Literally translated, Crème Brûlée means Burnt Cream, but the way the French say it is much more romantic.  A rich, creamy vanilla custard topped with a layer of hard caramel, that is literally, scorched sugar.

What better way to bring romance to the table than to break out the blow torch and burn a little sugar?! 

This is a dessert we often share, each of us coveting the bits of bitter-sweet caramel crunch, competing for the last scoop of sweet custard.  Enjoying each creamy mouthful; the cool custard, the hot caramel the contrast, the sexy smoothness.

This is the base for our Valentine's Day dessert feature, a beautiful classic, which we're featuring with a bit of a twist; but first we give you the basic recipe for Crème Brûlée, with a couple of tips from Chef B to ensure perfection.

First, start with real cream, the 35% stuff don't try to skinny-up this recipe by using half and half, it contains too much water and that will make your custard break.   Go full fat, then add a great quality vanilla; either a vanilla bean or a real vanilla bean paste.

You want to SEE the gains of vanilla, it should tint the cream to a hue of soft beige, speckled with dark, rich vanilla bean.

Next, cream the egg yokes with sugar, lightly whisking until it is a creamy, buttery yellow, then set the whisk aside.

Bubbles are the mortal enemy of Crème Brûlée, as you add the warm cream to the cold egg mixture, don't whisk.  Instead gently stir with a spatula or wooden spoon as you combine the custard to a smooth, even texture

There is a fine line between cooked custard and sweetened scrambled eggs, so add the cream slowly to the the yokes so you don't COOK them.  If you notice a curdy texture, you're hooped.  A couple of fine curds you can remove by passing through a fine sieve, but big chunky curds... you've got breakfast, not dessert.  "Chunky" is not an adjective that applies to Crème Brûlée, if the custard is rough, you go back to square one and start again.

Go slow, don't rush the custard.  Think... foreplay.

As you pour your custard into the baking dishes, you may notice a few bubbles on the top.  To eliminate them, grab your barbecue lighter and gently fan the flame across the top, this will burst the bubbles and leave the surface smooth.

The other area where you want to avoid bubbling, is in the oven, you do not want to bring the custard to a boil, because it will separate and break the custard giving you, once again; scrambled eggs.  Instead, lower your temperature (to 280*F) and cook longer.  You know they're done when the top is springy to the touch and the centre is still slightly jiggly.

Once it's baked, smooth and cooled sufficiently in the fridge, apply a coat of sugar on the top.  Spread it with your fingertips so that the distribution of sugar is even.

Now is time for the fun part, a little flame to the top of the sugar to melt and caramelize it so it colours to a sweet amber and forms a hard candy shell on the top.  Purists would insist that some portion of the middle be coloured a deeper, mahogany; burning the sugar for that slight bitterness that creates the greatest contrast of flavour and gives the dish it's name.

No need for the oxy-acetylene fellas, a hand torch will do... it's burnt, not incinerated.

Crème Brûlée  Recipe

Prep time: 35 minutes
Cooking time: 50 - 60 minutes
Serves: 6

3 cups heavy cream (35% milk fat)
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
(or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste)
1/2 cup sugar
6 large egg yolks
plus 1/4 cup of sugar to finish your caramel

Method:

Preheat the oven to 280*F

1. Start with the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan, over medium-high heat and bring to a low boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove vanilla bean.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it should be a creamy yellow.  Add the warm cream, a little at a time, stirring constantly, with a spoon or spatula.
3. Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins.  Place the ramekins in a large cake pan or roasting pan, deep enough to accommodate hot water halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Pour boiling water, carefully around the ramekins.  Bake just until the Crème Brûlée is set, but still trembles in the center when moved slightly, approximately 45 - 60 minutes (or until it's done).
4. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
5. Remove Crème Brûlée from the refrigerator and allow to stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes.  Add approximately 1 tablespoon of sugar to the top of the cold custard, spread evenly with fingertip.   Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top of amber-brown caramel, scorched slightly.  Allow the  to sit 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

French tradition states that the caramel should be so firmly set that the spoon will stand erect in the dish as it's presented at the table.

