28 octobre 2009
Happy happy B.!
Dome experience in Chebel
Wohhooo am happy to be back here!
So let me sum up those last days... pas dans l'ordre though...
I am spending the evening by myself - as I like it sometime, with a glass of red, loads of reading, an easy movie to watch, a bread pudding just out of the oven... B. is mixing @ Bali Copy.
I was terribly sick last week - like I've not been in a very long time- something like food poisoning, or a stomach bug...
Oh we finally had this party under our dome... wot an experience! I went to bed @ 4.30 - the last time I did that, I was a student, or nursing!- though there was still some mixing & dancing going on until 6am! Well guys, that was our last one, we have to admit... getting old I guess... I don't fancy crowds @ my place - don't get me wrong, I fancy having friends, but not crowds who don't even know my name & eat all my food!-...
But B. was happy, he had friends, music, great musicians,... so happy happy!
And a lot more happening inside Beka... I'll need a full post to write about it... so for now: photos!
B. the party boy 
01 juin 2009
Simply week-end
Well another week-end went by & here I am, faithful to my Monday'post. For once it was a sociable week-end as we've been out on both nights to some nice dinner-party & evening, with some fun & interesting people. So we allowed ourselves to spend the days on a slow mode, enjoying simple things such as cooking & eating, baking (must I still mention it?), working in the garden, taking naps, watching DVDs, having love-filled talks... A harmonious one, where everything seemed to fall into place so naturally & simply.
D. & Tikoulou
I have no photos of the week-end, so here are some that I haven't had time to share yet... D. who visited me & Tikoulou last week, a homemade marmalade made of kumquats {bought for the 1st time, but not the last!}, a homemade granola with figs & nuts, a bouquet of baies roses offered by our friend K... some lil things in life where we can see beauty...
12 mai 2009
Week-end report
To start with I've got a great news... Ticoulou's back!! Helas since Sunday morning {when we left for a day on a boat with a few friends} no news of him. So today was the 3rd day without our lil kitty & I thought there was now not much hope left to see her come back. And must I say that I was grumpy & moody all day? Well yeah. Our house felt lonely without her. Our couch felt empty. But... while cleaning the house this afternoon, I heard a meow from outside. At first it was a faraway & shy one. Then it came closer. So I hurriedly threw my pink rubber gloves on the floor and ran to catch my Ticoulou in my arms! Well it must sound pretty much fleur bleue, but it went just that way! I still can't believe she's back when I see her sleeping so tight next to me!
So let me now come back to the week-end & its activities. There's been some conjugal quarrel to start with, & all that comes after that {the part I love!}... meaning a day out for us two, a visit at the salon de la maison, a lil resto, a cinoch {Lol with Sophie Marceau which was really fun!}, some potager together, & a dinner with some friends & some newly met ones...
The next day carried on with the same friends on a boat at l'ile au Benitier. What more can be said? I'll let you imagine the day, the indian summer'sun, the clear lagoon, the fun company of these new friends, the sandwiches & baked-in-the-morning-brownies...
Well enough for tonight. I shall be back with some nice recipes during the week. Sleep tight you too!
05 mai 2009
A few days in Pointe d'Esny
Plage de Pointe d"Esny
Mieux vaut tard que jamais!
We're back since Sunday afternoon, with a nice tan, 2 more kilos after indulging ourselves with the most exquisite food {boeuf charolais, langoutes fraiches grillees, filet de capitaine frais, proscuitto gruyere & onion cake, banana & chocolate muffins, nice & fresh salads, just to name a few...}, & also a sore throat {for me}!
J. & gorgeous Tristan
Altogether this was another lovely week-end that involved good moments with our friends P.& J., cooking together, savouring great champagne & wines, reading & resting on the beach...
So you'll understand that a few days were needed to rest, unpack, clean the house,& prepare my mom's birthday party yesterday...{coming next}
02 mai 2009
Petit coucou
Cantucci & a chilled out dinner with our friends A., J.M & L.
A lil something here just to keep you company while we're away in the south with our friends P & J.
You'll hear about it soon... promised.
21 avril 2009
Petit sejour a Trou d'Eau Douce
Kitesurf a TDD
B. is away visiting a friend tonight & I am on my own... but I must admit actually that I quite enjoy being by myself sometimes. B. insisted that I invite a friend, but I didn't feel like it. I rather felt like having a relaxed evening, baking some cantucci, watering my veg garden, exercising a lil & watching a fleur bleu movie with a plateau tele made of a risotto au fromage blanc & potiron, with a side salad of rocket from the garden, & a cantucci for dessert. Now with all this food I think I've eaten too much & am now drinking an ayapana herbal tea to digest before going to bed!
Sejour a TDD
I wanted to share some photos of the family' week-end in Trou d'Eau Douce. My uncle J. & his family were here for a short holiday & so we spent a few days with them, enjoying the reunion, the sea & wind for B.'s kitesurf, the nice walks on the beach, the swimming, the reading... & the long meals of course {despite the fact that every meal was taken 3 hours late & was an opportunity for the aunties to argue about trivial subjects!}
There're some more pix & recipes to come soon, till then patience & thanks for reading!
11 avril 2009
full on week
"Not all who wander are aimless. Especially not those who seek truth beyond tradition. Beyond definition."
