French Women Don't Get Fat -- or Do They?

One of my summer reads is French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano. I'm not looking to lose weight, but I was interested in her take on French cuisine -- although skeptical, as usual, of anyone making a fortune off cutesy Frenchness.

I take it all back! First, she has already made her fortune as CEO of Clicquot, Inc. , and I can feel positive about a business magnate who pushes champagne.

Second, the book is well written, clever and just plain fun to read for anyone who loves food, French, France -- oh yes, or diets.

Finally, I can sympathize with her plight of gaining weight as an exchange student -- except it happened to me when I was a university student in France! All of the pains au chocolat proved to be too much for me and I came home from four months in France having gained well over 10 pounds.

However, I have read that French women ARE getting fat due to the increasing use of the convenience foods Guiliano eschews. And I am certainly seeing a few chubby dames in France these days. So being French may not suffice. But I'm happy that Guiliano's book has fueled renewed interest in French cuisine.

It's Madame who cooks...

We may be getting a female president soon in France, and French women do have a respectable employment rate compared to most of their European counterparts. But equality has not reached la cuisine.

I do all of the cooking in my family, so it's a good thing I like it. I'm not complaining -- it is by far the most enjoyable household task, and my husband is a pretty lame cook. But I do tend to wince a bit when I realize that virtually ALL of my female friends here do the same.

Tradition, tradition: while France's top chefs are, for the most part, men, it's the women who still do most of the cooking at home.

If you don't believe me, listen to the words of an article from Famili , one of several French magazines devoted to happy familly life. The title is "Cuisine: la femme propose, l'homme dispose" -- roughly translated: "Cooking: the woman makes proposals, the man has the final word." It's a play on the French proverb "L'homme propose, Dieu dispose" -- so you can see what sort of parallel is being set up here.

The article blithely accepts the fact that French women do the lion's share of home cooking and adds that when French men do take to the kitchen, they manage to slink out of "peripheral acts" such as grocery shopping and clean-up. It goes on to present the results of a study by a French sociologist, which explains that while women are indeed the "mistresses of the kitchen", their "culinary decisions" are always influenced by what their hubbies desire.

And is the typical French hubby appreciative of the efforts? Mais non! Because he thinks his wife is making all of the decisions! The article does chirpily conclude that the men questioned do enjoy their wive's dishes, "prepared with love."

What century, what decade, what year was this article published in? 2006.

Pasta With Spinach and Chickpeas

The combination of nutty chickpeas and rich, earthy spinach is one of my favorites!

I made this up last week when we were in dire need of a trip to the grocery store. Everything was on hand, either in the pantry, fridge or freezer.
It was quick and easy and super satisfying.



Pasta With Spinach and Chickpeas
serves 4

3 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chicken broth
1 - 15 1/2-ounce can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 - 10-ounce package frozen leaf spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
12 ounces short, fat pasta
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Over medium heat, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in heavy, large nonstick skillet.
Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions.
Pour chicken broth over the onions and garlic and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
Add the garbanzo beans and spinach and boil another minute.
Transfer spinach/onion mixture to large bowl and add drained pasta.
Drizzle with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, freshly ground black pepper and the grated Parmesan and toss well.
Serve.

Photo du Jour - Bare Trees

Bare, pruned plane trees in the center of Olonzac. I think the branches look like roots.

Indian Inspired Pissaladière: The Classic French Pizza with Onions Caramelized in Indian Spices

This might sound strange, but I love an empty refrigerator.  Don’t get me wrong, I love a full fridge, too.  But there’s something about an empty refrigerator.  I think it has to do with possibilities.  I tend to buy in cycles, filling it up with loads of groceries, then watching them dwindle away.  I once had a friend who would periodically donate a large percentage of her clothing.  She thought an empty closet was easier to work with, and found that having fewer options led to more creative pairing.  You could say the same thing about the refrigerator.  And when the task is accomplished, when everything has been used up, and you’re left with only basics, it’s liberating to start all over again.

That's about where I was when I concocted this pizza.  Frozen dough in the freezer, caramelized onions in the fridge, and not much else.  And what came out of it all was, if I have to admit it, brilliant.  I'm in love with these onions anyway, no matter what they're used for.  Here, they infuse a pissaladière with new personality.  Traditionally, pissaladière is a French pizza of caramelized onions, olives and anchovies.  A perfect medley of Mediterranean flavors.  

