Cafe Dion

Volume III

Bonjour,

I am so involve with volume 3 that I forgot to write a blog today. So, forgive me! I will be there for you next week.

Have a great weekend,

Dion

Tarte aux Dattes et Noix, Date Pecan Pie

Bonjour, 

The Holidays are coming. It is my favorite time of the year. I love all the different foods and flavors. One in particularly, I serve it at Thanksgiving dinner. It is easy to make and very delicious. Try it, and will will become one of you favorite.

Tarte aux Dattes et Noix:  

3 large eggs

1 cup dark corn syrup

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 stick of sweet butter, melted

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

1 Tablespoon dark rum

3/4 cup dates, chopped

3/4 cup pecan halves

1 9-inch unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 425 degree. In a large bowl, with a wire whisk at medium speed, beat the eggs until well blended. Add corn syrup, sugar, butter, orange peel, and rum, mix well. Stir in pecans and dates, pour into pie shell. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, bake 15-20 minutes longer, or until center is slightly firm. Cool on rack, serve warm with whipped cream.

Serves: 8

A bientot! See you next Thursday! 

 ©CafeDion 2012

 

 

Chocolat Chaud, Hot Chocolate

Bonjour,    

A few highlights on our trip to London. The weather was perfect, The British people are very friendly and polite. The food not so good, I was very disappointed. Everything we ordered had no taste, including the fish and chips. We went to the Tower of London, but we missed the jewels, they were on loan to Buckingham Palace. We visited Sherlock Holmes house. It does excite. It is a great musuem. We drove thru Hyde Park and Kensington Park. Their gardens were beautiful. I have never seen so many different flowers, with gorgeous colors.We saw a show, 39 Steps, incredible. I stopped at Le Cordon Bleu, London and they have both my cookbooks .Harrod's is big, super expensive with a lot of strange stuff. Then it was time to return home. I found this recipe in an old book and I tried it a home and it was very good. Now that the nights are getting cold, this will help. Enjoy!

Chocolat Chaud:  

4- 1 ounce squares semi-sweet chocolate

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

4 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

Whipping cream

Chocolate shavings

In a double boiler, over low heat, bring water to a simmer, do not boil. Melt chocolate with corn syrup, tol a smooth texture, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes, or until chocolate mixture is cool. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts. In 2-quart saucepan, heat milk over low heat, until very hot and small bubbles form around edge, (do not boil).  In a small bowl beat heavy cream with a mixer at medium-low speed, add chocolate mixture, until soft peaks form. To serve, pour milk into a warm coffepot, spoon in whipped cream mixture equally into 8 warmed coffee cups, gently pour hot milk mixture in cups. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Serves: 8

A bientot! See you next Thursday!

©CafeDion 2012

 

Soupe de Poulet a la Creme, Cream of Chicken Soup

Bonjour,

Well, I am still under the weather. Nasty flu and whooping cough are flying around. Today the weather is not helping. It is 37 degrees and it looks like a snow sky. So, you know where I am going with this explanation! It is "Soup Time". It doesn't take to long to make something good and healthy. Let's s start cooking! Next week I will tell you about London.

Soupe de Poulet a la Creme:  

4 cups low-sodium chicken stock

2 cups celery, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

3/4 cup heavy cream or half-an-half

Salt and ground white pepper to taste

2 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, grated

1 Tablespoon Gin, for grown-ups

8 tablespoons sour cream

3 Tablespoons parsley, chopped

French baguette

Pour the chicken stock in a large pot, bring to a boil. Add the celery and garlic, and simmer for 15 minutes. Pour into a blender container, and process until pureed, return to the pot. Add the cream, salt and pepper, and bring to the boiling point. Add chicken and cheese and heat, stirring until the cheese has melted, and the soup is well bended, add Gin (if using). Pour in soup bowls, garnish with a gallup of sour cream and sprinkle parsley. Serve very hot. Don't forget the French bread.

Serves: 8

A bientot! See you next Thursday!  

©CafeDion 2012