Pourquoi ne pas offrir de petits cadeaux “faits main” ? En préparation des fêtes de fin d’années, voici quelques idées épicées qui ont été publiées sur ce blog.

Par exemple, à chaque fois que j’apporte un paquet de guimauve, il a un succès incroyable ! C’est donc, à mon avis, le moment de se lancer dans la guimauve. Les guimauves se conservent une quinzaine de jours sans problème. Pour la technique de base, suivre la recette de la Guimauve au Jasmin, largement inspirée  de celle proposée par Sébastien Serveau dans le livre “Leçons de Confiserie de l’Ecole de Cuisine d’Alain Ducasse”. J’ai aussi des déclinaisons : Guimauve à l’Orange Confite et au Grand Marnier, Guimauve à la Rose, Guimauve à la Violette. Bien sûr les variations sont infinies : on peut les parfumer à la vanille, au café, à la fleur d’oranger….

Autre piste : des confitures twistées aux épices. Avec ce que l’on trouve au marché en ce moment, on peut faire des confitures de poires avec Cacao et Gingembre ou Vanille et Cardamome ou de la confiture de Mangue.

Je vous suggère aussi quelques recettes de foie gras, délicieusement épicées : Foie Gras au Sel, Foie Gras au Sel à la Cardamome, Terrine de Foie Gras Poêlée

Promis, je vais publier d’autres recettes dans la même veine dans le mois à venir !

The Guardian’s Comment is Free section is certainly no bastion for solid, conscientious journalism. In fact, I’ve come across less non sequiturs and discombobulated arguments in the writings of pre-pubescent Korean children. However, it was still something of a shock to come across Agnès Poirier – vainglorious Myspace photo included – profile on the Guardian’s website.

The first two articles I read contained:

1. The most frivolous defense of Foie Gras I have ever encountered.
2. A violin sonata on the arrest of Roman Polanski.

You’d be tempted to think she was some sort of postmodern and oh-so-sophisticated French correspondent. Wait…

Here is her – oh isn’t it all just a big joke? - argument regarding the potential banning of the pâté:

Another pleasure to go down the drain after smoking, drinking and parental spanking. If we ban foie gras, I suggest we also ban human force-feeding, you know, obesity, and make it a crime for all who encourage it and all who indulge in it. Cadbury should be forced to close down, so should Häagen Dazs and many others, and let’s lock up everyone with a BMI above 25. Yes, you, filthy foie gras eater.

And here she is on the arrest of a self-confessed statutory rapist:

There is a feeling in France that the US justice department is acting out some kind of prudish revenge against a great talent who never abided by American rules even when he was the most celebrated director in Hollywood.

Sometimes I really think it’s all a big scripted joke.

The essence of Italian is always based within the passion of the beholder. As the warm candelight envelops the upper catacombs of Ado in Venice, California, the murmur of voices spills throughout the closely minded tables as the brisk smells of tantalizing dishes waif throughout the two story structure.

The inset provided a balance of pasta that stirred the soul. The sweetness and unexpected ping of a pumpkin filled ravioli, rich in its countenance, contrasted the tart but bold heartiness of parpadelle topped with a spicy essence of quail.

However, it was red beet linguini that truly enticed with its tangy effervescent heartiness.

Another surprising and welcome glint of knowing was reflected in the sublime foie gras, the duck simply sliding off the tongue with the hint of mango surrounding it, all the while, the light flickering back the grilled sear of its vision.

The main course provided a cross section of both fish and meat with the former barely edging out its latter. The salmon, replete with a marinated skin that melted in the mouth, was supplemented by a beautiful potpourri of eggplant that was simply divine.

In paradox, the filet mignon, deep and juicy, highlighted by a soft, creamy spinach only added to the progression as the cleansing connecting the two allowed for a bit of both sides as the desserts made their way into play.

While a panicola, descibed as “cheesecake but not cheesecake” offered an alternate vision, it was the creamy manicotti, smooth in its delivery, that truly wowed in the final thought, its wistful bounty utterly solidifying the dinner.

Ado, hidden away within the auspice of Venice, benefits from both its intimate, slick but charming setting balanced by the enthusiasm and approachability of its staff combined with an inate sense of spontaniety and flavor in its culinary offerings.

