Bonjour Mai!

Slowly Readjusting

I have just returned from Japan, where Maxence and I spent the better part of April. I loved it even more than I hoped I would, so I'm finding it a bit hard to ease back into my normal life, the one that doesn't involve much kana deciphering nor warabi mochi gobbling.

But I'll get over it eventually, as we all must, and I'm putting together a post about the trip that will at least allow me to revisit a few highlights, and share them with you.

Other things that help: finding that my bread starter Philémon is still in great shape despite my cruel absence; seeing my sister very soon to (belatedly) celebrate her little boy's second birthday; having brought back the necessary ingredients to make my own batch of the aforementioned mochi (try saying "aforementioned mochi" out loud, it's fun), which should in fact be easier than the strawberry daifuku I wrote about last year.

And I have to say, it is lovely to leave a cold Paris in early April, and return at the end of the same month to be greeted by sunshine, the first crop of green peas, and a small basket of fraises des bois.

Links You Might Enjoy

~ Raid Pâtisseries is a blog (in French) whose author, Louise, "raids" Paris pastry shops then submits their confections to comparative tastings, sharing photos, prices, and notes.

It is an instructive read that reminds me of the similar tastings conducted by the Figaroscope, the restaurant/entertainment section of Le Figaro. The latest one was about chouquettes (sugar puffs) and if you'd like to try them yourself, here's my recipe.

~ Parisians who love to sew (or want to learn) but don't own a sewing machine can now go to this new café couture that operates a bit like an Internet café, allowing you to rent a sewing machine by the hour. Classes, coffee, and chocolate cake are also on offer.

I haven't visited yet but I find the idea clever, and since it is mere steps from two favorites of mine -- vegetarian cantine Bob's Juice Bar and artisanal bakery Du Pain et des Idées -- I am bound to drop by sooner or later.

~ Judy, a reader and friend of mine who runs an online bookshop in Australia, told me about an cannibalistic typo that sneaked its way into an otherwise innocent pasta book (click on View Larger Image to see it, I don't want to spoil it).

I can't imagine it being anything other than a (very) unfortunate word processor glitch and I think it's pretty funny, but some people were offended, and as a result, all remaining copies of the book had to be pulped and reprinted.

~ This archived television show (in French) from 1976 entitled "Is there such a thing as nouvelle French cuisine?" is a debate between distinguished guests -- Bocuse, Lenôtre, Gault & Millau, and even Ginette Mathiot. It's fascinating to watch, for the discussion itself as much as for the trip back in time.

~ Similarly, this recent CBS show on The Art of Baking Bread includes footage of the late Lionel Poilâne making his outstanding punition cookies.

I recently got some flour from the Poilâne shop on rue du Cherche-Midi, and I plan to use it to make a batch of punitions with the recipe Dorie Greenspan gives in her Paris Sweets book (check the "look inside!" feature, it includes that very recipe). But I think I'll make the dough by hand, as Lionel Poilâne demonstrates.

May Desktop Calendar

At the beginning of every month, I am offering C&Z readers a new desktop calendar, i.e. a wallpaper to apply on the desktop of your computer, with a food-related picture and a calendar of the current month.

Come download the May edition!

Entry Digest

What have I been up to on Chocolate & Zucchini recently?

Swiss Chard Gratin with Vegan Bechamel
(April 27, 2010)

{Gratin de blettes} I generally steer clear of ready-made preparations and other "helpers" sold at the grocery store: not out of snobism, but I love to cook, I devote time and thought to selecting good ingredients, and I welcome the opportunity to practice and exper...
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Squeeze Cookies (A Roasted Flour Experiment)
(April 20, 2010)

Among the many things I learned during that memorable conference on molecular gastronomy, one idea has been whirling around my brain with particular insistence since then, and it is that of farine torréfiée*, or roasted flour. It was introduced to us by way of a tru...
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Lamb and Orange Khoresh
(April 13, 2010)

I know little about Persian cuisine. I do know it is a multifaceted one, that its flavors are refined and its roots run deep, but I have never been to an Iranian restaurant nor an Iranian home -- though now that I think about it, one of the Middle Eastern groceries w...
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Hot Cross Buns with White Chocolate, Dates and Pistachios
(April 6, 2010)

To celebrate Easter this weekend, I made hot cross buns, the brioche-like spiced loaves the British bake and serve on Good Friday*. I have made them on previous occasions, but instead of following the recipe I used last time, I decided to take a leaf from Dan Lepard's book. I loosely followed the process he describes -- the overnight fermentatio...
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