Editor’s Note: Just as with any big sporting event, food always plays a big role. The Super Bowl brings a big spread, and that’s why our Food/Travel Editor Suzanne Corbett is craving French Food. For many sports fans in America, French fries are as French as they get, but Corbett is cooking up some authentic French cuisine for her viewing pleasure. (Posted Aug. 20, 2024 at 9:45 a.m.)
By Suzanne Corbett, STLSportsPage.com Food/Travel Editor
The closing ceremony is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. CDT on Sunday at Stade de France just north of Paris with a prime-time broadcast being shown on KSDK in St. Louis Sunday night. The opening ceremonies were the talk of the world and the closing ceremonies hope to have just as much interest. According to KSDK.com, Tom Cruise will reportedly be performing some big stunts to symbolically pass the Olympic flag to the 2028 host—Los Angeles. The plan includes Cruise rappelling down from the top of the Stade de France.
As of posting time, the USA Olympic Team has 113 medals.The chart, left was how it stood as we post this article on Sat. Aug. 10 at 10 a.m. (Results for St. Louisans at KSDK.com.
The U.S. Women’s Soccer Team won the gold medal this afternoon and for a little baseball connection: the winning goal was scored by Mallory Swanson– wife of Cubs’ shortstop Dansby Swanson.
Basketball fans are anxiously awaiting St. Louis native Jayson Tatum and the USA men’s team’s basketball game at 2:30 p.m. today (Saturday, Aug. 10 St. Louis time) for the gold medal in the final against France. You can still catch a few other St. Louisans before the Closing Ceremonies
The Chesterfield Parkway Central High School graduate Emily Sisson will compete in the marathon at 1 a.m. on Aug. 11. St. Charles native Napheesa Collier and Team USA women’s basketball won against Australia in the semifinals and Team USA plays in the finals at 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 11. The women’s basketball game will be the last event before the Closing Ceremonies.
Many medals have been won and records have been set.
Fans have enjoyed Snoop Dogg’s colorful sideline additions this year and he even did a segment where his pal Martha Stewart accompanied him to a fancy French Restaurant. They took in a meal at the famed Le Cinq, a Michelin-starred restaurant that serves classic French food and she got him to try tartare, canape, and escargot.
Those delicacies won no awards with Snoop but the 33rd Olympiad in Paris has been a winner. Beyond the medals and records set, Paris has inspired viewers to explore its culture. A culture that has made us hungry for French food.
I’ve been craving French pastries and breads, cheeses and pates and classic dishes as Croque Monsieur (fancy baked/broiled ham and cheese sandwich) to the summer vegetable mélange, Ratatouille – not the Disney character.
With the closing ceremonies set, now’s the perfect time to throw a French/Parisian themed party.
It’s not difficult. You don’t need to be a French chef or student of Julia Child to pull it off.
Simply select recipes that are easy and include quality French ingredients. Create a cheese board (shown, right) with classic French cheese such as Brie, Comté, Gruyére and a French Bleu as Bleu d’ Auvergne. Arrange on a board with niçoise olives, French bread slices, grapes and dried apricots. Add in a commercially produced pate or French style salami. Voila, a cheese board masterpiece.
Add a touch of savoir-faire to the party and include a French wine or a Missouri wine made from American French grape varietals as Chambourin or Vidal Blanc. Maybe you prefer a champagne or domestic sparkling wine. Of course, a cold beer or an iced tea would work just as well. After all, it all depends on what you and your guests like. Vive la différence!
Choose what you like to drink and include it on the menu and consider one of the following recipes. Each are easy and will make you feel like a winner in the kitchen.
Baked Brie and walnut Tartlets
1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets(1 sheet), thawed
1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
3/4-pound Brie cheese, chilled, rind removed and cut into 36 pieces
Heat the oven to 400° degrees Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 14-inch square. Cut into 36 (2 1/4-inch) squares. Press the squares into 36 (1 3/4-inch) mini muffin-pan cups.
Stir the walnuts, brown sugar and mustard in a small bowl. Spoon about 1/4 teaspoon walnut mixture into each tartlet shell. Top each with 1 piece cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Let the pastries cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Makes 3 dozen. Recipe courtesy Pepperidge Farm.
Croque Monsieur
8 slices white bread, crusted removed
6 ounces shredded Gruyére cheese or Emmental
8 thin slices ham ( about a 1/3 pound)
¼ cup grated parmesan
Bechamel sauce
To assemble sandwiches:
Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
Spread each bread slice with a layer of béchamel, spreading it all the way to the edges.
Place 4 slices of bread, béchamel side up, on prepared baking sheet. Top each with a piece of ham, a handful of gruyere, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Place remaining slices of bread on top, béchamel side up, then top with remaining gruyere and parmesan cheese.
Bake at 425 degrees F for about 5-6 minutes, until cheese is melted, and then turn the oven to broil and broil until the cheese on top is lightly golden, 2-4 minutes.
Béchamel sauce:
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
1 ½ cups whole milk
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
For the sauce: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes. Gradually add milk, stirring well until the mixture is smooth. Cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened. Season with a little bit of salt and pepper and whisk in mustard and nutmeg. * Sauce can be made and refrigerated up to 1 week in advance.
Gougéres
1/2 cup water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup all-purpose flour*
¼ teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
2 large eggs
1 cup grated or finely shredded Gruyére,
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Egg wash: I egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water
Heat oven to 450 degrees
Combine the water, butter and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally until butter melts and mixture boils. Add flour all at once and continue stirring until mixture pulls away from side of pan and forms a ball and a film on bottom.
Transfer batter to a stand mixer and beat on low speed until slightly cooled, about 2 minutes. Raise speed to medium and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in ¾ cup of the Gruyére and the parmesan. Season with any herbs or seasonings as desired.
On a parchment lined baking sheet, pipe or scoop batter to form small mounds. Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees and continue to bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from oven. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes about 2 dozen
The featured image and medal count chart, courtesy KSDK.com.
