A Night of Wine Tasting
There were seven red wines to taste last night, which might seem a daunting task to some. But not to the twelve people assembled at On Rue Tatin, the lion’s share of a group of friends that meets monthly for what is, each time, an extraordinary experience. Our wine guru is Hervé Lestage, oenologue and […]
Flourless Chocolate Cake from the Grill
Baking a cake over the coals? Quelle idée. But pizza bakes perfectly over blazing charcoal, so why not biscuits, or rhubarb pie, or even a flourless chocolate cake? As any good French chef would do, I headed straight for the flourless chocolate cake, set it over the coals, closed the cover and held my breath. When I […]
First Christmas Cookies
Baking Christmas cookies is not a French tradition, unless of course one is from Alsace, where traditions are much more German than they are French, thus cookie-oriented. But baking Christmas cookies is clearly part of our tradition, and I just finished my first batch. Now, the kitchen is redolent of cinnamon, cloves, chocolate and toasted […]
Did We Have Fun?
Last night I conducted my first cooking class as part of my book tour for In a French Kitchen. The menu was chosen from the book; everyone “put their hands in the dough” and participated in creating a delicious meal. Herewith, the class which was held in the Shapiro home in Chevy Chase, Maryland. CHOCOLATE […]
Quick Apero
The book has landed!!! The book has landed!!! Naturally, this was news I couldn’t keep to myself so I called friends – all of them characters in the book – and invited them over for an apéro (or apéritif, shorthand for drinks before dinner). It was time for concrete thanks to all of these people […]
Yogurt Cake Re-Visited
I have a dinner coming up, and I want to make a delicious but simple cake for dessert. I considered plenty of options and settled on an old favorite, Yogurt Cake. This, as those of you who have read On Rue Tatin, is a cake I discovered one day at my son’s school during a […]
Thanksgiving Cooking Class in Paris
I look forward to Thanksgiving every year. I have a source for a big, fat, delicious free-range turkey, but instead of stuffing, roasting, and serving it on a Thursday afternoon before the big game, it will emerge from the oven on a Saturday night, while my guests – mostly French – are in the kitchen […]
Molten Chocolate Cake
I’m busily testing recipes for my new book, which involves lively, everyday stories of the French cook The recipes are from my friends and acquaintances, avid cooks, professionals, moms, dads, farmers, businesspeople. I collect them, I test them, I ask myself the ever-present question: “Will my readers love this as much as I do?” I […]
New York Christmas
New York was snowy, then it was sunny and warm, then it was steamy with rain. And then it was freezing and clear. I don’t care. Whatever the weather, it couldn’t be better. I’m here with my children. The best sights? There were so many…. The gazillion gorgeous Christmas trees. The foyer of the New York Public […]
Cookeez
In the early 1980’s, I was hired to open a small tea salon in the sixth arrondissement of Paris. My mandate, aside from equipping the kitchen, was to make American food. Then, the idea was maverick, and so was I. I went on to produce everything from chile con carne to zucchini bread, but my […]
