La vie in Englsih

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Hello New-York!
2008-04-28 20:06:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethRare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaJust a short message to let you know that I will be less blogging in the next 10 days. I will try to connect to share some of my experiences, but I cannot promise anything. Tomorrow my private-jet, euh a big plane with a lot of other passengers..., will take-off direction: New-York . I will visit my little brother who is an intern-architect in Brooklyn.See you soon!Previously on La vie in English: Cheese-cake lollipops!
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[Daring bakers] Cheese cake pops!
2008-04-27 19:10:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethRare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaHi my dear fellow food lover friends, today is the day the secret society: Daring Bakers reveals April challenge. We, the Daring Bakers, prepared with love a very cute surprise for you: cheese cake pops. I must admit I was never found of cheese cake while living in California and was never touched by the French cheese cake frenzy trend. But as a docile member I tried this month recipe. I just replaced the vanilla extract by real vanilla, and it's a real taste booster, a little je ne sais quoi that makes me fall in love with this cheese cake recipe.I'm leaving tomorrow to visit my brother in Manhattan so I will give an other chance to American cheese cakes. I will keep you posted of course!I'm a very lucky girl because my friend Jeff brought me from La Reunion more than 30 vanilla pods! Also here in Antibes, France I was unable to find lollipops sticks, so I just cut in ...
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Chocolate chunk muffins
2008-04-23 12:16:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethRare cancer awareness: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaGod! it was difficult to come up with the ultimate, perfect chocolate chips or chunk muffins recipe. I did a lot of experiments in my tiny kitchen. We have in our apartment what is called in France: une cuisine américaine (American kitchen). It's a comic association once you know the size of American kitchen from each side of the ocean. In France an American kitchen is tiny place where only one slim person can cook, separated from the living room with a bar. And as you know in the US kitchens are huge some times as big as a bowling.So I tried many recipes with poor results: either the dough was too liquid to form nice rounded and cracked muffins, or too sweet, or even all the chips/chunks/fruits used sank to the bottom.I turned towards Nigella, the domestic goddess for help. She has a chocolate chips recipe, she knows what she's talking about, but (still one complaint)...
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Picnic/BBQ in Pégomas
2008-04-17 15:24:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethCharity: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaSunday we fled civilization! We went to Pégomas for a picnic/BBQ at our friend Jeff country shack. We merrily celebrated Jeff comeback from his service tour abroad and the arrival of spring.Jeff is a very special friend for me, he's the one who carried the umbrella, my kaki and vervain provider.We hit the road directions the country side (l'arrière-pays) with 2 big wicker baskets full of food provisions.Our menu was: brad beans and arugula salad, small purple artichokes, tapenade (puréed olives), Corsican charcuteries, lamb skewers, baked potatoes en robe des champs (meaning baked under the embers).
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A cookbook I cherish
2008-04-15 18:04:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethCharity: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaAnne a foodie blogger friend of mine launched a game few days ago: what is your favorite cookbook? Well it's a very tricky question. I stared at my cookbooks collection very puzzled. Which one to pick?? I love all of them, to a certain extent of course. Some I won through various games are not keepers, but I won't name names.I have some old ladies living on my shelves, but I though that they aren't game materials at least for this time. I wanted to pick a cookbook that everybody would be able to find without spending all week-ends till fall browsing yard-sales.My pick is: Supernatural cooking by Heidi Swanson, a pleasant healthy Californian writing 101cookbooks blog.I already tested her animal crackers (here).Previously on La vie in English: 2 gingers maple-glazed salmon
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2 gingers maple-glazed salmon
2008-04-14 16:08:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethCharity: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaUntil recently, in my cooking world maple syrup was only good for drowning pancakes at breakfast. I know it's not particularly healthy since it's pure sugar but I love to sponge maple syrup with my pancakes. After few trips to Quebec with Mathieu I discovered a lot more in the maple syrup department. Maple syrup can be used on smoked ham, on roasted meat or fish and even to sweeten yogurts. I'm even thinking to use it as replacement sugar in muffins.Micheline, Mathieu's mother-in-law, in a way my second mother-in-law, sent me by emails few typical Quebec recipes. Here, I'm presenting you the first one I tried at home: 2 gingers maple-glazed salmon, it's a keeper!Ingredients:-2 skinless salmon steaks-1/4 cup of maple syrup-3 tbs of fresh grated ginger (alternatively use powered ginger)-3 tbs of lemon juice-1 tbs soy sauce-marinated ginger (can be find at any Asian supermarket)-sesam...
