Summer 2023 trip : New-York, Washington and Montréal
The links with the cities are in progress, the most advanced page for the moment is this one : Montréal
1) Introduction to the trip: the triggering event
Let me introduce myself, my name is Pascal, and I have one of my sons who is studying Robotics. As part of his studies, he has the opportunity to do an internship from June to September 2023 in Montreal.
I thought it would be a great opportunity for my wife, daughter, and I to visit him there.
2) Choosing the dates : August and September 2023
After reuniting with my son in Montreal, I decided to stay a little longer on this continent to visit two big American cities.
The visits to New York and Washington will be done alone, as my wife and daughter have obligations (work and studies) that I don't have.
Without going into details, it should be noted that I resigned due to spousal relocation.
To visit these cities, it is necessary to think about accommodation, and for that, I have come up with a solution to be hosted by arranging an original exchange;
This is a culinary/accommodation exchange, where I would like to propose the following arrangement to American families :
- From Monday morning to Friday: one night accommodation in exchange for a dessert prepared in a family:
I can make this dessert alone or with those who host me and want to learn how to make it.
I will make this recipe in the evening, and it will be possible to taste it after dinner.
We can consider that a family accepts to do this exchange for two consecutive days, after that, we have to leave some for others. - Then, the next invitation will consist of one-night accommodation from Saturday to Monday morning with a meal to be made for Sunday lunch.
The recipe will be made on Sunday morning. I can make it alone or with the family that hosts me and who want to learn how to make it.
Before going further into the organization of this trip, we will take a first break on the recipes that I could propose to you.
3.1) Desserts
Here are the desserts from which the host families of the week can make a selection.
Strawberry tart : a classic dessert from French pastry, originating from the Champagne region, made with shortbread crust, pastry cream, and fresh strawberries.
Clafoutis : a traditional French dessert originating from Limousin, made with fruits (usually cherries), eggs, flour, milk, and sugar.
Floating islands : a classic French dessert made with custard, whipped egg whites, and caramel.
Tarte Tatin : an iconic French dessert originating from the Val de Loire region
Made with apples cooked in butter and sugar, covered with puff pastry and baked in the oven.
Les canelés : A culinary specialty originating from the Bordeaux region in France.
These small cylindrical cakes have a crispy, caramelized crust on the outside, while their interior is soft and flavored with vanilla and rum. The main ingredients in the recipe are milk, sugar, flour, butter, eggs, vanilla, and rum. The molds used for their preparation are made of copper, tinned on the inside for better caramelization.
Parisian Flan : Traditional French pastry originating from the Paris region.
It is a dessert made of a shortcrust pastry filled with a custard made of milk, eggs, sugar, flour, and vanilla. The custard has a firm and smooth texture, while the shortcrust pastry is crispy. The main ingredients of the recipe are the shortcrust pastry, milk, eggs, sugar, flour, and vanilla.
Basque cherry cake : Culinary specialty originating from the Basque Country, a region located between France and Spain.
It is a cake made with a shortbread crust filled with vanilla pastry cream and black or sour cherries. The texture of the cake is soft and melting, with a slight crunchiness from the shortbread crust. The main ingredients of the recipe are flour, sugar, butter, eggs, milk, vanilla, and black or sour cherries.
Norman apple tart : Culinary specialty originating from Normandy in France.
It is a tart composed of a shortcrust pastry filled with sliced apples and a mixture of crème fraîche, sugar, eggs, and calvados (an apple brandy typical of the Normandy region). The texture of the tart is soft and slightly melting, with a pronounced apple flavor and a note of alcohol from the calvados.
The main ingredients of the recipe are shortcrust pastry, apples, crème fraîche, sugar, eggs, and calvados.
Plum tart: The plum tart, also known as "Zwetschgenkuchen" in Alsace, is particularly associated with the town of Saverne, located in the Bas-Rhin department of Alsace, France.
The original history of the plum tart dates back several centuries. Plums were abundant in the Alsace region, and the locals quickly found ways to incorporate them into their recipes. The plum tart became a traditional and iconic dessert of Alsatian cuisine.
Fig tart:
The fig tart, originating from the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in France, is particularly associated with the city of Aix-en-Provence.
The original history of the fig tart dates back to the Roman era when fig cultivation was widespread in the Mediterranean region.
Aix-en-Provence, with its sunny climate conducive to fig tree cultivation, became an important production hub for figs.
Pear Tart: The pear tart, originating from the Alsace region in France, is particularly associated with the city of Strasbourg.
The original history of the pear tart dates back several centuries. Pears were abundant in the Alsace region, and the inhabitants quickly found ways to incorporate them into their recipes.
The pear tart has become a traditional and beloved dessert in Alsace cuisine.
The city of Strasbourg, as the capital of Alsace, played a key role in popularizing the pear tart. Strasbourg pastry chefs developed their own variations of the recipe, highlighting the local pears and Alsatian pastry techniques.
Far Breton: The Far Breton, originating from Brittany in France, is particularly associated with the city of Rennes.
The original history of Far Breton dates back to the 18th century in Brittany. At that time, the far was a simple and economical dish prepared with buckwheat flour, eggs, sugar, milk, and prunes. The prunes were often soaked in rum to give them a unique flavor.
The city of Rennes, as the capital of the Brittany region, played an important role in popularizing Far Breton. The people of Rennes and the surrounding areas incorporated this delicious dessert into their daily cuisine, and it quickly became a symbol of Breton gastronomy.
3.2) Cooking expenses for the week's desserts
I will take care of purchasing the necessary ingredients for a dessert for up to 8 people.
