Banlieue Blog

United Nations Cheesecake

2009-06-18T08:26:00.008-04:00

A Birthday cake was needed! I just recived a new issue of Good Food direct from England......inside was a mini-edition of Olive Magazine. It was filled with some interesting recipes, including a lovely Chocolate Swirled Cheesecake from non other than Chef Gordon Ramsay. The bête noire, who was getting some press 'down under'!

The ingredients included Double Cream(hard to come by in the US), Creme Fraiche, and some high cocoa chocolate (brought over from France)! I set off to Lexington to Whole Foods.....just to see! I knew they carried Creme Fraiche! What a surprise to find Double Cream, and boy-oh-boy.....this was thick and delicious! The recipe called for Digestive Biscuits, but I had Chocolate Graham crackers on hand and thought I would substitute!

Now you see why I call this the United Nations Cheesecake! A real combo of ingredients. The beauty of this recipe is it is non-bake.......so no cracking and fiddly baking. I combined and swirled and then we celebrated a birthday and fought over the last crumb. Creamy, smooth, a hint of lemon and that wonderful rich chocolate. Even the crust set off the taste of the cheesecake!

Gourmet 1988!

2009-05-13T15:01:00.008-04:00

I used to save old magazines with recipes that I thought I might cook. Then the pile got huge. My super organized hubby suggested that I rip the recipe or article that I liked out and place it in a book. Well, that was too organized for me at that time, so I had a box filled with recipes. No, not a pretty box with flowers or cute cooking things, it was a packing box. Then, I got the organizational bug, hmmmmmm, maybe 10 years later, and put all those recipes in a book. I even have a special room in our new house to peruse my books of recipes now.

Needless to say, I haven't cooked each and every recipe, but the urge does strike to try one out, and I have been saving a Quiche Recipe that caught my eye from Gourmet Magazine, circa 1988. I was living in France at the time and running after a 1 year old boy. Not a lot of time to devote to cooking, but I knew I'd get back to it later in life!

I made a Flavored Dough as the base for my quiche. A parmesean and garlic powder blend. I gotta' say, this was very tasty and filled the kitchen with a good aroma while blind-baking.

The recipe was called, Crab and Saga Blue Quiche, Savoir Fare. Sounds good, huh?
I bought some Saga Blue cheese, couldn't find any crab though and wasn't going to make the trek to Lexington to find some good Crab meat. BUT, I did find some Florida Rock Shrimp that looked like it might go just fine. Wow......this was the best quiche I have made in a long time.

Moral to the story, save those old recipes and enjoy a cup of morning coffee or evening glass of wine, look through your pile of recipes and plan that next meal!

Baking Frenzy

2009-04-19T09:02:00.007-04:00

Easter has come and gone, but there are still some leftover crumbs! About a week before the holiday, I start thinking of what Bread I'll be making! I thought about Croissant, but I got lazy! A typical Easter Bread for our family is the Brioche. Buttery, tender crumb and can have several applications to a batch of dough. I found some more Plugra at Liquor Barn (of all places!!), my local Kroger had fresh yeast and I was on my way.

During my years in France (ahhhh, but a thought away) I have attended many cooking classes, hands-on and demo's! My first Cordon Bleu was a Saturday morning hands-on class. It was lots of fun, my two buddies AA and Barb were loads of laughs, but the dough was already made for us. We were just shaping and baking. A 'taste' into the world of baking, really! I knew I wanted MORE! A 5-day intensive class came a few years later and this recipe is from that exciting class! I also did a last minute, before my move class at Le Notre which was a delight!

The 'old man' hooked up the 220v outlet for me and I am in business with all my Euro gadgets! This yummy looking dough is full of butter and will rest/ferment in the fridge for a few days if you'd like. This dough rose beautifully in the fridge and easy to pull out and shape up for Easter Breakfast & days beyond.

Yummy!

Check my flickr site on the side, for some other sites of Spring in Kentucky!

Garlic Fougasse!

2009-04-04T17:32:00.006-04:00

Having a well-stocked freezer is a good thing! But, let me be honest......my freezer is the black hole of well intentioned, but long forgotten goodies!

I love to make Pizza Dough, those who know me, know this to be a fact. It also brings me pleasure to know that pizza dough is in the freezer to be thawed at a whim!

