BLUEBERRY CORDIAL

After having come back from an exhausting walk in the sizzling sun and suffocating heat, I was very thirsty and in need a refreshing drink...

I didn't want to have tea or water, so I decided to improvise a thirst-quenching drink that would both please my demanding palate and soothe my body's demand for cold liquid. That's how I came up with the idea of making a "Blueberry Cordial".

~ Blueberry Cordial ~
Recipe by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2009

Ingredients:
250g Frozen blueberries, not thawed
The zest of 1/2 an Organic lemon
The juice of 1 Organic lemon
Sugar, to taste (I used about 3-4 Tbs)
1/2 Litre or more water (sparkly or not), very cold

Method:
1. Put all the ingredients in the blender and mix until smooth. Strain (optional).
2. Check sweetness and thickness. Correct if necessary.

Remarks:
Try replacing the lemon zest and juice, by that of an orange.
You can strain the juice or not.

Serving suggestions:
Serve at any time of the day with ice cubes and a slice of lemon.

***************

~ Drink Aux Myrtilles ~
Recette par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2009

Ingrédients:
250g de Myrtilles congelées, non-dégelées
Le zeste d'un 1/2 Citron bio
Le jus d'un Citron bio
Sucre, selon goût (j'ai utilisé 3-4 CS)
1/2 Litre ou plus d'Eau plate ou gazeuse, très froide

Méthode:
1. Mettre tous les ingrédients dans un blender et mixer jusqu'à obtention d'un jus sans morceaux et bien lisse. Passer au chinois (pas obligatoire).
2. Corriger la saveur et l'épaisseur en ajoutant plus de sucre ou d'eau.

Remarques:
Vous pouvez remplacer le jus et le zeste de citron par le jus et zeste d'une orange.
Vous pouvez passer le jus au chinois, mais ce n'est pas nécessaire.

Idées de présentation:
Servez ce jus à n'importe quelle heure de la journée, avec des glaçons et une tranche de citron.

WEEKEND CAT BLOGGING #213

This week, Sir Tristan Tabby Cat at "Sir Tristan Tabby Cat Longtail" (USA) are happy to announce that he are hosting Weekend Cat Blogging #213...

To submit your kitty picture(s), you can either leave a message in his blog's comment section (with your permalinks) or contact him via e-mail without forgetting to give all the needed information.

That's how I spent the 4th of July...
I hope you had a wonderful day!

***************

And, please meet my cute guest:

My name is Zoe and I'm Babeth's cat.
I was adopted in sunny California where I was chasing squirrel and ducks around the swimming pool. Then followed her to the French Rivera few years and now lives in Lorraine near Luxembourg. I'm a very mellow and lazy -must say smart- kitty!

HERMANCE - THE VILLAGE

Two weeks ago, I blogged about my little trip to Hermance (see post) and showed you pictures of an old boat dating from 1914 (CGN site with boat details). Well, this time, I have decided to show you how that old (some houses were built in the 13th century) and quaint village looks...

I hope you'll enjoy what you see!

PULLED PORK - PORC TIRÉ

I have always been very intrigued by that southern US delicacy called "Pulled Pork". Every time I saw a recipe on the net or in a magazine, I could not stop from drooling over the pictures and fantasizing about this particularly scrumptious dish which is generally served together with "Burger Buns" "or "Hot Dog Rolls" and a viciously titillating barbecue sauce...

Since I don't own a BBQ, I believed that I would never be able to make "Pulled Pork" at home, but then I stumbled upon a crockpot recipe on Bridget's great blog "The Way The Cookie Crumbles" and realized that I would finally be able to taste that irresistible speciality.

The next day, I went hunting for real BBQ sauce and to my astonishment I found a bottle of Stubb's legendary Texas "Smokey Mesquite Bar-B-Q Sauce" in my local Coop supermarket. As you can imagine, the gourmet in love with US food that I am was so excited that I could have performed the raindance through the aisles of the store!

I had all the necessary ingredients and was going to prepare that dish without using any substitutes. What great news! My "Pulled Pork" would be a 100% genuine and have the true Dixie flavor. And, boy, it tasted ever so good that you'd sell your soul to the Devil in order to get a morsel of that succulent treat!

