Food, Fashion, and Paris

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Parisian Chic

Food and fashion seem to be the first two things to come to mind when we dream of Paris. I was reminded of this truism yet again this past week. A friend, off to Paris next month for the first time in many years, emailed to ask if I’d share some of my favorite restaurants.

I immediately sent her a note suggesting that she check out my website and click on the Paris tab at the top to see the current food venues I love in the City of Light, including both Sola and Le Casse Noix, two recent discoveries.

Sola

 To my  amusement, a second email arrived several days later from this lovely woman, requesting fashion advice. It began, “May I ask you, not a food question, but a clothes question?” and ended with the endearing line, “I’m not a high-style dresser at age 78, but don’t want to look frumpy.”

I recommended Ines de la Fressange’s Parisian Chic, an inexpensive style guide written by a former top French model. This little paperback reveals the secrets of what smart Parisian women wear and where they shop. (Full disclosure–I’m as passionate about clothes as food when in France’s capital.)

Le Casse Noix

Yes, everyone goes to Paris to eat divinely. And, for some, looking their best while taking a sip of soupe à l’oignon gratinée or biting into a glorious millefeuille is de rigueur. My septuagenarian pal definitely belongs to the latter contingent. She has already ordered a copy of Parisian Chic!

Waring Popcorn Maker available at Williams Sonoma

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After downing far too many bags of microwave popcorn, my husband decided we should invest in an electric popcorn maker, so we purchased one made by Waring. And, although this machine does take up extra space in our cupboard, it produces such light, fluffy corn that we’d never return to the microwave variety. The model we chose has several bonuses, one being that it’s easy to use. You oil the base, add Continue reading →

All-In-One Roasted Fish Supper

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I’m a sucker when it comes to roasting fish and vegetables, then serving the two together.  For my blog and website, I’ve combined seafood and vegetables more than once in the past few months. There were cod fillets served atop ratatouille (scroll down for recipe), and also over a potato gratin (scroll way down for recipe). Fillets of salmon paired with bok choy and shiitakes, and halibut steaks set atop a spicy piperade(scroll down for recipe) also made appearances.
Well, here I go again, this time partnering salmon fillets with roasted fingerlings and baby broccoli. This idea was spawned during a rushed visit to my local Whole Foods. I’d put a bag of fingerlings and a bunch of broccolini (those slender broccoli stalks) in my cart and was trying to decide what might work well with them. Presto! I was at the fish counter with some gorgeous salmon jumping out at me.

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Warm Roasted Vegetable Salad

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This versatile salad, which looks quite distinctive, but is simple to assemble, can be used as a starter or a side. You can vary the vegetables, but make certain that you coordinate the roasting times of your produce accordingly.For this version sliced carrots, white turnip wedges, and quartered baby Yukons are roasted for half an hour, while sugar snaps and green onions need only about 10 minutes. The vinaigrette dressing can be whisked together and the vegetables roasted several hours ahead so there’s no last minute prep. Continue reading →

Pull Out the Grill for Easter Lunch

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Does this sound familiar? You’re short on time, but need to plan a menu for Easter lunch THIS Sunday. You’d like the meal to be special and memorable, but don’t have hours to spend shopping and cooking. Well, grilled lamb chops with buttered couscous tossed with asparagus, almonds, and mint is a perfect dish for this spring holiday.
Several years ago I created this main course as the centerpiece for a class titled “Fast Lane Entertaining.” Students loved the simplicity of the colorful dish so redolent of the season, and were thrilled that it took only about an hour to prepare. Tender rib lamb chops are marinated in orange juice, garlic, and oil, then popped on the grill for only a few minutes. Buttered couscous tossed with sliced, blanched asparagus, toasted almonds, and mint makes a fast and delicious side. The recipe serves four, but can be doubled or tripled easily if needed.

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Coconut Soup with Chicken, Lime, and Spring Vegetables

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A few weeks ago, Diana, my talented assistant, arrived at work with a container of coconut soup with chicken and lime she had just made. Although it was early in the morning, the fragrant aroma of this ivory-hued potage studded with bits of green was so tempting that I took a quick sip. Light in texture yet vibrantly flavored with assertive Southeast Asian accents, it was irresistibly delicious! “Can you share the recipe?” I asked. “Nothing to it!” she replied, promising to email the directions for her new creation. Continue reading →

Makin’ Whoopie…Pies!

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Were whoopie pies an integral part of your childhood? These classic chocolate cake sandwiches layered with a marshmallow filling are a sweet indulgence especially loved in the Northeast. According to Sarah Billingsley and Amy Treadwell, authors of the new Whoopie Pies, these enticing confections have been popular from Maine to Pennsylvania for decades. The authors, life-long fans of this truly American confection, have assembled a delectable collection of recipes that go far beyond the original version.
Their book is divided into two sections –“cakes” and “creamy fillings.” Examples of their enticing combos include luscious vanilla with rich dark chocolate butter cream filling; banana with salty peanut butter filling; and oatmeal with maple filling.

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Heavenly Chocolate, Northampton, MA

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Heavenly Chocolate 150 Main Street (in Thorne’s Market), Northampton, Massachusetts

Recently a friend brought me a small box of beautiful dark chocolates as a hostess gift. Several days passed before I got around to sampling one, but after a single bite I knew these candies were out of the ordinary. And, here’s the surprising part of this story. The chocolates were not from New York or Paris or some other metropolitan center where you’d expect to find superb artisanal confections. No, they from a shop in Northampton, Massachusetts, the next town over from mine. Continue reading →

Ottolenghi in London- Sublime Food in England’s Capital

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Interior of Ottolenghi
Some of you may remember that I featured the gorgeous vegetarian cookbook, Plenty written by Jotam Ottolenghi, on my website a few months back. The author is also the owner of four glorious take-out food shops in London. One of these stores also functions as a restaurant. Like the others, it is named for its founder.
Imagine then where I wanted to eat when my husband and I had the chance to go to London for several days this week. As soon as our plans were set, I Skyped to make a reservation at the Islington eatery. Although the book features strictly vegetable fare, the menu includes meats as well.
This shop cum restaurant was awash in white. The walls, outside and inside, most of the chairs, the tables, the dishes are a pristine hue. And, after sampling the vibrantly colored and richly textured foods, it was clear that this crisp whiteness served as a canvas for the chef’s artistic creations.

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Ancient Grains for Modern Meals by Maria Speck

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Maria Speck, a popular cooking teacher who lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is an avid fan of whole grains, and in Ancient Grains for Modern Meals, she shares her enthusiasm for using them in everything from breakfast fare to main courses and desserts. Whether quick-cooking grains like polenta, buckwheat, and millet or those that need more time, you’ll find an amazing variety of dishes (many inspired by her European upbringing in Greece and Germany) in this collection. “Oat Berries with Walnuts and Gorgonzola” made a delectable and unusual side dish for a meal I served recently. Now, I’m anxious to try “Creamy Continue reading →