Sauvignon Blog

Night lights

2012-11-25T07:10:00.002-05:00

Taipei - it's a 24/7 city life

As the sun falls asleep the city awakens.

Lights of every colour flash left, right and center.

People spill out of the metro coming home from work, old men and women wheel their carts into selling positions, and rivers of smoke crawl up from the vendors squished along the sidewalks.

The air thickens with steam, you can hear the crackling and spitting of meats deep-frying, inhaling a new aroma with every step you take.

When the daylight is extinguished the night market is revealed.

You step onto that side-street around the corner, and find yourself thrown into a herd of people crammed among stalls with restaurants and everything stores peaking out from behind. They line up at their favourite dumpling stand and sort through tables piled high with cheap clothing. Around midnight the hungry leave with full, satisfied bellies and the bargain hunters clutching their bursting bags.

Spotted all over the city, and across the country, Taiwan is famous for these gems.

No matter the time, there always seems to be people about, shops open, and sounds in the street, interrupted by the constant jingle of the nearest 7/11 doors sliding open.

No matter the time, I always feel safe in this city.

Vendors continue frying, steaming and juicing into the early hours of the night.

Then as the sun rises, a new day continues where the last left off.
Never really finishing, never really starting.

Taipei

2012-11-16T00:48:00.000-05:00

And then I moved to Taiwan

2012-11-08T07:30:00.000-05:00

If someone were to have told me a year ago that in one year I'd be living in Taiwan,

that I'd be eating bamboo shoots,

drinking bubble milk tea,

learning to read Chinese menus,

and zigzagging through crowds on a scooter...

I'd have thought they were crazy.

In fact, at any moment in my life if someone had told me I'd be moving to the opposite side of the world to this beautiful, tropical island I wouldn't have believed it.

I mean... Taiwan?! Where's that, right?

(And yes I said Taiwan, not Thailand - a mistake that countless people tend to make. Such as when friends made their farewells, singing "Have a great time in Thailand!")

And yet here I am. One year in France, barely 3 weeks back in my beloved Canadian home and I find myself transported to the hot and humid island of Taiwan.

What can I say? I just can't seem to shake the travel bug I caught when down under in Sydney, Australia. Apparently they have yet to find a cure, but I'm not complaining.

Welcome to my neighborhood in Taipei where I'll be living for the next year.

Can I show you around? Maybe interest you in some dumplings?

New Home

2012-10-28T07:34:00.001-04:00

Where in the world...?

Know where I am yet?

Madeleines

2012-10-11T09:50:00.003-04:00

I knew it was going to be hard to pack up and move home from France. I dreaded it the whole year.

The number of times I packed and repacked, moving things from one bag to another and tossing items into an ever-fattening garbage bag... why did I have so much stuff?

The amount of food and kitchen related objects in my bags was slightly embarrassing and I'd rather not tell you how many pairs of shoes and clothes I threw out to make space for cake trays and spices. One of my favourite souvenirs (and one of 3 cake molds I successfully brought home) is my madeleine tray.

Madeleines - betchya can't just eat one.

I learned to make these madeleines during my first month living in my village. One of my students shared with me her mother's recipe, and taught me the tricks to making beautifully light and soft little cakes.

I made these a lot back in Canada. It became automatic - the routine of buttering and flouring the mold, filling it, baking, pop them out and repeat, repeat, repeat.

I really like them with some lemon zest or dried lavender added in. There are so many flavour options to try - you'll just have to make multiple batches too!

Notes:

To obtain the little characteristic 'mounds' on the madeleines, be sure to let the batter rest for 30 minutes in the fridge. During the first 5 minutes in the oven, heighten the temperature up to 400C, then lower it back to 350C for the remaining oven time.

Madeleines

Ingredients:

4 eggs

175 g caster sugar

225 g flour

100 g melted butter

2 tsp baking powder

Beat the eggs with the sugar by hand using a whisk for about 5-10 minutes. The mixture should become airy and mousse-like.

Sift the flour and baking powder together. Add to the sugar-egg mixture, followed by the melted butter. Mix well using whisk.

If adding a flavour/mix-in (vanilla, lemon zest, lavender, chocolate chips, etc.) do so now and whisk to combine.

Leave the mixture to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350C

Butter and flour your madeleine mold. Fill the molds with a dollop of the batter so that it sits in the middle, but does not touch the edges of the shell shape.

Bake in the oven for about 12-14 minutes, until the cakes have puffed up and are starting to lightly golden. Remove cakes immediately from tray the wire-rack to cool.

Home

2012-09-30T08:08:00.000-04:00

After over a year in Europe, I was flying home.

With a last minute flight booked and too many farewells, it didn't really hit me that I was finally returning to Canada until I was actually in Canada... and realized how much I had forgotten it.

I felt like a tourist in my own country!

I had forgotten the small and simple things that define Canadian living, and here I was rediscovering them.

I was welcomed home by a smiling and tearful family, a bitter cat, an overexcited pup and a 12 kg bag of flour.

I found myself once again among family, long lost friends, and my dearest and most truest friends.

We reunited together over drinks, afternoon teas and sunny walks, flowering with smiles and laughs.

