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Love, Mel

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Thanks for all the support! Please read this post to understand why.

See you there!

Please remember the less fortunate amidst the celebration and share where you can locally.

This year, a simple, food themed baby tree with entirely hand-made decorations adorns my living room.

I strung up some candy and yogurt pretzels and sprayed it with hair spray. I also collected the twisty straw ends and made a garland with them!

Imagine me sitting on the sugar dusted floor, nibbling on candy and licking stickiness from my fingers while stringing decorations like a kindergartener.

No one is too old for this, trust me.

The grand announcement: the next update will be in the new year.

I’ll be greeting the new year with a…

New website with a New domain!

Until then, have a wonderful, safe, and delicious holiday and new year!

Love always, Mel

Mel meets Mona Lisa

But the Grand Louvre is worth a visit for the architecture alone.
The amalgamation of modern design with a 12th century Palais is an inspiring sight to behold.

From within the Louvre

Then, there are the numerous fun photo opportunities to show mom back home.

Mel Admires Classical Art

La Musée du Louvre is a maze of art and artifacts that winds and stretches for miles. After a tiring day of jostling through flocks of tourists and straining my neck to see what others were staring at, I was ready for a break.

My suggestion? Cross over the Seine River to the Left Bank, away from the hustle and bustle, and settle at one of the many cafés that dot the path.

Crossing the Seine

Here, I sipped, nibbled, and watched Paris melt into the sunset.

Watching Paris go by...

Delectable crusty bread and cheeses.

Against the sunset.

Hare Rillette. Gotta love game season.

The craft of meat curing and cheese making.

This is art that touches my heart.

The Seine Shimmers.

I love garlic.

I love sucking heads. Andrew Zimmern knows.

Dinner in 10 minutes. ‘Nuff said.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs live prawns
• 300 mL Sake (Japanese Rice Wine)
• 1 head of garlic cloves, whole
• Flavourless Oil

Simple Dipping Sauce

• 1/2 cup light soy sauce
• juice and zest of 1/2 lime
• 1/2 Thai chili, minced
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• several mint leaves, minced

Directions

Smash the garlic cloves on the chopping board with the side of your knife.

Add some oil to a deep pan over medium heat. Toss the garlic cloves in the oil until slightly golden.

Turn the heat onto high. Add the prawns and the sake. Quickly cover with the lid.

Every minute, hold the lid tight and shake the pan to toss the prawns without releasing any steam.

The prawns are cooked when their flesh is firm, their eyes are grey, and their shells turn orangy-red completely. Depending on the size, this will take 4-7 minutes.

Ladle the prawns, garlic cloves, and sake broth into deep bowls.

Combine dipping sauce ingredients.

Peel, dip, eat, slurp, and repeat.

Serve with a crusty baguette to soak up all the briny essence.

I’ve only been blogging since April and I’ll admit, my photography skills have improved a lot. I also notice how other bloggers have really stepped up their game produce stunning, professional quality food photography.

But do you ever want to put the camera down and just eat? Not let the food get cold? Not test your guests’ patience?

Or how about submitting your best effort to Tastespotting or Food Gawker, only to be rejected because they don’t meet their exclusive standards? Not focused, too saturated, under-exposed…

(by the way… are they operated by the same people? They always choose the same photos I submit…)

My response: Relax with the camera once in a while.

These are not your conventional, glossy cover shots. There isn’t food styling, lighting, or white balance adjustment involved.

This dessert is ooey, drippy and almost gory, but in my eyes, very pretty.

It doesn’t hurt that it’s also very tasty.

If you’re curious, I will be submitting these photos for kicks. I’ll update you on how it goes.

UPDATE: Whoa. These photos were accepted at Tastespotting and Foodgawker. I’ll say.

