Crème Brûlée---The best kept secret

Crème Brûlée, burnt cream, this is one of the easiest recipes to impress dinner guests! So sinful, so delicious!




Trust me, there is no section in the Food Pyamid for crème brûlée, if there was, everybody would be eating the FP way!

Company was coming last night and this is one easy recipe to prepare in the morning, right after your workout!


The recipe I use is from an ancient Southern Living magazine......works great where ever in the world you are located. What can be wrong with cream, egg yolks and sugar? You must cook this in a 100c oven and if you even see the slightest quiver of a bubble you turn down the oven.










The manly blow torch is not necessary, but dang, it looks cool!
This recipe is So Good!

Bird Seed & Cardboard

There comes a time in your life, usually very close to a birthday that ends in ZERO, when you start to reflect on things. A quick trip for some new workout clothes, I discovered, in a very unforgiving mirror that 'foxy turned into frumpy' and something needed to be done. I won't hit 50 till November mind you, but action is in order & NOW!

Enter: The Personal Trainer!

Phase 1: The Assessment. This is where she takes a look at your eating habits. I had to log a 3-day food diary, no secrets! I had to fill out a health background, she even looked at my blood work. This chick is serious. She takes a look at your gait, your spine and hips.....even your knees and feet! She is now, rather acquainted with me. The only thing I know about her is that she has a killer-bod for an over-50, and she is very much a 'pro'.

Once she informed me I needed to eat more food and I was probably going to rebel and yell, the hubby and I took a trip to the local BIO (healthfood) store in Le Pecq. This was strange territory for me. Looking around at the many selections of cardboard and bird-seed. The bio vegetables didn't look too much different from what I was already buying, to be honest. Just the price tag looked higher.

Next session: the Physical Assessment. Hmmmmmm......well....... even though I walk and workout pretty much daily, I'm not in good shape. My 'core' is weak. All the more reason to have hired her. I'm not going to try to lose weight, just learn to eat healthier and she will kick-up my workout program. I'm ready!

The food program is nothing more than the famous food Pyramid! You know, 5 from this column, 3 from that column. It is all commen sense, but I just really had not plugged it in to our food life at home!

I've replaced my precious toast and butter for Muesli/Yogurt/Fresh Fruit.
Surprisingly, the Meusli was good and really didn't taste like I was eating sawdust! Oh those Preconceived Notions!


Lifestyle changes, hardwork.......we'll see! It can only get better.......but what about my full-fat cream & butter?? Everything in moderation, right?

I'm Back!

Blogger finally got what ever was troubling them resolved, and now I've got much to blog about!
Thanks for checking in with me while I rode the storm out.

Stay tuned!

The Drive-Thru Bakery!

Just when you think you've seen it all...

....you run straight into a Drive-Thru Boulangerie!

You've really got to wonder how a 'drive-thru' bakery can make a success in a tradition-steeped country like France. The French have a Boulangerie in every town, perhaps even two! On any Sunday morning you'll find the line of hungry people waiting for their turn to buy their daily bread. The line will snake out the door and spill out onto the sidewalk. The keyword is Patience, you see, everyone gets their turn.


click on the photo to enlarge

I honestly don't know how business is for this place. There was nobody else driving in, but me. As I drove into the drive-thru line, I was reminded of Disneyland Paris and the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. That ride is corny, but we love it! The artwork on the walls of this place was interesting, to say the least!




I guess when you live here long enough, you really do see it all!

Le Creuset, The Factory Store

A few weeks back, the kids had their Ski vacation Week. My son wanted to build an Electric Guitar during this school holiday, he asked a music teacher at school where to find parts, and the teacher said that Place Pigalle was the best place to buy bits and bobs for this project.

I felt like this part of town was a great adventure for father & son. So off they went! Nestled in between the Sex Shops, Peep Shows and Sushi Bars are lots of music shops! Daylight hours in Pigalle is a different kettle of fish then night time hours. Daylight finds little old ladies with their rolling grocery carts just back from the market, mom and kids running to and from errands, all very tame and mundane!

What does this have to do with cooking?? Well, during that vacation week, I thought we might venture out for a family road trip. Everytime I suggested this exciting idea, it was met with 'I need more parts for the guitar". The week came and went........with no additional mileage built-up on the car, until yesterday.......

.......I didn't ask but I gave the family a ETD (estimated time of departure) of 8:00a.m. We were heading north to the town of Fresnoy le Grand. Yep, another factory store! A little over 2 hours and 20 minutes and you'll find the sleepy town devoted to all things Enameled Cast Iron!

That little tiny building is the factory store. Stuffed with discount prices, plus fin de series steals! This place gets crowded! I'm supposed to take a bunch of expat ladies up there before the school year is over. I now understand why it was suggested I only take about 15. Think of a can of packed sardines and you can imagine this store, 15 ladies with hot credit cards in their hands! You can eMail in advance and order make sure they have a piece in the color you want, serviceconso@lecreuset.fr. The lady that works in the shop was terribly helpful, although didn't speak English. I use the point, grunt and smile method of speaking French, this usually works well!

Honestly, I've known about this store for many years but never really wanted more 'Creuset'. I certainly didn't think the prices would be any cheaper than those Factory Outlet Stores that line the Interstate Highways in the U.S. I was WRONG!!


Look at the stash!

They had examples from each market, UK & U.S., but mainly featured the French line. I found a wonderful square griddle pan. I can already tell that I'll love this pan. Plus it was in a cool Indigo color!

The 'guys' insisted that I buy these little mini-cocottes! Perfect for individual servings! I just had to try them out last night, filled with Baked Polenta with a good Cheddar mixed in. These were fun! I always like to add a bit of whimsy at my table, and these little guys were too cute to pass up! I am picturing using them for many things---Mac-N-Cheese, Pot Pies and Deep-Dish mini Apple Pie!