The sun is back! For how long, who knows.
I know we need rain, quite badly in fact, but these dark, rainy days make it feel like winter will never end.
Photos du Jour - le Soleil
The sun is back! For how long, who knows.
I know we need rain, quite badly in fact, but these dark, rainy days make it feel like winter will never end.
Big Flavor Contest
1.
2.
3.
These magnified photos are of tasty kitchen ingredients. But what are they? Take a good look at each of the photos and then decide. Leave your answers in the comments section along with your email.
The first person to guess all the items will win Passport to Morocco, a collection of 4 spice blends from The Occasional Gourmet. One runner up will win a 2.5 ounce package of Caffe Sanora Organic Arabica Coffee (dark roast, ground) Only one entry per person, so choose carefully! Remember, you MUST include your email to win. Good luck!
FOOD
2.
3.
These magnified photos are of tasty kitchen ingredients. But what are they? Take a good look at each of the photos and then decide. Leave your answers in the comments section along with your email.
The first person to guess all the items will win Passport to Morocco, a collection of 4 spice blends from The Occasional Gourmet. One runner up will win a 2.5 ounce package of Caffe Sanora Organic Arabica Coffee (dark roast, ground) Only one entry per person, so choose carefully! Remember, you MUST include your email to win. Good luck!
FOOD
Five Things I've Eaten and Think Everyone Should Eat at Least Once
Melissa at The Traveler's Lunchbox suggested this project in late August and ever since I've been mulling over my list of five things I've eaten and think that everyone should eat at least once before they die.
Here they finally are.
1. huckleberries
My grandparents had a cabin in the mountains of Oregon and every summer we would help them pick these beautiful little berries for pies and jam. (although most would end up getting eaten immediately)
2. New Orleans BBQ shrimp
A gorgeous, messy, peppery experience! Must have french bread alongside for soaking up the sauce.
3. young chèvre drizzled with acacia honey
Such a beautiful pairing...the smoky, saltiness of the cheese and the sweetness of the honey.
4.Oaxacan mole
I try it in any restaurant that makes their own. The best I've ever had was a little place in El Paso, a lucky find on a road trip from New Orleans to San Francisco. It is so amazing and complex and impossible to find in the south of France! Avoid the commercial jarred version.
5. peanut M & M's
Can't explain why I adore them, I just do.
June
The month of June is pretty near perfect, if you ask me.
Cherries and apricots and melons arrive at the markets, the mind-numbing summer swelter has yet to hit its stride and on the 21st all of France stops to listen at the Fête de la Musique.
Lavender is starting to bloom and the aroma is divine!
Mastering Cheese by Max McCalman finally landed on my doorstep and I'm slowly savoring every word.
The first crop of figs are ripe for the picking.
Blue, blue skies above.
Poppies - they're fading fast, but still brightening up the fields.
Mild-mannered spring garlic is in season.
Al fresco dining has officially begun.
.
Galette:Restaurant Review CLOSED 1/06
Out running errands, including picking up the perfect sugar pot from Zinc Details, we stopped for lunch at Galette on Fillmore street. It's a cute little place that in every way reminds you of what it's like to dine in France. The staff is French. The decor is French. The menu is French. The tv in the back corner has on French programs. They serve Brittany style buckwheat crepes with a variety of savory and sweet fillings. The crepes or "galettes" looked wonderful, but Lee had the brioche french toast and I had the "brittany fish soup" which was really bourride, a dish I simply cannot pass up when I come across it.
Bourride is a soup similar to a bouillabaisse made with mussels and fish and served with gruyere, garlic, croutons and a rouille. Rouille is kind of like a spicy garlic mayonaise made from red peppers, garlic and olive oil. All the toppings are served in little bowls at Galette so you can add them to the soup to your liking. Some other places that serve a delicious bourride include Baker Street Bistro in the Marina and Plouf downtown on Belden. All three of these places are run by French people and serve wonderful food at reasonable prices.
