In My Kitchen: October 2024

Will someone please tell me where September went? It was simply a daze of settling back into life in Paris, the beginning of G going to part time daycare and endless daycare-related illnesses - welcome to the real life G! I haven't been doing much cooking or baking since I have started studying in +++ mode for the specialist requalification exams in November.. 

one of our first breakfasts back in Paris, a pain au chocolat from the boulangerie downstairs (Eric Kayser) with coffee. sometimes simplicity is the best!

one of our first "to do" things back in Paris, a visit to our local Fromagerie Quatrehomme. here was some delicious blue cheese from somewhere that I've forgotten the name of! 

and life is short, why not squeeze in a millefeuille? the raspberry variety is delicious in summer. this was from the boulangerie near Cardinal Lemoine station which also has excellent baguettes

I got my sourdough son up and running (after it went to Australia and back with me in the luggage) to bake this black sesame loaf for my mums group, but we all got sick and couldn't go in the end!

Sourdough back to life for this chocolate babka, I bartered it for a high chair for G 

Another outing for my sourdough son - a jalapeno cheese pull apart bread, I didn't use the right type of cheese (only had emmental at home) and it was too mild, but warm gooey cheesy bread went down well anyway. 

It was for a baby shower for one of the mums in my group who is due very soon - we had a Mexican themed party, tortillas, dips, flan... so much delicious food and look at that pineapple upside down cake!

I thought this fruit platter was too cute with a watermelon "pram"

My dad is visiting us in Paris at the moment and he brought over some snow peas from his garden (illegal, I know, but French customs don't care!)

He arrived just in time for the moon festival, which we celebrated with our annual tradition of making Shanghainese style pork moon cakes. This year's rendition turned out really well even though I bought the wrong butter (reduced fat), the pastry was super flaky. 

I've been studying in the park sometimes, walking around with my flashcards for revision. And to reward my studies (fortunately or unfortunately) I've been visiting the patisseries near the park! 

I have a couple of mum friends who live near the park (looking down to Invalides) and we often go to Mori Yoshida together. This is their seasonal special... 

It's called Sicilia - a pistachio creme with light (as air) sponge base, a heart of cherry cream topped with confit cherries. The whole thing is glazed beautifully in the entremet tradition and dusted with crushed pistachios. And a rose petal on top just to be a bit more OTT. It was delicious!!! 

S' sister and her husband came to visit us from Brussels and brought this giant box of mochi from a special place in Paris. I'm so glad they went because it's hard for us to go to the cool spots in Paris with a baby in tow! These were the best mochis I've ever had, even better than the ones I've had in Japan! The skin was so thin, offering just the pleasure of a slight hint of chewy resistance before you hit the ethereal filling. The flavours were also incredible - matcha chocolate, yuzu, black sesame with blackcurrant... 

Now onto the curveballs.. Please if you will allow me two (because they are both a little bit food related!)

I thought you might be interested to see what French babies eat at daycare, the board is handwritten by the staff every week! If you zoom in, you see that they have the same structure for every lunch: entrée - plat - vegetable - cheese - dessert. I think this is how they train the kids to eat these elaborate multi course meals!  

and here is our little monster, who has discovered that the Recipetineats Dinner cookbook has pictures of dogs in it. He loves dogs, why do children love dogs so much? 

Sending this to Sherry who hosts the monthly IMK series - thanks for visiting and have a great month everyone!