January 30, 2009
[Edible Idiom] Mi-figue mi-raisin
This is part of a series on French idiomatic expressions that relate to food. Read the introductory Edible Idiom post, and browse the list of French idioms featured so far.
This week's expression is "Mi-figue mi-raisin."
Literally translated as "half fig half grape," it is used as an adjective to mean that a thing, a statement, or a person is ambiguous, or mixed: half good and half bad, half pleasant and half unpleasant, half happy and half s...
"[Edible Idiom] Mi-figue mi-raisin" continues »
January 27, 2009
Japanese-Inspired Quinoa
As I mentioned in the January newsletter and on this forum thread, one of my current aspirations is to learn more about Japanese cooking.
I have worked on assembling a good pantry of essentials -- always the most daunting step when one tackles a new style of cuisine, I think -- and now the real fun has begun, as I teach myself the basics by following trusted recipes.
Maki, whose blog Just Hungry has been around for about as long as mine, has ...
"Japanese-Inspired Quinoa" continues »
January 23, 2009
[Edible Idiom] Mettre de l'eau dans son vin
This is part of a series on French idiomatic expressions that relate to food and drink. Read the introductory Edible Idiom post, and browse the list of French idioms featured so far.
This week's idiom is, "Mettre de l'eau dans son vin."
Literally translated as, "putting water in one's wine," it means lessening one's demands or ambitions, mellowing, deciding to adopt a more moderate stand on an issue or in an argument.
It can be used in a pos...
"[Edible Idiom] Mettre de l'eau dans son vin" continues »
January 20, 2009
Luxury Brownies
Among the many blogs I read enthusiastically is one called Coco&Me: its author, Tamami, sells homemade cakes and chocolates at Broadway Market in East London on Saturdays, and she describes her blog as "the diary of a market stall holder."
Beautifully illustrated with photos of her displays and confections, it is full of the sort of details I crave when I read about someone's life and craft: the number of truffles she rolled for the last mark...
January 16, 2009
[Edible Idiom] S'occuper de ses oignons
This is part of a series on French idiomatic expressions that relate to food. Read the introductory Edible Idiom post, and browse the list of French idioms featured so far.
This week's idiom is, "S'occuper de ses oignons."
Literally translated as "taking care of one's onions," it means minding one's own business, and it is used in situations when someone is meddling in someone else's affairs*.
Example 1: "Je n'ai pas besoin de tes conseils, ...
"[Edible Idiom] S'occuper de ses oignons" continues »
January 15, 2009
Menu for Hope V: Raffle Results
The 5th Annual Menu for Hope campaign has raised over $62,000 in support of the UN's World Food Program in Lesotho.
Thank you for your support and generosity, and head over to Pim's to check the raffle results and see if you've won.
And if you're the winner of one of my three prizes (EU09, EU10, or EU11), please get in touch to collect it!...
"Menu for Hope V: Raffle Results" continues »
January 13, 2009
Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs
This is a recipe I got from David Tanis' A Platter of Figs and Other Recipes.
I realize that naming this cookbook my favorite for 2008 and then showcasing its recipe for hard-boiled eggs sends a curious message, yet it illustrates exactly what I look for in a book: not just engaging stories, understated pictures, and seasonally sound menus -- all features that Tanis' book can brag about -- but also things to learn, understand, and remember lo...
"Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs" continues »
January 9, 2009
[Edible Idiom] Mettre la main à la pâte
This is part of a series on French idiomatic expressions that relate to food. Read the introductory Edible Idiom post, and browse the list of French idioms featured so far.
This week's idiom is, "Mettre la main à la pâte."
Literally translated as, "putting one's hand to the dough," it means being willing to participate in an activity that will require some effort. The activity in question is often manual work that is best done by a team, and ...
"[Edible Idiom] Mettre la main à la pâte" continues »
January 6, 2009
Raspberry Dacquoise
It all started with a store-bought dessert that we tasted at a friend's house late last summer, which consisted in a light vanilla mousse garnished with raspberries and sandwiched between two layers of a thin, crisp, and lightly chewy almond cake. Everybody loved it, and I thought, hey, I think I could make something like that, too.
You see, years and years ago, at a Demarle homesale hosted by my friend Pascale, I acquired a silicon sheet pan ...
"Raspberry Dacquoise" continues »
January 1, 2009
January 2009 Desktop Calendar
First of all, let me offer you my most sincere wishes for a Delicious New Year: may you and yours be healthy, safe, happy, and well fed throughout 2009.
And to ring in the new year, I have a little gift for you: at the beginning of every month, I will be sharing a new C&Z desktop calendar, i.e. a wallpaper to apply on the desktop of your computer, so you can enjoy a seasonal food picture and a handy calendar of the current month.
We begin wit...
"January 2009 Desktop Calendar" continues »