Lille, France
Wandering the streets of Lille, you begin to wonder how this small French city sustains a patisserie on virtually every corner. Are the locals required to eat in a patisserie as least once daily? Or is it because the window displays look so good that it is impossible to resist the treats within?? Or is it that Lille is the home of Paul, the famous French pastry shop? Or is it the colorful and ubiquitous macaron that weakens ones resolve?? Continue reading
Summer Berries
What could be a better finish to our seasonal party than a shortcake with peak-of-season local berries? Since our party was in June, strawberries were just the ticket. It is August now and, at least here in Michigan, local strawberries have moved over to make room for our luscious blueberries and blackberries. No worries. You can use any seasonal berry or mix of berries in this easy dessert.
There are a number of reasons why this dessert is so easy for a party menu: Continue reading
Pysanky – Watercolor by My Sister, Nanci Yermakoff, 2000.
Countries steeped in Eastern Orthodoxy celebrate Easter with glorious painted eggs and a traditional Easter buffet feast.
The eggs (pysanky) are quite an art form. The style of egg-painting is different in each country (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus et. al.), but perhaps the most beautiful are the Ukrainian batik (wax-resist dyed) eggs. Continue reading
Copenhagen – View from the Spire on the Church of Our Saviour
Gloucestershire Village with Characteristic Cotswold Stone Architecture
When I was still “commuting” to England in my job as a scientist, a friend living in Gloucestershire introduced me to a fabulous opportunity. They knew someone who owned a local restaurant who was looking for an extra pair of hands to fill in for a missing-in-action cook. Would I be interested?
Either the restaurant owner was desperate or my friend over sold my skills, but they were eager to have me. Continue reading
Mocha Devil’s Food Cake with Oh-so-easy Ganache
Regular readers may be wondering why, until now, I didn’t have ANY desserts posted.
No, I don’t hate sweets. I love a good creamy bowl of ice cream, a fluffy cake, a nice soufflé or a crisp cookie. But I do have one hang-up with making desserts. I can’t resist turning them into extended science projects. Continue reading
A GLOBAL GARNISH 