I’m back home from Paris – until I’m lucky enough to be able to make a return trip, at least – and I miss it already. The city was fantastic, the people were lovely and the food was delicious. Even though it was tempting to do so, I didn’t take the time …
Nutella Macarons
French macarons are thin, chewy, meringue cookies that are sandwiched together with some kind of filling. The cookies should be light and chewy, with a very thin, crisp “crust” that gives way as soon as you bite down into it. The meringue has a lot of ground nuts – usually almonds – …
What is vienoisserie?
In France, bakeries usually have signs in the windows that prominently say “Boulangerie” and “Patisserie.” A boulangerie is a bakery that specializes in breads. A patisserie is a bakery that specializes in pastries. The majority do both and offer a wide selection of both sweets and baguettes and other breads. …
Trader Joe’s Chocolate Canneles de Bordeaux, reviewed
After my recent trip to Paris, followed by a trip to Trader Joe’s to restock my pantry, I had a little realization about Trader Joe’s Canneles de Bordeaux. I reviewed these specialty french pastries a few months ago, when Trader Joe’s launched a pre-baked frozen version. They …
Restaurants in the Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is one of the most recognizable monuments in the world and a must-see for most visitors to Paris. The average day for a visitor will include a wait for either the elevator or the stairs to get up to the viewing levels, some time taking photographs …
Strawberry Mascarpone Cream Puffs
I am flush with strawberries right now. It’s still relatively early in strawberry season, which generally runs from late spring through summer, but the berries I’ve picked up this week have all been sweet and full of flavor. The only problem with having so many strawberries around is that they start to …
Bites from other Blogs
- A dewberry looks like a blackberry, and, according to Homesick Texan, might actually be the same thing as a blackberry. Feel free to substitute one for the other in order to make this Dewberry Cobbler because whatever you call them, these dark purple berries are just coming into season …
Butter with Sea Salt Crystals
I always use unsalted butter for baking because it offers a consistent baseline for a recipe. But I really prefer salted butter for basic uses, like topping toast, pancakes or a baked potato because the extra bit of salt adds a little contrast to the slightly sweet cream taste of plain butter. …