I served my "Pulled Pork" wrapped in lusciously smooth homemade "Tortilla Sheets" and added some refreshing "Tomato Salsa" and thinly-sliced onion rings for more flavor. The meat was so tender, delightfully moist and mouth-smackingly flavorful that it felt as if I had entered food heaven after having died due to reaching summits of intense gustatory pleasure!

So, if you want a damn mean and dirty dish from the deep and mystical South, then you've found the right place. The combination of the flatbreads, salsa and onions was incredibly wicked. I could not stop from frantically scarfing down those malicious wraps like some starved and underfed beast!

That dish would be perfect for your summer potlucks, picnics, BBQs or for your 4th of July (Independance Day) celebration.

~ Slow Cooker Pulled Pork ~
Adapted from "Cook's Illustrated".

Ingredients:
1 Tbs ground black pepper
1-2 Tsp Cayenne pepper
2 Tbs Chili powder
2 Tbs Ground cumin
2 Tbs Dark brown sugar
1 Tbs Dried oregano
4 Tbs Paprika
2 Tbs Table salt
1 Tbs Granulated sugar
1 Tbs Ground white pepper
1 (3-4 kgs/6-8 pound) Bone-in pork shoulder (see remarks)
1/2 Tsp Liquid smoke (optional)
2 Cups BBQ sauce

Method:
1. Mix all spice rub ingredients (1-10) in a small bowl.
2. Massage spice rub into meat. Wrap tightly in double layer of plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
3. Unwrap roast and place it in slow cooker liner. Add liquid smoke, if using, and 1/4 cup water. Turn slow cooker to low and cook for 8-10 hours, until meat is fork-tender.
4. Transfer roast to cutting board; discard liquid in liner. “Pull” by tearing meat into thin shreds with two forks or your fingers. Discard fat.
5. Place shredded meat back in slow cooker liner; toss with 1 cup barbecue sauce, and heat on low for 30-60 minutes, until hot.
6. Serve with additional barbecue sauce (if needed).

Remarks:
I used boneless pork neck for this recipe and it was perfect, but you can also use pork butt.
For stronger flavor, the roast can be refrigerated and left to marinade for up to 3 days.
While the meat isslowly cooking, if necessary, add more water 1/3 cup at a time (the meat should not cook without liquid).

Serving suggestions:
Serve with "Tortillas", "Tomato Salsa" and onion rings or with "Hamburger Buns" as well as with "Hot Dog Rolls".

***************

~ SPorc Tiré Cuit A l'Étouffée ~
Recette adaptée du magazine "Cook's Illustrated".

Ingrédients:
1 CS de Poivre noir, fraîchement moulu
1-2 CC de Poivre de Cayenne
2 CS de Piment en poudre
2 CS de Cumin en poudre
2 CS de Sucre brun foncé
1 CS d'Origan séché
4 CS de Paprika
2 CS de Sel
1 CS de Sucre cristallisé
1 CS de Poivre blanc, fraîchement moulu
3-4 kgs d'Epaule de porc sur l'os (voir remarques)
1/2 CC de Liquid smoke (en option)
2 Tasses de Sauce pour barbecue

Méthode:
1. Mélanger toutes les épices (1-10) dans un bol.
2. Masser la viande avec ce mélange et l'emballer avec du film plastique, puis la mettre au frigo pendant au moins 3 heures.
3. Enlever le film plastique et mettre la viande dans une casserole en fonte (type Le Creuset). Ajouter le "liquid smoke" et 1/2 tasse d'eau. Cuire à feu doux pendant 8-10 heures, jusqu'à ce que la viande soit tendre et se défasse.
4. Mettre la viande sur une planche à découper et l'émietter/la défaire à l'aide de 2 fourchettes ou de vos doigts.
5. Retourner la vainde dans la casserole, ajouter 1 tasse de sauce pour BBQ, bien mélanger et cuire à feu doux pendant 30-60 minutes, jusqu'à ce qu'elle soit chaude.
6. Servir avec le restant de sauce pour BBQ (si nécessaire).

