Paris Resto and Culinary

Photo du Jour - The Sounds of Summer in the South of France

2012-12-30T05:54:00.000-08:00

This noisy little creature, a cicada - une cigale - arrived at our house clinging to the side of a box delivered by la Poste yesterday.
It was set free after posing for a few photos. Its wing was damaged so it was very subdued.

The cicadas appear every summer, on or around June 21, to fill the summer days with their endless chirping and buzzing. It is a sound I will always associate with the south of France.

"Nomad Chef" contagious!

2012-12-29T05:23:00.000-08:00

I am proud to annouce Cecilia D'Imperio's successful trip to Mexico. It seems being a "Nomad Chef" is contagious!
Last April I gave two cooking classes in Buenos Aires, at Cecicila d'Imperio's Sabiduria Culinaria cooking school. Cecilia and I discovered we both were curious and creative Home Chefs, and we shared the idea that cooking must be fun and that recipes must be simple.
She had mentioned she had an invitation to train the staff of a restaurant in Mexico, and I encouraged her to accept!
Well, here she is! The training was a complete success and she's looking forward to more trips, discoveries, and experiences. Bravo Cecilia!

Photo du Jour - Château

2012-12-28T11:51:00.000-08:00

One of the small châteaux that dot the Languedoc countryside.

Paella Under the Full Moon

2012-12-28T10:31:00.000-08:00

Friday night we were invited to our friend's garden to taste their family specialty, Paella Valenciana.

The giant pan, the paellera, was balanced on a homemade "stand" made from flower pots and metal stakes.
José brought the homemade broth to a boil then started adding the ingredients.

The first layer was chunks of cuttlefish and small pieces of cut up chicken. Then the rice was tossed in, followed by chicken legs and thighs, mussels, giant prawns and finally roasted red peppers.

tossing in the rice

mussels going in

It was a smoothly orchestrated event. José's wife, Jocelyn, was standing by, ready to hand over each ingredient as they were needed.

giant prawns, called gambas, ready to be added

the final addition - a scattering of roasted red peppers

keeping an eye on the flames

we all watched it bubble away but José was in charge of making sure that the paella cooked evenly

love the heat resistant gloves!

Finally, a dazzling, saffron enriched Paella Valenciana. The flavor is almost indescribable. There is nothing to compare to paella when it is done right.
I've tasted some pretty awful versions, both in Spain and here, so to have the chance to enjoy a gutsy, rich, smoky homemade paella under the full August moon with good friends...well, it just doesn't get much better than that.

¡Gracias José y Jocelyn!

Photo du Jour

2012-12-27T09:47:00.000-08:00

Shade
So necessary during the height of summer.

La Journée Nationale du Fromage

2012-12-27T02:27:00.000-08:00

Today is la Journée National du Fromage.

I expected a grand tasting event at les Halles in Narbonne, maybe a little parade or perhaps even a young woman crowned la Reine du Fromage. (hey, why not?)
Imagine my disappointment when I discovered that the closest fromager celebrating the event is in Toulouse, an hour and a half away!
Nothing in Narbonne, Béziers, Perpignan or even Montpellier!

So, we're celebrating on our own.

What did you do to fête le fromage?

Things in Venice, California (1)

2012-12-26T00:20:00.000-08:00

I am spending a few days in beautiful Venice, California. It's so plenty of color, flowers, scents, fresh food, and more. The front gardens of the houses on 6th st boast flowers, trees, plants full of vigor, colors, strong scents, and exuberance.As I walk along I see artichokes growing on the side! Lemon trees, dill, rosemary ... I have the impression that ANYTHING can grow here!

The Venice Farmer Market, at the intersection of Venice Blvd and Ocean Blvd, is small but offers an array of fresh fruit and vegetable, bread, seafood, dry fruit, most organic., under colorful square shades. Going to local restaurants can be a real treat! Look at this crab and shrimp salad! I ordered it with no other dressing that olive oil and salt and it was delicious.The current crisis has badly affected construction here and everywhere you see signs like this one ... people in the coffee shops gather for a morning latte and share their disappointment with the job market right now. Sad.

Photos du Jour - la Neige

2012-12-24T10:45:00.000-08:00

It's inconvenient - losing power, no telephone, can't drive to town to run errands, canceled market - but boy is it gorgeous.

Photo du Jour - Krisprolls et Fromage Fouetté

2012-12-23T16:10:00.000-08:00

Petit déjeuner: Coffee and whole wheat Krisprolls slathered with fromage fouetté.

