Happy Thanksgiving!
November 22, 2012
Wishing everyone a very wonderful and safe holiday weekend filled with celebrating everything to be thankful for! x
Apple Pie
Apple Pie & Coffee
Crillon Le Brave
July 26, 2012
The fresh air and rolling hills, the winding stone corridors, the hourly chimes of the bell tower and the to die for menus are all part of Crillon Le Brave, the quintessential Provencal destination. What was once ruled by Henri IV’s fiercest generals during wars of the 16th century has now evolved into one of Travel + Leisure’s top European hotels for 2012. And well deserved, my time spent there could not have been better. Lounging poolside, a relaxing massage and the impeccable service was all quite lovely, but of course my favorite was the fantastic food shoot that took place with the help of chef, Phillippe Zemour. After our morning at the market, it was down to business in the kitchen. Known for their elegant and refined style, the menu is all locally sourced offering a true flavor of southern France. Although it was difficult to leave, it’s certainly on my list of places that I no doubt will return to once again.
Setting the table on the terrace
Crackelin marinated red mullet and squid, nicoise socca and fennel aioli
Crackelin marinated red mullet and squid, nicoise socca and fennel aioli
Artichoke
Gratin of fish soup
Fricassee of seasonal vegetables, fingerling potatoes and bearnaise reduction
Roasted bull fillet, fricassee of seasonal vegetables, fingerling potatoes and bearnaise reduction
Hotel entrance
Roasted shop veal, green asparagus from olivier’s garden, stuffed potato with white truffle
Terrace view
Bocce ball
Roasted shop veal
Pool area
Asparagus
Fresh bread and rosemary
Seabream in salt crust
Seabream in salt crust
The view
Vegetables from the garden in barigoule refreshed, bacon shavings from bigorre, coriander reduction
Crackelin marinated red mullet and squid, nicoise socca and fennel aioli
Fresh vegetables
Fried cherry with basilic
Fried cherry with basilic
Apricot tart
Apricot tart
Crepes in St. Tropez
July 9, 2012
You can’t go to France without having crepes, so this was one of my first stops in St. Tropez. After a morning of walking the narrow cobblestone streets of Old Town, it didn’t take long to build up an appetite in that strong Riviera sun. I had a great time conversing with the cook who was very enthusiastic about being featured on Camera in the Kitchen, and befriended the regulars, as they too wanted their portraits taken. I couldn’t resist. So we opted for the traditional savory, ham/cheese and the nutella to satisfy our sweet tooth. Definitely a great choice before hitting the beaches.
Ham & Cheese crepe
Salad crepe
Ham & cheese
Nutella
The local regulars
Nutella
Urban Farming
June 18, 2012
Every summer I try to expand the rooftop garden more and more, at least to give myself a little oasis in the middle of Manhattan. This season one of my favorite additions has been our blueberry bush. Just ripe enough to eat, I picked a batch of blueberries and decided to bake up some gluten-free muffins as an end of the weekend treat.
Blueberry muffins
Picking blueberries
Picking blueberries
Blueberry muffins
Happy Memorial Day!
May 28, 2012
Wishing everyone a wonderful day filled with friends, family and picnics! x
Pizza frite and Brownie a la mode
Brownies & Pizza frite
White Barn Inn
April 25, 2012
Nestled in the quaint New England coastal town of Kennebunkport, White Barn Inn was one of my first stops through southern Maine last week, and one I thoroughly enjoyed. An intimate, classic inn setting, I was welcomed with open arms into the kitchen of Grand Chef, Jonathan Cartwright, to taste his Forbes Five Star menu. Feasting on more than my stomach could take, it was too delicious to leave the plate anything but clean. The various courses included an appetizer of Pan Roast New England Quail Breast and Foie Gras with a Basket of Smoked Leg Confit and Forest Mushroom Risotto. Parmesan Cheese Ice Cream with Crisp Fig Fitter as an intermezzo and Local Salmon Filet in a Parma Ham “Jacket” with Bacon Wrapped Scallop, Spaghetti Squash and Maple Dijon Mustard Sauce for the main course. Although it didn’t stop there, as I had to try Cartwright’s specialty smoked lobster dish and finished off with a multitude of desserts. The entire inn was more than welcoming, and certainly a must-stay for anyone traveling to the Pine Tree State. I hope to return very soon, next time booking an extra day to take advantage of their luxurious spa treatments!
A walk along Kennebunkport's rocky coastline and White Barn Inn
Smoked lobster
An extra dish from the chef
Lounge area
Parmesan Cheese Ice Cream with Crisp Fig Fitter
Inn interior
Pan Roast New England Quail Breast and Foie Gras with a Basket of Smoked Leg Confit and Forest Mushroom Risotto
Local Salmon Filet in a Parma Ham "Jacket"
Bacon wrapped scallop
Salmon
Front Porch at May's Annex
Grand Chef, Jonathan Cartwright's signature smoked lobster dish
Grand Marnier souffle with chocolate sauce
Grand Marnier souffle with chocolate sauce and sorbet
Espresso
Front porch
Maine blueberry sorbet
Breakfast Quiche
Fresh bread
Muffins
Fresh berries
Breakfast meat selection
A Taste of Sprüngli
March 28, 2012
A couple weeks ago a friend from Zurich was visiting, and brought me a box of my favorite Swiss chocolates from Sprüngli. The bright package of miniature truffles included a taste of hazelnut, plain, cappuccino and bourbon vanilla flavors. Immediately wishing I was back on my 2010 summer holiday in Switzerland, I ate my dessert while browsing through my photo archive to pull up those summer days spent out on the lake taking in the fresh air of the Alps. And now I’m ready to go back.
Lake Luzern Bath House and Sprüngli chocolates
Bourbon Vanilla & Hazelnut truffles and Lake Luzern
Sprüngli
Lake Luzern & Bourbon Vanilla truffles
Zurich and a cappuccino truffle
Foundry Café
February 21, 2012
This welcoming café in the heart of Cold Spring was a perfect last stop of the day to warm up with a cup of freshly ground coffee and grab a slice of their cheesecake for dessert. If I wasn’t already too full from brunch, I would have loved to try out some of their quiches or soups. I suppose I can save that for next time. With an acoustic, rock ‘n roll flare, this café doubles as a music outlet for small performances, open mic nights and some great nostalgic photos and albums for visitors to check out.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Foundry's Original Cheesecake
Foundry's Original Cheesecake
Happy Valentine’s Day
February 14, 2012
May your day be filled with lots of love and delicious desserts! x
Heart cookies from Eleni's
Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pie
December 13, 2011
Following the signs in Red Hook, I made my way through some quiet industrial streets before finally landing upon the lively spot of Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pie. The sounds of the crowd told us we arrived, and upon ordering our pie were also kindly invited to join in the opening party celebration for the Mexican Folk Art gallery next door, Manos De Mexicanos. What a good time to come by. The party went on, as the view of the sun setting over the Verrazano bridge provided the perfect backdrop. And the best of all was a taste of some of the most delicious key lime pie I’ve ever had.
4" Tart
Key Lime Pie
Inside the party
a camera in the kitchen 