Rochambeau

Kay and Larry's Crawfish Boil

Kay and Larry invited us out to their house for a  Crawfish Boil yesterday!

They are some of the most fun people I know and some of the best cooks too!

The day was perfect which is so unlike Texas weather in May!  Typically it's already super humid and hot in our neck of the woods.  This is the coolest Spring that I can remember, maybe the coolest on record!

It was relaxing to be with friends outside, especially after not feeling well for awhile.

Here's the fresh crawfish and crab from the Gulf, boiling in seasoning.

Later, the guys unloaded a few large steemers of crawfish, crabs, shrimp, artichokes, corn, sauages and pototes into a mini pirot.

 

I adore crawfish, it's my favorite crustacean by far!

We ate with our fingers on boxes and used lots of  paper towels.

Rex the wonderful watched & YES sampled lots of yummies!

 Meriam and Sandra during dinner~

We even walked down to the lake. It was truly a magical afternoon ......

 

that turned into a delicious dusk. 

Bonus:  We didn't get lost on the way home!!

Rebecca invited me to share a Postcard from Paradise.  For me, yesterday was "it"!

 

Happy Week to All!

xox

Constance

Joyful Celebration

It was a fun birthday!

Surrounded by family and good friends, including you!

Most of the celebration revolved around dining and feasting upon cake, chocolates and other desserts like limoncello ice cream.  Have I ever told you about my special affection for sweets?

 

There were gifts, like this costume bling ring my mom gave me to wear since my finger is still too swollen for it's wedding band.

One friend wrote me a poem and two proposed toasts.  Besides the "Royal treatment", I was gifted this beautiful ornamental oregano plant, not to mention one dozen pink roses with red tips, so beautiful, so nice.

 Thank you for being part of the celebration! Who could ask for more? 

I'm a lucky person.

xox

Constance

How Julia Child Changed My Life

I've been thinking about Julia Child lately, after watching the film, Julie and Julia.  The screenplay is written by Nora Ephron, based on two books.  One being " My Life in France"  by Alex Prud'Homme and Julia Child, the other Julie and Julia by Julie Powell.

 

My Life in France, chronicles Julia's memories of being in her late thirties, moving to post~war France with her new husband where she becomes enthralled by the sensory experience.  She ends up going to cooking school at the Cordon Bleu, falls head over heals deep in love with cooking, France and her husband of course! 

Chronicling her life,  she meets two woman who are also passionate about cooking, Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle and after years of collaboration, the book Mastering the Art of French Cooking is finally published.

The book changed the the course of not only her own life, it effected all of our lives here in the U.S.

Julia Child, shared her enthusiasm and knowledge of cooking on her television program, also called Mastering the Art of French Cooking, on PBS , Channel 13. My parents and I watched the show together.  I liked to watch, even as a child.

Julia not only had a great passion for cooking, but a keen and unique sense of humor.  Things weren't always perfect in her kitchen, like they are on cooking programs today.  Her show is a more realistic view of how cooking really is.  You have to be on your toes at all times, able to fix mistakes, just like in any other creative processes. Cooking is not a perfect art.

Julia Child was also instrumental in starting the AIWF,  The American Institute of Wine and Food , an organization for gourmands all over the United States. The night the chapter opened in Dallas, Texas (in 1981),  I had the the great honor of meeting her.

How life changed:  Julia elevated the playing field and made the average person aware of good food.  She raised the bar for what people wanted and in turn this demanded better product in local grocery stores.

  Today, we can buy the most wonderfully exotic produce and cheese and don't think a thing about it.  But it wasn't always this way.  The trend started because of Julia Child.

Julia's passion set the stage for me. I was in the food business for many years, owning a catering company. She paved a way.   My mother taught me how to cook, then I was also was inspired to go to cooking school at La Varenne, in Paris.

I have taught classes at Williams Sonoma and have found joy in helping others learn to cook.   School was never easy for me, but cooking has always been second nature, thankfully!!

If you are interested in cooking, read the book My Life In France, then run don't walk to your nearest theater and see Julie and Julia, you'll be glad you did! 

About China

There was a time I collected
 colorful dishes from around the
world, but not anymore.  I sold
and donated them before we moved.

 

Thankfully, if I had all the tea and
china, I would still sup on a
 simple white plate!

*************

Please visit Elizabeth,
at  About New York if you
want to share your favorite
dishes or visit others who have.

Pâtisserie Extraordinaire!

Please join me on a virtual trip to
 the updated site of
LADURÉE~


So scrumptious....



 so exquisite.....




So Ooh la la!
 


 A Patisserie in Tokyo has
opened, reminding me of all
the reasons I'm bedazzled by this
awe inspiring establishiment!!



Such attention to detail!



Look at these round balls decorating the
table!  They look like gigantic
silver dragees!



last year a photo of this
 Blackcurrant-Violet "Religieuse"
stared at me.....



until one day I became inspired to
make my own rendition of this
lovely confection.