Dining "comme la Francaise" does not need to be expensive in San Francisco where there are many casual French bistro style restaurants. Other inexpensive French favorites in town include Cafe Bastille, Bistro Clovis, Hyde Street Bistro, and Le Petit Robert. Next French place to try in this vein will be Metro Cafe, which has gotten very good reviews and has a thoroughly charming web site complete with French muscial soundtrack! Check it out at Metro Cafe
Bourride is a soup similar to a bouillabaisse made with mussels and fish and served with gruyere, garlic, croutons and a rouille. Rouille is kind of like a spicy garlic mayonaise made from red peppers, garlic and olive oil. All the toppings are served in little bowls at Galette so you can add them to the soup to your liking. Some other places that serve a delicious bourride include Baker Street Bistro in the Marina and Plouf downtown on Belden. All three of these places are run by French people and serve wonderful food at reasonable prices.
Dining "comme la Francaise" does not need to be expensive in San Francisco where there are many casual French bistro style restaurants. Other inexpensive French favorites in town include Cafe Bastille, Bistro Clovis, Hyde Street Bistro, and Le Petit Robert. Next French place to try in this vein will be Metro Cafe, which has gotten very good reviews and has a thoroughly charming web site complete with French muscial soundtrack! Check it out at Metro Cafe
CQ HQ December 2007
The weeks are getting busier and busier, and I haven't found much time for cooking original dishes, much less blogging about them. But I am happy to report that I am managing to respect some of the objectives I set for this school year's culinary organization.
For example, I have managed to eliminate a lot of ready-made foods from our menus. Don't get me wrong -- I like to cook and do not rely on packages and packets. But when things get hectic, last year I found myself turning a little too often to frozen dishes from Picard.
The problem with Picard is that every time I go there, I get tempted by products like this:
Wouldn't you want to taste a fig, mozzarella and smoked-ham pizza? I know I would..and did.But this school year, I'm trying to cut that out for a variety of reasons. When I really don't have the energy to cook, rather than taking the frozen food route, I have turned more to locally-produced ready-made products, put up in jars or vacuum-packed by local farmers. This is a growing agrifood sector, and I feel better about eating farm foods from the area than buying overly-packaged frozen products from a big chain.
This is one of the directions I'm hoping to take CQ in 2008: a little more about the products available in France, from supermarket choices to locally-produced dishes. Because I just don't always find the time or the energy to cook...even here in the French countryside.
I Love Christmas In France!
It's all about the food, family and friends. I love it!
There were hordes of people doing their food shopping at les Halles in Narbonne this morning and they were all in a good mood. Everyone. The shoppers and the salespeople. It was wonderful!
a little something to start with
un mélange
main course
the cheese course
don't forget the dessert
all presided over by one of Santa's elves and his reindeer
There were hordes of people doing their food shopping at les Halles in Narbonne this morning and they were all in a good mood. Everyone. The shoppers and the salespeople. It was wonderful!
a little something to start with
un mélange
main course
the cheese course
don't forget the dessert
all presided over by one of Santa's elves and his reindeer
Paella for all!
Paella is the perfect dish when you have a great number of guests. And that is what was served one lunch to the some 28 guests of Lafitte in Southwest France, 70 miles from Bordeaux - of course, chicken paella and, you guess, Bordeaux wine.Paella is from Valencia, in Southern Spain. To make one you need rice, saffron, and olive oil and a flat, large, paella pan. It used to be made with whatever else was available, chicken, fish, vegetables ... and there was always rice in the pantry of all Spanish houses.
We had green and yellow bell peppers, ripe tomatoes, onions, green peas, green beans, a few garlic cloves, 4 lb of rice, saffron, chicken, and used olive oil.
We cut the onions in slices and the tomatoes in dices. In the big (huge) paella pan that Fernando brought from Spain and that covers all four burners of the stove, we fried the onions a few minutes and then added the tomatoes.
We let the vegetables cook for a few minutes (about 6-7 minutes because the pan is so big) and added the peppers cut in slices and the garlic. Again, we let the vegetables fry while stirring occasionally so that they do not burn. 
