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Jennifer McLagan's Blog
November 13, 2009
- Our discovery of this second Italian store was a lucky accident. We were walking back home and literally stumbled across it. It was the small chalkboard outside declaring that they had white truffles for sale that attracted my attention. Ever since a trip to Alba we have had a passion for very fresh white truffles. To read more .......
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November 2, 2009
- Toussaint, All Saints Day falls on November 1 the day after Halloween, I'm surprised the French don't have a cake or pastry for Toussaint, as they do for many other saints' days, the Mexicans make pastries and skulls out of sugar. The next day, November 2, is known as day of the dead, a time to remember those no longer with us. I think it is a wonderful idea to have a special day for the ...
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October 30, 2009
- It al began with a quest for grappa. Why my husband couldn't have just bought a good marc? But no he wanted Italian grappa. His search not only turned up good grappa at our first stop, but also an Aladdin's cave of Italian products at our second stop, the Au Village Italien. There was everything you could want, hams, prosciuttos, salamis, oils, wines, dried and fresh homemade ...
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October 27, 2009
- After 4 days away, 2 of them taken up with planes and airports, I was very glad to return to Paris. Edmonton had a certain charm but given a choice between the two cities I know which one I'd pick. Plus Paris has the advantage of better weather. Right on time for the holidays of Toussaint, the weather here has warmed up. Today it was 18C, with an amazing brilliant clear blue sky. Just look at ...
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October 21, 2009
- My friends Franck and Lise came for dinner last week - I've either been cooking dinner or eating out every night so I've had no time to blog - with this bag full of goodies from their garden in Champagne. There were fresh walnuts and, individually wrapped in newspaper, my favourite - quinces. They were beautiful, leaves still attached and now the whole apartment is filled with ...
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October 11, 2009
- I've never been clear as to the difference between a saucisse and a saucisson. I do know that I love to munch on slices of dried cured sausages with a drink, yes more kir, before dinner. There is a vast choice in Paris, butchers, charcutiers and even supermarkets sell them . The first weekends in October are a great time to find regional specialities in Paris, as there are many fairs promoting ...
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October 7, 2009
- Perhaps you thought I didn't get my croissant? Well I did have to wait until Saturday morning but it was worth it. Crisp, flaky and made with enough butter to stain the bag and make my fingers greasy, it was delicious and the perfect start to the day. Best of all the bakery is a mere five minute walk away, dangerous.For some reason the croissants are always better on the weekends. I'm not ...
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October 5, 2009
- We don't often go to Montmartre, it is on the opposite side of Paris from our apartment and full of tourists and steps. As the name indicates mont = hill, there are some very steep streets many of which end in stairs. We were meeting friends for dinner so we went early to look around. I thought I was being clever by taking the bus all the way to the city hall behind Sacré Coeur, then we ...
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October 2, 2009
- Our flight was delayed 1 hour, which meant that we didn't land at Roissy until 11am. By the time we picked up our bags, why is mine always the last off the plane? and made it into Paris, it was time for lunch. We drove straight to our friends apartment and were soon on their terrace with a kir, white wine and cassis, in hand. Perfect.Our lunch continued the Burgundian theme with sautéed snails ...
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October 1, 2009
- Tomorrow I'll be sipping a cafe au lait and munching on a delicious croissant from the Le Moulin Vert Boulangerie, just up the street from our apartment. And, as you can guess, I can hardly wait.This week has been a mess of loose ends to tidy up and now just hours before the flight I think I'm finished. Still no reappearance of the dreaded squirrel, perhaps he's waiting until I leave town? Only 3 ...
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September 28, 2009
- I am feeling quite smug. The remaining figs are very green and I doubt they will ripen by Thursday.I've taken off the plastic so far the squirrel hasn't tried to steal another fig. Perhaps it was all the talk of sautéed squirrel brains?
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September 23, 2009
- It seems to be working. I've harvested 4 more figs, so I am way ahead of the squirrel. I've even left my tree outside overnight as the weather has warmed back up to 19 C in the evening. September is always a wacky month for weather.Now I am just covering one or two figs at a time with the plastic bag. While this leaves the rest of the figs exposed, they are so small, green and hard, that I doubt ...
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September 19, 2009
- Almost every time we pass Wayne in the St Lawrence market and spy his suckling pigs hanging, my husband says, "We should buy one and cook it ". I nod and keep walking, so up until last weekend, despite having cooked almost every cut of pork I've never roasted a whole pig. My oven is big enough, a wonderful beast, a commercial Garland range. There is nothing high-tech about it, ...
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September 18, 2009
- Those of you who read this blog regularly know that I have a fig tree. It doesn't grow much but it repays all the care we give it with a bounty of figs. This year there are another two dozen and with the cold, rainy summer we've had, they are big but are ripening slowly. The tree sits against the concrete wall of our building facing west to get the maximum dose of sunshine and heat. And while ...
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September 14, 2009
- Here is a close up shot elderberries. This is the first year I've seen them in the farmer's market so I snatched them up. In the spring I am forever searching for elderberry blossoms to cook with my gooseberries so I asked the grower selling them if he sold the blossoms in the spring."No", he said."I just need a few to go with my gooseberries, " I replied."No", was ...
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