Local French dairy products

     One of the major challenges to French cooking I have found here in America is the fact that dairy products that are unpasteurized are not allowed.  I grew up on unpasteurized milk, cream and all sorts of “not allowed by the FDA” products, like so many other millions of people around the world and have never had a problem.  Raw dairy builds the immune system up like crazy, making for strong bones and a general healthy outlook.

     So here are the best dairy products I could come up with so far, if you want to cook like a true French person (as much as we can on this side of the world):

          From left to right:

• “Natural by Nature” pasteurized heavy cream.  Unlike most cream, this one IS NOT ultra-pasteurized, which means it is boiled only once, and not at very high temperature, which makes for a much more stable and thicker product.
• True whole milk en bouteille de verre, also by “Natural by Nature”, which is sold at Whole Foods Market.  It is so thick that you can collect up to 2 tablespoons of cream at the top of the bottle when you open it.
• An excellent option for butters are the French ones from Poitou, a region suited to the rearing of goats.  All the dairy from this part of France is extra rich and creamy.  This “Sèvre Belle” is slightly salted.  Ideal for the baguette and petit noir of the morning.
• Whenever I can, I buy a 1-pound roll of salted and unsalted butter at my local Farmers Market.  The one underneath the French butter comes from an Amish farm in Wisconsin from grass-fed cows.  You can actually taste the difference. 
• For a bit more flavor, especially for ice-cream or a creamy dessert, nothing beats goat’s milk (see the cream leftover inside the bottle).  Also available at Whole Foods.
• The Vermont Creamery makes an excellent crème fraîche, one of the staples of French cooking.  Their cheeses are also quite imaginative and creamy.

     A very good recipe to use two of the products above is a panna-cotta.  I suggest using the goat’s milk for the vanilla portion and the whole cow’s milk for the chocolate one.  It can be done with one or both flavours, and although it may seem lengthy to prepare, the majority of time required is for refrigeration.  The dessert can be made up to two days ahead and will keep for another two in the fridge.  It is an ideal end for a rather light dinner, of fish for example, as it tends to be filling.  The measurements are good for 4 servings.

 

La panna-cotta au chocolat, vainille e crème de violette:

 

Ingredients for the vainille et crème de violette panna-cotta:

• 3 Tbsp. cold water
• 2 ¼ tsp. unflavoured gelatin
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup half and half (combine half cup of cream and half of milk from “Natural by Nature” brand)
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 Tbsp. crème de violette liqueur
• ¼  Tahitian vanilla bean, scraped
• Pinch of salt

Ingredients for the chocolate panna-cotta:

• 1 ¾ cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 ¼ tsp. unflavoured gelatin
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 2 ounces finely chopped quality dark chocolate, 70% cacao

For the whipped cream topping:

• ¾ heavy whipping cream
• 2 Tbsp crème de violette liqueur
• A drop or two of violet food colouring
• Small pieces of chocolate for decorating

Preparation for the vainille et crème de violette panna-cotta:

     Pour the cold water into a small bowl and sprinkle with the gelatin.

 

     In a medium saucepan, heat the cream, half and half, sugar, lavender and salt over medium heat until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil, about 5 minutes.

 

     Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the mixture through a fine strainer and into a measuring cup with a spout.  Stir in the crème de violette and the vanilla seeds, followed by the gelatin mixture, stirring until the gelatin has completely dissolved.

 

     Divide among 4 individual serving glasses and bring to room temperature, then place on a flat surface in the fridge and refrigerate overnight.

Preparation for the chocolate panna-cotta:

     Once the vanilla layer has been set, it’s time to make the chocolate one. 

 

     Pour ¼ cup of the whipping cream into a small heatproof bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it.  Let sit for 10 minutes.  Place the bowl into a larger one with hot water and stir mixture until the gelatin has completely dissolved.

 

     In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the remaining cream, sugar and salt just to a boil and remove promptly from the heat.  Whisk the chocolate until completely incorporated and smooth.

 

     Add the gelatin mixture until well combined, pour it through a fine strainer and into a measuring cup with a spout.  Let sit until it reaches room temperature, stirring occasionally.

 

     Divide among the chilled vanilla-crème de violette panna-cotta layered glasses, cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator overnight.

