Kiss My Planet

The truth about grocery shopping

2010-06-02T06:19:00.000-07:00

I may or may not have strange grocery shopping habits. For example, I like to shop for groceries late at night, 9:30 - 10:00pm or early in the morning before work, 7:30 - 8:00am. There's something really enjoyable about being either among the first or last ones to shop. No one is pushing you around. You can take your time to browse, smelling and feeling the produce one at a time, with no one glaring over your shoulder to 'just get on with it' or making you feel bad for picking the last good-looking eggplant - sorry, I had a crush on it first.

Crowded shopping situations intimidate me. There's a certain bestiality that emanates from otherwise (at least I hope) sane and civilized people. After all, there are no fines for jamming your cart into someone's foot, or cutting in the line to the register. You would think it's common sense and decency not to do those things, but there are some people who have no shame (similarly to NYC subway).

Back to my grocery shopping habits... I like to go to my local store when I'm hungry. Usually, I'd stay away from shopping for food on an empty stomach - I always buy way more than I should. However, my local store ALWAYS has sampling. Cheese, guacamole, fresh baguette, catering specials, cookies - a feast! It's pretty convenient because I get to sample items I don't usually buy (or I'd eat all in one sitting - especially cheese).

Here are my favorite summer food shopping spots, in order of quality and importance:

Union Square Farmer's Market : Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 8AM-6PM
Union Market (Park Slope & Cobble Hill in Brooklyn)
Forager's (Dumbo in Brooklyn)

Burger Heaven - Watty & Meg

2010-05-26T20:46:00.000-07:00

I'm not the biggest fan of burgers. I tend to veer towards seafood entrées. I'm a FISH person. That said, the grass-fed burger at Watty & Meg leaves me with my heart in my stomach. The meat is chockfull of taste and richness. The brioche roll compliments the beef and cheese - sweet, yet not too much. The hand-cut fries actually taste like potatoes. AND I love that this place has bbq sauce to serve with fries - MY FAVE.

Watty & Meg is located in Cobble Hill and although it's new, its mahogany shelving, oak bar, and chalkboard convey warmth and neighborhood feel.

248 Court Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201-6434
(718) 643-0007

Glen Hansard & Swell Season - Low rising

2010-05-26T20:39:00.000-07:00

Namasté - French musical gem

2010-05-26T20:36:00.000-07:00

Les Petits Cannelés de Marica

2010-03-17T20:52:00.000-07:00

I was having coffee in L.A. Burdick's last Friday and glanced (just glanced; otherwise, I would have bought and inhaled everything!) the display of baked goods. I noticed a few pretty cannelés lined up in neat little rows and immediately became nostalgic. My mother loved to bake cannelés on Sundays. Her recipe is divine and so, I thought I would take the time to share it with you!

Ingredients:
1 liter 2% milk
500 g. butter
300 g. flour
4 egg yolks
½ cup of rum
1 vanilla bean

Directions:
1) Bring butter and ¾ milk to a boil. Remove from stove and add the rest of the cold milk. Gently whisk in egg yolks until blended. Set aside to cool.
2) Add sugar, flour, rum, and scraped vanilla bean. Mix well. Place the mixture to rest in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
3) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour mixture into cannelé mold, filling it up to ¾. Bake in oven for 1 hour.

Bon appétit!

[image thanks to LJ42 according to this license]

Zucchini Velouté - recette de Manou

2009-10-19T18:53:00.000-07:00

I loved going to St Martin le Vieil in October for many reasons. Nestled in the woods just an hour and a half away from Toulouse, St. Martin is a small village with a mere 200 inhabitants, a church, and a small library (tiny, actually) - the nearest store is a 20 minute car ride away in a neighboring town called Bram.

My mother would take us to St. Martin to visit her parents for two to three weeks every summer. It is beautiful in the summer too. With all the plum trees ripe with fruit, the colorful vegetable garden growing the juiciest tomatoes, and the fragrant fig trees readying their blooms to bear fruit in early fall... My grandparents' house is a playground for kids. My cousins, sisters, and I would build forts in the woods, splash around in the pool for hours in the blistering afternoons, pick the sunflowers' big black seeds and snack on them while playing hide-and-seek in the fields, go fishing in the stream... We barely ever got bored. Even when it rained, we would entertain ourselves with nature... looking for snails for my grandma's next meal, or playing game after game of rummikub or scrabble with my grandfather. We were very creative in the summers and there was always so many of us to keep us entertained!