Share (passionately) with someone you love.
Happy Valentine's Day Foodie Gypsies.

French Blinis, the small yeast risen pancakes served with caviar.  I mean, of course dahhhhhling, toast points are sooooo last year.

A brief follow up to last week's Beginners Guide to Caviar and Chef B's list of do's and dont's (which I'm sure you have pasted on your fridge by now).  He insists you must have a recipe for what he calls  "tiny little Louis Vuitton caviar pillows".  

I'll be honest, I quite fell in love with Blinis; light and delicate and I bet they'd be great for breakfast with jam.  (don't tell him I said that...)

This is the French version of the classic Blinis, using all purpose flour as opposed to buckwheat flour used in the Russian version, making them lighter still.

Being a European recipe it is in metric, I've converted for my North American readers, by reverse engineering and weighing each ingredient so that this would be as accurate as possible.  If in doubt, just remember that the end result should be resemble pancake batter.

French Blinis Recipe
(recipe source: www.aftouch-cuisine.com )

160 grams flour  (1 cup)
2 eggs, separated
200 milliliters  milk, lukewarm (3/4 cup + 3 tablespoons)
50 milliliters 18% cream (3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon)
20 grams dry, active yeast (2 tablespoons)
5 grams salt (1 teaspoon)
5 grams sugar (1 teaspoon)

Oil for cooking

Method:

1.  In a medium sized bowl combine egg yokes, cream & warm milk until well mixed.
2. In a large bowl add flour, create a well in the center of the flour, add yeast to the well plus the egg yoke/milk mixture from the first bowl and combine until smooth.  Add sugar & salt, whisk lightly to mix.  Cover entire bowl with warm, damp kitchen towel 0r plastic wrap.  Allow to rise for an hour to 90 minutes at room temperature.
3. In large bowl, whisk eggs whites to firm peaks, gently fold into risen batter so as not to break the bubbles.
4. Saute in heavy bottomed pan over medium heat.  Blinis should be about 2 inches in diameter, and golden brown on both sides.  Remove from pan and cool on paper towel to absorb an excess oil.  Serve at room temperature (or slightly warm) with caviar and your choice of condiments.  Enjoy.

Yeah, about the eggs, just kidding.  Old kitchen hazing ritual, send newbies out looking for impossible items and see how long it takes them to catch on.  "Has anyone seen my banana bender?!"  Had you going there for a minute now didn't I? (*insert winky-face icon here*)

Just seeing if you're paying attention.   (Rule of thumb: Always read a recipe all the way through before you start.)

Golden brown...

 A little weekend extra from Food Gypsy, Celebrating the Epiphany with La galette des Rois - (the cake or "wafer" of the Kings), a charming bit of food culture from France.

"Traditionally sold and consumed a few days before and after this date. In modern France, the cakes can be found in most bakeries during the month of January.  Two versions exist: in northern France the cake (which can be either circular or rectangular) consists of flaky puff pastry layers with a dense center of frangipane.  In the south of France, particularly in Occitania and Roussillon, the cake, called gâteau des rois or royaume, is a torus-shaped brioche with candied fruits, very similar to the Catalan tortell. This version of the cake originates in Provence and predates the northern version.

Tradition holds that the cake is “to draw the kings” to the Epiphany.  A figurine, la fève, which can represent anything from a car to a cartoon character, is hidden in the cake and the person who finds the trinket in their slice becomes king for the day and will have to offer the next cake.  Originally, la fève was literally a broad bean (fève), but it was replaced in 1870 by a variety of figurines out of porcelain or—more recently—plastic.   These figurines have become popular collectibles and can often be bought separately.

Individual bakeries may offer a specialized line of fèves depicting diverse themes from great works of art to classic movie stars and popular cartoon characters.  The cakes are usually sold in special bags, some of which can be used to heat the cake in a microwave without ruining the crispness of the cake.   A paper crown is included with the cake to crown the "king" who finds the fève in their piece of cake. To ensure a random distribution of the cake shares, it is traditional for the youngest person to place themselves under the table and name the recipient of the share which is indicated by the person in charge of the service." --- Source www.wikipedia.org

Yes, I copied and pasted this, I've never been to France, what do I know (though I do see a trip in my future).

