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Galette des Rois: A Celebration of the Epiphany
The Christmas season is winding down now. The last major celebration day of the Roman calendar, the Epiphany, took place this week on January 6th. Also known as the Twelfth Day of Christmas, this holy day honours the visit by the three wise men to the manger of Christ. And in France, it is celebrated with a special cake: Galette des Rois – Three Kings Cake. A tasty concoction of frangipane – almond batter – wrapped in buttery puffed pastry, it is most delicious when served warm from the oven. Gifts of the Magi I’ve baked Galette des Rois several times over the past few years. And while it looks…
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Baking Croissants at La Cuisine Paris
How much more Parisian can you get than baking croissants in Paris? Well, perhaps Discovering the Secrets of Macarons would do it but I think it’s a pretty close race. Having already mastered macarons, I decided it was time to move on to the buttery, golden viennoiseries – pastries. So on a hot, sunny day in May, I made my way to the charming French cooking school, La Cuisine Paris, to attend their ‘Le Croissant and Breakfast Pastries‘ class. Tucked in behind Paris’ stunning Hôtel de Ville – City Hall – on la Rive Droite – the Right Bank – of the Seine, La Cuisine Paris offers a wonderful selection…
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Truffle Cashews ‘Comme Le Ritz’
If you’ve read my post titled ‘The Ritz Paris for a Light Lunch’, you may remember the Truffle Cashews that I enjoyed during that lovely meal. They were such a tasty, sophisticated treat, and one that seemed relatively easy to replicate, that I decided to experiment when I returned home to see if I could do just that. I am happy to report that, with minimal effort and ingredients, I have succeeded! If you too would like to experience a little taste of the Ritz, just follow the quick and easy recipe below. Ingredients: 350 grams salted cashews (I used sea salted but I’m sure regular salted ones would work well…
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A Buttercream Snow Day
For anyone living in southern Ontario, this past weekend was definitely a time to stay inside. The forecast called for a major wintry April storm, with temperatures in and around the freezing mark and a wide variety of non-stop precipitation. This included rain, snow, freezing rain and ice pellets to be accompanied at times by heavy winds. And Mother Nature did not disappoint. The rain began Saturday morning and by the end of Sunday evening my gardens were frosted with a covering of snow topped with a layer of ice. And the rain continued to fall. So as I prepared to cocoon myself for the weekend, I decided it would…