So, the reason for this post is developing right now, a lovely pasta I was making for dinner needed some fresh bread! I haven't found a Boulangerie here in my town yet!!! (I never will!)
So, the dough from the freezer called my name and it soon was on it's way to becoming a garlic fougasse! I shaped the dough, brushed with garlic butter and fresh herbs and let it rise in my big ol' American oven.

The result was tender and delicious!

Lasagna for 'the house'

2009-03-15T18:28:00.006-04:00

What house? The White House? The Frat House?.......oh yeah, our house! Here in the Blue Grass!
Spring Break comes early for the schools in the north, and we had a wonderful week with our bearded-baby. He insisted on cooking for us one night, his specialty!! Scaled down for a family of 3, not a Frat House of 80 dudes!

I must say, our trip to the new favorite store Meijer in Hamburg netted some good items. I did influence my son (insisted) that he try some Italian Sausage to his mix. He relented! Other than that he did follow the 'house' recipe.

I also had some 1-step lasagna sheets on hand that I thought we should use up. I must say, the conoction had some great tastes! He raided my spice cabinet for many of my powders and salts and added some fresh garlic to his sauce.

We were delighted with his results, and are enjoying another serving (plus some for the freezer) tonight. The
'bearded-baby' is back 'up North' and Max is a little depressed right now. As all parents will join me in this thought.......we can't wait till the next visit home!

Mom!!!!! What happened to the pie?

2009-03-08T11:20:00.007-04:00

Spring Break......and I start to get into my recipes that please a 21 year old. Pie....who doesn't like pie??
Chocolate cream pie, did you say? Whipped cream, choco shavings?

Everybody likes pie, like I said......even black and white dogs. Seems like, while I was on Skype with my bearded-baby, a black and white dog helped himself to some pie.

This caused great rushing around and phone calls to the vet, but Max was ok and I lopped off half the pie and all was well and good! yes, we ate the rest of the pie!

Great flaky butter crust, made with Plugra, the equivalent to my precious French butter!

By the goodness of Grace

2009-03-02T11:00:00.011-05:00

As I hang on to the coat tails of Technology, trying to keep up with my son, every once in a while I find a gadget that is easy to use and wonder why it took so long for me to find this thing.
It is called the Grace WI-FI Internet Radio. and it is awesome!

Of course I can't really take the credit for finding this gem of a tool......it was my 'bearded baby' who said that he just found an 'app' for his I-Phone, he said he was streaming some old radio stations that we used to listen to in France.
That got me to thinking that I can stream from my computer! Next was a little internet search of a gadget that might let me carry my music from room to room. You'll find several radio's like Squeezebox, but I needed to economize and found Grace! As you can see, CNET gave it a great little review. The 'bearded baby' gave it his blessing and off to Best Buy I did go.

Easy to set-up, easy to use....and now I'm streaming my favorite jazz stations like FIP-FM and TSF. Oh-La-La!

FIP's programming is an eclectic mix of musical genres: chanson, rock, world music, classical music, film music, jazz and more, but connected with a theme. FIP is one of the few stations with this type of programming in the world.
TSF Jazz has a wonderful selection of all jazz, classics from the 30's & 40's. Both stations have disk jockeys who speak slow enough for my poor French! That way I'll always know the weather and the next National Strike date! Oh.....those were the days!

A few nights with........Phil

2009-02-28T17:32:00.003-05:00

I feel like I've been invited to a secret society! He is a local cult figure! You open a newspaper and his name pops up, you read a local magazine and there his name is again. Phil is his name! I fortunately, was added to his eMail list and got to come to some classes. They are held in a lovely 'home' that has been turned into a fantastic showroom. He cooks on an AGA that has been produced for the American market. A roaring gas stove-top is at his command. Then he bakes in a dreamy Wolf oven. Yes, one can dream!

One of the things I really enjoy about Phil's classes are that you come away learning a lot! Yep, I've been to quite a few classes in my years, but his recipes are delicious and pretty easy to prepare.....in other words, they are perfect weeknight fare! BUT, also perfect for stress free entertaining!

I've been to his Egg class, he had so many tricks and tips. A Casserole class netted some real keepers, I even sent that batch of recipes up to 'the bearded baby' when he cooks for his Frat House! We have had a Tapas night and I brought 'the old man' along for this latest class of Brisket (2 ways)!
I did bring my son along to a class during his holiday break and Phil could not have been more generous! The 'bearded baby' mentioned that he cooks for his Frat House from time to time and Phil promised some recipes to cook for a crowd!

