Provence + Paris Tour, SOLDE!!!
September 2nd, 2009 | By Petite Peche and Co.
I shed a wee tear of delight to announce that my culinary tour of Provence and Paris, this October, is officially almost sold out! I have only one spot left- although I might be able to squeeze in 2 more if necessary. No more restless legs, or fingers, or tongues- I did it!!! The documentary that is taking place is being shot by Holly Bronko and chronicles the highs and lows of trying to get a petite culinary business up and running and in another country- France that is. The recession we are in, aka the GEC, has given me many excuses to say that its impossible and to give up but I kept at it- and voila! I am making it to Paris after all! And Im bringing 9 gorgeous girls along for the ride~ The details of the tour will be here on my site as I continue to live them, but I will give you a wee peak inside the stunning 1803 Bastide ( villa ) that we are staying at during the duration of the tour in Provence.
Tags: cooking in france, cooking in paris, cooking in provence, cooking vacations, france culinary tour, french cooking classes, french cooking tours, french culinary tours, paris culinary tour, provence, provence villas
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Justine's
August 31st, 2009 | By Petite Peche and Co.
Our lovely friends, Pierre and Justine, finally threw open the doors to their French Bistro last Wednesday eve, on the far east side of Austin- far enough East, that we are neighbors. The proximity factor is tremendous as we have been enslaved to mexican food unless we wish to venture 20 minutes accross town, and honestly the fare is similar. Its Austin after all. And so, donning our petanque shoes and lipitor, we happily drove the 4 minutes to what I deemed, a heavenly slice of France- southern France as it was warm and relaxed. I was practically hurling every french word I remembered to the frightened door girls who clearly knew that the bar was the best place to send me, and where I remained happily ensconced for most the evening… Having so many friends and people we knew coming through the same doors, I was on one hand happy for them and on the other shocked that I hadn’t managed to get a few to show up to dinner at chez moi. Its almost like living in Brooklyn- Its cool, hip, and all that, but the ” commute” often gets in the way-
The first thing I noticed was how uncomplicated the menu was. Steak Frites, Escargot -all drunk in their butter baths, french onion soup, asparagus w sabayon sauce, le pork chop, cocquille st jacques and so much more. At a table that kept growing, we supped on the escargot, ourselves drunk with happiness and wine by then, and a medley of entrees- The food was superb although I would have happily eaten a stick of butter just to be there. It was REALLY really good. Hundreds of warm bodies poured in all night and as the temperature rose, so did the mood- It was such a lovely reminder that good company, great food and well, free alcohol go pretty darn good together.
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France and all that-
August 26th, 2009 | By Petite Peche and Co.
So as the countdown begins before we set sail on our Culinary Adventure extraordinaire, I have been overcome with feelings of guilt. Paris does this to me however. I know how much she seduces me and Im petrified that I won’t have the willpower to say no to her this time. No, as in, Im leaving. I have often likened her to an old flame. The one you don’t want to see for fear you might go weak in the knees as you mumble something about your kids and busy schedules. The one you desperately wish would come to you instead, and sweep you off your feet without you having to come to any decision, or threaten what you have already determined to be the life you desire. That is how I feel about Paris. Simply. And Im going as a woman, not the 21 yr old who left. So perhaps there is a bit of fear in the mix too..
What if she doesn’t love me anymore? Or finds me too plump? But the ultimate casualty would be if it were I who decided my heart had turned. We all know what happens when that happens… Those old loves are usually the ones that make us question our sanity and frankly this whole ” I luuuuuv Paris ” and ” I desperately wish to live where I am truly loved ” thing has been a broken record kind of theme in my life. Any friends of mine, or sadly even acquaintances reading this will be rolling their eyes in acceptance. As I sigh loudly to myself, I realize that this could be the beginning, or worse the end, of my 10 year infatuation and full blown affair with Paris. Sadly an affair she probably knows nothing about. She has been casting her wicked little spell on millions, 29 I am told, of people every year. Well, maybe there are a few that manage to escape loving her, but mon dieu- not me. Even as an exchange student at the Sorbonne, with tiny french women telling me that they are desolee for my probleme with being in the wrong class (where I remained all semester) and otherwise at times very frustrating experiences, I would happily trade in the 120* heat in Texas for some Parisian abuse…
Anyway, I will keep you posted on my continued state of excitement, terror, boredom and otherwise highs and lows as I prepare to embrace the best thing that happened to me 10 years ago.
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The 20 most Antioxidant Rich Foods
August 22nd, 2009 | By Petite Peche and Co.