To prepare the whipped cream topping:

     Make this 2 hours before serving.  Add the crème de violette liqueur to the cream, stir and let sit in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 1 hour – the longer it sits, the better the flavor. 

 

     Chill a mixing bowl and the metal whisk/s to be used to beat the cream for 15 minutes prior to mixing.  Add the cream with a drop or two of colouring and beat until it forms a soft peak. 

 

     Top each dessert with a dollop of cream and a piece or two of dark chocolate.

Cooking with chocolate... and Lady Arianna

     Chocolate is my perdition.  If I could eat some every day, I would.  Sadly, I have come to realize that after turning 40, it adds to my waistline tremendously if I have it for a few days in a row.  However, I do try and have some every week.  These days there are tons of mysteries – my other favourite genre after food writing – that are set in the gastronomic field and include recipes.  My latest discovery are the Regency mysteries starring Lady Arianna Hadley and Lord Alessandro Saybrook, penned by Andrea Penrose (which I briefly mentioned here)

     I came upon these series browsing at my local Barnes & Noble, and after reading the blurb of the books, I instantly came to like them.  The first installment, entitled Sweet Revenge, introduces the reader to both characters as the golden couple of future adventures to come.  Arianna, disguised as a Chef inside the kitchen of a prominent society lady, is seeking revenge from the injustices done to her father, the late Lord Hadley, who was forced into exile after a dubious gambling scheme in England.  Her plans appear thwarted, to say the least, when the Prince Regent of England succumbs during dinner after tasting one of Arianna’s chocolate creations.

     It is here when war hero Lord Alessandro De Quincy, the Earl of Saybrook is called to investigate under a special service to the Crown.  The pair run into quite a scheme, similar to what is known as the South Sea Bubble, which was, quite literally, the first big financial meltdown of the world.

     There are several books and online resources about the South Sea Bubble so I will not go into detail here.  A website I found quite informative is http://www.thebubblebubble.com/south-sea-bubble by economic analyst Jesse Colombo.  Suffice it to say that the scheme came into being after the war of Spanish Succession, where Britain was granted exclusive trading rights with the Spanish colonies in America and the West Indies.  The South Sea Company was created to assume Britain’s war debt, and almost everybody in the country bought stock into it, on the premise of outstanding returns based on the (expected?) existence of innumerable amounts of gold and silver in the colonies.

A stock certificate from the South Sea Company

     Of course, such existences were grossly overrepresented, and when the British government just could not hold their finances together any longer, the bubble popped and stock prices plummeted out of control.  The South Sea Bubble holds great historical significance as a case study into the movement of the financial markets and the principle of greed.  Andrea Penrose’s novel, although a cozy mystery, is also a scientific book with thorough research of the subject.

     The other part of the book that is of much interest to me is the chocolate trivia and recipes that precede each chapter.  You see, Alessandro De Quincy had a Spanish grandmother, not only that, but one who loved chocolate so much she kept a diary about it, full of recipes and history.  Since the Prince Regent appeared to have been poisoned by chocolate, Lord Saybrook is the only one that has true knowledge of the new product, hence to making him the ideal candidate to investigate the crime.

     Of the 25 recipes offered, so far I have selected 2 which have left me very fauvorably  impressed.  The first one is a cake, very rich, and goes fantastic with a strong demi-tasse accompanied by a liqueur.  It uses spelt flour, a grain from antiquity.  It is this ingredient that gives it a unique rusticity.

Chocolate Espresso Spelt Cake

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup unsalted butter, European style, softened, plus additional for the pan
• ¾ cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder, plus additional for dusting pan and cake
• 1 cup boiling hot water
• 1 ½ Tbsp. instant espresso powder
• 1 ½ tsp. Mexican vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 14 Medjool dates, pitted and coarsely chopped
• 2 cups spelt flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp salt
• 1 cup packed Moscovado sugar
• 2 large eggs

Preparation:

     Stir together boiling hot water, espresso powder, vanilla and baking soda in a bowl, then add dates, mashing lightly with a fork.  Soak until liquid cools to room temperature – about 10 minutes.

     Put oven rack in the middle position and preheat oven to 350F.  Butter a 9” springform pan, then lightly dust with cocoa powder, knocking out the excess.

The batter before going into the oven

     Whisk together spelt flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in another bowl.  Beat together butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy.  Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until just combined.  Beat in the date mixture (batter will look curdled), then reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, a bit at a time, mixing until just combined.