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Staub great bargain deal tomorrow!
2008-04-11 18:13:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethCharity: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaTomorrow , Saturday 12th of April at 9 o'clock on vente-privée, a shopping web-site, there's a super Staub sale (outlet prices).Staub is a cast-iron pots maker, the concurrent of Le Creuset. On the same shopping web-site you may recall that few weeks ago I told you about a Le Creuset super deal sale. Last time I was not quick enough to make up my mind and chose, so when I sure of the color and the size of the cast-iron pot I wanted they were all gone. Hope this time my brain will work faster!You need to be a member to shop on vente-privée, here an invitation from me to become one.(I've noticed today, April 16th, that the invitation link is broken. They're doing some upgrades on the site. You can still get an invitation, just drop me an email at: cuisinedebabeth[at]gmail[dot]com with your email address and I will add you to the list of happy customers!)Previously on La vie in Engli...
More About: Great , Bargain , Deal

Quinoa mixed berry muffins
2008-04-10 20:33:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethCharity: about cancer don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaMuffins and cookies are typical American snacks for me. When I was living in the US, I went crazy for cookies (fresh ones of course) and muffins. My favorite muffins were -and still are-: poppy seeds, chocolate chunks or chips and blueberries. As much as cookies are super easy to make, muffins are tricky to bake. Yes, those good-hearted muffins can be fiddly to prepare.For perfect muffins: rounded, golden, tender with a pebby top, there's 2 rules to respect:1- use oil instead of butter. Butter is composed only of 80% of butterfat the rest is solid milk and water. Fat helps to have moist muffins. If you're really not keen on oil use clarified butter.2- don't over mix. Leave your Kitchenaid or any other stand mixer in your cupboard. A lumpy batter will make the best muffins.Ingredients:-1 cup all purpose-flour-1 cup of quinoa flour-3/4 cup sugar-1 rounded teaspoon of baking...
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Scoop: scook!
2008-04-06 17:09:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethCharity: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaWhen the only 3-star woman chef opens her very own cooking school it's a mouth watering promise. At the program: being a chef for one night: a one-and-one lesson with a real chef to prepare a feast for your friends. How yummy is that?For more go to scook web siteScook243 avenue Victor Hugo26000 Valenceph:04.75.44.92.30sales@pic-valence .comPicture: Jeff Nalin
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Carrot and turnip pork roast
2008-04-04 14:32:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethCharity: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaA few weeks ago we spent a lovely week-end in Paris at our friends Rico and Frida's place. Rico and Frida are just nicknames, I cannot tell you their real names because bounty hunters are after them! Their crime, if it's one, too much kindness!Our Parisian week-end program: a bike rid in Montmartre district using the wonderful velib' service, a play, a visit to Paris' flea market and the Sunday roast. If you had read my post in French I named the recipe The Z' roast, an obscure reference to the time Rico and me spent preparing University entry exams together.His pork roast was splendid, moist, tasteful and the veggies were literally melting in the mouth.Ingredients:- pork roast- 4 big carrots- 2 turnips (the smaller they are the tender they are)- sunflower oil- pepper seeds- khoser salt- 2 bay leaves- white wineDirections:1- Peel and thinly cut the veggies.2- Heat some sunflower oil...