But in this preparation, since my onions were already flavored with a combination of deep Indian spices, olives and anchovies just would not have been the thing(s).  So instead, I coated the dough with a thin film of crème fraîche before spreading my spiced onions over the top.  On request or demand, I added some poached chicken and the whole thing was done.  And R and I were both sent directly over the moon.

Indian Inspired Pissaladière

1 recipe Onions Caramelized in Indian Spices

1 recipe pizza dough, frozen or homemade 

Crème fraîche

1 chicken breast, poached.

To poach a chicken breast:

Fill a sauce pan with water deep enough to cover the chicken breast.  Bring the water to a boil, then add the chicken breast, cover and reduce the heat to low.  Cook for 15-20 minutes (or as little as 10 minutes if you're using a boneless chicken breast) until the chicken is cooked through.  Allow to cool a bit, then cut into bite sized pieces.  

For the pizza

Preheat the oven to 450F.  If you're particularly well equipped (which I am not) preheat a baking stone in the oven.

Roll out your pizza dough to desired thickness.  Spread with a thin coating of crème fraîche and top with the caramelized onions.  Finish with a layer of chicken pieces.  On a baking sheet, pizza sheet or baking stone, bake your pizza for about 10-15 minutes, until dough is browned.

Notes:

* For a vegetarian version, obviously just leave off the chicken.  I got talked into chicken by R, but the pizza would have been just as good without it.

* This would be a good recipe to use up leftover poached (or otherwise cooked) chicken, so keep it in mind next time you prepare some breasts, and cook an extra one.

*  If you can't find crème fraîche, you can just use a little sour cream, or you can make your own.

Photo du Jour - Citrus

A display of wonderful and wacky citrus fruit at la Fête de la Bigarade* last weekend.



* bitter orange

All About Honey

I predict honey consumption will rise dramatically tonight. Why? It's the eve of the Jewish new year and to celebrate, Jews use honey in cakes, desserts and serve it with apples or on Challah bread as a ritual to ensure a "sweet new year". Growing up my mother used to make a holiday treat made of dough cooked in gingery honey and dotted with maraschino cherries that my sister and I were crazy about. But I think we mostly just liked it the novelty of it.



Honey is an unusual ingredient, like milk, it is a by-product of the animal kingdom. Though honey should not be fed to infants under one year of age, for everyone else it does have many health benefits, including anti-microbial properties and a high levels of antioxidants. Going back to the time of Hippocrates, it has traditionally been used to heal wounds and as an energy source.



My favorite honey dessert has got to be baklava a Greek dessert made with layers of filo dough and almonds and honey. Recently I discovered chestnut honey and it's strong, earthy flavor works well with grilled meats. In the past couple of years more and more honey cookbooks have been published and I can only assume that interest in this ancient ingredient is growing.



Whether or not you are celebrating the new year tonight, you can sweeten things up with some of these ideas for using honey:



*Dip apples in honey mixed with peanut butter



*Drizzle honey on ricotta that has been mixed with chopped walnuts and chocolate chips for a quick dessert



*Spoon honey over Greek style plain yogurt for breakfast or dessert



*Mix equal parts honey and butter as a spread for cornbread or corn muffins



*Add a tablespoon or two of honey to milk and eggs before soaking bread for french toast



*Mix one tablespoon each honey, vinegar and mustard with 1/4 cup olive oil to make a creamy salad dressing



*Marinate chicken in equal parts honey and lemon juice, grill or bake



*To 1/2 cup catsup add 1/4 cup each honey, soy sauce and lemon juice to make a tangy barbecue sauce

Happy New Year, Black Eyed Peas!

Do black eyed peas have any symbolic significance to you? They symbolize different things in different cultures but are often associated with New Years. In the American South, a dish of black eyed peas and ham called Hopping John is eaten to bring good luck on New Years day. In the South black eyed peas are considered a food of poverty and eating them is supposed to promote humility. In Texas it is called "caviar" and most often symbolizes wealth and abundance. In Scotland and Great Britain the tradition of "first footing" includes giving a bowl of black eyed pea soup on New Years day to the first person to step into a house. The cook is rewarded with a kiss!

