January 1, 2013
Best of 2012
Happy New Year! Here's to 2013 and the glorious meals, peals of laughter, new friends, and unforgettable adventures I hope it has in store for you.
Before we remove the protective film from this brand new year, I'd like to take a moment to look back on some of the best things 2012 brought. The two biggest, happiest events for me have been (1) the birth of my baby boy in the spring -- Milan is now seven and a half months and he's a ray of sunshin...
March 6, 2012
Shooting photos for my new book
We have just wrapped up the final photo shoot for my new book about vegetables and French cuisine, and as someone who loves to know how things work behind the scenes, I thought I would tell you a bit about what the process has been like.
For my first two books, I shot all the pictures myself, but I felt that being a one-woman-band was not the most relaxed experience of all, so for this new project I wanted to work with a team of pros to produce ...
"Shooting photos for my new book" continues »
February 8, 2012
Three Very Good Things: Squash and Coffee Soup, Lo Bak Go, and Honey Lemon Tea
{This is part of a series in which I share three delicious things recently tasted and enjoyed. Please feel free to share your 3VGT list in the comments below, or on your own blog!}
My latest "three very good things" are as follows:
~ Red Kuri Squash Soup with Arabica Whipped Cream
I was just in Valence for a work project, and had the opportunity to dine at one of Anne-Sophie Pic's establishments: not the three-star gastronomic restaurant, but ...
"Three Very Good Things: Squash and Coffee Soup, Lo Bak Go, and Honey Lemon Tea" continues »
January 2, 2012
Best of 2011
Happy New Year! May your 2012 be a year of glowing health, simple pleasures, serene prospects, and dreams fulfilled.
2011 has been an eventful and wonderful year for me, full of exciting and gratifying projects in both my personal and professional lives. I got to travel around France (Deauville, Aix-en-Provence, the Basque country, Corsica) and beyond (Marrakech and Toronto), I was invited to be the host of an international food festival and the...
November 12, 2011
Three Very Good Things: Bumble Bee Dumplings, Excellent Vegan Food, and Old-School Chocolate
I want to express my sincere thanks to all of you who took the time to share recommendations for my stay in Stratford and Toronto. I spent most of my time in Stratford and very little in Toronto, so I feel another trip is in order to explore the city and try many more of the tempting places you wrote about. But I did make it to Chinatown, to the Kensington and St-Lawrence markets, and to the Distillery District (all in one walk-intensive afternoo...
November 5, 2011
Three Very Good Things: A Fennel Salad, Not Enough Kale, and Pedal-Powered Chocolate
I am writing this installment of the Three Very Good Things series from Canada, where I've been for a week now, as the Gastronomic Writer in Residence for the Stratford Chefs School. I'm having a wonderful time, the weather is unseasonably balmy, squirrels are running around everywhere, and I am eating very well. Here are a few highlights from this past week:
~ A salad of shaved fennel, frisée, and slim artichoke wedges, topped with fresh herbs ...
"Three Very Good Things: A Fennel Salad, Not Enough Kale, and Pedal-Powered Chocolate" continues »
October 28, 2011
Three Very Good Things: Color-Coded Sandwiches, Persimmons, and Gianduja Sablés
{This is part of a new series in which I share three delicious things from the past week. Please feel free to tell me about your own 3VGT in the comments below, or to post them on your blog.}
My three very good things for the week are as follows:
~ Color-coded sandwiches from Gontran Cherrier's bakery. I've already told you about Gontran, who's both a talented baker and a friend of ours, and who runs a wonderful bakery in my neighborhood.
Ever...
"Three Very Good Things: Color-Coded Sandwiches, Persimmons, and Gianduja Sablés" continues »
October 21, 2011
Three Very Good Things: Buckwheat Praliné, Pasta with Hokkaido Squash, and a Red Collapsible Lunch Box
I recently had the opportunity to meet the lovely Stephanie -- the no less lovely Aran introduced us -- and I am therefore a new reader of her blog, "where practical meets pretty." She wrote about gratitude lists in a recent post, and the first comment underneath that post was by Mary, who talked about her weekly round-up of Three Beautiful Things.
I loved the idea, as I am definitely one to find gratitude and joy in small things. In a flash I d...
