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Brioche des Rois - A Provencal Epiphany
2009-01-05 06:26:00
Last week with the quince and pear frangipane tartelettes, I mentioned that I was inspired by the traditional "galette des rois", a creamy almond frangipane encased in between two sheets of puff pastry, that we eat to celebrate Epiphany on January 6th. Tradition is to enclosed a little ceramic figurine inside, and once sliced, whoever gets the said trinket becomes queen or king for the day. Nowadays, that little ceramic is looking very designer-ish, far from the days we would use a dry fava bean as prize.My dad is always the one cutting and the youngest child in the family is always the one under the table calling the name of the next person to get a slice. Now, why under the table? No reason but they really can't cheat and see who is getting the ceramic and it's just more fun! Why my dad? Because he always cheats and gives it either to the patriarch, my grandad, or the guest of honor... and it's just more fun!Truth be told, we rarely wait for the actual day of Epiphany to start ...

Brioche des Rois - A Provencal Epiphany
2009-01-05 06:26:00
Last week with the quince and pear frangipane tartelettes, I mentioned that I was inspired by the traditional "galette des rois", a creamy almond frangipane encased in between two sheets of puff pastry, that we eat to celebrate Epiphany on January 6th. Tradition is to enclosed a little ceramic figurine inside, and once sliced, whoever gets the said trinket becomes queen or king for the day. Nowadays, that little ceramic is looking very designer-ish, far from the days we would use a dry fava bean as prize.My dad is always the one cutting and the youngest child in the family is always the one under the table calling the name of the next person to get a slice. Now, why under the table? No reason but they really can't cheat and see who is getting the ceramic and it's just more fun! Why my dad? Because he always cheats and gives it either to the patriarch, my grandad, or the guest of honor... and it's just more fun!Truth be told, we rarely wait for the actual day of Epiphany to start ...

Poached Pear and Quince Frangipane Tartelettes
2009-01-01 06:05:00
On this eve of a brand new year, (edit: I was writing this last night) I have spent a good part of this last week reflecting on the year gone by while helping our best and dearest neighbors move. We dealt with it the only way we have handled life in the past three years on our street: a long table in the backyard, lots of oysters and a bucket of cold beers, all hurdled around a big fire, watching the kids run around, the dogs chase each others and the adult pretend they were still twenty and carefree. No, it wasn't all rosy but not everything is and as we went around the table and gave personal highlights of the year passed, I exclaimed "It's been a pretty fantabulastic year!".Professionaly for sure as I am currently buckling down in finishing the manuscript for the cookbook and working on a couple of surprises for you. But looking at all these friends gathered around the table hugging, laughing and reminiscing, my heart was soring for having formed stronger ties will all of them ...
More About: Pear

Poached Pear and Quince Frangipane Tartelettes
2009-01-01 06:05:00
On this eve of a brand new year, (edit: I was writing this last night) I have spent a good part of this last week reflecting on the year gone by while helping our best and dearest neighbors move. We dealt with it the only way we have handled life in the past three years on our street: a long table in the backyard, lots of oysters and a bucket of cold beers, all hurdled around a big fire, watching the kids run around, the dogs chase each others and the adult pretend they were still twenty and carefree. No, it wasn't all rosy but not everything is and as we went around the table and gave personal highlights of the year passed, I exclaimed "It's been a pretty fantabulastic year!".Professionaly for sure as I am currently buckling down in finishing the manuscript for the cookbook and working on a couple of surprises for you. But looking at all these friends gathered around the table hugging, laughing and reminiscing, my heart was soring for having formed stronger ties will all of them ...
More About: Pear

