Saturday, March 27, 2010

March Daring Bakers Challenge: Grapefruit Tian


In Texas, though oranges are abundantly available, we prefer our own Ruby Red grapefruits from the Rio Grande Valley. This dessert French dessert has now been revamped Texas style (minus the big hair; although it might have an accent). What inspired my citrus swap was a) the large yellow mesh bag of pink globes recently purchased on my return trip to the Valley and b) the French's historic obsession with all things Texan. While grapefruits are not strictly Texan, nor American for that matter, they represent something to us as a State: Our grapefruits are the biggest!

The French language even has a word for grapefruit: pamplemousse. Though they don't have a word for jalapeno or taco. So of course I don't mean to be inventing the wheel of cheese here.

An excerpt from my American Food History class:

"Tacos benefited from a French infatuation with all things Texan in the late 1980's. The Tex-Mex historian Robb Walsh attributes this fad to Jean-Jacques Beineix's hugely popular film Betty Blue(1986), about a mentally unbalanced woman and her tquila-swigging, chili-con-carne cooking lover, Zorg. When the film premiered, a struggling Tex-Mex restaurant called Le Studio, in the Marais neighborhood of Paris became an overnight success and spawned a dozen imitators. " -Jeffrey M. Pilcher "Eating Mexican in a Global Age"

Now the thoughts of crepes shaped in the infamous "U" filled with chunks of brie and filet de boeuf and herbes de provence instead of chili spices. Doesn't sound too bad, non?

The 2010 March Daring Baker’s challenge was hosted by Jennifer of Chocolate Shavings. She chose Orange Tian as the challenge for this month, a dessert based on a recipe from Alain Ducasse’s Cooking School in Paris.

5 comments:

Mary said...

I love Ruby Red grapefruits and I used some in my tian too, but they were tiny and very un-Texan! Yours looks lovely, and I'd love some tian tacos!

Anonymous said...

Oh, I didn't know the French had the word pamplemousse. In German we have the word Pampelmuse. This is funny! Anyway, good job on the challenge!

Unknown said...

mmmm! looks delicious! Love your coordinating pink plate :)

astheroshe said...

Love your pink grapefruit! Very nice!

Jenni said...

Great job!! Your grapefruit tian looks beautiful!