Thank you for all of your thoughtful
comments on my last post. 
In Blogland I find a world of
incredible support!

~ Hope all is sweet in your world today! ~
 

Visions of Sugarplums!

Do you know what a Sugarplum is?

(Sugarplum Fariy found here)

The dictionary defines a sugarplum as a small round or oval piece of sugary candy. English being the flexible language it is, the name could be used very sparingly, much as we would use a spice today. In the 1540's, however, sugar started being refined in London which lowered the price considerably, although only well-off families were able to use it lavishly. Preserving with sugar allowed the sweet fruits of summer to be enjoyed all year round, especially during the holiday season.have come from the resemblance to a small plum. Or it could have come from actual plums preserved in sugar, a relatively new idea in 16th Century England. Prior to this time sugar was so expensive that it was used very sparingly,

(Browniepoints shares the Sugarplum above)

 

 much as we would use a spice today. In the 1540's, however, sugar started being refined in London which lowered the price considerably, although only well-off families were able to use it lavishly. Preserving with sugar allowed the sweet fruits of summer to be enjoyed all year round, especially during the holiday season.

This recipe appeared in an issue of

Saveur Magazine.

Recipe

2 cups whole almonds
1/4 cup honey
2 tsp grated orange zest
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup finely chopped dried apricots
1 cup finely chopped pitted dates
1 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 400. Arrange almonds on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast in oven for ten minutes. Set aside to cool and then finely chop. Meanwhile, combine honey, orange zest, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl. Add almonds, apricots, and dates and mix well. Pinch off rounded teaspoon sized pieces of the mixture and roll into balls. Roll balls in sugar and refrigerate in single layers between sheets of wax paper in airtight containers for up to one month.

Speaking of Sugarplums,  Did you see the San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker on PBS last night?  The dancing, the music, the set's, the costumes.....all perfection!

(above the Sugarplum Fairy dances)

 

Patisserie for the Fairies

I'm up to something.

It has to do with a friend of mine.

I've been using mon doigts des fées,

and my....

Easy-Bake oven.......

to create petites tartes de cerise and other little yummies like.....

madeleine's, bombes, éclairs, truffles, even a few little violet cream puffs from Ladurée!

All sorts of luscious and strictly miniature
delights!  Delicacies only a fairy or my
friend would appreciate or fully understand.

Dancing with Pineapples

Pineapples are the symbol of Friendship and Hospitality, not to mention the International symbol of Welcome!  So dear friends, Welcome!  Please join in a little Summer celebration honoring the Pineapple!
(Brought to you by:  The Pineapple lover at Rochambeau, and The Tiny Pineapple)

Fun Pineapple Facts:

The pineapple is not really a fruit at all but is a mass of individual berries fused to the central stalk. This is why the “fruit” has leaves on top. They are actually the continued growth of the stalk beyond where the berries are attached.

First known pineapple illustration circa 1535.

Pineapple Fans were hung over the front door during Colonial times, and are still used today during the Christmas season.  The fan invites guests inside and shouts "Welcome"!

This is the Dunmore Pineapple Estate.  It was built in 1761 and is known as one of the architectural wonders of Scotland!

Now, all this talk about Pineapples is making me parched.  How about you?

The Pineapple Princess seems thirsty too, so I guess it's time to go.............

Work up a batch of Pina Coladas,

and start spinning some tunes (Hawaiiennette) so we can,

do a little dancing!!

And to conclude the Pineapple Extravaganza,
Lets eat some Upside-down Cake, and don't be shy, I have an endless supply!

Did you  know:
Pineapple has proteolytic enzyme bromelain, which aids in digestion, also has high levels of serotonin which produces a state of mental well being!

✵Also, thanks to all of you who wished me well last week for my show!  It was a Smashing Success in every way.  I felt your good thoughts, and I thank you very much!
 

Cooking Tales

Held together with a string and a prayer, this book has a story to tell.

At a young age I enjoyed helping out in the kitchen. My Mom is a good cook and she had the patience to teach me how, and I had
the desire to learn .  For Christmas one year my parents gave me this book!
The drawings of little kids giving their personal cooking tips and
instruction was heaven to me.  I revered them!!  looked up to them, thought they were cool!

Sloppy Joe's. I thought they were great, my Mom remembers not being fond of them.  :-)

This is a cry out to all of you in Blog Land to see if anyone knows where to  buy these Lollies.  It's not how they taste, it's how they look ... like Milfleur!  I've looked online to no avail.

Next, Bunny Rabbit salad.  Very cute.

And the
~Pièce de la Résistance~
The Enchanted Castle Cake!

I've made many renditions of this cake over the years.
Last year Jordanna and I even made one out of felt!

P.S.  I owned a catering business for  thirteen years, and taught cooking at Williams Sonoma.  Funny what a creative Mom and Betty Crocker can do for a girl!!