However, Falls at 'La Combette' were quiet. The leaves rustle with the wintry winds. The logs in the fireplace crackle under the flames; my grandfather grumbling at a crossword puzzle impasse and my grandmother snoring to the Young and the Restless' lack of a plot. I love Fall. It's my favorite season. I love the smell of the first chill in the air, and of wood burning. I love the crinkling sound of the leaves beneath my feet, and the wind gently hitting against the shutters. But what I love the most about fall there is going mushroom foraging. We would find so many Chanterelles! We would come back with bags of them to clean out for dinner. Often, my grandmother would simply sauté them with a dice of butter, salt and pepper. It was unnecessary to make a complex dish out of something boasting as much flavor. She would usually serve it as a side dish with poultry or game. But I loved it most when she cooked up her zucchini soup. There's nothing better than a warm creamy soup and sautéed Chanterelles on a crisp fall day. I would sit near her in the kitchen, helping her with any task she would entrust me with; watching her every moves curious and wide-eyed.

'Qu'est ce que c'est?' - What is it?, I would ask when I saw her dropping something in the blended zucchini velouté.
'C'est de la vache qui rit!' - It's laughing cow, she would say.
'Pourquoi tu mets ça?' - Why do you add that?, I would inquire.
'Pour que la soupe soie plus crémeuse et que les enfants aiment la manger!' - To make the soup more creamy so children will enjoy it more, she would patiently answer.

I still make this soup to this day. And although I am grown-up, I still enjoy adding those 3 laughing cow cheese wedges in it!

I am very nostalgic of 'La Combette' and the time I would spend there in the Fall. My grandfather has since passed and the house has grown empty with many of us scattered around the world. But I love to hold on to those memories so dear. And whenever I cook something my grandmother has taught me - which is often - those fond memories, scents, and sounds resurface in my heart.

Zucchini Velouté - a recipe from Manou

6 big zucchinis
3 laughing cow cheese wedges
A pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil water in a large pot with a pinch of Fleur de Sel.
Peel the zucchinis and cut each of them into three even pieces. Place all in boiling water. When the zucchinis are very soft, strain them and place them in blender to create a liquid mixture. Add the laughing cow wedges into the blender one at a time.
Finish with the nutmeg and enjoy!

[image 2 thanks to Vanessa Pike-Russell according to this license]

Blog Action Day: When eating food means taking action

2009-10-15T06:34:00.000-07:00

In Defense of Food and The Omnivore's Dilemma author, Michael Pollan once said at a Madison, WI news conference, “I happen to believe America’s farmers hold the key to solving the national health care crisis, climate crisis and energy crisis.”

I could not agree more.

Reading Pollan's works has been eye-opening. I think many people have heard about how feedlots and other forms of mass agriculture impact the environment. Massive greenhouse gas emissions are released in the air daily, infecting nature, and ruining the ecosystem's natural balance. Climate change has been directly linked to these greenhouse gas emissions -- the very climate change that is responsible for several animals, and plants growing extinct; for the natural cycle of seasons to be disrupted; for the gargantuan environmental catastrophes that have become top threats to human population. What if, like these animals and plants, humans were to grow extinct as well due to climate change. We are responsible for what we have inflicted on the environment. Now, it's time we all take a step back and evaluate how much we care about our mountains, our trees, our oceans, and our children, and children of children. This past year, I have made a big change to my lifestyle. I only buy seasonal produce and fish that is locally sourced from an organic or close to organic farm (wild for fish). I only buy meat, which has been ethically raised, and fed its natural diet (grass/pasture for cows; all-natural grains for poultry, etc.). I try to spend a lot of time outdoors to remind myself of how beautiful nature is. Not only am I making a step towards preserving our environment, but I am feeling healthier and happier.

When the price isn't right.

