Yes, yes, bringing up the rear in last week’s French Fridays with Dorie entry. I am still recovering from the inner ear infection (actually it’s viral meaning lots of rest is the only thing to fix it) but slowly am getting back to normal. I have taught a couple of classes this week (I miss the boys!) and starting to emerge from the fog. With French Fridays with Dorie posts, I generally have a lot of them written up well in advance which is the case for this and the next couple – the only thing that stopped me from posting last Friday was, err, that I had not made the dish! I might have skipped this but for two things: 1. It looked like something that would go down well in my quest to start eating food other than soup and baked potatoes and 2. Dorie said it would only take 15 minutes to prepare – perfect for the recovering cook.
Actually I got lucky and when Neil invited our friend Jane over for some Charcutepalooza corned beef on Sunday (sadly, I have had no appetite for the spoils of this month’s challenge :-(), I decided to put them both to work. From my chair in the kitchen, I directed the proceedings, and my two sous chefs had this in the oven in no time at all.
Dorie says this bread has a French soul and she’s right. It totally tastes like something that might be served in small cubes with a kir for an apéritif.
I can see a lot of potential in this bread – so many different addins you could include and different cheeses and herbs. We stuck with cheese (Asiago and Emmenthal) and chives but chose to add some of our Charcutepalooza peameal bacon – cubed, fried and drained the day before and just tossed into the mix at the last minute. It’s a pretty bread to begin with and the bacon just adds an even prettier dimension, the pale pink against the yellow cheese with flecks of chive…
And since this was ready to eat about an hour after it was started, I say this is a winning dish. It’s been great this week with some soup, lightly toasted, sliced thin, for dinner and just as a mid-afternoon snack. Salty and cheesy with just enough chew factor. I’ll definitely make this again – I can see it working very well for bread cubes, like these or these… Imagine the flavour possibilities!
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French Fridays with Dorie participants do not publish the recipes on our blogs, rather, we prefer if you purchase Around My French Table for yourselves (trust me, you definitely want this book!) which you can do here on Amazon (great price right now) or here on Amazon Canada (it’s also on special!). Go on, treat yourself – join us in 2011!
Lucky you with sous chefs in the kitchen. How handy. So glad you’ve tested another Dorie recipe for us. This bread is really pretty and would definitely be great with a kir.
Sam
Perfect!
I love the touch the Canadian bacon cubes bring. Glad to read you are doing much better!
I love both the flavour and the look the bacon brings to this bread.
Yes, I was chuffed to see Mardi did not call us “Le Gros Chefs”!
Have no fear, people…posts will come on brisket and peameal bacon and things. Food has been done and photographed, just waiting for Mardi to be able to return to computerland.
(And don’t worry, she *has* been fed these past weeks…)
Yes, I have indeed!
Good to have you back……..I certainly missed reading your post everyday. Look after yourself and don’t overdo it,
Take care,
Thanks Lynn – it’s nice to be missed!
I am glad you’re starting to feel better!! Better late than never, eh? Bacon certainly is a perfect addition tho this, and I think it’s at its best toasted.
Yes I have never thought of toasting quick bread but it was delicious!
Yay for good health returning!
I’m really craving this bread right now. Your photos completely drew me in.
It’s a good one MJ!
I take it the fact that the word BACON was crafted as BACON and not as bacon, was to ensure Mr Neil’s full attention
No I had to add it because the original recipe does not call for it!
This looks so moist, crumbly, and flavourful! Yikes, so hungry now…
It is, indeed, all those things. And delicious!
Get better coz I am coming!
Gosh Penny I hope I will be better by then!!!
This bread sounds wonderful! I’ve been meaning to try a savory quick bread.
Get better soon!
Definitely a great recipe!
maybe Mr. Neil will up and start his own food blog, what with you being laid up and only able to feebly command from your perch. while i’m sure your director duties are responsible for the splendor of those slices, the sous chefs did a right nice job putting the loaf together.
Perish the thought! One obsessive per household is more than sufficient…
I delegate well, it’s true!
oh, and i forgot to mention that we all out here in the blogosphere miss you and hope you get well soon. xoxo
Your’e too sweet Linda xox
Sorry you have been unwell, but your bread looks lovely! I would love to make that into a savory bread pudding! Mmmm!
Oh YES – yum!
I made this bread several weeks ago for dinner with some friends…and now thinking bacon would have been a great addition. My own bacon even better!
Looks wonderful and hope you’re feeling better soon.
Yes, many people either added bacon or thought it would be a good idea!
So glad to hear that you’re starting to feel a bit better.
Love the look of this bread… I’m totally craving it now… Especially with bacon!
Oh you would really enjoy playing with diff flavours of this bread Jen!
Well, way to bring up the rear with a bang! Beautiful bread!!!! Hope you’re on the mend…no fun for a grown up to get an ear infection 🙁
Definitely no fun for an adult but worse for a kid – I can’t imagine being little and not understanding vertigo!! Scary!
My bacon crazed boys would love this 🙂
Oh my god — that looks so golden brown and delicious. I love the combination of ingredients. And those bread cubes are nice to visit again too…
Yes, I think they would be nice with this bread!
Mardi, the loaf looks so savoury. Love the combination of homemade bacon and chives. Really, really tempting and my type of bread.
On another note, feel better soon.
Maybe Neil can be your permanent sous chef and sommelier.
Well he kind of is already 😉
Love the look of this, Mardi (erm, not Mardo or Mardio… I really need more sleep). Looks like it takes much longer than it actually does, which is always a win when serving it to others!
Keep on keeping on… heal heal! xx
In my book that is a perfect dish!
Your bread turned out beautifully!! I’ve been eyeing this recipe and was sure it would be a winner – nice to have such great confirmation!!
Thinking this would be perfect during the summer to with a light cocktail…
Oh absolutely – perfect for cocktail hour!
Looks like your sous chefs did quite well with your guidance. Sadly, I may be coming in last with my FFwD post for this bread later today!
Better late than never!
Anytime you put bacon and cheese in bread you pretty much get high marks. We had something along these lines in Provence, cheese/olive/ham, and I couldn’t stop eating it! I don’t have any right now and that is a problem.
Jason
Oh yes, that sounds amazing with olives!
Oh My! Beautiful loaf of bread and a definite must try in my kitchen.
And very versatile too!
gorgeous! and the idea of cubes of this with wine as a nice little snack? love that!
Mais oui!
Lovely! The bacon and cheese totally hooked me.
It’s pretty, huh?
Bacon is the perfect addition. Lucky you had some around! GREG
Oh gosh, just looking at this took me back to when I was younger and my mom would make bread like this. Looks so delicious, we must make it again!