- Apples (Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Delicious, with skin)
- Artichokes (cooked)
- Beans (black, red kidney, pinto, dried)
- Blackberries
- Blueberries (cultivated, wild)
- Cherries (sweet)
- Chocolate (dark)
- Cranberries
- Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, brussels sprout, cauliflower, kale)
- Pecans
- Plums (black, red)
- Pomegranates
- Prunes
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Sweet potatoes
- Tea (black, green, white, oolong)
- Tomatoes
- Walnuts
- Wine (red)
I guess Im healthier that I thought. chocolate and wine are part of my daily calories. Most of my daily calories I might add-
Taken from southbeach.com
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Spanish Paella and Tapas
August 18th, 2009 | By Petite Peche and Co.
I love Spanish food- And seeing as I owe the guests of my cooking class on Spanish Cuisine a few of the recipes we made, I am also sharing them here. The Paella is one of my secret loves and always makes for a wonderful one pot, sexy meal. You will be the star in your own kitchen as I always am, when you pull this one out- Its best served barefoot, so as to add to the ease with which it should be consumed! Enjoy-
Paella for 8
asparagus wrapped in jambon w lemon chorizo aioli
Serve at once
Tags: how to paella, paella, spanish paella, spanish tapas, tapas
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Simple Life, Simple Summer Flavor
August 15th, 2009 | By Petite Peche and Co.
Divinely easy, this summer salad incorporates all the left overs from the past few evenings of grilling-. Seeing as its summer, today this included palmito or heart of palm, avocado, grilled shrimp, sausage bottoms, some corn, tomatoes, cucumbers and of course goat cheese… this being a staple in my household each and every season! For added crunch I threw in some left over croutons made a week ago and kept frozen. I am not a firm believer that lettuce must be present to make a salad, but some tender wee leaves of arugula were all but begging to be added and so they were. I tossed the salad with a balsamic syrup (in lieu of the vinegar) salt, and a some extra virgin olive oil- Tres magnifique!!! And since Im not stuffed silly I might actually spend my afternoon pondering what to make for dinner…
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Summer School
August 6th, 2009 | By Petite Peche and Co.
Summer is the perfect season for uncomplicated eating… And so I decided to try the wee Sushi A Go Go truck on Manor Rd, here in Austin. Raw fish on a hot day is sublime and this new food destination delivers. I ordered the spicy tuna, the crunchy tuna, a fresh crab salad tempura roll, and another whose name slipped me but included a fresh mix of salmon, avocado and mango. One of the many culinary experiences I miss about living in NYC is the plethora of great cheap sushi spots… One fave of mine was just off Union Square on 18th between W Broadway and 5th ave. For 7 bucks I feasted on sushi and a roll or two, all for the same amount of time and effort as say ordering at Mc Do. No fuss, no star spotting ( thankfully ) and no house refinance necessary to pay the bill. So I was delighted to happen upon this gem on the East Side and will make myself a regular, no doubt.
PS : Her sushi is best digested on a float in the pool. See attached example. And, No- I am not one of the examples, for any cyberstalkers… 
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a must read~
August 2nd, 2009 | By Petite Peche and Co.
Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch
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Gypsy Kitchen: An evening in Capri
July 28th, 2009 | By Petite Peche and Co.
Last Saturday eve, I hosted my first Austin cooking demonstrations and we delved into the basics of Italian cuisine. With inspiration coming from summers in Capri, I set to the task of Grilling Octopus, throwing together a Fresh Tomato Bruschetta and cooking up a divine version of Spaghetti alle Vongole. The evening was set off on an even sweeter note with my dearest friend and fellow cooking companion, Sandi Reinlie, when she threw together a pine nut, vanilla bean mascarpone and balsamic glazed strawberry tart. All within 20 minutes. Needless to say, people want to feel that whatever we are demonstrating they themselves can do at home and this was a hit. There are a few differences between fast and easy even though they are used so interchangeably by everyone these days. A dish, for example, can be easy to make but take time, or be fast to put together but require great skill. What I have noticed is that most of us these days want recipes that are a combination of the two. Realizing this put me on a crash course of reworking my favorite recipes so that I can determine ways to cut time and simplify techniques without sacrificing a particular dish or menu. Its going to be a challenge, albeit one I will enjoy, but the following recipes are instant examples of such. Thanks again to my premier group of ” gypsies” .
Grilled Baby Octopus w Lemon and Basil Aioli
1 pound of fresh baby octopus, heads removed
6 tbsp of evoo
2 tsp of salt and a pinch of pepper
1 tsp of chopped garlic
2 egg yolks
5 basil leaves, rolled together and chopped
Begin by preheating your grill on high for 5 minutes, top down. Take your thawed octopus, 3 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tsp of salt, pepper and 1/2 the garlic and toss together in a large metal bowl or ziploc. Set aside. Can be left in marinade overnight or for a few hours, although it is also unnecessary if time doesn’t allow.
Once your grill is smoking hot, take tongs and gently lift the octopus out one by one and lay them flattened on the grill. ( If you dump them out all together, the oil will catch fire and they will not cook evenly )
Leave to grill for 4 minutes on high, top open, then turn and repeat on the other side. After 8 mintues, remove from heat to a platter.
