Ann Mah's Blog, page 33
January 26, 2011
Reflections
Here's what you get when you combine a week's worth of puddles, a mild hint of sunshine and a new year's resolution to take more photos:
I especially like the last photo of the giant urn dwarfing a tourist who's trying to get her own great shot of the Tuileries.
January 24, 2011
Under your feet at La Grande Epicerie
La Grande Epicerie is one of the fanciest supermarkets in Paris. I shop there more often than I'd care to admit, mainly because it's close to my apartment, but also because I like their wine selection. La Grande Ep (as I like to call it) is also famous for prepared foods — both the usual suspects like baked goods and pâtisserie, but also heartier dishes like boeuf bourguignon or saumon en croûte. (It's also infamous for ridiculously high prices and some pretty fierce crowds, especially on the weekends.)
While waiting in an interminable queue the other day, I started watching this promotional video, Sur Vos Pieds, or "Under Your Feet," which celebrates the store's gigantic kitchens and the chefs who staff them. I was immediately sucked in. Yes, this is a shrewd piece of marketing. But if you're a food lover like me, it's also pretty fascinating to see these dainty creations being produced. I thought you might enjoy it, too, mes amis!
January 20, 2011
Pot luck
When my husband's office holiday party rolled around, I considered making something healthy, like a bean salad. But then I started thinking. When you're at a pot luck, what do you want to eat? Recalling office pot lucks of my past — when the slightly junky, sour cream, powdered soup, mayonnaise, and/or grated cheese-enhanced food was often the highlight of the evening — I pictured things like deviled eggs, or onion dip and potato chips. Or macaroni and cheese.
For years, I've saved Martha Stewart's "Favorite Comfort Food" cookbook just for this macaroni and cheese recipe alone. It feeds an army — the recipe is for 12, but with other dishes, I've made it stretch to 20 — and I've always loved its extra-gooey cheesiness and the sprinkling of fresh bread crumbs on top that add a special crunch. I'd never make a full pan of mac 'n cheese for myself, but for a large crowd it felt right. (If I didn't hate the phrase, I'd say it was my go-to dish for parties.)
As it turns out, the evening had many bright spots (including delightful conversation and some pretty rocking Indian food). Nevertheless, Martha's macaroni and cheese had its own small, but loyal, band of followers. I was happy to take home an empty casserole dish.
What's your favorite thing to make for a pot luck?
P.S. Any ideas on how to say "pot luck" in French?
January 18, 2011
Galette des rois favorites
A galette is a galette is a galette? As it turns out, no. Here's a little ranking of the puff pastry confections I've consumed this month…
Third place: La Grande Epicerie
Pros: Their individual galette is perfect for two (or one). Frangipane filling had a boozy hint.
Cons: Pastry wasn't flaky enough and the surface was covered in a thick glaze reminiscent of pancakes.
Second place: Neighborhood boulangerie (corner of rue des Rennes and rue des Meziers, 6e)
Pros: Delicately fragrant, almost eggy, frangipane.
Cons: Crown and fève were "Avatar" themed. No gun-toting aliens in my dessert, please!
First place: Eric Kayser
Pros: The most beautiful, perfect puff pastry — light, flaky and tender.
Cons: Forgot to include the crown.
Would you be so kind as to share your favorite galette, mes amis? I'd love to hear!
PS Are you wondering: what's a galette des rois? Find out here and here.
January 11, 2011
High waters
Due to this winter's heavy snowfall, the Seine is close to overflowing. While the situation isn't quite as dramatic as this article would lead you to believe, the banks are certainly a watery wonderland, as I discovered on a stroll this weekend.
Stairs are flooded…
Seagulls are perplexed…
The Bateaux Mouches have to shorten their tours because the boats can't fit under bridges.
River water washes over the quai.
P.S. Just in case you don't believe me, here's a comparison photo from October 2010. See how much lower the water is?
