A Fete for Food

Updated Blog Roll!

2013-04-20T21:04:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone - it's been quite an emotional week here in and around Boston. But lots of prayers and some incredible heroes have brought our community together in a remarkable way. We still have a way to go and many more prayers to pray for those still recovering and for the families who lost loved ones. But we are Boston strong.

I recently added a blog roll tab to my home page. These are just a few of my favorites! Hope you enjoy getting to know some new bloggers if you aren't already familiar with them.

Question of the Day: Who else should I be reading? Who's missing from my blogroll?

Ireland, part II

2013-02-26T07:14:00.000-05:00

So for our honeymoon back in July, Tim and I visited Paris and Ireland. You can see the recaps in these posts:

I still had yet to post about our visit to the Aran Islands, so 6+ months later in the dead of a New England winter seemed like the time to do it.

After our trip to Galway, we boarded a ferry for Inishmore, one of the Aran Islands. We docked at a cool windy spot and were greeted by Irishmen ready to pick us up by van, bike or horse to bring us to our accommodations. We had stepped back in time. We opted for bikes, and rode the 4ish miles along the rocky coast to the Man of Aran Cottages Bed & Breakfast. It was a cozy set of cottages along the ocean maintained by an older couple who were just lovely.

As soon as we arrived, we were offered tea and sweets on the back patio overlooking the sea. It was a perfect place to read and soak in some of the sunny rays. I have to say, it was pretty cool here. Temperatures in July were probably 50s and 60s (and they said this was unusually warm).

As I was drinking my tea, I noticed the innkeeper cutting some artichokes for dinner. Fresh artichokes!

Before going in for dinner, Tim and I took a walk up the one road that circles the island.

We arrived back at the cottage ready for delicious meal that had been prepared.

After dinner, we cozied up and watched the 1934 movie that made the cottage famous called Man of Aran. It was an interesting semi-silent film with stunning scenes of the tumultuous seas and played on a television that was only equipped to play that movie. The next morning we ventured out on a bike ride and hike up to a prehistoric fort dating from before 1,000 BC called Dun Aonghasa overlooking the sea by about 300 feet.

Can I just say (and obviously this isn't news) but people are crazy. They were laying on the edge looking over to see how far down the drop was. There was no fence and a brisk wind. Anyone could have gone right over the edge. And it was rocky! I'm shocked there haven't been more accidents. Tim and I stayed at a far distance, considering we are both not that crazy of heights.

We spent the rest of the day taking walks, napping, walking the gardens and taking our bikes back into town (and by town I mean a small country store, a sweater shop and a couple pubs.)

I bought a beautiful wool sweater, hat and socks that have served me so well during this cold New England winter!

After a couple nights on the island, we were getting antsy to get back to the mainland and the end of our trip was nearing, so we took the ferry back to Galway and then train back to Dublin. We had just one hour left before the last Guinness brewery tour, so knowing full well Tim would never forgive me if we left Ireland without having a pint here, we walked from the train station directly to the brewery, luggage and all. Tired from traveling, the pints were most welcomed.

That evening, we spent time with our wonderful host Daragh, his partner and a friend that was visiting from Spain. We ate cheese, drank wine and laughed together. But just before that we had dinner at one of the best places we ate in Ireland and that would be at The Rustic Stone. Everything tasted fresh, seasonal and flavorful. Based on the other meals we had eaten in Ireland, this had a trendy, new flair on traditional Irish ingredients. We loved it!

The next morning with luggage in hand, we huffed it a good mile or two to the Bald Barista. How could I leave Ireland without tasting what was touted as the best coffee in Ireland? Well, let me just tell you that Ireland is not known for their coffee. Luckily, despite the caffeine-driven detour to the cafe, we still make it to the airport in time.

And before we knew it, we were back in Boston.

All in all, a memorable trip that I'll be grateful for for years to come.

Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup

2013-02-19T19:56:00.000-05:00

Before I begin diving into how much I love this recipe, I feel I owe an explanation for the 2+ month bout of absence. I don't talk about my work often, but it very much intertwines with my passions and this blog. I feel so lucky to do what I love, but just like a piece of bread left in the toaster too long, I was burnt out. Don't you hate it when that happens? The bread part I mean. So frustrating. Anyway.

