Last Friday I mentioned how annoying I find the mixture of food and politics. I was talking about kiwi fruit then.

But after thinking about it some more, I should also say that I find the whole anti-French, anti-European political demagoging to be absurd, and at the very least, self-righteous. We Americans come from all cultures, including European ones. We’re mongrels. Inclusive. 

So why the smug sneers when someone eats French food or knows how to speak Chinese or has a father who came from Kenya?

Especially when it comes to food. Lately the anti-French thing has ratcheted up. It would be laughable if it weren’t so dumb.

Are they kidding? Do these people understand how much French culture has given us? Manet. Cezanne. Matisse. Proust and his famous madeleines. Hugo. Voltaire. Debussy. Faure. Halevy.

And so on.

And the food? Have these people ever tried French Onion Soup? Eclairs or Crepes? Cassoulet? Ratatouille? Chocolate Mousse?

Those are just a few of the goodies we know from French cooking.

Not to be sneered at.

I admit it. I learned to speak French in high school and bemoan the fact that I wasn’t very good at it so I can’t speak any anymore and my daughter has teased me about not even remembering how to conjugate “etre” (“to be”).

I also love and admire French food, one of the mother cuisines, one of the best in the world and from which some of the most famous chefs and their famous creations have come.

I wish these politicians would get off this subject. They sound silly and hollow, not to say unfit for any office. 

Here’s a recipe for FRENCH Ratatouille. It’s terrific in the summer when you can use fresh tomatoes, and in the winter it’s terrific too (use canned tomatoes). Good as a main course at a vegetarian meal (add eggs or a whole grain casserole) or as a side dish with meat, poultry or fish. 

Ratatouille

1 medium eggplant, about one pound

2 medium zucchini

salt to taste

1/4 cup olive oil

2 medium onions, sliced

2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, deseeded and sliced

1 green bell pepper, deseeded and sliced

1 28-ounce can Italian style tomatoes, including liquid

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1-2 sprigs thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cut the eggplant and zucchinis into bite size pieces, place in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let rest for 30 minutes, dry with paper towels. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper and green pepper and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, basil and thyme. Partially cover the pan and cook for about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Makes 4 servings

And that’s the reason why, the other day when I was in my car and listening to an NPR radio call-in show and the subject was “what do you miss?” I thought of several things, but the one that surprised me was “Old fashioned French cuisine.”

Crepes Suzettes and Onion Soup and Duck a L’Orange and Potato Galette and Filet of Beef with Mushrooms, Foie Gras and Madeira sauce. 

And I not only miss the food, which current day aficionados regard as heavy and too rich, I also miss the portion sizes. In the old days you could actually get a hunk of something in a great restaurant. Like a whole duck breast or two or three thick slices of meat. The trend today is toward tasting menus, with many courses but just a few tastes of each.

I like today’s style eating. In fact, I prefer the tasting menus and the new, more creative dishes and use of international ingredients and cooking styles. I am not knocking this more modern, and even healthier approach.

I’m just sayin’ … I miss the other stuff too. 

Does anyone remember going into a French restaurant and sitting down in a lovely room with tables that had crisp linens and bouquets of flowers but mostly the perfume in the air was caramelizing sugar because somewhere, in another part of the room, someone was having dessert and the waiter was preparing the crepes at tableside?

I miss that smell.

I could go for some Crepes Suzettes right now too.

When I get a chance I think I’ll make some crepes and freeze them, for the next time I get a Crepes Suzette attack. 

Of course, these days you can buy ready-made crepes. And if you do, or if you’re the kind of person who already has some frozen ones, you can make this wonderful recipe for Crepes with Orange Butter. It isn’t precisely Crepes Suzette, but is rich, buttery and citrusy and is a whole lot easier to make on short notice.

Crepes with Orange Butter

6 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons sugar

finely grated peel and juice of one orange

6 tablespoons ground almonds

12-18 crepes (depending on size)

1/3 cup unflavored brandy

1/4 cup orange flavored liqueur

Preheat the oven broiler with the rack about 6-inches from the heat. In a bowl, beat the butter with 4 tablespoons of the sugar until creamy and well blended. Beat in the orange peel, orange juice and almonds. Place equal amounts of the mixture in the center of each of the crepes. Fold the crepes in half, then fold them again so they become triangle shape. Place the filled crepes in a heatproof serving dish. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over the crepes. Place the crepes in the broiler to cook for 2 minutes or so or until the sugar starts to caramelize. While the crepes are under the broiler, heat the brandy and orange flavored liqueur in a pan. When the liquid is hot, ignite it with a match, whirling the pan around until the flames die out. Remove the crepes from the broiler and spoon the hot liquid over them. Makes 6-8 servings