Tea at Trianon: Spring Recipes

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Spring Recipes

From Food and Wine:

Next week, we’ll be making a very special F&W Best New Chefs announcement—so be sure to stay tuned to our Twitter and Instagram accounts! In the meantime, amp up your spring with these 10 seasonal recipes from past F&W BNCs.

1. Casserole-Baked Halibut with Leeks and Carrots
This super-simple, ingredient-driven dish is from F&W Best New Chef 2004 Melissa Perello.
2. Fresh Ricotta and Radish Crostini
F&W BNC 1999 Paul Kahan spreads creamy homemade ricotta on crostini, then adds a few slices of pretty red radish and a sprinkling of pepper for an incredible appetizer.
3. Braised Artichoke Hearts Stuffed with Olives and Herbs
These elegant stuffed artichokes are from Erik Anderson, an F&W BNC 2012.
4. Creamy Spring Onion Soup
A swirl of buttermilk mixed with fresh goat cheese gives F&W BNC 2008 Gerard Craft’s fresh-tasting soup a delicious tang.
5. Smoky Glazed Asparagus
F&W BNC 2009 Nate Appleman sears by coating vegetables with a mayonnaise-based marinade; it creates a beautifully blistered crust when grilled.
6. Lemony Chicken Fricassee with Shallots and Morels
Typically, a fricassee is made with chicken or another kind of white meat stewed in a white sauce with vegetables. For her version, F&W BNC 1998 Katy Sparks sizzles chicken in butter, then cooks it with shallots and morels.

7. Garden Pea Soup with Morel Cream
F&W BNC 2005 Daniel Humm swirls sweet pea soup with an ultra-mushroomy morel cream.
8. Herbed Pea Puree and Ricotta Salad
This wonderful, complex-tasting warm salad by BNC 2014 Matthew Accarrino combines three types of peas with a creamy ricotta-pea puree, sweet-tart lemon confiture and almonds.
9. Asparagus Tempura
This supercrispy tempura from F&W BNC 1996 Michael Schlow is perfect for cocktail parties.
10. Seared Salmon with Onions and Rhubarb
F&W BNC 1999 Rocco DiSpirito likes to use bulb onions—immature onions harvested early in the season—in this terrific spring dish. (Read more.)