As January nears its end and I think back on the holidays, I’m amazed that they are a complete blur. They are always busy with family and friends. Before I know it they have passed, and I wonder how that happened, remembering the days when Christmas seemed to take forever to arrive and lingered as if there were nothing else to do but savor the days.

I don’t know if it is because there is just so much to do or that the focus is on so many things at once, but the blur that is now our celebrations makes me long for ways to slow down, even if it is just a little.

I found that thinking of New Year resolutions is a good way to start slowing down my life. Having more time isn’t going to happen unless I find a way to make the time myself by slowing down. I can think of two things that might work:

The first change is to plan ahead so that I don’t find myself rushing to get things done. A few years ago we gave a big Christmas party at the beginning of December. When the party was over, I was ready for the holidays to begin. It allowed for a more relaxed and leisurely holiday season to enjoy everything there was to do.

The second change is to mix up my routine. It could be skipping the news for the evening and sitting in a different area of my home to enjoy a conversation over a glass of wine, or it could be doing as I watched my grandparents do and taking out a deck of cards to play a few hands of gin rummy after dinner. Growing up, we played cards a lot. It was a fun way to spend time face-to-face. It always sparked our competitive streaks and led to animated conversations that would inevitably end in laughs and promises of a rematch.

Whatever it is I decide to change, just considering how I might alter my routine has made me aware of how I spend my time instead of just settling into my usual habits without much thought.

I like to call myself soup challenged.  I love soup but have trouble making a good one.  It’s not from lack of effort, I probably try at least once a month through the winter, but all my attempts seem to fall flat.  My soups are blah . . . they just don’t taste great.

In general, I am a pretty good cook, and not afraid to try and learn new things, but curiously soups escape me.  As a child I traveled to France often and no matter where we were soup was always on the menu, and it was something I loved.  As far as I am concerned there is nothing better than a Potage de Legume (Vegetable Soup).  I am on a quest to make such a soup or for that matter any soup at all . . . so long as it’s good!

To my surprise, I have recently made a few soups that were actually quite good and was able to say “I made a good soup.”  My first was a Zucchini Soup, it’s a simple soup that has a lot of flavor.

The Pioneer Woman, one of my favorite blogs, recently posted a recipe for Corn Cheese Chowder.   Her photos are beautiful and also serve as a step by step how-to guide on making the recipe.  You get hungry just looking at the photos.  I decided to give this recipe a try myself.  I followed her recipe closely with a couple of changes: my kids don’t love peppers so I used 2 instead of 3, I didn’t have fresh corn so I used 2 bags of frozen, I added 3 chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces, instead of serving it in a bread bowl I had a good crusty baguette, and cooked it for longer.  The soup was wonderful, rich and creamy, and my soup dinner was enjoyed by all!

Ok, so the soup turned out great for dinner but what to do with the soup leftovers?  Soup has a tendency to thicken considerably while hanging out in the fridge . . . what to do to thin it out the soup without losing any flavor?   For this soup I added 2 cups of water, 2-3 chicken bouillon cubes depending on how salty your soup is, and half a bag of frozen corn.  Lo and behold the soup was still good, and lunch with the girls turned out great!

Thank you Pioneer Woman – I will be trying your Broccoli Cheese Soup soon.

Audrey Olmer

          U p c o m i n g   C l a s s e s

ou’ve decided to have a party, the invitations have been sent—and then you realize how much work lies ahead: cleaning, planning the menu, shopping, cooking, arranging flowers . . . and you still don’t know what you’re going to wear!!

For years the approach of fall made me anxious. It meant the beginning of the holiday season, and unless I started planning weeks ahead of time, the stress would take the fun out of having parties. Determined to make entertaining stress free, I came up with some simple steps that made it easy to plan and host my own parties.

Using my twenty-five years of design experience, my expertise in the kitchen, and my love of entertaining I’ve created a way to teach you how to  plan—and enjoy—    your own parties.

I’ve put together four classes so you can learn the simple steps that will take the stress out of entertaining and let you have a great time at your own parties.

Class 1: Pastry—It’s not just for pies anymore!

A great pastry dough can be one of your most useful party tools. Learn how to use it to create great dishes for any part of a meal, and how to store it so it’s ready when you need it.

Class 2: Taste sensation—How to make your food come to life

Learn how to make sweet and savory fillings to use with your pastry—for hors d’oeuvres, appetizers, main courses, and desserts.