You pretty much can't walk away from the class, you are rolling down I-75 towards home! The food and drink flow and you usually get a take-home plate for the loved one who had to stay home!

Phil is a joy to watch and you can tell that he has run his own kitchen! His knife skills are awesome......and the guy can muli-task like no one else! He is a pro. He is also very down to earth. I have learned where to shop here in Lexington for good products! You'll be surprised to learn where he frequents and even where he purchases some of his equipment.

I really shouldn't brag too much about him or his next session of classes could be full!

Popovers!

2009-02-12T13:44:00.002-05:00

Did I ever tell you the story about my Thanksgiving Popovers? No?
Let me make this short and sweet. I usually like to do a 'fresh' bread or roll along side of my 'bird'. Got to thinking about Popovers and thought I could make a batch and bake them off in a muffin tin. Well, those babies did NOT 'pop'! They could have been used as lethal weapons to get rid of any Kentucky critter or evil doer that was passing by. They didn't even make good bird food and our birds eat everything! The birdies turned up their beaks at my offering!

A recent trip to Williams Sonoma, I came home with yet another new baking pan. The mighty popover pan! There are some times when I like living back in the U.S.
Searching through the internet, the worlds biggest cookbook,......I found a recipe that looked pretty good. Sometimes tho, when I look for a recipe I have to find one that fits the ingredients that I have on hand. This recipe called for 2 eggs and I had 3! There ya' go! It also called for some Gruyère cheese, had it in the fridge, I can find a decent one in my Kroger store. Everything was looking good so far.

Looking at the photos above, you can see they rose mighty high and were darned tasty! I'm happy with my purchase and just need to find a place to stash my new piece of cooking equipment!

Lamb Sliders

2009-02-04T16:08:00.007-05:00

Well, Super Bowl Sunday came and went, and to be honest, we went to a movie! I'm just not a big fan of Football. I do, however, enjoy the food that seems to be on the menu during those games!
While we were snowed in, watching the Early Show, I caught a great snippet on Super Bowl food and Sliders!
Still in comfort food mode, I needed some meat and potatoes! Inspired by the cool way of fashioning a burger I was ready to give it a try. Not only did the guy come up with cutting the burger into
a square, a la White Castle's.......he put cheese in the mixture as well.

Let's get to the point. Ground Lamb, green onions, Worcestershire Sauce, Tahini Paste and cilantro. (I could have put some cheese in, but didn't with the lamb) It didn't get any better than that and the result was a very juicy burger. I seared them in my cast iron, then finished them off (not too long) in the oven. Served with roasted sweet potatoes with 'our' special dipping sauce and we had a easy weeknight meal.

The Great Winter Storm!

2009-02-01T08:54:00.003-05:00

I'm back.....
And we survived the Great Storm of '09! We didn't lose power, only Internet and Cable. Compared to many, many others, this just wasn't bad. We had a local Starbucks to log in and enjoyed a coffee or a dinner at the bookstore cafe' called Bronte' Bistro . You can log in, eat a nice little meal and buy books, all centered around a lovely fireplace!

This brings us to the build up for the storm. It has been a while since I faced a full-on Winter Storm. The warnings were out, we had the kerosene heater filled and ready. I had a freezer filled with items just in case we couldn't get out. It did snow, but it was just a preview of coming attractions, so we headed out to the local WalMart whle we could still get out. I wanted to lay-in some real comfort food items. I made a soup last year and it was pretty good. I wanted to make it again, with changes!

This soup can make you feel like you can handle any storm (plus leftovers!). Healthy swiss chard and kale, a bit of beef broth mixed with the chicken (just had both on hand!). A can of fire-roasted tomatoes and a rind of Parmesan cheese. I served it with cornbread and we felt cozy. The changes in the recipe were noted and I wonder what I'll add next year. But for now, I dream of spring! Next project will be saving some of our trees that were savaged by the ice.
Heartbreaking. Again, I think we didn't have it too bad, really!

Kouglof in Kentucky

2008-04-03T15:03:00.011-04:00

As I start to test recipes from France, here in Kentucky, I have to smile when there is success! I took my last French pastry class at Le Notre in October, right before all 'heck' broke loose! I usually try to make the pastry we learn in class at home, just to 'sink' the technique I just paid to learn. With a pending house hunting trip in November, the only thing I had time for was a trip to MORA to buy the special earthenware molds that the chef recommended.