     Spoon batter into the springform pan, smoothing top, and bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes.  Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then remove side of pan and cool it on rack.  When almost cool, sprinkle with cocoa powder.  Serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream.

     The second recipe is for a delicious mousse with an Asian twist.  It is as simple as it is dense.

Mocha Mousse with Sichuan Peppercorns

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• ¼ tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 ½ tsp ground coffee beans
• 4 oz 70% cacao bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 large egg whites
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• Whipped cream for garnish

Preparation:

     Grind the peppercorns with mortar and pestle.  Bring cream, coffee and pepper to a simmer in a small saucepan.  Remove from heat and let steep, covered, for 30 minutes.  Strain liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on solids.

     Melt the chocolate in a large bowl.  Stir in the cream.  Let cool slightly.

     Beat the egg whites with the sugar using an electric mixer until they just hold off stiff peaks.  Fold into the chocolate mixture gently but thoroughly.  Spoon the mousse into pots or glasses and chill at least 3 hours.  Serve with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.

Simple French cuisine in Winter Park

     Even though I have yet to visit, I am a Parisian at heart.  I love the French excellence in all its forms – fashion, food, their ideal of what beauty should be, etc.  I always have and always will.  Through my quest of all true things French, I have discovered it is not easy to find true representations of the French savoir faire outside of France.  This is especially true in what concerns food, and especially here in America.  Some ingredients readily available in France are impossible to find in the United States – such as true fresh cream and butter, bread that does not contain any preservatives, etc.  This makes it, to a certain point, impossible for French chefs to cook like they would at home.

     But during one of my strolls through Park Avenue in the neighborhood of Winter Park, I came across the Café de France.  This jewel of a restaurant was opened in 1982, and after over three decades, it continues to delight the locals with its quaint, yet distinguished, French cuisine.  The place has but a few tables, and the décor is reminiscent of the famous bistros in France, with prints of them on its walls – such as the Café de Flore, Le Napoleon et al.

     I came in and sat down to a simple table covered in a white linen cloth and a single rose (it was Valentine’s Day after all).  The waiter came after a minute or two and provided me with a menu that immediately denoted I was inside a true French restaurant – only a few dishes but classic and with simple ingredients.  This could only be good.  I was going to order the comforting coq au vin (being a rainy, sort of chilly day and all), but the waiter recommended the special of the day, seafood crêpe.  My instincts told me this was a place of knowledgeable waiters, so I went with his suggestion and ordered a glass of fruity rosé to go with it.

     While I waited for my order I visited the toilet.  For one, I always like to wash my hands before eating, but from my table I could also see that if I did so, I could get a good peak into the kitchen.  And I’m very glad I did.  It had a look of a country, yet professional cooking space, small but with all that is necessary accoutrements to make it impeccably efficient, yet cozy; a place where a chef would look forward to coming to work every day.  The fact that I got an invitation to go into it for sure next time I visit can only increase my confidence in what I would see happening in it.

     The seafood crêpe was heaven.  I could taste every single piece of fish inside it and the silky Mornay sauce enveloped the filling beautifully.  Scallions were added as a garnish, just sautéed, which rounded the flavours without overpowering them.

     For dessert I let the waiter choose for me as well.  Again, it was a wise decision.  The chocolate trio provided the much needed chocolate element for the day in question, with a foamy but not at all soggy chocolate mousse, espresso ice-cream – which was not melted when it got to my table, thank God (I HATE melted ice-cream) – and a tiny espresso.  

    The warm days of Spring offered an opportunity to taste a unique delicacy - steak tartare.  The origin of this dish goes back to the Mongolian hordes, who used to spend most of their lives on horseback.  As they went along pillaging from village to village, the soldiers of Genghis Khan carried chopped raw meat in their saddles in order to tenderize it.  After several hours of "grinding", it was quickly seasoned and eaten raw.  The French version tops the heap with a raw egg yolk, providing for a hearty dish.

     Although some people may have reservations about eating raw meat and raw egg all at once, I'm certainly not one of them.  As long as one is using quality product, like the best rib-eye, grass fed one can find and farm fresh eggs, there is absolutely no problem.  We must also remember that meat, especially when grilled, shouldn't really be cooked too much.  At Café de France, the dish is accompanied by crusty baguette slices, slightly grilled (heaven!) and paillés frites, the thinnest of French fries.  A light Beaujolais or a fruity Côtes du Rhône will pair beautifully with this rich dish.

