tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36377502883668002672011-10-10T20:36:51.611+02:00Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.comBlogger481100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-6178653315137913902011-03-29T18:15:00.001+02:002011-03-29T18:16:26.664+02:00

For those of us constantly looking for ideas to feed more than four people successfully, here is a great recipe that I made last week. Served with a salad and a fresh baguette it is a crowd pleaser.  Vegetable Flan serves 8 250g green beans 1 small onion 2 slices of ham or bacon (optional)250g grated cheese 4 large eggs125 ml cream (creme liquid ou creme fraiche) 1 x 45g packet of dried soup

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-23403692394923262142011-03-29T10:02:00.004+02:002011-03-29T18:22:54.948+02:00

Biscuits...my love affair is growing. I wrote a while ago that I was getting back into biscuits. For a while I found them too time consuming in my little parisian kitchen. The french have a knack for making the most of every each of space. They have to - as in Paris many apartments are spatially challenged, to say the least. I have a friend who lives in 9m2 bedroom/bathroom/kitchen included. At

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-24015681203495159282011-02-18T19:52:00.000+01:002011-02-18T19:52:00.089+01:00

It can be a difficult thing to meet your neighbours in this city. I always think that when you move in your neighbours bake you cakes and come over to introduce themselves and say 'Welcome' to the neighbourhood/the floor/the apartment block. In this crowded city I realise that we live pretty close with our neighbours. With one set of neighbours we share the cries of their baby through our wall,

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-50709476277822442822011-02-15T17:37:00.001+01:002011-02-18T17:12:30.663+01:00

Within my circle of friends we often have people over for dinner. Not just one or two people, as a normal french person would do; mostly because everyone lives in such small apartments that anything over 4 people becomes spatially challenging. No, me and my friends seem to have 'large groups' of people; mostly because we have so many friends. I often get asked the question 'What can I cook?' , '

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-1459535677360207832011-02-08T10:47:00.000+01:002011-02-08T10:47:03.430+01:00

I was browsing through some of my favourite blogs the other day and following my whimsical fancy, clicking here and clicking there as I wanted, I happened upon this delicious looking idea for homemade bread.Heidi has a blog called 101 Cookbooks and manages to make healthy attractive and desirable. I love it. She was inspired from a friend of hers who made this bread. So I'm simply being another

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-82321138210186546812011-01-30T17:38:00.002+01:002011-01-30T17:48:35.593+01:00

It's Sunday afternoon. My handsome husband is napping and I am sitting looking out our window at the city bathed in the pale wintry sunlight, rereading my recipe notebook. There's a slight fog in the air and it reminds me of my childhood when the slight fog was the smoke from our log fire or in autumn of burning the leaves. It reminds me of Mum calling us in from the garden, fingers tingling with

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-2293206298021521402011-01-30T17:11:00.002+01:002011-01-30T17:47:42.436+01:00

Our friend M. came back over the Christmas period for a surprise visit. It was a good surprise. We had 'the gang' over for dinner, 10 people around our table. It was a good night, one of those nights that becomes a reference point sometime in the future. 'Don't you remember that dinner at their place, when M. came home?' It was everything a good night with friends should be. A lot of laughter

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-15427696037506793252011-01-16T19:00:00.000+01:002011-01-16T19:00:04.771+01:00

After the cold snap before Christmas we now have above average temperatures in January and the snow seems but a distant memory. Paris saw the worst snow for 20 years. I was happy to watch it from the window of my 15th floor apartment. Friends came for dinner that very same night and one of them had walked from work (no bus) for one hour just to get here. She arrived with frozen feet (no snow

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-67655863082340684082010-12-14T17:57:00.000+01:002010-12-14T17:57:42.790+01:00

I know, I can hear you muttering from here, 'Where has she been?'  It's been a while and of course I have some very good and valuable excuses. (I've had a long time to think of some!)We live a life of adventure. Since my last post we have moved apartments which seemed to consume every spare moment of September and October. First the packing, then the unpacking. We moved into an apartment double

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-52743175261484090992010-09-02T10:44:00.000+02:002010-09-02T10:44:11.535+02:00