Tonight is the eve of Rosh Hashanah, which marks the Jewish New Year. The main foods I associate with the New Year are super sweet and not surprisingly are supposed to signify sweetness. A commonly known tradition is to eat apples and honey. Tastier but also very sweet is a sticky confection called Teiglach a dough rolled into balls, cooked in a ginger spiked honey syrup and dotted with nuts and cherries.

After celebrating this holiday all my life, I was surprised to recently learn of a whole set of traditional foods including black eyed peas, to celebrate Rosh Hashanah. The reason for eating the black eyed peas is that the Hebrew word for increase, sounds like the word for black eyed peas so a prayer is recited that asks that "our merits be increased".

My heritage is Eastern European so I know about traditions which come from that part of the world, but there are many Jews who come from the Eastern and Mediterranean countries like Spain and India, who have different traditions and eat different foods at holiday times. These foods are eaten in set order called a seder, which is illustrated here. The order of the items is as following:

Bread in honey
Dates
Pomegranate
Apple and honey
Gourd
Black eyed peas
Leek
Beet
Fish
Ram's head

Hard to imagine eating dinner after that! In any case I may try incorporating a few of those foods into my meal.
Happy New Year!

Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating

When I was growing up I hated sports. I especially hated any sport where a ball could hit me in the head because usually it did. When I was in the outfield during softball and someone yelled "go farther back" I made it as far back as the library where I hung out until physical education class was over.

At heart, I'm a researcher. I love information. I even love libraries. Being able to get my hands on the information I am looking for is almost as satisfying as the information itself. Though I gave up my career goal of becoming a librarian in around 6th grade, in every career I have surrounded myself with plenty of reference books.

In the culinary field I particularly cherish my reference books. They fall into several categories--the restaurant guides, the books on technique and the resource books. I only have a couple resource books but they are turned to often. My main reference book has been The New Food Lover's Companion, but now there is a new book to share space on my desk--Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating. The subtitle is "how to choose the best bread, cheeses, olive oil, pasta, chocolate and much more". Now if that isn't a come-on, I don't know what is.

The book combines history, shopping info, recipes, tips and so much practical information you'll quickly feel like an expert. If you've ever wanted to know the difference between arborio, carnaroli and vialone nano rice or wanted some recommendations for Spanish goat cheeses or wanted to know what to do with nut oils this is the book for you. I haven't tried any of the recipes yet but they look very straightforward. This is not the be-all end-all most comprehensive guide ever, but it sure is a great start.

Mardi Gras Kaleidoscope

As I get myself organized for an early flight tomorrow, I thought I would leave you with a few photos from Mardi Gras.

In case you don't recognize her, that last one is none other than the amazing diva herself, Dolly Parton!

The Crescent City

My annual trek to the Crescent City begins tomorrow. At 3:15 AM. Oh joy.
After thirteen hours of flying time and more than eight hours of sitting in various airports I will finally land, very excited, yet exhausted from not being able to sleep in those instruments of torture they call economy class seats.

I try very hard not to complain about flying and to remember that it is only several hours out of my life, and so worth it to have the ability to get halfway across the world in less than a day, but when you're as short as I am, those headrests that are there to support the necks of normal sized people actually thrust the heads of us shorter people forward, causing agonizing neck pain after 11 hours on a transatlantic flight.

The other night I had a dream that the airline gave away my seat before I got on the plane so they offered me a big, roomy one in first class to apologize.
Ah, if only my dream would come true...

I'm not holding my breath.




Anyway....
You won't be reading about cheese and wine and France, or seeing any photos of the local markets, villages and vineyards for the next few weeks.

It will be all about New Orleans - friends and festivities, po boy's and Mardi Gras parades, and hopefully a visit to The Marigny Brasserie, the St. James Cheese Company (you can't expect me to go 3 weeks without at least some cheese, can you?) and Donald Link's new charcuterie place next door to the spectacular Cochon.

Then I fly off to Spokane, Washington, where I grew up, to visit family and friends and buy as much soft peanut butter brittle that can fit in my suitcase. My only disappointment about going to Spokane...no Trader Joe's to loot!


