 73 x 92cm, Private collection

The muted light in Still Life with Eggs suggests an early morning composition, a period of the day that Monet appeared to examine in many of the paintings from 1907. The atmospheric qualities of light are considered via the grouping of white objects painted with a subdued rainbow of colour. By completing the work in the morning light, Monet reinforces the symbolic references of beginnings and birth with the morning acting as a new beginning – the birth of a new day. The year the still life was painted, Monet began having problems with his eyesight. Still Life with Eggs illustrates his focus on the light rather than a detailed rendering of the subject; no doubt the details proved elusive to his fading sight.

{French Toast with Garlic + Herbs}

Yield: 4 servings

4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
dash of salt + pepper
1 tablespoon butter
4 slices of multigrain bread
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
8 slices of sharp cheddar cheese

In a small bowl, mix the eggs, thyme, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper.  In a large frying pan, melt the butter over medium high heat. Once the butter begins to melt, dip a slice of bread into the egg mixture, turning it to soak both sides and quickly place into the hot frying pan. Repeat with remaining slices of bread.

Once the final slice of bread is placed in the frying pan, carefully flip the first slice. Repeat and cook each slice of bread until it is golden on both sides. Remove from the frying pan onto a plate. Divide the mustard and carefully spread on one side of each slice of bread. Add two slices of cheese to each piece of toast and slide under the broiler to melt the cheese.

Once the cheese is golden and bubbling, remove from the heat and serve immediately.

………………………………………………..

1 Year Ago: Adriaen Coorte – Pickled Asparagus

2 Years Ago: Giovanna Garzoni – Lemon Risotto with Homemade Stock

Claude Monet, Still Life: Quarter of Beef (Nature morte : le quartier de viande vers), c.1864
oil on canvas, 24 x 33 cm, Musée d’Orsay, Paris

As a leading artist within the Impressionist movement, Claude Monet’s paintings are associated with dreamy landscapes and pastel colours. Before his redundant paintings of haystacks, churches and waterlilies, his work was closer in appearance to his contemporary, Gustav Courbet, whose Realist manner was concerned with the common ‘plebeian’ life. The cut of beef depicted in Monet’s Still Life: Quarter of Beef is an inexpensive and tough piece, typically consumed by the lower class. The garlic would be used to flavour the meal – perhaps in a stew – and the earthenware jug confirms the working-class nature of the tableau. To mimic the paradoxical nature of the colour red, the painting of a plebeian meal is paired with a quintessentially posh recipe for steak tartare. The dish was served in the early 20th century under the name of steak à l’Americane without the egg yolk (also left out of my recipe) and with a side of tartare sauce. Over time, the fare evolved to become an assemblage of raw, minced (not ground) beef, season and topped with a raw egg yolk. Typically the beef is marinated in citrus juice, a Mexican technique that begins to cook the meat and kill off any bacteria. Steak tartare can be served with a variety of accompaniments, a number of which are suggested below.

{Steak Tartare}

adapted from French by Damien Pignolet
serves 2

1 c lean rump, trimmed of sinew
½ lemon, juiced
few splashes of Tabasco sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
drizzle of olive oil
1 tsp lemon zest
1 TB chives
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper

garnishes:
¼ c cornichons
¼ c chopped parsley
3 TB capers packed in salt, rinsed
½ red onion
3 TB pickled onions
seeded mustard
anchovy fillets
horseradish crème
lemon wedges
toasted baguette slices rubbed with garlic

Finely chop the rump steak with a clean knife. Do not pass through a mincer otherwise the texture will be like mush. In a bowl, combine with the lemon juice, Tabasco, Worcestershire, olive oil, lemon zest, chives, salt and pepper. Place the marinated meat in a refrigerator to set for two hours.

Toast the baguette and rub each side with a sliced piece of garlic. Finely chop the garnishes and set out with the steak tartare formed into a small mound on each plate. Serve with the toast slices, squeeze of fresh lemon and garnish.

………………………………………………..

The Colour Project

Paul Gauguin, Nature morte aux tomates (Tomatoes and a pewter tankard on a table), 1883
oil on canvas, 60 x 73 cm, private collection

Paul Gauguin painted Nature morte aux tomates the year he quit working at the stock exchange and devoted his career to art.  The work from this period is closely related to Impressionism – he later broke away from the movement by simplifying his painting and focusing on shape and bold blocks of colour. In the two years before Gauguin painted Nature morte aux tomates, he exhibited at the Salon and formed a close relationship with Camille Pissarro. The short brushstrokes create a wavy texture over the surface of the composition carrying the eye from one corner to the other and reflect Cezanne’s influence over his art. According to the Christie’s catalogue from the May 2009 sale of Nature morte aux tomates, “A still-life with tomatoes, and indeed one composed mainly of tomatoes, is an unusual subject in 19th century French painting. Among the upper classes the tomato still had a lingering reputation for being poisonous to consume, a problem caused when the acids of the fruit leeched into the lead content of the pewter flatware that well-to-do diners preferred to use.”