Spiced Wine Poached Persimmon

Ingredients

• 2 persimmons
• 1/2 bottle red wine
• 1/2 cup of orange juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• handful of cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• peel of 1 lemon
• 1 slice of ginger
• Mint leaves

Directions

• Score the persimmon all the way around and stud it with some cloves.
• In a small saucepan, bring all the other ingredients to a boil. Lower the heat down to simmer, then gently poach the persimmon for 15 minutes. If there isn’t enough liquid to cover the fruit entirely, then turn it upside down midway through.
• Remove the persimmon, drain, and place onto the serving plate.
• Turn the heat to high, remove the spices, and reduce the poaching liquid to a thick syrup. This will take around 10 minutes.
  
  
  
  

• Drizzle the syrup around the persimmon, garnish with mint leaves, and serve with ice cream or yogurt.
• Warn your guests not to eat the cloves :)

Initially, received a lot of “I hate fennel” responses. Gahh…! Did we choose the wrong vegetable?

But our loyal foodies stepped up. We were blown away by the enthusiasm! 27 in all!

Here are the creative recipes. The winners are announced at the bottom, along with details for the next battle.

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My Entry:

Roasted Fennel and Anchovies on Rosemary Polenta by Me

Leela’s Entry:

Calvados Fennel and Green Apple Confiture by Leela of SheSimmers.com

The Participants

Potatoes with Fennel Au Gratin by Rick (.pdf)

Fennel with Garlic and Parsley by a doctor's kitchen

Fennel And Apple Juice For Health by Keep Learning Keep Smiling

Pork Roast on Apple and Fennel by Frantasticfood

Bite-size Beignets with Gruyère, Fennel & Piment d'espelette by Once Upon a Plate

A New Thanksgiving Appetizer Chestnut Mushroom Pate by My Man's Belly

Pasta with Roasted Beets, Fennel and Blue Cheese by He Cooks, She Cooks

Fragrant ginger and fennel soup by Quasi Serendipita

Pork and Apple Stew by Eclectic Cook

Fennel and Shrimp Pot Pie by foodiePrints

Fennel and Salmon Terrine by Mark Palmer .DOC

Greek Fennel & Potato Salad The Creative Pot

Roasted Vegetables with Pancetta and Balsamic Sauce by Local Lemons

Fennel & Persimmon Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette by Let Me Eat Cake

Savory Pear, Fennel and Chicken Tarte Tatin by Spinach Tiger

Carpaccio of Scallop and Shrimp with Sechuan Buttons by Chez What?

Fennel-Pastrami Gratin by Zen Can Cook

Pear Ginger Mousse with Candied Fennel by 5 Star Foodie

Braised Fennel by Cooking 4 the Week

Sausage and Caramelized Apple Pasta by Cook Local

Mussells, fennel & chorizo in an apple and fennel bread bowl by The Cotswold Food Year

Fennel and Sweet Potato Omelette by Fried Wontons 4 u

Crema di zucca, finocchio e mela verde by Kitchen Bloody Kitchen

FENNEL 'n ONION SOUP w/Calvados and Melted Gruyere SOUP SHOOTER by Show Food Chef

Fennel puree & fries with sea bass by French Cooking for Dummies

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So which one is your favourite?

We are crowning 2 3 winners (because Leela’s a softie…)
Click here for Leela’s Picks.

Wall of Fame of past winners.

My Pick:

Tart of Fennel, Leek and Broccoli with Cheddar Crust by Bite Me Kitchen

Apart from this colourful tart’s obvious visual appeal, Rose builds seriously complex layers of flavours and textures.

Firstly, the addition of cheddar and cornmeal to the crust creates a dense, savory sensation. She combines a selection of cheeses and a variety of vegetables to make a vegetarian filling. Her recipe follows our philosophy that vegetables should never be an afterthought next to meat.

Well-deserving winner, wouldn’t you say?

Go on, girl, and proudly display the winner badge on your page!

Submissions Due: January 8th

Leela’s hosting ! Join the fun!

Please click here for detailed instructions.