I baked.

Everyday. Sometimes twice a day. Sometimes three times.

I wanted to share all the lovely and divine French dishes and creations I had come to love during my time away, with everyone at home. But I was also so very happy to taste again the things that I had been missing so much that remind me of home.

My kitchen presented me with a chance to create fresh and fun Canadian and French fusion dishes and desserts!

Cakes

Tarts

Brioches

Puddings

Pastries

Crepes

BREADS

I baked breads. Oh, so many breads.

I didn't really have a choice did I? I had a 12 kg bag of flour to get through!

I don't have a bread machine, but I have decided that I really love the process of making bread.

I spent an obscene and slightly embarrassing amount of time in the kitchen.

I don't know why I love baking so much. It's for so many reasons that I love to fluff up egg whites, beat in sugar, and watch little blobs puff and turn golden and fragrant in the oven.

I know I cook and bake because I love to share these wonderful treats with people and I love how it brings everyone together. It's a great excuse to invite others over, and gather round a table laid with fresh cakes and tea, or meals hot off the BBQ. I must say that many of our get-togethers with family and friends revolved around eating, and I was totally on-board.

But my time home would be short and sweet.

I barely had time to unpack before repacking my bags. Barely enough time to say hello before I had to wave goodbye.

Because I was off again, on my next adventure.

Lavender & Earl Grey Cake

2012-08-08T00:06:00.001-04:00

If you walk across the courtyard and up the crumbling steps, you'll find the painting studio covered in ivy and roses.

Beyond the studio to the left is an old, overgrown arch, and through it you step out to a view over the pool and windy fields.

Tucked away beside the barn is swaying a beautifully blooming patch of lavender.

When I first discovered this sea of purple I immediately became obsessed with using it in recipes, both savoury and sweet. I often make cakes for afternoon tea and so I settled on making one for the arrival of new guests on Saturday.

I decided to take my favourite tourte recipe and adjust it to adopt the scents of lavender and earl grey. Drizzled with a fresh lemon glaze, this cake is a delicious marriage of flavours. The fresh lavender is aromatic, marking purple polka dots throughout the moist sponge, and the eary grey adds a subtle touch.

We enjoyed it, sipping our cups of tea in the courtyeard under the slowly sinking sun of a late afternoon.

Lavender & Earl Grey Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup castor sugar
3 large eggs
1/4 packet of baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup melted butter
1/4 cup fresh or dried lavender
2 earl grey tea bags

First steep the tea bags in 3 tablespoons of boiling water for roughly 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and grease your chosen cake mould.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, egg yolks, baking powder, milk and melted butter. When the tea is ready add this to the mixture and discard the tea bags. Mix well.

Beat the egg whites until they form glossy peaks.

Incorporate the egg whites into the cake mixture until evenly combined.

Bake at 180C/350F for about 25-35 minutes, depending on the size and depth of your cake mould. It will be finished when an inserted knife comes out clean. Let cool on wire racks before serving.

Fleur de Sel Chocolate Cake

2012-07-31T17:02:00.003-04:00

One of my favourite things to do here at work is brainstorm menus, and we do this a lot. The chef and I are always discussing ideas and dishes, and we tend to change the menu a few times a day.

The desserts are of course always exciting to plan. One day last week we came to a stop: we didn't know what to make! After a lot of humming and awing we realized our guests hadn't had a cake in ages, and so I was given the task of making a beautiful cake for dessert.

Challenge accepted.

I very much enjoyed searching through my favourite blogs for the perfect cake and soon found myself on Poires au Chocolat, pouring over Emma's long list of cake recipes.

I have been reading Emma's blog for quite some time now. She just has adds such a lovely and delicate touch to the desserts she creates. I always want to try her recipes, and now that I'm living in this place with a giant and well-equipped kitchen at my disposal, it seems to be the perfect chance!

It was hard to choose a cake, but together the chef and I settled on Emma's Butterfly Fleur de Sel Caramel Cake. I would create a cake just as she had, complete with chocolate butterfly.

And that I did.

In France it is quite difficult to find all the required ingredients but with a trip to the pharmacy for some gelatine, we were able to get by.

This cake is rich and chocolately and salty and sweet.

This cake is pretty and elegant.

This cake is dense and intense.

And oh the salted caramel... I die. Really, it is remarkable.

I would make this cake again just for the caramel. I am seriously having major difficulties restraining myself from dipping my finger into the jar everytime I walk by the fridge. So. good.

You can find Emma's recipe on her blog Poires au Chocolat here: Butterfly Fleur de Sel Caramel Cake

Gazpacho Shots

2012-07-19T17:28:00.001-04:00

From the Pyrenees to the Charente

Out of my mountain village and into a countryside chateau.

I recently moved up north to a new location for a little summer work. I'm now living in a gorgeous chateau that overlooks the village of La Rochefoucauld. This huge, old home was beautifully restored by a British couple, who for the past 20 years have been running holiday courses in painting, cooking and French lessons. That's right, painting and cooking: my two favourite things.

Every week new guests arrive and enjoy a holiday filled with canvas and paint in the studio (or French lessons outside, or walking tours) while staying in lovely large rooms and being served delicious 4 course meals.