October 6, 2011
C&Z Anniversary Get-Together: Important Update, Now Oct 21!
Due to an unforeseen administrative snag, the C&Z Anniversary Get-Together has been rescheduled to Friday, October 21. The venue has not changed: it will be held at Verjus, the wine bar that my friends Braden and Laura (of Hidden Kitchen fame) are just about to open. We'll be there from 8pm, but feel free to drop by whenever you like. I apologize for this change of date, and hope to meet you there!
Verjus, 47 rue Montpensier, Paris 1er, +33 (0...
"C&Z Anniversary Get-Together: Important Update, Now Oct 21!" continues »
January 4, 2011
Best of 2010
I hope you've enjoyed a warm and cheerful holiday season, that you've shared laughter and good meals with the people you care about, and that you're feeling full of energy and dreams for 2011.
May this fresh new year bring you joy, serenity, fulfillment, and really good skin. I look forward to another year of meeting you here on Chocolate & Zucchini.
Before we kiss 2010 goodbye altogether, I don't want to miss my chance to reminisce on what it ...
October 15, 2010
Paris Event Reminder
Are you in Paris this weekend? Would you like to meet? Good news, we have two opportunities to do so!
On Saturday, October 16, join me at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France from 11am till noon, for a discussion on food blogs (in French) as part of a series of talks called Les Samedis du Savoir. (The event is free and open to the public.)
And on Sunday, October 17, please come and have a drink with us as we celebrate the 7th anniversary of Cho...
"Paris Event Reminder" continues »
July 23, 2010
Six Podcasts For Food Lovers
Whenever I walk, bike or metro my way somewhere, whenever I go for a run or sit down for a lengthy fava bean peeling session, I rely on podcasts to keep me entertained.
Although there are a few I listen to that are not food-oriented -- This American Life being my unrivaled favorite -- you won't be surprised to hear I lean toward those that discuss cooking, eating, and the cultural or political ramifications of both activities.
I can't be alone ...
"Six Podcasts For Food Lovers" continues »
June 25, 2010
How To Tell When Meat Is Done
A few weeks ago, I read Tara Austen Weaver's book The Butcher and the Vegetarian, a memoir in which she writes about being brought up as a vegetarian and the challenges she faced as an adult, when she had to start cooking meat for herself to try to recover from a serious health issue.
It's a very good read, witty and honest, and even for readers like me, who don't share her dietary background or meat-handling angst, there are a lot of elements ...
"How To Tell When Meat Is Done" continues »
January 5, 2010
Best of 2009
In the wee hours of a fresh new year, it is a lovely feeling to sit down and reminisce about the one that just ended, trying to squeeze out its essence and single out a few of its most memorable moments.
Among them, and in no particular order, I would list the release of a French classic I helped edit, a Best Culinary Travel Guide award for my Paris book, a trip to San Francisco and our first-ever apartment swap, my thirtieth birthday, and a few...
April 29, 2009
Tips for a Green Kitchen, Part II
As promised yesterday, when I announced the winners of the green kitchen tip contest, I have compiled a digest of the other submissions.
I want to thank you all for taking the time to share your tips. It was an exciting feeling to have all 288 of them pour into my inbox throughout the day, proving yet again how much you care about these issues, and how hard you try to minimize your impact on the environment.
I learned a lot, too, and I will wor...
"Tips for a Green Kitchen, Part II" continues »
April 28, 2009
Tips for a Green Kitchen, Part I
For my Earth Day post last week, I partnered with Eva from flip & tumble and asked you to help plant trees in Malawi, and to submit your best green tips for a chance to win a reusable shopping bag.
Some 500 tree-planting comments were submitted. Eva and I had planned to have two trees planted per comment, but then we got excited and decided to double the stakes, and in the end each of us funded the planting of two trees per comment. Congratulati...
"Tips for a Green Kitchen, Part I" continues »
April 22, 2009
Help Plant Trees + Enter to Win A Reusable Shopping Bag
Today is the 39th edition of Earth Day, an international event created to celebrate that blue planet of ours, and raise awareness about environmental issues.
As I explained in this recent Q&A, I have grown more and more environmentally conscious over the past few years: without being completely obsessed with the topic, I do my best to educate myself, make informed choices, and limit the impact of my actions on the environment. I hope this reduce...