These photos were taken during last year's Epiphany at Philouze, a lovely little bakery in Gatineau, QC.   Chef B has a religious experience every time he steps food inside.  Very authentic, very French.

Philouze Boulanger Pâtissier
811 Boulevard Saint-René Ouest, Gatineau, QC
(819) 561-8062 ‎

Not La galette des Rois but just looking at it make me feel like a king!

Thursday night and the phone rings, a familiar voice from the past and a local phone number. OH MY GOD, you're in town?! Come on over, I have Boeuf Bourguignon in the oven!  Best impromptu dinner party line ever, and something I’ve never said in my life, before last night.

There was a time when French food was intimidating, a time when a recipe with more than five steps and two hours would have me turn the page, but that was before a semester at ‘Fancy French Cooking School’.  Now a moment or two between the pages of 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking' with Julia Child and a glass of wine to steady the nerves, I’m a braising fool.

‘Fool’ truly is the operative word here. You’re either brave or foolish if you tackle a recipe you’ve never swung at in your life (and never had the pleasure of consuming by-the-way) as a Thursday night surprise for your Honey.  Your French Honey.  Your French-Chef-former-Cordon-Bleu-Instructor-born-and-raised-in-Burgundy-where-his-Grandmother-was-a-Chef-and-this-was-her-signature-dish Honey, Chef B.

Reviewing Julia’s recipe, glass of wine in hand, I learn that Boeuf Bourguignon is beef stew made with red wine, in ten easy steps.  Ha, piece of cake!  I’m part Irish, Russian and Romanian I have stew in my blood.  My people were making stew out of the Romans before the French even thought of adding wine!  Pfffffftttttt.  Bring it. (Bravado compliments of wine.)

"Life itself is the proper binge." ~ Julia Child "I'm in!" ~ Gypsy

I announce my intentions via social media, friends gasp and hold their collective breath. “You’re BRAVE” says Nikoo. “What?! It’s STEW” says I (fortified by wine).  So begins the braising, sautéing and transferring of things in and out of a pot and that pot in and out of the oven, back and forth off the cook top.  In general the French complicate a great many things, can’t argue with the results though.

Flash forward three hours.

Friends, Tom & Cindy arrive and more wine flows.  In town to secure visas for their annual buying trip to the Far East, Tom McCai and Cindy Wilson operate one of Nova Scotia’s little treasures:  Far-Fetched Antiques & Art Gallery in Annapolis Royal.  Antiques, furnishings, art, collectables, anything that tickles their fancy, or is sufficiently shiny (read: jewellery); they truly are Gypsy kin (and responsible fore some of my favorite, HEAVY pieces).  Magnus, the bulldog, dances with delight to see familiar faces as I finish mushrooms in butter.

Tales are told, gossip is exchanged and merriment is made until (finally) dinner is served.  We dine fashionably late.  Chef B is home with a sick little girl and so his dinner is delivered to his door (surprise!) and I am back to my guests.

Tom & Cindy: “We should recommend this place on Trip Advisor!”

Ummm... OK, just make sure you get the apartment number right, my neighbor really IS a mad scientist.

Chef B’s adjudication (via facebook): "So, my Coco decides to surprise me with Boeuf Bourguignon (for those of you who do not know, I'm from burgundy), almost on the same day, two years after the passing of my Grandmother (which to my eyes will always be the Queen of Beef Bourguignon), and I must say that if Coco is simply willing to adjust a few things, and who can blame her, it probably was her first attempt, we just might have two Queens.  All that to say, very good My Coco. Thank you !!"

