Alright, let’s talk about them fancy French baking tools. I ain’t no fancy baker, mind you, but I know a thing or two about gettin’ stuff done in the kitchen. You don’t need a whole heap of gadgets, just the good ones, ya know?
First off, you gotta have somethin’ to flip your stuff with. They call it a fish spatula, but I use it for everything – pancakes, eggs, and yeah, even them fancy French pastries if I ever got around to makin’ ’em. A good one, stainless steel they say, that’s what you want. Sturdy, ya know? Don’t want it bendin’ on ya like some of them cheap things.
Now, for bakin’, you need pans. Lots of ’em, if you’re serious. Cake pans, of course. Round ones, square ones, whatever you fancy. But them French folks, they love their tarts. So you gotta get yourself a tart pan, one with them pretty little fluted edges. Makes it look all fancy, even if it ain’t. I saw one at the store the other day, shiny and new. Almost bought it, but then I remembered I got bills to pay.
- Cake pans (round, square, you name it)
- Tart pan (gotta have them fluted edges!)
Whether you’re some big-shot pastry chef or just a regular person like me who likes to bake now and then, you need good tools. It’s like plantin’ corn, ya need a good hoe, ain’t no gettin’ around it. Same with bakin’. You can’t make a good cake with a rusty old pan, can ya?
Anyways, them French folks, they don’t like their stuff too sweet. And they don’t go crazy with the icing neither. It’s all about the flavor, they say. Apples, pears, nuts, even flowers sometimes! Can you believe it? Flowers in a cake! Well, I guess if it tastes good, it tastes good. I ain’t gonna argue with that.
They got all sorts of fancy pastries, them French. Croissants, them flaky things. And eclairs, long and filled with cream. Brioche, that’s like a fancy bread, real soft and buttery. And macarons, them little colorful cookies that cost a fortune. I tried to make them once, what a mess! Stuck to the pan like glue. Guess I ain’t no French baker, that’s for sure.
Profiteroles, those are like little cream puffs. Beignets, those are fried dough, kinda like donuts but fancier. Paris-Brest, looks like a big ol’ wheel, filled with cream. Mille Feuille, that’s layers of pastry and cream, real delicate. Pain au Chocolat, chocolate bread, my grandkids love that stuff. And Religieuse, two cream puffs stacked on top of each other, looks like a nun, they say. Fancy names for fancy treats, I tell ya.
They call them pastry shops “patisseries”. Sounds all highfalutin, don’t it? But it’s just a bakery, plain and simple. They sell all them fancy French pastries, and they charge an arm and a leg for ’em. I’d rather make my own, even if they don’t look as pretty.
So, if you want to try your hand at French baking, get yourself some good tools. Don’t go buyin’ everythin’ in the store, just the essentials. A good spatula, some pans, and a whole lotta patience. And maybe a good cookbook too. I got one somewhere, dusty and old, but it’s got some good recipes in it. Maybe I’ll try that tart again, see if I can make it look all fancy like them French folks.
Bakin’ is bakin’ no matter how ya slice it, whether it’s a simple pie or some fancy French thing. You just need good tools and a little bit of elbow grease. And don’t forget the love, ya gotta put your heart into it, that’s the secret ingredient.
Tags: French Baking, Baking Tools, Pastry, Tart Pan, Kitchen Utensils, French Pastries, Baking Equipment, Cake Pans, Spatula, Dessert