A weekend in Amsterdam (1) : CULTURE

2012-12-22T13:43:00.000-08:00

A long weekend in Amsterdam is always a treat! The canals, the bikes, the size of the city are quite a change from the pace of a larger city like Paris, where I live. It's only a little over 4 hours from Paris with Thalys, the fast train.
I made a long tour in the city last Friday - in spite of the rain. I started by taking a tram to go to the Concertgebouw, to get the season's program - because yes, I am planning to come back. Trams are an alternative means of transportation to the bike, the real "classic". The Dutch do not mind the rain and do not use "bike capes" to cover themselves when it rains! Trams are also definitely better if you plan to spend the day touring.From there, across the street, I had a view of the Museum Plein and its impressive modern building that houses the Van Gogh Museum, the largest collection of paintings by this artist. If you plan your trip ahead, book your tickets on line, you'll avoid a loooong waiting line. Entrance ticket with the audio tour is 16.50 Euros.

It's a short walk to the Rijksmuseum, the museum of art and history, partly closed for restoration works, but still displaying an impressive collection of paintings. Here again, you can buy and print your e-ticket on line.

I had a quick lunch before continuing, nicely presented: a piece of brown bread, and an individual pan with a slice of ham, a slice of melted cheese, an egg, and two slices of tomato.

Across another canal, I walked on to the street of antique shops. My eye was instantly caught by the collections of Asian antiques, a favorite having lived so long in Asia myself. But I also love cows, and found this 17 C pair at a specialist in antique Delft porcelain simply delightful. Though the price tag was a shock: 13,500 Euros! I'll pass - but aren't they beautiful.
From there it is a short walk to the flower market where tulips are everywhere. 50 tulips for 10 Euros ... I couldn't resist and bought a bunch of white ones, plus plenty of bulbs for my Parisian deck.

By then it was time to head back home ... I was pretty tired I must say!On my way home I bought mussels for our evening meal! Miam! I fried a shallot in olive oil, added 1/4 cup of chopped parsley, a glass of dry white wine, and the mussels. Cover and let open over low heat. Toss them now and then. When they are open, serve immediately.

Photo du Jour - The Creole Creamery

2012-12-22T10:27:00.000-08:00

The myriad of flavors on offer at The Creole Creamery on Magazine Street. Their motto - Eat Ice Cream. Be Happy.
That works for me!

The decision was a difficult one, and in the end a scoop of Peanut Butter Fudge Pie proved to be the perfect choice. So deliciously rich and decadent.
Just like New Orleans.

Amsterdam discovery: Good chocolate!

2012-12-22T08:30:00.000-08:00

When you bike in Amsterdam you may be surprised to bump into a draw bridge! Which is what happened to me this morning as I was exploring Amsterdam's not so well known neighborhoods.
As I biked the tempting smell of chocolate coming from a small shop called Chocolaterie Arti Shop compelled me to stop on the spot.
I walked into the shop with a careful eye, as I do not eat any chocolate not made with cocoa butter. Why? BEWARE, real "chocolate" is only chocolate made with cocoa butter, not with hydrogenated oils (berk!); however, European regulations allow now to call "chocolate" the paste made with these oils. In France and Belgium, most chocolate is still real chocolate ... . but I didn't know here.

So I walked in to have a look. There were three tables with delightful imitation Louis XV chairs painted in silver color and covered in flashing colors. I sat down and orderd a macchiato. It was served in an oval metal plate with a chocolate in an individual plate and a glass of sparkling water. I tasted the chocolate, and to my surprise I felt in my mouth the real thing !

I moved then to the tempting counter searching for something that would translate the Dutchness of the chocolate made here and found these imitation Dutch tiles made in white chocolate (Euros 12.5 each) of which I bought two to give as gift back in Paris.

Among the many other treats, I spotted Orangettes (chocolate dipped candy orange rinds), nougat covered chocolate, chocolate truffles, and more.

If you come to Amsterdam and you're looking for an out of the beaten track experience, come to this shop! It is located at Koningginnweg 141.

HAPPY AND HEALTHY 2009!

2012-12-20T11:21:00.000-08:00

I'll make sure I have grandfather Rafael's 18C Omega silver watch handy (I have had it fixed for the occasion!)...

As it will strike Midnight in GMT +1 no magic spells will turn the world into a peaceful place, but each one of us can try to make his or her surrounding a better small world.

I wish you all a

Happy and

Peaceful and

Healthy 2009!

This year we are welcoming the New Year in the Sarthe, 180 miles west of Paris, over at our dear friend and artist Marie Verbois whose blog I invite you to visit for a delicious promenade in her paintings of pomegranates.

Our menu will be posted .. next year!

Photo du Jour

2012-12-20T03:07:00.000-08:00

Interesting old tiles and I love that roofline!