He had been a bit blue of late, thought a taste of home might lift his spirits. (SUCCESS.) I gather there are notes, wonder how much his Grandmother's recipe will differ from Julia's.  (Do you get notes on dinner at your house?!) Julia's recipe is widely published, and linked above, her method is clear and concise.  I was out of pearl onions, I'm sure that will be reviewed in my forthcoming notes from my Technical Adviser.  Note from the Gypsy Kitchen: Don’t be intimated by French food, dive in and have fun.  The best food is simple food (in ten easy steps) it’s JUST STEW.

Next up: Conquering Cassoulet.  What?  It's BEANS, sheesh.  (Note to self: buy wine.)

Even (badly) turned the potatoes. Now THAT is love...

The Chef in my life, was my first soufflé.  He souffléd me before long before we started dating, while I was a wide-eyed student who hung on his every word.  He soufflés so well, I’ve never actually souffléd myself.  He makes it look so easy.

So we're tasking Food Gypsy Technical Advisor, Chef Benoit Gelinotte (Chef B), to give us his best tips so you can soufflé like you've never  souffléd before, this holiday season.    Starting with a little sugar and spice --- the Chipotle Chocolate Soufflé.

His first advice:  "Make sure there is absolutely no yoke mixed in with the egg whites when you separate them."  As his sous chef, that’s my job, I separate over a smaller bowl one-by-one,  just in case.  I am also permitted to grease the moulds with butter and shaved chocolate, he then commandeers my kitchen while I open the wine.

During a recent get together, we all sat spellbound as we watched him revive the batter from a ceased, chocolaty mass.  "Don't try this at home!" he insists and I must agree, it's a tricky move involving adding more fat (in the form of cream) and then your batter may be off in consistency.

Better bet; don't allow your batter to cool and solidify while you consume wine.  Measure in advance, so can move through the recipe in one shot and get those soufflés in the oven (in minutes) even when you have company.  I mean, who doesn't love a live soufflé show?

"Be sure your egg whites are firm, forming stiff peaks.  Then add to the chocolate batter 1/3 at a time, folding gently until smooth."  The bubbles in those egg whites are important, they make the soufflé rise.  So we fold them with a spatula rather than breaking them with a whisk.

One of his best soufflé  tricks, his signature move: 'the thumb drag'.

"Take your thumb and remove all the butter and chocolate from above the souffle, dragging the tip of your thumb, slightly in the batter..."

This leaves the sides of the ramekin clean and creates a ¼ inch trench in the batter, causing the soufflé to raise straight up and not spill over.  (No one likes a droopy soufflé.)

"Keep the oven door shut!"  No peeking, a sudden change in temperature could cause those little beauties to fall.  Once out of the oven, serve immediately.

“The soufflé waits for no one!  Stop taking pictures of it and EAT it.” ~ Chef B.

(He gets kind of cranky if the soufflé falls prematurely.)

Having considerably more soufflé experience than me (third timer) he has stronger opinions on these matters.  In a private moment, when our guests had gone he voiced his feeling on the performance of a recipe that was not his own.  “It was too cakey, not light and airy at all.  It was cake in a mould!”  

I like cake in a mould.  If it's your first souffle, I think you'll find it performs well, it's rich and chocolaty and (because it's a bit cakey), the soufflé holds a little longer (so you can take pictures).  He promises a rematch.  I promise to reveal more of his secrets.

Oh Baby, soufflé me.

Chipotle Chocolate Soufflé Recipe

Prep time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Makes: 7 individual, or one large 6" soufflé

¼ cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup milk
3 tablespoons cocoa
2 teaspoons chipotle powder
½ cup dark chocolate
7 eggs, separated
butter & grated chocolate to coat moulds

Method:

1. Melt approximately 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat, apply to inside of soufflé moulds with pastry brush to evenly coat. Grate about 2 oz of dark chocolate on a fine grater and add to moulds, rolling to coat evenly.  Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
2. Separate eggs reserving both whites and yokes separately.
3. Bring milk to low boil, add cocoa and half sugar, whisking to remove lumps.  Remove from heat.
4. Melt chocolate over a double boiler or 'bain marie' until smooth, stirring to avoid burning.  Remove from heat.
5. Add lightly mixed egg yokes to chocolate 1/3 at a time, whisking until smooth.
6. Add milk, 1/3 at a time, whisking until blended and smooth.
7. Add chipotle powder to chocolate base, start with 1 teaspoon and test, season to individual taste.
8. In an electric blender with whisk attachment, add egg whites and remaining sugar. Whisk on medium-high until stiff peaks form.
9. Temper egg whites with warm chocolate; add 1/3 of the chocolate to the egg whites, then 1/3 of the egg whites to the chocolate,fold gently with spatula so as not to break the the bubbles and maintain lightness.  Continue adding the egg whites to the chocolate, 1/3 at a time, until blended and smooth.
10. Spoon or ladle into prepared moulds, until approximately 1/2 to 1/3 of an inch from the top.  Using thumb, remove butter and chocolate above the batter line and create a ¼ well in the batter around the sides.
11.  Bake in preheated 370* oven for 30 minutes until risen and hot.  Remove from oven, plate and serve immediately.

We toned down the spice a bit in this recipe for the sake of keeping your face from catching on fire. It may have been a tad overheated in our original (never let the Gypsy with a stuffy nose be your heat thermometer).

Now friends know why I don’t order soufflés while we’re out, when the soufflé’s this good at home...

Recipe adapted from:

http://lechaudronmagique.blogspot.com/2008/03/souffl-au-chocolat-de-pierre-herm.html

Another of life’s pleasant detours brought me through the doors of the newly opened Back Lane Café under the wing of one of Ottawa’s best guides.

Its artful decor, high ceilings, aged plaster walls, colorful art, mix & match wood chairs and comfortably large wood tables paired with the sleekness of bits of brass, hints polished concrete and stylish lighting threw me.  Am I in Ottawa, or am I in Paris?

Enough style to welcome me in my Bebe heels, enough causal attitude to embrace me in my sneakers. I felt instantly transported to a different place, a different time; a scene of my imagination, down a narrow cobblestone lane in pre-war Paris. 

In this modern version there was a distinct lack of cigarette smoke and table of forlorn artists drinking cappuccino and complaining about money.  Instead, conversation was peppered with optimism thanks to my lunch companion, Paola St- Georges of C’est Bon Cooking.

A welcome addition to Ottawa’s eclectic Hintonburg neighborhood, the Back Lane Café is the brain child of longtime restaurateur George Monsour.  Recently returned from six years in Paris, Monsour had a vision that would offer Ottawa a change of pace; a nod to a time when life was lived in the back lanes of the neighborhood, in gardens and open kitchens and everything was made fresh, from scratch.

This vision is echoed in a menu that leans French but borrows from Mediterranean favor; with bright, sharp, contrast and fresh, fresh, FRESH ingredients. Everything at the Back Lane Café is made in-house, from the bread to the deserts.  There is no such thing as “pop”, instead they offer Charlotte’s Lazy Back Lane Spritzers; made from in-house fruit syrups and sparkling water - truly a “must have”.

A tight selection of tempting appetizers, salads, mains and wood fired pizzas make for an easy to please menu. Eat light, share a pizza, have one of everything including fresh beignets (called yeast doughnuts on the menu) – up to you.

Almond Garlic Mushroom Pate offered with a slection of freshly picked treats course mustard and a mustard aioli

We had to start with the Almond, Garlic, Mushroom Pate ($9), Paola insisted on it.  A wonderful vegetarian appetizer for lovers of fungus.  Local Veg Heads take note; between this and the Margarita Pizza ($16), you’ll be well served at the Back Lane.

I was torn between the Lobster Omelet with Potato Salad ($14) and the Duck Confit Baguette with Goat Cheese and soup du jour ($16) – which turned out to be an amazing Gumbo.  Not your typical “soup & sandwich”.

One good Gumbo.

I’d forgotten how much I love corn until I started into the bowl of gumbo before me, filled with shrimp and gratifyingly void of okra with just enough punch to be a proper gumbo. The combination of savory duck against tangy goat cheese, sweet grape and slightly bitter arugula was a winner.