2009-09-26T08:07:00.000-07:00

Weeks ago, I decided to sell my desk. I have been out of college for a few years now and have to homework to tend to – no piles of library books occupying space, and notebooks filled with research. I now only use my laptop computer, which in my mind doesn’t really need to have its own desk space. I posted my desk on craigslist and received many emails from prospective buyers. I sold it last weekend, and once it was gone, the first thing that came to my mind when I saw all the desks’ contents spread on the floor was “what now.” I hadn’t bought anything to replace the desk yet. I had the idea of using the space for an armoire or chifforobe to put away my bed and table linens, and winter sweaters. I perused a few websites for ideas but of course, my favorites were at 1000 to 1700 dollars at Pottery Barn. Yikes. I searched ebay, West Elm, Crate & Barrel, Craigslist, Ballard’s, etc for more options but always went back to PB, yearning for the sleekness and beautiful wood it had to offer. Here are pictures of the 3 armoires that enticed me:

Pottery Barn Farmhouse Chifforobe

Belvedere Armoire

Scarlett Armoire

My mother convinced me not to spend that much (I didn’t need much convincing). I opted for a mahogany-finished armoire found on Ebay at a significantly lower price (picture on right). I didn’t like the round old-fashioned knobs but I immediately thought of how much fun it would be to pick out new knobs at anthropologie. Woohoo! I clicked ‘new tab’ on my computer and started browsing away. Here are my finalists:

Which ones do you like best?

Clockwise from top left:

1) Calico Owl

2) Gothic knob

3) Reims knob

4)Toscana knob

5)Mother-of-Pearl

Washington, DC, here I come!

2009-09-26T07:56:00.000-07:00

Sitting on a train bound for DC, and slowly readjusting my breathing to its normal rhythm, I decide to write here. Although I am headed to the capital for work, I have extended my stay through the weekend to sightsee and of course, eat! I have never been to DC but in my mind, I imagine it to be similar in size and savoir-vivre as Boston (minus the Red Sox fanatics). I picture cobblestone streets, vintage lampposts, and cheerful people greeting me here and there… Yes, I realize, I may be idealizing this town more than necessary. One thing I noticed is that apart from knowing that DC is home to the President, the Smithsonian, and the National Geographic, I don’t really know much more about it. For example, I don’t even know what it is known for in terms of food (the one thing I should know!). Again, I foresee it offering great seafood – probably because of the similarities I imagine it to have with Boston.

When this train pulls into Union Station, I have to head straight to my hotel, change and get to all work, no play – well almost no play. I am hoping I can squeeze in a few tourist things tomorrow, including a visit to the Smithsonian, seeing the White House (maybe begging on my hands and knees for the guards to let me into the kitchen and Michelle O’s famous vegetable garden?), strolling along the Potomac river, and sampling some good eats. I will return on Sunday with all this juicy pictures and hopefully, some great dining recommendations!

[image 1 thanks to Schodts' according to this license]

A giant ravioli you say?

2009-09-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

I like to eat. That's a widespread fact. I also like to scour the city for some mouth-watering eats... fact #2. However, there's nothing I like more that to eat a three-course dinner at Chestnut on a Tuesday evening- make it almost every Tuesday evening.

If you know me, you'll also know that I don't really like Restaurant Week. Although I was excited to taste some of the 'best' restaurants' food at an affordable price, I quickly learned that Restaurant Week menus at touted, and otherwise expensive restaurants don't live up to the clout the press builds up around them (not always but often enough). It seems that this event, which was initially created to celebrate food and the social culture surrounding it, is also an excuse to serve up the bad pieces and leftovers of the week. So now, whenever Restaurant Week rolls around, I steer clear.

Chestnut doesn't wait around for Restaurant Week to celebrate food and the loyalty of their customers. Every Tuesday and Wednesday, it offers a prix-fixe menu. And there's no catch. You can choose from any appetizer, any entrée, and any dessert* for a whopping 30 dollars! It is worth every pretty penny if you'll ask me. All the produce, meat, and fish are locally sourced (farm-to-table actually) and everything is prepared with love. How do I know? Well, my neighbor creates the delectable desserts there, and when I have dinner on the back patio, I walk straight through the kitchen! You know a restaurant can only offer great food if they let you walk through the kitchen!

My favorites on the menu include the beet (yellow and red) salad with marcona almonds, the grilled calamari stuffed with quinoa, and the pansoti pasta (giant spinach, ricotta ravioli - my favorite!) with wild greens and mascarpone foam. The menu changes seasonally but these items are around year-round.