     A light dessert was all that was needed after the the hearty steak.  A selection of sorbets both aided digestion and cleansed the palate.

Sorbet flavours from top, then right: mango, lemon and strawberry

    The service was superb, both friendly and personalized and I commend the use of the freshest of ingredients in a restaurant that has remained incorruptible for over three decades.

     A third visit to Café de France proved average, although no less enticing.  It was Saturday night and the place was quite busy.  I ordered guyères as a starter.  These are basically savory profiteroles which are offered as an "amuse bouche" with an apéritif.  They are made with gruyère cheese and are quite addictive.  Café de France serves them with crème fraîche seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.  One spoons it into the guyère and pops it into the mouth.  The savory combination bursts into the palate and definitely opens up the appetite.  Ideal to accompany with a glass of champagne.

     The main course I chose was - finally, the Coq au vin, a dish I've always wanted to try.  It was a very chilly evening, and this dish, which Café de France chooses to serve with a slab of mashed potatoes, did wonderfully its work of warming me up.  The pieces of chicken were tender and pulled apart from the bone.  They were not reddish on the inside, so I'm not sure they were marinated enough time in the wine, but the dish was tasty nonetheless.

     Last but not least, the dessert was another classic, Tarte Tatin, served with homemade vanilla ice-cream.  Of the ice-cream all I can say is that my homemade vanilla ice-cream tastes better.  I can see the speckles of vanilla when I make it and, since I use only pasteurized cream (and not ultra-pasteurized), it tastes very natural and light.  Café de France's wasn't bad, but I feel they should've done better.  As far as the tarte, I was hoping for a base of pâte briseé instead of millefeuille, and a more homogeneous dessert.  Still not bad, but could've been better.  

     Regardless, I hold Café de France as one of Orlando's best restaurants and one of my favorites, where I can see myself coming again and again.  It's good food, cooked like one would at home but with a refined twist, which makes it worthy of coming to this restaurant.  Reservations, especially on weekends, are highly recommended.

Sweet breads for the holidays

     At this time of year, I gobble up on panettone and pandoro.  The sweet yeasty cakes from Italy whether with raisings or without, are my favorite for the holidays and I survive on them all the time.  I can have them for breakfast, mid-afternoon snacks and as a dessert after lunch or dinner.  This year in particular I have found lots of different panettone and pandoro cakes here in Orlando and decided to go on a tasting adventure.

     Our first cake, Panettone has a long history, finding its roots in the Roman Empire.  It first appeared in Milan, around the 15^th century, and spread like wildfire as a traditional bread for Christmas.  Its origins are quite mythical, and they involve a love story of two bakers, the invention of the bread by a nun in order to cheer the convent at Christmastime, and a last minute dessert presented on Christmas Eve at the court of Count Sforza in Milan.  My grandmother used to make her own panettone every year.  It took her a whole day to make the bread, and it was “de rigueur”, as my Milanese grandfather demanded it homemade.  She put everything in it – candied fruit, raisins and walnuts.  It is tradition to eat a slice of this bread on 4^th January 4^th to commemorate the feast of San Biagio, the patron saint of the throat, in order to insure good health for the coming year.  Italians eat panettone with a nice cappuccino or espresso for breakfast, and with a flute of Prosecco or Vin Santo as a holiday treat.

     Pandoro is original from Verona, the town of the star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet.  Unlike panettone, it never contains raisins or nuts (a factor that makes me prefer it to the former), and is shaped tall and somewhat pyramid-like.  It is sprinkled with lots of confectioner’s sugar just before serving and can be used inventively for a number of desserts.  Pandoro can be cut diagonally and stuffed in between layers with pastry cream and liqueur.  If cut this way each piece resembles a star, making it highly appropriate for the holidays.  It can also be served stuffed with ice-cream or topped with a nice zabaglione sauce.

Juliet's balcony in Verona

     I started the holiday season early this year with an unusual pandoro with crème of pistachio made by Pasticceria Paluani.