So I'll be around, posting photos and writing a bit from the road.

À bientôt.

Food Biographies

I've been reading a number of food oriented books lately. I think the one that got me started was Apricots on the Nile--A memoir with recipes by Colette Rossant. A travelogue, a coming of age story and a recipe book all in one; the author deftly weaves the story of her family, and her memories of growing up in France and Egypt with the sensual pleasures of eating and cooking. It's a wonderful slim volume that quickly pulls you in, perfect for a vacation read.



The next two books I read were courtesy of my sister-in-law Lori and I would recommend them both as well. Tender at the Bone: Growing up at the Table by Ruth Reichl and the sequel Comfort Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table. The books are very similar to Rossant's book in format, only they take place mainly in the US and cover a much longer time span. Respectively they are much weightier tomes as well.



The books have really gotten me thinking about my own memories. Not that I'm inspired to write my memoirs quite yet, but some of my earliest memories are of food. The only memories I have of pre-school are of hating egg salad sandwiches with black olives that we had for a snack and of making butter by riding tricycles with Gerber baby food jars filled with cream attached to the handlebars. The only other memory I can conjure up is singing my favorite song, "Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree", which come to think of it is about an Australian bird eating gum drops... I remember even less of kindergarten oddly enough. What I do remember is being tremendously proud of making icing painted graham crackers as a snack for "open house-parents night".



I am still very proud of my of culinary endeavors. It's one of the greatest joys of cooking, sharing your creations with those you love.

Craving French Cheese

Been away from home for three weeks now.

As I sit here cramming bottles of Crystal hot sauce, Community coffee with chicory, comfortable pj's from Target, cookbooks, DVD's and new shoes into my bags I can feel the excitement building.
After the boring, 20 hour journey back to France I will be happily greeted by my little family of five and plan on getting either a button of chèvre or a wedge of Comté in my hands as soon as possible.

In a perfect world I would be able to get one of these in France...I guess life is all about trade offs.


For now I'm happy with French cheese. And a glass of wine.
Of course.

Chocolate for Valentine's Day

The Superbowl is over! Thanks goodness. Frankly if I saw one more post about recipes for half time snacks I was going to go long and never come back. Not that I haven't been busy. I've been eating chocolate, consider it a warm up for Valentine's Day. There is a lot of not so good chocolate out there, and I'd hate to think you'd end up with some by mistake. What you need is someone you can trust to try before you buy. In this regard, let me be of service. Without further ado, here are my chocolate picks for Valentine's Day.

1st–New and Notable

Art Pollard of Amano Chocolate is a mad genius when it comes to chocolate and while a bit wacky, under the surface he is a true perfectionist. He's won just about every award there is to win for his chocolate bars, and his latest introduction are boxes of chocolate confections. They are insanely good. They have a wonderfully delicate texture. Each flavor I tried was better than the next. The flavors are elegant and include ingredients like honey, cardamom, black pepper, key lime, and tangerine. Oh so good! But unfortunately in very limited production. If you can get your hands on a box, they are truly for a chocolate connoisseur. Do not waste them on anyone undeserving. While one chocolate is very rich and satisfying, you will find it hard to keep your hands of the rest. Only the highest quality ingredients are used, not even lecithin makes it into these gems. The 12 piece box is $24.99.


2nd–A Classic

Michael Recchiuti is a very talented chocolatier who makes some chocolate confections that might cause you to swoon. His chocolates are not fussy, but always beautiful. Top of the list are his burnt caramel chocolate. Very few things taste better when burnt, but Recchiuti takes caramel just to the edge, making it less sweet but richer and more sophisticated. The texture is velvety and luscious. A box full of these is good for the indecisive. Every chocolate is the same. This season his Hearts & Arrows box is so pretty it will charm the pants off of your beloved. Which, I believe, is the point of this holiday. The 9 piece box is $25.