I was pleasantly surprised (but I shouldn't have been) to see Mirabelles, small delicious golden stone fruit, in all the shops on our return to Paris after our holiday.  The season started while we were in Italy so I missed seeing their debut.  I remember from last year how they come into the markets and fruit shops near the end of summer/the beginning of the school year and when friends came to

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-91920885907100091182010-08-26T11:43:00.003+02:002010-08-26T11:47:31.967+02:00

We've been away on holiday hence the long gap between posts. We had a great time with family and exploring some of the beautiful countryside in this amazing country. We headed into the Alps and spent a week hiking and soaking in the calm and quiet of the mountains. It actually wasn't too silent as the cows and goats still wear bells around their necks and you can hear them from miles away.  We

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-64725500417808656432010-06-29T08:32:00.000+02:002010-06-29T08:32:20.864+02:00

This is a delicious recipe that takes hardly no time at all. I'm sure pure foodies will dispute my cooking method for risotto but when a busy working girl needs to eat, fold the washing, read her emails and save the world after work something has to give.  This fabulous way of cooking risotto is so simple and gives great results I'm sure you'll be convinced of changing. Or if making risotto has

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-23345815987633159542010-06-21T21:51:00.003+02:002010-06-29T08:32:50.524+02:00

It's been awhile I know. I'd like to tell you that it was because I was so busy cooking but alas no. It's more like work, the thing I do to help pay for the food we eat, that has kept me out of the kitchen.   It's time to redress the balance! Just look at this gorgeous red tomato tart, would you?  Doesn't it make you want to eat one right now, or maybe tomorrow for dinner? It won't take you long

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-92189399550430664702010-05-17T16:22:00.002+02:002010-05-17T16:24:44.717+02:00

What a great night we had with the first of the Atelier de Cuisine A21 for May. 8 gorgeous people turned up for a night filled with fun and laughter and a lot of good food. Of course.Enjoy the photos - we hope you can join us at the next one - and the recipe, courtesy of Jon the chef, for the Tarte de Salade that is out-of-this-world good. The girls enjoying their hard work - Chocolate textured

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-76210313918376659902010-05-06T11:09:00.003+02:002010-05-06T11:17:16.515+02:00

After the fun of our last Cooking Workshop, thanks to the talents of Jon, we've organised three more for the month of May. I'm excited to have chef Ry join the cause and donate his time and talent to Atelier #3, and Adeline our master of macaroons for Atelier #2. I am very enthusiastic about the endless possibilities before us. As mentioned before all money from these workshops go to A21 to

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-47598285077388274032010-04-28T16:26:00.002+02:002010-05-17T16:30:11.150+02:00

The great debate is on. Is it time to change one's wardrobe from winter to summer? Is it too early?  Will I leave the house one crisp morning next week and wish my jumper was not vacuumed-packed in the basement? Typical parisian apartments are rather small and one is required to rotate winter and summer wardrobes as there is not usually enough room for a bigger closet.  In the kitchen my recipes

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-82644608429210266422010-04-17T20:34:00.000+02:002010-04-17T20:34:40.669+02:00

I love Saturdays. Don't you?  Today 6 of my lovely girlfriends came over for brunch.   On the menu : Bacon and eggs, Cherry and Vanilla jam + ricotta tartines, Lemon Basil muffins If you ever do a brunch you should include these Lemon Basil muffins on your table. My girlfriends asked to take home the ones we didn't eat. They are that good. Don't be put off by the ingredients. It's not everyday

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-8482492310883265512010-04-06T21:15:00.000+02:002010-04-06T21:15:16.247+02:00

Yes - it is possible to do both at once!  Several things have changed my life lately thanks to a book and video. Half the Sky is written by a husband and wife Pulitzer Prize winning team about the basic state of women in the world today. It has broken my heart and warmed my heart and made me laugh, cry and ache all at once. You must read it.The video is by Christine Caine about the organisation

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-50522900362823214932010-03-19T17:45:00.001+01:002010-03-19T17:45:52.550+01:00

Spring is finally coming! It's nearly here - officially it arrives on Sunday.  After a long winter it's a relief to feel a small warmth in the wind.  It doesn't bite through your jacket like it did all through December and January, and February come to think of it. The birds are singing songs in the trees as I walk home from the metro each evening.  Spring means summer.  Youpee! Red Pepper Sauce.