I spent November and December firing on all cylinders with Cooking Matters Massachusetts and finishing up my first semester teaching part-time at a local university. I even picked up a little consulting work on the weekends, which left zero time for cooking, much less for blogging. And after preparing meals in my Cooking Matters classes and being on social media for my teaching gig, I had just about had it with homemade meal preparation and the Internet. I was starting to resent being in my own kitchen and found the quickest things I could assemble with the smallest bit of preparation. If I had to wash one more dish or read one more article about how social media and culture intersect, I thought I might just cry. I could also feel myself being more and more unproductive. I was not finding joy in the pastimes I previously turned to when I was stressed or needed an outlet. I even stopped reading my favorite blogs (gasp).

I spent most of the holiday break eating leftovers that I took from family holiday parties and spent time at home playing with my new dog Honey. I had to unplug from the computer and the kitchen. I worked on some projects that had eluded me all year, including tidying up my finances, creating annual family photo albums and cleaning closets. And before I knew it, I was back into the swing of things before I could even have another moment to breathe.

And now it's nearing the end of February and all I have to show for it is one post about soup. I have an old bowl of tabbouleh and an undercooked pot of lentils in the fridge but they didn't make the blog cut for one unappealing reason or another. I should probably throw those out once I'm done here.

I have to admit, the real-time allure that blogs once monopolized has now been overshadowed with other, more instantaneous tools like Twitter and Instagram. Everyone wants to be entertained by pretty pictures. No one has time for the arduous process of sitting down and reading a 250-word blog post without the impatient manic thought of "for-goodness-sake-just-get-to-the-recipe-already."

But after my experience making this new recipe, my urge to share this with you resurged and all I could think about was blogging it. So I guess blogging is not totally dead. I had this great little comparison about how the death of this blog was about as close as that near-Earth asteroid, but I can't quite put into words its cleverness. You get the point.

I understand that this is probably a pathetic little soliloquy I'm reciting; after all, who follows a blog after two months of silence? But then again I am reminded of why I write this blog in the first place. No, not to impress others with my exquisite culinary techniques, exceptional clean eating behaviors or dazzling photography. Go ahead, tell me again how awesome you think I am.

Nope, it's for me. To practice my writing, refine my style, enjoy my food and catalog experiences. (It also wouldn't hurt to get a book deal one day that sets me up for retirement. Thought I'd throw that out there, you know, in case you know a guy.) But most of all it should be fun. Substantial monetary income would be nice too, but MOST OF ALL IT SHOULD BE FUN. So I'm going to try to figure out how I can make this fun again.

I figured the first way to do that is to step out of my comfort zone and make something totally foreign. I've never eaten hot and sour soup before. I had no idea what to expect. The only Asian soup I've eaten are miso soup and wonton soup. Bland, tasteless broths that lend no excitement to the palate. So when the first bite assaulted my taste buds with a kick of spicy and a tang of of the sour broth, it was like a veil had been lifted. Hopefully this kick-you-in-the-mouth spicy tangy soup will be just the thing I need to find my passion for blogging again.

Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup
(makes 8 hearty servings)
Inspired by eatingwell.com's Shiitake and Noodle Hot and Sour Soup

3 oz udon noodles (I used Eden brown rice udon)
6 1/3 cups water
2 carrots, 1/4"dice
2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1/2 tsp pepper
4 cups vegetable broth (I used Kitchen Basics unsalted)
12 shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and no stems
1 - 14oz package of extra firm tofu, cubed
1/8 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tablespoon chile-garlic sauce
1 Tablespoon minced ginger
3 Tablespoons corn starch
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
chopped scallions for garnish

In 6 cups of water boil udon noodles according to the instructions (about 8 minutes). While boiling add in carrots and cabbage. Once done boiling, lower temperature to medium and add pepper, mushrooms, tofu, vegetable broth, vinegars, soy sauce, chile-garlic sauce and ginger. In a separate bowl, mix corn starch, sesame oil and remaining 1/3 cup of water. Add mixture to the soup and bring to a boil for 5-10 minutes, until you see broth thicken slightly. Garnish with scallions and extra chile-garlic sauce to taste.
-------------
And if you made it to the end of this post, well, good for you. Now you can follow my less breathy rumblings on Twitter (@EatItTweetIt) and Instagram (@JessicaCaouette). One hundred and forty characters or less and I promise pretty pictures of green smoothies and candids of my pets.

Question of the Day: Are you abandoning blogs for more instantaneous social media?

Foodie Pen Pals: December

2012-11-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

So I recently heard about this food exchange called Foodie Pen Pals where various food bloggers all over the country (and Canada, too!) exchange a small box of goodies. I'm so in!