     This was a soft cake with an unusual filling.  The creamy slithers of creamy pistachio made it perfect as a dessert on its own.  Generally, store bought pandoros include a packet of icing sugar to sift on top just before serving.  This one was no exception, and with the sugar being vanilla-scented, it made it even more special.  This is the perfect cake to end your Christmas dinner.  Accompany it with a nice flute of chilled prosecco. 

     Next we tried the Tronco di Natale, also from Pasticceria Paluani.  The Italian version of Spain's Brazo de Gitano, this "trunk" purports its Italian origin with its filling of vanilla and hazelnut cream.  Remarkable in shape, it's covered in chocolate and is topped with two sugar flowers on the top, reminiscing of the  wildflowers that just grow on a fallen tree trunk.  I suggest slicing it with a sharp serrated knife and accompanying it with a nice cup of good Italian espresso.  This was my husband's favorite of all the breads we tried.

     Certainly the most outrageous Christmas bread / cake was the profiteroles by Dal Colle.  Leave it to the Italians to create the perfect hostess gift, which consists not only of pandoro filled with hazelnut cream, but is also topped with profiteroles filled with pastry cream.  Needless to say, if you are invited over for Christmas dinner, bring this cake as your contribution.  You'll be remembered as the perfect guest.

The inside of the impressive Dal Colle cake.

     My next test was the panettone from Pasticceria Scarpato made exclusively for Williams-Sonoma.  At $39.95, it was the most expensive bread.  The justification for the splurge?  Marrons glacés of course!  This exclusive bread is as light as cotton as its sponginess is surpassed only by the creamy chunks of glazed chestnuts found throughout.  Once opened, it will last several days under a domed cake stand, and when not so fresh anymore, it makes heavenly French toast.

     Although it is an expensive cake, should you sign up for the Williams-Sonoma VISA card, you get $25.00 statement credit plus an additional discount given at the store just for opening the account.  Hence, it is the perfect opportunity to get this sumptuous bread and indeed enjoy the holidays.

     Last but not least, we tried something from Germany - the Baumkuchen, or tree cake.  I remember this uniquely shaped, distinguished-flavoured cake from my days in Argentina.  We used to order it for the holidays from Confitería La Suiza in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Villa Luro, where my cousin lived.  

     Baumkuchen is a unique cake with roots as far back as the 1500's.  It originated in the area of Bohemia and is cooked on a spit while "brushing on even layers of batter and then rotating the spit around a heat source. Each layer is allowed to brown before a new layer of batter is poured. When the cake is removed and sliced, each layer is divided from the next by a golden line, resembling the growth rings on a crosscut tree" (Wikipedia.org).

     As you may imagine, this cake is not simple to make due to not only because of the special equipment necessary for the task, but also the required skill of the pastry maker.  It is always recommended to be accompanied by champagne or prosecco, which is what we chose for our year end celebrations.  The baumkuchen I found was at World Market and was covered in chocolate, and it is a mini example of this tall, traditional cake.  Still, it is an exotic addition to any holiday table.

     I hope you have fun trying some or all of these cakes just as much as we have.  And remember, the diet starts in January.  

     HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

A foodie day in D.C.

     A few weeks ago, and in his best out-of-the-blue fashion, my husband decided he wanted to visit his family in Alexandria for the Muslim Eid festivities.  I said I would go, however I would need one day to spend on my own around Washington D.C. and do some museum viewing, along with food tasting and shopping.  He agreed and we booked the flight.

     Our expedition lasted only three days, but it was fulfilling enough for me.  We packed light in order not to have to check any luggage in (a total and costly enterprise these days), and I made sure there was enough space left for my Neuhaus chocolates in my bag, which I planned to get from their shop at Union Station.

     After spending the whole of Sunday on Eid prayers and eating spicy Indian food throughout the day, I prepared for my D.C. excursion on Monday.  I left early.  Just before 10AM my husband dropped me at the Metro station in Virginia and, about 20 minutes later, I was in D.C.  I got off at the Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter station and headed for the National Gallery of Art and its West Building.  I was interested in seeing the paintings from the Middle Ages and, especially, the Renaissance.  I was not disappointed.  In fact, I was shocked at the amount of treasures I found.  The museum's imposing marble hallways lead to individual galleries with works by Tintoretto, Titian, Bernini, Rembrandt, and several painters of the Flemish school of the 14th and 15th centuries, including both paintings and sculptures.  My particular interest was, of course, that of seeing the only Da Vinci in America, the portrait of Ginevra De' Benci.

