When I lived in Paris in the late 1990s, I was *really* into entertaining. I regularly hosted groups of 4-6 friends for dinner. Sound fancy, huh? Well here are a few more facts for you to consider about those statements: For 4 of the 5+ years I lived in Paris, my apartment was 18m2 (just … Read more
This is part of my Summer Reads series where I’ll be reviewing a series of “not just cookbooks”. Picture this: It’s 1996 or thereabouts. I’m living in Paris. It’s a Wednesday morning and I’m headed to one of my many English teaching jobs. On my way into the métro, I stop by the newspaper kiosk … Read more
Sometimes the Internet is a magical place. Recently I was contacted by someone out of the blue – this actually happens quite often, thanks to social media making it easy to get in touch with pretty much anyone – but this time, it was from someone with whom I have a lot in common! We … Read more
“A visual exploration of the Paris dining scene, with stories, guides, and recommendations from everyday patrons and famous aficionados alike”. This is how John Donohue’s latest book was described in an email from the publisher – how could I NOT want a review copy? From the publisher: Paris is a city like no other, beloved … Read more
I’ve been on a bit of a madeleine kick lately (remember those lemon ones from last week?). For whatever reason, I got it in my head that I wanted to make a chocolate version and I’ve been working on this over the past couple of weeks. My taste testers colleagues and neighbours can attest that … Read more
Madeleines remains one of my favourite French “snack cakes” (for want of a better term). Small and light, they are the perfect accompaniment to your morning or afternoon espresso and the perfect “goûter” (after school snack) for small hands. Mostly I enjoy them plain – a light, buttery sponge cake doesn’t need much more than … Read more