My submission to Battle Fennel, hosted by Leela and me

Click here to skip right to the video…

As a Canadian, I’ve never celebrated Thanksgiving on the American date before. By the time American Thanksgiving rolls around, I’m usually all turkey, pie, and gravy-ed out. This year was a little different.

Roasted fennel mingling with anchovies and garlic

Anthony of Farmstead Wines and InevitableTable graciously invited me to his American Thanksgiving dinner. In preparation for the evening, he slaughtered a 200 lb pig two days prior to feed a houseful of hungry guests.

In attendance were food enthusiasts and contributors to our local collaborative food site, Foodists.ca.

Following the pre-dinner’s counter space jostling, pot and pans scrubbing, stovetop sharing, wine spilling, and all forms of laughter amidst chaos, an amazing spread of food gathered us in awe and appreciation.

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Fennel: the star of the day

Fennel is a delightful winter vegetable that can add crunch and liven up any salad or lend a sweet, creamy hand to comfort dishes. After roasting in the oven, it becomes deeply caramlized and tender and makes the ideal topping to pan-fried polenta slices.

Rosemary polenta cut and ready for frying

For this month’s Beet ‘n Squash YOU! Battle Fennel

Just for kicks and to step it up a notch, I created my first instructional video. This wasn’t easy so please go easy on me :) I hope that you enjoy it.

Ingredients

Rosemary Polenta

• 1 cup of polenta
• 2 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 cups of water
• 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
• several sprigs of fresh rosemary
• olive oil
• s&p

Topping

• 2 fennel bulbs
• 1 can of anchovy filets
• 1/2 head of garlic
• 1 cup of olives
• olive oil

Overlooking the port. What kind of plant is this? I thought it’s olives…

This gorgeous port city is the oldest city in France and boasts of an active fishing industry. The scenic Vieux Port (The Old Port) is dotted with restaurants, cafés, and bars. Many waterfront establishments are closed during the Winter months, which played in my favour because I find swarms of tourists overwhelming.

Food enthusiasts are probably wondering: How was the seafood? Did you have Bouillabaisse?

Courtyard and pool.

From its streetview, I would never suspect that a bed and breakfast existed through the narrow and unremarkable doors. Stepping inside, I was transported into a cozy and charming sanctuary.

View from my breakfast table.

The gentle host prepared breakfast at dawn and guests were invited to mingle and share travel stories. My travels showed me that Europeans do not eat breakfast like North Americans do.

Le matin à Paris: The flakiest, butteriest croissants are found at every corner.

A croissant or a slice of buttered baguette with coffee is the usual Parisian fare. Italians linger over coffee in a similar fashion, sometimes with a piece of baked good. Meanwhile, Barcelonians don’t seem to appear on the streets before lunchtime. Correct me if I’m mistaken.

Nope, there’s no hashbrowns, sausage links, or pancakes here. Homemade preserves, pats of butter, and rustic bread beckons bonjour.

But look at this beautiful bread… can anyone complain? Alongside a glass of cold orange juice and a mugful of steamy coffee, this comforting spread prepared me for the chilly, windy port.

Here, I also enjoyed a delectable fig marmalade that was made by the host’s wife. While the blueberry and currant jams were great as well, this dark and sticky fig concoction tugged at my heartstrings.

The combination of the orange peel’s slight bitterness, the aroma of smoky honey, and the tiny crunchy bits of fig seeds was worth waking up early for.

The recipe? Between my limited French, an exchange of hand gestures, and moments of skepticism between me and the host, this was what I gathered.

Ingredients

• 6 cups of fresh figs, quartered
• 2 small oranges, quartered, seeded and sliced thinly (with peel on)
• 3-4 cups of sugar
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 2 cinnamon sticks

Directions

Simmer the ingredients slowly for 1 hour. Stir regularly and add tiny amounts of water if necessary.

Cool complete.

Serve with crusty, rustic bread.

That’s the best I could do, honest.