This being my first month, I received a package from Heather at Frugal Southern Living. It was a sweet little package of snack foods. I was especially happy to see the dried cherries, as these have been a favorite snack of mine lately. My only disappointment is that OceanSpray adds extra sugar! In addition, Heather sent a sweet note and a picture that her kids drew, wishing me a Happy Thanksgiving.

I sent my package off to Jenny at The Spicy Simmer. I hope she enjoys it!

If you are interested in participating, check out Foodie Pen Pals. You don't even need to necessarily have a blog. Next month, in lieu of sending packages, Heather will be taking donations for victims of Hurricane Sandy. Check out more details here.

Question of the Day: Did you have a pen pal growing up? Imagine how cool it would have been if our childhood pen pals sent us boxes of snacks!

Guest Post: 25 Days of Christmas

2012-11-28T07:30:00.000-05:00

My beautiful sister Katie is guest posting today, sharing her slant on the 25 days of Christmas. Less about ABC Family's show schedule (that's the first thing that pops up if you google "25 days of Christmas") and more about the real reason for the season. Thank you Katie!

--------------------------------------------------------

When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us also to develop inner happiness and peace. - The 14th Dalai Lama (1935)
It seems as though each year everyone has been getting caught up in “XMas” - Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Santa in the mall, the “stresses” of the season. What is this season really all about? Ultimately, it is a Christian holiday, based off of the birth of Jesus Christ and the celebration therein. When did we lose sight of what we should really be celebrating, Christmas - time with family, the celebration of faith, giving our gifts to others in need, and just kindness in general?

This year I wanted to feel that special holiday excitement that I used to get when my Mother would bring me to the nursing homes and shut-ins homes around this time, and how special it would feel to bring them a donated gift, and just sit and listen to their stories. I missed that.

Thanks to the many countdowns in the month of December, I thought of the 25 Days of Christmas. What 25 things could I do that would benefit someone other than myself? How could I help others who may be left out during this season? And selfishly, how can I find that special feeling again of my heart warming due to the smile on someone else’s face because they’d been remembered?

My list is as follows. There is no rhyme or reason to the list, really it’s just a collection of chairities I liked, or activities I have enjoyed contributing to in the past.

Donate to FEED - provides 10 school meals to children through school feeding operations. @FEEDProjects

Donate to the Pilgrim Congregational Church Hat & Mitten Tree

Visit a church shut-in

Write letters to deployed soldiers - A Million Thanks (@aMillionThanks), Operation Gratitude (@opgratitude), AnyMarine (@anysoldier)

Become a penpal to soldiers - send to 3

Adopt a Soldier (@anysoldier)

Adopt a child tree

Pay for someone’s coffee in line (@starbucks)

Donate clothes to a shelter

Donate stuffed animals/books to hospital

Visit at nursing home

Leave quarters at laundromat

Write to someone who wouldn’t normally get letters

Bake cookies for 2 people

Donate food to local food bank

Let 5 people pass in morning commute

Bring breakfast into team for work

Give Theo Chocolate - First organic & fair trade chocolate in the country (@theochocolate)

Send a card to a church shut-in

Give to Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign

Donate stuffed animal & book to Project Smile - (@ProjectSmileCP) - donates stuffed animals, coloring books/crayons, small toys and children's reading books to police and fire departments for police officers, fire fighters and paramedics to give to children involved in traumatic situations.

Help older woman in parking lot

Donate to the Greater Boston Food Bank - You can donate any amount and chose for it to go to holiday turkeys, hurricane relief, childhood hunger, senior hunger, or women fighting hunger.

Donate to Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry efforts in Massachusetts

Donate books to church or library

There is also a list www.randomactsofkindness.org I was recently sent, which is a great reference for small and big things you can do to affect someone anytime. Whether it be smiling at someone as they walk by, or donating mittens to someone in need, there is always an opportunity to show kindness to someone else.

Question of the Day: How will you be sharing kindness during this holiday season?

The Haunting of a Chocolate Cream Pie

2012-11-26T06:30:00.000-05:00

For as long as I can remember, chocolate cream pie has been a staple of any Thanksgiving table hosted by a French Canadian grandmother. My own grandmother would make this pie every Thanksgiving, and even the years that I shared Thanksgiving with Tim's family, a sugar-free version eventually and inevitably made its way to the table. What is it with French Canadian grandmothers and chocolate cream pie? Since my own grandmother's passing, this pie has kind of haunted me.

