The Potluck Hostess

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Cannellini Bean, Arugula, and Prosciutto Bruschette
My friend Maddy is a Putlitzer prize-winning journalist, a gifted professor at two colleges, and a frequent hostess. I don’t think she can go more than two or three weeks without planning a party. So how does she manage to entertain so often with such a hectic schedule?  She has mastered the art of the potluck.
Typically, when she phones or emails to say she’s thinking about having a party, those in her circle of friends automatically respond with “what can I bring?,” for we all know how busy she is. She graciously accepts our offers for appetizers, desserts, or sometimes salads, and then spends her time concentrating on the main course.
Last Saturday night my husband and I arrived at her house with all the fixings for brushette topped with cannellini bean puree, arugula, and crispy sautéed prosciutto.

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The Potluck Hostess

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Cannellini Bean, Arugula, and Prosciuto Bruschette

My friend Maddy is a Putlitzer prize-winning journalist, a gifted professor at two colleges, and a frequent hostess. I don’t think she can go more than two or three weeks without planning a party. So how does she manage to entertain so often with such a hectic schedule?  She has mastered the art of the potluck.

Typically, when she phones or emails to say she’s thinking about having a party, those in her circle of friends automatically respond with “what can I bring?,” for we all know how busy she is. She graciously accepts our offers for appetizers, desserts, or sometimes salads, and then spends her time concentrating on the main course.

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My Favorite French Blogs and Web Sites

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 Last night while teaching a class on winter soups from Sunday Soup, I mentioned to my students that I had just returned from Paris where I had spent a good part of a three-week stay trying new restaurants. Whenever I give a course, I can’t stop, as a devoted Francophile, from talking about the French, their customs, their food, their art. So, it wasn’t surprising that at the end of this class several people (a few with plans to visit France this year) asked me to recommend some blogs, and web sites.   

It then dawned on me that my followers would be interested in the French blogs and sites that I read. Here are my top five favorites.
French Word-A-Day: Kristin Espinasse, an American married to a French wine-maker in the South of France, recounts her daily life with her husband and two teenagers. In each of her three weekly posts, she includes French words and expressions in touching stories. At the end of each narrative, she lists the vocabulary words with definitions and an audio for pronunciation. I love her honest, direct style and have become one of more than 30,000 people reading her tales of French life.
Hungry for Paris: Alec Lobrano, a former correspondent for Gourmet Magazineand one of Paris’ best known American restaurant reviewers, has an amazing site filled with the latest news about restaurants in Paris and throughout France. His posts are detailed, intimately written and will make you long to be at the table with him.
John Talbotts’ Paris– John Talbott posts several times every week on his restaurant forays in Paris. His style is brief and to the point, and his posts are filled with practical information and photos about the newest and most interesting places to dine in Paris.
Paris by Mouth: This is a fabulous site about all things culinary in Paris. It’s a collaborative effort that includes restaurant reviews by such notable American writers as  Alec Lobrano, John Talbot, and Patricia Wells. French gourmands as well offer their opinions. You’ll find information and reviews for restaurants, wine bars, pastry, bread, and cheese shops and more.
The Provence Post: This is a blog written by Julie Mautner, an American who lives in St-Remy-de-Provence. You never know what Julie will post, but her style is so warm and engaging that I always read every word. One day she might describe an art exhibition or a concert in a nearby town; on another she shows you the photo of a fabulous villa for sale in her area. She might share a favorite restaurant or culinary experience another time. With each post, she makes you wish you were living in Provence.

Fromagerie Quatrehomme, Paris, France

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Fromagerie Quatrehomme in Paris 62 rue de Sèvres, Paris 75007, 01-47-34-33-45, Metro: Vanneau or Duroc

For the past few years, I’ve stayed in an apartment that is only a few steps from one of Paris’s best cheese shops. Quatrehomme, located on the busy rue de Sèvres in the 7th, is small, but boasts one of the best selections of cheeses in the capital. As well known food blogger David Leibovitz says, “It’s le top du top!” From the moment you enter, your senses are energized by the sight and smell of exquisite cheeses. I’ve bought countless chèvres there, while my spouse has explored most of the bleus. Comté, Reblochon, Mont d’Or—you name it and they have it! And, they have the best and most beautifully aged version of each cheese. Marie Quatrehomme, a proprietor, was the first woman to earn France’s high honor of being a Meilleur Ouvrier de France, awarded to the finest artisans in their fields.