3rd–Up and Coming

Socola chocolates is a fairly new chocolate company started by sisters Susan and Wendy Lieu. There chocolates are not nearly as refined as the ones from Recchiuti or Amano, but the Aphrodite's Delight box includes some very lovely flavors. They make a burnt caramel which tastes more like ganache, with a touch of sea salt, a very good raspberry pate de fruit covered in chocolate and my favorite, the "sweetheart sammee" filled with strawberry jelly and some freshly ground peanuts. It's what a peanut butter and jelly sandwich might taste like, in heaven. The chocolate coverture is a bit more brittle than I prefer, and these chocolates are more about the filling than the chocolate, but I still enjoyed them. 12 pieces for $25.95

4th–Exotic Flavors

Vosges chocolates and their creator, Katrina Markoff are masterful when it comes to marketing. But when it comes to chocolate, I'm on the fence. Sometimes I like Vosges chocolates, and other times I think they miss the mark. The Sweet Coquette collection, at $48 for 16 pieces, it's by far the most expensive. The packaging is stunning and the flavors are all intended to be aphrodisiacs. The story behind each flavor is very interesting, but the results are mixed. The idea of an oyster flavored truffle is intriguing, but ultimately the result is overly sweet. The flavors are referred to as "parfums" which is interesting, because some have so many floral notes that they end up tasting like perfume. Flavors include absinthe, cinnamon, rose water, guajillo and pasilla chillies. If you are enchanted by the aphrodisiac stories and like intensely flavored chocolates, this might be the chocolate for you.

All chocolates were provided as either samples or as gifts. I tasted some chocolates that I would not recommend, and chose not to review them.

Photo du Jour

When it is cold I make the boys wear their jackets.
I realize that it's probably pretty embarrassing for them around all the macho hunting dogs, but they love to walk and get cold so quickly!

Favorite Things:Blisscotti

You'll never forget your birthday or your social security number. As long as I live, I will never forget that Tuesday's were hot dog day in elementary school. While not a huge fan of hot dogs, the real appeal of the day was the choice of chips and ice cream.

For years I stuck with Fritos corn chips and an orange creamsicle. At some point I moved on to ice cream sandwiches, before ultimately settling in with fudgesicles. Honestly, I couldn't tell you the last time I had a fudgesicle. But I do remember my last few ice cream sandwiches.

One of my favorites is a local specialty the It's-It. As you would expect from the Bay Area it's a non-conformist treat, made from oatmeal cookies and filled with vanilla, chocolate, cappucino or mint ice cream. But another ice cream sandwich has impressed me as of late, Blisscotti. Sadly, neither did particularly well recently with the tasting panel at the San Francisco Chronice.

"The fifth-ranked Blisscotti ($3.99 for three, Mollie Stone's) was the only non-traditionalist in the top five. Instead of a thin wafer, they feature thick biscotti-style cookies coated in chocolate, sandwiching vanilla ice cream. The panelists all liked the cookies' taste and crunchy texture, but found them so hard to bite through that the filling all gushed out. The ice cream had a strong vanilla flavor. Three panelists might buy these; two wouldn't."

Oh my. Must I now teach the panel how to eat ice cream? I guess I must. Allow the darn thing to soften just a tiny bit before munching into it and you will have no difficulty. And forget about the vanilla one. The chocolate on chocolate and the coffee flavored ones are divine!

You wouldn't think biscotti would pair so well with ice cream, but lo and behold, it does. Blisscotti are the creation of a couple who helped launch the Dove bar, so you know they understand the ice cream and chocolate connection. In fact, the dark chocolate versions of Blisscotti use 65% cacao chocolate. This is a very adult treat but quite delicious and waaaay better than the conventional ice cream sandwich. That's what MY panel* says.

*me and my husband Lee, who by the way, liked the raspberry version best of all

READ MORE Over at Bay Area Bites are some insider tips for Eating Asia

FOOD

Photo du Jour

Yesterday at the market. This is the super pushy cheese guy who I never buy from. Also, his cheeses are 40€ a kilo and up!

Sugar High Friday, or Long-Distance Ginger-Molasses Cookies for Kate

More often than not, Orangette is just a fancy cover for what might be more appropriately titled “The Molly-and-Her-Friends Show,” or “What We Ate, How Ridiculous We Were, and How Much We Adore Each Other Because of and/or Despite Our Ridiculousness.” Lately, however, it’s been a little quieter than usual around here. A principal cast member is missing, and that would be Kate—she of the pointy

Easy Cauliflower Risotto with Crisp Potato Bits

Whenever I make risotto I think of my friend Giulia, who grew up in Bologna, in northern Italy. I decided to make risotto for the first time a few months ago, and when I told her about it she immediately explained to me, "that's great, risotto is easy and delicious. But don't make it like French people - they don't know how to make any Italian food. Remember to add the broth one ladle at a time; les français ne suivent pas cette règle, et le risotto souffre" (according to Giulia, coffee in France is also horrific, and is something that should be enjoyed only in Italy).