This Thanksgiving I was in charge of dessert (go figure) so I've decided to try my hand at this pie. I loathed the idea of mixing up a box of jello pudding and plopping on some Cool Whip on top, so Smitten Kitchen came to the rescue with her version of chocolate pudding pie.

Thanksgiving is by far my favorite time of the year because it is rife with tradition that I really love. I enjoy my early morning run, spending the whole day eating and of course, spending time with loved ones. And now, based on its popularity, I think this pie has made it onto the list of Thanksgiving traditions.

It's funny to look back at what's been said here the last few Thanksgivings, and even how my palate has changed. The year I hosted and cooked my own turkey, I threw away the turkey neck and organs. Now I cringe, knowing full well the delicious stock and gravy I could have made. But my gratitude for the blessings in life has not changed, and I am grateful for each day I get to spend with loved ones and enjoying the small pleasures of life.

Thanksgiving 2009
Thanksgiving 2010
Post-Thanksgiving 2011

Hopefully your Thanksgiving was rich with gratitude! This week my sister had a fabulous guest post with more ways to give back during the holiday season. Stay tuned!

Ireland, Part I

2012-11-01T07:00:00.000-04:00

After Tim and I spent a week in Paris, we hopped a plane over to Dublin, Ireland.

We arrived in Dublin, boarded a bus and headed to the apartment we rented from Airbnb, quickly realizing that being a passenger on a bus that's traveling on the left side of the narrow roads was harrowing. We arrived at our apartment and met our apartment host, Daragh. He was such a wonderful host and city guide and gave us travel guides and personal recommendations of places to walk, visit and find the best pint of Guinness.

After unpacking, we walked a couple blocks for a bite to eat and our first Irish pint. And why not drink it at the oldest pub in Ireland called the Brazenhead? We saddled up to the bar, ordered some brown bread and butter, a couple Guinness beers and chatted with the patrons. A few minutes later, the local band started up and for the rest of the evening, we enjoyed traditional Irish music and great company. They even dedicated a song to us newlyweds!

The next morning we brunched at a tiny place recommended by Daragh called Bibi's Cafe. Cozy, delicious food served in Irish earthenware.

Homemade scones with butter.

Feta and spinach quiche.

In the afternoon we walked through the Trinity College campus and did some shopping. The next morning, we hopped on a train to Galway. Originally we had wanted to rent a car and tool around the country, but when we couldn't even figure out which way to look when crossing the street (because they drive on the opposite side of the street that we here do) we decided a train would be best. A few hours later, we arrived in Galway City. We walked the city, visiting shops, a pottery market and a cheesemonger.

We had dinner at Martine's, a small bistro in the main pedestrian district. The oysters were delectable.

Ireland, Part II to come and includes a trip to the Aran Islands and restaurant recommendation for the best 'new Irish' cuisine in Ireland...

Coconut Pumpkin Pie Cafe au Lait

2012-10-29T14:17:00.002-04:00

Hurricane Sandy is in full force here in Massachusetts, so I've hunkered down with a delicious warm drink; probably the last hot drink/meal I'll have for a few days, considering that the trees outside are going to take down those wires any minute now.

So while the power is still on, heat up this drink and cuddle up on your couch with a cozy blanket and a good book. It is like pumpkin pie in a mug, and way better (and cheaper) than the pumpkin spice lattes peddled at your local cafe.

Pumpkin Spice Cafe au Lait

Inspired by The Professional Palate's Caramel Pumpkin Macchiato

Makes 2 16-oz mugs

4 ounces light coconut milk

4 ounces water

16 ounces non-fat milk

8 ounces freshly brewed coffee

1 cinnamon stick

1/4 cup canned pumpkin

2 Tablespoons sugar

In a medium saucepan, heat coconut milk, water, milk and coffee over medium heat. Add cinnamon stick and turn down to medium low for 10 minutes. Whisk in pumpkin and sugar until fully dissolved. Serve in two large mugs.

The key to this recipe is the cinnamon sticks. They add a depth of flavor not reached when you sprinkle ground cinnamon. I usually add ground cinnamon to my coffee, but it leaves a congealed mess at the bottom, like the soggy crumbs from a chocolate chip cookie drowned at the bottom of a glass of milk. Using the cinnamon sticks gives you the flavor without the soggy fuss.

And so you know, we've added a new member to the family! Meet Honey, a 3-year old greyhound rescue who is sweet as can be. If there's any leftover canned pumpkin from this recipe, she'll be glad to eat it.

Question of the Day: Are you being affected by the hurricane where you are?

