Lundi: Recipes

Sometimes simple is best and on a holiday morning – whether it’s a hectic holiday like Christmas or a laid back day like today – a simple, filling and delicious breakfast is absolutely essential.  Just a little planning ahead will make this delightful and traditional French breakfast staple, known as a tartine, a favorite at your house.

Good bread is the key to this recipe and so, a bit of insight first.  French culture is very much against home baking.  We like out breads made by professionals with professional ovens.  While homemade breads and cakes are a treat in many modern cultures, including here in the U.S., we Frenchies cling to our corner bakeries.  May they never leave us.  Thankfully many bakeries now have take-and-bake options which means fresh-from-the-oven bread is possible even on a holiday.  I like a long baguette for this recipe and the excellent bakery at my Fred Meyer’s sells them not only fresh from their oven but ready to bake at home.

All that said, here’s all you’ll need for an excellent French tartine:

1 long baguette

Unsalted butter

Jam, jelly, honey or peanut butter

Cut the baguette into eight inch sections and open these lengthwise.  If the bread has not been freshly baked, toast it under your broiler or in a toaster oven for a minute or two.

Slather with butter and jam or honey (or both!).  Young children often prefer jelly.  Peanut butter brings an American twist to the party.

Dip your tartine in warm milk, hot chocolate or coffee and enjoy a little time around the breakfast table with the people you love.  Happy Labor Day and bon appetite ~

Header: Basket of Bread by Salvador Dali c 1926