If the dessert includes alcohol, it will be the responsibility of the host family.
The host family agrees not to have more than 8 guests for the desserts I will make.
To know the necessary quantity, simply click on the recipe where the ingredients are listed.
3.3) Sunday lunch dishes
Cassoulet : traditional French dish that originates from the Languedoc region. It is a rich and hearty meal made with white beans and meat. The main ingredients in cassoulet are white beans, meat (typically pork, lamb, and/or duck), sausages, tomato, garlic, and herbs. The dish is slow-cooked in an earthenware pot called a cassole, which is specific to the Languedoc region. Cassoulet is a friendly dish that is often shared with family or friends. |
Carbonade flamande: a traditional dish in Flemish cuisine, originating from Belgium and Northern France. |
Hachis parmentier : traditional French dish that consists of two layers: a layer of minced meat (usually beef or lamb) and a layer of mashed potatoes. Everything is then gratinated in the oven to obtain a golden and crispy crust. The origin of Hachis Parmentier dates back to the 18th century, when the French botanist Antoine-Augustin Parmentier popularized the potato in France. At the time, the potato was considered a food for the poor and was therefore consumed very little. Parmentier therefore created this recipe to encourage the French to eat more potatoes. Today, hachis Parmentier is a very popular dish in France and is often served in French restaurants and homes. There are many variations of the recipe, some including vegetables or cheeses, but the base always remains the same. |
Ratatouille Niçoise : traditional French dish that consists of two layers: a layer of minced meat (usually beef or lamb) and a layer of mashed potatoes. Everything is then gratinated in the oven to obtain a golden and crispy crust. The origin of Hachis Parmentier dates back to the 18th century, when the French botanist Antoine-Augustin Parmentier popularized the potato in France. At the time, the potato was considered a food for the poor and was therefore consumed very little. Parmentier therefore created this recipe to encourage the French to eat more potatoes. Today, hachis Parmentier is a very popular dish in France and is often served in French restaurants and homes. There are many variations of the recipe, some including vegetables or cheeses, but the base always remains the same. |
3.4) Culinary expenses for Sunday's dish
These expenses remain the responsibility of the host family who will be in charge of purchasing the ingredients corresponding to the recipe they have chosen.
The quantity to be purchased will depend on the host family, who may invite their close family or friends (from the association, neighbors).
The host family undertakes not to have more than 8 guests for this meal, taking into account that I am not a professional cook.
To know the necessary quantity, simply click on the recipe where the ingredients are indicated and enter the number of participants; the total quantity will be displayed and you can estimate if it fits within your budget.
4) Exchange: cooking/accommodation
This choice was motivated by multiple reasons:
- The first is human, when visiting a country, it's also the people who live there that we want to discover; at least, that's my case and what I hope to share with you in this exchange.
- The choice of culinary classes that I could offer is motivated by a good reputation that it seems we have. We won't talk about all of our other qualities or flaws and we'll stick to one of the most beautiful things that I will try to make you discover. It should be known that I am not a professional chef, but I have the advantage of regularly cooking the dishes that I will propose to you, and I want to share them as much as I can.
- The possibility of being hosted by you in return is far from negligible, I am well aware of this because it's at a time of the year when hotels are the most expensive. If I have chosen these dates, it's not really by choice, it's because my wife has an obligation in the profession she practices (operating room nurse) to take her vacations in the summer.
- I won't be able to come with food products, that's why you'll need to have chosen the recipes for which I give you the ingredients (and later the quantities when you have told me the number of people who will be present during the meals). I am obviously ready to participate to a reasonable extent if you show me the receipts for your purchases.
I have asked for two days in each family, and I am aware that it is a lot; in return, I will go beyond these two recipes. Depending on the chosen dish, I will see if I can bring a bottle of wine that will go with the chosen dish. It should be noted that we live in the region of Bordeaux, renowned for the hundreds of wines it produces. As for desserts, they can go with sweet wines, such as Montbasillac (Dordogne), of which I have a few bottles in my cellar and which I would be happy to share.
It is obviously not mandatory for all members of a family to be interested in this exchange, and I will not take offense. I have also considered that some people may be allergic to certain products. So, if you click on each of the images, a window should appear and give you the list of ingredients needed to make it. So, please take this important criterion into account in the choice you will make.
5) How did I contact you and how can you contact us?
For each of the cities, I searched for associations of retired people with various activities in these associations. Why retirees? Simply because it will be easier for you to come and pick me up and also to meet on Monday afternoon to make and taste the dessert.
I took two different associations hoping to multiply the chances that they would accept to pass on this exchange to their members. This means that you may be in competition with members of your own association and those of the other association.
To contact me, I have created email addresses that will be used specifically for this exchange: newyork@bories.eu and washington@bories.eu
6) Taking COVID very seriously
It should be noted that I have taken this virus very seriously and have taken vaccines to fight against it (5 doses in my case). I propose that during our meetings, we do not fall into paranoia by wearing masks, for example. However, we will maintain our distance and will not hug each other at the end of our meetings, even if I hope we will have formed good friendships.
7) Your turn to take action
I've been quite talkative and I hope I haven't overwhelmed you with all these explanations. Families who are interested in this exchange can contact me, and as soon as I have specific dates based on the airline tickets (Paris - New York), train tickets (New York - Washington), and finally flight tickets (Washington - Montreal), we'll keep you informed.
Signed, Pascal BORIES
- Shortcrust pastry
- Apples
- Egg
- Granulated sugar
- Thick sour cream
- Ground almonds
- Sliced almonds
- Calvados (apple brandy)