Guest Post: "Cooking" with Tim

2012-10-05T20:08:00.001-04:00

(I'm still finalizing my Ireland posts, so here's a tidbit from what Tim's been doing in the kitchen...)

Guest Post!! - by Tim

Unlike my better half, whose beautiful picture adorns this blog regularly, I enjoy powders of all kinds in my post work out or breakfast smoothies. This is not a new development. I have tried possibly hundreds over the course of my lifetime. From the days of being a rail thin and skinny high school athlete who tipped the scales at 125 lbs, to my days as a high level collegiate athlete of 185 lbs of pure steel and sex appeal, to my post college stay in shape war that is still raging, nutrition powders have always found their way into my blender.

I have ingested weight gain powders that are packed with dense calories and nutrients, some that contained 1400 calories a serving. Yes you read that right (here is a shock, I actually did gain weight while taking that, MOST of it muscle, definitely not all…..). I have ingested meal replacement powders. Usually, these have about 300 calories per serving and have a full meals worth of nutrients. I have ingested simple protein powders, meant to increase your protein intake, post workout, for serious periods of weight training.

Now, are these necessary? Of course not. Are they convenient? Yes. That is my main reason for continuing my practice of scooping a weird smelling powder into my blender workout after workout. I would say that is pretty much everyone’s reason for continuing to choke down these odd concoctions. It certainly isn’t taste. Or at least that is what I thought prior to trying VEGA One.

The convenience of a quick source of nutrients combined with actually finding a nutrition powder that tastes good is nothing short of a miracle. Most have a chalky, slightly sweet, mostly gross, flavor, texture and taste. VEGA One however, tastes great (especially the Berry). Whether mixed with soy milk, or fruits and vegetables, I feel like I have found my super protein powder for the rest of my working out life!

Tim's Berry Great Workout Shake

1 Vega One All-in-One Nutritional Shake, Berry flavor

2 cups soy milk, vanilla

1 cup water

1 cup assorted frozen berries

1 cup ice

1/4 cup peanut butter

Blend and enjoy.

Disclaimer: The product was provided free for review. All opinions are my own.

Grilled Pizzas

2012-09-27T07:30:00.000-04:00

It's still grilling weather in these (New England) parts. So I took my new pizza stone for a test drive. On the grill. But first I laid out the ingredients. We had garden tomatoes, spinach, blue cheese, ricotta, some mozzarella, chicken sausage, herbs, tomato sauce and BBQ sauce.

I put the stone on the grill while it heated up, hoping for it to get somewhere over 400 degrees. When it did, I hand-slammed a pre-made pizza dough on the stone, letting it bubble and cook for about 5 minutes and then flipped it.

I then dressed the cooked side with sauce, cheese and the toppings. Once the cheese melted I shimmied it off with the pizza peel.

I love the combinations of veggies and herbs on these pizzas, and the types of cheese really meld together well. My favorite combination would probably have to be tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, chicken sausage, tomatoes, ricotta cheese and a sprinkling of mozzarella. Yum.

Question of the Day: What's your favorite pizza combination?

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

2012-09-24T18:01:00.000-04:00

Okay, now it's fall and we can talk about leather boots, wool hats, pumpkin coffee, Halloween, apple picking. But before I do that I wanted to close out what I deem to be my best summer ever with a Top 10 List. They're in no particular order.

#10: Played pre-wedding golf with friends and family.

Number 9: Celebrated a friend's wedding.

Number 8: Celebrated the 4th of July on the lake.

Number 7: Grew my own food.

Number 6: Had a couples weekend (plus baby) on the Cape and ate lobster tacos at Quicks Hole.

Number 5: Celebrated my birthday!

Number 4: Had a friend weekend in Maryland/D.C. and visited the Hillsboro Farmers Market

Number 3: Stayed in a treehouse on Peak's Island.

Number 2: Visited Paris and Ireland on honeymoon.

Number 1: Got married!

Paris Part II

2012-09-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

The second half of our Paris trip brought with it a whole new set of sights. We were well into the weekend at this point, and by Sunday afternoon, virtually everything is closed. And don't think that Monday will be any different.

So we broke out the Markets of Paris guide that I received from a friend and found one of the few markets that were open on Sunday. We hopped the Metro and headed to the Antiquarian and Used Book Market in the 15th arrondissement. We perused dusty book jackets and plastic-wrapped classics including Le Journal de Babar, Les Miserables, L'Art Culinaire Francais and my favorite, Histoire du Sel, or the history of salt.

