Buche de Noel

My latest project in the kitchen was a fabulous Buche de Noel that I plan to bring to Bernice's house for a Hanukkah party. I know it's really a Christmas item, but maybe we can call it a Buche de Hanukkah.
I used the genoise recette from the chocolate course I took in September at Ecole des TroisPonts in France. I made it in a jelly roll pan and was delighted that it came out light and pliable. It didn't even crack or tear when I rolled it. The filling was just a chocolate mousse recipe I had around, and the icing was a ganache. Each individual part was simple, but together, it just seemed to take all day. The picture is not as good as some of the pictures I see on the cooking blogs that I follow, but trust me......it was delicious.
I have never made anything like this before and probably, never will again. I used all the chocolate that was left in the carton I ordered last month, and EVERY bowl and utensil in my kitchen. It took three runs of the dishwasher to get the kitchen looking normal again. Wow. Such work.

Early this morning, I made the little meringue mushrooms. They are made in little pieces and then "glued" together with more chocolate. A final dusting of cocoa powder and voila, you have real looking meringue mushrooms to place around your buche.


If you use the best ingredients, you will always end up with something delicious. I have been buying chocolate by the carton from Baldor Specialty Foods in the Bronx. They sell the same chocolate we used in France and it's so nice to always have a big box sitting around ready for anything you can think of.....
Wishing you all a Happy Hanukkah and a Merry Christmas.
Now it's on to planning for New Year's Eve goodies!!
Bon Appetit.
Clare.

Those Little Fabric Bags

Have you noticed those little fabric bags that everyone is now using instead of plastic? I think people are really making an effort to eliminate using plastic bags in the grocery store. I saw this great display in Eli's Manhattan.

I love all the colors. It's almost a fashion accessory. I just have to remember to take it out and use it when I am at the register and fumbling around for my money and store discount cards on my key chain (more about key fobs in a future post).

My favorite bags come from Monoprix and Champion in Paris. I buy them every time I am there and now have quite a collection.

The bag on the left (from Monoprix) folds up into another little pouch, while the bag on the right(from Champion) folds up into itself. So clever.....and with writing in French too!!
Now that I am home one day a week and cooking a lot on a regular basis, I am spending more time in the grocery stores. When I use two bags at once, I think of it as strength training and do bicep curls all the way home!!
What kind of bag do you use for shopping?

Bon appetit.
Clare

The Union Square Green Market, New York City

Andy and I spent the afternoon at the Union Square Green Market. I love walking around looking at all the wonderful foods. Of course we had to stop at the pie stand first. These colorful skeins of lamb's wool were at a stand that also had lamb body parts in small freezers. I didn't want to look too closely at the freezers but the wool colors were beautiful.

The dried flowers were lovely.

The potato varieties were plentiful.

But it was the pumpkins that made my heart flutter. They were amazing.

We did an initial walk around and then zeroed in on a beautiful califlower at only $2.00. I had just seen them in the super market at $4.99 so I considered it my bargain of the day.

Bon Appetit.

clare.