Back from vacation

One reaches up

and plucks a fig

for breakfast or a midday snack.

Vacationing

in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

has been so lovely.

Les Tartes de Françoise arrives in nyc

We all have favorite desserts. When I start musing about cheesecakes, I can taste them with my eyes. New York varieties are thick and rich made with cream cheese and graham crackers, Italian versions created with ricotta cheese feel so homey, while the French versions are altogether another taste and texture, made with fromage blanc. One of my most favorite is “Fromage blanc spéculoos” from Les Tartes de Françoise. No matter how many times I’ve eaten it, at room temperature or slightly warm from the oven, it never fails to surprise and delight with its perfect combination of textures -- the fluffy, light, cheese snuggled into a crunchy crust of crushed spice cookies, the traditional, Belgium spéculoos variety. Only their ovens and chefs know how to bake them, just so. I have just returned from the Brussels, tiny, discreet, Françoise shop, actually the atelier, which as an afterthought happens to kindly also sell retail via word of mouth. When they heard my accent, the staff proudly told me that they have just opened a shop in NYC. So if you live in the neighborhood, and want to fall in love, do scout them out and enjoy a slice of Françoise’s Fromage blanc spéculoos!
And if you don't live in NYC or Brussels, here is a recipe for those special Belgium spice cookies, spéculoos.

The Delicious Miss Dahl

Just watched the first episode of The Delicious Miss Dahl” on BBC 2. Ohh, it is so yummy.  From her claim that starting your day with an Arnold Bennet omlette will ensure a wonderful day, to self indulgent treats,  "My Perfect Dinner," martinis, all are easy, charming and healthy-ish.  The format is personal, with delightful illustrations, hand scribbled text, recipe cards, her lovely trenchcoats, black dresses, sweaters, and images of home, hearth, food, natural flower arrangements and ... foods. Of course, immediately after watching, ... I speed into the kitchen to whip up some treats.  Sophie Dahl is having fun and sharing her secrets - click here for the recipes - but the visuals are lost, you do need to watch the story develop, so try to catch the next episodes, indulge yourself and enjoy every bite.

Alice at Ladurée Royale

No matter how many times I pass by Ladurée on Rue Royal in Paris, like an enchanting magnet, it never fails to draw me inside by the window displays, the colors and the message of favors.  Unfortunately it is forever packed with like minded, so you must have a lot of time and patience (of which I had neither this trip.)
Regardless the windows are instilled in my mind.  They were filled with larger than life-sized painted wooden cut-outs of Alice.  At her feet was a music box, lined with a black and white checkerboard.  The illustration is by Kera Till who catches Ladurée's unique and whimsical appeal so perfectly.  Snuggled inside the music box are the real goodies, moist, crisp, melting, apple maccaroons - sublime - those I did taste the night before (along with the pistachio and chocolate ones) and can attest they are perfect!

Apart from the shop, their teahouse is equally inviting.  Their teas, coffees, menu is unique and delicious.  For this reason alone, it attracts all kinds of people let along ones like me who would wonder in just for the romantic decoration, the pretty napkins, silver tea pots and more.  An intrisically Parisian landmark.  Rue Royal is my favorite Ladurée. Don't miss it when you are in Paris.

Easy summer pizza recipe - mozzarella and arugula

If , like me, cooking with fresh, simple, local ingredients is one of your great pleasures, then you understand that vacationing in Italy is true bliss. I feel as carefree and happy as my sketch when I am gathering ingredients, cooking and sharing a meal. This menu was only pizza - one made with fresh mozzarella and halved cherry tomatoes cooked on a round of pizza dough, and then, served with a bunch of freshly picked arugula tossed on top, which sort of melts and has the most wonderful aroma. Peppered olive oil (just push some dried peppers into your jug of olive oil) and freshly ground salt was sprinkled on top to taste, which means a most generous portion of that olive oil.

And another page from my sketchook filled with thoughts, impressions, recipes and more.

Oriental sweets and rich gingerbread

These sweets were gathered together for a friend's birthday (who is not mad for chocolate, like me and my family) - and the freshness of another palette, rich in tradition and different from our usual dessert menu, simply enhanced the mood of the special occasion. From the top, there are assorted Moroccan sweets made with honey, almonds, and other nuts, followed by a gingerbread cake, that is so rich, we were advised by the baker to eat it smeared on thick slices of fresh bread...

