In which Claire, who doesn’t speak French, bakes her way through the cake section of a French cookbook from 1962.Last week I rambled on and on about how much I like songs about ramblers. Specifically those of Robert Johnson. The truth is I’m fascinated by books and films about drifters and wanderers as well. Perhaps the fascination stems from the fact that I’m such a homebody myself, and I really can’t imagine what it feels like to be completely rootless. I’m so deeply entrenched in a routine, so deeply involved with my family, so fond of my house, and my garden, and my own bed. Sometimes I feel as though I’d like a break from my routine. Sometimes, in spring, I get the urge to leave town – to just go – with no plan and no purpose. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to just take off – no ties, no cares, no possessions or responsibilities. But I never feel that way for long, and I can’t imagine needing to be on the road, being uncomfortable in a room, or in one place for long.

Somehow the idea of a wild wanderer takes on more strange significance for me when the rambler in question is a woman. One of my favorite films on the subject, by one of my favorite filmmakers, is Agnes Varda’s Sans toit ni loi. It’s a bleak but beautiful film that tells the story of Mona, a vagabond who travels through French wine country in the icy, lonely off-season. She’s a complicated, thorny character, and we learn about her through her encounters with others – some who are cruel and some who are kind. Some feed her and give her a warm place to stay, some reject her and the way she’s chosen to live, some abuse her. It unfolds slowly and beautifully at a quiet, deliberate pace, punctuated by moments of human interaction – brief pockets of time in which Mona finds food, and warmth, and conversation.

One of the ways in which people show Mona kindness is by feeding her, or preparing meals with her, but I doubt they make anything like this gateau aux amandes! In complete contrast to last week’s French cake, which was very mild and plain, this one is quite rich and sweet. It’s a no-bake cake, consisting of a layer of ladyfinger cookies surrounding a center of ground almonds, sugar and creme fraiche. It’s very delicious, but not for the faint of heart. I decided to try to make my own ladyfinger cookies, based on the knowledge that the batter is very similar to the gateau de savoie recipe, and based on some notes scribbled in my cookbook that I assumed were a secret recipe for biscuits cuiller. It’s quite amusing, really, how much of a fail this was! I can laugh about it now! The cookies are supposed to be piped onto a tray. I don’t have a pastry bag, so I used a spoon to make the finger shape. After two minutes, I looked in the oven and saw that everything had grown together into one big lake of batter. Ha ha ha!! How we laughed! So I decided to run with that idea, and I baked some on a small jelly roll pan. Then I cut out pieces the size of a lady finger cookie. Not the prettiest thing ever, but very very tasty! The recipe says to serve the cake with vanilla cream, but I think it’s sweet enough as it is. It’s nice cut into thin slices, served with fresh fruit, or a tart-fruit compote.

Here’s Claude Francois with Reveries. I love this crazy video! I want to be one of his soave back-up dancers.

1 cup almonds
1 cup sugar
7 T butter
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1 box of ladyfinger cookies (or try the recipe below)

Combine the almonds and sugar in a food processor and process till very finely ground. Melt the butter, and pour that into the food processor along with the vanilla, process until very smooth.

Line a small bowl or charlotte mold with cookies or pieces of cake, overlapping them slightly. Pour the almond mixture into the cookie nest. Add a layer of cookies to the top, and make it nice and smooth and even.

Refrigerate the whole thing for a few hours, then warm the bowl by dipping it in warm water, and turn out onto a plate.

Cookies

4 eggs, separated
5 T very soft butter
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour

Preheat the oven to 350. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Combine the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until light yellow and frothy. Beat in the butter, and then the flour, till you have a smooth batter. Fold in the egg white.

Butter and flour a baking sheet with edges or a jelly roll pan. Spread the batter in an even layer. Cook for about half an hour until the top feels firm and is starting to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut into pieces about an inch wide and 4 or 5 inches long.