Sunday, May 03, 2020

From Scratch

I hope dear readers you're all keeping well and making plenty of bread🥖 I've seen the pictures. Everyone is experiencing changes during this time of isolation. I'm not making sourdough but I am cooking from scratch like never before.
A few weeks pre-Lockdown I was listening to Dr. Robert Lustig, the anti-sugar doc on youtube and he changed my mind in 30 minutes.
As an artist or writer you're used to isolating all the time. Foraging daily for food becomes an essential and pleasant escape.
Except my foraging had me eating frozen, prepared food I never ate in the US. Its weird to move to France known for the best food in the world and end up eating frozen dinners of pomme de terre au gratin or Thai soup. Thank you Dr.Lustig for waking me up to smell the herbs.
My Wednesday haul.
I looked up Jill of MAD ABOUT MACARONS salade de chevre chaude. How I wish I'd gotten real lait cru chevre from the fromagerie as Jill suggests. Next time.
Normally I would eat at my desk or standing up, out of a pot. Not lately.
Here's the newest, funnest Youtube CHEF OF THE WEEK to explode on the scene, Aussi NAT'S WHAT I RECKONHe is wildly foul-mouthed sprinkling f... words liberally. You have been warned. His premise: we should all be cooking from scratch. He makes it super easy and 1st thing throws a box of prepared food out the window.
Your next trip to Paris if you're into cinnamon you'll want to stop by Swedish CIRCUS BAKERY. Right now they're swamped making deliveries.
I was a lucky recipient thanks to Bonelle in Boston. The twisted cinnamon bread was stunning but if I didn't give 1/2 to my regular brunch gang I would have devoured it whole instantly.
Please don't say anything untoward about pigeons and crows. Pigeons are seriously underrated. Plus I love hearing them scratching on the roof.
So thats my scratchings for the week dear PBers. I have put up some Mother's day macaron watercolors in my Etsy shop each with a sprig of Lilly of the valley. Stay well and keep cooking ❤️💋🐻🥖

24 comments:

  1. Ooh, Carol - I love your macaron watercolours and with the muguets in them - how lovely for your monthly letters. Thank you also for the shout-out! We adore salade de chèvre chaud and happy to see you enjoy it too. Looks like you're having so much fun! Anyway, I can't say anything against pigeons as my Grandpa raced pigeons between Scotland and France and was in the Home Guard during WWII, as he was responsible for carrier pigeons. It's all rather fascinating. I can just imagine the sound on that lovely roof!

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    1. Wow What exciting relatives you have Jill!
      I just looked back at the financier lesson you gave me...What a hoot!

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  2. Bonelle1:13 AM

    I will check out Lustig...I am eating way too much sugar on lockdown. Your cooking regimen is admirable. That salad de chèvre chaud looked yummy. Love seeing your market “hauls”!

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    1. If only I was 'good' all the time :((
      I just had to buy some chouquettes and financier for Paris map reseach...its so easy to fall off the healthy wagon ;((

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  3. Can’t wait to sample Circus’ cinnamon rolls when we can once again travel to Paris. Till then, bon appétit to you and your flock.

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    1. Circus cinnamon rolls are so hot in Paris, even French Vogue is oooing and ahhing.
      And everyone is trying to bake them too. No cinnamon powder in Paris these days..

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  4. I've really liked watching what you are cooking:)
    Have you watched After Life? Sooo good 2 seasons.
    Tes aquarelles sont belles belles belles.

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  5. Hi Carol,
    I love that our island streets look the same (and yet a bit different) to you and to me. Your food photos definitely look different from my pitiful cooking. Here's an article I wrote today about life on the Ile Saint-Louis during confinement—our island.

    https://www.oh-i-see.com/blog/2020/05/04/well-always-have-paris/

    Take care,

    Meredith

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  6. Owls Head11:19 AM

    I love this visit to Paris this morning. Thank you, as always

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  7. Splendid post. Lovely meal. I too love pigeons and crows.

    Thank you for being where you are and sharing it.

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    1. Ahh...another pigeon/crow fancier! 🐦

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  8. Thank you. Stay safe . After our one visit to Paris , we can’t wait to go back . So beautiful. You are my only contact in France. World is so big . Thanks for sharing. I love it.

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  9. Oh, I've loved seeing your latest cooking ventures. And that top view that shows not only Notre Dame but the Holocaust deportation memorial, one of the most moving spots I've ever visited and such a grim reminder.

    I've had a yen to paint macarons of late as well. They'd never be as 'tasty' as yours!

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    1. I finally went there by chance. A very moving experience.

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  10. I so look forward to your blog. Keep writing about food - good inspiration for me.

    Hail to the pigeons.

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  11. Dorrance1:04 PM

    Love your Mother’s Day macaron watercolors, but I snapped up a croissant on your Etsy shop! They are so lifelike but much lower in calories. ❤️

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  12. Anonymous1:43 PM

    I watched that video "The Hacking of the American Mind". Very interesting. I have always cooked from scratch but enjoyed going to restaurants on weekends. As that can't happen now with COVID19 I'm really tried of cooking ! Also, as a side note, not one doctor has ever talked to me about diet or exercise. However they are ready to prescribe a pill. Sad. Your blog is a highlight of my day. Thank you !

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    1. Dr Lustig is very convincing. I wish my cooking skills were more like yours...

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  13. Thanks for brightening what started out as a lousy day. Love your shopping hauls, but am a little jealous because I know how those fresh foods taste. I think no cinnamon is better than no tp. I made your chicken soup with a rotisserie chicken last week and loved it - will finish it off tonight. Stay well - hugs to you & Bear.

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    1. Ijust made my 4th batch of RCS(rotisserie chicken soup). Its my go-to breakfast!

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  14. Thanks for the pigeon video Carol! I love that they have become your regular visitors during lockdown. I highly recommend the British animated film 'Valiant' about pigeons during WW2 💕

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    1. Oh I will now that I'm a pigeon famcier 🐦

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  15. Maureen9:14 AM

    Your meal looks absolutely delicieux and so healthy. I agree. It's a shame to be in Paris and not be eating the best and the freshest although when I was, there was a patisserie stop on my route daily for nine whole days! Glad you are feeding poor pigeons. With deserted streets I suspect they are missing a lot of extra feedings generally.

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  16. Empress Eugenie10:47 PM

    I loved this post from you - the calm scenes, delicious food, the lucky pigeons. Then, there is the collection of little figures at the end. My husband has 6+ little 2CVs on a special shelf in his office. For decades his suppressed desire has been to own a real one. It won’t happen, but it’s fun for him to dream about.

    Your PB posts are especially appreciated these days. Stay well!

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