Living at my place of work means that for the majority of my day I am on the job. But when that job includes a lot of time spent in the kitchen, and a lot of time dining with the guests at the table holding a glass of wine, I can't complain.

I am absolutely relishing in the joy of getting to cook and bake for others everyday, learning new techniques, trying recipes I've been wanting to try for years, and having all the possible ingredients I could imagine right at my fingertips.

Every Friday, the last night before the guests leave, the painters host a little show where they get the chance to display their body of work from their time here. It's great getting to see what everyone has been working on, and it's the perfect excuse to drink champagne ;)

It's also an event that calls for a little aperitif, as it takes place just before dinner, and somehow I have become in charge of preparing a selection of amuse bouche.

Totally okay with that!

I love coming up with new ideas and little treats to make at the end of each week to be enjoyed at the studio with a glass of champagne.

Last Friday I made these gazpacho shots. This cold soup makes a great appetizer for the summer months and is fun served in a shot glass or tiny glass!

Tomorrow is Friday (again already?!) and I'll be making chou pastry puffs filled with rosemary and emmental cheese.

A little inspiration from Spain, a little reminiscing, a little missing the food already

Gazpacho Soup Shots

Makes roughly 10 shots

Ingredients:

1 can (400g) tomatoes (peeled and in their juice)
1/2 can tomato paste
1/2 cucumber
1 red pepper
2 medium-sized onions
1 shallot
1 garlic clove
1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp tabasco sauce
salt & pepper to taste
3 tbsp olive oil

Firstly prepare your ingredients: after removing the skins, chop up finely the cucumber, onions, shallot, garlic and red pepper (this one you can leave the skin on).

Put all of these in a bowl along with the spices.

Add half of the canned tomatoes into a blender along with about 1/3 of the ingredients. Blend for a few seconds until everything is pureed. Keep adding the rest of the ingredients and tomatoes bit by bit until everything is well blended together.

Next blend in the tomato paste and salt and pepper to taste.

Lastly add the olive oil and blend until well incorporated.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve in shot glasses with toasts.

Apple Tart

2012-07-06T10:18:00.000-04:00

Don't you love it when those last minute, spur of the moment desserts turn out so wonderfully? When you throw a bunch of ingredients together in a flurry (with a bit of time dedicated to aesthetic purposes, of course) and they mix and mingle to create something delicious? I do.

Every Tuesday our village has their weekly market where they sell local cheese, cakes, fruits & vegetables, honey, paella (we're really close to the border!) among many other delights. Every few weeks I go up there to the same stall to buy my 5 kg bag of apples. Hey, it's a good deal okay? And yes, I really like apples (my roommate is not such a big fan, and I usually eat most of the bag myself). I would say they're the most versatile fruit. The possibilities with apples are endless!

So during the weekend before my last week of work at the high school my friend hosted a little soiree. They had the dinner planned, but wait, no dessert? Well that simply wouldn't do, so I said I'd make something... and with my 5 kg bag of apples in the corner I quickly decided on an apple tart.

I made it that evening just before we went over for dinner, and the smell that filled the kitchen was incredible. I would make this tart again just for the scent.

I passed the slices around after the main course. They were very well received, and quickly devoured.

It is the simplicity of this tart that makes it so good. Apples and cinnamon are just a match made in heaven.

Apple Tart

Ingredients:

1 sheet of puff pastry
3-4 medium apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 lemon
1/2 cup apple sauce / apple compote
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F

Lay the sheet of puff pastry over a 23 cm circular baking tray.

Squeeze the juice of half a lemon and toss the apple slices in it in a large bowl. Next toss them in the flour to coat them evenly.

In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Save about 1 tbsp of this mixture, and toss the apples in the rest of it to evenly coat.

Press the pastry into the baking tray so it covers it evenly (it is fine if it hangs over the edge). Spread the base of the pastry with the apple sauce/compote.

Arrange the apple slices around over the pastry until you are happy with the look. Sprinkle the apples with the remaining sugar-spice mixture.

Fold any remaining pastry down along the edges.

Bake at 180C / 350F for 15-25 minutes or until the pastry has lightly browned and the apples are bubbling.

Spain

2012-07-02T09:21:00.000-04:00

7 Cakes a Week

2012-06-27T12:53:00.002-04:00

With the end of my teaching contract came a week packed with goodbyes. Goodbyes in France usually have to involve food in some way or another. Bring on the goodbyes!

And so arrived the week of soirées, AKA bake week.

You know what they say, a cake a day keeps the doctor away...

Day 1: Apple tart

Last minute soirées call for last minute desserts. I love it when random impromptu creations turn out like this:

Recipe to come!

Day 2: Carrot cake

I made this for my youngest students (don't tell my other classes!)

No picture, but you can find my recipe for carrot cake (or muffins) here

Day 3: Maple butter tarts

Made for our international tapas party

I had to contribute a Canadian dish... and since it's me, it had to be a dessert.

Day 4: Nanaimo bars

These were done for goodbye parties I had with the sports profs and then the English profs

The soirées this week were neverending... but I'm not complaining.