I can't say for sure that risotto in France is bad. I have never eaten risotto at a restaurant here so I have no opinion on the matter. Either way, I took her advice and added broth to my risotto au fur et à mesure, a little at a time, and the result was lovely. Risotto made correctly becomes almost creamy and silken, while still maintaining a certain firmness thanks to the arborio rice. I thought about adding chopped and fried shallots as a garnish, but I decided ultimately on using a fingerling potato, since it provides a little more substance. You, dear reader, can add whatever you would like to top the risotto!

Truthfully, I also decided to make this because I have a giant box of arborio rice that has been resting in my kitchen for about 5 months now, and I'm just starting to make a dent in it. Since I also had parmesan in my fridge, I figured why not, let's try out this risotto with some seasonal cauliflower. So, here is the final product of my creation, which I devoured immediately after taking these photos, and although I don't say it often, I was pretty impressed with myself. If you try this, I guarantee you will have good results, it is pretty difficult to botch this one up. The recipe is relatively quick (maybe 35 minutes total, plus some chopping) and all the fun takes place in two pans (one for the broth, one for the risotto). You have to watch the risotto carefully since you'll be adding broth over time, but it is kind of fun to see how the rice changes and eventually reaches the perfect level of softness.

This recipe calls for 1/2 of a head of cauliflower; the other 1/2 you can store in the fridge for up to 1 or 2 weeks. You can use it to make cauliflower in a spicy peanut sauce, or try simmering it in some milk until tender, then pureeing it for a nice winter white soup.

Cauliflower Risotto with Crisp Potato Bits - Serves 1

For the risotto:
1 cup cauliflower florets (from 1/2 head of a small cauliflower)
3 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 small onion, chopped
3/4-cup arborio rice
1/4-cup dry white wine
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan


for the potato bits:
1 small fingerling potato, cut into little dice
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice


1. Cut the cauliflower head in half, keep one half and store the remainder in the fridge for another use. Remove the center stalk and chop finely; roughly chop the florets.
2. Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C.
3. Heat the stock in a saucepan, bring to a boil then to a simmer, and add the florets.
4. In another saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, onion, and celery stalk, and cook gently until softened, about 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, place potatoes on a lined baking sheet and toss with remaining ingredients. Bake until golden and crispy, about 15 minutes.
6. Once the vegetables are softened, turn up the heat, add the rice, and cook until slightly translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the wine, stir, and cook 2-3 minutes more.
7. Now the fun part: start adding the broth, one ladle at a time, until the rice is soft on the outside with a slight bite on the inside, about 20 minutes. The florets should be soft at this point so you can add them with the broth and crush them into the rice with a wooden spoon
8. Once rice is cooked, stir in the parsley. Remove from heat. and stir in the parmesan. Garnish with potato bits.

Sweet Saffron Rice Pudding

I have to say, I'm pretty excited to provie this recipe for a sweet saffron pudding, called sholeh zard in farsi (translating loosely to yellow jello), which is absolutely divine and combines an interesting blend of flavors to produce a rich, satisfying, and wholesome dessert.  What I find most interesting about this dish is that there's not one or two key ingredients which make it a standout, but five.  With an exciting blend of saffron, cardamom, rosewater, almonds, and pistachios, it's hard to say which taste is most distinct. 

However, it's clear that the stunning yellow color comes from the addition of saffron threads, which my mom likes grind to a powder, dissolve in hot water, and store in a jar in the fridge. 

If you've ever seen and opened a jar full of dissolved saffron, you'll likely agree that the fiery orange color is fascinating and that its strong aroma is intoxicating.  The tablespoon of saffron used in this dessert is enough to turn the whole dish bright yellow - clearly this stuff is pretty potent.

