Cassoulet Quotes

“The flavors are at once complex and earthy. I taste every ingredient: the thick, slightly gamy taste of the boar; the subtle undercurrent of the fennel, which, when braised, releases a delicate licorice perfume; the gentle creaminess of the beans; the smoky heat of the roasted peppers; the harmonious balance of the wine.”
― Meredith Mileti, Aftertaste: A Novel in Five Courses

“Even from across the room, the smell makes me want to swoon. Jake has made my favorite dish- his signature take on cassoulet, made with wild boar sausage braised in Barolo, cannellini beans, fennel, and sweet red peppers. I can hear the hollow snap as he breaks the delicate crust of toasted bread, garlic, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.”
― Meredith Mileti, Aftertaste: A Novel in Five Courses

“Slow-ccoked regional dishes like this often improve with re-heating. The scent was rich and flavorsome; the meat perfectly silky; the tender beans infused with the flavors of bay, and clove, and rosemary.
Louis tasted a forkful. I waited for his verdict.
'Heh. Not bad.'
I smiled. Not bad is Louis' highest accolade. Louis Martin is not a man given to lavish compliments. But I could see his colors through the rising steam from the old cassole; the lightning grey of that morning giving way to softer, warmer hues; the pastels of childhood; the palette of hope; the rosy, sunrise tint of love.”
― Joanne Harris, Vianne