We took a leisurely and long walk back to our apartment, through the Tulieres Garden and by the Monet Museum, which was unfortunately closed when we passed by.

During the last two days of our trip, we visited the Pompidou Centre to take in some Picasso paintings. View from the top floor:

We also make a trip to the falafel mecca in Paris called L'As du Fallafel. It certainly lived up to it's reputation and was probably the cheapest meal we bought in Paris.

The last evening in Paris, we decided to take one of the Seine boat tours. In hindsight, it might have made more sense to do this at the beginning of our trip to orient us to the city, but we still enjoyed it just the same. The night was beautiful and we loved seeing the city from the aquatic perspective.

As we passed our apartment building, we could actually see our room! It was the one on the top left with the two windows swung open.

... next up: The Best of Paris. I will even give my opinion on where to find the best croissant!

Super Summer Salads

2012-09-17T07:30:00.000-04:00

Yeah I know, everyone's saying it's fall but technically, it's still summer. And I refuse to give up my summer salad for pumpkin lattes, pumpkin oatmeal, pumpkin pie, pumpkin pumpkin pumpkin. I love fall, but please don't rush summer by so quickly.

After reviewing all of the summer salads, I came up with a winner. One that stood out above the rest.

Salads that really tug at my stomach strings are ones that have the following combination:

2/3 bowlful of dark leafy greens - mild, spicy, crunchy or delicate. Give me Boston, bibb, arugula, spinach, ribboned massaged kale, chard. I'll take them all.
The remaining 1/3 should be filled with non-lettuce veggies. But chop them small. Large rounds of cucumber or wedges of tomatoes make it hard to get a mouthful of all the different flavors in the bowl. Go for cukes, tomatoes, peppers, roasted beets, carrots or shaved fennel.
Top with thinly sliced fruit. Plums, peaches, grapes, apples, mandarins all fare well.
Finish off with a fried egg, a sprinkle of salt, pepper, balsamic reduction and macadamia nut oil.

I promise, this combination works every time.

Happy end of summer!

Paris, Part I

2012-09-13T07:06:00.000-04:00

After the wedding, Tim and I packed our bags again and set off for the city of love. We certainly considered going to a tropical island or remote cabin somewhere along the east coast, but why not go balls to the wall and visit Paris for our honeymoon. [insert eye roll here.]

Leading up to this trip, I gave myself a crash course in Paris and French. I listened to Coffee Break French every day I drove in the car. I read David Leibovitz's book "The Sweet Life in Paris." (Note: I JUST realized David did a book signing at La Cuisine on Bastille Day when we were in Paris. Two thumbs down for not checking his blog while we were abroad.) I studied maps and researched restaurants. I prepared my digestive system for croissants, wine and cheese. I collected blogs about the city. I bought a great pair of walking shoes.

We stayed at an apartment on quai aux fleurs which overlooked the Seine. At night, we'd open the floor to ceiling windows, let the cool breeze in and watch the boats float by. The accommodations were quite possibly my favorite part of the trip.

Our first few days there were spend exploring on foot. We saw Notre Dame, the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower. We at croissants, macarons, street crepes, and a few three-course, fixed price meals from menus we didn't wholly understand. And wine. There was a lot of wine.

Oh, and I made Tim pose for some incredibly embarrassing photos, like this one taken in front of a macaron store front.

On the third day we were there, we visited Le Marché des Enfants Rouge, which is an open-air food market, and one of the oldest in Paris. We picked up cheese, vegetables, bread, eggs and yogurt so we could make some of our own meals.

We were lucky enough to experience Bastille Day in France. We even got to see fireworks over the Eiffel Tower!

... Part II: French book market, Pompidou, river tour.

Raspberry Sorbet

2012-09-10T07:00:00.000-04:00

I am new to the world of ice cream-making. I've had two failed attempts using the ice cream maker, both which resulted in frozen blocks of concrete. Part of the problem is that I continue to search for a lower-fat version of ice cream that still maintains a creamy texture. I've resigned to the fact that ice cream requires fat for it to taste good. So my next foray in this culinary adventure in confection will use heavy cream.

But for now, I'm happy making this raspberry sorbet that requires no fat. It's texture is so smooth and creamy because the ice crystals stay small. I (almost) could go without regular ice cream forever in lieu of this summery, refreshing dessert.

I didn't change a thing about this Cook's Illustrated masterpiece. I have yet to be steered off-track with their recipes. This Raspberry Sorbet is a hit. But you better make it soon, because frozen dessert season has almost ended.

