What could be better than "Les Cakes de Sophie"? Mini-cakes de Sophie! As I've mentioned before, "cakes salés", or savory cakes, are all the rage in France, especially since the publication of the above book written by Sophie DuDemaine. The problem is that they have become almost ubiquitous -- about every other dinner party we go to includes a "cake salé", usually served during the apéritif.
I am still a fan of these cakes, and I haven't tried all of the recipes in the book yet, so I will carry on making them. But I like to change the rules a little.
First, I usually serve them as the starter with a lamb's lettuce salad. I find they are too filling for the apéritif; I prefer guests to be hungry when they come to the table.
Second, if I'm making them for a dinner party and not just for the family, I've discovered that making individual cakes in silicone muffin tins makes for a nice presentation. Last weekend I tried out the recipe for "Cake aux courgettes et au chèvre", made with zucchini and goat's cheese. It was delicious and all the guests, especially the children, loved the mini-cake presentation.
If you want to try out your own Sophie cakes and don't live in France, the book has been translated under the title "Sophie's Sweet and Savory Loaves." The recipes are simple yet original, and would give an interesting French touch to your kitchen.
No comments:
Post a Comment