Jet Setter

France Comes to New York - Holiday Cooking Classes at the Culinary Loft

Two exclusive New York workshops at The Culinary Loft December 13th and 14th, 2009.

Paule Caillat, owner of the cooking school Promenades Gourmandes in Paris, has been a close friend for many years. We have shared innumerable meals, cooking tips and stories about our culinary adventures. This year we have decided to unite our complementary styles to teach two cooking classes at The Culinary Loft in New York’s historic SoHo district. The classes will take place on Sunday, December 13th from 11.30am-2pm and Monday, December 14th from 6.30-9pm, giving you an opportunity to learn new recipes and cooking skills before the holidays!

In these workshops, Paule and I will be exploring Christmas traditions in Paris and Provence using top-quality French olive oils, truffles and sea salt. Paule will be preparing sumptuous dishes with foie gras, free-range poultry and truffles, while my cooking will illustrate the sunny Provencal approach to Christmas with Mediterranean monkfish and intensely flavored vegetable dishes. Potent black truffles will make their way into savory madeleines, and delicate olive oils will add a surprising twist to two classic French desserts.

The Provence Cookbook by Patricia Wells

 

I spent three months in Paris this year and one wonderful week in Nice taking some fantastic cooking classes. And one of the things I was trying to get a handle on was how in our very fast-paced world can we balance eating healthy and creating delicious meals? Anyone who has traveled for work extensively knows how difficult it is to cook your own meals when you're in a hotel most nights. And when you get home, well you're so tired.

It was very easy in Paris to head to the local markets for fresh food because that's what everybody did but not so easy in Dallas where it's just more convenient to eat out alot. I fell in love with "The Provence Cookbook" by Patricia Wells. Patricia makes it easy to translate Provencal cooking into American cooking - where to find some ingredients and good substitutes for what we don't have here.  She has some menus at the back of the book that are easy to put together. Makes me feel like a "real" chef. I've also taken the time to check out local farmers markets here and well the ingredients make a big difference. 

Includes recipes such as Raspberry Sorbert, Summer Truffle Salad, Chilled Tomato soup and more.

Here's to Happy Cooking!

- Denise

Website

Patricia Wells - www.patriciawells.com

Photo Credits: Nice, Agency Dreamstime

A Taste of the Riviera

Take a listen to our podcast! We interview food writer and Cordon-bleu trained cook Rosa Jackson. Rosa lives in Nice, France and runs Edible Paris and Les Petis Farcis. Edible Paris provides custom itineraries to foodies who want to get the best of Paris' amazing cuisine.  Petis Farcis focuses on cooking classes and market tours in Nice.  

Rosa worked in Paris for ten years writing about restaurants for a number of guidebooks and magazines.  She teaches Provencal cooking in her home. But spends a few days in Paris every month, keeping up with restaurants, conducting food tours and sampling the finest patisseries and chocolates. 

Listen here!

Websites

Petits Farcis - Cooking Classes and Market Tours in Nice

Edible Paris - Custom Food Itineraries

Girls Night Out: Island Cooking

 

Summer is the perfect time to get together with friends and throw lots of parties. In particular, catching up with friends on the latest romances, work dramas and life events is wonderfully relaxing. In our fast-paced world, it's so easy to get drowned by to-do-lists, work and family. 

And a party theme, you'll want to explore for your next party is de 'islands. Caribbean cuisine is a combination of West African, French, East Indian, Portuguese and Chinese cultures. It can be hot and spicy or sweet and subtle.  The best of island cooking takes in the flavors of citrus fruits, rum, chicken, pork and seafood as well as your basic veggie groups, including Mac and Cheese. 

Get your friends together, dig out those classic Bob Marley tunes, mix up some cocktails and try out the plethora of recipes out there. Recently, we made black bean hummus, mango and pineapple arugula salad, Jamaican jerk chicken and chocolate mousse. You can even take cooking classes that focus on Caribbean cooking at places such as Central Market.

Here are a few of my favorite Caribbean cookbooks. Also included is a recipe for a sumptuous, super-sweet Bahamian dessert - guava duff from Zaji Girls Sue Renae and Sophie, who hail from Grand Bahamas.  Sue Renae introduced me to guava duff and conch salad when I was in the Bahamas, and both were amazing.

Cook Books

Island Cooking by Dustan Harris

Eat Caribbean by Virginia Burke

Calypso Cocktails by Arlen Gargagliano

Websites:

Central Market - Cooking Classes

Happy Partying and Happy Eating!

- Denise