Le Petite Frace.....Le F*ing delicious

Ok so today I went on a culinary adventure to a new French Pastry, Le Petite France shop in West Hartford and I am happy to report that their croissants are as good as the ones I grew up eating a Versailles in Greenwich, CT (not from there but taking to a second to imagine I am....ohhhh the fashion!!!). They were light, fluffy, crispy, and crusty; basically every adjective that applies to good things you put in your mouth (no comments) applies to these. go check it out.

However, their Napoleons left me a little colder, and I realize that I have never found one on par with those of Versailles. and this fact then lead me to search online to see how hard they are to make.

WELL: I stumbled upon this instead. Smoked Salmon Napoleons....

so now with a epicurean boner that would make Harvey Keitel blush, I am resolved to make this droll inducing culinary masterpiece as soon as possible.

additional aside: it pairs well with Mirassou Sauvignon Blanc 2008, a choice bottle with a price tag of only $8. What's not to love

Bon Appetite

We All Scream For Ice Cream ..no really....it's that good, there was screaming

My baby and I cooking...Not the best picture of us but ...there it is
So to mark the official end of my summer (and the sad submission to the horrors of law school) I endeavored to make the most epic dessert ever.
Strawberry Basil Ice Cream, Spiced Banana Ice Cream, and Caramelized Bananas with Basil Scented Whip Cream
I know, this sounds epic, insane, more complicated then your college relationship with that poetry writing hippie in sophomore year. And to some degree it is. But it’s so worth it.
Let me walk you through the evolutionary progress of this epic confection:
- first I wanted to make the Banana Spice flavor that appeared in ReadyMade, and I know due to my general lack of self-control regarding homemade ice cream. Picture it with me: me alone, lightly tousled hair, silk nightie, light jazz music playing in the back ground, ice cream calling me from the freezer in the middle of the night with promises of a happy life together and then WHAM….huge thighs.
- So I decided this would be a definte party item so that I could enjoy it with company and then not be temped to eat the rest of it in a single sitting.
- Thhhhhhheeennn….I decided that a caramelized banana would pair nicely with it
- And theeeen I decided that this was shaping itself up to be like a banana split
- Soooooo I added strawberry
- And thennnn I decided strawberry basil would be better
- Annnnd when was unsatisfied with the level of basil flavor in the ice cream I decided to add a basil scented whip cream

See where I’m going with this. So here are a few of the recipes:
Banana Spice Ice Cream
• 2 medium ripe bananas
• 2 cups whole milk, divided (I used 2%)
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar, divided
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground cardamom
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla
Puree one banana and 1/4 cup milk in a food processor until smooth.
Combine the banana puree, the remaining 1 3/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup brown sugar, the cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and salt in a medium-size heavy saucepan. Scald the milk mixture (heat nearly to a boil) over medium-high heat, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
While the milk is scalding, whisk together the egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl. Add the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar and whisk until the eggs are light and fluffy. Whisking constantly, add a small amount of the hot milk to the egg mixture (to temper the eggs). Gradually whisk in the remaining hot milk.
Return the custard mixture to the pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and place in a bowl of ice water to quickly cool the custard. Let the custard cool, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine cream and vanilla in a medium bowl. Stir in the custard mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and press wrap directly onto the surface of the custard. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. (The custard may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)
Freeze the chilled custard mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and place in the freezer for 2-4 hours before serving.

Here is the recipe for Strawberry Basil
- my only comment on this recipe is that I need to stew more Basil next time as the flavor did not feature as much as I wanted. Also note, that if you taste the custard before "Ice-creaming" it then know it will taste stronger then the final result.

And finally, the bananas’ and whip cream:
Cut banana’s in half lengthwise and cross-wise, and add to a heated pan with about 2 tablespoons of butter (about med-high)
Cook banana’s cut side down for about 2 minutes, then add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and rum and cook until they are a syrupy consistency (ps- if doing this on a gas grill take the pan off the heat first…I was not so I did not….so there : P )

And puree a few leaves of basil with a half a lemons worth of lemon juice. Then add to whipping cream…and well….whip




So there will likely be a follow up since I have A LOT to write about….but for now I will leave you with this

1. It was a two day project but it was sooooo worth it.
2. Chris rating of 9.75 (god he’s tough)…with the only criticism of more whip cream.
3. oh yeah…I am a motha funkin GOD in the Kitch……SUCK IT

Enjoy these end pictures by the way: Kate when insane with the pictures

eh??

So inspired by CollegeFashion's Haute Links and other such weekly "hey look what I found on the Internets" listings on other blogs I am copy-catting and writing my own.

Not sure what to call it as it seems screaming out for a cheeky title. ideas?
NOMinal Interest
amuse NOOMS

I'll get back to you on that. This is what I have so far:

Forget Rachael Zoe; here is an interesting interview with a food stylist

Coffee drinks beyond black, or iced too confusing? try this

ran out of things to talk about at dinner or over drinks? Thank you NYTimes from taking the guess work out of dinner topics.

and finally I have to try this place

Apples + Tortillas = π

So maybe I spoke too soon about the whole pie situation. See as soon as I got home (and after I made Pasta and Meatballs with the delicious Meatballs Chris and I made on Saturday) I decided I like Pie and the time is now.