Chocolate Chesnut Vanilla Yule Log or Raspberry Vanilla Meyer Lemon?
2008-12-28 08:11:00
Now say that twelve times real fast after after one too many glasses of Champagne!! These Yule Logs are the desserts I served the family on Christmas dinner and between the 12 of us there were barely enough left for a midnight snack! I did not intend to double the work and make two "just" for fun but between the ubber chocolate fans and the "I ate too much but I still want dessert" peeps, and for my sake of a stress free meal where everybody was happy, I knew that making two was a necessity. Interesting how I belong to both groups...Let's face it, it's dessert, it's mousse, it's chocolate and it was delicious!It was also the dessert chosen by the adventurous Hilda from Saffron and Blueberry and Marion from Il en Faut Peu Pour Etre Heureux for the December Daring Bakers' Challenge: a French Yule Log by Flore from Florilege Gourmand. I loved the traditional cake Yule Log we made last year but this entremet version suits me perfectly...if there is mousse and creme brulee and anyth...
More About: Lemon , Raspberry , Chocolate , Vanilla

Chocolate Chesnut Vanilla Yule Log or Raspberry Vanilla Meyer Lemon?
2008-12-28 08:11:00
Now say that twelve times real fast after after one too many glasses of Champagne!! These Yule Logs are the desserts I served the family on Christmas dinner and between the 12 of us there were barely enough left for a midnight snack! I did not intend to double the work and make two "just" for fun but between the ubber chocolate fans and the "I ate too much but I still want dessert" peeps, and for my sake of a stress free meal where everybody was happy, I knew that making two was a necessity. Interesting how I belong to both groups...Let's face it, it's dessert, it's mousse, it's chocolate and it was delicious!It was also the dessert chosen by the adventurous Hilda from Saffron and Blueberry and Marion from Il en Faut Peu Pour Etre Heureux for the December Daring Bakers' Challenge: a French Yule Log by Flore from Florilege Gourmand. I loved the traditional cake Yule Log we made last year but this entremet version suits me perfectly...if there is mousse and creme brulee and anyth...
More About: Lemon , Raspberry , Chocolate , Vanilla

Merry Christmas!
2008-12-25 08:44:00
Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones! Joyeux Noel!Christmas Eve was low key here, assembling filling boxes after boxes of baked goods and preparing for dinner with the family today.Each year I put together a variety of treats and B. helps with the wrapping and of course tasting "reject" cookies. Pistachio and cocoa nibs cookies, chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter fudge, key lime meltaways, brownies, sables cookies, homemade marshmallows, truffles and salted butter caramel popcorn.Even though I would not mind starting with dessert, there is duck on the menu this year with a sausage and chestnut stuffing, sweet potato casserole, greens beans with pancetta, and wild rice. Dessert ? Well, I'll tell you more about this weekend...promise!We finished decorating the tree just the other night and I just love sitting in the dark looking at it. The magic of Christmas...a time for reflection and cheers, joy and remembrance......and also of a little fun....Looks like Santa had his clot...
More About: Merry Christmas , Merry

Merry Christmas!
2008-12-25 08:44:00
Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones! Joyeux Noel!Christmas Eve was low key here, assembling filling boxes after boxes of baked goods and preparing for dinner with the family today.Each year I put together a variety of treats and B. helps with the wrapping and of course tasting "reject" cookies. Pistachio and cocoa nibs cookies, chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter fudge, key lime meltaways, brownies, sables cookies, homemade marshmallows, truffles and salted butter caramel popcorn.Even though I would not mind starting with dessert, there is duck on the menu this year with a sausage and chestnut stuffing, sweet potato casserole, greens beans with pancetta, and wild rice. Dessert ? Well, I'll tell you more about this weekend...promise!We finished decorating the tree just the other night and I just love sitting in the dark looking at it. The magic of Christmas...a time for reflection and cheers, joy and remembrance......and also of a little fun....Looks like Santa had his clot...
More About: Merry Christmas , Merry