Remarques:
J'ai utilisé du cou de porc (sans os) et c'était parfait.
Pour plus de saveur, la viande peut être laissée à mariner pendant 3 jours.
Durant la cuisson, rajouter de l'eau - 1/3 de tasse à la fois - si nécessaire (il faut que la viande ait assez de liquide pour cuire).

Idées de présentation:
Servir avec des "Tortillas", de la "Salsa Aux Tomates" et des rondelles d'oignons ou des "Pains A Hamburgers" ou des "Pains A Hot Dog".

WEEKEND CAT BLOGGING #212

This week, Miz Mog and Kitties at "Mind of Mog" (USA) are happy to announce that they are hosting Weekend Cat Blogging #212...

To submit your kitty picture(s), you can either leave a message in their blog's comment section (with your permalinks) or contact them via e-mail without forgetting to give all the needed information.

BAKEWELL TART - THE DARING BAKERS

Ladies and Gents, once again, it is time for me to reveal this month's "Daring Bakers" challenge. The June Daring Bakers' challenge is hosted by Jasmine of "Confessions Of A Cardamom Addict" (Canada) and Annemarie of "Ambrosia And Nectar" (UK). They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart... er... pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England...

Being half English and having visited the Derbyshire area in the East Midlands many times since I was born, I can say that I know quite well both versions of the "Bakewell Tart/Pudding" (the homemade "Bakewell Tart" and the original as well as unmatchable "Bakewell Pudding" baked by "The Old Original Pudding Company" from the small market town of Bakewell) and have eaten my share of that delicious speciality since I saw the light of day in the seventies. So, it is with much joy that I undertook to bake that wonderful dessert course which is indissociable from the English culinary patrimony and from my family's Derbyshire roots.

But before I start speaking about that great treat, I'd like to make light on the common misnaming of that speciality. It is to be said that the local confection "Bakewell Pudding" is often mistaken for the "Bakewell Tart" and people tend to be confused when it comes to differenciating them from one another.

Both patries are a little similar ingredients-wise (jam, pastry and almond filling), yet they are so different in flavor, texture and appearance. What demarcate a "Bakewell Pudding" from a "Bakewell Tart" is that the first is a puddingy jam pie (it somehow reminds me of clafoutis encased in pastry) with an egg and a ground almond enriched filling, encased in flaky pastry and the second is a straight-forward jam filled tart which is made with shortcrust pastry and a frangipane or a sponge topping.

While everybody can make a "Bakewell Tart" at home as the recipes abund on the net/in books and find it in bakeries all over the UK, you can't find the original "Bakewell Pudding" recipe anywhere and can only buy that special treat in Bakewell as the original 1820's recipe is kept secret and is known by only a few people who work in the both bakeries ("Bloomers Old and Only Original" and "The Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop") situated in that very town of the Peak District National Park.

As you might have guessed by now, both pies just can't be compared. But, in my opinion both versions are exquisite, so I refuse to play the high-nosed traditionalist or food fascist who only swears in the ultra rare version and snobs the most spread one; I'll eat them both with much pleasure and gluttony!

Well, this is surely the very fist time that a Daring Bakers recipe hasn't made my adrenaline flow rise or stressed me. That is a good point as, for once, I could relax while baking and, as it is a tart that I have baked many times before, I knew that I could take that challenge easily...

Everything went well and the result was highly satisfying. According to my boyfriend, "It looked and tasted perfect. Just like a tart you'd find in a bakery or even better". Well, I must say that it was one of the best "Bakewell Tart" recipes I have made so far!

As I like sharp jams, I decided to use homemade blackcurrant jam in order to create an interesting contrast with the round sweetness of this tart's frangipane filling. That combo was absolutely luscious. The pastry was gorgeously flaky as well as buttery, yet not overly or sickeningly rich. The filling was smooth, luxurious and delightfully almondy. Terrific! What an ambrosial "Bakewell Tart" that was neither too cloying nor chockingly stuffy!

If you love English, old-fashioned teatime confections, then this luscious tart just what you are looking for!