*there is sometimes a 5 dollar supplement for 1 to 2 items on the menu.

Chestnut
271 Smith Street (between Sackett and Degraw)
Brooklyn, NY 11201

My, oh, my... I love PIZZA!

2009-08-27T12:06:00.000-07:00

If there's one thing I miss about my hometown in France, it's our small family outings to Pizza Marco, where pizzas are spun thin and covered with fresh and succulent ingredients. When I moved to Boston in 2003, I wasn't that crazy about the pizza. Yes, I did live in 'little Italy' but the crust was always too thick and the cheese too gooey. I enjoy thin crispy crusts, topped with fresh tomatoes, veggies, and yummy yummy cheese (mozzarella di bufala - my favorite!). Upper Crust on Charles Street in Beacon came to be pretty good but the setting lacked Italian flair. I liked Todd English's Figs next door too, but the pizzas were small and a bit pricey I recall.
Now New York -or Brooklyn should I say- is a different pizza universe altogether. I've met people who come from all over the country on extensive pizza tours. I kept my ears open for good pizza joints and started trying a few here and there. Grimaldi's pizza in Dumbo always has a lengthy line of hungry visitors, so I went there to see what all the fuss is about. I wasn't very please that I had waited that long. I didn't think the pizza was that great. I also sampled some pizza at Una Pizza Napoletana, which is now closed. It was delicious, but didn't as many toppings as I would've liked, and is had more crust than tomato and cheese.
Back in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, I tasted some pizza at Fornino. Ah, this was without a doubt the best pie I had had in a while. The chef there grows the toppings in his garden and greenhouse. Can't get much fresher than that! And a wood-burning oven cooks the pizzas just right. I was smitten. However, 2 weeks ago, I met my sister for pizza at a little hole in the wall just a few blocks away from my house called Lucali. The decor is minimalist with a few tables and a wood-burning oven in the back where everyone can see the pizzaiolo at work. The only decorative things are a few plump heirloom tomotoes, elephant garlic, and bouquets of basil adorning the chef's work station.

The smell that permeates the small simple dining room is of ripe tomatoes, chopped garlic, and golden crusts. There are no menus here as the toppings depend on what's in season. One can choose between a calzone or pie and add on toppings to the tomato-mozzarelle-basil base. I went with fresh portobello and garlic. Mmmmm... simply the best pizza I've had in the Northeast thus far.

Buon Apetito!
Lucali - 575 Henry St., Brooklyn, NY 11231 nr. First Pl.
nearest subway: Carroll stop on F-train]
718-858-4086

and the changes begin

2009-08-19T07:23:00.000-07:00

On my trip back to France, I was able to visit the venue my sister had reserved for her 2010 wedding. No one had seen it yet but the pictures were beautiful and led us to think it would be the perfect setting for a romantic country wedding. Upon our arrival, we immediately met the owner/ wedding coordinator who was cold and short. We asked the questions we had prepared to ask:
"May we sample the menu before the wedding?
Can we move the dance floor to the patio since the ceilings are low and the bride and groom tall?
Are you sure we can fit 180 people out here?" (the venue was actually set up for another wedding reception that evening with 100 guests and it seemed a little tight!)
Unfortunately, it is 'impossible' to taste the menu beforehand. Whaaaa!? And there is 'no way' we can move the dance floor outside:
"En êtes-vous certaine? Vraiment aucune possibilité?" (are you sure? Is this really not possible?)
"Non, non, non. Mais vous verrez, c'est très joli," she answered with cold-pitched speech. (No, no, no. But you'll see, it'll be very pretty).
Wonderful. That IS reassuring.
The last thing I dared to ask was whether we can reserve the entirety of the inn (only 10 guest rooms). Of course, the answer was "non." The excuse: we have regulars, and we cannot turn them away. Um, do your regulars really book a year and a half in advance? And if they really LOVE the place, shouldn't they be able to come a week later? It's not even a holiday weekend!
Disappointed, I couldn't hide the sour taste the visit had left me with when I phoned my sister. We had to find a new venue.
As I write this post, no venue has been selected. Below is my sister's current favorite (as we try to negiotiate an affordable price).