I was so pleased to unpack these lovely molds, and found them in the same condition, just like I picked them up from the shelf at MORA. I got my recipe out, prepped and weighed the ingredients. I knew that I might need a few tries at this recipe, just to nail it.......but, it did work ok.

I will need another try with the recipe. My dough didn't rise in the mold to a real height like they did in class. I wonder if my yeast wasn't fresh enough, or I needed to do the rise with a little warm water near by. I use warm water in a cold oven for the final rise of my Croissants, so this method might work better next time.

The dough however was very easy and supple to work with. Not the usual sticky mess that a traditional brioche dough is. You don't need an overnight, cold proof like you do with normal brioche in this recipe.
My baking in Kentucky continues as spring very slowly approaches! I have finally found some fresh herbs for planting, now, I'm making 'it' home.

Le Creuset (of America)

2008-03-30T12:23:00.008-04:00

Satisfaction: Guaranteed! Lifetime Warranty!
Do you see that written and smirk? Think to your self, yeah RIGHT! Do you keep your receipt, just in case?

Well, my precious blue dutch oven, bought about 30 years ago and used, at least once a week, started to get chips in the bottom of the pan. I thought, lifetime warranty, well, I'll give it a try. In October, while still living in France, I wanted to buy my bearded baby his
first Le Creuset pot. I love going up to the (real) factory store, and my time in France was running out.

I threw my dutch oven in the trunk, thinking that they might be able to do a repair, or....better yet, exchange for a sparkling new one. The lady in the store told me that I should not use the pan anymore, the raw cast iron would leach out into our foods. And, she informed me, no, they don't honor the lifetime warranty if I bought my pot in the USA. So, I bought a new one. The Caribbean Blue took my eye, and I bought my son a blue one.

I decided to pack up my chipped pan in our move and bring her back to America to see if Le Creuset of America would honor the warranty. The lady on the phone told me that I needed a number to include on the packing. I sent it UPS.....didn't cost much, I included a letter and I certainly didn't have the receipt from 30 years ago. No big deal! They determine if the problem was theirs or if I caused the problem. If I caused the problem, I would be offered a discount on another pot, if I wanted. Well......time would tell what they thought!

Well, look what came in the mail. A GORGEOUS brand new dutch oven. Not only is the pan worth it's weight (yep, they are heavy) in enameled gold! The company stands up for the product!

Now, I'm not 'dissing' the French Factory Store, they are very helpful and informative. They try to have the pot in the color you are looking for if you call in advance......the prices are well worth the 2 1/2 hour drive north of Paris! I'm just happy that at the end of the day, satisfaction guarantee, and Lifetime Warranty do mean, just that. Now I can have two dutch ovens bubbling away on my hob!

A trip to the farm......

2008-03-22T13:38:00.005-04:00

Trying to have a little fun in between unpacking, shopping and a daily trip to Lowes, the old man and I signed up for another cooking class! We stumbled on this little place in Midway called, The Honest Farm, one Sunday afternoon.
We walked inside to find a very charming, quaint, big open space. There were some farm veggies to buy, a cold display with homemade yummies like chicken salads, pot pies.....homemade cookies etc. Interesting decor, with a big pot of coffee and tea at the ready.
It seemed like a natural thing to sit down on the great little bistro tables and have a 'cuppa' and a bite of something sweet. The table cloths were wonderful antique cloths that I love and have bought myself on trips 'back home' when we lived in France.
When we got home, I did an internet search on the owner and found that she was a cookbook author, magazine editor, and farmer. What a FIND!! She said she gave cooking classes, and I figured that this was a must on my 'to do' list.

(click on the photo for a great view)

Susie prepared a fantastic brisket, kofta and a wonderful rhubarb upside-down cake. There was also an asperge and egg salad dressed with a simple Vinaigrette. I have to admit, I never liked rhubarb and have avoided it at all costs. Even pulling it out of my garden in France! But, after tasting this cake, I might start to experiment with it! Plus the cake itself was indeed a winner! The class is BYOB and we drink out of Ball Jars......it just adds to the charm. We learned so much, as Susie is very passionate and has great stories to share, along with the cooking demo. There was a copious tasting, I'd call dinner, after the demo. I can't wait till Spring comes and she gets her farm planted and we can start eating fresh veggies!