I really want to thank Jasmine and Annemarie for having chosen that recipe dear to my little heart!

~ Bakewell Tart ~
Recipe by Jasmine and Annemarie.

Makes one 23cm (9” tart).

Prep. time: Less than 10 minutes (plus time for the individual elements, see below)
Resting time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes

Equipment needed:
23cm (9”) tart pan or pie tin (preferably with ridged edges)
Rolling pin
One quantity sweet shortcrust pastry (recipe follows)
Bench flour
250ml (1cup/250g) Jam or curd, warmed for spreadability
One quantity frangipane (recipe follows)
One handful blanched, flaked almonds (optional)

***************

Shortcrust Pastry

Prep. time: 15-20 minutes
Resting time: 30 minutes (minimum)

Ingredients:
225g (8oz) All purpose flour
30g (1oz) Castor sugar
2.5ml (1/2 Tsp) Salt
110g (4oz) Unsalted butter, very cold (frozen is better)
2 Egg yolks
2.5ml (1/2 Tsp) Almond extract (optional/I didn't use any)
15-30ml (1-2 Tbsp) Cold water

Method:
1. Sift together flour, sugar and salt.
2. Grate butter into the flour mixture, using the large hole-side of a box grater.

3. Using your finger tips only, and working very quickly, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Set aside.
4. Lightly beat the egg yolks with the almond extract (if using) and quickly mix into the flour mixture.
5. Keep mixing while dribbling in the water, only adding enough to form a cohesive and slightly sticky dough.
6. Form the dough into a disc, wrap in cling and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Jasmine's remarks:
I make this using vanilla salt and vanilla sugar.
If you wish, you can substitute the seeds of one vanilla bean, one teaspoon of vanilla paste or one teaspoon of vanilla extract for the almond extract.

***************

Frangipane

Prep. time: 10-15 minutes
Equipment needed: bowls, hand mixer, rubber spatula

Ingredients:
125g (4.5oz) Unsalted butter, softened
125g (4.5oz) Icing sugar
3 Large eggs
2.5ml (1/2 Tsp) Almond extract
125g (4.5oz) Ground almonds
30g (1oz) All purpose flour

Method:
1. Cream butter and sugar together for about a minute or until the mixture is primrose in colour and very fluffy.

2. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition (The batter may appear to curdle. In the words of Douglas Adams: Don’t panic. Really. It’ll be fine).
3. After all three are in, pour in the almond extract and mix for about another 30 seconds and scrape down the sides again.
4. With the beaters on, spoon in the ground nuts and the flour. Mix well (The mixture will be soft, keep its slightly curdled look - mostly from the almonds - and retain its pallid yellow colour).

Annemarie’s remarks:
Add another five minutes or more if you're grinding your own almonds or if you're mixing by hand (heaven help you).

***************

Assembling the tart

1. Place the chilled dough disc on a lightly floured surface (If it's overly cold, you will need to let it become acclimatised for about 15 minutes before you roll it out).
2. Flour the rolling pin and roll the pastry to 5mm (1/4”) thickness, by rolling in one direction only (start from the centre and roll away from you), and turning the disc a quarter turn after each roll.
3. When the pastry is to the desired size and thickness, transfer it to the tart pan, press in and trim the excess dough.
4. Patch any holes, fissures or tears with trimmed bits.
5. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 200° C (400° F).

7. Remove shell from freezer, spread as even a layer as you can of jam onto the pastry base.
8. Top with frangipane, spreading to cover the entire surface of the tart.
9. Smooth the top and pop into the oven for 30 minutes.
10. Five minutes before the tart is done, the top will be poofy and brownish. Remove from oven and strew flaked almonds on top and return to the heat for the last five minutes of baking (The finished tart will have a golden crust and the frangipane will be tanned, poofy and a bit spongy-looking).
11. Remove from the oven and cool on the counter.