While getting my infusion yesterday, I was explaining to my neurologist how I’d decided to stop trying to gain weight because the effort was making me resent eating and consuming too much of my energy, which was counterproductive.

“So you feel like foie gras?”

“Oh no, I wouldn’t eat that, not after what I’d read about what the geese go through.”

“No, I mean, you felt like a goose being force-fed ?”

“Exactly.  Not that I like geese anymore, though.  Now that they’re such a pain to the dogs.”

“The dogs eat their droppings,” Frank explained.  Only the best for our girls.

“But then, they don’t deserve to be exterminated,” I added.  “Did you hear what New York was doing to cut down on its geese?  Putting them in a building and gassing them?”  I believe it was Jim of the blog that told me of this, in fact.  “It’s horrifying, concentration campy.”

“Well,” my doctor says, “it’s campy, but I wouldn’t say it’s like a concentration camp.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean it that way, I’m so sorry.”

“But that reminds me.  My wife bought my daughter a coat with . . .”

“Goose down?”

“Yes, you’re probably right.  And it had a fur collar.”

“What kind of fur did it have?  Fox?”

“Actually, I just saw a PETA video on this.  The coats are mostly made in China and they use dog fur for the collars.”

“Dog fur?  Seriously?”

“So my daughter shows me her coat and tells me it’s real fur and I could tell she was proud, like it was a status symbol, and because I’d just watched the film, I don’t know why, I tell her where it comes from.”

“You did? . . . So has she named her coat yet?  Does she sleep with it?”

We sleep with ours, after all.

Dear, dear Lucky, I hope you can still bite people in heaven

Oh my, my. This morning I braved a prodigious line at La Brea Bakery and managed to secure the very last loaf of brioche. I had George behind the counter (he is the BEST) slice half of it, and leave the remaining half intact so as not to dry out. Tonight we’ll be having sliced brioche with a pot of foie gras that my parents brought down from Bouchon Napa Valley. The rest of the brioche will be hosting turkey/stuffing sandwiches on Friday. That is, if little Sabine (my parents’ new puppy) doesn’t make off with the brioche first…

Nous voici fin Novembre, et déjà le fond de l’air se fait plus frais, les décorations de fêtes apparaissent dans les rues, et les denrées hivernales abondent sur les étals.

Ce petit week-end hivernal a commencé vendredi soir avec un bon repas chez Ti-Couz, crêperie bretonne de SF. Au menu, Soupe à l’oignon, crêpe et cidre. Miam ! L’occasion pour notre ami JC, habituellement localise en Inde, de nous rendre une petite visite et de… découvrir les specialités locales
Puis petit tour à l’Elbo Room, bar sympa de SF sur Valencia St, pour finir tranquillement la soirée.

Le samedi était prévu de longue date le repas de pre-thanksgiving, avec mes amis Gilles et Delphine, ainsi que des connaissances dans et hors Yahoo!. L’occasion pour moi de déguster un vrai repas traditionnel, avec dinde de 18 livres (!) cuite 4h30 au four, sauce aux canneberges (cranberries), purée de pommes de terre au jus (mashed potatoes and gravy), gratin de haricots verts (green beans casserole), maïs, corn bread, j’en passe et des meilleurs. Et tout ça, fait maison ! Avec toutes ces denrées et malgré une petite marche digestive nocturne sur les hauteurs de Bernal Heights, je n’ai pas réussi à aller au-delà du gâteau au chocolat pour tester la pecan pie (tarte aux noix de pécan) et la pumpkin pie, gâteaux traditionnels !

Foie Gras et Jurançon

Julien & Lohan

Darryl Harper playing smooth tunes onstage at Creative Alliance

Let’s see….did something I’ve never done before Friday night. Went to a jazz concert at the Creative Alliance, just east of Patterson Park on Eastern Avenue, to see jazz clarinetist Darryl Harper. What a talent he is….he had gathered some great local jazz guys in for a concert and the music was smooth, smokey…very blues. Darryl’s latest album is Stories in Real Time….you can hear  some selection by clicking here…and the Creative Alliance has many unique offerings… for music lovers, film lovers, classes for adults and children, including a 4 week Saturday session of running away to join the circus…”Admit it–your child is amazingly gifted and you’ve dreamt of creating a circus act together. Now’s your chance! Aerial superstar Lizzie Lyra introduces parents and kids to the circus arts: acrobatics, partner balancing, hooping, trapeze.” Come on people! You don’t see that everyday….