You can find my post on nanaimo bars and a link to the recipe here

Day 5: Tourte des Pyrenées

I had wanted a tourte mold for ages. When I found one in my village's market I was so excited I had to make a cake as soon as I got home.

Day 6: Lemon tart

For miss Megan's birthday!

Again no picture... my apologies

Day 7: Canelés

Personal delivery to Anna in Spain!

Fly to: Stockholm

2012-05-30T11:51:00.001-04:00

Snow? In April?!

Well that's Sweden for you.

I was pleastantly surprised with the large variety of Swedish cakes and pastries that exist. I felt no shame in tasting as many of them as I could during a span of three days.

My first night in Sweden my friend and I cooked.

Cooked what?

Well Sedish meatballs of course! Complete with new potatoes, cream sauce and jam. I've never made meatballs before and these were delicious.

One of my favourite things to do when traveling is going grocery shopping. Life is full of simple pleasures isn't it? I love exploring the supermarkets in other countries! I think it's fun walking up and down the aisles to see what is new, interesting and weird.

The Swedish grocery stores were stocked with tubed food: cheeses, sauces, some question marks and...

Caviar! Yep that's right, caviar that comes in a tube.

I tried sneaking a tube of this back on the plane but with only carry-on luggage, I got caught :(

Tried all of these! The cake on the right is a chokladboll, which was very rich and so good.

Punschrulle

A cylindrical pastry filled with crushed cookie, butter, cocao and punsch liqueur, covered with green marzipan with the ends dipped in chocolate. This cake is also often referred to as 'vacuum cleaner' in Swedish.

Biskvi

This was my last cake and my favourite. During a goodbye coffee date with my friend, I enjoyed this little beauty just an hour before heading to the airport.

I had been wondering what these cakes were my entire time in Sweden so I decided finally to try one. The base is made of almonds and sugar, it is filled with a butter cream and covered with a thin layer of chocolate.

Yum. I wish we had these at home.

After all the hot chocolate and cakes I had that weekend, I didn't want anything sweet for a few days when I got back to France. I needed a serious recovery from chocolate.

Bus to: Berlin

2012-04-28T08:53:00.001-04:00

Berlin is huge

Like I mean vast. Everything is so spread out in the city, which is filled with empty spaces and large, abandonned buildings all splashed in colourful spraypaint.

I think Berlin is one of the most interesting cities I have ever visited. With it's long and complex history, it has evolved in a very unique way. I loved exploring the areas of the East and Kreuzberg, discovering many hidden gems.

But when it comes to eats, it was probably the least exciting of the three. When you go to Berlin you have to try two things: currywurst and doner kebabs. Unfortunately I didn't take pictures of any of the food I ate while I was there... surprising no? I don't like borrowing pictures, so you can look at some grafitti instead:

Currywurst

Currywurst is not all it's cracked up to be. It is basically a sausage drenched in a ketchup-like sauce and topped with curry powder. I was a bit disappointed.

Doner Kebabs

So cheap and SO GOOD. If you go to Berlin you are not allowed to leave without eating one (or 5).

Bread

They have a huge variety of different types of bread, which vary greatly from those at home and here in France. You can find a lot of dense and very dark breads, filled with oats and seeds. A couple slices of this in the morning and you're good to go!

Turkish Cakes

With the large Turkish population in Berlin, the city is spotted with many Turkish restaurants and bakeries. I ate the best baklava I've ever had while I was wondering the streets of Kreuzberg.

I highly recommend visiting Berlin. Go for the incredible art, the endless grafitti, the early morning clubbing, and maybe a doner kebab.

First stop: Amsterdam

2012-04-21T11:10:00.002-04:00

So I'm back after my Eurotrip!

This time I went North:

Amsterdam --> Berlin --> Stockholm

I've wanted to visit these cities for ages and finally the time came to make it happen. All year I had planned on making a eurotrip up around these parts and the Easter holidays were the perfect opportunity! It took a lot of planning and researching and emailing but finally I found a route that worked well and didn't cost too many $$$.

I really enjoyed exploring these three very different cities, learning about their cultures and histories. But the best part about it all would have to be the reunions. I was able to meet up with loads of old friends who I hadn't seen since my Australian days!

Also a huge highlight: trying all the different foods! Before leaving I looked up all the must-eats in each city and things I'd like to try. In each city I tried a variety of treats, mostly on the sweet side... and now I'm a bit sick of chocolates and cakes. Who knew that would ever happen?!

So let's start with Amsterdam

What a cute city it is. We enjoyed biking through the spiderweb of streets, crossing over the canals and passing the leaning buildings.

The typical Dutch dishes are quite heavy consisting of a lot of potato and meat, but there is so much more to taste...

the cheese

I thought France was leading here but Holland definately puts up a strong fight. I tried a large variety of strong, bold and colourful cheeses. The Old Gouda is a must as well as their famously vibrant green cheeses!

Stroopwafels

I was looking forward to trying these and they did not disappoint. A stroopwafel consists of two thin wafels sandwiched together with caramel. Their taste resembles speculoos a little... but better.