Class 3: Be prepared—But that’s only the beginning!

Having what you need on hand is key to stress-free entertaining. This class covers the essentials of a well-stocked pantry that is ready for emergencies. It will teach you to take stock of your cookware and tableware so you know what you have and what you need.

Class 4: Enjoy your own party—How to stay cool, calm, and collected while entertaining

This class covers tricks to getting your home ready, how to create the perfect party ambiance, and the ten essential steps to avoiding stress.

Each student will receive a notebook containing copies of all the recipes they learn, with space to take notes in class, sample inventory forms, and a list of the ten steps to avoiding stress—ready to post on your wall.

CLASS SCHEDULE

Tuesdays, October 4, 11, 18, 25, 7-9 pm

                                   or

Tuesdays, November 1, 8, 15, 22, 7-9 pm

$195 for the series of four

$55 per two-hour class

Thursdays, October 20, 27, 9am-1pm

                                 or

Thursdays, November 3, 10, 6-10 pm

$195 for the series of four

$110 per four-hour class

All classes are held in Briarcliff Manor, New York.

When I travel I have one thing in mind, and that is to go to the market. Food is the common denominator, but how it’s prepared and presented is unique to its location. The more exotic the locale, the more I find myself obsessed with the market, and when I think back on my travels it’s the markets that stand out.

I am grateful to Julie Butler, the winner of our Market basket contest, for writing about her trip to Chiang Mai, Thailand and the Walking Street.

We arrived in Chiang Mai on a Sunday. Our taxi driver explained to us that he would have to drop us at the back entrance of our hotel because on Sunday the front entrance on Rajdamnoen Road is closed for the weekly “Walking Street.” The hotel, Tamarind Village, was beautiful. It is located in the heart of Chiang Mai, midway between the eastern and western gates of the wall that surrounds the old city. It is a peaceful, serene, tastefully decorated complex of buildings with an enormous Tamarind tree as its centerpiece.

We made our way from the back entrance through the pretty maze of courtyards to the front lobby which was an outdoor space lined with lush wood furniture and colorful fabrics.  As we headed for our room, one of the employees urged us to step out of the front entrance because it was Sunday and we wouldn’t want to miss the Walking Street.

We were tired, but we were also hungry so we cleaned ourselves up and headed down the bamboo lined driveway leading to the entrance of the hotel. It was a short, dark drive wide enough for a car and  lit by huge rectangular white cloth lanterns that appeared to float along beside us. In the distance, we could see a sliver of what appeared to be a parade of illuminated color. Emerging from the peaceful drive on to the Walking Street was magical. The color, the light, the music, and the exuberant throng of people from all walks of life were completely unexpected.

Our mouths watered as the scent of exotic spices wafted through the air. We walked the length of the street; first in one direction and then the other. We passed every possible vendor imaginable; motorcycle carts displaying smokey barbequed meats, shelves lined with layers of leafy greens, a scary row of “fresh” chickens on their backs with their claws sticking out as if to say, “I dare you to eat me,” fish in tanks and on ice, boxes of desserts, baskets of rice (I never knew there were so many kinds of rice), buckets of spices, and wok after wok of curries, vegetables, and noodles . . . . And that’s just the food. There were at  least 200 tents filled with  interesting artwork, lovely fabrics, instruments, clothing, appliances, toys, anything one might desire during  a Sunday evening stroll through the heart of Chiang Mai. The booths spilled into courtyards and beyond the eastern gate.  Down the center of the road individuals and groups entertained   the parade of shoppers with drums or dance or song . . . . A sudden downpour had merchants protecting their goods with clear tarps and shoppers scrambling for cover. It was late, and we thought the evening had come to an end. Then as quickly as the rain started it stopped; everything was unwrapped and within moments the Walking Street came back to life.

Julie’s blog is Passing Through – A worrywart’s ramblings on world travel, weight loss, . . . and what old married couples do when the kids move out.

 
 Print this

So much to see . . . but it was the color that caught my eye

And then it was just the unexpected that was fun

But cute is always irresistible!

 e sold one cheese, Doux de Montagne, and talked as you tasted, explaining the flavors of each bite and why they differed. Each time someone new approached, he offered a taste  and continued to explain: “The age of the cheese and what field the cows graze in affects the subtle flavor between this one over here and the one you’re tasting.”