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-76846155039596318092010-03-13T13:06:00.000+01:002010-03-13T13:06:21.541+01:00

Dear Hélène, Here is the cake recipe that you asked for. Lovely P.S. even if your name is not Hélène you are more than welcome to try it.  Orange Syrup Cakeadapted from Kiwi chef Annabel Langbein 3/4 cup flour3/4 tsp baking powder (levure chimique)1/2 cup semolina1 cup ground almonds125g butter1 cup sugar1 tsp vanilla essence3 eggs60mls orange juiceSyrup1/2 cup water1/4 cup orange juice1/2 cup

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-24615070049709046382010-03-02T09:26:00.001+01:002010-03-15T16:23:53.284+01:00

Dear All, How are you this week? Did you get your ironing done? Are the dishes put away? Have you had time to make your bed yet? Please don't be afraid if you come over to visit. The ironing pile is hidden, we've shut the door to the bedroom mess and the dishes are clean (even if they are still on the bench). But that's the great thing about friends - we forgive each other if our house, life and

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-57612473346194011222010-02-22T22:53:00.002+01:002010-04-17T20:51:42.797+02:00

Our week looked a little like this : That would be more than one week's worth of ironing not done! No time. Too many other things to do.So Saturday morning merited a little 'bonheur'.  We had our lovely friends over for dinner on Friday night and while the oven was on, cooking the most delicious leg of lamb greek style, I whipped up this little treat for breakfast on Saturday morning.  Much

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-90856792705488773602010-02-18T22:36:00.001+01:002010-02-22T22:32:09.408+01:00

It's good to share success with your friends I think.  I like being happy for you when things go right and a good friend will stick around and share the suffering moments too. So, let me share some good news with you... I have learnt how to make mayonnaise. All by myself, without additives, without stabilizers, the real stuff. Simple I know, but oh how it tastes so good! I tried making

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-67001047563727268682010-02-15T17:54:00.000+01:002010-02-15T17:54:10.979+01:00

I know that Valentine's Day was on Sunday and that it's a bit late to make heart shaped biscuits for the precious people in your life. But - life doesn't always happen in order. Sometimes I wake up before my alarm. Sometimes my tea goes cold before I drink it. Sometimes your birthday present from me might arrive late. I watched Ice Age 3 before I watched Ice Age 2. So, you can make heart

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-43032041295007851142010-02-06T11:41:00.000+01:002010-02-06T11:41:08.146+01:00

Me and biscuits, we're back together. And I love them. And I think they love me. Biscuits are coming back into fashion in my kitchen.  Many years ago I decided that making biscuits was too time consuming and it was far better return-for-effort to make a cake or a tray slice. You are able to cook the whole thing at once and then cut it into pieces. Easy, fast. Biscuits however, require individual

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-36460220337671741662010-01-18T22:21:00.005+01:002010-02-06T11:42:56.975+01:00

Sometimes it's easy to imagine - there are monsters in the dark, everyone is looking at me when I walk into a room (for the wrong reasons),  And sometimes it's hard to imagine; that I'll ever get a promotion, that my hair will ever grow back fast enough, that fluro is back in fashion, and how these next two dishes taste so good without a photo to show me. But have a little faith.  A photo

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-11484187632324049572010-01-18T22:21:00.004+01:002010-02-06T11:42:25.422+01:00

Here is the second recipe to inspire your weekly meals. It's delicious. Trust me. The fish pie turned out ok didn't it? And without any further ado (drum roll please) here is your ticket to broccoli heaven (and because Lydia asked for it!) Lemon Broccoli Soup(adapted from the clever chefs at the New Covent Garden Soup Co. in London)Serves 4 15g butter1 small onion, chopped110g potato, peeled

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-16885040865526138882010-01-14T19:41:00.004+01:002010-02-22T22:58:56.672+01:00

At this time of year the markets in Paris are full of pumpkins, pears and apples. I love how this city follows the seasons. It adds a certain rhythm to life that you can depend on. The appearance of pears signals cold weather, and what better way to announce summer than the arrival of cherries and strawberries. Having lived nearly 5 years in the U.K. I found that English supermarkets have lost