Pannekoek: Pancakes

Dutch pancakes are like a cross between crepes and the Canadian variety. I love seeing how pancakes differ from country to country. We enjoyed them with cheese and sliced apple.

Beer

They have an incredible variety of beers and we enjoyed a range of Belgian ones. I tried the Barbar beer with a honey flavouring and it was my favourite of the bunch. I love Belgium's fruity beers and the raspberry one was nice and tangy.

Hagelslag: Chocolate sprinkles!

This is my new favourite food (treat?). These chocolate sprinkles are just so cute and fun to eat! They make morning time amusing and put a smile on my face. The Dutch like to eat these on white bread with a little butter (so they don't all roll off!). You can buy a range of different sprinkles: large or small, white, dark or milk chocolate. I wanted to fill my suitcase with these and stroopwafels... who needs clothes?

Quiche with smoked salmon and spinach

2012-04-03T14:24:00.001-04:00

Before I jet off on my next holiday I've got a recipe to share with you.

It is inspired by the salmon and spinach quiche sold at Paul. I love Paul. His bread smells oh so amazing all fresh and warm. When I was in Bordeaux a few weekends ago I tried one of their individual quiches filled with smoked salmon and spinach.

Delicious.

Ever since then I've been wanting to make the same quiche here at home. We made it last week and it was almost as good as Paul's (I think he must put some kind of drug in his perfectly baked goods).

You only need a few key ingredients to make a great quiche.

This recipe is super easy and super yummy. The smoked salmon and spinach pair wonderfully together. I think this quiche is perfect for spring with the shades of pink and green hiding under the cheese. Oh how I wish we still had some left...

So where does my next adventure begin?

Where will I go?

What will I eat!?!

You'll see when I get back :)

Smoked Salmon and Spinach Quiche

1 pie dough (pâte feuilletée)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup grated emmental cheese (or cheese of your choice), plus extra for topping
1 cup spinach, cooked, coarsely chopped and patted dry
1 cup smoked salmon, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp herbes en provences
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 C

Roll out dough into a 12 inch circle and place into a 10 inch pie/tart dish.

Line with parchment paper and fill with baking weights. Bake for 10 minutes.

While the pastry is baking prepare the filling. In a large bowl add the eggs, cream and milk and mix to combine. Next stir in the spices, followed by the salmon, cheese and spinach.

Once the crust has baked for the first 10 minutes, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool slightly.

Carefully pour the egg mixture into the crust. Bake at 350 C until the centre is just set, about 30 minutes.

Optional: Sprinkle some extra grated cheese over the top during the last 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

International Club Eats

2012-03-28T16:08:00.000-04:00

Living with a French roommate, above a Mexican, a Colombian and a German, we have some pretty fantastic dinner parties. I present to you a small selection of some of the dishes we have enjoyed this year, from buenelos to foie gras, and everything in between:

tarte au chocolat

Raclette

Mexican fiesta!

Feuerzangenbowle

Traditional German drink: a rum soaked sugar cone is lit on fire and drips into mulled wine.

Fondue savoyarde

Fondue au chocolat

Magret de canard aux pêches

And no ski day is complete without some good old-fashioned poutine :)

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

2012-03-23T08:11:00.002-04:00

Mmmmm... cinnamon raisin swirl bread, hot out of the oven and drizzled with a vanilla glaze - what could be better with a cup of tea in the morning?

My downstairs neighbor has a bunch of packets of yeast that he's had for ages and hasn't used! Such blasphemy. This week we finally got around to making some bread, and not just any bread, cinnamon raisin swirl bread. It took us about 3 hours but when we opened the oven and the room was filled with the tantalizing scent of sweet cinnamon, and we pulled apart the warm and gooey bread to taste our first bites, oh it was totally worth it. So. good.

This recipe is great because it makes two loaves. Come on, if we're going to go through the trouble of making bread, we might as well make a large batch, right?

With half the dough we made a basic, swirled loaf. The rest of the dough we braided and very generously covered it with a cinnamon sugar blanket. The braid was so delicious fresh out of the oven, all warm, soft and studded with plump raisins. Drizzled with a simple vanilla glaze = heaven. We couldn't help but eat half of it in one sitting!

This bread really ressembles cinnamon rolls in taste and texture (especially the braid, which is like a pull-apart bread - yum) except for one large difference: it's got a fraction of the fat (woohoo)! Instead of adding in buckets of butter, we just sprinkled the cinnamon sugar with water. It worked so well!

This recipe is a keeper, I will definitely be making it again.

And you should make it too.

Recipe found here: Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Morocco

2012-02-28T18:21:00.184-05:00

When I think of Morocco now my mind is flooded with sandy and burnt reds, browns and yellows, I feel the warmth of the dry sun on my face, I hear a faint buzzing of motorbikes and intertwined Arabic and French, my nose is filled with hipnotic aromas and the tastes of 17 spices hit my tongue.

Ait Ben Haddou

I had been in Morocco for an entire hour and already felt the end of the trip arriving, wanting to stay longer, much longer.

Marrakech was a feast for the eyes and mouth. Amongst its palette of earthy reds and yellows burst richly coloured gems and twinkles of silver and bronze. My eyes were hungry to explore every tiny street, every hidden corner of the Medina (the Old City). It had so much to offer and discover.