Ginevra De' Benci is the American Leonardo

     The daughter of a wealthy banker of the time, she is portrayed very much in the same way of the Mona Lisa, with a river on one side and a forest on the other.  The expression on her face suggests a calm, though acute misdemeanor.  I was surprised to see that the back of the picture is also painted, showing elaborate work of laurel leaves and gold.  Leonardo was obviously a man of detail.  I also admired James Whisler’s portrait of his mistress, Symphony in White No. 1.  Unlike Leonardo’s this is quite a large painting of a very young girl with a sort of haunting look that is softened by the lovely lace white dress she is wearing.

Giant marble columns inside the 
National Gallery of Art.

     After an hour and a half of walking, my spirit richly imbued by the presence of so many great works of art, I became hungry.  I walked all the way into the Concourse, which is the section of the Gallery that connects with the East Building, and grabbed an early lunch (I hadn’t had breakfast).  It was self-service and I chose a Greek-style flatbread with a green salad and a slice of spongy carrot cake with the creamiest of cream-cheese icings.  I grabbed a San Pellegrino limonatta to drink.  All for $15 – quite expensive in my view. 

     Re-inforced by this sustenance, I went back to the West Building and into the shop in the lookout for some mementos.  I got a set of six coasters, magnets for my fridge with imprints of famous paintings, a silk scarf for a relative of     ours, and gift-wrapping paper with antique design of the different regions of Italy.

My new vintage set of coasters.

     I decided to leave the East building, where modernist works of art lay, for a future trip.  I went out of the National Gallery and through 7^th Street, headed for the National Archives, a place I’d always wanted to visit since I saw the National Treasure movies.  The Archives may hold lots of information about the nation, but not much of it is for viewing.  One basically enters the building and, after going TSA-like security, walks into a rotunda where the “Charters of Freedom” are displayed.  It starts with the Magna Carta (although I’m not sure which Magna Carta we are talking about here, as I saw the original one in London at the British Library), then goes on to the original documents of the Declaration of Independence, the full Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.  Although the room is very dark, due to conservation issues of these prized documents, the scripts are fading alarmingly.

The National Archives building

     After finding nothing else of interest in the Archives, I headed for the Metro again and into Union Station for my foodie adventure.  As soon as I went in, I looked for the Neuhaus shop, which was momentarily closed, with a sign indicating that the attendant had gone to the bank and would be back shortly.  I took a moment to ponder which of the boxes I was seeing through the glass windows I would be buying.  But of course I already knew, and did not have to wait but two minutes, when the shop attendant came back and invited me in, all smiles.  The temperature inside the store was a cool 60F, but I was in Heaven.  I chose an All Dark Ballotin, and a selection of Cornet d'Oré, Tentation and Caprice.  Then I also chose three pieces to have “on the go” with a nice cup of coffee.  The shop attendant was so thrilled about all my shopping that he did not charge me for these latter ones.

     By now I had been walking for about 4 hours and was hungry again, so I headed downstairs for my visit to “B. Smith’s Restaurant”.  It is found in an imposing area of the big building that makes up the train station, with the highest possible ceilings, carpeted walls and large dining salon.  There is also a bar preceding it.  Since I’d had lunch earlier, I only had a B. Smith’s limonatta, a cocktail drink made with lemoncello liqueur, and fried oysters in aioli sauce, served on a bed of greens with chopped pepper and mango.  Both were delicious and refreshing, and I welcomed the relaxed and quiet atmosphere of the restaurant.  The service was very friendly and knowledgeable, and I was glad to notice the many people of colour that patronized the place, dining unobtrusively with the rest of us.

Fried oysters with aioli sauce at B. Smith's Restaurant.

      Full of contentment, my joy hit another note of happiness when I saw Prêt-á-Manger, one of my favorite sandwich shoppes from Europe.  I ordered a cappuccino and had it for dessert with the three chocolates I had gotten as a thank-you gift from Neuhaus.  Then, I headed back to Virginia, where my husband picked me up at the same location he had dropped me earlier in the day.

Happy Easter!!