Indeed it's been a specially tough week- it's been like a wave of bad things & disasters falling over the world, from faraway places (Italy) to close people (friends & family)... In the middle of all that pain, I usually tend to close myself as a way of protection... but I didn't this time; It's actually much more true & loving to allow ourselves to feel the pain. To let compassion fill us. To let our prayers & cries reach heaven, believing & knowing that something is happening. That Hope is on it's way. To let Love fill our heart & even to be just a tiny part of change in this world.
Sans transition, another contribution to my small world (I think you noticed!) is to cook some comfort food & goodies, and to share it with the people I love... Or actually even to cook together!
That's how wednesday went by... I started cooking since the morning; A chicken & banana curry for our lunch with D. & P. Then I baked some small breads, called "fancy rolls", which were quite a success. D. brought a lovely colourful salad made of the most exquisite veggies & grains. This lunch actually turned into a tea'time, then nearly an apéro!
After a quick ordering & shower, arrived my friend V. with a bottle of red wine! We were delighted to bake together those scrumptious poires et roquefort' tartlets, with some special flours made of brown rice & quinoa, which makes such a crunchy & healthy crust! Just served with a side salad, & a glass of red'!
So here's one of the most simple recipe:
Ingrédients pour 4/5 tartelettes:
Pour la pâte (inspirée de la tartine gourmande):
- 150 gr de farine de riz complet
- 40 gr de farine de quinoa
- 40gr de farine bise
- 60 ml d'huile d'olive
- 50 ml d'eau
- 1 oeuf
- 1 c.a s. de graine de lin
- 1 pincée de sel
Pour la garniture:
- 2 poires
- du roquefort (ma balance ne fonctionne plus, donc a voir selon l'âge du roquefort)
- 150 ml de crème (plus ou moins selon le goût)
- sel & poivre
- optionnel: 2 c.a s. cerneaux de noix
Etapes:
- Mélanger les farines, le sel, les graines.
- Faire un puits & y casser l'oeuf; travailler.
- Ajouter l'huile, tout en travaillant.
- Puis l'eau;
- Préchauffer le four a 180 C.
- Etaler la pâte sur des petits moules a tartelette beurrés.
- Repartir en cercle les fines lamelles de poires;
- Casser en morceaux le roquefort dessus;
- Battre a la main la crème, salée & poivrée; La verser sur les tartes;
- Enfourner pour 30 min environ (dépendant du four!)
26 mars 2009
A few tarts to keep us going...
tartes...
What makes the cooking & savouring even more precious is sharing these moments & homemade goodies with friends. That's what we've been doing with the Swiss'gals here, in between moving around & enjoying various bits of the island.
Already inspired by this gorgeous book they offered me with bananas'recipes... I tried the Mam'zelle tatin for an afternoon tea or dessert! Mmmm...!
The Swiss girls
Then for dinner, I got inspiration with what I had handy in the fridge;
To start with, I spread some homemade pesto on a flaky pastry {pate feuilletée}, arranged some jambon cru, & some feta chunks. Then I poured over the tart the whisked fromage blanc, milk, cream & eggs. Enfournée at 200 C for 10 min, then 175 for 15 min approx.
I find some of the best dishes are simply made of leftovers & that brightens the day even more!
25 mars 2009
Another week-end to remember
Picnic a la Prairie
I have to say, last week-end was pretty busy... pleins de trucs qui s'enchainent... but enjoyable things altogether.
Meeting new people, having a picnic made of aubergine, roquefort & pecan nuts'tartlets at the beach, enjoying the warm sea, the hamac, the sun, the rain to finish, just the peaceful moment...
Pesto on cheese focaccia
Nicely followed by a friendly cooking session, made of pesto served on focaccia, brochette de pruneaux & cerf, fresh homemade pasta & smoked marlin sauce, and of course a coulant au chocolat noir. All evening was filled with chatting & talking, sharing, laughing, bref just embracing this moment with an authentic contact...
Fresh homemade pasta
PS Please forgive me if I'm more rare here in the coming days... I might be a lil busy having my 2 friends from Suisse at home and enjoying some time together!
19 mars 2009
Boulangere en herbe
The rain's pouring since 3 days & makes this afternoon seem like already dark. Alone in the house, a cupa calling me... & my macbook too, i'm now sitting at the kitchen counter ready to share a few photos & inspiration.
Fondant choco-poire
Actually before each period of productivity, there is one of procrastination. But the fact is, that behind this apparent procrastination there is a pondering, a buzz preparing to emerge that will lead me into creation or just motivation to get things done!
So lately there has been a lot of things on my list done. These last days have been filled with work. So much that my head feels dizzy just thinking of it. Besides the usual cleaning & tidying & cooking, there has been painting floors & bits of walls, gardening & transplanting my growing rocket, learning to use a tiny bit of photoshop, doing the accountancy for B.'s business, filling loads of administrative forms, preparing the guest'bedroom for our friends arriving from Switzerland Monday morning, cuddling Ticoulou the most sweet, gorgeous, funny kitten I ever had...
So not much time & energy left for trying recipes & styling... except for some baking done. Banana & honey bread, focaccia with blue cheese, light farm bread... 
La Boulangere
Banana & honey bread
No recipe today {coming next...}, just photos to drool over!