Executive Chef Evan Pritchard shows his love of local fare in every bite.  Haunting the Parkdale Market in the early hours, he then sets the tone of the day with stocks and soups and steps behind the line for the lunch service.  Pritchard’s passion for great food spills out as he chats easily about the new digs he enjoys daily, and not one but two wood-fired Le Panyol ovens from France, which they pieced together themselves.

“They arrived like a giant Lego puzzle,” says Pritchard “and the worst ‘Ikea’ instructions you’ve ever seen. They’re dome shaped and we had to figure out which piece fit where, with a key-stone at the top… but we got it.”

Those Panyol ovens are the secret to a 2 minute pizza at Back Lane.  In fact the heat is so intense the pan is turned 180* after 60 seconds to avoid burning on one side.

Paola St-Georges of C'est Bon Cooking, she always has what I'm having. (sheesh!) Wait a minute, are you... Tweeting?! Is she Tweeting?!

Never turn a chef down when he/she offers a tour of the kitchen.  You can learn a lot about a place from a few minutes spent in the kitchen, and this is a kitchen to be proud of.  Unlike the moody ambiance of the front of house the Back Lane Café’s kitchen is gleaming white and flooded with natural light from… are you ready for it… windows.

Pritchard & Monsour, in a candid moment.

Can’t say I've ever seen a commercial kitchen, anywhere, that is as bright and receptive as this one.  While its lack of freezer and large walk-in cooler told me a great deal about its food; its meticulous attention to detail told me more about the man behind the vision that is brought to stunning synergy in the Back Lane Café - George Monsour.

“Oh George, you must be a chef at heart – what a beautiful kitchen!”

“No,” says Monsour with a smile “I’m not a chef at heart, I’m a dishwasher.  I designed that kitchen for the dishwasher.”

With two big windows on either side, easy access to the line, the racks and the prep-kitchen I see his point.  Being at this dish pit is almost like being at home, looking out into the backyard.

Because not everyone gets to step into the kitchen, ending this post with a mini photo tour and much thanks to the men & women in white under Chef Evan Pritchard; Jonas, Martin, Jason, bread baker John and dishwasher Tyler.  Plus a taste of Pastry Chef Charlotte Burpree-Dagenais’ signature dessert; the Pick-me-up Chocolate Bar (walnuts, dulce de leche, espresso ganache, between two layers of shortbread, covered in dark chocolate) - we wants one.

Ottawa, go enjoy the ambience, the food and the service in a welcome homage to back lane living.

Back Lane Café, 1087 Wellington St. W., 613-695-2999

Strawberry season.  Ripe for Canada Day festivities, warm evenings and summer barbeques.  This cool, seasonal, make ahead dessert is at once, simple, elegant and sure to impress. 

Technically, it's not a soup, but a simple créme anglaise, or custard sauce made with milk, egg yokes and sugar, gently thickened over heat, combined with white chocolate and then chilled and served over fruit for a dramatic colorful effect. 

Compliments of the talented French Chef in my life, Chef Benoit Gelinotte, this is a recipe that has appeared on a number of menus under his care over the course of his 25 year career in many forms, finding the perfect balence of creaminess against the acidity of the fruit without being overly sweet. 

It's among his signature dishes.

To my pallet, this cool, refreshing dessert has comforting familiarity - smooth and rich - like melted ice cream, with the sharp tang of fresh mint, which elevates and enhances the flavors to five star status. 

At one stop along the path of his colourful career, Chef B tickled patrons with this little beauty, served in a tall cocktail glass with a sexy parfait spoon and a foam of cremé de menthé - cleverly called the 'On Your Knees White Chocolate Soup'.  It makes you pray for more.

"My white Chocolate Strawberry Kiwi Soup is a personal favorite and perhaps the best selling dessert I've ever created" says Chef B  "I can only guess how many hundreds of liters of créme anglaise I've made over the years.