Driving for hours out to the desert at Zagora I watched the Berber villagers blur past my window, children playing ball and women collecting water. The snow capped Atlas mountains flew high above me before we descended into an endless view of sand studded with palm trees and crumbling buildings.

Figs, dates, apricots by the wagonload. My mouth watered as I wandered past the stalls of heaping dried fruits and nuts. We spent much of our time exploring the Souks, gazing at the delicately detailed textiles, and speaking with the locals.

Tajine

We enjoyed a variety of tajines but the one that left the longest lasting taste in my mouth and memory was the chicken tajine that I cooked myself. Lemons soaked in oil water for a month, a handful of spices, fresh vegetables and chicken all came together and cooked slowly over a fire in a rustic, ceramic pot.

Mint Tea

I couldn't tell you how many cups of this stuff I drank while I was in Morocco, but it was a lot. With my extreme (and somewhat childish) aversion to mint I forced myself to drink my first cup. I was surprised when I didn't immediately gag after the first sip. It was very, very sweet and the mint is a lot less pronounced than I thought it would be. I became less and less irritated by the mint flavour as the days went on, and found myself reaching for my third and fourth cup in the chilly desert morning.

A turning point in my life? Has Morocco cured me?

Harissa soup

Whether it was with the locals in the center of the Djemaa El-fna for 3 DHM, at a rooftop terrace where I danced with the waiter, or cupping my hands around a warm bowl in the desert and scraping every last bit from it's sandy bottom, I really enjoyed this traditional tomato soup.

You can't go to Morocco and not eat couscous! I definitely got my fix, especially with this mountain of seven vegetable couscous, which was one of the nicest I had while I was there.

We ate at the night markets in Djemaa El-fna almost everynight. The food was just so good, and quite cheap too. There were tons of stalls all competing with each other for customers and selling the most hilarious sales pitches. Among the rows and rows we managed to find our favourite stall, where we became regulars.

I tried the pastilla more than once: a savoury, but slightly sweetened, pastry that includes nuts and chicken in its filling.

Moroccan pastries are heavenly. Countless varieties filled with crushed nuts, dried fruits and sweet syrups, I did my best to try as many as I could.

One night we stall-hopped a bit for our dinner courses. At one particularly busy one we squeezed ourselves amongst the locals and asked for a plate of lemon lamb. Just as we took our first bites we were surprised by another plate. What was on it? Brain, pieces of goat's head, and something else I'm still not entirely sure of what it was. We tried it all (...when in Morocco!). Let's just say it wasn't my favourite dish of the trip... though the memory will certainly always stick with me.

The end of this dream came suddenly and I was whisked away back to France. Now I'm home in the mountains and falling back into routine.

I'll remember Morocco and how rich it is.

Rich in culture, art and tastes; magically parfumed and so brilliantly coloured.

Anna Muffins

2012-02-24T12:56:00.006-05:00

This post makes me smile

I have here another original recipe sent from the one and only Anna, back at home.

Anna likes to make muffins. Anna likes to improvise.

Anna doesn't like to follow recipes.

So I find it funny to call this an actual recipe, because I know she would never make these exact muffins again. She would feel compelled to change an ingredient or two, sub in some dried fruits, or try another variety of yogurt. When it comes to muffins, the possibilities are endless!

Anna's muffins are never the same.

Anna likes natural and healthy ingredients and you will see here she has used practically everything in her kitchen. But don't worry if you don't have everything on the list, the recipe demands experimentation and allows for much substitution. Just use what you have and have fun with it!

The only thing I don't like about these muffins is I never got to taste them! I was given the luxury of drueling over the pictures. She also made a previous version (version 1, if you will), which were made with carrots, pumpkin and autumnal spices. These I am also dying to taste... maybe I'll be sent that recipe to post sometime soon too?

Anna Muffins (version 2)

3 tasses de "liquides":

1 patate douce (sweet potato)

1 tasse de yaourt nature

Quelques cuillèrées de cottage cheese

1-2 tbsp syrop d`érable

1 tbsp huile végétale

2 tasses de "farine":

3/4 tasse de farine intégrale

1/4 tasse de farine blanche

1/4 tasse de graines de lins, moulues (ground flax seeds)

1/2 tasse de avoines (oats)

2 tsp bicarbonate de soude (baking soda)

1 tsp levure (baking powder)

2 tsp allspice

2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp sel

3 oeufs

3/4 tasse (ou 1 tasse) de cassonade (brown sugar)

1/4 tasse de canneberges séchées

1/4 tasse de noix de pécane, coupées

1 orange- le jus et le zeste

1/4 tasse de cognac

Instructions:

Préchauffer le four à 350 F

Submerger les canneberges avec le jus de l`orange et le cognac. Laisser de côté quelques minutes pour réhydrater les canneberges.

Peler, et couper la patate douce en cubes. Bouillir jusqu`à tendre, puis purer. Laisser refroidir un peu.

Mélanger les "farines" avec les levures et épices. Laisser de côté.

Battre les oeufs avec la cassonade. Ajouter le zeste de l`orange.