Photo du Jour - 1€

2012-12-18T19:18:00.000-08:00

Our food budget would be almost nothing if all we ate were tomatoes and radishes!

The local wine is still cheap, so we can't complain too much. Only 1,30€ a liter, which is cheaper than diesel fuel now. Too bad our cars can't run on wine.

Summer's Final Curtain Call

2012-12-18T07:08:00.000-08:00

My summer season as a sous-chef ends tonight. The feeling is bittersweet...

Peace and Quiet

2012-12-17T20:16:00.000-08:00

Everyone needs a quiet place to curl up with a good book (or a laptop, iPad, etc). This window seat in our gîte in the Loire was the perfect spot.

La Fête du Fromage - January Round Up

2012-12-17T06:20:00.000-08:00

This month offered a fantastic mélange of cheeses for la Fête du Fromage International Cheese Tasting Event. A huge merci to all of you who joined in!

Poor Nathalie had to forgo cheese during the entire month of December due to a diet her husband was on (which she said almost led to divorce). She's joined us again this month with this scrumptious Caprino di Fattoria, a fresh, Italian goat's cheese that she credits with saving her marriage! Have a look at her blog, Spaced Out Rambling for a few more mouth watering photos of this creamy, tangy little cheese.
Welcome back Nathalie!

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La Couronne Lochoise, a chèvre from the Loire, is this month's entry from la petitie parisienne Camille of Croque-Camille. She chose this particular cheese at her local Fromagerie because she liked its doughnut shape, which she later learned represented a crown, not a doughnut! Camille describes this cheese as "smooth and buttery" on the inside and "sharp" and "zippy" on the outside. I concur.

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New to la Fête du Fromage is Susan of Savoring Time in the Kitchen. She tasted a wedge of Pleasant Ridge Reserve from Wisconsin which she describes as a "combination of an aged white cheddar and a fine French Gruyère." Sounds wonderful! And don't those spicy chili crackers look delicious?

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Shira of Petit Pois started the new year off in the right direction with a resolution to taste more cheese. I love that! Almost immediately however, she found herself being lured back to one of her favorite French cheeses, Fourme d'Ambert. Its flavor, "round and nutty...neither insipid nor one-dimensional" and its reasonable price were too enticing to pass up.
"Resolution be damned," she says. And I agree. She plans on trying some new cheeses this year, but Fourme d'Ambert will always be on her short list!

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A trio of Normandy's best known cheeses were written up by Maggie of Normandy Life. Pont l'Evêque, Camembert and Livarot are three French cheeses that she says make up the perfect Normandy cheese board. I have to agree! I also like Maggie's suggestion of tasting them with a glass of Calvados, the famous apple brandy from the region.

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My entry of this month's Fête is Etorki, an unassuming ewe's milk cheese from the Basque region of southwest France. It is velvety and rich with hazelnut and caramel-like flavors that are a true delight!

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That's a wrap! Thanks for making January's round up a great one!

The next Fête du Fromage International Cheese Tasting will take place in March as I'll be in New Orleans joining in the Mardi Gras festivities in February.
Please have your entries to me by March 13. The entire round-up will be posted on March 15.

There is an amazing world of cheese out there to discover and there are many small farmers and artisan cheese makers who appreciate our support. I look forward to reading about your tastings in March!

Tell us why you chose this particular cheese. Tell us how it tasted. Tell us about its texture and aroma. Did you eat it on its own? Or with something? Did you drink anything special with your cheese? Would you recommend it or not? Is there something unusual or interesting about it?

Photos are wonderful, but not necessary
Entries must contain the words La Fête du Fromage and contain a link to Chez Loulou
Posts should be written specifically for La Fête du Fromage and not entered in any other food blog event
Please send the link to your post to louloufrance (at) gmail (dot) com with the words Fête du Fromage in the subject line

Blog Notes and Links

2012-12-16T14:05:00.000-08:00

My guest post for Andi's French Friday series on her blog, Misadventures With Andi, was posted the other day: Beyond Paris: My South of France.
A huge merci to Andi for including me in the series!

If you are a cheese lover or a francophile and have the photos to prove it, then please come and join one or more of the Flickr groups that I administer.
French Cheese
La Fête du Fromage
French Markets
French Windows
Colors of the Languedoc - of which I am the only member! How sad is that?
Minervois

I still sometimes get questions about how many French cheeses I've tasted for La Fête du Fromage. I've put a link to the entire list - all 177 and counting - under the "Pages" category.

Our house is still available if you're looking for a place in the south of France, and I've added another house for sale to the sidebar. Sadly our friends are moving away and need to sell their charming home with a garden and terrace in Saint-Thibéry, located about 15 minutes from the beaches near Cap d'Agde.