1 Michelin Star - Gordon Ramsay, Tokyo
1 Michelin Star - Alkimia, Barcelona (stay tuned)
2 Michelin Stars - Picasso, Las Vegas

and lastly…

3 Michelin Stars - Hotel Le Bristol, Paris
Executive Chef: Eric Frechon, Pastry Chef: Laurent Jeannin

When I planned my European travels, I said I was willing to gnaw on baguettes indefinitely in order to enjoy one 3 Michelin Star meal. Of all cities to choose from, I was smitten by the idea of dining lavishly like a princess in Paris.

After much research and with some help from Stephane (Zen Can Cook) who has cooked in several top restaurants in Paris, I made lunch reservations at Hotel Le Bristol.

Yes, lunch. Let’s be real now.

When the much-anticipated day finally arrived, I hopped onto the Metro (holla!) without a clue of what awaited me.

Stay classy…

I put my gameface on when I arrived at the hotel as to not reveal how eagerly I’ve been anticipating this afternoon.

The hotel interior is simply stunning. My feet barely touched the gleaming floor as I swept towards the curtains that separated the outside world from a food lover’s fantasy.

Upon telling her my name, the hostess informed me that my table was ready. She took my leather jacket and handed it to a woman in an actual Frenchmaid outfit. I had no idea those still exist!

Stepping into the dining room felt like stepping into a movie and travelling back in time. Whoa… straight oldschool, I thought.

Let me try again with more eloquence. I was surrounded by gorgeously lush curtains, ornate detailing, and glistening chandeliers. That’s better.

I admired the pretty tables as I settled into the plush dining chair. Perfect.

All right, I know why you’re really here. For the food, right? Without further ado, may I present the stunning menu.

Following a glass of Champagne, I was greeted by…

Amuse Bouche: Salt Cod Mousse on Concord jellie.

It might be because it was the first thing to hit my tongue or it might have just been that good. This was the most memorable thing I tasted. The creamy, velvety mousse swirled around my mouth, interspersed by lively hits of intense grape flavour. The garnish was mysterious crunchy bits that brought the perfect textural interest.

On the subject of perfection, please pardon this interlude. I never use the word “perfect” loosely. In fact, my standard for perfection is absolute. In order for something to be perfect, it must be utterly flawless and leaves no room for improvement.

In other words, perfection must be blow my mind, knock me off my feet, and leave me breathless. Dare I say, almost every bite during this lunch was perfect in its own right.

Is that really possible? or was I sipping through rose-coloured glasses? I’ve said my piece and I’m not going to convince you. See for yourself :)

Appetizer Trio: Olive “Ravioli”, Tuna Tartare “Pizza”, Foie Gras Custard

When the liquid ravioli burst, the deliciously briny essence of olives flilled my mouth. The tuna tartare hidden under the cloud paired wonderfully with the thin, crispy “pizza”. The luscious, savory foie gras custard carried a hint of bacon and incorporated seamlessly with the mysterious eggy foam.

The bread basket could not be overlooked. After travelling to Italy and Spain, I have a new-found appreciation for French bread. The French know bread, period. After France, whenever bread was set before me (like bland, holey, crusty Tuscan bread…no offense), I particularly reminisced this incredible basket at Bristol.

It’s my regret that I couldn’t just sit and stuff myself with all the bread and special butter that I wanted .

First Course: Hare Soup, chestnut strings and shavings, duck foie gras ravioli

It was game season in France so everywhere I went, menus were filled with all the game meats, foie gras, and patés my little heart desired. Here, the intensely rich soup tasted of pureé hare… no jokes! Little foie gras stuffed ravioli rested on braised hare meat, atop pipped chestnut spaghetti.

I’m completely obsessed with chestnuts so this luxurious soup was a dream. Unbeknownst to me then, there’s more chestnut to come… wee!

First Course: Scallops, coated with Tandoori spices, green cabbage with ginger and lemon

One reason I decided on Le Bristol was because I liked the notion of enjoying innovative, modern French cooking in contrast against its regal, elegant setting. This scallop dish exemplified this experience by incorporating Asian flavours without abandoning classical French technique.