So I will share my simple recipe for Quick and Dirty Tortilla Pie. Originally from a recipe in The Hartford Current:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut up 2-3 apples (without skins) and add a half a lemons worth of juice, and about a tablespoon of sugar. Then place in the center of a tortilla (or as I did in this case two small tortillas) leaving some space at the ends (about an inch). Then fold the ends of your “pie” over forming a “crust” (see picture). Secure with toothpicks. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake for about 30 minutes

The result isn’t your grandmothers apple pie but it’s damn good all things considered. I like how crispy the “crust” gets and it is a perfect end of the day dessert. Nice and light, and easy to do.

Aside: next time I will not put on as much cinnamon sugar as my first bite resulted in me having cinnamon sugar blown up my nose. Think of that post-beach sand-in-your-butt-crack-feeling only on your face and faintly reminiscent of thanksgiving. Will not make this mistake again

Sept Vougue = Fall cooking

Amen Epicurious

I too am looking forward to fall and all of the delicious flavorful things I can make. On my laundry list are some experiments I have dreamed up in the warmer months just in anticipation of this wonderful time of year. And now that September Vogue is out, fall has for all extensive purposes began. Look to the weather (ignoring the coming 90 degree weather)...it follows suit. forget Cesar; all hail Vogue.

Of these culinary atom bombs some I am very excited to try and will mention now are apple pie and squash soup. boring? On their face I suppose (*hates self for use of constitutional legal jargon in space designed to provide escape from aforementioned jargon*) However, I have some devious ideas in store. First my soup (classically pumpkin and as delicious as it is healthy and shockingly low in calorie). This year I may go to the farm stand and try to make it in every fall squash flavor. Why? to see which is the best. I love pumpkin for it's subtle sweetness, but let's see how the other squash fair.

Secondly, my pie (Apples are my favorite thing, especially the seasonal ones we get here in CT which taste like heaven in your mouth. This year I may attempt to branch out a little. I'm not much of a baker but I have hopes that this will be my year. First I will attempt my own Pate Briesse (how the hell do you spell that) which does not look hard, it just has yet gone unattempted by me. Secondly, I want to attempt to put some spins on my favorite pies classic flavor. One such concoction I was going to attempt is a vanilla-bourbon (it remains to be seen if the Maker's flavor makes it into the pie itself of the whipped cream). You see why not expedite the process of getting drunk and eating pie, besides I imagine this will taste especially delicious in front of the fire place. time will tell..

well my darlings, excuse my temerity for teasing you with such temptingly terrific recipe possibilities, but putting it in print will help keep me honest about finding time in this crazy world of Law School to make them.

Incidentally, keep reading for an entry towards the end of this week where I bid a due summer in the best way I know how: an overly elaborate dessert.

Banana Spice, Strawberry Basil and Caramelized Banana Splits

Either that or enjoy my post about how I have fried off my own eyebrows mid-flambe and break into hysterical sobs in front of the Dairy Cream as a result of Post-Traumatic-Stress Disorder.

Kabobs...you love them don't you

So today I attempted Kabobs. Inspired by FoodNework Magazine (and the scene from the film Miranda where a thug razzes a confused John Simm for loving Kabobs), I made a “steak house kabob”. It was a prefect way to feed three people (one of which being a guy so that’s kindof like serving two women, not to be gender biased) with only a small amount of steak. You see Marilou bought a long tenderloin of steak and while most of it became delicious fillets, there were some smaller bits that Marilou diced up into cubes and froze. To make a quick but delicious and filling meal from them, I did the following:

Marinade the steak cubes in olive oil, chopped parsley (about 3 Tbsp), Thyme (1 Tbsp) salt, pepper, and 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce and Worchestishire. Leave for at least 1 hour (mine was in the fridge for about 2 1/2)
On skewers (marinated about 20 mins in water) put onion, boiled mini red potatoes, the steak and mushroom caps.
Then grill on high (did mine on charcoal) till the steak is cooked through (I think ours were on for about 6 mins in total)

Two issues with this meal:
1. I completely forgot the onions. So we threw some onion slices on the grill at the last minute. They were defiantly missed on the finished product.
2. Also, totally forgot to put out the Quinoa salad that I meant to serve with this which is likely a testament to both the quality of my kabobs and my general inability to remember anything from onions to salad.

Mars Attacks....via bitter fruit

So remember how I said that I was planning to do something with my bitter melon? Well, unfortunately I never had the chance because the melon turned orange and split in half reveling seeds that looked either like teeth or large kernels of corn. Horrified that this “melon” was actually a alien organ of some kind I threw it out and vowed never again to impulse produce shop. The wounds may take years to heal.