Hotel La Vigne, Ramatuelle, France

So, I have created a new inspiration board to adapt to the colors and setting of 'La Vigne' to give her some decoration ideas and preserve some of the colors she had initially picked for the previous venue. See below!

gateau au yaourt

2009-07-19T08:55:00.001-07:00

When I was little, I spent endless hours watching my grandmother mixing batter, pitting sugar plums, whisking eggs into white soft, powdery flour, rolling out sweet 'génoise' and 'pate à tarte'. It all seemed delectable, but also complex for my small hands' undertaking.
"100g de farine Manou ou 150?
Un oeuf ou trois?
On mélange comme ça?"
Measurements seemed beyond my capabilities when I was 6-7 years old. I was always distracted by the birds flying by the window, the 'cigales' singing their summer songs, or by my cousins jumping in the pool.
I tried my hands at simpler tasks like 'le gouter de 4 heures' (the 4 o'clock snack), which generally consisted of arranging sugar plums, dark narrow purple plums, and larger blue plums in a basket, and toasting 'pain de campagne' (country bread) in the oven (my grandmother did not acquire a toaster until much later) with 2 milk chocolate squares melting on top of each slice. I'd then place everything on a tray with a few glasses and a pitcher of water and a selection of 'sirops'.
The first cake I remember being successful at baking was the 'gateau au yaourt' or yogurt cake. The simple measurements and few ingredients made it easy to remember. The measurement tool: the yogurt cup. Not only is this cake fun and easy to make, it's also my favorite cake. Its airy texture makes it a light dessert, or snack, while the acidity of the yogurt makes it boast with flavor and moistness. Today, I love to jazz it up with anything I have in my cupbpard or fridge. From blueberries to chocolate, and vanilla to cinnamon, this cake can be baked to anyone's liking. Here is the 'recette':

Yogurt Cake façon AC ;)

1 single serving size yogurt (I like Emmi Plain Swiss Yogurt)
3 eggs
1/2 yogurt cup canola oil
1 yogurt cup granulated sugar
2 yogurt cups of all-purpose flour
1 vanilla bean, scraped
1 cup blueberries

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in the order they are listed above. Butter a bread pan. Pour batter in it and place it in the oven. Cook for approximately 20 minutes. Then remove from oven and let cool. I like to sift some powdered sugar over it. And voilà! Enjoy!

Getting closer to color

2009-06-30T09:51:00.000-07:00

I have been spending a lot of time making the inspiration boards below for Jelly. She and BIL decided they liked the colors teal, lavender (their living room wall is teal!), and a vintage-natural feel. Here is a new inspiration board I have created to match their ideas:

[images borrowed from theknot.com, marthastewart.com, brides.com, and Béa's La Tartine Gourmande]

What do you think? Do you have any fun ideas to match their color scheme?

Kiss My Planet

The truth about grocery shopping

Burger Heaven - Watty & Meg

Glen Hansard & Swell Season - Low rising

Namasté - French musical gem

Les Petits Cannelés de Marica

Zucchini Velouté - recette de Manou

Blog Action Day: When eating food means taking action

When the price isn't right.

Washington, DC, here I come!

A giant ravioli you say?

My, oh, my... I love PIZZA!

and the changes begin

gateau au yaourt

Getting closer to color

Turbot with Mango Salsa

Inspiration time

My Big Sister is Engaged!

For Now...

When it's raining...

Yogurt Road Test

Throwing a popsicle party

satisfying my sweet tooth...

Il Gelato Come Una Volta (Ice Cream as it should be)

Exquisite Snacks for an Incurable Epicure

Pasta Lollapalooza Part 2

Spring Yogurt Salad

Marlow & Sons, Brooklyn

Pasta Lollapalooza Part 1

Book Review - Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love, and the Search for a Home by Kim Sunée

Meyer Lemon-Zested Salmon with Tagliatelle Spring Vegetables

'Not Exactly Roughing it'

Vive les Crepes!

life is not the same without a good breakfast.

newfound home & yummy brunch joint

give your mouth something to talk about

who's your alibi?

sweet escape

healthy taste for bitsy buds

it's not just about the quack tours

wait, what?