Banana Tatin Verrines
2008-12-22 06:32:00
I never know "sur quel pied danser" (on which foot to dance) the last few days leading to Christmas. I have my feet in the starters' block but it is too soon to get going! The tree is up, the house is decorated, all the doughs for the cookies and treats are made and parked in the fridge waiting for Tuesday to be baked and Wednesday to be packaged. The menu is set, the food has been shopped for and is awaiting its own oven time. Today, there were moments of pure calm with a "yeah, I can have a cup of tea and a sit down" mixed with "Oh geez! Should I be panicking, should I, should I?"...I could have panicked this afternoon when B. asked me what were the plans for lunch. I opened the fridge, peeked in the drawers, closed the door and smiled "well, I know you wouldn't have a problem eating raw biscotti dough for dinner but it ain't Christmas yet child...so let's go get some fish and grill". I was telling Lisa last night that I was on my 4th batch of shortbread dough and not because ...
More About: Banana

Banana Tatin Verrines
2008-12-22 06:32:00
I never know "sur quel pied danser" (on which foot to dance) the last few days leading to Christmas. I have my feet in the starters' block but it is too soon to get going! The tree is up, the house is decorated, all the doughs for the cookies and treats are made and parked in the fridge waiting for Tuesday to be baked and Wednesday to be packaged. The menu is set, the food has been shopped for and is awaiting its own oven time. Today, there were moments of pure calm with a "yeah, I can have a cup of tea and a sit down" mixed with "Oh geez! Should I be panicking, should I, should I?"...I could have panicked this afternoon when B. asked me what were the plans for lunch. I opened the fridge, peeked in the drawers, closed the door and smiled "well, I know you wouldn't have a problem eating raw biscotti dough for dinner but it ain't Christmas yet child...so let's go get some fish and grill". I was telling Lisa last night that I was on my 4th batch of shortbread dough and not because ...
More About: Banana

Lavender And Espresso Truffles
2008-12-18 06:14:00
Christmas is right around the corner isn't it?! I am fully in the holiday spirit, at least I think I am. No, I know I am once I get home, close the door and start baking and filling boxes with goodies to be shipped off to friends and given to the family on Christmas day. Indeed, it's been a little strange looking at snowmen and pine trees while we were in shorts today...no kidding. Well, B. was because I am a "frileuse" as we say back home; always chilly. I am currently living winter vicariously through my pal Jen in Colorado who keeps filling my head with pictures of snow, ice, skiing and delicious holiday treats while I am rolling truffles.We all have our traditions comes Christmas and there are a couple that my family never miss. My grandmother was famous for her marzipan stuffed dates and walnuts while since I was old enough to hold a spatula, I have been the one making truffles. I flew home the first Christmas after my grandma died and without exchanging a word one night my m...
More About: Espresso , Truffles

Lavender And Espresso Truffles
2008-12-18 06:14:00
Christmas is right around the corner isn't it?! I am fully in the holiday spirit, at least I think I am. No, I know I am once I get home, close the door and start baking and filling boxes with goodies to be shipped off to friends and given to the family on Christmas day. Indeed, it's been a little strange looking at snowmen and pine trees while we were in shorts today...no kidding. Well, B. was because I am a "frileuse" as we say back home; always chilly. I am currently living winter vicariously through my pal Jen in Colorado who keeps filling my head with pictures of snow, ice, skiing and delicious holiday treats while I am rolling truffles.We all have our traditions comes Christmas and there are a couple that my family never miss. My grandmother was famous for her marzipan stuffed dates and walnuts while since I was old enough to hold a spatula, I have been the one making truffles. I flew home the first Christmas after my grandma died and without exchanging a word one night my m...
More About: Espresso , Truffles

Gingerbread Men Macarons
2008-12-15 06:22:00
I did not intend to post about macarons again this soon until Carol planted an idea in my head. I have come to accept and oh so happily surrender to her gentle "hey Tarty! Ever thought of doing xyz?" or "what about a little of this on a little of that, eh Tarty?!". Carol perfectly fits the Parisian shoe and a visit to her blog always makes me feel a little closer to home, not to mention nostalgic of all the pastries and atmospheres of home.The Gingerbread Men Macarons came to life because of one innocent conversation between Carol and I. Although, how innocent can conversations be when foodies are involved, hmmm...?!Carol : "Will you do anything as mundane as gingerbread persons?Gingerbread macarons probably doesn't work..."Me: "Argghhhhhhhhhhhh !! YOU!!! Guess what I am scketching in my head right now?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You might have gingerbread macs before you know it!!"Carol: "While you're sketching, can you put teeth on the mac upper and lower and place a mini gingerperson in be...

