Merry Christmas! ** Joyeux Noël!

Running short of cookies in the jar?
Here is an easy and quick way to fix it with Nigella's good tips!

Wishing you a very merry Christmas!

"This Xmas, let us give each other a hand!" - Season's greetings by Cédric Roulliat

Now, don't forget to also check out my other blog, Christine Rochet-Jacob. You will find another gift under the Christmas tree...

Tea time with Laura Calder

Recently, I met Laura Calder, a vibrant author turned chef and expert in French cuisine after several years spent in France (Paris, and Burgundy). For our second meeting, she had kindly invited me to her place for tea. I was not expecting anything in particular, but two elements I thought I would find at Laura's place were elegance and humour. I was not disappointed! What a treat for the eye, ...and the mouth! She is a real pleasure to share anecdotes and deeper reflections with. She is obviously knowledgeable in the cooking field but she is also effervescent and reaches out to many a subject that catches her attention, and on this point we really get on well...

Check out her shows and browse her recipes on the Food Network, you won't regret it!


I also recommend that you read her interview with Gremolata for more details.
Now, as she has just moved back to Canada, Toronto in particular (great choice!), she is still sharing her continental expertise in her shows for the Food Network, and working on new projects that take into account her newly regained Canadian lifestyle. But "motus et bouche cousue", her projects are confidential...

Laura is a wonderful hostess, indeed! And to prove it, let me show you the pictures I took at her place while sipping a delicious black tea, regularly shipped by her parents in New Brunswick, and savouring a tasty banana cake. Laura was not too happy with that cake recipe that she had just tested... She actually found it boring - well, even if I see what she means, I still enjoyed it a lot. For a failure, it was quite a success!

On a large windowsill in the living room, white candles, holly and pine boughs are displayed to fill the air with their delicate holiday fragrance.

This decorative deer was offered to her as a joke by a friend, to welcome her back to Canada. I found it very appropriate to the setting!

Beautiful arrangement of roses and a cedar-fragranced candle; even unlit, this candle was exhuming its subtle notes of cedar wood from the table...

I loved this eclectic corner on the couch: there is humour in the quirky cushion, adventure with A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains (I am curious, I'll have to ask her for that read!) and high-brow literature with the New Yorker.

In this antique mirror that she had revamped, one can see the reflection of her kitchen, where the magic happens!Ciao, bella Laura. Au revoir, and thank you so much for that beautiful tea time! I enjoyed every minute we shared together. Our next meeting should see us celebrate the new year with a couple of friends.

But I do not forget that she also asked me to take her on a shopping expedition. I will suggest that we invite my husband and his twin brother as style experts to guide us through our journey. That might well be the subject of a new post on my other blog, Christine Rochet-Jacob. To be continued in 2010...

Wishing you all a lot of friendly tea times for the holiday season!

'Tis the Season around the World

Mon cher Coco,

Eh oui...'tis the season! Just like me, I bet you too are finalizing the last preparations for the day, or days, or week of festive gatherings. My husband and I will be hosting this year's family Christmas dinner party, and we expect about 15 people to share their appetite and joy with us! While deciding on the last hors d'oeuvres to insert in my menu, I found this 1960s ad that put a big smile on my face. But, no. It would be too far a stretch from my ideal gourmet banquet...
No frozen banquet dinner for this Xmas! Instead, I am planning to complete my Christmas shopping with the purchase of a very traditional turkey. I saw big healthy birds at Toronto's St Lawrence food Market the other day, and I am going to get one tomorrow - before they all vanish into thin air, so to say.

Bouquets of carrots and roots at Toronto's St Lawrence Market, December 2009. My photo.

But what about you? I wonder where in the world your nearest market can be? Do you have any traditional ritual for Christmas?

Oh, but a wait a minute, talking of Christmas and Markets makes me think of Christmas markets! I will grant you the point that they sometimes can be irritatingly cheesy and overcrowded, but aren't they most of the time a good occasion to share the festive spirit with your loved ones?

Here is a selection of some of the Christmas markets that one can find around the world.

Strasbourg, France: More than 400 years in operation, the Christkindelsmärik is the largest Christmas market in France with a fantastic location on the Place Broglie, in front of Strasbourg Cathedral.

I went twice to this market, and enjoyed the experience to the full, munching on freshly made pretzels or sipping from a cup of mulled wine to defeat the cold. Christmas in Alsace is quite special!

Berlin: Ah, booming Berlin, what a swell swinging city! More than 60 markets are held each year throughout the city, including one in front of Charlottenburg Castle with carriage rides and theme exhibits in the palace that was built in the 17th and 18th centuries.
In the Gendarmenmarkt square, a classic Christmas market is held in December.
Cusco, Peru: Held Christmas Eve on Cusco's spacious Plaza de Armas, the market includes dozens of stalls selling craft items, especially clay nativity scene figurines as well as candies and other delicious edibles...On Christmas day, you can also attend the parade, which starts when the Christmas day mass in the Cathedral ends. The congregation bursts out intermingled with groups of dancers, accompanied by singing, drumming, whistling and chanting. I am most particularly attracted to this Christmas tradition..but my husband is Peruvian, this might explain that.

How would you like to spend Christmas day in Cusco, ancient city of the Incas? Watching a show of colourful dancers in the main square, and get in the festive spirit

Mexico City: Two of the traditional Christmas markets in this vast capital are centrally located. The Grand Bazaar Navideno of the Colonia Del Valle at the Lazaro Cardenas Market sells tree decorations made from tin, papier-mâché and wood as well as candles and figurines of every description. Another good bet is the one mounted around the Coyoacan Market.