Combined with the rich, nutty, and sweet flavors provided by the ingredients mentioned above, this rice pudding provides a taste like no other I've had before.  It stores in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, so feel free to make a bunch for yourself and snack on it whenever you so desire!

One last note: after having made numerous desserts for both Iranians and Americans, it has become clear to me that Iranians take to rose water much more than most people.  While my parents and their Iranian friends go nuts over this dessert and find the 2 tablespoons called for to be perfect, most Americans will likely find this same amount to be overwhelming.  For that reason, I've proposed new proportions, which I believe will be much more amenable to American taste buds; these revised proportions will be placed next to the appropriate ingredient.  Please try this dessert, and feel free to give me any feedback you have!

Sweet Saffron Rice Pudding - makes about 2 cups

3/4-cup uncooked long-grain rice

3 cups water

1 1/2-c sugar

1/8-teaspoon saffron threads, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water

2 1/2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon slivered almonds (revised: 2 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons rosewater (revised: 1 teaspoon rosewater)

for garnish:

chopped pistachios

cinnamon

slivered almonds

1. Wash and drain the rice, changing the water several times.

2.  Bring rice and water to a boil in a large saucepan, skimming the foam from the surface as it foams.  Simmer for 35 minutes on medium heat.

3.  Add sugar and cook for 15 minutes more, stirring often.

4.  Add saffron, butter, almonds, rosewater, and cardamom, stirring to combine.  Cover and cook on low for about 40 minutes longer, or until consistency is thick and pudding-like.

5.  Transfer to a large bowl, sprinkle with cinnamon, chopped pistachios, and almonds if desired, and refrigerate until cold.  Serve chilled.

Photo du Jour

Chocolate olives.

Eggs Baked in Whole Tomatoes

The oldest cookbook I own is called the Modern Priscilla Cook Book: One Thousand Recipes Tested and Proved at the Priscilla Proving Plant.  It was published in 1924, and when I open it, the stale smell of aged paper is immediately apparent.  When I say it's the oldest cookbook I own, I should qualify.  I have a copy of the Boston Cooking School Cook Book, but it's a reprint of the 1884 volume, whereas the Modern Priscilla is itself actually from 1924.  I found it in some used book sale or other, almost for free.  The Modern Priscilla was a lifestyle magazine of sorts, with a focus on home, garden and needlepoint, and was published from 1887 to 1930 in Massachusetts, first in Lynn and later in Boston.  Evidently, supplementary publications were offered, such as catalogs for gifts and needlework accessories, and a cookbook.  

It's always such a treat to peek back in time, and listen in on the nutritional/culinary advice offered to the modern housewife at the turn of the century.  This recipe is from a section titled "Egg and Cheese Dishes" and comes with a handy introduction called "Facts to Remember When Planning Egg and Cheese Dishes."  For your elucidation: "Both eggs and cheese have an important place in the dietary, because they are rich in tissue-building material and contain valuable minerals and vitamins."  Well I'm sold.

Honestly, though, the idea of baking an egg in a whole tomato is one of those ingenious ways to use fresh, whole foods, so characteristic of the classic, "peasant" cuisines that modernity has seem largely to have forgotten.  You find little gems like this occasionally, when the whole becomes so much more than its parts.  To most of us, shirred eggs are nothing terribly inventive (although resolutely delicious), and the term simply means an egg baked in a dish with a covering of cream or milk and sometimes topped with breadcrumbs.  Obviously in the Priscilla preparation, there's no cream, but you do get the benefit of the bacon drippings being released over the egg as it bakes.  So if you like a runny yolk (and really, is there anything simpler and yet more decadent?), roasted tomato and bacon, this is an easy, delicious and unexpected way to serve breakfast.

Eggs Baked in Whole Tomatoes

3 tomatoes

3 eggs

S/P

3 tablespoons buttered crumbs (I used Panko)

3 slices bacon

Oven preheated to 325

Cut a lid off the top of each tomato and scoop out the core and seeds (I find a grapefruit spoon works well).  Brake one egg over each tomato, sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover with a thin layer of bread crumbs, and finally top with a slice of bacon.  Bake for 15 minutes, then flip the bacon over, and continue baking for another 15 minutes.  After about 1/2 an hour, your egg-whites should have turned opaque and solidified, and the yolk should still be runny (be careful about hotspots in your oven.  I made 4 tomatoes, and while 3 were perfect, one ended up more hard boiled).  Place the tomatoes under the broiler for about 1 minute (watch them closely!) to allow the bacon to fully crisp.