If you've ever asked yourself (or someone already living in France - you wouldn't believe how many emails I get on this subject) the question, Should I Move to France?, then David Lebovitz's post might help you come up with a definitive answer.

Brunch at Fig in Santa Monica

2012-12-16T11:20:00.000-08:00

Had received an email from daughter Celine, who lives in Amsterdam, telling me she had prepared a sumptuous brunch with hash browns, pancakes, and more! So when I walked into FIG, in Santa Monica, to meet friends fro brunch, I knew exactly what I was going to order!
The restaurant, which has excellent reviews in the LA press and travel forums, is in the Miramar Hotel (the exact address is 101 Wilshire) and it is worth a visit for any meal you may want to have!The setting is casual, and there are big sliding doors that open over the hotel swimming pool, adding a light note to the atmosphere. The breakfast menu is tempting with a choice of set breakfast, bakery items, and more. We went straight to the "specialities" section. My friends ordered Hash browns, and "Pain perdu", and I ordered .. well, you know, pancakes.

When the hash browns arrived I almost regretted my choice! Small potatoes with theirs skins, mushrooms, tomatoes, diced chorizo, all sauteed, and two poached eggs on top! Oh, my, breakfast, lunch, and dinner all at once!

My pancakes came with a coulis of fruit, sliced almonds, and maple syrup. They were perfect, a little bit moist and golden on both sides. There were four of them and I could not finish them!

Pain Perdu means "lost bread" in French, and was made using old dry bread, and passing it in a beaten egg. The American version is called "French Toast" and I have seen it made with white sliced bread. Pain perdu has been revisited, and is now made with a slice of brioche, which was the option taken by Fig. The presentation was beautiful, with red and blue berries and maple syrup on the side.

As you can see, the three of us were very very happy!

Traditional Pain perdu recipe
Ingredients
Bread left overs cut in thick 1/2 inch slices
2 cups of whole milk
1 vanilla bean cut in two alongside
1/2 cup sugar + 1 tsp
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Steps
Boil the milk with the sugar and the vanilla bean. Set aside until it is cool.
Add the dry bread and let soak 4 or 5 minutes, remove and drain.
Heat the butter in a pan.
Beat the eggs with 1 tsp of sugar
One by one, put the soften bread slices in the beaten egg and place carefully in the pan with the butter. Leave until golden, then turn and let cook on the other side.
Traditionally pain perdu was served plain or with powdered sugar.

Photo du Jour - The Vineyards

2012-12-16T04:57:00.000-08:00

The afternoon light in the vineyards.
Taken just outside our village.

Sunday Reading

2012-12-15T12:31:00.000-08:00

Never learned to appreciate Oreos, but these just might cure me of that.

You may have already read about the Deep Fried Poached Egg in Gourmet magazine. Since I am totally out of the loop living way out here in the country, you can imagine my delight when I read this.
Drool!

Beautiful. Inspirational. Enchanting.

I admit that I was kind of freaking out when it looked like the ganache wasn't going to set up. The cake needed to be decorated before we left for party and I only had an hour left.
Well, I couldn't have been more wrong. It set up just fine and this will now (and probably forever) be the only chocolate ganache frosting recipe I will ever use. It is perfection.

Love their beekeeping tales. Actually, I'm enjoying reading all about their adventures.

Wishing I was as talented as she is.

Martine's Birthday (4)

2012-12-15T02:48:00.000-08:00

What an incredible treat! A Château Haut Bergey 1989! That's how we savored our salad and cheese platter.
The salad was a simple "sucrine" with a vinaigrette made with red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, plus sea salt and fresh ground pepper. We tossed it 15 times, as it should be done!
Knowing that I was going to have to pair food with very good Bordeaux wines, I had been to my favorite cheese shop la Fromagerie d'Auteuil and had told Monsieur Fouchereau:

- What cheese would you recommend for a very good bottle of Bordeaux?

He advised mild, fruity, cow milk cheeses. We settled for: a Livarot , from Normandy, a young Comte (fruity) from the Jura, a St Nectaire from Auvergne, and a Camembert from Normandy. All made with unpasteurized milk - of course. I invite all cheese lovers to visit the websites of these marvellous French cheeses.

I presented them in a platter I bought in Indonesia: a large green banana leave made of light wood. One knife is for the soft cheeses, the other one for the hard ones (like the comte). Quite daring for the traditional French!

Photo du Jour - Breathtaking

2012-12-14T23:14:00.000-08:00

The sunset was breathtaking last night. Glowing pink and amber against periwinkle blue.

Photo du Jour - Symmetry

2012-12-14T21:21:00.000-08:00

I think there is something quite special about an avenue of cypress trees.