The secret to a good créme anglaise," he instructs "is ensuring that the liquids are properly tempered and once combined, do not  boil, because then you're left with curdy, scrambled eggs and a broken sauce. 

Be easy on the heat and never take your eye off the custard."

He has a point, scrambled eggs in runny goo = bad.  This will not impress your friends.  But a smooth, rich, creamy custard gently flavored with almond - will. 

Make the custard base as much as a day ahead and chill until ready to serve.  The fruit is genlty stewed in sugar and mint at room temperature for about an hour to render the juices and mingle the flavours.  It then comes together "a lá minute".  (I know, look at me with my French.  Ha.)  Perfect for parties, no matter how much wine the cook has consumed with dinner. (I find closing one eye helps in this matter...)

A stunning cool summer dessert from Chef B, to make your summer sweet. 

I suppose I'll have to find a way to thank him for that.  Perhaps a nice, stinky piece of cheese, something decidedly 'sock-like', that's always a hit with the French, they love a good 'footie' cheese.  Bon Appetit Foodie Gypsies. 

O Canada, you make good stawberries!

White Chocolate Strawberry Kiwi Soup - Recipe

Prep time: 30 minites

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 5 egg yokes
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 2 cups sliced, fresh stawberries (approximately 1 pound of fruit)
• 1 cup sliced, quartered fresh kiwi (approximately 5 kiwis)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped, fresh mint
• 1/4 cup sugar

Method: 

1) In medium bowl, whisk together egg yokes, 1/2 cup of sugar & almond extract until smooth.
2) In medium saucepan, bring milk to a boil over medium high heat then immediately remove from heat.
3) Temper hot milk with egg mixture by whisking 1/4 of the hot milk to the egg mixture to warm it slightly, then whisk one 1/4 of the egg mixture back to the hot milk to cool it slightly, then add the remaining milk, now cool, slowly drizzled into the egg, constantly whisking to avoid lumps until both are combined and frothy.
4) Pour combined, egg & milk back into the sauce pan and return to medium heat, and simmer to thicken.  Do not bring this mixture to boil, a small simmer is all the heat you need, stirring constantly to avoid scalding and "cooking" the egg.
5) Remove from heat, add white chocolate chips and stir, off heat, until melted.
6) Return to medium low heat to thicken, stirring constantly.  Note on consistency:  The custard should cling to the back of a spoon to make a film.  If you take your finger and draw a line though the liquid, the remaining sauce should not run through the line, but instead remain stationary on the spoon for about three seconds, thanks to the coagulation of the yokes.  The French call this "a la nappe" - "to coat".
7) Strain custard though a fine sieve to remove any lumps for a smooth, creamy finish.  Chill, covered, in the fridge minimum of one hour or as long as overnight.
8) In medium bowl, combine cut fruit, 1/4 cup of sugar and finely cut mint.  Let stand at room temperature to render juices and combine flavours, approximately one hour. 

To serve, spoon fruit into bowl, or glass (preferably chilled) and gently ladle the custard over fruit.  To finish, add drizzle of fruit syrup from the bottom of the bowl over custard for added drama and colour.

And... smile.  See?  Wasn't that easy?!  You're a superstar.

Another year, come and gone.   Since entering a decade that starts with 'four' birthday celebrations are quiet affairs with those I love, often banning the word "birthday" all together.  A great meal is all I want.  This year, for added fun, was leveled by a stomach flu for two days following.  

To which I say: "BLAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" 

Thus proving that I am an adult. 

Sure I'll be up to my old tricks, the blog (and solid food) again shortly; in the meantime a snapshot of the magnificent meal from the Chef/man in my life on this the occasion of my 10th anniversary of my 37th Birthday.  Lucky Me.

Ideas for your next 'non-celebration' perhaps.

Menu: 

Seared Lamb Chops with Tomato, Olive, Prosciutto, Basil and Shallot Salad tossed in a Red Wine-Dijon Vinaigrette

Sweet Chartreuse Souffle with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and a Chartreuse Shooter

Pink Champagne // Red Wine

I love simple food --- grilled meats and fresh, acidic salads are my go-to mains in the summer.  Chef B's Red Wine-Dijon Vinaigrette has become my new favorite. 