I was enthralled. Someone asked what was different about the fields. With a typical tilt of the head, he smiled and replied in the sing-songy drawl of his Provençal accent, “Le soleil.” Someone repeated quizzically, “Le soleil?” “Ben oui, le soleil” (but of course), and he proceeded to explain: “You see, on that side of the street they have shade from that house, and over here we have the sun. In the fields there are mountains, and some fields have a lot of sun and others not as much. Like I said, c’est le soleil.”

As I moved on I could see a twinkle in his eye and hear the delight in his voice as he continued to explain the wonders of his cheese.

W e   h a v e   a   g i v e a w a y . . .

ver since I can remember going to the Marché was a treat! I don’t know if I was attracted to all the activity, the profusion of colors, the food that made my mouth water, or if it was the people selling all those goodies,  but I suspect it was all of it.

I’d follow my mother around and someone would always ask about la petite fille and would she like to taste or have a little something. No matter what it was, it was special, I was special or so I felt.

To this day no matter what market I go to or what country it’s in I have similar feelings, being there is special. The ability to get my food from the people that produce it is a privilege I cherish.

I buy what tempts me, always more than I thought I needed, and always money well spent. I walk away laden with the ingredients that will nourish us for the week, a big smile on my face and already looking forward to my next visit.

Continue reading Adeline’s farmer’s market series, coming up . . . The Cheese Man. Sign up to receive the posts emailed directly in your mail box.

T h e   G i v e a w a y .  .  .

The Prize: A French Market Basket. This is a great bag and you’ll be amazed at how much it holds, and how stylish you’ll look!

To Enter:  Tell us about your favorite Farmer’s Market and what made it so special.  Leave your comment below between today, August 2nd and Thursday, August 4th noon (EST).

The Rules: Only one comment per person.  Winner will be announced Friday, August 5th at  Secrets and Memories of a French-Born Hostess

W e   c a n ‘ t   w a i t   t o   h e a r   y o u r   s t o r i e s  !

Market basket courtesy of AntanGifts.com

As seen at antangifts.com

We entered the restaurant, La Rôtisserie du Beaujolais* on the Quai de la Tournelle (5e arrondissement), and were seated at our table, given menus, and ordered our drinks before I looked up to take the room in. A large cat was headed in my direction. She maneuvered herself on top of the banquette, stepping behind the heads of the guests seated on either side. Her steps were so agile that hardly anyone noticed. Her look was clear this was her domain and we were only there because she had acquiesced. Her manner would have made other cats envious.

Shortly after we were served our appetizers, a couple and their dog were seated next to us. The dog, after a brief look around, proceeded to settle under their table. The cat, who was now curled up comfortably, had one eye open surveying her domain barely noticing the dog’s arrival. Our new neighbors turned out to be Americans who had relocated to Paris for business. The woman smiled as she saw me look over at the cat and said “I don’t know why they behave so well in France, but they just do.”

It all started with my dog Bentley. I made drawings, renderings and silhouettes of all her great expressions. They were so much fun that I decided to move on to the family pets.  They made perfect gifts.  Friends began asking if I could do one of their pets and then friends of friends wanted them too and so it went until I decided to make them available to everyone.

If you would like to find out more or would like to order one of our many styles of Custom Animal Prints visit us at antangifts.com or email us at info@antangifts.com

Click here to see more animals . . .

* More about La Rotisserie du Beaujolais -They are owned by the same owners as Tour d’Argent, that is located across the street, you will have a good quality meal that is  affordable in an atmosphere that is both comfortable and relaxed, as far as I’m concerned that says a lot!

From their menu . . .

Située en plein coeur de Paris, à deux pas de Notre Dame et du Quartier Latin, La Rôtisserie du Beaujolais vous propose une cuisine traditionnelle de qualité dans une ambiance chaleureuse. Le Chef vous accueille depuis sa cuisine ouverte sur la salle, et vous ne pourrez manquer notre mascotte Beaujolais, mi-chat mi-fauve qui somnole toujours à la meilleure place!

Translation . . .

Situated in the heart of Paris, a few steps from Notre Dame and the Latin Quarter, La Rôtisserie du Beaujolais offers you quality traditional food in a warm and welcoming ambience.

The Chef welcomes you from his open kitchen overlooking the dining room, and you cannot miss our mascot Beaujolais, half cat half wildcat that always naps in the best places!

As seen at antangifts.com