"Help Plant Trees + Enter to Win A Reusable Shopping Bag" continues »
December 31, 2008
Best of 2008
As I get things ready for the New Year's Eve party we're throwing tonight -- a very casual affair, mind you, it's the only kind we like (or know how) to host -- I'd like to take a moment to say goodbye to 2008, and remember the good things it has brought.
Besides the release of the French version of my cookbook and the US publication of my new Paris book, Clotilde's Edible Adventures in Paris; besides a memorable trip to Western Australia and an...
November 7, 2008
[Edible Idiom] Rouler quelqu'un dans la farine
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, "Rouler quelqu'un dans la farine."
Literally translated as, "rolling someone in flour," it means duping someone, playing a trick on him, or using one's wits and lies to take advantage of someone who's a little naive, or not quite as smart as one is...
"[Edible Idiom] Rouler quelqu'un dans la farine" continues »
October 31, 2008
[Edible Idiom] Pédaler dans la semoule
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 the French idioms featured so far.
This week's expression is, "Pédaler dans la semoule."
The literal translation is "pedaling in semolina," and it means being entangled in a thorny situation, with the added notion that every effort made to get out of it is fruitless, or makes things worse. In short, being...
"[Edible Idiom] Pédaler dans la semoule" continues »
October 24, 2008
[Edible Idiom] Boire du petit-lait
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, "Boire du petit-lait" (sometimes appearing as "Boire son petit-lait").
The literal translation is, "drinking whey" (sometimes appearing as "drinking one's whey") and it means basking in praise or flattery, or taking obvious pleasure in a situation ...
"[Edible Idiom] Boire du petit-lait" continues »
October 14, 2008
The Blind Cook: a Q&A
A few months ago, I received an unusual email from an American reader of Chocolate & Zucchini, David E. Price, a former geologist and now computer programmer who goes to graduate school in Salt Lake City, and is an enthusiastic cook.
David explained that he had purchased copies of my books but that -- and here comes the unusual part -- because he was blind, he was wondering if there was a computer-readable version he could have access to: he was...
"The Blind Cook: a Q&A" continues »
September 30, 2008
C&Z's 5th Anniversary Party!
Chocolate & Zucchini turned five yesterday, and because every five-year-old in the world deserves a birthday party, I would like to invite you to a celebratory get-together in Paris.
It will be held on Wednesday, October 8th, from 7pm till 9pm, at Bocata, a cosy tapas bar in my neighborhood, located at 31 rue Milton, Paris 9ème.
Drinks and homemade nibbles will be served, and the cost will be 21€ per person*.
Space is limited, so it will ...
"C&Z's 5th Anniversary Party!" continues »
August 17, 2008
The Omnivore's Hundred
The Omnivore's Hundred is an eclectic and entirely subjective list of 100 items that Andrew Wheeler, co-author of the British food blog Very Good Taste, thinks every omnivore should try at least once in his life.
He offered this list as the starting point for a game, along the following rules:
1. Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2. Bold all the items you've eaten (I've used icons instead, and added an aster...
"The Omnivore's Hundred" continues »
April 30, 2008
Today Show Appearance
I was a guest on the Today Show* yesterday morning, and my segment is now available online, if you'd like to see me demo my Pear and Chocolate Cake-Tart, a recipe taken from Clotilde's Edible Adventures in Paris.
(This was my second time on the show; read about last year's segment here.)
* The Today Show is a national television show that's broadcast live every morning in the US....
"Today Show Appearance" continues »
February 17, 2008
What should I bring back from Oz?
As those of you who subscribe to the C&Z newsletter already know, I am just about to fly off to Australia for the Perth Writers' Festival. I will be spending time in Perth and Albany -- that's it for this trip, but I'll be back! -- and participating in four fun events (detailed list here) with fellow writers.
I hope to have a little time to explore both cities and I am wondering, excitedly: besides Vegemite, what edibles should I be sure to tast...
"What should I bring back from Oz?" continues »
February 8, 2008
From Montmartre to Montreal
If you live in a place where you get the television channel Télé Québec, I'd like to draw your attention to tonight's edition of À la di Stasio, a cooking show hosted (in French) by the delightful Josée di Stasio: she came to Paris last fall, and we shot a segment together in my neighborhood.