January 6, 2011
Fête des rois
January 6th is King's Day, or the Fête des Rois, a celebration of the Magis, which, in France, is really just an excuse to eat a special cake called galette des rois.
All sorts of chocolate-hazelnut-raspberry-passion-fruit variations abound, but I prefer my galette plain and traditional: delicious flaky pastry stuffed with sweet almond frangipane.
So, I hied myself over to the neighborhood boulangerie — not one of the city's famous bakeries, but a humble spot where I buy baguettes — on the corner of rue du Rennes and rue des Meziers. As the gathering crowd attests, I think a lot of people agree with me that a plain Jane, traditional galette is the way to go.
Later tonight, we'll gather with friends to cut slices of the sweet treat. The youngest person sits under the table and directs the distribution of the cake. If you find the fève, or bean (these days a ceramic trinket) in your piece, you are declared king or queen and are allowed to wear the crown.
All this merriment is probably meant to distract from the final minutes of the Christmas season, which officially ends today. But don't worry if you've missed your galette today — pastry shops will abound with them until the end of the month.
January 4, 2011
Resolve
Bonne année, mes amis! So, it's a new year, and with it comes a few vows. This year, I resolve to…
Learn how to drive stick shift — I MUST put an end to the shelling out of extra bucks in France because I can only drive an automatic. Also, I'm hoping to avoid further situations like this and this.
Read more French – Now that I've successfully tackled Georges Simenon murder mysteries, who knows what's next? Madame Bovary, anyone?
Walk more, take the métro less — Not because of the exercise (to me, unless you break a sweat, it doesn't count) but because you discover beautiful, unexpected things like the evening glow in the empty Cour du Louvre (photo above). Which brings me to…
Take more photos — Because life in Paris doesn't last forever (at least for me, it doesn't).
What are your new year's resolutions, mes amis? I'd love to hear!
December 31, 2010
Happy new year!
Judging from the lines at the poissonerie this morning, nothing says bonne année quite like seafood. Luckily for me, I recently learned how to shuck an oyster — just in time to ring in the new year. Oysters look like rocks so forgive me if I doubted the fish guy when he tried to convince me how "easy" it is open them.
Him: "Just insert your knife here, madame, and the shell will pop right off."
Me: "Any kind of knife?"
Him: "Oui! N'importe couteau!"
But when I got home and tried to shove a knife inside, nothing happened. (And by "nothing," I mean that I almost stabbed a hole through my palm, but no shells popped off.) Frustrated, I watched this helpful video of the Executive Chef of Legal Seafoods shucking oysters. I gathered a dish towel, and a sharp, stout knife, and shoved the point into the butt of the shellfish. And, while I can't quite describe the result as a "pop," I did manage to pry that shell off.
Five oysters and their liquor went directly into my creamy, wine-laced fish pie filling (a delicious Gordon Ramsay recipe from his book Cooking for Friends). But I did eat one raw, salty and fresh, like a mouthful of ocean. It's shuckers privilege, after all.
And so, with that, I bid you happy new year, mes amis! May 2011 bring fresh oysters (if you like them), as well as many great meals with good friends. I'm sending you my very best wishes and heartfelt thanks, as always, for reading this humble li'l blog!
December 21, 2010
Pretty holiday cheer
Less than a week remains until Christmas, mes amis, and prettiness abounds in Paris. What have I seen?
A cascade of sweet ornaments at Poîlane.
Spoils from Vienna's Christkindlmarkt on our tree.
The night sky lit up by la grande roue at Place de la Concorde.
Even Mother Nature has been decorating!
From snowy Paris, happy holidays, mes amis!
December 16, 2010
Spanish edition
I'm so excited, mis amigos, about the Spanish edition of Kitchen Chinese. Called Chino Para Principiantes – which translates to "Chinese for Beginners" — the book is currently available in bookstores throughout Spain. Ediciones B is the publisher and more information is available here!