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-78230308436188282402010-01-06T15:31:00.003+01:002010-01-14T19:26:59.429+01:00

We were lucky enough to spend 5 days in Los Angeles just before Christmas. We found it a spacious city, at least compared to Paris. It seems that nobody walks, rather they drive. Hence the roads are mildy busy (if you discount the freeways. We happened to get stuck in 2 hours of freeway jam) and the lovely wide pavements are void of people. Starbucks is EVERYWHERE, as are neon signs and

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-40162250534712047762009-12-15T13:48:00.000+01:002009-12-15T13:48:19.095+01:00

Merci Adeline! xox

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-89240341280943086852009-12-14T23:04:00.004+01:002010-04-28T16:28:45.919+02:00

As I was saying on Friday I was at home baking up a storm for the three parties on Saturday. I shared with you the truffles that I was making and I just couldn't not share with you the cupcake recipe.  Everyone, well everyone that I watched, who ate them murmured with delight and if it wasn't the middle of the silly season of overeating I'm sure everyone wouldv'e taken a second and/or a third

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-72921882632954695222009-12-11T16:26:00.004+01:002009-12-11T16:27:18.866+01:00

There is another strike on the trains! Hardly surprising during the months of November and December in France. The schools, the post office, the train drivers and even the Police have striked this year. It's the RER A again today, since yesterday, and it's all over a 4% pay rise (among other things).  I couldn't get to work this afternoon because every single train was cancelled. Sorry kids -

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-33487620897678243742009-12-05T13:05:00.000+01:002009-12-05T13:05:18.784+01:00

I just wanted to share autumn with you. I love this time of year. lots of love L x

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-84798546249959122732009-12-05T12:51:00.001+01:002009-12-05T12:57:06.869+01:00

Here it is - perhaps the 'piece de resistance' from my kitchen this season. I was flicking through some food magazines, entertaining myself while it poured with rain outside our Paris apartment. I wish I could tell you the fire was roaring and the cat was purring but that would be dreaming in a 35m sq apartment in central Paris.  However the heating was on and I was curled up under a rug on our

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-14423330276711351022009-11-28T18:20:00.001+01:002009-11-28T18:21:44.945+01:00

It's a good thing to eat seasonally but inevitably there will be a glut of one kind of vegetable or fruit and at the end of two weeks you are ready to vow that you will never eat it again.  It is pretty hard to escape the pumpkin at this time of year. That and cabbage.  Last week I headed East and made a Pumpkin lakhsa. Next week I'm planning to make Pumpkin and Ginger cupcakes but this week

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-81614686147063817072009-11-14T16:52:00.004+01:002009-12-11T15:37:08.815+01:00

Having done a cupboard inventory recently I realised that I had a large amount of cupboard space devoted to spices. I buy my spices in bulk and then need to store them in accumulated glass jars of various shapes and sizes.  Because they are different shapes they often don't sit side by side uniformly on the shelf, hence the reason they take up a lot of room.  I found my jars of seeds and so I was

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-23919195809584829252009-11-11T14:49:00.002+01:002010-09-02T15:28:06.233+02:00

I made this cake for my husband who has a particular weakness for anything rum and raisin flavoured. He stops at nothing - ice cream, rice pudding, semoule au lait and we discovered Les Petits Muffins raisin au rhum from Bonne Maman the other day. What a treat! It inspired a baking session after work one day not long after. I started with a recipe for a date, ginger and honey cake and ended up

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-61626730386292758762009-11-09T17:52:00.007+01:002009-11-11T14:47:56.467+01:00

It's autumn and autumn means soup. Whenever the weather turns colder I discover a childlike adoration for hot soup. There is something about coming in from the cold and being warmed up from the inside out with a bowl of soup. Soup is usually filled with vegetables and vitamins which adds to it's appeal. I feel like I am 'souping-up' my defenses against winter illness. Here is a tasty number

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-10186861744415588292009-10-24T18:47:00.008+02:002009-10-24T19:01:40.534+02:00

I had a tin of carrots living in my cupboard. I'm not sure why I bought them because I'm not usually into buying tinned vegetables. The other night I decided to add them to our dinner menu of pasta (late night dinner after a long day at work). I took down the tin of carrots waiting for some inspiration on how to eat them.....What transpired was a rather delicious asian flavoured dish of healthy

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-63695213773516772342009-10-12T21:10:00.007+02:002009-10-12T21:16:07.966+02:00

Look at these beautiful girls having a go at knitting. A group of us got together, some could knit, some couldn't. By the end of the afternoon everyone left home with something accomplished. It's given me inspiration to finish my vest that has sat, for the summer, in my knitting bag.