OK…saw Twilight…I’m in…all in.  And now I’m ready for New Moon….maybe over the holiday weekend. But I also want to see Precious….I’ve heard it is simply amazing….and Blind Side….also supposed to be just wonderful. It could be a good movie marathon weekend!  I love doing double features with a snack in between. Time to get my movie on. 

Oh, and I made some mean pork belly for dinner one night..(which is the new foie gras, or some people say). Not that I was  foie gras eater…I wasn’t, but I do love properly prepared pork belly. I used a variation of  Jamie Oliver recipe that I found on someone else’s blog….thank you very much….and it was luscious. Just absolutely fantastic. Still have some leftover in the frig. Wait for me…no matter where you are, I will find you!

Ingredients

• T-bone steak
• Butter
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
• Some awesome sauce

Procedure

1. Season steaks then leave in refrigerator for a day or two
2. Remove steak from refrigerator and let it get to room temperature
3. Get the broiler started
4. Set pan in broiler
5. Set steak on pan in broiler for 2-3 minutes on each side………..flip once
6. When you have flipped the steak place butter on top then let the meat char a little bit with the butter on top
7. Remove from heat, let rest for 5-7 minutes then pour awesome sauce on top…..Yeah, I know you probably don’t like steak sauce…..this isn’t steak sauce.
8. I would like to use the salamander at work or an even higher heat source but I don’t have those options available at home……….it’s too cold to grill.

Tonight we had a VIP dinner for several concierge from other D.C. hotels. The Ritz, Mandarin Hotel, etc.

We prepared a 5 course dinner for them which included several dishes from my upcoming winter menu. It was a good opportunity to test out my new menu items.


Starting off – an allium (the onion family) bisque. A nest of braised leeks, garlic chips and an onion bisque. I wasn’t able to get a picture of the completed dish because it was finished table side.

The next course was a Foie pate with apple puree, walnut powder, buttermilk pancakes and maple syrup. I think that’s all I need to say about this one.

This was a request from our hotel concierge; Shrimp ‘n Grits. One of my favorite things on my fall menu. Shrimp on a bed of stone ground grits, confit onions and peppers, and chorizo cream.

This was the last savory dish we did. I almost forgot to photograph this one but caught it just as it was leaving the kitchen. A duck breast with cranberries, sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts. This one came out really nice.

Our final course – an apple cobbler with cinnamon roll ice cream. That was one of my favorite things that the pastry chef at McCradys made; cinnamon roll ice cream. It’s pretty awesome.

Niadtong nangita kog mga commercial diha sa adsoftheworld.com, usa ka koleksyon sa mga print ads, ug nakita nako kining hulagwaya:

Ang teksto (sa Binisaya): ANG FOIE GRAS - PAGKAON SA MGA SADISTA. Nangilngig ka pod?

Nangilngig ko lagi. Busa nangita ko sa mga facts mahitungod sa foie gras. Kahibalo ko nga fatty liver anang kondisyona, morag kadtong paghubag sa atay dihang magkasakit ang mga tawo og fatty liver disease. Sudlan sa fat anang mga liver cells ug mamatay na lamang unya. Abnormal gani kining kondisyona, apan niadtong panahon sa mga Ehipsiyo gikatay ang mga langgam nga nangaon og daghan aron makalupad og dugay sa ilang pag-migrate. Ang ilang atay medyo mamantika ug lami kuno: didto nagsugod ang pagkaon og foie gras. Apan karon, ang pagmugna og foie gras usa ka bangis nga proseso.

Ang mga pato sa foie gras farm gipugos pagkaon og daghan, matod sa website sa Ban Foie Gras (http://www.banfoiegras.org/page.php?module=article&article_id=15).  Adunay imbudong adunay taas ug bagang metal nga tubo nga gisulod sa tutunlan sa pato ngadto sa estomago. Unya ipaagas og laski ang pagkaon diretso sa tiyan pinaagi sa air pump, morag gisudlan sa hangin ang balloon. Tungod niini, masamad ang tutunlan sa pato, labi na kay gamay lang kining tutunlana. Ug mobuto pod ang estomago, bituka, ug atay. Kining gibuto nga atay ang gibaligya isip foie gras. Tan-awa:

(wala) Ang normal na gidak-on sa atay sa pato. (tuo) Ang atay sa usa ka pato nga gipugos pagkaon. Kini ang foie gras.

