I Remember...

Hello, so this post goes along with yesterday's post about France and Ile Flottantes.  This is a list of 9 items that I remember from my trip to France. 

1. Learning my way about the Metro

2. Tarte Flambee, and Ile Flottantes
3. Seeing the Eiffel Tower and riding all the way to the top
4. Walking down the Champs Elysees
5. Eating Creme Brulee for dessert wherever I went 
6. Going in the Notre Dame
7. Riding down the Seine River in a boat
8. Going to the Louvre 
9. Going into the Versailles Paris

Those are just some of the many things that I remember from my trip to France!

Let's reminisce!

Hello, sorry I have not posted in so long. I have had a really crazy past couple of weeks and have barely had time to breathe! Anyway, let's reminisce. 

So, my grandparents, Nana and Papa, have started an incredible tradition. They bring their grandchildren on a trop when we were 8. Just this afternoon, at 3:30, they got back from Ireland with my cousin Norah. After they got back, my grandfather called to reminisce. As we were reminiscing, it brought me back to Creme Brulees, Tarte Flambees, and Ile Flottantes from my 8-year-old adventures. Anyway, I had made Ile Flottantes at one of my cooking lessons with Macy and now have decided to share it with you. Don't forget to reminisce with your favorite people as you make this!

Which Camp Are You In?

Ugggg... that's how I feel about Tarte Flambee. Also known as Flammkuchen. For those of you who don't know what it is, Alsatian Flatbread with Bacon and Creme Fraiche  is how "My Berlin Kitchen"  best describes it. It is from a region in France and Germany named Alsace. Alsace borders Germany and has a lot of the same culture as Germany. I have gone to France and visited Strasbourg, a city which is in the heart of Alsace. Strasbourg has amazing history, amazing culture, amazing food (except for some of us and the tarte flambee), and have you seen their houses!!!!! Alsace is overall AMAZING!!! When I went to Strasbourg, I had my first taste of tarte flambee. As a second grader it may have been a little extreme to try it. I did not like it one little bit. As I was flipping through Luisa Weiss food memoir (check out her blog) "My Berlin Kitchen" I found a recipe for it. Knowing that my mom loves it (if by chance I thought it was gross, AGAIN!) I decided to try it again. So on Saturday, January 19th, I finally got myself together and made it. While, my mother loved it, I on the other hand did not. It did not take that long, only about 1 hour (shorter than most things that I have made + posted about).  So, without further ado, here it is. Luisa Weiss's "My Berlin Kitchen"...

Tips:
1. The key is to get the dough as thin as possible
2. When you are rolling out the dough, get it as thin as possible without breaking, then put it as quickly as you can on the baking sheet
3. If you can find Speck, than by all means use it, but if you can't regular bacon will work too

You Might Think You're In France Creme Brulee...Plus What To Do With The Egg Whites After!

At my second cooking lesson, I made Creme Brulee and Coconut Macaroons. The creme brulee was super easy. The process for the macaroons was easy too but a poor coconut brand made it tricky.  Also the dough was really dry so we had to add much more egg than called for. 

I go to a school where students can chose to study in French.  So, since the first grade, I have been learning in French.  I have even been to France.  I think all of this learning business has made me LOVE French food and all things French.  I mean I seriously LOVE French food, especially Creme Brulee. Really people, come on, how many three year olds order Creme Brulee and do not have a single clue what it is.  Ever since that first Creme Brulee, I have been in LOVE with them!  My obsession took a new turn when I went to France.  I made it my business to sample Creme Brulee at every restaurant that we went to.  I sampled Creme Brulee across the whole countryside of France, from Paris to Strasbourg and back.  I sampled it at big restaurants, small restaurants... for lunch, and for dinner.  Every day it was continuously Creme Brulee. And if that wasn't enough to make you think "Wow, she is crazy!",  I was only in the second grade!  Because of my love for this delicious dessert, I thought that it was time to learn how to cook it.  Most recipes are a little more complicated, but this one can be made in about 15 minutes...and it's really good!  Caramelizing the top adds the "WOW" factor. Below is a link to a video of Ina making it.  You can view it at http://www.foodnetwork.com/barefoot-contessas-creme-brulee/video/index.html

The surprise bonus: Coconut Macaroons!  One of the added bonuses of taking cooking lessons is that I get to learn new tips and tricks. I have a question for you.  What do you do with the extra yolks/whites after you make something? If you are like me you probably just throw them away.  Thanks to my cooking teacher, Macy, I now have two new things. One, a go to cookie recipe, and two, what to do when a recipe calls for egg yolks and not egg whites (now, I just have to find a recipe that uses egg yolks). These treats were really a hit with my family, as I started with twenty four, and by the end of the day was down to seven. They are very easy and I could be making them for a party in my future. If you make these cookies right, they will not spread like chocolate chip or sugar cookies would. They will stay in a ball and have little cracks in them. I have one advisory for you, don't use Trader Joe's brand of coconut; their coconut was too dry. Regular supermarket brand kind, would be better. 

The Creme Brulee recipe was from Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten. She has loads of cookbooks and I all of the recipes I trust and love. The macaroons were from Cook's Illustrated which is a cooking magazine. You can also look it up online but you have to be a subscriber to view it.  Both of the recipes are to follow.