January 2004 Archive

January 31, 2004

The Sprouted Seeds Project

At the lovely Pousse-Pousse boutique the other day, I bought myself a sprouter, and two tubs of sprouting seeds. A tub of pink radish seeds, and a tub of the "longevity mix", which includes alfalfa, broccoli, turnip, lentil, mustard, black radish and soy seeds. They have a lot of other seeds to choose from, but the pink radish is peppery while ...

"The Sprouted Seeds Project" continues »

January 30, 2004

Courgettes Rondes Farcies

[Stuffed Round Zucchini] We buy most of our fruits and vegetables at our favorite little fruit stand in the rue des Abbesses, where the staff is friendly, greets us with big smiles, gets stuff for us from the back - often including a little freebie - and is always happy to discuss what's the best seasonal choice and how to prepare it. But somet...

"Courgettes Rondes Farcies" continues »

January 29, 2004

Soupe de Fenouil aux Ecorces d'Orange

[Fennel and Orange Peel Soup] Introducing... the latest brainchild of my soup kick! I was on the bus home from work a few days ago (you know, line 67, my food thought lab?), thinking about the soup I would make for dinner. I had half a mind to make some kind of winter squash soup, and was toying with the idea of adding candied orange peel to mak...

"Soupe de Fenouil aux Ecorces d'Orange" continues »

January 28, 2004

Scottish Caramel Shortcake

Oh my. This is one of the many luscious gifts that my blog-friend Jackie gave me when we met in London. Those square layered cookies come in a pack of three, each with a layer of buttery shortcake biscuit, a layer of creamy caramel, and a layer of sweet milk chocolate to top it all off. Naturally, I expected something rich, so I cut one up int...

"Scottish Caramel Shortcake" continues »

Yahoo Picks Chocolate & Zucchini !

Many thanks to Yahoo! for making Chocolate & Zucchini the Pick of the Day!...

"Yahoo Picks Chocolate & Zucchini !" continues »

January 27, 2004

Sauteed Ginger Beef and Cabbage

As much as I love to cook, it is sometimes very nice to have your boyfriend say, on a lazy Sunday afternoon : "you know, I think I'd like to make dinner tonight". Though usually more of a whip-it-up-by-instinct kind of cook, on this occasion he takes out the Japanese cookbook he bought in London, picks a recipe, makes a list, goes shopping, comes...

"Sauteed Ginger Beef and Cabbage" continues »

January 26, 2004

Kitchen Confidential

[Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly] Anthony Bourdain attended the Culinary Institute of America 25 years ago, has been in the restaurant business ever since, and is currently the executive chef of the restaurant "Les Halles" in New York. His book "Kitchen Confidential" is both an autobiography and an essay on the world of restaurants, and is...

"Kitchen Confidential" continues »

January 25, 2004

A Truckload of Shortbread Cookies

What could possibly beat a box of shortbread cookies?...

"A Truckload of Shortbread Cookies" continues »

January 24, 2004

Le Délicieux Confit d'Oignon de Jackie

Remember how I told you that Jackie and I, the cooking twins, had met in real life, in London? Remember how she had showered me with yummy food gifts? Well, this is one of them, coming directly from her kitchen, in its little jar. I held the opening ceremony the other night. Cautiously removed the cute purple tulle hat and bow. Marvelled at the ...

"Le Délicieux Confit d'Oignon de Jackie" continues »

January 23, 2004

In Which She Finally Gets Her Hands On Pierre Hermé's Book

Last fall, I met the friend of a friend at a party and discovered to my great excitement that he worked for none other than pastry chef Pierre Hermé, at his rue Bonaparte pâtisserie. I had been coveting his new recipe book called "Mes Desserts Préférés" for a little while, and when I mentioned that to my new friend, he said he could try and have ...

"In Which She Finally Gets Her Hands On Pierre Hermé's Book" continues »

January 22, 2004

Soupe de Courgette au Sésame

[Sesame Zucchini Soup] Oh, did I mention I am in full soup-making mode these days? It could be the grey and chilly days we have to plow through, or the vague feeling that my body could use a little detoxifying after the holiday scrumpadillies, but all I can think about is soup soup soup. When the idea of lacing zucchini soup with tahini (the ses...