Basic Food for Dinner

2008-03-11T17:36:00.008-04:00

I found some ground lamb at the grocery......although, I'm having a hard time finding cuts of lamb other than chops (the search for a good butcher is on). The blizzard has passed and we shoveled the snow off the WeberQ. I wanted to cook up an old favorite, Goat Cheese Stuffed Lamb burgers. I had the Goat Cheese already in the fridge. I just needed a 'side' to go with the burgers and green salad.

Enter: Culinary in the Desert and Joe!

Sometimes you just need to take a look at the other blogs and see what 'those guys' are eating! Joe always has something wonderful to chose from, he updates daily! His Four Cheese Mac-n-Cauliflower Cheese looked great, and gave me another excuse to feed the 'Bearded Baby' some veggies!

Bubbling hot from the oven, I knew this was a winner. Check out the link to the recipe at Joe's Blog!

(there is another lamb patty that goes on top of the goat cheese!)

The lamb burgers were great, even with the Goat Cheese (I'm not complaining about American products, I swear!!). The Red Pepper Mayo is another great recipe from a BBQ class I used to teach. This will stay fresh in the fridge for about a week.

The lesson for today......check out the blogs for some great dinner ideas!

The Urge to Bake

2008-03-09T10:52:00.008-04:00

Since I'm just about unpacked and feeling as settled as can be right now......I have had the urge to get back into the kitchen and see if I still 'have it'!
I really haven't done any baking since leaving France, and if you remember I took a couple of classes at Le Notre right before we started packing.
I always think I'll remember each and every thing that the chef tells us (during the class), and I don't always write things down. Well, I got my notes out for the Macaron class and 'damn'.....I didn't remember each and every thing after all. I continued on with each step and 'it' came back. From the triple baking trays, to the twist and turn, and the 2 hour wait before you garnish with ganche!
Note to self: Write everything down, keep your camera next to your station during each class!
I was pleased and relieved that I can still bake in KY.

(click on the photo for a better view)

I found some fresh yeast at my local Kroger that produced a lovely pizza and a 'garlic flat bread'.
I still love Roberto Donna's recipe! My cannele's turned out delish! And my trusty Simac Ice Cream Maker churned out some great coconut ice cream for a 20 year old on spring break. If I can still fit into my yoga clothes, I've got to get started again.
Best wishes from Kentucky!

ps

2008-02-25T20:57:00.002-05:00

for those of you who aren't luck enough to have 'an old man' in tow......he is the one who makes everything happen for me! the mounting of the painting........all the electrical work.....
lucky me!

Have Oven, Will Travel!

2008-02-25T14:13:00.009-05:00

I'm starting to get settled, here in Kentucky. We survived a Tornado Warning and high winds while they were unloading our 'precious' stuff. Snow and ice hit our little 'burb, then the sun comes out and you want to start planting! Welcome back to the 'states'! I did order and receive our 'weather alert radio'. Although I'm not looking forward to any middle of the night sirens again, the basement floor is COLD!

(All my favorite French products, painting by Melissa Werpy. painting attached to my pantry door!)

When we heard that we were going to move in a very quick fashion, I did try to get rid of my convection oven. I just assumed that all houses in the states came with 2 ovens. WRONG, a regular oven & a microwave oven were found in the houses we looked at. Suddenly it looked like my Metro brand oven was going to take a voyage across the ocean! Of course, my dough machine, juicer, big-fat-fryer, and professional crepe maker got included in the shipment.

I decided to do a little relaxing = baking yesterday. I mixed up a batch of Cannele batter. I wanted to see how Pierre Herme would do in Kentucky! Having rested the batter till this morning, I baked off a batch.....bah oui!!! The ladies look luscious. Somewhere, someone described a Cannele as a portable Creme Brulee. Look at that creamy center with a crisp outer-shell.
The French oven worked and I think Pierre is giving me 'thumbs-up' right now!

I've unpacked my Kougloff molds and have yeast in hand.......look out!! Where did I pack my scale.....oh well!!

Hey Ya'll!

2008-01-27T14:18:00.000-05:00

I'm channeling Paula Deen since moving to Kentucky.

Well, I've been in the U.S. for a good 3 weeks.....there are surprises, good and bad. I won't dwell on the bad, ok! We are still waiting for our 'stuff'.......living in limbo, even with a nice view just isn't cutting it anymore!

