C'est La Rentree!

C'est la RENTRÉE! All the desserts are back in the vitrines to tempt us again. No rest for the weary.

Lots of chocolatey gateaux for Fall.

Fall fruit tartes are taking front row in the windows.

The train stations are full of returning vacationers with their perfect tans.

So sad they've had to give up all that R and R...

And face up to their ABCs. School starts today!

Though it does make you wish you were a kid again.

 The clothes are just gorge for students.

Plenty of appealing cashmeres in the windows too...

But I am not ready for boots yet I can tell you that!

What about all the delish ice creams of Summer?

Isn't this the saddest sight?

At least the bistro dogs are back in town.

Speaking of which, does your pet ask to go to Paris?

We're still painting original watercolors of pets in Paris.

Do contact us (Bear and myself) for more information.

BONNE RENTREE!

La Cuisine Paris with Mardi

 When you paint someone's cat in Paris you never know where it will lead...

 What good luck to have painted Canadian food blogger, Mardi of Eat-live-travel-write darling cat, Cleo a few years ago...

 Mardi spends many summers in France and was teaching cooking classes at La Cuisine Paris this year.

 Mardi kindly invited me to attend a recipe testing class making classic French tarte tatin and quiche Lorraine.

Your favorite baking flop

 Was happy to be surrounded

 By far more experienced bakers.

 I volunteered to peel the pommes/apples for the tarte and grate the Gruyere for the quiche.

 Enhale the carmelizing apple slices (my handiwork!).

 Who knew nutmeg/muscade and cayenne were essential ingredients in a quiche Lorraine?

 Mardi successfully turns out the tarte tatin from it's pan - quite an accomplishment.

 The aromas are to-die-for. 



And the taste of the quiches - absolutement authentique!

 The following weekend K. at Chateau du Petit Thouars made a perfect quiche Lorraine exactly like Mardi's (which I somehow forgot to shoot. Unforgivable!).

 Today L. emailed me a picture of her gorgeous cat, Corky to send to Paris. At least I can paint cats if not bake.

I'm also now an expert at eating tarte tatin thanks to Mardi and La Cuisine Paris!