Then we added the chicken that we had previously cut in small pieces. Because we had a lot of guests we had bought 1 lb of chicken breasts instead of a more traditional whole chicken cut in pieces. We stirred and let brown a little. In the meantime, we were infusing saffron in hot water. 
We added the boiling water with the saffron (add carefully) bringing the whole paella pan to a boil for a few minutes. Then we added the rice (4 lb) stirring so that the grains were coated with the flavors of the vegetables and chicken.
Once it boiled we lowered the heat to low and let cook until the rice was only beginning to be soft, adding water if necessary. Once all the water had been absorbed, we turn the heat off and let rest for 15 minutes before serving it.
We had green and yellow bell peppers, ripe tomatoes, onions, green peas, green beans, a few garlic cloves, 4 lb of rice, saffron, chicken, and used olive oil.We cut the onions in slices and the tomatoes in dices. In the big (huge) paella pan that Fernando brought from Spain and that covers all four burners of the stove, we fried the onions a few minutes and then added the tomatoes.We let the vegetables cook for a few minutes (about 6-7 minutes because the pan is so big) and added the peppers cut in slices and the garlic. Again, we let the vegetables fry while stirring occasionally so that they do not burn. Then we added the chicken that we had previously cut in small pieces. Because we had a lot of guests we had bought 1 lb of chicken breasts instead of a more traditional whole chicken cut in pieces. We stirred and let brown a little. In the meantime, we were infusing saffron in hot water. We added the boiling water with the saffron (add carefully) bringing the whole paella pan to a boil for a few minutes. Then we added the rice (4 lb) stirring so that the grains were coated with the flavors of the vegetables and chicken.Once it boiled we lowered the heat to low and let cook until the rice was only beginning to be soft, adding water if necessary. Once all the water had been absorbed, we turn the heat off and let rest for 15 minutes before serving it.
Here is one of our tables (two more were also served).
Sometimes I choose posts that have a certain common theme, other times, there is no theme at all. This time the theme is just that I am really overdue for vacation. Each of these posts will transplant you to another time and place...
Becks & Posh shares her recipe for Fairy Cakes and her photo is delicious and downright dreamy.
Food Migration posts about the ultimate Sushi Spa experience. California roll, anyone?
Haddock of Knife's Edge takes us away to where everything is just Beachy Keen. After reading his post, you'll want to go away too.
FOOD
Pepping up a Pasty Vegetable
I hope this lovely cauliflower wasn't the result of some mad scientist manipulating GMOs, but I couldn't resist it. My family loves cauliflower, but our favorite dishes -- gratin de chou-fleur and cauliflower soup -- tend to be on the pale side. This isn't so bad the first night, but I feel they make terribly pasty leftovers.I was intrigued to see how this purple specimen would hold up to being cooked as a gratin.
After pre-cooking the cauliflower in boiling water, my hopes were dashed -- it was looking a bit on the grey side. I continued with my regular recipe, adding bechamel sauce and grated cheese, and put it in a colorful dish in case further cooking took away even more of the purple coloring. But au contraire, the baking seemed to bring back the violet tones that had momentarily disappeared.
By the way, the vegetable tasted identical to regular white cauliflower. I can't wait to try it in soup.
Middle East Banquit!
After having read Damascus, tastes of a city (in french Damas: Saveurs d'une ville) I really felt like offering to our participants a Middle East meal for our Farewell evening.
We started with a colorful salad, where red and green peppers were mixed with radishes, cucumbers, black and green olives, and plenty, plenty of Marmande tomatoes. The seasoning was done with chopped garlic, onion, and a mix of mint, basil and parsley leaves, plus salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon.
The main course was a slowly baked lamb (a delicious lamb slowly cooked in the oven with onions, garlic, tomatoes, thyme, salt, pepper, and red wine) and Syrian rice (you can see the recipe for the Syrian lamb in the website www.aworldinapan.com)
We started with a colorful salad, where red and green peppers were mixed with radishes, cucumbers, black and green olives, and plenty, plenty of Marmande tomatoes. The seasoning was done with chopped garlic, onion, and a mix of mint, basil and parsley leaves, plus salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon.