Busa, ang tinuod, ang foie gras usa ka sakit nga gi-induce sa mga pato aron madako ang ilang atay sa usa ka abnormal nga gidak-on. Sakit tingali kaayo ang gibati sa mga pato, kay dili na sila makalihok tungod sa pagbuto sa ilang mga organs.

Sa Pilipinas, ang mga dato lamang ang makatilaw og foie gras. Apan angay silang paghunong sa pagkaon niini. Wala man kampanya batok sa pagmugna og foie gras sa ato, apan kini usa ka handomanan nga ang yanong pagpatay og pagsakit sa mga mananap nga dili makatarunganon ni kinahanglanon sa kinabuhi sa mga tawo o mananap, usa ka dalan paingon sa pagdili sa mga katungod sa tawo.

Place: Momofuku Ko
Location: 163 1st Avenue, between 10th and 11th Street
Website:  http://www.momofuku.com/ko/default.asp

This is a great way to surprise the girlfriend – a girlfriend who knows what you have to go through to get reservations (Reservation instructions are on the website).  After we had gotten off the cab, blocks away from our friend’s birthday party to pick up drinks, Gene told me to change out of my havaianas and into my stilettos and I couldn’t figure out why he would want me to be uncomfortable before I had to.  I was confused and complained but when he directed me towards an entrance I realized he surprised me with Ko when I saw the glorious orange peach.

I think David Chang set this up right.  He wanted to really showcase his talent by minimizing limitations; his reservation style and set menus portray this.  An already sort of exclusive nature complements Ko’s upscale experience.  By the way, pictures are not allowed.  However, Chang’s persona is very evident through his no VIP reservation policy and the way his chefs ended the night with drinking beer in the kitchen (the kitchen is in front of you).

The food?  Ko says it’s American cuisine but I would categorize it as Momofuku’s take on fusion.  We went through 10 courses of beautifully created food.  Part of the experience is watching the chefs prepare each course for you and you can tell that every dish was treated with such value.  My favorite of the 10 was a dish that included an egg topped with caviar, homemade potato chips, and cooked onions.  A common favorite is the frozen foie gras served over lychee, which is served both during lunch (17 course meal) and dinner.  I think the forte of the overall experience was impeccable balance, which can be reflected by the dish I described above.  I felt that every small dish had an amazing combination of tastes and every ingredient played a critical role.

It was a very enjoyable, palate challenging, pleasantly surprising experience.  And considering the price of a great dinner in New York these days, I’d say the experience was worth its value.  Not sure what the boyfriend thinks but I distinctly remember him saying during our dinner, “this is fun.”

Think again.

Footage shot at Palmex Inc – Canada’s second largest producer of foie gras – in Carignan, Quebec, shows the cruelty required to create foie gras. The fatty pate is produced from the diseased livers of force-fed ducks.  These ducks are force-fed to such an extent that their livers become 10-12X their normal size.

(Note: while the Palmex info link posted here is safe, do not visit the actual Palmex site as Google has it listed as possibly being harmful to your computer).

Contrary to popular belief and furthered recently by foodist Dana McCauley, the birds are terrorized and hold their mouths open to pant in an attempt to rid their bodies of the excess heat produced from such an unnatural caloric intake. They are not begging for more food.

The force-feeding, done twice a day, produces a disease state in the birds – hepatic lipidosis – which would be fatal if the birds weren’t killed so young.

Thirteen countries have already banned the production of foie gras recognizing its unnecessary cruelty.

Please, don’t be part of it.

This holiday season, celebrate kindness and life by choosing not to purchase foie gras and tell others of the cruelty involved in it.

Please forward this video to your friends and family:

…from Twyla and the CETFA team.

