holiday eggnog crème brûlée
serves 4
what you need:
custard
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup lowfat eggnog
½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
½ cup (4 ounces) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon brandy
5 fresh egg yolks Read the rest of this entry »
holiday eggnog crème brûlée
December 15th, 2012holiday chocolate tree
December 6th, 2012
celebrating the season with chocolate
holiday tree of chocolate
(sapin de Noël au chocolat)
I could not believe my eyes when I saw holiday decor in the Los Angeles stores before Halloween. While I understand the excitement, that two month vendor jump on the holidays does not exsist in Paris. In Paris, the holiday decor does not go up until the first week in December (with the exception of certain tourist streets such as the Champs Élysées) and it stays up until the Epiphany (January 6). This week the pine trees have arrived. There are no Christmas tree “lots.” Instead, the corner florists and grocery stores sell them and the decorated trees are beginning to embellish store fronts, hotels, and apartment buliding lobbies. The gardienne for the apartment building where my apartment is put our lobby pine tree up yesterday. Covered in white flocking with white ornaments, it is a welcome sight and smell coming in from the 40 degree (Fahrenheit) chill and it was the inspiration for this (very) simple pleasure: holiday tree of chocolate (sapin de Noël au chocolat).
chocolate holiday tree (sapin de Noël au chocolat)
December 6th, 2012
chocolate holiday tree
(sapin de Noël au chocolat)
makes one 1 tree
what you need:
1 pound bittersweet chocolate (or milk chocolate)
4 cups cereal (corn flakes or puffed rice)
~ 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted (as needed)
powdered sugar (as needed) Read the rest of this entry »
kabocha pie with flaky chestnut crust
November 15th, 2012
kabocha pie with flaky chestnut crust
THANKSGIVING TIP:
Try to make your desserts the day before Thanksgiving (use Thanksgiving day to cook/finish the things that have to be done that day…gravy, the turkey). In fact, to spread out your workload,
the pie crust and the filling can be made separately at least two days before Thanksgiving and stored in the refrigerator.
Combine the crust and filling and bake the pie the day before Thanksgiving.
serves 4
makes 1 pie crust large enough for a 12” tart pan
what you need:
flaky crust
½ ounce chestnut flour, sifted
11 ounces unbleached all-purpose King Arthur flour, sifted Read the rest of this entry »
Fruit, Neruda and enjoying the silence
October 3rd, 2012
Fruit, Neruda and enjoying the silence:
fresh autumn figs with balsamic caramel,
fleur de sel and pomegranate seeds
Fall fruit reminds me of Pablo Neruda. Actually, his writing and in particular, the compilation of selected poems (translated by Stephen Mitchell) entitled: full woman,fleshy apple, hot moon. How wonderful is a man who appreciates both the honest curves of women and the beauty of seasonal fruit and can artfully write about both.
fresh figs with balsamic caramel, fleur de sel and pomegranate seeds
October 3rd, 2012
fresh figs with balsamic caramel, fleur de sel and pomegranate seeds
serves many happy people
(makes approx. 11 ounces caramel sauce)
ceries aux lavande et thym (cherries poached with lavender and thyme)
July 10th, 2012
ceries aux lavande et thym
(cherries poached with lavender and thyme)
serves 6-8
what you need:
24-30 firm, ripe red cherries, stems removed (pits reserved)
2 cups water
2 tablespoons of lavender flowers (tied in cheesecloth)
4 tablespoons superfine sugar
2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 piece of lemon peel
a one year anniversary and life is just peachy: summer peach mousse with crushed almonds and rose biscuits
June 25th, 2012
a one year anniversary and life is just peachy:
summer peach mousse with crushed almonds and rose biscuits
Paris is historical, inspirational, and romantic. For many people, it is bon goût (good taste) in all meanings of the word – gastronomically, artistically, architecturally, in fashion – to name a few. For me, my red chef shoes bring me here time and time again and the magic never dulls. One year ago I finally found an apartment in this city which I fell in love with so many years ago. It is this anniversary which inspired this week’s simple pleasure: summer peach mousse with crushed almonds and rose biscuits.
summer peach mousse with crushed almonds and rose biscuits
June 25th, 2012
summer peach mousse with crushed almonds and rose biscuits
serves 4-6
what you need:
mousse
1 ½ pound fresh diced (yeelow or white) peaches, peeled and pits removed
3 ounces granulated sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 gelatin sheets
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
squeeze of fresh lemon juice
garnish
crushed roasted almonds (as needed)
crumbled rose biscuits (as needed)
Mother’s Day recipe 2012: crunchy chocolate and espresso almond cookies
May 14th, 2012
studying for bar exam by Chef Morgan
Mother’s Day recipe 2012:
baking cookies, having the courage to follow your heart,
and being true to the woman that you are:
crunchy chocolate and espresso almond cookies
Recently someone asked my oldest daughter: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I remember being asked the same thing when I was her age. Watching her respond inspired this year’s Mother’s Day personal recipe for my daughters (below) and this week’s simple pleasure: crunchy chocolate and espresso almond cookies. Read the rest of this entry »
my first book now available on iBooks
