Cafe Dion

Bonne Annee, Happy New Year

Bonjour,

I hope everyone has survived Christmas: the foods, the presents, the family and friends. It seems that the holidays are getting not only closer but faster every years. Well, we have one more to go and then we are home free for a few months. I wish all my great readers une Bonne Annee et Bonne Sante, Happy New Year and a Great Health for 2013. Like our Christmas, this one is going to be a quiet one. So, be safe and happy!

Bonne Annee,

Dion 

 

Joyeux Noel, Merry Christmas

Bonjour,

I would like to take this opportunity to wish a Joyeux Noel, a Merry Christmas to all my readers. Have a safe holiday season, and have fun!

Best regards,

Dion

How to Peel Pearl Onions

Bonjour,

Well I have been travelling all over for the last two weeks. First, a long weekend in Honolulu. The weather was perfect, 82 degrees, sunny with a nice breathe. Saw the beautiful Honolulu city lights downtown. We also mingled with 31,000 runners who were part of the Honolulu Marathon. That was not so nice. The island is very crowded, and super expensive. But it still feels like home to me. My husband and I were in Paris last week, where the weather was not too bad (for December) 50 degrees, windy and rainy. Checked on the farmer's market, I forgot how many different cheeses, meats and vegetables they have. The food in France is different than here. When you eat a camembert in Paris you can taste the cream, it is so delicious. Here in the States, it tastes like cardboard (they are so dry). The problem with the States is that they have so many laws and restrictions they take of the fun out of eating good foods. And then you have customs, you can't bring any food that contains animal fat. Dah! That's why they taste good. Get a clue !. I will be making Coq au Vin for Christmas, and a friend of mine asked me how to peel the pearl onions. Those little white onions are the devil to peel, but here is a trick. Try it, you're like it!

How to peel pearl onions:    

Slice the tip end of the onion off with a paring knife. Cut only 1/16 of it off.  Bring a pot of water to a full boil. Drop the pearl onions into the hot water. Boil the onions for 2 minutes, transfer the onions into a bowl of ice water.

Squeeze the root end of the onion gently and it will pop out of it skin. Discard the skin.

©CafeDion 2012

Madeleines au Citron, Lemon Madeleines

Bonjour,

First of all, I would like to say Merci Beaucoup, Thank you very much for all the great comments I have received from my readers. Keep them coming. I like to know what you think about my blog and the recipes. I am glad that I can help. I am working on Volume 3. The photos are done, just need to put it together (I hate that part). My cookbook will be out by early Spring 2013. I hope everyone is ready for Christmas. This year, it is going to be a quiet one for my husband and I. I am still recuperating for Thanksgiving dinner. I like to serve this delicious cookies at Christmas with hot chocolate. The kids love them. They can help!

Madeleines: 

1-1/2 sticks sweet butter, melted and cooled, plus 2 Tablespoons for pans

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans

1 teaspoon baking powder

4 large eggs, room temperature

Pinch of salt

Zest and juice of a lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup superfine sugar

Powder sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the madeleine pans and dust with flour. Add the flour, and baking powder into a medium bowl, mix well. Add the eggs and salt into bowl of a mixer with a whisk attachment, whip at high speed until they triple their volume (4 minutes). Add the lemon juice and zest, mix well. Add vanilla extract, sugar  mix well at med-low speed. Slowly, add the flour mixture and the melted butter. Whisk until all incorporated. Pour the batter into a measuring cup (either to pour into the pans), filling them to three-quarters of the way. Bake the madeleines until the edges are golden brown, (12-14 minutes). Remove from the oven, cool on racks and dust with powder sugar.

Note: You can use coconut, instead of the lemon, you can leave them plain.

 Makes: 24

A bientot! See you next Thursday!

©CafeDion 2012