Vive le upside down

Tarte Tatin par excellence

My French friends are celebrating Bastille Day. Le quatorze juillet is the Fete nationale, commemorating the storming of the Bastille prison in Paris on 14 July 1789 during the French Revolution. Festivities are held all over France to mark this event and it’s an opportunity to eat a splendid French dessert.

Grandma knew all about my love of French cuisine from when I lived in France. One of my favourite puddings is the famous ‘Tarte Tatin’. The story goes that the Tatin sisters were cooking an Apple pie but left it too long in the oven. Their rescue attempt involved turning it upside down and, much to their surprise, their guests loved the result. So it just goes to show that you should never be too worried if your baking isn’t quite what you expected it to be!

There are lots of fantastic recipes for Tarte Tatin. Here’s Felicity Cloate’s version of  How to cook the perfect Tarte Tatin. I'd use less sugar just like Grandma!

And it’s Le Tour de France on TV just now and a chance to see the amazing scenery of this beautiful country. Have you got a favourite French dessert?