November 1, 2010
November 2010 Desktop Calendar
At the beginning of every month, I am offering C&Z readers a new wallpaper to apply on the desktop of your computer, with a food-related picture and a calendar of the current month.
Our calendar for November is a picture of a kouign amann, the butter-rich, flaky, irresistibly caramelized confection from Brittany, and this particular one comes from Véronique Mauclerc's excellent bakery near the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont (83 rue de Crimée in the 19th).
Kouign amann (the name simply means "butter cake" in Breton, and is pronounced more or less "kwin-ya-man") is made a bit like puff pastry, by creating laminated layers of sweet dough and butter. I've never tried making it myself, but if I ever do, I will most likely follow the detailed recipe my friend David Lebovitz shared.
Instructions to get your calendar are below!
Here's how it works:
1- This link will open a new window (or tab) displaying the right wallpaper image for your screen.
2- Right-click (or ctrl-click for some Mac users) on the image, and chose the option that says, "Set as Desktop Background", "Use as Desktop Picture," or something to that effect -- the exact wording will depend on the browser you use.
3- If the image does not fit your desktop background neatly, you may have to go to your preference screen (on a Mac: System Preferences > Desktop & Screen Saver > Desktop; on Windows: Control Panel > Display > Desktop) and choose "Fit to screen" as the display mode of your background image.
4- Enjoy!
[Note: Readers of this blog live all around the globe, and I am unable to provide localized versions of the desktop calendar at this point. This is why I've opted for the international standard, by which a large majority of countries abide, and which states that Monday is the first day of the week.]
 December 2011 Desktop Calendar |
 November 2011 Desktop Calendar |
 October 2011 Desktop Calendar |
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I LOVE the picture here. It reminds me of a time when I could eat these pastries. Even though I am diabetic, I might even see myself sneaking one of them anyway!
I just wanted to say I love your monthly calendar, and I use it for my desktop at work to inspire me! Thank you!
Good thing I'm not on a diet, because I'm going to get hungry every time I sit down in front of my computer.
awesome - can't believe it's November already!
This is a lovely photo! Flaky and buttery... what could be better?
Thank you for the monthly calendars. When I look at my computer I think of you and your fine recipes.
I'll bet a printed version of a C&Z calendar would sell like hotcakes... or kouign amanns!
What an awesome wallpaper, thanks so much, love it.
I fell deeply in love with kouign amann when living in Montreal, and this month is going to be torturous to look at this every day. Good reason to make me productive at work and fill my monitors up with windows!
every time i look at my laptop with your monthly desktop calendar, makes me check your site for newest recipe to try. mouthwatering background for the month of november.
Every year I go to the thalassotherapy spas in Bretagne to lose weight. And every year it is so difficult to walk past the bakeries that have these lovely pastries in the window!
hi clothilde,
thank you for another gorgeous photo and exciting recipe. i am definitely up for the challenge of this one! i do have one question though: the kouign amann in your picture is so much more beautiful and elegant looking than that lumpy-bumpy mess in the linked recipe. do you think the final dough was rolled up on itself and then sliced into discs before baking?
thanks again so very much,
amy
It does look like it, yes! I actually find the less perfect ones very appetizing too, but if I were to try and replicate this one, that's how I would go about it.
hi clothilde,
thanks so much for answering so quickly!
i normally dont mind lumpy-bumpy, particularly if it's delicious, but i fear my family would take on look and think something had gone horribly wrong LOL
im glad to have confirmation that im on the right track.
thanks again and all best to you and your wonderful blog,
amy
Salut Clotilde!
J'ai trouvé ta site en été et elle me plaît beaucoup. La chose que me plaît le plus est le calendrier que tu prépares chaque mois. Je n'ai jamais recu tant de compliments et mmhhs pour un image de fond que celui ci. Même mes professeur à l'université disent que le kouign amann a un look très delicieux.(Excuse mon Francais, s'il te plaît. Car je suis Allemande et je ne practiquer pas depuis longtemps, j'ai sûrement commis plusieurs erreurs)
Grosses bises!
Franziska
Merci Franziska, j'en suis ravie ! Et bravo pour ton français, tu te débrouilles vraiment très très bien.
I never use these although I love the pictures. Can you make an American version that actually starts on the first day of the week (Sunday?). Perhaps you can do 2 versions. Starting the week on Monday is confusing as I always seem to look at the wrong day.
Thank you for your feedback. I am unable to provide localized variations at this
point. This is why I opted for the rel="nofollow">international standard, which states that Monday is the
first day of the week, and suits a large majority of countries.