Having lived in an 'expat' community for a long time, you learn that as 'the new gal', you've got to get out and get your feet wet. Sign up for groups, seek out exercise classes.....find the next cooking class! Well, the mecca of all things culinary is as far as 'the mall'. Williams-Sonoma! I've been super curious about their offerings of cooking demonstrations, so I signed 'the old man' and myself up for the Super Bowl Snack demo.

A full house surrounded our chef/instructor. A place setting, cold drinks and pans were heating on 'the hob'. She did a great job, we grazed while she set out to create the next snack. It was a fun evening. Let's not forget about the 10% reduction you get while attending a class. I had to buy some Alziari Olive Oil.......oh the memories.

Since then, we took a drive to Midway, I met a very interesting young woman and promise to blog about her soon!

Life through Fresh Eyes!

2007-12-24T03:17:00.001-05:00

You already know this, for a fact! I Love Paris! Paris has been our home for the past 23 years! It gets under your skin......you become a part of it! I've even laid claim to monuments and places! But.......in September, we learned it was time to move on.

Where? Why? When?

We will be moving on December 31st......very symbolic, don't you think? Starting the new year in our new home? You will find me in Lexington Ky now. Why Kentucky? Gosh, it was a bit like throwing the dart towards the map and seeing where it landed, remember the Cher movie, Mermaids? Kentucky has all the towns, like Paris, Winchester, Frankfort, even Versailles that sounded familiar!!!! Rolling hills, horses, deer!

Now you might understand my silence these past few months. It is a very emotional experience to pick up 'sticks' and move on. Let alone orchestrate and organize an international move. I promise to update this blog more often......I mean you've got to read about my Reverse Culture Shock!! Discover where I'll be shopping and how I get on with the day-to-day of life in the US.

Someone told me that I will be looking at life with Fresh Eyes.......I think I've been away long enough that this will be a new adventure. This gal logged much International Experience and I believe she might be right. I'm going to take her advice and try to see my new life with Fresh Eyes.

Happy Holidays to all my friends & readers!

See you on the 'other side'.

Les Kouglofs et Brioches

2007-10-30T02:53:00.000-04:00

Continuing with a passion, I was off to LeNotre yesterday. A rainy, cold day is perfect to be captive learning about dough! Safe in the warm kitchen, watching the rain and gazing at the Grand Palais, pencil in hand and camera at the ready. The Kouglof has been a guilty pleasure of mine for years. I do my grocery shopping at Monoprix, get my veggies and fruit at the special fruit stand and finish off my shopping trip with a mini-kouglof, from Le Notre, for the ride home.

Shifting into second gear while driving home and wiping sugary syrup from your chin is a challenge, but well worth it! I've been wanting to learn the secret of a LeNotre Kouglof for years and now is the time!

As you know, baking is all about chemistry. Well.......so is a cooking class! I've taught hands-on in my home for a few years now. I understand the 'chemistry' of a class. You've got shy ladies, new ladies, know-it-all's. It is up to the instructor to bring the class together, create a fun atmosphere for learning and when they leave, they feel like they've experienced something special. I always hope that they feel like they can tackle what I taught. I'm not complaining about this particular class I took, I learned the technique that was taught. The class was flat, if that makes any sense!

Armed with my recipes and yet another planned shopping trip to MORA for molds, I am still thrilled with the opportunity to learn the art of French Viennoiserie!

Les Macarons Monday

2007-10-26T09:26:00.000-04:00

There are times when I have to pinch myself. How lucky can I get? Times when you just don't take things for granted!

I'm talking about last Monday, when I attended a class at LeNotre.

We learned so many tricks and techniques, I couldn't write fast enough! I had a fun group, a French woman who lived in Miami translated all the fine points that I would have lost. The chef was great and even passed on more recipes for us to take home. I couldn't wait to try my hand at home.

The last time I attended a class at LeNotre, I didn't come home and make the pastry and now, I've lost all the secrets and wouldn't want to attempt it till I go to another class. The class was Puff Pastry Inversee'. A tough technique.

After this class, I gathered the ingredients and made the Macarons and I was darned proud of the results.

Take a look at the single Macaron, that is mine!

Enjoy the photos!

Let Them Eat Cake!

2007-10-08T11:44:00.001-04:00

I'm sure by now, any faithful reader, my mom and son included, have stopped checking my blog. If you have thought that I got lost, yes, in a way, I have. When I blog.....I share my 'joy'. That 'joyful' feeling has been way-laid of late. Explanations excluded, ok.

