I love Vegan but can never be one!!!

African naturally are vegetarian and eventually “Vegan”. Back in the days, we did not know about milk and cream. Domestic meats was very rare and of course very expensive. Hunting was a question of luck. Some family did not have a single piece of meat on their table for months. My grandmother use to serve groundnuts stew with cepe mushrooms to please us every time we went to visit her. That dish, believed it or not was and still one of the best meal I ever had. She will serve it with cardamom rice, quite a delice. I can talk about this type of dish over and over. I just want to mention that being vegetarian or vegan will never be difficult for us African. Is it a reason for me to adopt the concept of veganism no! But a suggestion for a new way to eat without using some excuses that can lead to some extremism. As a Chef, I enjoy cooking for vegan adept as I love to cook for the non vegan. Animal activists are Vegan and or aspiring becomes vegan. They are very strong believers that any one shouldn’t eat meat, fish and the derivatives product. I truly believe that a natural life recommend us to eat meat, fish… with charity and love because, it was given to us with love and charity.

Quiche oh my God!!!I love it.

The word quiche has his origin from German Kuchen which means cake. The first quiche as we know it now ie: savory tart like has his origin in Lorraine. It is a very old traditional recipe (16 century). Lorraine is a beautiful region in North East of France, the Capital city is Nancy known also for his Bergamot.Supposedly, The Duke of Lorraine Charles the third had it for his dinner,love it very much and decided to name it the Lorraine Kuchen in another word Quiche Lorraine.
The first quiche recipe was made with La pate levee (bread dough style), eggs, lean bacon and cream. Later,the quiche Lorraine recipe was widespread and extends far beyond Lorraine borders, the dough was replaced by the butter crust and eventually the pouf pastry.
In Lorraine,the quiche filling is called Migaine and has to be done only with heavy cream and eggs. Anything else is almost a deadly sin!!!The result of the Migaine has to tremble.
Butter Crust Recipe
Ingredients for 9 inches shell.
10oz Flour about 2 cups
8oz very cold butter diced
1/4 ice water
1 tsp salt more or less

Directions
1. mix flour with salt in a large stainless still bowl. add butter and mix rapidly until it's sand like.Add the water and Mix quickly until well combine. Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour to a day.
2. Dust the pastry on both sides with flour. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry. I can't tell you inches wise what will be the thickness and what will be the circumference but,your dough should be the length of your rolling pin.
Roll the pastry around the rolling pin and transfer to a 9" spring form pan. press it firmly around the ring and on top.Make sure they are no cracks otherwise, use the the trimmings to close any cracks. Freeze the shell for about 15 to 25 minutes.
You can precook your dough or fill it directly.
For the filling.
1 lb Lardons (Bacon Slab diced)
1 medium sweet onion finely diced
6 large eggs beaten
4 cups Heavy cream
Salt to taste
Nutmeg to taste

1. Sauteed Bacon with onion about 10 minutes
2. Mix eggs, salt, nutmeg and heavy cream.
3. Add the bacon mix
4. Pour the filling into the crust and bake for 3 hours in a very slow oven (325 to 350F)

The mystic of the food: Previous before a good dinner with very good friend

My dearest friend

What a wonderful menu, I have already a mouth watering. I have nothing to say about your choice.

I'll be glad to assist you. Please let me know the necessary ingredients I shall bring to make our dinner the most and the best of all.

I have to entertain you about the beauty of your choice. I don't know how much you think about the ingredients that you choose to use for our dinner but the symbolism of the food is one of my great passion.

Very funny, most of the ingredients are bitter but, they all have one symbolic link: being roughly the symbol of fertility, abundance, strength and passion.

The Saffron in certain point of view is the symbol of Trinity. Three flowers alike in size, beauty, fragrance and others properties. All the extremism is vices because they go too far beyond the center, the virtue will be in between.

I named it the path of Saffron: Temperance and moderation, the simple beauty, tenderness and passion in a noble way to love: seeing other not in your way but the he been created by God (Love, Beauty and Spirituality).

Ouaa!!!!!! Arugula!!!!!!! Oh God!!!! In French his really name is Roquette: (little stone, difficult to break, abundant and protective) what a better way to explain Fertility, Abundance, Strength and Passion.

Sacre Bleu!!!!! Les Cerneaux de Noix (Walnut in French). Walnut, both as a tree and fruit, the symbol of protection against Dracula and others evils in Rumania, The conservation of tradition, the longevity as the beautiful tree can leave up to 4 centuries. China made with walnut wood so beautiful. The shell is strong and tough like armor, a place to save all our treasure like our friendship!!!

I want to keep talking about all these beautiful ingredients but mister Time telling me to let it go Lol!!!!

For the dessert why not a Mi-Cuit of a dark chocolate serves hot with a spiced Crème Anglaise. My Grand Father use to say that, Chocolate is the nourishment of the Gods. He was so in love with the chocolate. He told me this one day: <>.

Let us try a glass of very good Cabernet Franc (maybe a little too strong for our dinner) but, how sensuous with a dark chocolate.

My beloved friend, I am a lucky man for having a sweet friend as you.

Take care of yourself, my thoughts and prayers always to protect you. I can't wait until Saturday.