What astonished me was the scallop’s consistent level of doneness throughout. It’s as if someone pared down a huge scallop to leave only the juicy core. Was it poached in butter? Sous vide? Magic?

Main Course: Wood Pigeon (from the hunt), giblets, chanterelle mushrooms with juices

More game meat, yes. oooh yes. The tasty bird was succulent and pink in the middle and rested on a generous bed of chanterelles.
To this day, I still dream about this bundle of the ultimate shoestring fries. They were created with nothing short of pure magic.

Freshly caught Sea Bass, mushroom crust, hazelnuts, beurre blanc

This was, hands down, the most delicious piece of fish I’ve ever relished in my life. Its tender, buttery texture was surreal. Buttery fish on buttery butter… *shiver with glee* I adore how every minute detail contributed to the dish’s overall flavour, such as these dainty baby chanterelle mushrooms.

Intermezzo: Lychee sorbet on mango coulis, chocolate brittle

At this point, I was thoroughly stuffed and lightly glowing. This fruity palette cleanser presented itself as a delicious breath of fresh air. A deep breath… because here comes the desserts…

Pear poached in vanilla syrup with almond Florentine crunch

Where’s the ice cream, you may ask? This perfectly poached pear held a surprising center of oozing ice cream. The server fills the plate with a dark, warm caramel sauce that swirls into the melting ice cream. Simply divine.

On the side: Spice-swirled vanilla cream and caramel sauce flavoured with chicory… with a gold leaf, no less.

Something so sexy deserves a shot from another angle

Mont Blanc: chestnut pureé on chestnut macaron, shortbread, creamy centre, vanilla ice cream

It was my lucky day. The sorbet on the menu was replaced by my favourite winter dessert made with my beloved chestnuts. If you haven’t experienced a Mont Blanc before, please give it a try if you have a chance.

Smooth, sweetened chestnut was piped around a fluffy cream centre. The puffy macaron and crispy shortbread base delivered a lightness against the dense chestnut strings. I did not want this dessert to end and wanted to sneak under the table to lick the plate clean.

Le Bristol: Represent!

Interesting tidbit: This dessert is wildly popular in Japan where they love to adopt French pastries. They can be found throughout many bakeries and cafés in Tokyo.

Hibiscus Jellie, Caramel Macron

Another generous piece of gold leaf rested on the liquid ravioli filled with apricot and the floral fragrance of hibiscus flower. Needless to say, the macrons were also delectable.

I thought these treats concluded the meal until I saw the waiter push a cartful of glass jars filled with confections to my table.

Mint marshmallows, salted caramels, peanut butter filled chocolates

The waiter snipped fresh marshmallows from a coil of fluffy, green sweetness. He fetched the remaining candies out with long, silver tongs.

The caramels were gooey, sticky, and had just the right balance of saltiness and sweetness. I adore peanut butter cups and if you do too, try to imagine the silkiest, nuttiest and savoriest chocolate pb cup ever.

And that, was the final conclusion to the most extravagant meal of my life.

Phew… enough superlatives yet? Need I even write a conclusion?

Thanks for reading.

Readers’ Inquiry: How much did this set you back?

The lunch menu is priced at 85 Euros. Expect more for à la carte. This is only a fraction of the dinner menu prices, hence my choice to dine at that time. At this standard, I don’t feel lunch would be an inferior option.

Naturally, all drinks are extra so ask clearly about wine prices if the sommerlier is pairing your courses by the glass. Before your bum hits the chair, the sommelier will also wheel over a tantalizing cart filled with champagne and offer you a glass as if it’s water. That is, as if. Be aware.

Lastly, if you are a lady dining with a gentleman, do not be concerned about the cost. Gentlemen are expected to pick up the tab, as there are no prices listed on the lady’s menu. One’s pretty little head should not be concerned by such trifling matters.

Hope that helps :)