Photo du Jour

Ah...California.
The beach today was amazing! So sunny and warm. I couldn't have asked for a better day on my birthday.

Autumn's Arrival

The intense, blinding heat of summer is over. My mental cobwebs have cleared.
I feel inspired again.

The vendange is in full swing and that means the vineyard leaves are slowly turning shades of orange, crimson, yellow.
I am so ready for autumn to arrive.

Greetings from ...

My Birthday!

Greetings from ....

Family: Mother, Jean-Louis, Marie-Laure, Celine.

And friends: Elizabeth, Martica, James, Sylvia, Nora, Marie, Eric, Jeanne-Marie, Renee, Alvaro M, Raul, Jen, Fafa ...

Thank you.

And a family spring dinner with Jean-Louis, Celine, Fafa and Jen.

You see: my Jacquard Francais (X-mas gift from Elizabeth) white damasse table cloth, I use white damasse napkins from another table cloth that match perfectly well.

The water glasses are hand made blown glass (X-mas gift from Fafa in Egypt), and I surrendered to the large wine glasses trend (given by friend Jamini).

I used white Limoges porcelain plates, with a Chinese colorful smaller appetizer plate.

My silver fish forks and knives are Chritophle. To rest knives, I use the chop sticks rests that I buy in Asia (These are Chinese, but I also have Japanese).

As last Saturday night, I used the shocking pink candles and table center.

In the menu:

Sea Dim Sum as appetizer, then a salmon "en croute" (cooked in puff pastry), with a garnish of sauteed vegetables, and Celine's famous Chocolate Fondant for dessert.

Great day!

HAPPY SEASON!

French Doors

French windows, shutters and doors are pretty much irresistible if you ask me.

They can be freshly painted in vivid colors or primitive and falling apart. They can be quiet and understated or even staring back at me.
I love them all.

Head. Feels. Like. It's. Going. To. Explode.

And I'm so stuffed up that I can hardly breathe.

All I wanted to get done today is the post I've been working on about the fantastic, rich Civet de Lièvre that I made last weekend with the hare our neighbor gave us.

Instead I'm going to lie on the couch and drink hot tea and try to get the crammed-with-cotton sensation out of my brain so I can think and type coherently.

Until then...

Anncoo's delicious recipes

I want to thank very specially Anncoo for sending me two of her best and easy recipes for my Chinese New Year feast!
Stir-fried Mixed Vegetables with Prawn Meat


Ingredients:
100g Cauliflower, cut into florets
100g Broccolli, cut in florets
100g Green peas
1 small Carrots, sliced
½ green Capsicum, cut into pieces
½ red capsicum, cut in pieces
200g Prawn meat
1 tsp Chopped garlic

Seasoning:
½ tsp Salt
½ tbsp Oyster sauce
Dash of pepper

Method:
Blanch cauliflower, broccoli, green peas, carrots, green and red capsicum separately in boiling water for a short time. Dish and drain.
Heat up frying pan with 1 tbsp oil and sauté chopped garlic until fragrant. Add in prawn meat and stir fry a while to almost cooked and add in mixed vegetables with about 2-3 tbsp water and seasoning. Stir fry until well mixed
Dish up and serve.