Shortly after arriving at college, I decided to study abroad. It was one of those rare and beautiful decisions that seem to make themselves. I had studied French for several years in high school, so I would go to France, of course. Just a couple of weeks after turning twenty-one, I boarded a plane to Paris with two other girls, wide-eyed and ready for adventure. I hardly remember packing for the trip, but I clearly recall the combined thrill of confusion, exhaustion and embarrassment that followed upon landing on a foreign continent.
Somehow, we found our way from Paris to Bordeaux, first via train, then tram. Along the way, we heaved our luggage up long flights of stairs and squeezed them into our travel compartments. Our final test was pulling our belongings behind us across an endless gravel parking lot to our dilapidated dorm buildings. Given the option to either laugh or cry, I found myself giggling like a maniac as my wrists went numb from the vibrations and my arms threatened to fall clean off.
In Bordeaux, we tried to live as cheaply as possible, which meant that we cooked in the dorms almost every night. In town, we stocked up on the essentials: dried pasta and baguettes, jarred pasta sauce, fruit and vegetables, cheese, wine and beer. When we first arrived, it was cold enough outside that we could hang out cheese and beer out the window in plastic grocery bags. After winter ended, I realized that, well, refrigeration isn’t quite as necessary as I had previously thought. Every night, we met up in a dorm kitchen and cooked dinner together using a couple of pots and pans we’d bought on the cheap. Our tiled, pink “kitchens” were relatively spacious given the lack of a refrigerator, oven and microwave. Each floor’s kitchen offered a sink and an electric stovetop that usually worked. That’s all. My two friends were content eating plain spaghetti with tomato sauce and bread every night, but I branched out with vegetables and spices. I had no idea what I was doing, but I had fun playing with my dinners. One of my favorite combinations was sautéed zucchini and red bell pepper with spicy arrabbiata sauce. Constraints fostered creativity in those run-down kitchens, and I discovered a new interest in cooking.
I also discovered good beer while I was there. I left the U.S. with a distaste for beer in general and came back with a long list of newfound favorites. My two friends were a year older than me and introduced me to the European beers I had been missing out on. I quickly learned that Belgians make the best beer. Stella Artois’ logo was everywhere we went in Europe. Stella Artois is a lovely, light, well-balanced pilsner made with five basic ingredients: water, barley malt, hops, non-malted grains and Stella Artois’ unique yeast strain. It’s malty with a crisp, slightly bitter finish—meaning that it pairs well with a wide variety of meals, from light to hearty. Try spicy dishes (think Indian, Mexican, Thai), cheese (cheese plates, pizza) and this mostly ratatouille pasta dish.
Stella Artois asked me to share a heritage-style recipe that pairs well with their beer. I came up with this spicy, roasted, mostly vegetable pasta dish, which features classic French ratatouille flavors and reminds me of those dinners in Bordeaux. Once you’ve diced your vegetables, the dish comes together with minimal effort for a spicy, satisfying, healthy meal.
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Stella Artois and I received compensation for my participation. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K! Make it gluten free: Substitute gluten-free pasta for the whole-grain spaghetti.