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Le Creuset great bargain deal tomorrow
2008-03-29 20:02:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethCharity: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaA girl never has enough shoes nor Le Creuset cast iron pots. Yes, yes trust me on that.Le Creuset is the Rolls Royce of cast iron pots, but oh God! they're not cheap ... unfortunately just like Rolls Royce cars.Tomorrow , Sunday 30th of March on vente-privée, a shopping web-site, there's a super Le Creuset sale (outlet prices). So tomorrow morning connect at 9 o'clock (yep I know my dear foody friends it's very early, even more because you may have forgot, but tomorrow we switch to day light saving times).You need to be a member to shop on vente-privée, here an invitation from me to become one.(I've noticed today, April 16th, that the invitation link is broken. They're doing some upgrades on the site. You can still get an invitation, just drop me an email at: cuisinedebabeth[at]gmail[dot]com with your email address and I will add you to the list of happy customers!)PS: please le...
More About: Great , Bargain , Deal

Cherry blossom and mochis recipe
2008-03-27 14:26:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethCharity: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaIn the land of the rising sun, spring is awaited with a quasi-religious fervor. Japaneses from around the world as well as a few conoisseurs are actively following the blossoming of the "sakuras", the cherry trees, and even plan their trip back home around that magical time. Timing is critical since the blossom last only a few days; yet it is quite hard to predict accurately since it depends on so many factors. Scientific build advanced predictions models and weather forecasts track the arrival of the "blossom front", the beggining of the week of bliss when the trees are filled with little pink flowers.The first time I heard about this event was a few years ago while I was working in California and where I had a lot of Japanese coworkers. My colleagues were outdoing each other with their finest predictions and in no time the office was deserted as all my Japanese friends had left in a pi...
More About: Recipe , Cherry Blossom , Cherry

Easter chump lamb with rosemary and roasted potatoes
2008-03-23 17:18:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethImportant: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaI wish you all an happy Easter ! We had a pretty classical Easter Sunday: our day started at the farmers market, then a visit to our butcher and baker. We went really early (that may not be early for you but for us it was) in order to be ready for 11 o'clock Easter mass. And today no way to be late for mass. In France it's quite a tradition to be late at mass, except for my Grand-Dad but he was in the Army so he's never ever late, a way of life. We even planned to arrive a bit early. On regular Sundays in churches all over France, even when really late you can still get a seats but not so for Christmas or Easter where you are quite likely to be left standing. Our church doesn't waive to that principle. Before we left for church I had time to prepare our dessert: a cinnamon apple pie.When we got back we didn't waste any time. We peeled and cut the potatoes, potatoes with a charmi...
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Happy macaron-day!
2008-03-20 20:45:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethImportant: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaI have a huge announcement to make: today, March 20th is macaron's day. Pierre Hermé, pastry chef royalty, decreeted so and he didn't have to persuade us. Macaron is super chic, trendy and even posh. Kirsten Dunst alias Marie-Antoinette was on a macaron-only diet in Sofia Coppola movie.If you're in LA, check out Paulette macaron shop.So at Pierre Hermé's boutique, today he offers us 3 macarons, and you can buy a special strawberry-chocolate one. All the profits will be given to the French orphan diseases association.Check as well the beat sarcoma awareness post here.You can try macarons at home, check here (sorry in French, I need more time to translate for you my macarons' recipe in English).
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Making-off my first cooking video!
2008-03-19 12:34:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethImportant: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaAt the end of February I was invited to shoot a video clip, no not for the new rap music royalty but to prepare a recipe with the author of it in front of a camera. The video is part of a mini-serie for marmiton the first recipes directory in French. I used to browse trough it to find French classical recipes while I was living in California. So on February 23rd I jumped into my private jet, en route to Paris. The crew was really delightful, super pro and at the same time relaxed, no stress. I even at the chance to discuss photography, leica cameras and white balance with them.We were 8 in a Parisian apartment transformed for the occasion into a movie set. 1 journalist Cyril (the guy in the black shirt), the cookbook author, 4 cameramen and 2 normal girls Marie and me. I was thrilled to be there and very curious to see the other side of the picture.We spent 3 hours in that movie s...