Recipe to follow. 

Hot souffles, chilled chartreuse, cold ice cream...

Remind me never to dilly-dally when there are souffles involved, it gets one the following warning;

"CoCo (he calls me Coco), if you're not going to eat it now it will be ruined and next time I won't go to all the trouble of making a souffle, I'll just buy them frozen!" 

(yikes)  "Yes Chef!" 

Obediently consumes souffle, my first sweet souffle actually.  He had planned to make this for me the first time he  made me dinner.  We never made it to dessert.  Can't think why. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend. Wishing me a smooth transition from baby food (how very Lady Gaga of me) to solids.  The joy!

An unassuming little vintage and affordable too.

Our intrepid traveler, Food Gypsy Editor, Astrid DesLandes (aka:  The French Girl) is just returned from gallivanting though the French countryside.

Originally from Marseille, France, currently residing in Calgary, AB Canada, Astrid  is our source for fashion advice and Gluten Free cooking.  (We look forward to her posts on all things yummy and... 'sans gluten'.)

Back again to Calgary  where it's still 2*C as opposed to France where it is 24*C  (as she was mighty quick to point out) -- turns out, in her travels Astrid enjoyed more than just wine in bottles.  (Who knew!)  Sening us a message in a bottle.

A note from our French Girl on the topic of shiny bottles.  A bit of fun from France on Fun Friday.

The Wonderful Things that Come in Bottles

~by Astrid DesLandes, Photo credit: Astrid DesLandes

Since I have arrived in France, I've been noticing bottles.  How could you not, you'll say, it's France, and there's wine!  And wine comes in bottles.

I have had a love affair with bottles since I was a young girl; being fascinated by them, collecting them, and cherishing them.  When living with my grand parents in the Landes region of France, sitting by the river side, I would launch upon the waves, old wine bottles, filled with scribbled messages of friendship and hope to unknown and faraway friends.

I would sit there for hours, dreaming of all the wonderful places my bottles would travel to.  I would imagine the look of wonder and surprise on the face of this mysterious friend who would find the bottle and open it with great expectations.

When it was time to go back to the house for dinner, I would walk the path to the front door, delineated in the sandy soil, by two wobbly rows of old wine bottles planted upside down, so that only a couple of inches would stick out.  Wavy, dotted lines of green and white sparkle.  In the house, the table was set, and on it, the lone bottle of simple country red wine shone in deep hues of red and purple, in the glow of the fire place.

A few days ago, at my brother's restaurant in Carry-le-Rouet, I noticed the bottles again. Tall thin, colourful, joyous bottles of artisanal vinegars, with exotic names such as Green Apple or Mango Pulp, gleaming in the soft lights surrounding us.

Their contents awakening our palates and senses to unexpected flavours. A message of taste and colours sent for our discovery by an unknown friend.

To those I know, and those I don't, I wish you sweet and surprising messages, in beautiful shiny bottles of all colours, shapes and mysterious provenance.

Magret de Canard with Porcini sauce at Carry-le-Rouet, La Kayzo restaurant. Sooooooo good!

Fab Food Gypsy Editor, Astrid DesLandes (aka:  The French Girl) is currently gallivanting though the French countryside with fellow countrymen. 

 Residing in Calgary, Canada  where it's still winter(ish) Astrid is enjoying beautiful temperatures from Pairs to Marseille.

Oddly, posts are few and seemingly random until one steps back to see the bigger picture for a bit of Friday fun...

"More wine. Saturday afternoon. For l'Aperitif before the dinner coming up."

 

"The wine that came with dinner."

 

"Les Sables d'Olonne ~ Vendée. Lunch at Le Café du Port. Again???  Seafood and wine!"

                       

                     ~ The French Girl, in fine form

Hmmm... I am sensing a theme here.  Vive la France! 

Have fun mon amie.  Gros bisous~~~~