">The show will air tonight (i.e. Friday) at 9pm, and will
">rerun once a day until Tuesday. (It should air in France eventually, when Cuisine TV ...
"From Montmartre to Montreal" continues »
January 11, 2008
If There Could Only Be Five
If you keep an eye on my book list, you may have noticed I am currently reading Michael Ruhlman's recently published, orange book*. In The Elements of Cooking, he proposes to break down and discuss the building blocks of the cooking craft, like William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White did for writers in their classic little volume The Elements of Style, to which the title and format are a homage.
It is an engaging and educational read that retains a s...
"If There Could Only Be Five" continues »
January 2, 2007
Best of 2006
Happy New Year! As we slowly ease into 2007, recover from the holiday season and draw up virtuous resolutions we'll promptly forget so we can unearth them in December and have a good laugh, let us take a moment to bid a fond farewell to 2006 (where do years go when they're over?) and reflect upon the good things it has brought. Here's my Best of list:
Most Inspiring Cookbook: Rose Bakery's Breakfast, Lunch, Tea. Contenders: Mes Recettes pour vot...
August 31, 2005
Blog Day 2005: New Blogs to Discover!
Today is Blog Day 2005, an event that was created to help broaden our blog horizons. So many blogs get created every day that it's impossible to keep up with all, and most of us find ourselves visiting the same favorite blogs, the ones where we feel at home and comfortable, where we know who's writing and what it's about, the ones that have been around for long enough that we feel safe they're not just going to die on us once we're hooked -- isn'...
"Blog Day 2005: New Blogs to Discover!" 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 recognize yourself in this and I won't feel so neurotic.
The Last Bite Axiom says : "the last bite has ...
"The Last Bite Axiom (and Corollaries)" continues »
November 28, 2003
Soupe de Courge Musquée aux Epices
[Spiced Pumpkin Soup]
I am ordinarily not a huge winter squash fan. I used to dislike sweet and savory together when I was little, and that seems to vaguely remain when it comes to pumpkin and its brothers and sisters. But I do love the look of them and how they come in all shapes, sizes and colors and look like a little munchkin tribe. And the other day at the grocery store, I could not resist buying a big plump slice of bright orange courge mu...
"Soupe de Courge Musquée aux Epices" continues »
November 8, 2003
Le Troyon
Update, spring 2004 : Le Troyon is now closed, but the same team now runs Caïus at 6 rue d'Armaillé in the 17th (01 42 27 19 20).
[Very surprisingly, Le Troyon does not give out little address cards like most restaurants do, so I don't have a picture for this entry!]
Last Monday, my parents invited Maxence and I to dinner at Le Troyon, Maxence's favorite restaurant in Paris. This was our fourth time eating there, we had raved about it to my par...
October 28, 2003
Bloxicon
I have worked on creating a handy little lexicon of the French words and expressions I use in this blog. It can be found here, and will be added to, as new posts introduce new words! You can all thank me when you're fluent in French...
Note that a link has also been added on the left navigation bar, in the "Features" section....
October 11, 2003
Sardine Harissa Polar Bread Sandwich
Or : The Return of the Polar Bread Sandwich
I made myself another yummy sandwich on polar bread for lunch today. This time, the filling was this : a can of quality sardines packed in olive oil (drained and patted with paper towels), a shallot - chopped with my friend the chef knife, a handful of flat parsley - chopped with my other friend the mezza-luna, 100 g of cottage cheese, a small spoonful of harissa (this is a red chili garlic paste from...
"Sardine Harissa Polar Bread Sandwich" continues »
October 3, 2003
Choc & Zucc Dinner
Tonight, two of my best friends are coming for a "girls only" dinner, as Maxence is on vacation in Tunisia (he leads quite the tough life, doesn't he). Marie-Laure Laurence and I go way back, we have in fact recently celebrated our ten-year friendship anniversary (yup, that's the kind of things we do!). We met in the first few days of junior high school, and have been very close friends ever since. It's a precious thing.
I had today off from w...
"Choc & Zucc Dinner" continues »