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The ultimate brownie recipe
2008-03-14 17:45:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethImportant: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaSpring got re-elected without any trouble. Spring is already working hard here in Antibes: birds are twittering and the delicate jasmine perfume lazily overruns the alleys of the city (a smell much more posh than the mimosa's one). Even with the return of colorful butterflies I was in desperate need for comfort, without any alcohol beverage help. My working from home status will lose one word ...I know 2 very comforting activities: buying a new pair of shoes and eating chocolate. This time I picked the second one. I turned to my Mum's brownie.Here, only for you the recipe:Ingredients:-6 oz of bittersweet baking chocolate-3oz of butter-6oz of sugar-4.5oz of flour-2 eggs-1 tbsp of almond purée-1 pinch of saltDirections:1- Melt together the butter and chocolate using the double-boiler method. And if you're in a lazy mood you can skip the double-boiler. You just need to melt the butte...
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Brussels sprouts and red quinoa cassolettes
2008-03-10 12:06:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethImportant: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaTo end with honors and fireworks our epic series on Brussels sprouts A-lister, After the first episode: mini-muffins, the sequel: cabbages wedding between Roma and Brussels here's the final chapter of our trilogy: Brussels sprouts quinoa cassolettes.Ingredients: (serving 2 cassolettes)- 1 cup of red quinoa-6 Brussels sprouts-Grated Parmigiano Reggiano-butter-celery salt-lemon juice-fleur de sel, or kosher saltDirections:1- Trim, wash and cut in quarters (or even smaller) the Brussels sprouts.2- Heat some butter in a skillet and the Brussels sprouts with celery salt and sauteed for 20 minutes at low or medium heat. (they should not become brown). Set aside.3- Cook the quinoa following the directions on the box.4- Butter the cassolettes pans and dd a layer of Brussels sprouts and a layer of quinoa. Cover with grated parmesan.5- Bake in the oven for few minutes until the cheese melts and...
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Cabbages wedding between Roma and Bruxelles
2008-03-07 19:38:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethImportant: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaAs promise I'm proud to announce the comeback of Brussels sprouts on this blog. This time our tiny veggie teams up with a very chic fellow: Roma nesco broccoli.This vibrant bright green veggie with its spiral pattern is the living proof of fractals just like snow flakes.It makes very classy decorations in a plate and its smooth texture is like silk in your palate.Here a sautéed veggies' wedding:Ingredients: (serving 2)-1 cup of basmati rice-miso broth-1/2 cup of lardons (bacon bits)-1/2 Romanesco broccoli- 6 Brussels sprouts-Brussels sproutsDirections:1- Bring water + miso broth to boil. Add the rice.2- Wash the veggies, trim their ends and remove the yellow leaves. Quarter them.3- Cooked the lardons in a pan. Set aside.4- 5 minutes before the end of rice cooking time add the veggies to the water.6- Drain the water.7- Sautéed the rice+veggies with the lardons in a pan for few minute...
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Endroit, lounge bar in Antibes
2008-03-06 16:53:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethImportant: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaAfter a flower-menu base restaurant, a wine bar and the best Italian in Antibes here a great lounde bar address.L'Endroit (the place in French) is a trendy lounge bar where Antibes' happy fews gather, located in the old Antibes village (la vieille ville). Well until last week it was only a bar. I discovered that you can also have diner there. I was having a drink with friends after diner -by the way l'Endroit gave you some great stuff to nibble on: veggies and dips- when my friends P and C suggested that we just forget about our pizza plan and stay for diner.Well the food really came as a surprise! We had duck with ... vanilla ice-cream, very unusal but my palette really enjoyed that mix. And you should leave room for dessert: their chocolate cake with raspberry sauce, to-die-for!L'endroit29 rue Aubernon06600 Antibes
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Husband in the kitchen: Apple Tarte Tatin
2008-03-05 17:38:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethImportant: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaAs far as guys go, I am pretty average when it comes to the kitchen: I don't cook a lot and I keep it simple. I have few specialties and I tend to do them over and over. One of these is Tarte Tatin, the reversed-caramel-apple-pie. When I moved in with Babeth, I moved my tools, my snowboard and my pile of useless electronics as any self-respecting guy would. But I also contributed a Tarte Tatin pan to the household. As I was sharing a house before, I didn't have much in terms of cooking ware, no pots, no skillets, but I had a Tatin pan. Go figure. So here it is: the delicious yet simple Tarte Tatin recipe! Ingredients:- 5 big Apple s (I like the "Pink Lady" type because they don't disintegrate in the pie, "Golden Delicious" are also great) - 5 oz Butter- 6 oz Sugar- 7 oz of puff pastry/pie crust- You'll also need a high-rise frying pan which goes on stovetops and in the oven. Prep...