Dolls for sale in the Coyoacan market

Chicago: The largest Christmas market in the United-States. Chicago's was inspired by Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt and is located dowtown Daley Plaza. Attracting more than a million visitors every year, the market is dominated by a large illuminated Christmas tree.

Umm, yes...this is in Chicago!

Krakow: Centred in Krakow's Rynek Glowny Square, the holiday market offers oplatek (Nativity-printed wafers), Polish honey cake, amber pieces, Bohemian glass, fur slippers and silver jewellery among other items.
Do you live near one of these markets? Have you ever attended one? Don't hesitate to leave your comments on the subject!

Source for this post: Article by John Fitzgerald, published in The Toronto Star on Thursday, November 19, 2009.

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas Market time!

Schwowebredle, Alsatian Christmas cookies

Here are my little almond and orange candied peel Christmas cookies. If you too decide to bake a batch, you won't regret it - believe me!
Taken from Simone Morgenthaler's Recettes de Noël, Traditions d'Alsace. The recipe is in French. If you can't decipher it in French, ask me for a translation. It will be my pleasure to fix it for you.

Petits Gâteaux Souabes
-Schwowebredle-

Pour 900 g environ Pâte
. 200 g de sucre semoule
. 200 g de beurre
. 2 oeufs
. 275 g de farine
. 275 g d'amandes en poudre
. 75 g d'écorces d'orange confite finement hachée
. 2 c. à café de cannelle
. 1 pincée de sel
. 2,5 cl de kirsch (ou de Grand-Marnier, ma suggestion!)

Dorure
. 1 jaune d'oeuf
. 1 c. à soupe de crème fraîche

Travaillez le beurre en pommade avec le sucre jusqu'à consistance très crémeuse. Ajoutez les deux oeufs entiers, mélangez bien puis incorporez la farine, les amandes, les écorces d'orange confites, la cannelle, le sel fin et la liqueur pour parfumer. Travaillez ce mélange à la main, énergiquement, afin d'obtenir une pâte bien consistante. Enveloppez-la dans du papier film et mettez au frais pendant une nuit.

Le lendemain, étalez au fur et à mesure des portions de pâte sur une épaisseur de 3 à 4 mm. Il ne faut pas que la pâte se réchauffe sinon elle se déatche très difficilement. (Mon conseil: Replacez la pâte au réfrigirateur entre plusieurs fournées)
Découpez à l'emporte-piéce (cutters) des motifs variés, selon votre envie...Disposez-les sur une plaque beurrée. Badigeonnez-les avec la dorure.
Faites cuire à four moyen à 180*C (350*F) pendant 10 à 15 mn.
Détachez-les à l'aide d'une spatule et laissez-les refroidir sur une grille.

Et pour citer Simone avant de se quitter: "Les Schwowebredle se laissent croquer à toute heure du jour et...de la nuit. En Alsace, on aime les déguster avant la messe de minuit avec un verre de vin chaud."

...................Voilà!..................

These bredle are fun to prepare alone, or with your loved ones. The younger ones will particularly enjoy cutting the varied shapes off the dough. Magic! You can bake the bredle now and seal them in a tin box and store them in a dry, cool closet or in the fridge.

Happy baking holiday to all!

City of Craft...day and night!

Plants you can't kill by Shannon Gerard

Last weekend I went to The City of Craft. Toronto's celebration of all things handmade. Of course, Mon cher Coco had to be there!

My attention was caught by a few amazing booths: Lines by: davis., The Devil's Workshop (last July my husband and I took a jewellery lesson with them to make our wedding bands),Damned Dollies, Kid Icarus prints, and one of my favourites: Plants that you can't kill by Shannon Gerard- the fastest crocheting I've ever seen!

But, I must admit that at the end of the day, it was a bit too crafty for me...Too many buttons, sock monkeys, screen printed T-shirts, hemp bags or tea towels. After a few hours at the fair, we left and as we were walking on Queen Street west, I suddenly stopped - I could not help but laugh my heart out. Look at that!

The Knit Café is a really neat place to hang out, for sure...and this crocheted skeleton in the window will not contradict me. I agree that the subject might look a bit grim, but it is so hilariously unexpected for a Xmas window decoration. I love these girls! It makes me feel like learning how to knit properly with them...
Once we were back from this day out full of crafty discoveries, we got ourselves ready to attend a very stylish Christmas party, thrown by Deryck, photographer, and Sioban, visual merchandiser and stylist. My husband and his twin brother had agreed on d-jaying the party for the night.
As soon as we entered the place, I was blown away! The Xmas decoration was breathtaking and so inspirational. But I'd better let you judge by yourselves...

So what do you think...Thumbs up?

The Jacob Twins (Miguel and Marco) off the hook, rocking the dance floor! Thank you guys. We had a great time dancing.

This Saturday, day and night, felt like a real Xmas treat! It left me with the imperceptible, and delicate aftertastes of a scrumptious pain au chocolat - which actually reminds me that Sioban has recently experimented a crazy pain au chocolat recipe... Hum, I wish she would use me as a guinea pig for her next batch! Hey Sioban, whatever the pain it causes you, I will support your effort, and just so you know I am ready to come and taste any pains that you bake. ;0)