New Orleans French Quarter Guide

Today I bring you the New Orleans French Quarter Guide- a primer in food, drink, shopping, and language lessons.  In a matter of weeks, thousands will descend upon New Orleans for THREE major interior design events- KBIS, Vision and BlogTourNOLA. If you are attending one of them, you may have booked your flights and hotel but are perhaps now wondering  where to go and where to eat. Fear not, no worries of falling in to the jaws of a tourist trap if you are a first timer to the Crescent City. Note: today’s post is just on the French Quarter. Stay tuned for upcoming posts on other areas of New Orleans- there is PLENTY to do so plan to pace yourself.

KBIS New Orleans

The map is key and many places are Continue reading

Fine Food and Holiday Drinks from JoJo Eating House and Bar

 

JoJo Dallas Chef

For those of you who live near Dallas or plan to be in the neighborhood, I want you to know about a wonderful Uptown neighborhood gem: Jo Jo Eating House & Bar.  The Chef & Partner is internationally acclaimed Chef Laurent Poupart, from France, where he began working in a Michelin 3 star Continue reading

Loving L.A. Food

Well, if you are at the Getty Museum(yesterday’s post), you are near some pretty great food… I love the fresh and healthy L.A. food options:

Well, not always healthy, but THE most amazingly fresh, melt in your mouth pastries. Gorgeous. Everywhere. Most definitely worth the indulgence. With the great weather and all of the outdoor exercise, you earn it, right? The above pastries are from Huckleberry. Continue reading

Beautiful Layered Salads Easy to Make

With culinary ring molds, many beautiful meals can be created easier than you might think.  Here is a resource for the rings:http://www.creativecookware.com/round_rings.htm . You can turn any kind of salad or meal into a layered presentation.  Here is one of my favorite layered salads, as pictured above:

LAYER 1: Tomato

LAYER 2:  (use a mold for layers 2-4)  Chopped avocado mixed with a little mashed avocado & lemon juice

LAYER 3:  Sliced hearts of palm

LAYER 4:  Crumbled goat cheese, room temp

LAYER 5:   Parmesan crisp tulip bowl (some gourmet grocery stores sell ready made round parmesan crisps if you prefer not to make this part yourself) , lined with sliced chicken, then piled with lightly tossed mixed greens and fresh herbs (mint, tarragon), garnished with carrot slices (peeled as shown), fresh chives.

Dressing for the greens- Whisk or blend champagne vinegar, white truffle oil, egg, salt, pepper.  Plate garnished with garlic aioli. 

Foolproof Grand Marnier Souffle

Grand Marnier Soufflé  soufflé, whose name derives from the French
verb “to blow,” is an airy concoction leavened by beaten egg whites and oven
heat. Soufflés should be served directly from the oven, before they have any
chance to deflate. The soufflé dish, a ceramic dish with tall, straight
sides, is usually greased and then dusted with sugar (or, for savory
soufflés, bread crumbs) to help the batter “climb” the sides of the dish.

For the pastry cream:
1 cup milk
6 eggs, separated, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. finely grated orange zest
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Crème anglaise for serving

To make the pastry cream, in a saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk until
small bubbles appear along the edge of the pan. Remove from the heat.
In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 1/3 cup of the sugar, the flour,
orange zest and salt until pale and well blended. While whisking, slowly add
the hot milk.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Cook,
whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Continue to cook,
whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and whisk in the
liqueur and vanilla.
Pour the pastry cream into a large bowl and gently press a piece of plastic
wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool to room
temperature or refrigerate until ready to bake.
Preheat an oven to 375°F. Lightly butter a 6-cup soufflé dish and dust with
sugar.
Remove the plastic wrap from the pastry cream and whisk until smooth. In a
deep, spotlessly clean bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on
medium-high speed until they are foamy and soft peaks form when the beaters are
lifted. While beating, gradually add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and continue
to beat until stiff peaks form. Scoop about one-fourth of the egg whites onto
the pastry cream and, using a rubber spatula, fold in gently to lighten the
mixture. Then fold in the remaining whites just until no white streaks remain.
Scoop into the prepared dish. Run a thumb around the inside rim of the dish to
keep the batter from sticking and help the soufflé rise.

Bake until the soufflé is puffed and the top is browned, but the soufflé
still jiggles slightly when the dish is gently shaken, about 30 minutes. Serve
immediately with the crème anglaise. Serves 6 to 8.