The main course was a slowly baked lamb (a delicious lamb slowly cooked in the oven with onions, garlic, tomatoes, thyme, salt, pepper, and red wine) and Syrian rice (you can see the recipe for the Syrian lamb in the website www.aworldinapan.com)
Endive Salad w/ Red Wine Dijon Vinaigrette
This dressing is a definite keeper; it's so tangy, sweet, and rich that I think it would taste great on any lettuce, but it goes nicely with the bitterness of endives. Also, it takes about 3 minutes to put together.
I added some slivered almonds to the salad, but the beauty of this dish is that you can add so many different things which will taste great – strawberries, pears, apples, Roquefort, walnuts, or almonds. Feel free to experiment!
And again, I can't stress enough how easy this dish is. Endives are so elegant and full of flavor that little effort is required to make them taste and look good.
To make the endive salad, wash 3 small endives (or 1 for each person, depending on how much you’re making), and slice lengthwise. In a small bowl, combine 1 chopped garlic clove, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ cup olive oil. Whisk together with a fork, and pour over endives (if making for less than 3 people, you’ll probably have more then enough dressing – use as much as you see fit).
The simple things: compote de pommes -- and a few questions about applesauce
BEFORESimple ingredients.
Simple recipe.
Simple post.
AFTER
Not so simple questions:
Why is this called "applesauce" in English?
Why is "applesauce" just one word?
Are you familiar with the secondary definition of the word applesauce? It's "nonsense; bunk."
Lyonized
Friends, I feel a little ridiculous writing about my trip when it’s now been, oh, two weeks since I got home, but before I return to our regularly-scheduled recipe-related programming, I have to tell you one more thing. It’s just a word, really. A sort of vocabulary lesson, if you will. It’s called a bouchon.When Mom and I first decided to take a trip to France this spring, Paris wasn’t even in
Mini-cakes de Sophie
What could be better than "Les Cakes de Sophie"? Mini-cakes de Sophie! As I've mentioned before, "cakes salés", or savory cakes, are all the rage in France, especially since the publication of the above book written by Sophie DuDemaine. The problem is that they have become almost ubiquitous -- about every other dinner party we go to includes a "cake salé", usually served during the apéritif.
I am still a fan of these cakes, and I haven't tried all of the recipes in the book yet, so I will carry on making them. But I like to change the rules a little.
First, I usually serve them as the starter with a lamb's lettuce salad. I find they are too filling for the apéritif; I prefer guests to be hungry when they come to the table.
Second, if I'm making them for a dinner party and not just for the family, I've discovered that making individual cakes in silicone muffin tins makes for a nice presentation. Last weekend I tried out the recipe for "Cake aux courgettes et au chèvre", made with zucchini and goat's cheese. It was delicious and all the guests, especially the children, loved the mini-cake presentation.
If you want to try out your own Sophie cakes and don't live in France, the book has been translated under the title "Sophie's Sweet and Savory Loaves." The recipes are simple yet original, and would give an interesting French touch to your kitchen.
Reading up on Campania & Italy
Not to rub it in or anything, but I recently spent 10 glorious days in Italy discovering the charms of the Campania region, home of Naples and the Amalfi coast. But there is so much more to the region than that. I already had a soft spot for Sorrento, but this time around I got to visit the area around Mount Vesuvius, Benevento and the Cilento.
I learned a fair amount about the less well-known areas before I ever left home. I took a lot of books out of the library, but these are the ones I kept by my side and treasure.
If you are going to Italy, and you care about food, you must get Osterie & Locande D'Italia A guide to traditional place to eat and stay in Italy. I can't speak for the places to stay, but some of the best meals I had were places described in amazing detail in this Slow Food book. I yanked out the section on Campania and took it with me. It is by no means comprehensive, but the places it designates are winners and the detail on what to order the stories about the food and places and the people are fantastic.
