Years ago, I saw a similar dessert on a menu at a restaurant. Sadly, my inhibition of slaughtering the classy pronunciation trumped my desire for this tiny jar of goodness. Lesson learned. So say it with me now: po – de – krem. Not: pots – day – cream.
While most women get hot and heavy over French designer labels such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton or Christian Lacroix, my heart skips a beat for a different kind of haute couture. Frankly, I’m quite appalled that it wasn’t seen on the designer runways last month.
It’s quite the winter wonderland outside our tiny kitchen in the Big Apple with snow still heavily drifting from the sky as I write this entry. It’s another perfect day to cozy up with a bowl of steaming goodness and perhaps reminisce about the warmer days of yore.
I’ve already told you about our quack addiction. We managed to ease off a bit since the habit becomes a little costly and quite frankly, an overdose of quack isn’t the best for your health. But did I ever confess our addiction to ’shrooms?
Warning: The recipe you are about to view has been proven to cause minor bodily injury. It should only be performed by a trained professional or under strict supervision by an adult. Kids, do not try this at home.
*This is what I wished it said at the top of the recipe.*
I said to him the other day, “I don’t think I have a culinary musing to go along with the rice pudding.” To which he matter-of-factly replied, “But you’re Asian, baby.”
Eggplant is to berries as Superman is to Clark Kent. Catch my drift?
Valentine’s schmalentine’s. Personally, I don’t buy it. But for all you Lovey McLoversons out there, here is a decadent dessert that’s about as melty as your heart each time you gaze into the eyes of your true love. ***Swoon***
Our trip to Costa Rica is T-minus 32 days. We have to conquer 2 volcanoes, climb a mountain at 3800m (12,467 ft. for my fellow Americans), survive in the rainforest and dive 20m down into the ocean. So yeah, we’re remotely trying to eat healthy and shape up.
I am all too familiar with the words, “Vegas baby! Woo Hoo!” which, after a two-day alcohol bingefest, usually precedes the phrase, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”. This time, it’s different. An elite group of culinary students would want nothing more than their skills to leave Vegas and move on to the final [...]
The second day of February is a religious holiday the French call la Chandeleur – a feast to commemorate the purification of the Virgin Mary. There are several traditions surrounding this holiday so sit back, eat a crêpe and soak in a little more culture.
Better late than never. This past Friday was in fact, National Blueberry Pancake Day according to Bon Appétit magazine. Apparently my biological foodie clock is almost in sync because I already had plans to make this for our Sunday brunch.
Oooops! I did it again. It’s like an abusive relationship that you can’t leave because it’s THAT good. You know what I’m talking about. Oh sweet Chinatown.
I was a young foodie padawan when I started my first job in the restaurant industry. California Pizza Kitchen was my Yoda. For three years, I waited on tables, silently learning and developing my palate. This was my favorite dish, and it was my destiny to conquer it.
My best friend has once again teased me about my multi-syllabic meals but this is coming from a guy who has no problems eating tuna straight out of the can. So I dedicate this recipe to my BFF of 18 years.
Tomatoes. To-MAH-toes. As long as it comes with a bit of vodka and plenty of kick.
This is a tale of my love/hate relationship with Chinatown.
Filled with tears, blood shed and triumph, this entry has all the makings of a blockbuster thriller. I bet you didn’t realize french onion soup could be so exciting.
You know how grown-ups always told you never to eat yellow snow? Well, this time it’s okay. Go ahead. Eat yellow snow.
Alas, a real deal manly meal! No truffle oil, no hollandaise, no puff pastry. It doesn’t have any fancy French words thrown in like mousse, roulade or frisée. Just a good ol’ hearty meal after a long day in the fields, harvesting wheat in your tractor (is that what you even use a tractor for???).
I was a late bloomer. The California roll was my idea of sushi. Meanwhile, all my trendy friends ordered sashimi. I was determined not to let some squishy, raw fish bring me down. I wanted to be cool and look at me now!
When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore…
Talk about culture shock. It was only his second week away from his motherland, a place that boasts over 3,000 varieties of cheese. At the high-pitched sound of a beeeeeeeeeeep, a tiny bowl of gooey flourescent orange food emerged from the microwave. Welcome to AM-ER-ICAAAA!
Bonne année et bonne santé! It’s been a hectic month with all the baking, gift-wrapping, train rides and weekends away from home. Our apartment is in dire need of a disaster relief task force to finally get things back in tip top shape. But first, I need to divulge our recent addiction to quack.
What better way to jump back from my holiday hiatus than a post-Christmas dessert. Perfect on a winter day and light enough to revive me from food coma…
This post is dedicated to the two furry, four-legged loves of my life. Meanwhile, the two-legged love of my life is probably snooping around the kitchen trying to sneak a bite of these pupcakes. All three of them have a lot in common. They eat everything.
The inspiration to many of our culinary musings, his mother has given us countless recipes from her own archives. En français, of course. I hope one day I won’t mistakenly put ground beef in a mousse au chocolat recipe… “Oh! It said œuf (egg)? Not bœuf (beef)?!”
If peppermints were animals, they would probably go into extinction due to all the peppermint consumption around the holidays. So it’s a good thing they’re not because I’ve been using an awful lot of them in my recipes lately.
Godiva white chocolate liqueur with swirls of peppermint schnapps – for those who prefer to drink their dessert.
As they say in France, “jamais deux sans trois” – never two without three. So I present to you the third of my recent crumble obsession. I wanted one last chance to jump on the pumpkin bandwagon before the holidays were over. And this is such an easy recipe. Trust me.
As I bit into my dessert, memories of this past summer came flooding back. A refreshing jaunt along the Basque coastline with his father and sister. Up and down the cliffside with views of San Sebastien in the near distance. And a rewarding lunch of tagine followed by his mom’s delicious berry crumble.
