August 2006 Archive
Barcelona FavoritesBook Update, Part VI: What Happens Next?
Chicken Family Green Beans
Courgette Bicolore de Rocher
Dinner at El Bulli
Fiadone
Osso Buco
August 29, 2006
Osso Buco
Complaining about the weather is a national sport in France, but as is true of most sports -- except perhaps for swimming -- I am not very good at it. I have generally adopted the maxim, "Don't worry about the things you can't control," and while I will do the chit-chat thing with taxi drivers and random people seeking shelter under the same awni...
August 25, 2006
Courgette Bicolore de Rocher
[Bi-Coloured-Python-Rock-Zucchini] It's probably safe to assume that I pay more attention to zucchini than the average joe, but if you had been walking by Joël Thiébault's market stall* with me that day, you wouldn't have missed these either: there, between the hostess-gift-worthy bouquets of fresh herbs and the off-white bulbs of hélianthi (a c...
"Courgette Bicolore de Rocher" continues »
August 22, 2006
Barcelona Favorites
Our dinner at El Bulli last week was bookended by a few days in Barcelona. This was our first time in the city, and we had a splendid time strolling around, admiring the architecture, dodging pickpockets, and wondering where to eat next. Our diet over those few days was mostly composed of tapas and pintxos, eaten at casual restaurants. If you a...
"Barcelona Favorites" continues »
August 18, 2006
Dinner at El Bulli
I remember reading about El Bulli four or five years ago in the French newspaper Le Monde. I remember the yearning, and I remember the pang that followed closely: considering the small number of guests that the restaurant could accommodate each season, the dream seemed out of reach. But a few years later, I learned from a well-informed friend tha...
"Dinner at El Bulli" continues »
August 10, 2006
Fiadone
Fiadone can be described as the Corsican cheesecake. Crustless and no more than an inch in thickness, it is prepared with one of the most famous specialties from l'Ile de Beauté, a fresh cheese called brocciu (I am told that this is pronounced "brooch", not "bro-choo"), made with sheep's milk and/or goat's milk. Like all fresh cheeses, good artis...
August 7, 2006
Book Update, Part VI: What Happens Next?
Last time I mentioned my book was two months ago, when I wrote to say I had completed and delivered the manuscript. But what happens once the bird leaves the nest? The process is no doubt different from one publisher to the next and from one book to the next, but what I can offer is a glimpse into what the past few weeks have held for me. First ...
"Book Update, Part VI: What Happens Next?" continues »
August 2, 2006
Chicken Family Green Beans
As much as one likes to cook, one has to admit that on some nights, a bit of convenience and instant gratification doesn't hurt. And when our mood clamors for an effortless yet satisfying dinner at home, it is a true comfort to know that we can turn to the Chicken Family, and that the Chicken Family will be there for us. Chicken Family is the na...
"Chicken Family Green Beans" continues »