Poached Quince And Red Fruit Cake
2008-12-11 07:10:00
This is going to be a short post I fear today. I can't shake this cold and can somebody tell me why it is 70F after midnight....talk about throwing a migraine into the loop!! It's December for crying out loud!! Time for mulled wine, sweaters, fireplaces, clementines, hot cocoa, pomegranates, and quinces. Instead the fall/winter produce stalls have to share their space with berries and juicy melons. Upside down, inside out...completely out of the box, which is kind of where I went with this cake. Innocent looking cake, filled with poached quinces, topped with berries, baked and served in a box used for Brie or Camembert instead.The idea came to me over lunch the other day as we were finishing the last of the Brie and while we were planning our friend J.'s birthday party for Friday. J. is a prankster. A good one for sure but it's pretty much non stop with him. A get together with him and his wife is never just that. On the ride to their house, we are always wondering what he's go...
More About: Fruit , Cake

Satsuma Pistachio Dacquoise And Buttercream
2008-12-08 06:04:00
I just love December so much I could just wrap my arms around it and hug it so tight it would burst! What gets me so excited in December? Well, Christmas light, Christmas decorations, roasted chestnuts, cranberries, get-togethers, oyster roasts...Oh! I don't know...a gazillion things. My heart burst, my head spins and my heart swells a little bigger comes December. Time to take a hand, lend a hand, bake a little, bake a lot, send a hug, write a card...ok,ok...you get it..sorry I tend to not filter my emotions come December.Indeed, I ride high and I ride low...especially if I don't get to go home for Christmas. B. knows when and how to get the arsenal of chocolate and tissues ready for when I hit my lows and I give him ample warning of long Christmas stories from my childhood are about to leave my lips the moment I start decorating the tree. The creche and the santons, the 13 desserts of Provence, our long dinners and lingering lunches, taking the young ones to a Disney movie on Ch...

Pomegranate Hibiscus Tea & Honey Ginger Yogurt Verrines - A Virtual Hug
2008-12-05 06:36:00
I play well with food. We get along nicely.I can twirl it around, bake it, cut it, stretch it, play it up, play it down.We spend many hours together everyday. Swishing sounds of the whisk play with the silence of my thoughts.We do get along well. Sometimes though I wish I weren't alone in the kitchen.Peeling fruit, brewing tea. Impatiently waiting for that drop of honey to fall from the spoon. Sometimes I wish I had Barbara with me in the kitchen.I know she would sit on the vintage stool by the counter. For about 5 minutes before heading in there with me.I know she would pour us a glass of wine while helping me pick the buttercream from my cheekLike she virtually wiped the tears from my heart last year when I lost someone I had never met but already loved.She would remind me to dance even if only in my head.In fact I believe she'd turn the radio louder and we'd dance right in the middle of spun sugar and flour clouds.Then we would fall loudly on the sofa and laugh...and hug.Barba...
More About: Pomegranate , Honey , Virtual , Hibiscus , Yogurt

Daring Bakers, Caramel Cake and Soft Grand Marnier Caramels
2008-11-29 07:11:00
I can hardly believe that the Daring Bakers are already two years old and that next month will be my own two year anniversary with the group. I can hardly believe that it went from Lisa emailing me with "hey there are four of us making biscotti, are you interested?" to "hey should we have a name?" to a full blown multi national group of bakers of all ages and all levels. We may all see the challenges differently but it does not matter as long there is a good dose of butter, sugar, flour! I am learning so much about others, the way they approach recipes and ideas as well as their cultures. Cheers to two years Daring Bakers and to many more!I love when things come full circle or half circle or when there is a little something somewhere, a little detail that makes sense to me or/and others. It did this month in the sweetest way (pun completely intended), when Dolores from Culinary Curiosity , along with Alex from Blondie and Brownie and Jenny of Foray into Food chose Shuna's Caramel C...
More About: Cake , Soft , Grand