Question of the Day: What is one food you couldn't live without on a daily basis?

How Does Your Garden Grow?: An Update

2012-09-06T10:00:00.000-04:00

I managed to go the whole summer and:

Not give any garden updates
Manage to keep a garden alive! This is actually a feat for me. I love the idea of keeping plants alive, but I'm just not great at it. I was religious about my watering and weeding and I think that helped. I also mulched all the plants mid-August and saw some great growth.

Let's rewind. Back in June when I built a raised bed for under $100, this is what it looked like:

Nowaways, this scruffy box of soil looks something like this:

Since June, you can see things really sprouted up. The tomatoes in the middle two rows did really well. The cucumbers immediately bit the dust mid-June, and following close behind were the squash and peas. All of the herbs (oregano, thyme, lavender, sage) did well except for basil and cilantro. The beginning of June washed some of these out. I've only had one or two sweet peppers and one ancho pepper. A nice crop of tomatoes has come in, and I'm grateful for the flourishing herbs. As for flowers, I have some beautiful zinna plants but only one has flowered yet. I had some nasturtiums early on, but they've pretty much stopped. Aren't they pretty, though?

I'm hoping it's not too late to get one more set of lettuces in, and even perhaps some cold crops like kale. I'm thinking of building hoops over it to extend the season. Thoughts?

What I Owe: A Wedding Recap

2012-09-03T10:00:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's been almost two months since Tim and I got married, and yes, these are the first photos or mention of wedding since then.

There's so much to say, and yet I think I'll let the photos tell the story.

Back in Blogging Shape

2012-08-31T17:30:00.000-04:00

I gave myself the artistic and editorial freedom to take some time off from blogging. But so you know, post titles and photographs streamed through my consciousness and camera all summer, hoping to be posted later that day. Even the unlikeliest of readers (you know who you are) have recently commented to me, inquiring whether I've thrown in the towel. I know you've all been waiting with bated breath.

And I'm sorry I've suffocated you.

But the time away from this space has allowed me to rethink this blog's purpose and how I want to continue. Hopefully you'll see more regular posting; at the same time, I'm adding a second job to my schedule this fall, so be fair, kind, keep expectations low and minimize finger wagging. Please and thank you.

In the meantime, you can catch me microblogging at Twitter: @EatItTweetIt and a steady stream of photos (usually of food or coffee cups) on Instagram at @JessicaCaouette.

I'll be back on Monday with delicious content from faraway places (France! Ireland! Maine!) that you won't want to miss.

Somerville Ethnic Market Tour

2012-07-12T07:49:00.000-04:00

A couple weeks ago, I joined up with some fellow Registered Dietitians to endeavor on an ethnic market tour of Somerville's Union Square. The evening itself was perfect for a stroll.

These tours are run by the Somerville Arts Council and gives a glimpse into the array and diversity of items you can find in a few block radius.

We first stopped into a Haitian market, taking a look at all of the unique bags of rice displayed in the front window.

Our tour guide was well-versed on how to respect the shop owners and highlight some of the unique items you could only find at that market.

We also visited the Indian market next to Market Basket, but widely known for their garam masala but also their vast collection of Bollywood movies. We stopped in to an Asian market as well, marveling at the variety of udon noodles and sauces. Finally, we headed to dinner at the local Peruvian restaurant and ate quinoa stew while talking about only what you would expect dietitians to talk about: food.

If you live close by, I recommend checking this tour out. You might be surprised by what you find. And tickets are only five bucks.

Wedding Post: Dinner Tasting at Clay Hill Farm

2012-07-07T07:38:00.000-04:00

After three months of trying to find a time to do the wedding food tasting, we finally did it! Twelve days before the actual wedding, but who's counting. Here's some of the delicious grub that will be featured by the fabulous chefs Matt and Daron.

Here's the final menu:

(courtesy of Hullabaloo Studios)

Question of the Day: What are your feelings about "wedding food"?

Wedding Post: Oh My Granola

2012-07-06T07:22:00.000-04:00

I have a slight obsession with granola. I know this. And why not force it upon other people by giving them samples of it for our wedding?

We hemmed and hawed for a while about the best wedding favor. We thought about other food-related wedding favors (pots of honey, fudge, maple syrup... do you see a theme here?) but kept coming back to granola.

Last weekend, Tim and I baked about 30 batches of the stuff. Unfortunately we chose a hot weekend to keep the oven on all day. But by the end of the night, we had over 140 individual bags of granola to share with our guests!