Jasmine’s & Annemarie's remarks:
If you cannot have nuts, you can try substituting Victoria sponge for the frangipane. It's a pretty popular popular cake, so you shouldn't have any troubles finding one in one of your cookbooks or through a Google search.
You can use whichever jam you wish, but if you choose something with a lot of seeds, such as raspberry or blackberry, you should sieve them out.
The jam quantity can be anywhere from 60ml (1/4 cup) to 250ml (1cup), depending upon how “damp” and strongly flavoured your preserves are. I made it with the lesser quantity of home made strawberry jam, while Annemarie made it with the greater quantity of cherry jam; we both had fabulous results. If in doubt, just split the difference and spread 150ml (2/3cup) on the crust.
The excess shortcrust can be rolled out and cut into cookie-shapes (heck, it’s pretty darned close to a shortbread dough).

Serving suggestions:
Serve warm or at room temperature, with crème fraîche, whipped cream, clotted cream or custard sauce, if you wish.

****************

Etant donné la longueur du texte original, je n'ai malheureusement pas pu faire une traduction française de ce billet et je m'en excuse auprès de tous mes amis lecteurs et blogueurs francophones!

C'est pourquoi je vous suggère de vous rendre sur les blogs mentionnés ci-dessous. Vous y trouverez cette recette en version française.

Chez Vibi de "La Casserole Carrée" (Canada)
Chez Isa de "Les Gourmandises d'Isa" (Canada)

OLD BOAT - LAKE GENEVA

You might wonder why I am sharing this today and not Friday, well the reason is that my Daring Bakers post is due on Saturday the 27th, so I had to make a few changes and reschedule things...

The following pictures were taken during my last holidays in May when we did a short trip to Hermance (see old post). There we had a coffee on a terrace facing the lake (Lake Geneva/Léman), lazily walked through that quaint village and relaxed.

On that day, the weather was really stuffy and hot, the air was sticky, the light was harsh and the visibility was bad (haze), so my pictures suffered a little from the lack of good photographic conditions. Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy them!

APRICOT RECIPES - ABRICOTS: RECETTES

The apricot season has just started and beautiful ripe fruits are invading the stalls...

As the harvest period is quite limited and we only get to enjoy apricots for a very short lapse of time (June - August), it is better to start cooking and baking with them as early as possible. Nothing quite compares to a juicy and fragrant apricot which has been freshly picked from the tree.

It is for that reason that I've decided to compile my apricot-based recipes as well as a few of them I have found while surfing on the internet. So don't forget to buy regional (or as sustainably as possible) as well as seasonal products, run to the kitchen and enjoy what nature offers plentifully!

Isn't life beautiful?

My apricot recipes:
Amaretti, Apricot Jam & Coconut Bars (see recipe)
Apricot Clafoutis (see recipe)
Apricot Muffins (see recipe)
Beer & Apricot Clafoutis (see recipe)
Cinnamon & Apricot Flan Tart (see recipe) Lemon Chestnut Cake & apricot Coulis (see recipe)
Tatsch With Apricot Compote (see recipe)

Apricot recipes from the net:
All Recipes (see link)
Apricot Almond Cofee Cake (see recipe)
Apricot Jam (see recipe)
Apricot Scones (see recipe)
Epicurious recipes (see link)
Rice Pudding Cake & Apricot Compote (see recipe)
Tagine-Style Moroccan Lamb (see recipe)

WEEKEND CAT BLOGGING #211

This week, Mr. Tigger and The M-Cats Club "M-Cats Club" (USA) are happy to announce that they are hosting Weekend Cat Blogging #211...

To submit your kitty picture(s), you can either leave a message in their blog's comment section (with your permalinks) or contact them via e-mail without forgetting to give all the needed information.

"Each one of our cats is a distinct,
four-footed little person with an individual personality."
~ Ira B. Rubin ~

POSTCARD LANDSCAPES

I cannot emphasize enough on how the Geneva countryside is beautiful! It's serene atmosphere, smooth and welcoming landscapes make it a great place to walks and ride a bike...

One of my favorite tours consists of walking up the flanks of the Salève mountain in France (pic 8), going down towards Switzerland and crossing the border in Troinex (pic 7), then walking back through the fields in the direction of Veyrier (pics 1, 2 & 10).

I hope that those pics will give you a glimpse of my 2 hours journey through the back-roads that surround my village.