all the recipes
2016 will be the YEAR for “TIPS & TRICKS” . . . not necessarily mine, but just stuff I’ve learned over the years (accompanied by many mistakes) ! Let’s begin with puff-pastry dough, there’s the authentic way of making it, where you have to flatten the butter and sandwich it inside...
I PREFER OYSTERS FRESH & RAW (with no added vinegar, nor lemon, nor shallots, nor anything) but always accompanied with BREAD & VERY SALTY BUTTER and a COLD POTATO SALAD and a second green and leafy SPINACH & ARUGULA SALAD too … But I obviously couldn’t present this to you as a recipe ! So this oyster chowder...
"Before bringing me into the world in Montreal, my mother had crazy cravings for CAULIFLOWER ! " I was born on January 7 (the day of the Greek Orthodox Christmas) which means that her cravings occurred in the cold and blizzardy winter and it was my poor aunt who would go out hunting to find her some, sometimes coming back with...
As I said a few days ago : “EAT MORE VEGETABLES !”. Here is an extremely healthy and easy and impressive entrée or side-dish or accompaniment to serve with your winter meals. A simple, big, round, roasted beet ! More impressive if the beets are large, instead of several smaller ones. They’re roasted in the oven...
Here’s a soup to warm up even the iciest of hearts … This idea was thought up by my friend and neighbor Fred (who often supplies me with loads of fruits and vegetables from his father’s countryside garden, outside of Paris, so double-thanks to Fred-the-friend). We often use squash and pumpkins for sweet dishes, and when we make...
TOO MUCH DRINKING & TOO MUCH EATING & maybe TOO MUCH TOBACCO too, last night ?! Let’s start the year right and DETOXIFY ! 12 ingredients (including the water) to cleanse your bodies … drink 2 cups each and take it easy today. The different spices will do your liver a lot of good, as well as your tired digestive system...
“THE SO TENDER & FRAGRANT MEAT JUST SLIPS OFF THE BONE, THE VEGETABLES ARE WELL COOKED YET FIRM … WHAT ELSE ?!” This is what I made for our Christmas day lunch. The winter holiday seasoning was composed of a dry mix of herbs and spices with allspice, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, orange zest and dark brown sugar,...
I know what I said : "EAT LESS RED MEAT, EAT MORE FISH & VEGETABLES !" Well, for your information, these meatballs are 1/3 vegetables so without abandoning meat, we’re still making an effort. Okay, it wasn’t really an effort either. I often want to try out recipes that are “UPLIFTING” reinterpretations...
As you all may have heard, the COP21 United Nations Conference for Climate Change is taking place in Paris until December 11, 2015. The countries and their governments will try to come to some common and binding agreements to control climate change and save the planet (& us). The world is waiting ! … Many NGO’s and...
Food provides nourishment. Preparing food provides comfort and occupies our thoughts. Sharing food leads to social interactions and bonding. The recent tragic events in Paris on November 13, 2015 pushed me to cook and bake and prepare more recipes than usual this weekend … Here is a 2-in-1 apple recipe. Using 2 kg of cooked apples (with 2...
This is my way of telling you : « ON NEW YEAR'S EVE, PLEASE TRY TO REMEMBER TO DRINK 1 GLASS OF SPARKLING WATER after EACH COCKTAIL or GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE … & add some AROMATIC BITTERS to turn it into a LIGHT, REFRESHING & ALCOHOL-FREE...
“This weird and perhaps not-so-attractive thing, is a delight and you’d be crazy not to make some quickly !” Of course, this isn’t my invention, this is an Italian and Portuguese holiday sweet, often called “chocolate salami” … I simply re-adapted my chocolate and biscuit blocks (see recipe here) for...
A few sweet moments before the holidays ? WHY WAIT ? ... Cookies made with almonds and oranges to celebrate the arrival of winter but with a touch of orange blossom water to remind us that spring and sunny weather will follow soon after ! Normally cookies are prepared directly on a cookie baking sheet, but these are somewhat between cookies...
... IF THESE 3 CAKES CAN GET ALONG, THEN WHY CAN'T WE ?! When either sad and/or bad things seem to be happening around you, try to do something to remember the happier times ! When I was a kid growing up in Montreal, my mom or dad would buy us May West cakes (a Quebec dessert invention made by a company that still exists and...
Dear ladies and gentlemen … if a 30-minute ONE-POT or ONE-PAN PASTA dish is your «thing», then please move along, this particular recipe isn’t for you ! I realize how frightening it seems, for the time it involves as well as the enormous quantities and varieties of meats used. This much meat and sacrifice desserve...