Question of the Day: What's the strangest wedding favor you've gotten? A friend recently received a groomsmen gift that was a photo of the groom himself. Framed. It was... interesting.

Wedding Post: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue

2012-07-05T07:05:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure where this tradition came from but I thought I would involve it in wedding planning because it seemed kind of fun (unlike the garter and bouquet toss, which are not really my thing).

So here's my traditional old, new, borrowed, and blue.

Old: Vintage silver clutch
I found this small clutch on Etsy. The seller said it dates from about the 1950's and has original tags from Gala company in Japan.

New: Dress, shoes, veil
I'll be sure to post a photo of these after the wedding!

Borrowed: Mom and dad's wedding cake topper
While I'm not exactly wearing it, I thought it was adorable and is part of the wedding. And the hair colors and cuts match almost exactly!

Blue: Remembrance charm
My sister bought me a charm to put around my bouquet that has the initials of my grandparents and Tim's grandparents that have passed on. It's a way to have them there in spirit.

Question of the Day: What have you heard of as unique items that satisfy these four categories?

Wedding Post: Shut Up and Carve!

2012-06-21T07:12:00.000-04:00

One of the most unique prizes that came with the Green Wedding Giveaway was a complimentary ice sculpture. Last week, Tim and I met Murray, the owner of Wicked Good Ice at his artist's studio in Dover, NH. He has “carved” out his niche: he makes professionally styled ice sculptures for events including weddings, anniversary parties, and birthdays (ice luge, anyone?)

He showed us the equipment he uses for this type of work. It seems like a lot of heavy lifting and working in a 7-degree freezer. Not really something I could ever see myself doing, but he's really good at it. Unfortunately, we were dressed for summer in Maine and not the seven degrees it held strong at in the workroom. Check out this video of Murray doing a quick demo of his work.

Murray was kind enough to show us how he comes up with some of his fantastic ideas for his ice sculptures on his white board. And we did some planning of our own.

Question of the Day: Any guesses as to what sort of ice sculpture we’ll be having at the wedding?

Wedding Post: Hair and Makeup at Acorn Organic Salon

2012-06-18T06:56:00.000-04:00

This weekend I headed back to Dover, NH for a hair and makeup trial at Acorn Organic Salon. I was thrilled to meet with the professionals at the salon because I really was not sure what I wanted. They were more than helpful in guiding me in the right direction and choosing a look that went well with the elegant yet "garden" wedding feel.

After combing through websites and Pinterest for the perfect hair style, I ended up with two finalists. I would have loved to wear my hair down since this is usually what I do, but being July and possibly very humid, I didn't want to take the chance with my thick, curly/frizzy hair. Plus I think wearing hair up (at least for my hair type) for a wedding is much more elegant and polished.

(Sources: Style Me Pretty, Pinterest)

As far as makeup goes, I was oscillating between the smoky look and something less dramatic, since it will be an afternoon wedding and I'm most likely to smear the makeup everywhere (I'm a very weepy person, regardless of whether it's happy or sad. And raccoon eyes is not really an "in" look for a bride.)

There were some non-negotiables, though: waterproof mascara and liquid eyeliner. Two items I usually don't leave the house without. This brought up the discussion of durability and quality of organic makeups. While they definitely are superior because they don't contain toxic chemicals, their wearability and ability to last a whole day are still not fantastic. The two lines that Acorn Organic Salon uses are Honeybee Gardens and Shear Miracles.

Question of the Day: What's your take on organic makeup? Any other hair/makeup advice?

A Smoothie Concoction You Don't Want to Miss

2012-06-07T05:57:00.000-04:00

Smoothies have been a frequent habit of late. They're quick, easy, and use up the leftover fruit, spinach and milk in my refrigerator. And considering that grocery shopping has fallen to the bottom of the to-do list for... well... we're going on weeks now, these are really the only items I have anyway.

Watermelon Yogurt Smoothie

2 cups of diced watermelon
1 cup plain yogurt
2 Tbsp maple syrup
4 ice cubes of peach puree (in lieu of this, you could use 1 cup of frozen peaches)
1 cup of milk
1 Tbsp almond or peanut butter (optional)

Mix all ingredients in a blender and "smoothify"until the texture is consistent. Serve with a 1/4 cup of this granola.

(Update: Apparently I posted a similar recipe back in 2010. Make both and decide which is your favorite.)

Question of the Day: Is it bizarre that I put granola in my smoothie and eat it like a smoothie soup?