There are so many possibilities with this recipe.  You could add a sprinkle of red paprika for the pepper, or top with cheese rather than bacon.  I suppose that if you went the cheese route you might broil it for a bit longer and cut down on the oven time.   I'd also imagine that little squares of fried polenta would go beautifully with this, to help mop up the runny yolk.  Of course, there's always toast, that classic partner of the poached egg.

A restful stop

Arriving in Saumur, our friend was cleaning wine bottles to store local Borgueil wine in one of his several troglodyte cellars! Martica, his wife, has created a modern "classy-chic" decoration in a country environment. His yard was welcoming with flowers and we sat outside to enjoy a wonderful Parnay 1962. If you want to stay over at Martica's, visit my blog AtHomeinFrance.blogspot.com Cheers!

Photo du Jour

Emerging from the shadows.

Jill Dupleix's Crash-Hot Potatoes

So here's the thing about being married to a Norwegian. He flippin' loves potatoes. No seriously, I have never seen anyone love potatoes that much. For him, it's not a real meal without them, so I guess we eat a lot of non-meals around here. I, on the other hand, tend to kind of forget about the potato unless I find those amazing little purple ones at the store, and then I think to myself, why in the world are those potatoes purple? And keep moving. The potato, in other words, is not my go-to food.

But I've had this recipe in the back of my mind for a while. After I first saw it on the Pioneer Woman who has kind of commandeered them. But they're Jill Dupleix's idea, and her recipe. If you're in the US, you might not be all that familiar with Dupleix. She's an Australian food writer, with a monthly column in the food magazine Americans only wish we could get, called Delicious. In fact, whenever I travel internationally, or go to a book store with a large magazine selection, I always look for Delicious as a special treat. Love that magazine. And Dupleix writes a monthly column for them.

So Dupleix has written her fair share of cookbooks, but this recipe can be found easily on her website. They are amazing little potatoes. A cross between the tenderness of a baked potato and the crispiness of a french fry, but with very little fat. Actually, it's quite genius. Genius enough to even impress a Norwegian.

Adapted from Jill Dupleix's Crash Hot Potatoes

16 small, round potatoes
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper
A sprinkle of caraway seeds if you'd like (I did)
A few rosemary sprigs, broken into pieces

Preheat the oven to 450F (yea, screaming hot). Put the unpeeled potatoes into a pot of salted, boiling water and simmer them for about 15 minutes. They should be tender enough to take a fork, but not falling apart. Make sure they're not overly soft.

Drain the potatoes and spread them out on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Use a potato masher, and press down on each potato until it's flat. It should be about twice its original size.

Brush the potatoes with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper and the caraway seeds, then lay the rosemary over the tops. Bake on the top shelf of the oven for 20 - 25 minutes, or until they're very crisp and golden brown. Serve right away.

Thyme in Santa Monica while in Venice.

I have told you in the past my love for I have told you in the past my love for scones! Scones are usually made with flour, butter, milk, and salt. You can add raisins ... or cheddar, but traditionally, they are not sweet ... But in California, scones are a bit over sized and have cranberries, dates, raisins, chocolate chips, cinnamon, and lots of sugar. A different fare! But I keep on searching ...
The other morning I stopped at a nice cafe on Ocean Park Boulevard, in Santa Monica, called Thyme cafe and market

I loved the atmosphere of the place and ordered a machiato and .. a scone. The scone has the shape of a triangle and I guess they make a round pie shaped dough that they cut in slices and bake. The result is not very much my idea of a scone, but pretty good! The machiato was foamy and delicious.I explored this delightful place where you can find candies, chocolates, infusions, croissants, and more .. Items that you can give as a present or .. enjoy yourself!
I was tempted by the lemonade preparation, the fabric bags are beautiful! Unfortunately, there is sugar added, but the result is good.

Thyme cafe does outside catering as well and the shots in their website of some of the events they have catered for look great!

So, if you are in Santa Monica, stop by and .. bon appetit!