... and finally, an almond cake. All handmade by different bakers, they are luscious specialties, rich in flavor, smells and tradition.

Two of my favorites -- Kusmi and Marcolini

I love Kusmi Tea, they are rich, heavenly, never boring, full bodied and pure teas. One of my favorite blends is "Sweet Love" - with it's ginseng, and liquorice, spices, guarana seed and pink peppers. The romantic drawing on this tin, and unique drawings and color combos on all their other tins, conjure up emotions and thoughts that add to the experience, and also make wonderful containers to use and re-use. If you try "Sweet Love" you will fall for it!

And my absolute favorite Pierre Marcolini chocolate is the glossy, red raspberry heart or "Coeur Framboise." They are filled with a raspberry-chocolate center, coated in white chocolate, and sprayed with this beautiful raspberry shade that has a glimmer of dark chocolate sparkles (or at least I see that glimmering effect) that says - chocolate goodies! They sell them in little boxes of pairs in the store, and that is they way I love them - two for two.

Delicious Chocolate wafers with tex mex

These sweets are not only irresistible with a wonderful balance of a thin wafer of chocolate topped with "healthy candies" but are fun to make, pretty to the eyes and a pleasure to gift. This is a family favorite recipe. For success -- use the finest chocolate you can find, and top with colorful and the most delicious and fresh dried fruits and nuts you have available. Go exotic, traditional or luxurious -- whatever your style and your region.

Ingredients:

--a package of the best (and your favorite) chocolate (I used dark and milk chocolate)

--a bowl full of nuts (I used walnuts, sliced almonds and a few cashews), dried fruit (I used slices of crystallized ginger, raisins and some coconut chips --but this is all flexible, it depends on your taste, if I had marron glacé I would have used it with walnuts)

Baking sheets or trays lined with foil.

Step by step:

-Mix all your nuts and fruits in a bowl.

-Melt the chocolate in the microwave in a bowl. This is what I learned from a Callebaut chocolate chef - make short, 30 second to 1 minute cooks in the micro, and stir in between to melt the chocolate evenly, until it's rich and creamy.

-Drop a small teaspoon of chocolate on the foil.

-Press a small spoonful of the nut mixture firmly into the chocolate. You will have a thin layer of chocolate as the base, with the top covered in the nut mixture.

-Repeat until the whole tray is filled with your chocolate wafers.
-Then place the trays in the refrigerator for about a half hour until the chocolate is firm.

-When it's firm, peel the chocolate off the wax paper.

Well, I'm going to soon be returning to fashion and diy projects, but this little interlude into foods was good for the soul and irresistible.

Marron glacé jam spread on homemade bread

Somehow there doesn't seem to be anything as luxurious right now as homemade bread. The time, craft and smells are delicious and I make it unique by adding dried cranberries and walnuts or peppered olives and sun dried tomatoes, it's salty or sweet, using whatever I have on hand that is colorful and inviting. The sweet one we spread with jams from Neuhaus, which are ultra rich, just like their pralines, with concentrated fruit combinations, we love the apples and cinnamon or raspberries - unlike anything else, it's not like candy, but also not like jams as we know them, something else ... or we spread on a friend's mother-in-law's homemade jams that we are privy to, from northern Italy, which are ultra fine, but uncommon combos like marron glacé with pecans. Otherwise I saute fragrant mushrooms, add a sprint of creme, wine, garlic and parsley to pile on top the farmer's bread. Everything simple but heavenly and I hope it inspires you.

(...and I just finally added -December 23rd- the photo below of the mix I added into the above baked bread - cranberries, walnuts and orange zest.)

Chocolate sandwiched between farmer's bread

When I find wonderful loaves of farmer's bread at the market, I love to cut them into thick slices and eat with a rich, black chunk of chocolate...or for kids, I toast the bread and insert thin slices of chocolate. The perfect chocolate treat.

...and these stuffed dough meals didn't last a day with their nutty, spicy fulfilling flavor.

Honey Nut cookie recipe - Biscotti Quadrati al Miele e alle Noci

Food is actually an integral part of fashion, so finally I succumb, and post a favorite cookie recipe. These cookies represent for me the feelings of the end of the year and the beginning of 2009. They have a splendidly homemade and earthy taste, take minimum time to make and stand out from all the chocolates and fluffy deserts that seem passe this year. The recipe in from one of my Gourmet cookbooks, but I found a link online --"Gourmet". It's no fail fun and there's plenty of room to improvise with what you have in your cupboards.