Author: FromBAtoParis

Tout Simplement….Pana Cotta / Figs! or La Dolce Vita ….à la Française

Posted on July 20, 2011 by fromBAtoParis

What do you think about when you think of a “dreamed vacation“? A five-star hotel? with six restaurants, a disco and hundreds of people inside? Not in my case! Here, in France, I dream of an old stone cottage in Provence…….…..and if the cottage had a swimming-pool with a view to the vineyards? OMG! I have the feeling I’m there already….I start unpacking…where’s my “maillot de bain”? Oh, look at the bed…huge! Oh, there is a computer!!!! “Don’t you dare!!!!!!” (that’s my hubby speaking ;D ……plus all the details that I love: great view from the window..comfortable sun chairs, books and decoration magazines…..….and then a kitchen…a huge kitchen! (compared to my minuscule Parisian standard…) I began picturing what it would be like to cook from there…what a blog!!!!Breakfast time? That has to be good! And here yes, I am demanding!!!! Good linen for napkins, nice teapots, home-made fruits salad, a “fontainebleau” (cheese mixed with a bit of cream, here in a siphon to make a mousse), with coconut perfume…. Porcelaine, from Limoges, of course, made by J L Coquet…If you have five minutes, watch the presentation of his factory here, you won’t regret it…the images, the know-how, the music!! by Albeniz.….A French breakfast would never be complete without “croissants” or “pain au chocolat”, from “la boulangerie” (bakery) of the town….Juices, natural juices in cute bottles…my choice? pineapple/passionfruit….Finally, the figs from the market inspired me to make something easy for dessert….Dolce vita…..pana cotta…only two minutes to make! Some fresh figs, barely caramelized….raspberry coulis, and pistachio macaron shells..in pieces…. (or you can use cookies, or whatever you have…)

So Italian…so French….

Enjoy!

As you must have noticed, I ‘ve changed my site! If you follow my blog, make sure your subscription is still running….if not, please, re-subscribe! Thanks!

Want the recipe?

Posted in fig, pannacotta | 37 Replies

To Be or Not to Be….Truthful..politically correct?

Posted on July 13, 2011 by fromBAtoParis

Photo by Baked Beans

You know what? I’m taking a few days off…and a good blogger should say goodbye, with a lovely post, with an even lovelier recipe…. Yes, this is what a good blogger does…but I decided not to be politically (or “bloggitically”) correct, and tell the truth…

I’m tired !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m SO tired, that I don’t have the energy to write a proper post to say “I’m off for a few days”
I”m off to Uzès, where I will do nothing but “dolce farniente”…where people will cook for ME….things coming directly from the loveliest markets..I will visit those markets, though…and eat a peach, an apricot, in fact there is so much “product tasting” in those markets…I will specially stop at the “saucisson” (sausage) stall…AND cheese….AND wine…..Rosé de Provence…..
Just a few days…..I need it…

No!!! No smartphones during vacations!

I am not the the “best blogger” in the world….but I’m honest and sincere with my readers…
I am tired! I want to switch off!
Have great days of vacation you too!

Posted in Uncategorized | 17 Replies

A Dior (?) Cake, or Discussing Luxury with Teenagers !

Posted on July 4, 2011 by fromBAtoParis

This cake is the result of a discussion. It all started when we decided to go on “soldes” (sales). My daughter C. said: “Mummy…”, with this typical soothing voice, announcer of -I will ask you for something you are not quite going to like.. “Can you buy me a Vuitton or Dior bag?”

My typical, firm answer followed: “We have already discussed this..It is absolutely out of the question, and completely ridiculous….teenagers don’t go around in Dior bags…”

“But ALL the girls carry Vuitton bags to school” (and here, by miracle, her sister M. agreed!)

I questioned the arithmetic accuracy of that claim…and continued, once again, trying to make her reflect on the issue: the number of teenagers in the world that don’t have enough to eat (which she found convincing for only ten seconds!) Briefly, some minutes later, I was dragging two pouting teenagers around Parisian streets, till we got to the first store (H&M, Zara type) and there with the purchase of the first € 15 T-shirt, “the sun shone on us again”…

Back home, to keep these teenagers busy, we decided to have fun with this concept of luxury, creating for ourselves, and at no extra cost, a “Dior” cake, one that would be fit of a Dior window….

I had suggested a mix of berries, but my daughters decided it had to be only raspberries, because they are “chicissime” (the most “chic”), and then it had to be a macaron cake…because the macaron is the symbol of French refinement. Inside, my family’s favorite filling: pastry cream combined with whipped cream...AND the final touch: spraying the macaron with nacre color, to make it look almost like a pearl…. The “girly” touch? the marshmallows on top.…!

The girls helped me to assemble the cake…et oui, making the macaron is still mommy’s job (see photos in the recipe section)…and in the photo session….(find it also below)

The result? a real, edible luxury item !!

Enjoy!

How to make macaron? See my basic recipe here
Then, pipe it as you see in the photo…For that, draw a circle of the desired size (here, 18cm), on parchment paper.

After baking according to instructions, spray with nacre coloring.

For the pastry cream, follow this recipe here

Then, whisk 250gr of cream into a “soft” Chantilly (I mean not so firm!) The problem is combining both creams! First, the pastry cream has to be cold! and that means it will be a bit too hard…so “loosen” the cream with the whisk, add to it, a small quantity of your Chantilly…combine well. Then add the rest of the Chantilly with big, whisking motions, just a few times if not you will lose texture! Refrigerate!

A short time before serving, pipe the cream, making the same concentric circle like for the macaron. Arrange all the berries around the border, and some in the center. Put the other macaron on top! Decorate with some more raspberries and marshmallows. I used two little boxes of raspberries here….Refrigerate again, till the moment of serving…

Posted in macarons, raspberries | 36 Replies

Apricot Chutney, for a Cheese Course….My Apricot Saga (Part III)

Posted on June 28, 2011 by fromBAtoParis

Finally, the end of my apricot saga…with this apricot chutney, that will make your cheese board, even more appealing!! I would also use this chutney to accompany chicken, cold meats, or even for sandwiches….

Keeping this chutney in jars is like making sure the best of the summer will stay with us for some months…brightening our colder and not so shiny days…..

Here I used roquefort cheese, but the cheese variety is absolutely up to you ! And I “crowned” the cheese with some caramelised hazelnuts that then I chopped ! I love the crunch of the hazelnuts, the sweet/salty contrast between chutney and cheese….

The backstage of the first photo

I hope you adopt this chutney for your summer evenings with friends….
Enjoy!

To make this Apricot Chutney, you will need:

(around 700grs)

*small red onion, 1 *garlic, 1 clove, chopped *chilli pepper (or any other pepper), 1 point *fresh ginger, en brunoise, 1/2 tbsp *olive oil, 1tbsp *butter, 1 teasp *apricots, 500gr *sugar, 200gr *white vinegar, 100gr *cilantro, chopped, to taste

Put the olive oil and butter in a saucepan, and sauté the onion, ginger, garlic, and chilli pepper. Add the rest of the ingredients (the apricots should be washed, rinsed and cut in small cubes), except the cilantro. Take it to a boil, and then lower the heat. Cook for 30′/40′ until desired “jam” consistence, stirring from time to time. Once finished, add the cilantro. Put the chutney in sterilized pots. cover with the lid. Put the pots upside-down till completely cool. You can keep this chutney for several weeks. Once the pot is open, keep it in the fridge.

For the caramelised hazelnuts, follow my recipe here…using hazelnuts instead of almonds…