my inspirations

culinary nostalgia

January 21st, 2013

 

girl preserving doll in glass jar

girl preserving doll in glass jar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

culinary nostalgia and reliving the season:
preserving lemons 

 When I was small, my father sang to me the song “Time in a Bottle.” It was a 1970‘s hit by Jim Croce lamenting about preserving the days with a loved one. He wanted to capture the soon-to-be lost time in a bottle. Humans like things to stay as they are and when the moments are gone, we like to fondly think about the way things were. We are nostalgic. I thought of this song this week (which I will explain later) but the concept of preserving the moment naturally made me think of preserving food. Culinary nostalgia. This thought inspired this week’s simple pleasure: preserved Meyer lemons.

 

Meyer Lemons in glass jar

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terre à terre

January 14th, 2013

mushrooms, black truffles and terre à terre; mushroom soup with truffled straws

mushrooms, black truffles and terre à terre; 
mushroom soup with truffled straws

It became our holy grail; a sort of “Da Vinci Code” chase by default. I am not talking about a religious relic or an art piece. I am talking about soup. Over the holidays, the daily soup special on every Parisian menu seemed to be velouté de champignons (cream of mushroom soup). Miam ! The problem was this: by the time we headed out to eat, the mushroom soup was gone. It happened a few times. Even twice in one evening. Frustrated, we became obsessed (and I vowed not to cook for the week, at least I tried). Finally, we managed to get our rumps in gear earlier and we finally had the sought-after mushroom soup. As I watched my friend, a Paris first-timer, enjoy his soup, made with French butter and fresh cream, I was inspired to recreate it (a bit healthier and vegetarian) and combine it with another one of his new favorite things and that thought inspired this week’s simple pleasure: mushroom soup with truffled straws.

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I am worth it

January 7th, 2013

 

vegetable eye brush

New Year’s resolution: I will eat well in 2013 because

“je le vaux bien”
(I am worth it)

New year. New resolutions. The most common resolution is “to loose weight” or “to eat better” and it is not surprising given our consumption of holiday sweets and heavy food chased down by champagne and other caloric beverages. The only ones who escaped the weighty culinary holiday traditions were Santa’s reindeer (no wonder they can fly). 

Recently, a friend gave me a tour of his new studio used to film cooking shows for French television. After I lingered on the kitchen set we passed through the back dressing rooms where I spied a tube of mascara on the dressing table. The L’Oréal label reminded me of the French company’s slogan “because I am worth it” which began in the 70‘s in the States and later used in France: “parce que je le vaux bien “(pars kǝ   jǝ le vo be an). Know it? The slogan justifies our expenditures on beauty products through the promotion of our self-esteem. A sense of healthy entitlement to treat yourself well in a consumer way. Genius. The thought occurred to me that the message is equally applicable, if not more so, on the kitchen set as it is in the back make-up room and that thought inspired this week’s simple pleasure: fennel and orange salad with toasted walnuts and Argan-honey dressing. 

fennel and orange salad with toasted walnuts and Argan and honey dressing

 

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a chip, a root and a little bacon … Happy New Year from Paris

December 29th, 2012

celeriac purée with crumbled bacon and potato chips

a chip, a root and a little bacon … Happy New Year from Paris

France often utilizes western ideas with French sensibilities of moderation. Take potato chips for example. For the last few months in France, la tendence (the “in” thing) is the use potato chips as a garnish or minor embellishment rather than a snack food (or meal, as the case may be). This idea of embracing a favorite American snack food with moderation inspired this week’s simple pleasure: celery root purée with crumbled bacon and potato chips. Read the rest of this entry »

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what to do with children in Paris (holiday time)

December 23rd, 2012

 

paris in christmas

Je ne sais quoi faire avec mes enfants à Paris
(I don’t know what to do with my children in Paris)

having fun in the City of Light with children during the holiday season

I am often asked what there is to do in Paris with children. This week was no exception. I thought it would be more efficient to write a short post than to send an email to each family (and the post may help others of you as well). That inspired this week’s simple pleasure: what to do with children in Paris during the holiday season.   

