Archive for the ‘food’ Category

Starbuck is Dead

Posted: May 21, 2012 in family, food
Tags: , ,

Oh I do loves me some strong coffee.  In America, we used to have this amazing machine that giveth some perfect espresso every morning.  It’s gone now as are my yuppie years (and we ponder what an aging yuppie will become.  A “Guppie”, geriatric-urban-professional?  A “Muppie”, maturing-urban-professional? ).  As we settle into peasant farming life, [...]

Best Pizza I Ever Ate

Posted: April 19, 2012 in farming, food
Tags: , , ,

It was show time at our new corral.  Thankfully and gratefully, we were able to have a helping hand from friends.  Today was our annual cow blood test.  The kids are on vacation so we needed some help keeping them happy while we gave our new cow pens a whirl (thanks G!).  Our absolutely awesomely [...]

The Big Choco

Posted: March 12, 2012 in family, food
Tags: ,

  In America they call them “chocolate crow-sants.”  In Most of France they’re called “Pain au Chocolat.”  Here in southwest France we call them “chocolatines.”  But there’s only one place I’ve seen that makes a DOUBLE chocolatine.  A great little bakery in a cute area of Auch.  They call it “The Big Choco.”  Take your [...]

A Well Hung Sausage

Posted: March 6, 2012 in family, food
Tags: ,

Brent killed a pig and we had a black-out. Totally unrelated, but all signs point to “fun.” I can remember as a kid growing up in San Diego when the lights would go out. It was no doubt in the summer when people and their air conditioners were reunited at last. My mom and dad [...]

A Culinary Tale

Posted: January 19, 2012 in food
Tags: ,

It was magic.  I had hearty leftovers with big ideas.  Some pork, some roasted root veg could so easily be made into omelets or bubble-n-squeak, but no I remembered a trick my mama used to do.  If I was hungry and the dinner window was not open, she would give me a snack that wouldn’t [...]

Well, I’m a Sel Snob

Posted: January 16, 2012 in family, food

Thankfully it fits within my peasant farmer budget.  In Seattle, I was approaching Salmon Snob.  I never could master salmon ‘ella ella ella … eh eh eh.  But, I really loved that white, wild caught white salmon that turned up at my favorite fishmonger to which I paid my yuppie premium.   No, but salt.  I [...]

Cinnamon Buns

Posted: December 25, 2011 in food
Tags: ,

Well, cinnamon rolls really.  Our family loves the word “buns.”  I make buns every so often.  I could even see myself running a line of Jean’s Buns in the future.  I’ll stick anything in a bun with sauce.  My mom every so often would make cinnamon rolls for Christmas day.  I thought I’d giver ‘er [...]

Thanksgiving In Parts

Posted: November 27, 2011 in food
Tags: , ,

Back in America we would host Aliens Thanksgiving.  Every year, Seattle has a lot of foreigners wandering around on the fourth Thursday of November wondering, “where the heck is everybody?”  We’d turn on a little turkey beacon and invite them in.  I was usually the only American at the table and was forced to explain [...]

A Fleeting Moment On My Kitchen Bench

Posted: November 22, 2011 in food
Tags:

  I set my glass of wine down as I was looking up a recipe in Fannie Farmer for apple pie and suddenly I felt a photo coming on.  This counter is oozing with Autumn.  Market apples for one fiddy, pumpkins from the neighbor and field mushrooms brought in from Brent’s pasture walk sit patiently [...]

Culinary Nirvana

Posted: November 8, 2011 in food
Tags: ,

On the door of our fridge, I rolled out some white board contact paper. On it I list “what’s in the fridge.” A few days ago I hit a chef’s dream. Not only did we have various animal fats to cook with, we had a surplus of duck parts and pastured pig. I’m very proud [...]