Dans un autre bol, mélanger tous les éléments "liquides" (puré de patate douce, yaourt, cottage cheese,
huile, et syrop d`érable)

Ajouter les "liquides" aux oeufs/cassonade.

Incorporer les "farines"

Finalement, ajouter les canneberges avec le liquide.

Mettre dans des récipients de muffins (préviamment huilé)

Sapoudrer avec les noix de pécane

Cuisiner 15 (ish) minutes

et voilà!

Lemon Biscotti

2012-02-09T12:18:00.003-05:00

What do I do on a snowday? Bake.

As the buses were canceled on Friday, and I had all of one student show up to class, I was dismissed for the day. What better place to spend my free afternoon than in the kitchen!

I made some delicious French Onion Soup for lunch mmmmm so comforting on a snowy day. Secret ingredient that makes this soup? Apple. Yep, I am really digging the apple and onion pairing right now. They make such a sweet couple :)

As I had a few leftover lemons in the fridge I decided to make some lemon biscotti for everyone to enjoy with their tea after skiing. This recipe is really simple and fast, and the cookies come out crisp and lemony fresh. Don't let the dough throw you off, it will be very sticky when forming the logs but just wet your hands with some cold water to make it easier.

This biscotti is really nice, and would be especially nice dipped in a little white chocolate.

So the school buses didn't run again today... and there is a strong chance that they won't come tomorrow either. Why don't we just cancel the whole week and start the holidays early? I'd be up for spending a few extra days in Spain before flying out to Marrakech on Saturday.

Oooohh I cannot wait for the sights, scents and tastes of Morocco!!

Lemon Biscotti

1/4 cup light olive oil
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line baking try with none-stick parchment paper.

In a medium bowl sift together the flour, salt and baking powder.

In a large bowl, blend together the eggs and oil. Beat in the lemon juice, zest and then the eggs. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet.

Divide dough in half. Form two logs (12x2 inches) on baking tray. Dough will be very sticky so we hands with cold water when handling it.

Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until logs just begin to brown lightly. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 275 degrees F.

Cut logs on diagonal into 3/4 inch thick slices. Lay on sides on parchment covered cookie sheet and return to oven for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, or until dry; cool. Store in an airtight container.

Snowed in

2012-02-05T05:14:00.001-05:00

I've been waiting and waiting and waiting for it to snow here. When you can walk outside in a thin sweater in the middle of January, there's something wrong.

Winter finally hit my village last weekend when the first snow pushed past the mountains and tumbled down onto my doorstep. As soon as I saw it start to fall Saturday evening, I threw on a coat and ran for the door to dance with the snowflakes.

Since then it has been snowing almost everyday. Thursday there was about 2 cm of snow on the ground and the world stopped. The buses were canceled, Friday was declared a snowday, drivers were scrambling to wrap chains around their tires and everyone else refused to step outside. The French just can't deal with the snow.

Yesterday I woke up to a winter wonderland. Overnight the village was covered in a soft, sparkly blanket. We received a massive dumping of fresh, fluffy snow in the morning, which ceased in the afternoon after reaching a comfortable 15 cm. This morning I opened my curtains to the same white landscape blurred by giant snowflakes. It's incredible - one day it's 10 C and the next it's transformed into a Canadian winter. If it keeps it up we're going to have another snowday tomorrow. I think I can deal with 4 day weekends.

Visibility conditions while skiing this week

While most people have barred themselves indoors, I spent most of yesterday outside making snowmen families with the neighbor's kids and hiking in the mountains.

People, it's magical. Embrace it.

While the French are paranoid about leaving their homes, I am reveling in the beautiful silence of the white world beyond my window, spending much of my day gazing out at it.

Now if you'll excuse me, there's a mug of hot chocolate in the kitchen with my name on it.

Cake Salée au jambon et aux olives

2012-01-24T07:21:00.001-05:00

I tried this cake back during my first month working here. At a track and field day the high school teachers had the most amazing picnic and I was invited along to taste everything. Looking back on it now makes me salivate just a bit. Everything was homemade and there were so many specialties from regions all over France. Among the quiches, canelés and tartes des pyrénées, I discovered this little guy: cake salée au jambon et aux olives.

As the title states, it’s a savoury loaf filled with ham, olives and also gruyere cheese. It has a dense and moist texture because it’s packed with all this plus four eggs. Mmmmm it is so good. Right when I tried I knew I had to get my hands on a recipe (and an oven). When I finally had both this was at the top of my long cooking & baking bucket list.

It is so incredibly easy to make, as you will see when you read down to the recipe. French food doesn’t always have to be confusingly complicated.

It is perfect for a picnic, all sliced up and brought along to the beach. Wow, when was the last time I went to the beach? The summer seems like ages ago!

Do yourself a favour and bake this loaf.

Cake Salée au jambon et aux olives

Ingredients :

· 150 gr flour

· 200 gr ham

· 150 gr green and pitted olives

· 75 gr shredded gruyère cheese

· 4 eggs

· 100 mL milk

· 3 tsp baking powder

· 1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 180C

Cut the olives into thin rounds and the ham into small pieces.

