Movie Madness Monday: Amelie and Farmers’ Markets
I’ve had a long love affair with the movie Amelie. The story itself is delightful, but the cinematography is what I love the most. The colors in this film are gorgeous—so lush and ripe (the word delectable also comes to mind). Some of the best scenes include food. In one scene, Amelie explains what she enjoys most in life and she is shown at an outdoor market plunging her hand into a sac of grain. She cooks for and it is often a simple meal such as pasta with freshly grated cheese or a cake or a cozy libation that she shares with her hermit-like neighbor.
So, with the inspiration of this film in mind, I went to my local farmers’ market in search of the freshest, most colorful ingredients.
I found some unusual cauliflower, known as Romanesco cauliflower. This type of cauliflower is greenish, chartreuse if you will, and the florets spiral. Coincidentally, Bon Appetit’s March 2007 issue has an article that focuses on different types of cauliflower. I plan to make the cauliflower tart today as a special treat for AB.
The farm stand that I bought from yesterday also had celery root. The one that I bought looks not unlike a craggy old man or a character from some fairy-like movie (Lord of the Rings? A hobbit perhaps?…). I’ve never prepared celery root, but as a nod to Amelie, I will make a remoulade which is a classic French salad that incorporates celery root with mayonnaise.
For now, I’m enjoying another delight: chocolate cupcakes. I tested the new Barefoot Contessa’s chocolate cupcake mix (which includes frosting mix) and here are the results:
Enjoy a farmers’ market wherever you are. Here’s a link to California farmers’ markets. It is such a delight to walk around a farmers’ market with the smell of fresh vegetables and fruits and the joy of buying local goods at their peak of ripeness.
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