this weeks inspiration: paris or bust

Here I go again. Mid April and I am itching to take my annual trip to Paris. And although 2013 has already started on the wrong foot or note or page, I am determined to squeeze my trip to Paris, one way or another.

how do you make your cake?

I love cupcakes and occasionally a slice of cake and although I consume either in moderation, I often wonder what is the best fat to add to my recipe.  Just to clarify the confusion, I am referring to butter, oil, shortening or margarine.

It was interesting, when I came across this amazing blog and while scrolling through the contents, I found  the answer or perhaps not. You be the judge and please do share  – how do you make your cake?

{Click here for photo and article credit}

recipes from san francisco

Need I say more?

san francisco gem: the ferry building

I love it when friends show up in town unannounced and beg to spend a day with you.  I really mean it, I do love it, even though it throws me pleasantly off schedule (If that makes sense).

Anyway, I got the word my friends were in town at ten in the morning and asked them to meet me at the end of Market Street at noon for lunch.  When I asked, what they wanted to eat, they mentioned Sandwich shops and fast food and I basically rolled my eyes.

I pointed to the Ferry Building and asked if they had been there and they both shook their heads NO and so we ventured into one of our proudest conversion of a historic building into an amazing waterfront hangout.

comfort food: french toast bread pudding

Technically we are only a few days away from the official start of winter.  Which means much more colder weather and less of a desire to eat healthy. I don’t know about you, but I currently am always looking for comfort food, in moderation of course, to fuel me up during the day .

In light of that fact, I found this amazing recipe here for bread pudding, one  of my favorite winter comfort foods and thought of making it over the weekend with a few alteration.   I will use Almond Milk (Original flavor) and add pecans and sliced banana and I will let you know how it turns out.

Meanwhile let me know if you have other suggestions.

French Toast Bread Pudding 

1 challah loaf, sliced ¾ inch thick
8 extra-large eggs
5 cups half-and-half or milk
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Confectioners’ sugar and pure maple syrup, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Arrange the bread in two layers in a 9 × 13 × 2-inch baking dish, cutting the bread to fit the dish. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, honey, orange zest, vanilla, and salt. Pour the mixture over the bread and press the bread down. Allow to soak for 10 minutes.

Place the baking dish in a larger roasting pan and add enough very hot tap water to the roasting pan to come an inch up the side of the baking dish. Cover the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil, tenting it so the foil doesn’t touch the pudding. Make two slashes in the foil to allow steam to escape. Bake for 45 minutes, remove the aluminum foil, and bake for another 40 to 45 minutes, until the pudding puffs up and the custard is set. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.

With a small sieve, dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar and serve hot in squares with maple syrup on the side.

dessert recipe: pumpkin crème brûlée

I don’t know too many people who do not like Crème Brûlée, maybe that’s a bold statement, but I am almost certain, the fact, the dessert is almost on every menu in most restaurants, is a clear indication it is a favorite.

So, since  the holiday season is upon us, here in the U.S., I couldn’t help but fall in love with a recipe I found here, concerning crème brûlée and pumpkins. . Check it out:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 vanilla bean
3/4 cup. pumpkin purée
4 tsp superfine sugar reserved for top of brûlée

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the sugar and egg yolks. Combine the cream, cinnamon stick, nutmeg and vanilla bean (de-seeded) in a saucepot, and bring to a simmer. Slowly whisk the hot cream mixture into the yolk mixture through a fine-meshed sieve. Whisk in the pumpkin purée.

Divide the mixture among four 8-oz. ramekins and place in a large baking pan. Add boiling water to fill the pan halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake until the custards are just set (about 30 minutes).

Transfer the ramekins to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.

Just before serving, sprinkle 1 tsp. superfine sugar evenly over the surface of each custard. Using a kitchen torch, move the flame continuously over the surface until the sugar melts and lightly browns. Serve immediately.

{photo and recipe credit please click here}

day 13 – travel journal – paris france

There is no way on earth I would pass up Paris, no matter what other destinations I have included in my annual trip to Europe. This year, while the TGV pulled into Gare de Lyon from Cannes at a little after 9p.m. I noticed it had been raining in the city of romance. I didn’t care, the rain is always refreshing in Paris and I have actually been in the city every month out of the year and every single time it had rained. It usually bothered me, but I’ve come to accept it and now even embrace it. Paris isn’t Paris without rain.

We hopped on the RER (urban rail network train) from Gare de Lyon to our Hotel in Charles de Gaulle Etoile (between VIIIe and XVIIe arrondissements) and within a five minute walk, landed in front of our quaint hotel with minimal frills and turned in for the night.

I usually sleep with the windows open, normally for fresh air, but in the case of Paris, just so I could hear the sounds from the boulevard close by.  It’s my lullaby to a good night sleep, while  in my favorite place in the entire world.

The following morning, after eating a quick pastry and drinking an espresso at a cafe, we began our day, by walking from Arc de Triomphe towards Place Saint-Germain Des Pres (6th arrondissement). We didn’t have a plan. This was our usual walk, every year, on day one in Paris.