 

chef morgan paris

 

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the gift of time

December 15th, 2012

 

DSC00281

the gift of time:
holiday hosting  just got easier with two delicious 
(and simple) holiday desserts

 My mother asked me what I wanted for Christmas. “Nothing,” I responded, “except more time.” The end of the year seems like a race. I know I am not alone in this sentiment. It is a juggle between the end of the school year activities and holiday preparations with an already over-committed work schedule and daily tasks of a parent. Multi-tasking at its best. In fact, I post this blog to you as I indulge in an early birthday gift of making the grey disappear from my hair. My wish for the “gift of time” inspired this week’s simple pleasure: two easy holiday desserts, eggnog crème brûlée and a pear frangipane tart with vanilla bean and orange.   Read the rest of this entry »

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holiday chocolate tree

December 6th, 2012

holiday tree of chocolate (sapin de Noël au chocolat)

celebrating the season with chocolate


holiday tree of chocolate
(sapin de Noël au chocolat)

I could not believe my eyes when I saw holiday decor in the Los Angeles stores before Halloween. While I understand the excitement, that two month vendor jump on the holidays does not exist in Paris. In Paris, the holiday decor does not go up until the first week in December (with the exception of certain tourist streets such as the Champs Élysées) and it stays up until the Epiphany (January 6). This week the pine trees have arrived. There are no Christmas tree “lots.” Instead, the corner florists and grocery stores sell them and the decorated trees are beginning to embellish store fronts, hotels, and apartment buliding lobbies. The gardienne for our apartment building put our lobby pine tree up yesterday. Covered in white flocking with white ornaments, it is a welcome sight and smell coming in from the 40 degree (Fahrenheit) chill and it was the inspiration for this (very) simple pleasure: holiday tree of chocolate (sapin de Noël au chocolat).

paris christmas trees

paris christmas trees

 

 

 

 

 

 

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falling leaves in Paris and autumn simplicity on your plate

November 30th, 2012

 

paris fall leaves man with dog

falling leaves in Paris and autumn simplicity on your plate:
scallop “macarons” with chanterelles and thyme

I have only seen it snow once in Paris and the snow didn’t stick. This year while Paris has seen a couple rainy and “see your breath” chilly days, overall it has been beautiful and 5 or 6 degrees Celsius warmer than usual for late November. Parisians have been out in droves, profiting from the gift of warmer weather. Although the holidays are approaching, right now it is not holiday decor which covers the city, but blankets of golden leaves. Watching Parisians play in the leaves (and the city workers haul mounds of the leaves to compost piles) I thought of the poem Gathering Leaves by Robert Frost where he talks about the lightness and the “harvest” of falling leaves. I wanted to “harvest” leaves. In particular, I wanted to capture  the color scheme and lightness of these golden leaves and the flavors of autumn and put it on a plate in a simply way. That thought inspired this week’s simple pleasure: seared scallop “macarons” with chanterelles and fresh thyme. 

scallop “macarons” with chanterelles and thyme

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satisfying hunger and putting your heart in a bowl: harvest minestrone with autumn vegetables and farro

November 9th, 2012

harvest minestrone soup with autumn vegetables and farro 

 satisfying hunger and putting your heart in a bowl:
harvest minestrone with autumn vegetables and farro

In her book, The Gastonomical Me, M.F.K. Fisher explained that she wrote about food (rather than other topics) not only because she was “hungry” but also because:

 “[O]ur three basic needs, for food and security and love, are so mixed and mingled and entwined that we cannot straightly think of one without the others. [W]hen I write of hunger, I am really writing about love and the hunger for it, and warmth and the love of it and the hunger for it … and then the warmth and richness and fine reality of hunger satisfied… and it is all one.“

Nowhere are Ms. Fisher’s words more poignant or demonstrative than when it comes to a bowl of hot soup. Nutritious, filling, and restorative, soup provides warmth to our body and comforts our soul.

Recently on the news I saw one easterner give a fellow easterner (a victim of Hurricane Sandy) something hot to eat. As she handed her the food, she placed her other hand on the recipient’s arm. It was a moving moment. I thought of Ms. Fisher’s words about the co-mingled needs for food, security and love and this week’s simple pleasure was born: harvest minestrone with autumn vegetables and farro. 

Child looking into kitchen pot

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the lure of an apple, the seduction of toast

October 26th, 2012

 

the lure of an apple, the seduction of toast 

all treat with no trick: cinnamon-sugared baked apples 
on crispy, caramelized ghost toasts

Remember bobbing for apples at Halloween parties? Children (and adults) shoving their faces into a steel bucket of cold water hoping to capture the crunchy treat in between their teeth. Apples have draw. Some may call them an “attractive nuisance” (which in the legal world refers to something potentially dangeous but so inviting that it is certain to attract people to it). Think of Eve. How about Snow White? However, you can give into the lure of an apple; without negotiating with a serpent; with no resulting sin or threat of your heart in a box; and no bucket of cold water in your face or to drown in. In fact, you can have your apple and your sugar fix too. 

This Halloween, it is all treat: warm, soft, baked apples basted in a cinnamon-sugared butter on top of toasts (in the shape of ghosts) that have been caramelized to a crispy and chewy, buttery delight. Giving into this seasonal treat and coming out unscathed, satisfied, and keeping the switch witch at bay is the inspiration for this week’s simple pleasure: cinnamon-sugared baked apples on crispy, caramelized ghost toasts.

“bone” appétit !  

 

 

 

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