{Tomato Tarte Tatin}

adapted from the NY Times

4 large tomatoes, sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
5 TB butter
1 TB white balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper
1 TB fresh lemon thyme leaves
1 sheet, puff pastry

Preheat the oven to 425F or 220C. Cut the puff pastry 1/2 cm larger than the skillet. Melt 2 TB of the butter in the skillet and add the thinly sliced red onion and a pinch of salt. Stir over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes before adding 2TB of water to lift any bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir for another 30 seconds before transferring to a bowl.

Melt the remaining butter in the skillet very slowly over medium-low heat until it turns golden. Add the balsamic vinegar and a bit of black pepper, cooking until the harsh vinegar smell disappears. Arrange the sliced tomatoes in a pretty pattern and top with the onions. Cover with the puff pastry and cut several long vents in the pastry to allow the steam to escape. Tuck the edges around the tomatoes and slide into the oven. Bake for around 30 minutes until puffed and golden.

Let the tart stand for a few minutes before running a knife around the edge to loosen. You may need to pour out a bit of the liquid at the bottom of the pan – my tomatoes were very juicy and I had quite a bit of excess liquid. Flip the tart onto a serving platter, sprinkle with the fresh thyme and cut into wedges. Serve with fresh goat cheese immediately. The crust will become soggy if left to sit in the juices from the tomatoes and onions.

If you don’t have an oven-proof skillet then simply cook the onions and brown butter in a small saucepan or frying pan and transfer to a round cake tin.

………………………………………………..

1 Year Ago: Edouard Manet – Ham, Gruyère and Moutarde Palmiers

Édouard Manet, Fish (Still Life), 1864
oil on canvas, 32.1 x 73.4 cm, The Art Institute of Chicago

Throughout the long history of still life painting, both French and Dutch artists repeatedly used the motif of the fish. Often an idyllic fish is depicted, its silvery scales meticulously painted as it harmoniously blends with the other objects placed within the frame of the canvas. The still life titled Fish by Edouard Manet is oppositional to this pre-defined way of representation. The large fish becomes the dominating focal point with its mouth gaping open and eye bulging. While gazing at the painting, viewers unintentionally wrinkle their nose; Manet was able to capture with paint the essence of the smell of rotting fish.

{Bouillabaisse}

adapted from Donna Hay

10 green onions, sliced
1/2 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 red chili, sliced
1 TB olive oil
2 TB oil infused with chili
10 saffron threads
1 TB boiling water
1 can crushed tomatoes
6 c fish stock
1/2 tsp smoky paprika
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
100 g fresh prawns with the shell
300 g assorted seafood (mussels, calamari, clams, fish)
lemon
parsley

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat and cook the green onion, garlic, fennel and chili for about 6 minutes, until soft. Meanwhile, place the saffron threads in a bowl of 1TB boiling water and let stand for 5 minutes.

After 6 minutes, add the tomatoes, fish stock and saffron with the soaking water. Bring to a boil and add the paprika, soy sauce and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Add fish and seafood to soup and cook for about 2 minutes, until fish and prawns turn opaque. Remove from heat and top with chopped parsley and a fresh squeeze of lemon. Serve with crusty bread to sop up the broth.
………………………………………………..

1 Year Ago: Severin Rosen – Strawberry BBQ Pulled Pork

Paul Cézanne, Still Life with Onions and a Bottle, 1895-1900
oil on canvas, 66 x 81 cm, The Louvre, Paris

The balanced composition of Cézanne’s Still Life with Onions and a Bottle alternates between the broad flat planes of the wall and the tightly grouped objects on the table. The linear forms of the table and bottle are juxtaposed by the round onions and scalloped edges. The paint is applied in heavy streaks with the brush and marks a point in the evolution of Cézanne’s work where his palette becomes darker and the surface less smooth. As with Still Life with  Plate of Cherries, the perspective is skewered. The front of the table runs parallel to the bottom of the canvas while the side does not line up with the scalloped edge. It appears the entire table is tilting forward, presenting the abundance to the viewer.

{French Onion Soup}

adapted from a little taste of…France

50 g butter
3 large onions, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/3 c flour
3 c beef stock
1/4 c white wine
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs of thyme
baguette, sliced
3/4 c grated Gruyère
Dijon mustard

In a heavy pot, melt the butter over medium high heat and begin to cook the onions. Lower the heat to medium-low and stir occasionally for 25 minutes until the onions begin to caramelize and turn golden brown.