Happy Thanksgiving!
2008-11-26 21:29:00
Thankful that my 5 year old nephew asked me to make him chocolate cupcakes with "snow frosting" for Thanksgiving dinner...even if that's all he'll eat. How can I say "no"?!!Thankful for little things like sprinkles and having this space to tell you about my passion for all things sweet. Thankful to have you read and leave your thoughts post after post.Thankful for friends who know how much I miss Fall and bring me a bouquet of leaves from a trip to the mountains! Thank you C&H!! Thankful to my wonderful husband for his constant gift of love, friendships and laughter and for always "expecting the unexpected"....Thank you to my families both here and home. When I keep wavering like a feather you are always the rocks I rely on.Thankful to the little things in life like ribbons and polka dots, for putting a smile on my face at the oddest time of the day.Thankful that Christmas is here soon: care packages after cookie boxes after macarons after... shipped to friends and family.Than...
More About: Happy

Pumpkin Meringue Tartelettes
2008-11-23 07:52:00
With the holidays just upon us, I hope you won't mind a little pre-Thanksgiving dessert and have to let you in on a little secret: I won't be cooking or baking this Thanksgiving. Argh!!! Horror!!! Truth is, I never cook or bake that day as I am reminded each year that it is not "my" holiday. Well yes, French people did not have Pilmgrims and Native Americans (we had Romans and Vikings but that's another story), but Thanksgiving is important to my American. I know that Thanksgiving is more than that, the viking-pilgrim thing is just a joke between us when people ask me what the French do for T-Day. What is important to B. is important to me. In his family dynamics however, I get to sit this one out.I love entertaining, holiday cooking and baking, having a bunch of friends and dear ones around. Planning, making the menus...I miss this greatly being so far away from my family most holidays. Comes Thanksgiving and my head is spinning with recipes, both sweet and savory and I get to r...
More About: Pumpkin

Black Tie Macarons And A Calendar Girl
2008-11-20 07:19:00
These are not the Frenchie version of Oreos but rather Black Tie Macarons that I made for a party, not that I don't like love Oreos mind you! You see, I don't usually mingle with B's music jobs unless they are at a restaurant or some gig for the city. They are jobs, fun and full of passion for music but they are jobs nonetheless. It's not "Take your spouse to work" kind of day. He's focused, he's playing, he needs to mingle and talk to the guests. Then once in a while they are the jobs that I find myself completely intertwined with. It can be a client of mine marrying her daughter and having his band play, a restaurant we both love is having the band that night, etc... And then there are the jobs where I am supplying desserts or favors and his band is playing that night. Usually we are pretty good at keeping track of our schedules and I know where and when he plays and he can keep track of where I am by following the crumbs I leave behind me (not that far from the truth, reall...
More About: Girl , Calendar

Around The World In 100 Cookies: Field Guide To Cookie Book Tour
2008-11-17 07:45:00
Here is another post in the series "When blogging become much more than just blogging". I am loving the extra dimentional relationships formed and cultivated through blogging and when Anita asked a few of us to take her first released book "Field Guide To Cookies " on a virtual tour, I literary smiled from ear to ear. Anita is a sweetheart, a terrific baker, a great friend, a fellow Daring Baker (we hosted the Saint Honore challenge together), and an extremely talented writer. Indeed, no one can describe flavors and textures as well as she does. Trust me. Head over to her blog, Dessert First and then tell me if you did not get lost in the fold of a sweet pie or the silkiness of an ice cream.It just happened that Anita asked us to take her book on a tour at the same time that I was completing the Princess Torte assignment for Desserts Magazine and the editor mentionned that the next issue would be on cookies. Ha! "Well...I am just getting this nifty pocket book filled with 100 recipes...
More About: World , Book , Tour , Around the world

