I struggle to reconcile my contradictions, sometimes. I can be a book snob, but secretly loved it when my oldest niece requested that I read the Harry Potter series, so that we could discuss the novels’ themes. I love trying new restaurants and exploring interesting shops, but I’m horrified by the displacement of the poor that’s happening in some of our newly hip neighbourhoods. Suburban-raised and city-dwelling, university-educated and a little downwardly-mobile, my contradictions are predictable, but bothersome all the same.
One contradiction I’m not so bothered by is my love of both old fashioned, family-style cooking and complicated, elegant fare. I’ve been making simple cookies like Snickerdoodles and Chocolate Crinkles since I was a child, but I was just as happy to learn how to make this week’s French Fridays recipe, Îles flottantes. Especially since, like so many of Dorie’s recipes, it’s easier than it looks.
Dorie’s recipes for both the meringue and the Crème Anglaise divide nicely, so I was able to make just enough for Kevin and me (there may have been seconds involved, but I’m pretty sure there are no witnesses to attest to that).
I thought about making some of Dorie’s Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce to serve with the Floating Islands, but instead ran down the street to Woodland Smokehouse and Commissary and picked up some Earnest Ice Cream. Their pints, in adorable, and returnable, little jars, are just indulgent enough for the two of us. I passed over Whiskey Hazelnut, Tahitian Vanilla, and Cardamom, settling on Milk Chocolate, instead. It’s like a Dairy Milk in a jar and was a perfect counterpoint to the intense vanilla of the Crème Anglaise.
I’m quite positive that I’m going to continue to be of two minds about a lot of things, but not about this dessert. Now, if I can just manage to make it to Dîner en Blanc next year, I think I’ve got a perfectly elegant picnic dessert up my sleeve.
You can find many other blogged descriptions of this week’s FFWD recipe here: Floating Islands
One Wet Foot 
I make a lot of vintage recipes from old cookbooks and magazines and am surprised how well they stand in today’s food scene. This is a heritage recipe for me and it’s still as good as ever. Excellent job Teresa!
Yes, I feel the same way about my old cookbooks and magazines. My Mom and I came across my grandmother’s stash of old cookbooks and recipes cut from newspapers and magazines. I’m looking forward to trying them.
This one was worth the time and effort…a big hit in our house, too! Your Floating Islands look perfectly lovely, Teresa! The ice cream sounds yummy…love the returnable jar idea!
Thanks, Kathy – I love being able to return containers, rather than recycle or toss them. The cute factor is also a selling point, though, I have to admit.
Love the crust on your meringue, Teresa. The Earnest Ice Cream flavors all sound amazing… and the returnable jars give you at least one less dilemma to focus on. 🙂
My grandmother gave me pretty recently her OLD copy of The Joy of Cooking, and it’s been fun looking at all the “now retro” recipes.
That’s so lovely. I’ve got an old thrift store copy of it, but it’s so much more meaningful when it’s been passed from one generation to another.
I love searching through my old recipe cards to make some of my mom’s dishes just as much as trying out new Dorie recipes. Glad you two enjoyed this one!
My Mom and I have an on and off project of getting her to collate and write down all her recipes. It’s a lot of fun seeing what ‘the thing’ was through the sixties and seventies.
Your dessert turned out just fab – love the chocolate icecream.
Thanks, Gaye!
There may have been seconds involved in our house too… I plated seven desserts and only needed six. After everyone left, I couldn’t let the last one go to waste, now could I?
I spent a large portion of yesterday helping my parents clean out the farm house – which has been in my dad’s family since it was built in the 1770’s. My dad found one of my grandmother’s old recipe books (hand written and clipped recipes that she had collected) and there is something very appealing about the simple comfort of them. Although, I have a feeling that the best recipes never made it out of her head and onto a sheet of paper…
There must be so much history there ! The book is an amazing find. My mother has a similar notebook that belonged to her mother and there are some great recipes there. I know what you mean about recipes never making it out of someone’s head, too. My mother is a very intuitive cook, who rarely has to consult recipes and comes up with new things all the time. Unless someone brings her a book and a pen, though, those dishes aren’t recorded.
Wow, those ice cream flavors sound amazing. I would have to try one of each 🙂 Interesting thoughts on contradictions. I definitely have some myself. When it comes to dessert, though, I’m pretty simple. There are very few that I don’t like!
So pretty and I love your little furry baby – what eyes! I’ve always wanted to make Diner en Blanc – someday, sigh! Hope your venison turns out well 🙂
Great post. And I very much agree with many of your contradictions.