Add the garlic and flour and continue to stir for 2 minutes. Begin to blend the stock, 1 cup at a time and add the white wine. Stir continuously and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for an additional 25 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.

Slice the baguette and spread a thin layer of mustard on each. Preheat the broiler in the oven and cover the soup with an even layer of baguette slices. Top with the Gruyère cheese. Slide under the broiler and cook until the cheese has melted and begins to bubble.

Ladle into a bowl and serve with one or two of the baguette slices. Delicious with a salade niçoise

………………………………………………..

1 Year Ago: William Merritt Chase – Red Onion Marmalade

Paul Cézanne, Still Life with Ginger Jar, Sugar Bowl, and Oranges, 1902-06
Oil on canvas, 60.6 x 73.3 cm, Museum of Modern Art, New York City

Cézanne’s Still Life with Ginger Jar, Sugar Bowl, and Oranges was painted during a period of turmoil in his personal life and completed in the year of his death, 1906. After an estrangement from his wife, Cézanne purchased a property in Aix-en-Provence where he built a studio and most likely completed this painting. The work from this late period is characterised by a richness of colour and depth. The skilled compositions are an attempt to return to classic modes of representation and the forms attain a sculptural quality with thick black outlines delineating shape and shadow. During this time he focused his attention on the landscape and painted Mt. Ste. Victoire multiple times after climbing it in 1895. It is thought that the sharp peaks of the mountain found their way into the folds of the tablecloth in his later still life paintings.

{Chocolate Ginger Cake with Simmered Oranges}

adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, January 2009

2 3/4 c flour
1 TB ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 c molasses
1 c water
1/2 c + 4 TB butter
2 TB fresh ginger, minced
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 bars dark chocolate (85% cocoa), chopped
Greek yogurt
simmered oranges (recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 180C. In a bowl combine the molasses, 1 c water and 2 TB of melted butter. Stir to combine and set aside.

In a frying pan, add 2 TB of butter and the minced fresh ginger. Stir over medium heat until the butter is melted and the ginger becomes fragrant. Remove from heat and pour into baking dish. Tilt the dish ensuring the butter/ginger mixture covers the entire surface (including the sides) and that the ginger is evenly dispersed over the bottom of the dish. Set aside.

In a large bowl cream 1/2 c of butter for about 30 seconds with a hand mixer. Add the sugar and continue to beat until the butter becomes light and fluffy (about one minute). Add each egg, one at a time, mixing well between each one. Add the ground ginger, ground cloves, salt, baking soda, baking powder and 3/4 cup flour and mix well. Add half of the molasses mixture and mix well. Alternate between the remaining flour (2 more cups) and the molasses until all of the ingredients are incorporated. By hand, stir in the chopped chocolate and then add to the prepared baking dish.

Bake for about 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool and serve warm with simmered oranges, Greek yogurt and crystallized ginger.

{Simmered Oranges}

adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, January 2009

1 lemon
1 orange
1/3 c water
1/3 c sugar

Thinly slice the orange and set aside. Juice the lemon and add to a small pot with the water and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar and bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce the heat to a simmer and leave to cook uncovered for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, once the liquid becomes syrupy, add the orange slices and bring back up to a boil. Once boiling again reduce the heat to a simmer and leave for three minutes turning the oranges occasionally so that they are all evenly cooked. Remove from the heat and let cool. Spoon over the cake & yogurt.

………………………………………………..

1 Year Ago: Edouard Manet – Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce

Pierre Auguste Renoir, Strawberries, 1905
oil on canvas, 46 x 28 cm, Musée de l’Orangerie, Paris, France
 

I found it very interesting to see the similarities and differences between all of the recipes. Lemon cake was a popular entry with a wide variety of strawberry toppings. Bria from The Salty Spoon made a delicious ruby red Strawberry Zinfandel Compote that looked so beautiful against the yellow cake. Ginny from Just Get Floury made a tasty looking number with a lovely lemon glaze. Julie from Living La Vida Low GI made a healthy cake with almond meal and agave cream, two ingredients I really enjoy cooking with. The lovely Shaz from Test with Skewer topped her lemon shortbread with a beautiful strawberry flower – a recipe that I will be definitely trying out very soon! The Australian dessert Lemon Delicious is paired with cream and strawberry puree in an especially decadent photograph by Barbara of Winos and Foodies and if your sweet tooth is beginning to ache from all of the sweets then Jen from the Chaotic Chef will tip you over the edge with her especially indulgent Strawberry Lemon Many-Layer Pie in which she combines all of her pie recipes together (complete with a diagram!). Rounding out the dessert listing with is a bit of chocolate in the form of a brownie by Angie of the Cooking for College Blog.