My Best Friend's Wedding
2008-11-15 15:13:00
Never in my wildest thoughts would I have imagined forming such a strong relationship with somebody met online. Yet, over the past two and a half years, Lisa has become just that: my bestfriend. I would have done (almost) anything, even singing badly at the corner bar to pay for my fare. No way I was going to miss that. They had decided to cater their own wedding and we quickly started exchanging emails about the how's and what's of the project. She mentionned getting her wedding cake from a bakery she liked and my first thought was "Yeah! I get to be in the wedding instead of baking for it!". My second thought was "Geez! I could save them so much money if I did it myself!" It would be my wedding gift and yes, that's how it all got started.Since I was baking for a close friend, at her house, right there in the middle of 6 other women preparing all the food, I expected something to go wrong. And it did....to a small extent since nobody saw it, but it was staring me in the face eve...
More About: Wedding

Poire D'Eve
2008-11-13 06:12:00
I know, I know...no pictures of Lisa's wedding cake yet, at least not today....One reason is that I have been saving this wonderful Poire D'Eve cake for a week now and another reason is that I have hundreds of pictures to go through from the wedding and a few other attendees have graciously allowed me to use their shots too so I am working on a little montage. I actually started writing about it yesterday and this morning tons of little details came rushing to my mind so I need to "sit" on it a couple more days to do it justice.I can't tell you how much your visits and excitement over this past week have meant to me and I promise to tell you all about it. As ubber critical me, I did find faults until both Lisa and Wayne decided to smear some cake on their noses, but I guess that is normal when you bake for such a dear friend...under the watch of other foodies....Thank you Kelly and Lisa for staying up late, talking to me while I was "spatulating" (new word) the same corner over a...

A Buttercream Weekend - In Need Of Fruit!
2008-11-10 07:35:00
Update 1: for a first account of the weekend, read John's post here.Update 2: Sorry for the confusion but this was not the wedding cake, I was just dipping into the archives to illustrate the buttercream.As you can see I am using a little trip in the archives to sum up the last 5 days spent at Lisa's for her wedding. There was a lot of buttercream indeed, a little over 6 pounds of it actually for her wedding cake. I am still at her house and won't be back until later tonight but I will run some funny-interesting numbers for you later in the week. The food was beyond good, the people and friends I met were absolutely fantastic and even though there were quite a few nights that led to a 5am bed time, when we finally sat down this afternoon there was a huge smile on everybody's face a couple of miles long. I have so many stories and memories that it is all a big happy blur in my head right now and as soon as I download and go through all the pictures tomorrow, I will make sure to g...
More About: Fruit , Weekend

Persimmons Chai Tartes Tatin
2008-11-06 08:37:00
I finally made it to Lisa's house today and after many hours of chatting with her and Kelly, I find myself thinking about B. back home and how sick with a bad cold he is and how I am not there to help him feel better. Hmmm, maybe that's not such a bad thing considering he is a terrible a "sickie". Well, I did feel bad leaving him at the worse of bouts of coughing and sneezing and figured that I'd make us a nice pot of soup and a flavorful and comforting dessert before I left. You know, so he'd miss me terribly and not feel like I left him cold for five days while I was having a grand time with the girls. To say that we have already started is an understatement!!I have always find tartes tatin to be comforting with their soft apples and caramel goodness all blanketed by a soft pillow of dough. Since B. is on a heavy tea drinking regimen, I wanted to infuse the apples with the soft and soothing scent of Chai tea. Since I was in the middle of packing I did not really have much time...

Raspberry Parfait Lollipops And The Little Big Things In Life
2008-11-03 06:13:00
The little big things in life...Let me start by a very little thing: fresh tasty raspberries in late October. I had stopped at the restaurant last week to say "hi" to the old crew when Crazy D and Nazi K (the appropriately nicknamed line chefs) emerged from the kitchen with a small crate of raspberries. "For you!" they exclaimed at the same time. I was quite surprised as we have spent 6 years in crammed quarters together, sweating, cursing (yes, I know how to!), loving and hating each other at the same time. To see them bearing gift, you can guess that I was expected a prank or something worse. To my surprise the berries were juicy, sweet and tasty. "Where did you get these? They are so good!". I got the usual "Fell off the back of a truck" answer. We would say that anytime we'd get something we were not supposed to. Hmmm the little things in life...don't ask, just do!I contemplated for a day or two what I was going to do with this unexpected summer extension. In spite of a couple...
More About: Life , Raspberry , Things , Parfait