The next book was my bible, The Food and Wine Guide to Naples and Campania. Carla Capalba is a thorough researcher and lovely writer. She spent years getting to know the people, places and stories behind the food. Her passion for the region comes through and I learned so much from her book I feel like sending her a personal thank you.
Faith Willinger's most recent book, Adventures of an Italian Food Lover with recipes from 254 of my very best friends is a charming book. It's filled with sweet watercolor portraits and of course, Italians and recipes. The section on Southern Italy and the Islands gave me not only names and addresses, but also a great feel for the people and the land. It's a storytelling book with recipes.
Upon my return, I really enjoyed perusing My Love for Naples The Food, The History, The Life is a really dear cookbook told by Anna Teresa Callen who was born and raised in Naples. The title says it all, really. Her recipes are very personal and so are the stories behind them.
While I didn't get his book in time, Arthur Schwartz "The Food Maven" is another aficionado who has not only written about the region but leads classes and tours there. His web site is a gold mine of tips and recommendations.
I learned a fair amount about the less well-known areas before I ever left home. I took a lot of books out of the library, but these are the ones I kept by my side and treasure.
If you are going to Italy, and you care about food, you must get Osterie & Locande D'Italia A guide to traditional place to eat and stay in Italy. I can't speak for the places to stay, but some of the best meals I had were places described in amazing detail in this Slow Food book. I yanked out the section on Campania and took it with me. It is by no means comprehensive, but the places it designates are winners and the detail on what to order the stories about the food and places and the people are fantastic.
The next book was my bible, The Food and Wine Guide to Naples and Campania. Carla Capalba is a thorough researcher and lovely writer. She spent years getting to know the people, places and stories behind the food. Her passion for the region comes through and I learned so much from her book I feel like sending her a personal thank you.
Faith Willinger's most recent book, Adventures of an Italian Food Lover with recipes from 254 of my very best friends is a charming book. It's filled with sweet watercolor portraits and of course, Italians and recipes. The section on Southern Italy and the Islands gave me not only names and addresses, but also a great feel for the people and the land. It's a storytelling book with recipes.
Upon my return, I really enjoyed perusing My Love for Naples The Food, The History, The Life is a really dear cookbook told by Anna Teresa Callen who was born and raised in Naples. The title says it all, really. Her recipes are very personal and so are the stories behind them.
While I didn't get his book in time, Arthur Schwartz "The Food Maven" is another aficionado who has not only written about the region but leads classes and tours there. His web site is a gold mine of tips and recommendations.
Photo du Jour - Giant Mushrooms!
Here are some of the fantastic results of the torrential rain we've been having for the last few weeks. It was too dry for mushrooms last autumn, but we're making up for it now!
Our friend found these on her property in Caunes-Minervois.
Los Angeles Philarmonic
When I was little, architecture was in my top list of possible careers. I am quite sensitive to the use of space in general - although my true fascination finds realization in the lay outs of individual homes.One of my "must-see" places in this visit was the LA Philharmonic designed by Richard Gehry. Any angle from inside the building is an exploration pf perspectives!
I was lucky enough to be able to attend Flowering Tree, a wonderful lyric poem by and conducted by John Adams. The libretto is by John Adams and Peter Sellars, a most universal and outstanding artist who lives in LA. I had the extreme luck to see him during the break ... and to chat with. Oh my!
The colors and design of the wall to wall carpet are very Los Angeles and the interior is made in a clear very warm wood. 
I must say I deeply regret that what is announced as Champagne is a simple white sparkling wine, French, sure, but please, do not call this wine Champagne!
The colors and design of the wall to wall carpet are very Los Angeles and the interior is made in a clear very warm wood. I must say I deeply regret that what is announced as Champagne is a simple white sparkling wine, French, sure, but please, do not call this wine Champagne!Gladly, my encounter with Peter Sellars made me forget this disappointing glass of wine!
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