The Tomato Knife

What did I do with the bouquet of yellow squash blossoms I bought from Joel Thiebault’s vegetable stand last week? Simple: I filled them with fresh goat cheese, drizzled them in olive oil and a smidgen of salt, and baked them in the oven until they were slightly brown and crispy.  Result: They tasted like [...]

Ever since last Wednesday and my visit to the open-air market on avenue Président-Wilson I’ve had purple on my mind. What did I do with the three-inch-wide mini purple cauliflower and the purple potatoes I picked up? Cauliflower, I have to be honest, is the only vegetable I really don’t like.  I’ve recently given it [...]

I recently wrote about how I became a pescetarian. After reading my post, a friend of a friend wrote me, wondering what happened next. I admit, going “pescetarian” has been quite an adventure, from buying fish and learning new vocabulary (in both French and English!), to properly cutting it in a restaurant and, of course, [...]

What do quinoa, mangoes and shrimp have in common? Not much; they just all found their way into my “Tantalizing Tabouli.”  I’m a huge fan of tabouli, traditionally made with bulgur wheat and dominated by fresh parsley.  I often play with different combinations of ingredients, including the grains.  This version is a fun, colorful (and [...]

What happens when you add New Mexican chili powder to a traditional moelleux au chocolat? You get an intense chocolate dessert that makes you feel like you’re traveling continents by simply lifting your spoon.  At first, you’re in France.  You bite into tradition- smooth, rich chocolate.  Then you’re transported across the Atlantic with a spicy [...]

One of my favorite terms in French is amuse-bouche. The verb amuser means to entertain or amuse and the word bouche means mouth. An amuse-bouche is a small hors d’oeuvre served with an apéritif. The term makes me laugh because I imagine sleepy taste buds being teased and woken up in preparation of the meal [...]