Princess Torte
2008-10-31 06:14:00
It has been ages since I made a Princess Torte , actually many moons ago for a friend's little princess 8th birthday. Although not difficult, it is a mini production of its own, the sort of cake that I could see the Daring Bakers attempt one month. Out of the ordinary genoise base, rich pastry cream, almond paste, whisking, folding, heating up, cooling down, rolling thin, draping, trimming, etc... You get the picture. I absolutely love cakes like this one: incredibly rich and yet a feather on your tongue. A poetry of textures and flavors all wrapped up around your fork (let's not talk thigh side effect...it is Friday after all!), and when work becomes play what else can a girl ask for?!Earlier this month I received a very sweet work assignment "Have you ever made a Princess Torte? Yoour mission, should you accept it is to bake one, style it and photograph it for our upcoming 4th issue." Ok, so this sounds more Mission Impossible than what Vera actually wrote me, but I never refuse ...

Tossing With The Daring Bakers: Plum Mascarpone and Streusel Pizza
2008-10-29 06:19:00
This Daring Bakers ' challenge almost did not come to be. Almost. It's been a busy month, work, play, life...the usual. Multiply that by two or three. It took a dinner invitation and a little Halloween inspiration to make it happen.Our October hostess, Rosa from Rosa's Yummy Yums chose pizza as our challenge and although excited about it right from the start (it's got carbs...I am excited), I did not get to it until Monday morning. We had friends coming over yesterday for dinner and since it was going to be a late casual nibble around a game of Scrabble and some wine, I figured that pizza would be the perfect thing for that kind of get together. I made four small pizzas and kept three on the savory side and you guess it, one sweet for the blog. Turns out our guests arrived while I was still in traffic and helped themselves to the Plum Mascarpone and Streusel Pizza before Scrabble...my kind of peeps...dessert first!One of Rosa's requests, although not mandatory was to take a pict...

Pear And Pecan Tea Cakes - An Afternoon With Grandma
2008-10-27 06:50:00
I'd like to dedicate this post to another great lady, Bri who passed away last night. My sincere condolences to her husband and her family.A post I was reading the other week prompted me to take out my grandmother's china and silverware out of their cases and bring them to life for a little while. The time of a dessert, a picture or a post. The time of a memory I might give my mother about a certain time in her past. I know I'll never be as creative as Pia in styling and setting the mood for the pieces I inherited but the moment was right to polish those spoons and dust off those cups.I started to take pictures of the spoons on their own and although pretty, something was missing. I made some tea and hoped that the smell and relaxing atmosphere would inspire me a little. It was allright...not bad, there was still that little "je ne sais quoi" missing. I took a step back and tried to remember the last time I had seen my grandmother use those pieces. Had I? Ever? No, not really.......
More About: Cakes , Pear , Afternoon , Grandma

Apple Frangipane Tartelettes With Cheesecake Ice Cream
2008-10-24 06:09:00
When I was a little girl I had quite a few nicknames. I will spare you the ones my dear and gentle (hmmm...) brothers gave me but my family gave me two that are still around today: Tartelette and Reine des Pommes. The first one is obvious as I love to make tarts and they were probably my first venture in the kitchen. The second needs a little French idiom explanation. It's not that I ate that many apples but " une pomme" is also a person with a kooky or funky personality. I was just that as a child, coming up from my day dreams just long enough to breath some fresh air, realize the world out there was not that great and going back deep into my fantasies.Whenever something was wrong I'd find comfort eating some of my mother's apple cake while reading a Charles Perrault's fairy tale. A slice of my grandmother's apple pie was also enough to transport me into a magical world of brave knights and pretty princesses. Yes, just from one slice. One of my favorite fairy tale was indeed S...
More About: Apple , Ice Cream , Cheesecake , Cream