"Soupe de Courgette au Sésame" continues »

January 21, 2004

Petits Palmiers Chocorange

[Chocolate and Orange Palm Leaf Cookies] If you browse through the row of cookbooks lined up on top of our fridge, you might notice one, called "Moi, je cuisine solo ou duo" by Brigitte Namour. The title roughly means "I cook for one or two", and this book is filled to the brim with quick and ingenious recipes, scaled for a couple of servings. O...

"Petits Palmiers Chocorange" continues »

January 20, 2004

The Last Bite Axiom (and Corollaries)

As you well know, I give a fair amount of thought to food (understatement of the year). Lately, I've been thinking more and more about the special ways in which we eat our food. In paying attention to this, I have noticed the host of small unconscious ceremonials that I conduct while eating, and I wanted to share them with you. I hope you'll reco...

"The Last Bite Axiom (and Corollaries)" continues »

2004 Weblog Awards

I am thrilled and honored to announce that Chocolate & Zucchini has been nominated for the 2004 Weblog Awards - also known as "the Bloggies" - and is one of the five finalists in the Best European Weblog category. This is a public vote-for-your-favorite type of award, so if you enjoy this blog and would like to express your support, it would sure...

"2004 Weblog Awards" continues »

January 19, 2004

The Travelling Gourmande in London

And here we are, back from a fabulous week-end in London! Our friends Zoe and Richard (wonderful and kind and funny and smart) had invited us to stay at their house in Lightwater (lovely and bright and cosy and welcoming). We spent two fun-filled days together, walking and shopping, talking and joking, eating and drinking, and just generally havi...

"The Travelling Gourmande in London" continues »

January 16, 2004

Sablés au Citron à la Fleur de Sel

[Lemon and Fleur de Sel Butter Cookies] Jackie recently talked about Fleur de Sel on her great Daily Bread blog. As I was adding a comment about my favorite uses of the wonderful substance, I remembered these butter cookies. I was taken up on my offer to share the recipe, so here it is! This is a recipe I made a few months ago for a Sunday afte...

"Sablés au Citron à la Fleur de Sel" continues »

January 15, 2004

Aux Lyonnais

Last Friday, on the eve of my darling Maxence's 25th birthday, I took him out to dinner. Usually, I know exactly where I want to take him, and like to make the location a surprise. Last year was easy : I had heard great reviews about a restaurant called "Le Maxence", where the chef was the talented David Van Laer. It fit the bill perfectly and we...

"Aux Lyonnais" continues »

January 14, 2004

Velouté de Lentilles aux Marrons

[Velvety Lentil Chestnut Soup] I think I am getting the hang and love and joy of soup. I told you before the odd intimidation it provoked in me, but after preparing a few successful pots of simmering velvety goodness, I think I can declare myself officially and fully over it. The other day, browsing on Maki's excellent blog i was just really hu...

"Velouté de Lentilles aux Marrons" continues »

January 13, 2004

Oeuf Cocotte : Take 2

Admittedly, the picture looks like somebody's idea of a volcanic eruption, but this is really the Oeuf Cocotte I made myself the other night. This recipe, as described in an earlier post, is a dream of versatility. This time, I made it with strips of ham, a spoonful of sweet confiture d'oignon (onion jam) and a spoonful of crème fraîche, with s...

"Oeuf Cocotte : Take 2" continues »

January 12, 2004

Boudin Blanc Truffé aux Noisettes, Deux Purées de Pomme

[Truffle Hazelnut Boudin Blanc, Two Mashes] Boudin blanc is a soft sausage, made with white meat (usually chicken or veal) enriched with pork or veal fat, cream, eggs, flour and mie de pain (the inside of a bread loaf), finely mixed and well seasoned. It is traditionally a Christmas dish, but in Paris you can pretty much find it in charcuteries ...

"Boudin Blanc Truffé aux Noisettes, Deux Purées de Pomme" continues »

January 11, 2004

Gâteau Noix de Coco et Chocolat Blanc

[Coconut and White Chocolate Cake] As you know, yesterday was Maxence's birthday : I treated him to a nice dinner out on Friday (review on the way), and we celebrated again yesterday night with a group of friends, in a bar just a block from our apartment - which we more or less took over. This bar is a small place and we were on friendly terms w...

