If you have travel to France, chances are you have had a croque monsieur. A croque monsieur is a French ham and cheese sandwich. It is a lunch or snack and a good reminder of the cafe’s of Paris where it was first introduced in 1910.
Here is an easy recipe that reminds me of the wonderful French Basque country and cuisine, located in southernmost Nouvelle Aquitaine region of France. Many of the dishes prepared in this area will include specialties like Piment d’Espelette peppers, Jambon de Bayone ham , and Basque sheep’s milk cheese.
Similarly to its western neighbor (the Fifth), the Sixth has a reputation for being one of the more scholarly districts. L’École des Beaux-Arts de Paris is located in this district, as well as the French Senate and Académie francaise. This left bank arrondissement is home to some of the most historic moments in Paris, particularly in philosophy and the arts.… Read full article
Paris may seem a bit daunting at first, but it’s easy to get the lay of the land with a little help. The French have made navigating the city somewhat easy by breaking down “the city of light” into 20 arrondissements or districts.… Read full article
St Paul de Vence, in the south of France, is one of the country’s
most charming medieval walled villages dating back to the 13th century. Ramparts were erected during the second half of the 14th century and two of the original towers can still be seen.… Read full article
Girls Guide To Paris just recently named their Top 10 pastry shops in Paris, and to my delight…my favorite pastry shop made number 3! Un Dimanche à Paris was a fairly recent discovery of mine, and quite by accident (which is how I have discovered MANY wonderful surprises in my life!)
I was with my Mom and some friends who were visiting Paris for their very first time.… Read full article
Here is a wonderful recipe for Merlot chocolate cake. Great way to celebrate any day.
Ingredients
2 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups red merlot wine
Slivered almonds or shaved chocolate for decorating
For the wine jam mixture
1/2 cup grape jelly
2 to 3 tablespoons red wine
Prepare in two 9-inch cake pans
As it is evident in my previous posts the milk chocolate and the white chocolate tastings were a success. Its the final round of the Paris chocolate tasting and all that remains is the dark chocolate. There are some familiar names as well as new names to the list of chocolate makers in this last segment.… Read full article
Hopefully, everyone has seen our reviews on white chocolate and checked out the winners! Now we will reveal the milk chocolate winners. In the milk chocolate category our tasters sampled nine different chocolate shops and the winners were almost unanimous. The decisions are never easy with so many delicous chocolates out there.… Read full article
As I indicated in my previous post, I would be conducting a chocolate tasting in Paris during my recent stay and the result are in. This was an extremely difficult task and a little overwhelming since there were so many great chocolatiers to choose from, but with some organization and planning the tasting was an amazing, enjoyable and eye-opening experience.… Read full article