I woke up Saturday morning with a sudden epiphany. I still had a package of leftover dried cranberries that was the forgotten love child from my curry chicken salad recipe. It was time to put an end to its misery from the back corner of our pantry.
Eat. Drink. Be merry! The ultimate recipe for a joyful holiday season. You didn’t think we could get through this season without any alcohol, did you?
An entire meal that was invented for people who like to sleep in on a weekend. A meal that says “Sure! Go ahead and have a few cocktails with your eggs and bacon!”. The one meal where you won’t be considered an alcoholic for boozing it up before noon. So what’s not to love about [...]
Sounds fancy. Looks fancy. Hence, it’s probably too complicated to make it yourself. I always assumed I’d be better off ordering it from a restaurant than causing a tornado of cocoa powder, mascarpone cheese and lady fingers in our kitchen as I sit defeated in a puddle of espresso.
Risotto is to osso bucco as Robin is to Batman. The ultimate sidekick. This traditional Italian grain with its creamy texture, is such a delicious accompaniment to the meatiness of the braised veal shanks.
I’m a spicy food fanatic + I love soup. Plus, I love Thai food. Equals= I love the tom yum soup. It’s a simple equation, really. So it was only a matter of time when I would finally make this at home.
Yes, I had to add the cheesy joke. But it’s true. Osso bucco is awesome. Slowly braised until the meat is falling off the bone, it is one of my most favorite Italian dishes. Literally meaning “hole bone”, osso bucco’s prize is the tiny crevice of marrow in the middle. I know. I cringed too [...]
I love dessert for breakfast! Exactly a year ago during our brunch at Craftbar in Manhattan, we encountered the epitome of perfection that will benchmark all the future french toasts to come. Determined to recreate this recipe at home, I took on the challenge. Bring it on, Tom Colicchio…
Dare I say it… I’m not a fan of pumpkin pie. To blend in with the crowd at Thanksgiving dinners, I would douse my slice of this trademark dessert with whipped cream. So thank you, to this ingenious idea of fusing together the pumpkin infatuation on Thanksgiving with a more alluring dessert.
One of the first things he ever told his best friend about me: “She likes steak tartare!” Uttered in the same breath as one would boast about how pretty their girlfriend is or how smart she is, my boyfriend was bragging about how his American girlfriend was down to eat some raw beef. How romantic…
The French are so lovable. Yes, of course I’m a tad bit biased but how can you deny a country that has heavenly desserts, spectacular wines, a thousand varieties of cheese and a salad with bacon and poached eggs? They are just so damn irresistible.
Growing up in a Filipino home, tilapia was a staple on the dinner table. It was always simply broiled, served with jasmine rice and vegetables. Tilapia was always something you could find at the Asian markets and it didn’t occur to me until in recent years, the versatility of this fish.
I have an affinity for tomatoes. I’m sure you’ve picked up on that by now. A recipe hailing from the beautiful French Basque country, this tomato-based dish holds a special place in my heart…
Since our trip to Chinatown resulted in a spree of Asian vegetables and spices, I declared this week “Asian Week”. It was my own food challenge to create a diversity in our meals while maintaining the theme. Well, that and we honestly don’t have enough room in our pantry and refrigerator.
In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a huge fan of taking a classic and adding my own twist. One day we ended up with a surplus of bananas, so why not add some sass to this ice cream parlor favorite?
As I expand my knowledge on Asian dishes and explore a variety of ingredients, I still can’t help but revert back to one of my “tried and true” vegetable side dishes. But to compensate for my sequacious decision, I opted to braise them instead of my usual steaming method.
A trip to Chinatown is never complete without a visit to our favorite fish monger. As we scan the catch of the day sprawled out on beds of crushed ice, my mind begins to sift through the menu possibilities for our upcoming week. I know exactly what we need…
Inspired by our phenomenal dinner at Ippudo NY, I couldn’t wait to recreate our experience. Sadly, this young, culinary Jedi will have to settle for the simplest of the dishes. Pork belly swimming in savory pork broth, you will have to wait…
When I was in living in LA it was a weekend ritual to stop by Urth Caffe, not for celebrity-spotting (although it was always amusing), but for their delicious curry chicken salad. I love this unique twist to another classic…
The French, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. 1) My wonderful boyfriend 2) delicious desserts. Rich and decadent, the perfect way to satisfy your sweet, chocolaty tooth…
Yet another tomato recipe. I couldn’t help myself when I was at the farmers market and I saw these giant beefsteak tomatoes. They were begging to be stuffed…
I always gravitated towards filets, in fear of accidentally swallowing a fish bone which could lead to puncturing my organs (dramatic, I know). Who knew I would be such a fanatic of whole fish?
I love introducing him to American comfort foods and one of my all-time favorites is tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich. But why not jazz it up a little?
The original Thanksgiving Day feast did not have milk, cheese, bread or butter so I’m guessing they didn’t have pancetta either. Lucky for us, we can easily find these ingredients to spice up the holiday stuffing. Pancetta, I am thankful for you!!!
On a weekend getaway to Santa Barbara, we had the most exquisite panna cotta from a tiny little Italian restaurant. We’ve been hooked ever since…
Such a simple and satisfying meal best served with a side of sweet potato fries. One of our favorite meals…
Reminiscing about the blaring music from the oompa band and overflowing steins as the entire bier haus congregation cheers in unison. Prost! The good times in Munich…
My first fall season in New York and I feel like a kid in a candy shop. Streets sprinkled with yellow and orange trees are such sweet treats for a photo nut like myself. And farmers markets filled with colorful gourds are quite inspiring for the food enthusiast in me…
