In Praise of Poaching

Penguin has put a series of little books under the rubric Great Food. One of the volumes (A Taste of the Sun) is a collection of pieces by the incomparable Elizabeth David who did so much to introduce postwar Great Britain to Mediterranean cooking. Of course there is an Italian section. She has this to say in her introduction to fish soups:

those smoked or frozen cod fillets which are sometimes the only alternative in the fishmongers' to expensive sole or lobster respond better to a bath of aromatic tomato and lemon flavoured broth than a blanket of flour and breadcrumbs

Then she goes with all sorts of instructions about how to prepare such a broth.

I think of you stealing time to be at peace in your kitchen with your nose inhaling all the goodness of such an aromatic bath.

And so for day 1480
01.01.2011