For the Aioli, take your egg yolks, remaining salt and garlic and whisk gently in a large metal bowl. Slowly stir in remaining olive oil, whisking well to incorporate. The mixture should have the consistency of mayonnaise. Throw in the basil, stir and serve immediately . If you don’t have eggs or want to make a different version, 1 c of store bought mayo with the juice of half a lemon and the basil makes an easy and elegant sub.
* when consuming raw eggs, the remaining mixture should be kept cold. Throw out any aioli that was served, but not eaten.
Spaghetti alle Vongole
2 pounds of clams, mixed or all one type – I find the smaller ones easier to manage.
1-2 pounds of spaghetti, linguine or angel hair
2 c of white wine ( that you would actually drink )
2 tsp of minced garlic
Juice of half a lemon
3 tbsp of EVOO
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 tbsp of cold butter, diced
Start by bringing a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. ( should taste like the sea ) Throw in your pasta with a touch of olive oil.
In a large sided pan, add olive oil and garlic and cook until slightly opaque.
Toss in your rinsed clams and saute for a minute or less.
Throw in the white wine, carefully lifting the pot off the fire if you are worried it might be too hot. ( if the garlic begins to burn, add more olive oil or wine to drop the temperature in the pan )
Once the mussels begin to open, drain your cooked -al dente -pasta, which should be soft but snap a touch when pulling apart, reserving a few tbsp of pasta water. Remove your clams and begin to reduce your sauce by a third by adding in the reserved pasta water and lemon juice. Once the sauce thickens a bit, remove from heat and stir in cold butter. Toss in your pasta and clams and stir to coat. Remove to a large serving bowl and serve with herb croutons slightly crushed on the top~
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The Simple Life, Part Un
July 27th, 2009 | By Petite Peche and Co.
Okay, so I might make a few enemies with the confession that I spent an entirely ripe Monday, completely horizontal. And position aside, it was by a pool. And pool, schmool, it was ALL day. I haven’t spent all day by a pool since, well, too long. It was divine. And seeing as I introduced the necessity of pool time with an earlier post of mine regarding ways to suffer through the 110 degree heat in Texas, it was the ONLY way to spend the humid day. While I was luxuriating with a few girlfriends, along for the lazy day, we began discussing my favorite of topics: FOOD. Which by the way, most consider a perfectly suitable way to shoot the breeze as well. The discussion covered the difference between French vs Italian food, using a recipe vs not and most importantly, the best season, a mon avis, for appreciating the best of the best. Which in order sounded like: Italian, no recipe, summer and SUMMER! The conversation that stuck with me though, and one that has been a strangely recurring theme, was the notion that French food was infinitely more complicated, laborious and unhealthy as compared to the simple, fresh methods of Italian food. Now, I agree on one point. French food CAN be unhealthy but only if you find a stick of melted butter incapable of lowering anxiety, pressure or stress. And I generally don’t wear my skinny jeans before devouring a dish of supremely divine gnocchi suspended in a lippy shallot cream sauce. A delicate sole mueniere, perhaps, but you get the point. I started questioning what exactly people liked and thought about Italian cuisine, if in fact they were seduced beyond reason into thinking it the healthier alternative to French. Or anything for that matter. The investigator in me took over and before long I was uncovering what lied beneath: Overall time spent preparing food is considered a very important factor in whether something is considered healthy. The logic is that if its fresh, its healthy. If it hasn’t been reduced, layered upon, manipulated or man-handled, its much better for you. To this is say, ummmmm, nuh ughh!!!! However I will save the explanations, expletives and examples otherwise for a much later time. The end result of this story after it itself was diced, seeded, boiled, reduced, glazed with butter and then presented, is time is supremely important nowadays whether one is cooking French, Italian, Spanish or good old American food. The simplicity of seasonal cooking makes it easy if you know how to use this handy tool. And so in the spirit of sharing as well as educating, I am providing a bevy of recipes, perfect for the season we are in, inspired by all cuisines, quick and easy to throw together, and thus “healthy” to lend an even better hand to those striving to stay as neked as law would allow during these crazy hot days.
Italian Tomato, Basil, Goat Cheese and Herb Crouton Panzanella
What you Need:
Ciabatta or Focaccia bread, diced into 1/2 inch bites
1/2 c of Olive Oil
3 c diced fresh tomatoes, any color or type
5 basil leaves rolled tightly together, then chopped.
2 tsp of fresh garlic, diced
1/4 c goat cheese, crumbled in hand
To Assemble:
Combine all ingredients except the bread and half the olive oil, in a large bowl.
Place the diced bread in a shallow roasting pan, toss in remaining olive oil, salt and pepper and toss with hands to coat. If you desire, add parmesan or any other italian herb to the pan. Place under broiler and remain nearby, tossing a few times until the bread has hardened into little croutons. Remove and throw into the salad. Toss just before serving.
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