0 PROMISING LANDSCAPES

Well, lately I have not been posting very actively on my blog as I have taken a little holiday (1 week). I'm awfully sorry for having let you down (to tell you the truth, I felt slightly guilty about doing so), but one sometimes needs a bit of time for herself...Anyway, next week I will blog like usual (ladscape shots, recipe and Weekend Cat Blogging). In the meantime, here is a shot of the place I travelled to on Tuesday. I hope it'll sharpen your curiosity as they'll be more pictures of that wonderful region next we...

0 CROQUEMBOUCHE - THE DARING BAKERS

When seeing the date on my calender, I had to curse. I could not believe that in less than a day it would be the 27th of May and that all members of the Daring Bakers' would be blogging about their latest creation, yet I still had not started making this month's challenge. Once again, I did not manage to start baking in advance for the event and had to run at the last minute in order to be able to blog about it on time. I cannot believe that the 27th has already arrived...The May 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Cat of "Little Miss Cupcake". Cat challenged everyone to make a "Piece Montée", or "Croquembouche", based on recipes...

0 STRAWBERRY & RHUBARB CRUMBLE

In the past, I was hyper reluctant to cook strawberries. I thought that they'd end up tasting like strawberry jam (which I've never really enjoyed) if I did so. I love strawberries, but the sweet nearly sickly flavor of strawberry has always put me off. I was never one of those people who went crazy over a pot of strawberry jam. Quite the contrary! I am the kind of person who loves the taginess of apricot, black currant or Italian plum jams...That was before my encounter with English television chef Tamasin Day-Lewis' "Strawberry & Rhubarb Crumble" recipe in the May issue of my Bon Appétit magazine. Then, I knew that I was ready to give...

0 HELLO SUN

After more than two weeks of continuous rain and grey weather, it seems that things are getting a little better. Yesterday, I was finally able to eat on my balcony again and to go out for a walk. I had been waiting for that moment with much impatience....Although the weather is more enjoyable, the temperatures are still very low - considering the fact that it is already the middle of May (14° C) - and we getting a strong Bise (Northern wind). Let's hope it'll be sunny and warm for my holidays (starting this Frida...

0 WEEKEND CAT BLOGGING #258

This week, Breadchick and LB at "The Sour Dough" (USA) are happy to announce that they are hosting Weekend Cat Blogging #258...To submit your kitty picture(s), you can either leave a message in their blog's comment section (with your permalinks) or contact them via e-mail without forgetting to give all the needed informati...

0 ITALIAN WINE BISCUITS - BISCUITS AU VIN

Not long ago, I bought a couple of cheeses (Red Leicester & Welsh Mature Cheddar) from "Jim's British Market", a British supermarket situated in neighboring France (Saint Genis-Pouilly). As it is not a delicacy we can eat on a weekly basis, we wanted to enjoy those yummy cheeses with a good glass of wine and the appropriate accompaniment...I also had two wonderful jellies - Green Jalapeño Jelly From Texas, USA & Vin Santo Jelly from Italy - that I wanted to serve together with some good semi-hard gourmet cheese, it was the perfect opportunity to bake savory lush crackers. So, knowing that my "The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion:...

0 HOPING FOR WARMER DAYS

Unfortunately, since my last Wednesday post, the weather has not changed. It is still very grey, quite fresh and it has not stopped raining. Although it is good for nature, it messes with our minds...Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy the following pictures that I took when the weather was not as capricious as n...

0 WEEKEND CAT BLOGGING #257

This week, Jules and Vincent at "Mind Over Matter" (USA) are happy to announce that they are hosting Weekend Cat Blogging #257...To submit your kitty picture(s), you can either leave a message in their blog's comment section (with your permalinks) or contact them via e-mail without forgetting to give all the needed information.~ Better Than Ever...

0 DATE BARS - BARRES AUX DATTES

I have a very special relationship with food. You see, I tend to act like a squirrel and keep perishable products for far too long. Because of that bad mania, I generally end up creating menus or making treats in order to rescue from the dustbin the food that I have amassed greedily and stocked as if I were preparing for war...So, as I had a leftover packet of Christmas dates that was about to expire, I thought that it would be great to not let it rot any further and to use it for making a sweet something that'll uplift our spirits which have been shattered by the awful weather outside. Some of the best treats to bring back a smile on your face...

0 NATURE HAS AWAKEN

Spring never ceases to amaze me. It is an wonderful time of the year that I really love for evrything looks so fresh and cheerful...I am always shocked to see how nature blooms incredibly rapidly. One day, plants timidly grow, show their buds and the next (well not exactly - within a few days) they release their flowers and leaves in an incredible symphony of flashy colors and exhalirating fragrances! Two weeks ago, the predominant color was still brown with hints of green and now everything's bright green.Although, one might think it's already summer just by looking outside, the capricious weather is here to prove the contrary. Last week, the...

0 WEEKEND CAT BLOGGING #256

This week, Mog at "Mind Of Mog" (USA) is happy to announce that he is hosting Weekend Cat Blogging #256...To submit your kitty picture(s), you can either leave a message in his blog's comment section (with your permalinks) or contact him via e-mail without forgetting to give all the needed informati...