Leela’s Strawberry & Lemon Trifle is a great way to liven up a bit of yogurt and perhaps my new favorite breakfast when paired with a bit of granola. Mia made a vanilla strawberry shake that would be perfect with a breakfast trifle. Two of my favorite photographs were by Deana of Lost Past Remembered and Susan of Savoring Time in the Kitchen. Both photographs were beautifully lit with a dark dramatic background very reminiscent of still life paintings.  Deana’s post was an introduction to St. Germain Elderflower Liquor, my next indulgent purchase. I have been craving Susan’s Aebleskivers as I absolutely adore lemon curd!  For a refreshing palate cleanser look to Ozoz’s blog Kitchen Butterfly for a refreshing strawberry sorbet cleverly served in a lemon.

The savories were a clever bunch with a vegan strawberry chutney by Betsy of The Blooming Platter, perfect for a toasted baguette with cream cheese. Joanne from Eats Well with Others provides an interesting recipe for Strawberry Balsamic Pesto Orzotto as well as the answer to the question ‘is a strawberry a fruit?’ Adele  from Will Work for Biltong after an unsuccessful strawberry search in South Africa made Salmon with Strawberry and Feta Crust upon her return to Australia. Be sure to click all of the links to visit the respective sites, all of them are worth a read!

Renoir Still Life Recreation by Mathea of Peas Love Carrots

The winning entry is by Mathea of Peas Love Carrots. Not only was her couscus recipe wonderfully inventive (roasted strawberries/arugula/lemon, yum!) but her photography was top notch – just look at the recreation above!! Congratulations Mathea, the cookbook The Impressionist’s Table is heading your way! Check out all of the other creative entries below.

{Recipe Competition Entries}

 
I would like to give a special thanks to my Mom and one of my best friends, Monica who both participated by making Strawberry Pretzel Jello (a family favorite) and Lemon Chicken with Strawberry & Peach Chutney respectively. Your encouragement and support means so much to me, I love you both!

Pierre Auguste Renoir, Strawberries, 1905
oil on canvas, 46 x 28 cm, Musée de l’Orangerie, Paris, France

Contest Directions: Create an original recipe with the ingredients depicted in the still life painting Strawberries. Post the recipe on your website including the painting above and a link back to this blog post about the contest. The post title needs to state ‘Feasting on Art Recipe Contest.’ Once the post is live ,email the following information to tresjoliestudios AT gmail DOT com with the subject line ‘Entry: Feasting on Art Recipe Contest‘:

Name, Mailing Address, Recipe Title, URL to recipe on blog, 100 px by 100 px image of recipe

The entries will be made into a photo gallery and the picture  you submit will link back to your entry post. The image order will be determined by entry date so email your recipes ASAP to be at the top of the list! Contest Deadline: Saturday 27th March, 2010. The winner and entry gallery will be posted on the one year anniversary of the blog, Saturday 3rd April, 2010.

Judging/Prize: Entries will be judged on the creativity and originality of both the recipe and the photography. Get  experimental, don’t limit yourself to only sweet recipes because the painting depicts fruit. Pending availability, the winner will receive the cookbook The Impressionists’ Table: A Celebration of Regional French Food Through the Palettes of the Great Impressionists by Pamela Todd.

Best of luck to all of the contestants – I cannot wait to see the great art inspired recipes!

3 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
3 TB milk
1/2 stick of butter
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 c flour

Place the peeled and quartered potatoes in a pot of boiling water and cook until tender. Drain and mash well until smooth. Place mashed potatoes in freezer until cooled.

Melt the butter and add the milk, sugar, and salt. Mix well and add to the chilled potatoes. Stir well and add flour until a thick dough is formed similar to a pie crust. On a very well floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll out egg sized portions of the dough into very thin pancakes.

Place a griddle or frying pan on high heat but do not add any butter or oil. Place the pancake on the dry pan and cook for about one minute until golden spots appear. Flip and cook the other side for an additional minute. Continue this process with the rest of the dough.

Serve with butter and a sprinkling of sugar (also nice with a bit of cinnamon). Roll into a log and eat immediately.

Merry Christmas. I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!

If you live in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney and you see a Wentworth Courier while out and about then check out my interview on page 30. If you are not a Sydneysider you can read it here. I also had an article published in the December 2009 issue of Ceramics Monthly. As a tangent off of my dissertation, the article explores the work of contemporary artists who incorporate methods of repair and use into the finished product. From Bethan Laura Wood’s teacups that stain as you drink them to the delicate drips of gold lacquer on the Reiko Kaneko‘s pieces the idea of use as damage is disregarded and instead embraced. You can read the article online here.