It has been far too long since my last mum’s interview! They represent such a unique way to immerse you in the French family food culture.
Today it is all about Nathalie, from Les Toques en Culottes Courtes, a friend of mine who lives in London since over three years. She is the proud mum of three boys: Jules 13, Martin 10 and Sandro 7.
She comes from a little village in the outskirts of Angers, South West of Paris. She started developing her family cooking skills whilst travelling as an expat wife. She was nostalgic of family cooking so she started working on her cooking in Croatia and specialised in patisserie whilst in Denmark.
She has now launched her own cooking blog (in French): Les Toques en culottes Courtes * and she is registered to take her CAP Patisserie diploma in June 2018…. you should definitely check it out!
Croque-Maman: What is your most cherished childhood food memory?
Nathalie: When I was a child I would often visit my grand-mother. As soon as I would go through the doors of her house I would be welcomed by a distinctive beautiful smell… the one of apples cooking on the AGA for hours. Simply cooking with a little sugar and water in a large deep cooking dish with handles they would make make the entire house feel so cozy plus they were such a nice healthy dessert alternative.
CM: What are your top tips to manage meal time and/or to promote healthy childhood eating?
N: My top tips to get my boys to eat vegetables are:
- To make spinach quiche
- To cook ratatouille
- From September to May, I offer them soups at least 3 times a week, a very popular one in my house is my leeks and courgettes soup
CM: What are your children’s favourite dish(es)?
Jules / paella, gateau au yahourt with a twist: with chocolate chips, lemon, raspberries…
Martin / salmon with steamed vegetables and rice and meringues
Sandro/ penne courgettes and crêpes
CM: Could you please share with Croque-Maman one of your best family recipe and any story/comment related to it?
N: If I had to give an easy to make family dish that we all love it would be my “poulet du samedi midi”… my Saturday lunch roast chicken! Watch this space because you will see next week the English version of the recipe on Croque-Maman’s blog!
If you liked this interview, make sure you check out the other French mums and dads interviews:
- Noémie and her easy crepe recipe
- Sandrine and her “tarte” au chocolat
- Clotilde from Chocolate & Zucchini and her one-egg omelette
- Julie from Les 3 têtes blondes and her “tartine du soleil” recipe
- Papa Chef and his clafoutis recipe
- Agathe from Alice à Paris
* Les Toques en Culottes Courtes means literally “head chefs in shorts”, whilst it is is in fact an affectionate way to speak about little chefs, children cooking.
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