all the recipes

I adore having close friends come over IN-BETWEEN-THE-HOLIDAYS. To be more precise, after the family Christmas festivities but before New Year’s Eve and sometimes between New Year’s Day and my birthday on January 7th, so ideally December 28th or January 4th. Those days tend to be the safest days for everyone, no more indigestion, nor...

Holiday OPTIONS & Holiday POTIONS (same letters in a different order = different words = magical coincidences). N°1 is “WARM & WOODY & SPICY” & N°2  is “FRESH & ZESTY & RESINOUS”. Both are super-SWEET obviously ... What could be better than having 1 or 2 homemade...

It’s nevery easy trying to describe a new kind of autumnal THANKSGIVING celebratory recipe or any newer kind of thing, for that matter. The title could have actually been longer like “butter, sugar and apple juice poached apples, stuffed with dried fruits and nuts and then crusted (or coated) in crushed spiced cookies and then...

MONSTER EGGS ?! No ! POISONOUS LAVA ROCKS ?! Nooooo ! BACK TO BLACK with STRANGER THINGS (I wish but I’ll explain) for a scary, slightly frightening & weird HALLOWEEN treat ! I’m disappointed that this series I love, called “STRANGER THINGS” which I thought was launching its 3rd season...

I still remember the BOXES of MACARONI & CHEESE by KRAFT DINNER we had as kids growing up in Montreal ! You boiled the dry pasta in water then strained it, then you added the milk and butter and the packet of processed cheese powder, mixed and served. This was a treat for us. It’s actually considered a national dish and Canadians consume...

This 50-ingredient holiday recipe is like singing that well-known and quite long “THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS” carolling song, once you begin, you simply have to go on until it’s all sung and you’ve reached the end … It’s never easy convincing anybody (and this includes friends & family) about preparing a...

It takes TIME (not active time but waiting time) but it’s worth it. It’s what holiday preparations are all about : Something SPECIAL for a SPECIAL occasion. Imagine a beautiful choice-cut piece of BEEF (preferably filet mignon or a very mini-roast), pre-marinated with red wine vinegar for 1 hour and then cured...

This weekend on SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11th 2018 is the 100th Anniversary (the Centenary or Centennial) of the ARMISTICE or End of the First World War. Sixty heads of State and 120 dignitaries will be in Paris for an international ceremony to commemorate the event, to celebrate the peace and the end of that war, even though other wars,...

Need a new idea for HALLOWEEN ? Who doesn’t ? Here’s a home-made chilled treat for everyone, young and/or old or just not so young. This year it’s gonna be a  combination mini “reese’s peanut butter cup” and “ice-cream sandwich” all-in-one number because I’m all...

LAST CHANCE to save those LAST FIGS ! You began by eating them whole and fresh in August, then a few weeks later you probably sliced them in half and added them to salads or to accompany sweet and savory preparations, then you went a step further and baked them in different preparations and maybe you made some jams too at the beginning of...

That CHRISTMAS SPIRIT ? How can we re-kindle that ? Sometimes that ‘holiday thought’ is just hanging around (or hiding) in the back of your mind and maybe in your heart, (because you still have one, you know, even when you’re too busy to remember). If you’re like most people, the holiday spirit is most often directly...

It’s as easy as 1-2-3, or to be more precise 3-2-1. It’s all MATH, 3 PARTS prepared (boiled & peeled) CHESTNUTS (from a jar or a can) + 2 PARTS SUGAR + 1 PART WATER or 1 PART CHESTNUTS + 1 PART CHESTNUT SYRUP (instead of the sugar & water) … I’ve decided to take it easier this year by using canned or jarred...

It’s super CHUNKY as you can see, from the filling to this incredible & thick 2-ingredient breadcrumb crust. It’s also adaptable & modifiable, but less painful than dealing with DST or Daylight Savings Time. It’s all about adding & subtracting. The 2 crust ingredients are dried breadcrumbs and mayonnaise....

A.K.A. the "SPY-PIE". . . but please let me explain ! I'm sure you're all familiar with the 1977 British fictional Bond movie called "THE SPY WHO LOVED ME", right ? But are you familiar with the 2009 French movie and non-fictional spy story called “FAREWELL” or "THE FAREWELL AFFAIR"...

It’s officially the END OF SUMMER & the BEGINNING OF AUTUMN. It’s the end of some things that you will miss and the beginning of other things to look forward to. It’s okay to miss things and to want them back. It’s okay to not have them and wait for their return. It’s okay to pursue new things and put...