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-78633543486974713382009-10-06T22:50:00.002+02:002009-10-06T23:17:45.970+02:00

I have been waiting for Perfection. And now I'm giving up. Perfection is late and I must get on with things. I have been kept waiting long enough. As a good friend of mine, Grant Erskine, pointed out tonight, perfectionism is to be focussed on the way or the manner of doing something. I have discovered that this more 'task focussed' style of thinking actually drains some of the fun out of life.

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-86749411013892002002009-06-03T18:53:00.009+02:002009-06-08T12:05:47.457+02:00

I have children. Although we've been married for 8 months (feels longer than that!), I have two of them. They are kind that I keep for 6 hours and then give back at the end of the day. Two precious wee souls who sometimes I tuck into bed at night and sing songs to, and then leave for my own home where there are no toys to trip on or homework to be done. I pick them up from school the next day and

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-54123171547011591102009-06-01T20:03:00.009+02:002009-06-01T20:33:33.274+02:00

It's warmer here now. I like that. I like the feel of the air on my skin and the sun on my face. I was born for such a time as this - summer.  I went out running the other day in the early morning. It's my favourite time of the day; when the world is waking up and birds have the parks to themselves.  Our closest 'park' has no grass so I'm not so sure it fits the bill as an official park, but it's

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-774749099857887752009-05-10T21:04:00.015+02:002009-12-11T18:15:53.546+01:00

I was inspired by Joy the Bakers gorgeous banana bread. It had nothing to do with the fact she described it along the lines as 'healthy' and 'I'm getting my summer body ready'.  We LOVED the banana bread for breakfast and since we live in Europe we were culturally obligated to eat it with Nutella. I'm pretty sure that cancelled out any low-fat efforts we might have made in making this

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-22020615926516393422009-04-27T12:22:00.019+02:002009-06-03T23:04:47.204+02:00

Well - as they say - the proof IS in the eating. And what did the jury say?  They loved it! No sacrilege committed and the surprised worked a treat. Dad-in-law was suitable speechless when we knocked on the door at 11.30pm Friday night.  We had a great weekend with the family and came back to Paris feeling rejuvenated ready for another week at near break-neck speed. But that's why we love our

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-74484659875272170402009-04-23T22:38:00.007+02:002009-04-23T23:28:24.705+02:00

It's 10.40pm and the oven has just turned off. Sitting on the bench top, filling the apartment with warm rum scented smells, is my latest discovery. Tiramisu bars. Imagine a coffee biscuit base layered with rum and vanilla cheesecake, baked until just set in the middle, finished off with a layer of 72% dark chocolate. I'm so excited I haven't even taken photos of it yet. Literally - it's just out

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-23746803174911591822009-04-19T18:19:00.008+02:002009-05-02T22:44:27.571+02:00

I am normally the kind of person who takes a long time to make decisions. It's not that I don't like making decisions. Some decisions I like. I like to decide who I listen to, I like to decide between action or romantic comedy, for example. It's just that sometimes I like to take my time to make decisions; to know what I am buying, to what I am agreeing to. Réfléchir, the french say.The gem of

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637750288366800267.post-10071117365715279832009-04-17T17:33:00.008+02:002009-04-19T18:18:37.433+02:00

What better way to end the week than having good friends over for dinner. Wine, laughter, a bit of serious conversation and bit of not so serious conversation to balance out the evening. I have not cooked with crab with very often. In fact, never. Despite growing up on an island nation surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea, it never did feature on our childhood menu. I bought a tin

Lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890021236744604930noreply@blogger.com0