Cafe Dion

Trip to CIA

Bonjour,

I just got back form NY and CT. The weather was great, sunny and in the warm 40's. The trip to CIA did not happen.  My favorite restaurant there, l' Estoffier, is closed for remodeling until March. I will have to go back this summer.

I am putting the final touches on my cookbook manuscript so I can submit to publishers.  I want to thank all my readers for continuing to view my blog. I will have more recipes and family background for you soon.

À bientôt! See you later! 

British Fish & Chips and the MGTC Sports Car

Bonjour,  

After WWII,  my grandparents moved to England. Because of that, at age 9,  I began to spend my summers in England with them. Not only was I able to begin learning how to seriously cook with my Grand-mere who was then the chef for an exclusive girl's boarding school, but I also to learned  how to drive a sports car, a British MGTC roadster with wire wheels and right hand drive. I think I ground a few gears at the time but my desire to drive the little car kept me going.  It was pure fun! One of my favorite recipes that my Grand-mere taught me then was:  British Fish & Chips. To this day I still love making this recipe on a Friday night.

Fish and Chips

2 pounds fresh Cod fillets (thick ones)
Sea salt
Ground black pepper
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
2 extra large eggs
Canola oil or vegetable oil

On a cutting board, cut the fillets in 1 1/2"x 3" pieces. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper.

In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Whisk in 1 cup of cold water then the eggs.

Pour 1/2 " of oil in large frying pan, heat it about 365 degrees. Dip each fillet in the batter, allow the excess to drip back into the bowl. Place them very carefully in the hot oil. Do not crowd the pieces.

Adjust the heat as needed to keep it between 365 to 400 degrees. Cook the fish on each side for 3 minutes or less   (depending on the thickness of each fillet) until lightly browned and cooked through.

Remove them and put them on a plate lined with paper towel . Serve very hot with chips.

Oven Chips:

3 larges baking potatoes, keep the skin on
5 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons freshly minced rosemary

Preheat oven 400 degrees. Wash the potatoes, dry them with paper towel, cut them in half lengthwise, then cut each half into thirds lengthwise (six wedges from each potato).  Place them on a sheet pan with the olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary, toss all ingredients together with clean hands, make sure they are all covered with oil. Spread them in a single layer with one side down. 

Bake the fries for 35 minutes, turning them to the other side after 15 minutes. Bake them until golden, crips on the outside and tender inside.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper if you desire. Serve immediately with the fillets. 

Serves: 4

© CaféDion 2010

Tea Anglais (English tea with rum)

Bonjour,

Today we are going to talk about tea. Tea? Yes, tea. Being part English (my Grandfather was English) I was introduced to tea at an young age. My grandfather, Walter Jones, was a Sergeant in the British Army in France during WWI. My uncle, Marcel Jones, flew with the Royal Air Force (Free French) during WWII. To my amazement, they both used to lace their daily tea with rum! Here is their recipe.

À votre santé! To your health! 

Tea Anglais

Warm tea pot with boiling water. Let it stand for 3 minutes. Pour out water.

Put 1 teaspoon of  Ceylon tea (loose leaf)  in the warm pot.

Fill pot with hot water.

Let tea steep for 4 minutes or to taste.

Pour into 1 large glass mug (heat proof).

Into tea, add 1 Tablespoon rum, 1 slice orange (cut thin), 1/2 cinnamon stick, 1 clove.

Stir tea;  serve very hot.

Note: Ceylon tea is naturally rich in protective anti-oxidants.

© CaféDion 2010

Tomato paste

Bonjour,

I was looking in the pantry for inspiration as to what to write about today. I don't feel very quick this morning. I managed to sprain my knee (this has nothing to do with my coffee drinks!) and unfortunately my doctor prescribed a pain pill resulting in my head feeling like a balloon.

But with that said, I saw a can of tomato paste in the pantry which reminded me of a technique I use when cooking with it. I used to throw away the rest of the can wasting a lot of tomato paste not to mention money. Here's a little trick to make it last longer. With a can opener, open the can at both ends leaving 1 top inside the can. Using the top left inside the can push the paste through. With a knife, cut off the amount of paste you need for your recipe. Wrap the can in Saran wrap and keep it in the fridge until your next use, up to 7 days.   Voilà!

Bon Appétit!

© CaféDion 2010

Herbs

Bonjour,

Fresh herbs:  I keep my parsley, sage, rosemary, mint, and thyme in a glass of water in the refrigerator with a plastic bag covering the top. I also sometimes wrap them in a damp paper towel and store them in a zip lock bag in the fridge. (those are the herbs I use all summer).

Dry herbs:  I like cooking with fresh herbs as much as I can, but trying to keep them fresh for a while is almost impossible.  I dry my rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, dill and any other sturdy herbs by hanging them up side down in a dry place. By using this technique, the moisture evaporates and the herbs retain their oils and  flavors. (This is how I preserve my winter herbs).  By drying your herbs this way, you know they will be fresh and full of fragrance, not like herbs you buy at the store. Who knows how long they have been in the container?!  There is one other thing you must remember; use 1 teaspoon of dried herbs for 1 Tablespoon of fresh herbs, because dried herbs are much stronger than fresh herbs.

I remember my Grand-Mere used to keep bunches of herbs inside her glassed-in veranda in Paris. She also used the same method described above to dry fresh flowers. In the wintertime, her veranda always  looked like a flower shop and smelled like summer.

À bientôt!

© CaféDion 2010

The big thaw, Cafe Tahiti

Bonjour,

There is hope. A big 40 degrees today in Boulder. Almost summer.  A long time ago I went to the beautiful  island of Morea, Tahiti in French Polynesia.  Because Morea is so small,  it took no time at all to go around on a bicycle. At that time there was no telephone in your room, only at the reception desk, and no newspapers.  Now that was paradise!  The only thing that you had to worry about was your choice for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Or what to do that day (deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling or laying on a  beautiful sand beach  looking at the lagoon or the deep sapphire blue ocean beyond). What do you think I did? You got it.  I laid on the beach and had a Café Tahiti. C'était une belle vie (that was a beautiful life) So that is where we are going today- to make a Café Tahiti! Bon Appétit! 

Café Tahiti

1 large coffee mug
8 oz hot black coffee (Kona coffee would be best)
1 teaspoon coconut syrup
2 oz dark rum or golden (to your taste)
2 Tablespoons whipped cream
1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix together the whipped cream, sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl.  Warm the mug with hot water. When warmed, empty the water. Pour the hot coffee in mug, add coconut syrup and rum. Top with sweetened whipped cream.

Voilà!  Stay warm and enjoy paradise!

© CaféDion 2010

Bonne Annee, Cafe Keoki

Bonjour,

I hope you all had a great Holiday Season!  It goes so fast, one day you are in line in the stores trying find presents for everyone and the next thing you know you are sitting on the floor with empty boxes and torn Christmas paper around you. What's up with that?!  It is not the same anymore. No one is taking the time to enjoy the spirit and everyone is in such a hurry to go or do to something else. So, I am going to make me a Cafe Keoki, forget  the bah humbugs and try to stay warm. Right now it is 0 degrees here in Boulder. What's up with that?! Here is my recipe for my Café Keoki:

Café Keoki

1 large coffee mug

1. 3/4 ounce Brandy

2. 3/4 ounce Kahlua

3. 8 ounces hot black coffee

4. Whipped cream to taste 

Tip: Warm the mug with boiling water. When warm, empty water. Pour Brandy and Kahlua into mug, stir in the coffee. Add whipped cream on top. Enjoy! Sante! Aloha!

© CaféDion 2010