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Poets' liquor
2008-03-04 13:30:00
Important: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaPoets ' liquor is back on the shelves. I 'm talking about absinthe, the beautiful and ever-changing green color alcohol beverage that was very popular back in the 19th century.Painters, poets and writers were looking for inspiration with help of Absinthe fairy lady.Absinthe by Degas:The liquor was banned and surrounded by a lot of beliefs. It's supposed to be mysterious and addictive and mind blinder, but today with modern techniques the liquor is safe to drink -in moderation, but like any alcoholic beverages.What I really like is all the ceremonials around and the vintage touch of it. You need to have a special spoon and it's better to have the right glass and a little water fountain. You put the spoon on top of the glass with a sugar on it. You pour slowly water to the absinthe through the sugar. The liquid will change color.Oscar Wilde was an absinthe drinker and once said:“Absinthe has a wonderful colour, green. A glass of...
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[Daring Bakers] Julia Child's French bread
2008-02-29 15:58:00
Important: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaHere again I will be all about the secret society: the Daring Bakers to name it.February challenge was a great one (but aren't they all great and challenging anyway?). This month recipe was the Julia Child French bread. Well yes the greatest, the goddess of cooking: Julia Child you read me correctly. When I recipe my secret mission I was reading -no kidding- her biography: Appetite for life. The other very challenging part of the mission was: French bread!!! As you may know I'm 100% French and living in France, so I know a lot about good and bad breads.Our hostesses for February are: Mary from "the sour dough" and Sara from "I like to cook"Here my bread:and the recipe:Pain Francais (French Bread )(From Mastering the Art of French Cooking: Volume Two by Julia Child and Simone Beck)Daring Bakers Challenge #16: February 2008Recipe Quantity:3 - baguettes (24” x 2”) or batards (16” x 3”) or6 – short loaves, ficelles, 12 ...

Heidi's crackers
2008-02-26 23:30:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethImportant: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaDo you know Heidi and her 101 cookbooks? She's the Californian woman behind 101cookbooks.com blog. She's sharing with her readers very original and healthy recipes and stunning pictures.I must recommend her poppy seeds pancakes, they're not FDA approved but they're Mathieu approved, it's even better. I didn't have buttermilk (kind of tricky to find here in France) so I replace it with a plain yogurt and half of the proportion of the buttermilk by regular milk.At the beginning of the year I bought on amazon her book: Super natural cooking, a great bible for organic cooking with a twist.I want to share on jewel of her book: her animal crackers, with my twists.-Japanese crackers-Provence crackers- and sweet versionsIngredients:-1 package of won-ton skins wrappers-1 egg-1 big spoon of heavy cream-cookies cuttersDirections:1- Combine the egg and cream in a bowl.2- Cut the won-ton wr...
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Japanese crackers
2008-02-26 23:21:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethImportant: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaTravel to Japan with the diet menu :-)Ingredients:-here the plain crakers recipe-poppy seeds-washabi-chips of nori (you can do it yourself with sushi sheets)-kosher saltDirections:1- Mix 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and a pinch of washabi.2-After following the plain crackers recipe directions (here), sprinkle on top of them some chips of nori and the salt mix.
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Crackers with a smell of Provence
2008-02-26 23:16:00
Note: French version is on La cuisine de BabethImportant: don't forget to check: Help beat sarcomaOlive oil and herbes de Provence I bet you smell Provence already!Ingredients:-here the plain crakers recipe-olive oil-herbes de ProvenceDirections:1-After following the plain crackers recipe directions (here), brush some olive oil on top of the cut won-ton skins and sprinkle some herbes de Provence.
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