Along the way we came across: {click on first photo to start the slide show}

Louis Vuitton on Champs Elysees

International Film I cannot wait to write about http://www.b-lot-buzz.blogspot.com

Mid way point from Arc de Triomphe – where we started from

A beautiful shot of Cleopatra’s Needle – Place de la Concorde

A glimpse of the Eiffel Tower – far far away

One of the many fountains in the Jardin des Tuileries

Synchronized swimming performed by a Parisian duck :)

Signs of Fall along the tree lined pathways in Jardin de la Tullierias

A view of Musee Louvre

The famous glass pyramid entrance to the Louvre

Crepe with Nutella and bananas near Saint-Germain des press

Street Jazz musicians

Photo of Rive Guache

The famous Notre Dame

A bag of chocolate covered dried fruits and nuts

boutique hotel pick – le meurice – paris, france

There is a certain charm  to Paris which most  woman understand and appreciate and  although we learn of this at a young age, some take almost a lifetime to figure out.  Those who understand, once Paris is mentioned in conversation,  immediately come alive while exchanging  thoughts of the allure of the city.

For those woman who have not yet had the opportunity to truly understand Paris as it should be, convince your travel partner to stay at Le Meurice hotel, even if for a night and I can guarantee, the ambiance will surely set the stage for an experience you will never forget.

{Recommended classic reads to understanding Paris – click on photo}

dessert fix: strawberries and cream french style

Usually around the beginning of April I get the itch to travel, especially to Paris. So everything I research online is geared towards Paris this and Paris that. What can I say. As a result of my weakness, it’s no wonder I came across this recipe from my favorite chef and author, David Lebovitz:  Enjoy and let me know how it turned out?

Sabayon

Four to six servings
Adapted from Ready for Dessert
Any kind of white wine that you like will work well for sabayon; dry, sweet, or sparkling. I do tend to prefer sweeter dessert wines because their flavor is a little more concentrated. Wines like late-harvest Riesling, Sauternes, Muscat, or a wine that is richly flavored is good. You can use Marsala if you want to make traditional zabaglione. If you’re avoiding alcohol, you can use a non-alcoholic sparkling cider instead, perhaps adding a few drops of lemon juice, to balance any sweetness.

Sabayon is lovely spooned over any kind or mix of juicy berries; toss them in a bit of sugar and let them sit for an hour or so, turning them gently to encourage the juices to really start flowing. Sabayon can also be used in place of whipped cream alongside a wedge of moist Almond Cake or heaped in a bowl, paired with a scoop of ice-cold orange sorbet – the hot/cold contrast is great.
2/3 cup (160 ml) white wine, dry or sweet
1/3 cup (65 g) sugar
6 large egg yolks
1. In a large, heatproof bowl, whisk together the wine and sugar. Then whisk in the egg yolks.

2. Set to bowl over a pan of gently boiling water (the bottom of the bowl shouldn’t touch the water) and whisk vigorously until the mixture becomes frothy and stiff. You can slow down the speed, but if you need to stop whisking it, remove the bowl from the pan for as brief a time as possible.

3. The sabayon is ready when the mixture is thick and holds its shape when you lift the whisk and let some of the mixture drop back into the bowl.

4. Pile the berries and their juices into a glass and top each with warm sabayon. You can sprinkle them with crumbled amaretti cookies, if desired.

healthy recipe: tarte au citron a.k.a lemon tart

While on this diet, I have a difficult time satisfying my sweet tooth, so since I love lemons and it’s considered an approved fruit to consume while dieting, I decided to search here  for a tart (again my favorite) recipe made with lemons or citron (God, I love the French word for it). Here it goes:

One 9-inch (23 cm) tart

This makes a modest, but very tasty lemony layer. If you want more filling, feel free to double the recipe; any filling that you don’t use can be spread on toast, fresh biscuits, or scones.

You could substitute fresh lime juice for the lemon and if you have Meyer lemons, reduce the sugar to 1/3 cup (65g). You can use a favorite tart dough recipe, or the one I’ve linked to.

1/2 cup (125 ml) freshly-squeezed lemon juice
grated zest of one lemon, preferably unsprayed
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
6 tablespoons (85 g) butter, salted or unsalted, cut into bits
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks

One pre-baked 9-inch (23 cm) tart shell

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C.)

1. In a medium-sized non-reactive saucepan, heat the lemon juice, zest, sugar, and butter. Have a mesh strainer nearby.

2. In a small bowl, beat together the eggs and the yolks.

3. When the butter is melted, whisk some of the warm lemon mixture into the eggs, stirring constantly, to warm them. Scrape the warmed eggs back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and almost begins to bubble around the edges.

4. Pour the lemon curd though a strainer directly into the pre-baked tart shell, scraping with a rubber spatula to press it through.

5. Smooth the top of the tart and pop it in the oven for five minutes, just to set the curd.

6. Remove from the oven and let cool before slicing and serving.

{for photo credit please click here}