"Gâteau Noix de Coco et Chocolat Blanc" continues »

January 10, 2004

Picture Gallery

New feature on Chocolate & Zucchini! I have created a picture gallery to showcase the photos I take to illustrate the entries. It also serves as a visual archive index, as clicking on each picture will take you to the corresponding post. A link has been added in the "About" section on the left nav bar. The digital camera I use for my pics, as I ...

"Picture Gallery" continues »

January 9, 2004

How the Fuck Do I Prepare Eggplant? and Other Search Phrases

Thanks to Maxence's excellent home-hosting skills, Chocolate & Zucchini lives on a server in our apartment, cuddling up against muCommander. I like knowing it's safe and warm, purring when I walk by it in the corridor. The added bonus of home-hosting, beyond the thrill of DIY and autarky, is that we have full access to the logs, which makes for...

"How the Fuck Do I Prepare Eggplant? and Other Search Phrases" continues »

January 8, 2004

The Cookbooks To End All Cookbooks

Introducing the most beautiful cookbooks of all times : Le Grand Livre de Cuisine d'Alain Ducasse and his little brother Le Grand Livre de Cuisine d'Alain Ducasse - Desserts et Pâtisseries, both generous Christmas gifts from my parents. Alain Ducasse, for those of you who may not be familiar with the character, is one of the greatest (and probab...

"The Cookbooks To End All Cookbooks" continues »

January 7, 2004

Confiture de l'An Neuf

[New Year Jam] Just a couple of days ago, I happened to be around La Grande Epicerie de Paris, the quite huge gourmet food store attendant to the store Le Bon Marché. This kind of place works like a magnet on me, and although I was laden with different heavy items to carry, I still went in to browse around. This is really heaven for food lovers,...

"Confiture de l'An Neuf" continues »

January 6, 2004

Chez Catherine

A couple of weeks ago, Maxence and I celebrated our seventh dating anniversary. To mark the occasion, we had decided to treat each other to dinner at a gastronomic restaurant. Our friend Baptiste happens to be a very good source for top-notch dining recommendations, a trait he gets from his father : let it be remembered that he's the one who intr...

"Chez Catherine" continues »

January 5, 2004

Coffee Cake Chocolat Marron Glacé

[Chocolate and Candied Chestnuts Coffee Cake] I wanted to bake a cake for our new year's eve party - what's a party without a cake? -- and this is what I made. The recipe for this cake is originally a Sour Cream Coffee Cake from Bon Appétit (circa 1993), which my mother and I tinkered with a little while ago, lowering the sugar content, subbing ...

"Coffee Cake Chocolat Marron Glacé" continues »

January 4, 2004

Salade de Pois Gourmands aux Lardons et aux Noix

Veggie lover that I am, our new year's eve party buffet had to include something green. Maxence and I love snow peas, because of the taste and the crunch and the look, but they're seldom served in France, so I'm always happy to give them the space in the sun that they rightfully deserve. I think they're perfect in salads, and this is what struck ...

"Salade de Pois Gourmands aux Lardons et aux Noix" continues »

January 3, 2004

Terrine de Rougets

[Goatfish Terrine] Every once in a while I get cooking cravings - the sudden desire to tackle a new sort of dish or technique. About six months ago, I decided I really needed to try and make terrines. I promptly bought myself a little recipe book, simply called "Terrines", by Catherine Quévremont. It contains thirty easy and tempting recipes of ...

"Terrine de Rougets" continues »

January 2, 2004

Coquillages Farcis Ricotta et Tapenade

[Pasta Shells Stuffed with Ricotta and Tapenade] Last Tuesday, my sister Céline and I met for lunch. The plan was to eat at Rose Bakery, but it was closed for the holidays, so we went down the rue des Martyrs to Fuxia instead, a really nice Italian restaurant, hip yet friendly, where we had truly excellent salads. After that, we spent the aftern...

"Coquillages Farcis Ricotta et Tapenade" continues »

January 1, 2004

...et Bonne Année!

I wish you all the very best for 2004 : health, happiness, love, friendship, prosperity and above all, excellent chocolate. We hosted a little "réveillon" party yesterday night, for which Stéphane and I cooked up a pocket-sized storm. Recipes and stories are on the way! And to mark the new year, I have had my hair cut with a fringe! It wasn't p...

"...et Bonne Année!" continues »