Lets talk about an idea I had last June, it came to fruition a week ago. And boy, was it fun to see it develop and execute! It was also received with excited feedback. It was called the Let Them Eat Cake Picnic!

I've been working with a gal out of Texas for a couple of years now. She runs a tour biz for ladies and it has been great watching her business grow! I got involved by teaching a cooking class for her clients. The successful format is a Hands-On Crepe class. This is a non-stop crepe fest with everybody flipping crepes and eating non-stop. I recently added a Professional Crepe machine and now they have a chance to test their skills on the Krampouz, just like the crepe makers on every street in Paris! The ladies seem to enjoy it and many times they are buying a crepe pan from Dehilleron.

The picnic idea grew out of the fact that the ladies take a tour of Versailles. They usually stop at the market and pick up some sandwiches and Cheryl would pull out a bottle of wine and a tablecloth out of her backpack.
I thought that it might be fun for them to have a real picnic. I would provide a boxed lunch, they would have the opportunity to sample a real quiche, chocolate mousse and my famous business-card sugar cookies!

Living about 10 minutes from the Petite Hamlet I thought I could drop off the lunches, let the ladies enjoy the food and wine and then they could continue on with the tour. I'd pick up the trash and meet them the next day for the Crepe Class. Yep, this was a great plan.

The Culinary gods were smiling down on me the morning of the picnic and the food came together without a hitch. We packed up the boxes and dropped them off in front of the Grand Trianon, I discovered that we could not set-up a picnic inside of the Hamlet or the grounds inside the Trianon. Not to worry, there were plenty of places to set up with ambiance. Friday, Saturday and Sundays there is Baroque Music piped in throughout the grounds and, even you, Can Eat Cake with the ghosts at Versailles!

From Lake to Table

2007-08-06T08:40:00.000-04:00

Long time-no blog! It has been so long, that I had to go through the tutorial to remind me how to do this (not really, but it sounded good). I have no excuses for the passed time.

We spent a week in the UK, I've been hitting my favorite cooking shops, Dinghams and Lakeland. I've also brought back some mature cheddar and my precious little red chillies for the freezer. I hit the Buy 2 get 1 Free sales that dot WH Smith and Waterstones. That is what kept me occupied for a while, but my guys got busy with their fly rods. Take a look at the July prize winner! 'Bearded Baby' was thrilled till somebody beat him out by 1 ounce!!

He was still listed as one of the winners, and invited to a fish-off later in the year. The 'old man' caught his share as well. I've never seen the 'bearded baby' so proud!!

We usually bring a fish back to the hotel and ask the chef cook one of the trout for us. We decided to give them the 3 regular sized trout, one for us and the rest to put on the menu. The big daddy was given to a friend (although it was his wife who had to clean and prep the fish for the freezer). I love how they presented the fish for the evening meal on the menu.

The chef did a great job on our fish dinner. I can't remember tasting a fish that was so fresh! Lovely and juicy and a great little dill sauce napped on the side. This meal is etched in our memory for a long time to come!

Summer is passing quickly. I hope you are having a great one!

Rollin' on two wheels!

2007-06-23T02:41:00.001-04:00

Last Sunday, the clouds and rain lifted for us to enjoy a spectacular 'Paris' day! U.S. Fathers Day, my son and I treated the 'old man' to a ride on the Segway! We've known about the tour for a few years now, but as always, time gets away and the weather turns to winter and who wants to ride around in the cold?? Not me!

Treat yourself to an exhilarating ride through Paris with City Segway Tours! We met our guide at the South Pilar of the Eiffel. The lines were incredibly long on this sunny morning! After getting checked out on the Segway, we hit the streets. Key word, we tried hard not to hit the street. Once we got our confidence, I discovered my Segway didn't have the speed governor hooked up and when I found a patch of sidewalk free of pedestrians, I sped forward! Whee!

Our tour ended about 2 hours later. I must admit, we weren't really listening to our guide but were enjoying manipulating the machine!

We only had two small incidents to speak of, and laugh at! There was a meeting with a speed-bump, which we now call The Extreme Segway Incident! And then there was my almost running over a poor 'water seller' at the gates of the Tuileries! No one was harmed, but the poor guy was happy when I got my machine back in control and left the scene for him to sell bottles of water to tourists!

We hated when we were heading back at the end of the tour, it was so much fun!