Downloads:
Foie Gras Action Alert
The_Life_of_a_Foie_Gras_Duck

Related Article:
Roger Moore on why he won’t speak to anyone (even his friends) if they eat foie gras, Daily Mail, Sept. 22, 2009

Chaque région de France a des ingrédients favoris (généralement produits localement), des spécialités (= des plats typiques) et des vins ou alcools :

Normandie, Bretagne : la crème, le beurre salé, les pommes, les poissons, les fruits de mer, les galettes salées et les crêpes sucrées, le fromage (le camembert, le pont-l’évêque), le cidre (boisson légèrement alcoolisée à base de pommes) et le calvados ( alcool de pomme).

Crêperie Bretagne

Bourgogne : le bœuf, les escargots, le fromage de chèvre (le crottin de Chavignol, que l’on prépare chaud, au four), et, bien sûr, le vin rouge et le vin blanc.

Boeuf Bourguignon

Alsace : la choucroute (plat chaud de chou blanc et de charcuteries), la soupe à l’oignon, le fromage (munster), les gâteaux et les tartes aux fruits, le vin blanc.

Choucroute

Périgord : le confit de canard, le foie gras, la charcuterie, les champignons (truffes, cèpes), le vin rouge et l’armagnac.

Confit de canard

Midi de la France : la soupe au pistou (au basilic), la ratatouille (courgettes, aubergines, tomates, oignon mélangés), la bouillabaisse (plat de poissons), la soupe de poissons, le cassoulet (plat de saucisses, confit de canard et haricots blancs), les condiments : l’ail et les herbes de Provence (thym, romarin, laurier, etc.), l’huile d’olive, le vin des Côtes-du-rhône et le pastis (apéritif à base d’anis).

Ratatouille

Testez vos connaissances : Vrai ou Faux ?

1) La « nouvelle cuisine »n’est pas lourde.

2) Les produits « bio »sont chimiques.

3) La cuisine traditionnelle se fait surtout à la vapeur.

4) Les végétariens ne mangent pas d’œufs.

5) Toutes les régions de France produisent du vin.

6) On peut servir certains fromages chauds.

7) Dans le Midi de la France, on cuisine surtout au beurre.

Les solutions sont dans les commentaires !

(Source : Vocabulaire progressif du français, Cle International)

Please join us on Thursday, December 10th for our festive holiday wine dinner, Christmas Fare from Around the World. Our five-course course dinners feature the finest in gourmet cuisine, freshest seasonal ingredients, and exquisite wines expertly paired to each course.

Our Thursday night wine tasting dinners are limited to a maximum of twenty-four guests to ensure an intimate and memorable dining experience. Aperitif and tours of the Inn are offered one half hour before dinner. First course served at 6:30pm.

Aperitif and tours of the Inn offered
one half hour before dinner.
First course served at 6:30pm.
$80.00 per person, plus tax and gratuity.

In addition, you may also choose to stay at the Inn
on the evening of our Wine Dinners.
Enjoy our gourmet wine dinner, then experience a luxurious
overnight stay in one of our Carriage House Grand Suites or
main house Suites and Bedchambers. The following morning
brings a sumptuous three-course gourmet breakfast.

Our wine dinner and overnight stay is specially priced at
$499 for our Carriage House Grand Suites and
$399 for main house Suites and Bedchambers.
Price includes all taxes and gratuities.
Reserve early. Space is limited and rooms will fill quickly.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR RESERVATIONS
CALL RIVERTOWN INN AT (651) 430-2955.

Foie gras is decadent and rich because of the large amount of fat stored in the liver of the duck or goose.  How this fat gets there is through a process called cramming.  As the name implies, the bird is force-fed a large amount of food over a period of time until the appropriate level of “fattened-up” is attained.  The process is alternatively known as  gavage feeding (from French gaver, to force down the throat).  The practice of cramming has been in circulation since the ancient Egyptians; however, it was actually because of the wild geese themselves that the Egyptians learned how to cram.

Geese are migratory birds that have to travel long distances to stay ahead of the weather. From Getty Images.

Prior to the taxing migration season where the geese travel thousands of kilometres without food, the birds must somehow build up enough energy to weather the journey.  What they do is eat.  A lot.  This excess of food energy transforms into fat stored in their liver, and when the Egyptians caught geese before their migration, they were treated to a ultra-rich version of the bird.  Eventually, someone pieced one and one together and what was originally a survival technique for the geese has become, ironically and morbidly, something that is quite the deplorable opposite.

Feed is administered through a long tube that goes down the bird's esophagus, fed by an electric pump.