Cooking in a Small Paris Apartment Kitchen

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Photo from Sunday Roasts by Susie Cushner

The kitchen in the Paris apartment we rent is tiny without much counter space, but it does have a 4-burner gas cook top, a dishwasher, and a garbage disposal (a rarity here).
The oven is my real challenge. It measures only about 18 inches wide by 14 high and is not deep. Try roasting in it. There are no temperature settings, just numbers with French names accompanying the figures–5 is for “cake,” 6 and 7 are marked “white meat, veal, and soufflés,” while 8 says “flans,” and 9 indicates “red meat.” Go figure!
Over the decade that we have been staying in this Left Bank place, I’ve learned how to turn out successes from this “ovenette.”

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Nespresso Pixie

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I’ve been a fan of Nespresso electric espresso makers ever since I bought the Essenza model several years ago. However, the Pixie, one of their newest products, is even smaller and more compact than the one I own. This slim machine that stands less than 10 inches tall comes in an array of colors, including bright red, electric blue, apple green, and gray. It’s easy to use too. You simply fill a chamber with water, pop in a Nespresso coffee capsule, and pull a lever. In no time at all, you have a delicious cup of espresso ready for sipping. The Nespresso capsules come in a variety of strengths and flavors, including a decaffeinated version.

Nespresso Pixie available at cookware stores

Winter Soup Supper-Parisian Style

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My husband marvels at how easy it is for us to entertain when we’re in Paris. The secret lies in following the “cook some, buy some” philosophy I use here. Take a small dinner that we had for a couple of friends recently. I cooked a delicious winter vegetable and sausage soup topped with grated Gruyère, and prepared the vinaigrette dressing for the salad, but I purchased the rest. That’s right—I made two dishes and bought the other courses. In Paris there’s a fromagerie(cheese shop), boucherie (butcher), charcuterie (deli), boulangerie (bakery) and patisseriewithin walking distance in every quartier.
For appetizers, I set out bowls of Provençal olives, pistachios, and French radishes that were spread with sweet butter and then dipped in sea salt. The glorious main course soup came next accompanied by garnishes of grated cheese, parsley, and a warm crusty baguette. A salad assembled with purchased greens and sliced mushrooms (both cleaned and ready) plus a couple of delectable cheeses followed. Dessert came from a near-by patisserie. Voilà! There was my “make a little, buy a little” menu.
The French potage (based on a recipe for a “soupe du chalet” I had spotted in a French cookbook) was the star of the night.

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Super Bowl Chili

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Whether for Super Bowl bashes or casual, cold-weather suppers, the chili recipe that follows is perfect for such gatherings. Ground beef, onions, carrots, and garlic are sautéed, then simmered in stock along with tomatoes and traditional seasonings of chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce add a hint of smoke and heat, while black beans replace the usual red ones. This dish improves in flavor when made a day or two in advance, and yields 8 generous bowlfuls. Continue reading →

A Delightful Winter Lunch in Paris

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John Talbott writes a knowledgeable and popular blog about Paris restaurants that I read faithfully. When he asked my husband and me to join him and his wife, Sue, for lunch this week, I jumped at the chance to meet this psychiatrist turned food critique. The place he had in mind was Septime, located in the 11th arrondissment, one of the capital’s flourishing new restaurant scenes.
We had been to Septime last summer for dinner, not long after it opened, and were impressed by the creative fare young chef Bernard Grébaut (who had worked at the 3-star Arpège) proposed. Each course of our tasting menu featured fresh, seasonal ingredients and was prepared with careful attention to detail. Our lunch was also delectable, and at 26 euros for 3 courses proved a better bargain than our evening meal.
My lightly poached egg and shallots floating in a delectable bouillon scented with hay (yes, you read that correctly) sprinkled with crunchy grains of black wheat was delicious and inventive.

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, and Leeks

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Okay, you’ve eaten way more than you planned during the holidays, but who could resist all those homemade sweets, and who wants to think about diets when Christmas and New Year’s feasts are set in front of you!

It’s now January, though—that month in which everyone makes a resolution to be kind to their bodies by shedding a few pounds and eating better. So, here’s a recipe to get you started. Brussels sprouts, carrots, and leeks are coated with some olive oil and then roasted until just slightly browned and tender. A small addition of diced pancetta provides a robust and indulgent accent. Continue reading →