Feasting on Art

Within the history of art, the egg has been used to symbolise life, rebirth, fertility and potential. The icon has a long history and according to Silvia Malaguzzi in Food and Feasting in Art, “They symbolise rebirth, and that symbolic value was subsequently christianized in biblical exegesis and took the form of Easter eggs, the food of the Resurrection since the Christian Middle Ages.” Left with an inordinate number of eggs after Easter (pending they have not all been hard boiled and dyed) this recipe is an ideal way to convey an indulgent breakfast into a hearty supper. Apart from a slick of butter in which the bread is fried and a layer of melted cheese, there is little fat alongside the protein in the eggs and the tang of the mustard. Paired with a bitter salad of greens, this recipe is the antithesis of the surgary croissant french toast inspired by Morandi.

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

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The flavours of this traditionally haphazard French dessert are inspired by the Mexican classic, huevos rancheros. Traditionally, the eggs are cracked into a bubbling mixture of tomato, chilli and pepper and cooked until soft. The egg and tomatoes are then scooped into a tortilla and eaten like a burrito with a bit of cheese. In my recipe, I swapped around the assembly order and traded the tortilla for some pastry. Cooking my eggs with the chilli and spring onion softens the sharp flavours and the entire dish is brightened with a sprinkling of coriander (or cilantro as it is known in Mexico) and a squeeze of lime. The galette is wonderful when served with sliced tomato and avocado, sprinkled with salt, and a few dashes of hot sauce. Hot sauce suggestions include Cholula, Zaachila, El Yucateco and Tapatío.

Gustavo Montoya, Still Life with Plate of Eggs and Compote
oil on canvas, 60 x 80 cm, Private collection

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The fluffy egg cake known as a soufflé can be made both sweet and savoury depending on the flavourings incorporated. In French, the word soufflé is the past participle of the verb souffler that translates to ‘to blow up’ – exactly what a soufflé does when it bakes. The method of creation is related to that of a meringue and the dish dates back to the 18th century. Often considered to be a fussy recipe, the soufflé is actually quite resilient and as long as whipped egg whites still retain some air they will not collapse. It is only when the soufflé cools that the dish will slump and so a quick oven to table service is essential. An old kitchen fable states a loud noise will cause a soufflé to fall but according to Howard Hillman in Kitchen Science ‘Though many a cook has blamed the collapse of a souffle on the spouse who slammed the kitchen door, the force of the shock waves from that deed is too weak to pop more than a few air bubbles, if any at all.’

Jean-Siméon Chardin, Still Life, c.1732
oil on panel, 17.1 x 20.96 cm, Detroit Institute of Arts

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Every December disappears in a blink. Between holiday dinners and various projects, my time management skills are seriously tested. That is why I love the idea of brunch – combining meals to save time! I put together this little menu featuring fruity breakfast recipes inspired by Post-Impressionist painters.

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.

The period of art known as Pointallism was evolutionary due to the mathematical approach to colour and optics. The art up until the late 1880s was driven by the emotive qualities of colour and location. Pointallism marked a scientific foray into the arts similar to the complex perspecitval theories developed by Renaissance artists. The beauty of Pointallism is its methodical simplicity – small dabs of pure colour are applied to the canvas that are intended to mix in the viewer’s eye. When developing a recipe for this post I sought to embody this principal, two strong flavours that are simultaneously distinct yet blended into an alluring orange-cream beverage.

Paul Signac, Still Life with a Book, 1883
oil on canvas, 32 x 46.5 cm, Gemäldegalerie, Berlin, Germany

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