Cramming is most widespread in France as this process must occur in order for the resulting liver to be classified legally as foie gras.  In other parts of the world, foie gras is not exclusively produced by cramming, instead timely slaughter that relies on the natural fattening up instinct during migration season of the geese is employed.

Seared foie gras with ginger cream.

Whatever the method of attainment, foie gras, in all its plate-top incarnations (pâtés, terrines, mousses, roasted…), is subject to audible protest.  If you are passionate about the maltreatment of geese and ducks because of foie gras harvesting, check out No Foie Gras.org.

We do a lot of things to animals.  This is yet another thing that compels one to adopt staunch vegetarianism.  Fortunately for me, I cannot, for whatever reason, bear the taste of foie gras.  Its oiliness and distinct flavour makes my stomach churn.  Aside from the taste though, my stomach churns for another reason…

No waaaayyyyyyyy!  From the Humphry Slocombe Twitter:

Foie gras ice cream sandwiches!  Now I really have heard everything.  Seriously this time.

$10 says the ice cream’s made of the puke that comes out of the bird after it’s been force-fed.  You know, like the super pussy birds who can’t keep a meal down.

GROSS ME OUT, KAT!

You still owe me $10, though.

• 200 gr. de figues sèches
  
• 1 orange pressée
• 30 gr. jambon cru
• 80 gr. de betteraves cuites
• Porto sel poivre
• 1 échalote

Oter  le cœur des figues. Les couper en quatre.

Mettre dans le bol les échalotes. Mixer 3 sec. vit 5. Ajouter 20 gr. de beurre et programmer 3 mn.  Varoma sens inverse  Vit 1. Ajouter les figues, le jambon cru, les betteraves,  le jus d’orange,  le porto, le sel et le poivre.  Programmer 20 mn. 100°C sens inverse vit 1. Mixer 10 sec. vit 5.

Idée:

• Avec le foie gras

1. En entrée (sur l’assiette faire une jolie quenelle de compotée avec une tranche de foie gras)
2. A l’apéritif (décorer les différents toasts de foie gras avec une pointe de compotée)

• 200 gr. d’olives noires
• 150 gr. de sucre
• Piment dEspelette ou piment de Cayenne
  
• Quelques gouttes de Tabasco

Mettre les olives noires une 1/2 heure dans de l’eau.

Égoutter les olives et les mettre dans le bol avec tous les ingrédients. Mixer 3 sec. vit.5. Programmer 10 mn.vit.1 / 100°C.

Mon avis:

• Cette confiture est idéale et originale pour accompagner le foie gras.
• Elle surprendra agréablement vos invités pour les fêtes.

Vous trouverez la recette du foie gras dans la revue livrée avec votre Lolomix ou “La france gourmande p.12″

Ci dessous la recette avec quelques adaptations personnelles.

• Un foie de 500 gr. environ
• 2 c. à soupe de porto ou armagnac ou cognac
  
• Poivre 5 baies
• 2 c. café de Fleur de sel

Séparer les deux lobes.  Dénerver  chaque lobe en allant chercher un peu loin le nerf avec les doigts. Puis s’aider d’un couteau et inciser le foie de coupes verticales pour vérifier que tous les gros nerfs sont ôtés. Les petits vaisseaux et la peau vont fondre à la cuisson.

Mettre le foie dans un saladier. Saupoudrer le foie d’une c.café des 5 baies et saler avec 1 c. à café de  fleur de sel et arroser de 2 c. à soupe de porto ou autre alcool. Faire grossièrement un boudin et saler et poivrer l’extérieur. Laisser mariner au réfrigérateur 1/2 heure.

Reconstituer le foie à la main. Le déposer sur du papier film et former un boudin que vous enroulez dans le papier en chassant l’air en enroulant les extrémités. Renouveler deux fois l’opération et finir par une feuille de papier aluminium. Mettre le boudin dans le varoma. Mettre 800 gr. d’eau dans le bol et régler 14 mn varoma vit.1. A la sonnerie retourner le foie et remettre 12 mn. varoma vit 1. Une foie cuit, le refroidir dans un saladier rempli de glaçons pendant une heure puis le laisser  dans le réfrigérateur. Au bout de 24 heures ôter les différentes couches de papier et le gras jaune qui s’est intercalé entre les feuilles. Rouler le foie gras dans un torchon et le garder au réfrigérateur.