I remember very well how every Easter, my father would buy the precious, jewel-like chocolate eggs from Maison Lion D'Or for my mother and I.  Hers was always slightly bigger than mine, but then she was the Queen, and I was the Princess.

The famous chocolatier is still situated in Avenida Corrientes, and continues to produce these gems of chocolate.  Some eggs are up to several feet tall and worth thousands of dollars (or pesos, in this case).  They all come with surprises and even more chocolates inside.  Watch this video clip.  Even if you don't speak Spanish, the images are tantalizing by themselves.

Maison Lion D'Or, Buenos Aires, Argentina

This is our own version, which we celebrated with a nice German chocolate egg I found at our local Aldi Supermarket.  Not bad, don't you think?

Battle of the Potato-Bulge

     Since last autumn, I have been indulging on my passion for cooking and tasting, especially starches (read potatoes). It is something I have always liked; however not till recently have I been able to have a fully equipped kitchen in just the way I like it, with my glistening KitchenAid mixer in brushed copper, the Waring blender (you guessed it, also in copper), all sorts of necessary utensils like copper bowls, mandolin, etc.  

I've decided I would like as much copper in my kitchen as I can find.

     It was years since I made a roasted goose for Christmas, and last year I made it again, along with a Galette de Pommes de Terre (or potato cake) cooked in goose fat (recipe from On Rue Tatin http://www.amazon.com/On-Rue-Tatin-Living-Cooking/dp/0767904559/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333804350&sr=8-1), and a lovely Bi-colour Chocolate Terrine (recipe from http://www.utilisima.com/recetas/9139-terrine-bicolor.html). I even invited a dear friend to share in the feast with us. It had been years since I had entertained and I loved it.

     Sadly, six months later all of this has added up to my waistline, in ways that are integrally dangerous. To add insult to injury, I had a condition about two months ago that still lingers, and which gave me a totally stiff back, painful to the extreme of being unable to move, drive, sit or even lay down. The pain lasted two very long months, during which I saw my weight painfully shoot up without me being able to do anything about it. Not one zit.

     Although I am better now, I feel emotionally and physically exhausted. I want to resume my exercise routine but have found I have to do it slowly.  I have book in my library that is ideal to kick-start an exercise program after a long hiatus - "Strength training for women", by coach Joan Pagano (and which I reviewed in detail here ).  My big paradigm is how to get rid of those 6 extra pounds that make me look like a matron and not like Giada, while still enjoying my cooking – and eating, and while regaining the strength to exercise 4 days a week, 1 hour each day. So there, dear Hamlets, is the question! Does anyone have any answers?

When one is a foodie, trying to keep in shape is not easy.

     Nonetheless, I am transcribing the recipe here for La Galette de Pommes de Terre Dordogne from On Rue Tatin.  It is an excellent accompaniment for pork or goose, a bit laborious when it comes to peeling the potatoes, but so worth it.  I think of it as French tortilla - so refined, minus the eggs you would find in the Spanish version.

     Ingredients:

• 6  garlic cloves, green germ removed
• 1 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley, plus additional for garnish (optional)
• 5 Tbsp. goose fat
• 3.5 pounds waxy potatoes, peeled
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

     Preparation:

1. Mince the garlic with the parsley and transfer it to a small bowl.  Add 3 Tsbp. of the fat and mix thoroughly to make a paste.
2. Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp. of fat in a large, nonstick skillet with sides that are about 3 inches high.  You will need to slice the potatoes paper-thin for this dish and the best way to do that is to use a European-style vegetable peeler.  "Peel" the potatoes right into the hot fat, stirring them occasionally so they don't stick and seasoning them regularly with salt and pepper as you add them to the pan.  The potatoes will cook evenly as long as you remember to stir them from time to time.  They will stick together somewhat, so gently break them apart as you stir.
3. When all the potatoes are sliced into the pan, season them one more time with salt and pepper ans stir so they are all coated with fat.  Add the garlic and parsley mixture and stir so that it melts evenly throughout the potatoes, then cook until the potatoes are deep golden on the underside -  a generous 10 minutes.
4. Carefully invert the potato galette onto a large plate and slide it back into the pan, golden side up and cook until the underside is deep golden, about 15 minutes.  To serve, place a serving plate on top of the pan and invert so the galette falls onto the serving plate.  Garnish with flat-leaf parsley leaves if deisred, and serve.