Mix the eggs into the flour, followed by the milk and olive oil. After it is well mixed add the ham, olives and cheese, and stir them into the batter. Lastly add the baking powder and stir to evenly combine.

Pour the batter into a greased 9 inch loaf pan. Bake in the oven at 180C for 40-45 minutes.

Remove pan from the oven, let stand for a few minutes then remove the loaf to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve!

La fête des rois

2012-01-18T05:29:00.000-05:00

Like I said in the previous post, one of the benefits of living in a small village is the people here are so warm and welcoming. They say hi to me in the streets, and don't just brush me off like some American tourist when I have a difficulty understanding/saying something in French. On the contrary, as soon as they discover that I have an accent and I'm Canadian they get so excited.

The other day I was told that being Canadian makes me exotic. When did the land of snow and maple syrup (their perception of our country) become exotic?

HA

I think I am quite lucky to be at such a great school with nice (and for the most part) well-behaved kids, and a great staff. I work alongside 6 different English teachers, all of whom are friendly and kind. Some of them I have gotten to know quite well and they often invite me for dinners, parties and weekends spent at their homes with their families. I guess everyone just wants to be friends with the exotic Canadian.

Part of why I am here is to participate in a cultural exchange. I think I'm definitely accomplishing that. But again, je crois que j'ai de la chance!

Spending so much time with French families has enabled me to discover and experience so much of their culture. During the first weekend of January in France a tradition takes place called la fête des rois (Three Kings Day). It is the celebration of the Christian tradition of Epiphany and it involves a king, a queen and a special cake. The type of cake depends on the region. In the south of France, the brioche (pictured in this post) is traditional while in the north they enjoy a galette, which is a circular pastry filled with frangipane. Originally a small bean (la féve) was hidden inside the cake, but today small figurines are also used. While the family is seated around the cake, the youngest member climbs underneath the table and designates who receives each slice. This way they have no way of seeing who will receive the bean when the cake is cut and the baker can't cheat. Whoever finds the tiny surprise in their slice is crowned the king for the day, and chooses his queen.

I think it's such a fun little tradition and because j'ai de la chance, I got to participate in two fêtes des rois. I celebrated with the family of two students I tutor in a neighboring town, and we enjoyed the nicest brioche I've had yet. The next day I was invited to an english teacher's house for a party with tons of their family, friends and a few other teachers. I was treated to delicious homemade galettes made with flakey pastry and soft frangipane. With such a large group it was really fun watched the slices being distributed and the kings being crowned. Sadly I didn't find a bean in any of my cake slices that weekend. I did, however, go home with two tiny figurines, so that next year I can introduce this tradition to my family and have our own fête des rois.

As I only participated in eating that weekend, and not cooking, I don't have a recipe for you. But Emma of Poires au Chocolat did happen to post one: Galette Recipe

Les Hautes-Pyrénées

2012-01-13T05:03:00.005-05:00

There are many pros and cons to living in a tiny, remote village in the south of France:

Advantages:

I live in the south of France

FRENCH FOOD

I live in a valley surrounded by stunning mountains, which are currently snow-capped

I live so incredibly close to Spain; it’s only a two hour drive to the border. This allows for impromptu Spanish weekends.

The staff and students at the school where I teach English are all very polite and friendly, and because of the proximity of Spain we have many Spanish students.

Apart from the English teachers I work with, hardly anyone speaks English. I choose to see this as a pro because it means I am forced to improve my French.

The people here are so welcoming and friendly. Whoever said the French are rude, smelly and stuck up were wrong (or perhaps just talking about the North).

I am not alone! I have a lovely French roommate of the same age who comes from Bordeaux. We get to share different parts of our cultures, practice French (and her English), and we continue to learn so much from each other every day.

· I am not the only assistant! There are others from Mexico, Columbia and Germany. We’ve got a nice, little international club goin on.

It’s warm and sunny, like all the time

The students go skiing every week and need volunteer supervisors – aka I get to ski for free every Wednesday

· I have become good friends with many of my colleagues who are sharing so much of the French culture and lifestyle with me. They welcome me into their homes for parties, full weekends spent with their families, and they feed me endless amounts of fantastic food. I am so lucky.

Wine and cheese are CHEAP

Disadvantages:

My village has a grand total of 3500 inhabitants. There is zero nightlife… well not much life in general.
It is extremely lacking in the way of shops, bars, restaurants, a gym, galleries, etc. BUT plentiful in boulangeries. And sheep.

The town is isolated, and with no train station and buses that decide not to run (when you have to get to the next town to catch a train to Paris) it is a bit tricky to escape from.

Likeways, it is also difficult to get to. You must take a train to a nearby town and then the bus to my village, which stops running around 6:00pm, a taxi, or if lucky enough have someone pick you up.

I see my students EVERYWHERE

It’s January and there’s no snow on the ground. Need I say more?

I don’t have internet in my apartment. Writing this makes me want to cry.

It is too easy to get bored.

Many of my friends live in other towns or Toulouse, which is a two hour drive, or longer on the train.

Because the town is so small it doesn’t have the possibility of taking a cooking class.

I will probably be fat by the end of my contract.

At some point, I am going to run out of money.