Mon avis et mes conseils:

• Je préfère faire un boudin plus long mais moins gros c’est pour cette raison que je le cuis dans le varoma et non dans le panier.
• Si vous préférez un foie mi cuit diminuer le temps de cuisson à 2 fois 10 mn
• Comment je choisis mon foie gras?

1. poids 500 gr. à 600 gr. maxi
2. éviter les premiers prix
3. Origine France
4. Prix au kilo: maxi 35 €
5. Je préfère acheter mon foie avant les fêtes (moins cher et de meilleur qualité car gavé moins vite) soit je le congèle cru et je fais mon foie gras trois jours avant le jour J, soit je cuis mon foie gras et je le congèle cuit après  deux jours où il s’est affiné dans le frigo.

Variantes:

• Vous pouvez mettre des petits morceaux de figues sèches au milieu  lors du premier assaisonnement
• Vous pouvez l’aromatiser à la truffe , pour ma part je saupoudre avec des trompettes de mort que j’ai séchées et mixées  en poudre.

Idées:

• Accompagnement: confiture d’olives noires “recette lolomix”, compotée de figues “recette lolomix”, confiture d’oignons rouges”La France gourmande p.71″, …

• Toast de pain de mie grillé, pain brioché, pain d’épices, dans des minis choux ,  …

Kaz Sushi Bistro lives on the ground floor of an office building. They may have been going for a “bistro” look, but they ended up with an “lackluster cafe in an office space” look.  The floorspace is very small and awkward.  Even the floors feel hollow and unstable, and I’m always a little nervous walking to the bathroom. What if I fall through and they have to rescue me with a rope made of seaweed?

Thankfully the food is way more interesting and better constructed than the restaurant. Kaz has fresh, creative, beautifully-presented, phenomenal sushi.

I’ve been to many sushi spots in town–Sushi Ko, Tono Sushi, Perry’s, others not even worth mentioning–and hands down, Kaz blows them out of the water.  The seared salmon belly with soy-lemon sauce is so buttery, it will disintegrate in your mouth. It’s incredible.  Really, you won’t believe your mouth.  And the foie gras and plum wine jelly is not of this world.  It can’t be!

While other dishes like the short ribs and calamari are good, the sushi is what you come here for.  It is expensive, but worth every penny.

Just be careful on the way to the bathroom.

Por: Gabriel Pernambuco

 Não, eu não estive no minicurso do Prof. Arnaldo Lorençato “O texto de gastronomia: como escrever sobre um dos assuntos do momento no jornalismo” no IV Encontro de Comunicação e Letras do Mackenzie.

 Este post tratará do mesmo assunto. De maneira um pouco mais indireta. Estou aqui para registrar a entrada de mais um blog em nosso rol. Foie Gras Literário é um espaço para escrever sobre um dos assuntos do momento no jornalismo.

 Sem desmerecer o trabalho do pessoal da “TV Cultura”, que é muito bacana, que manda ao ar todo domingo, 23h, o programa “Café Filosófico”, “uma série de encontros nos quais são abordados anseios e angústias dos indivíduos na sociedade contemporânea, tendo como referências teóricas fundamentais a Psicanálise e a Filosofia”, segundo seção do programa no website da emissora, mas vou variar no cardápio.

 No menu do dia temos um foie gras, uma espécie de patê amanteigado de fígado de ganso, servido com pães e uma bela coleção de textos, nem sempre, gastronômicos. Nem sempre, pois em alguns casos os textos extrapolam questões inerentes somente à culinária.

Delícias e Indagações

 Leonora de Mauro, autora do blog, divide sua vida atual entre trabalho, noivado e tarefas para manter seu apartamento. Em alguns momentos de seu conturbado dia de representante fiel da mulher moderna, Léo se presta a dividir conosco uma pouco de sua experiência no universo gastronômico da cidade.

 A análise de restaurantes e pratos finos serve como base. Receitas com a cara do público jovem, como um macarrão com molho de vodka e pimenta, ajudam a construir o conceito. E relatos de seu temperamento feminino misturados a isso tudo, definem o cheiro, gosto e textura que a leitura destes textos, certamente, terá.

 Acompanhem e bon appetit.