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KING CAKE EPIPHANY TRADITIONAL CELEBRATION...

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In the beginning of January, French bakeries are filled with exquisite puff pastry pies that are called “ Galettes des Rois ” in France but also "King Cake" in the US. Epiphany is a traditional Christian feast celebrating the 'shining forth' or   revelation   of God to mankind in human form, in the   person   of   Jesus Christ.  The name "Epiphany" is a greek word meaning revelation. It’s based on the biblical story that tells of the Magi or   Three Kings   - Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar - who saw a bright star on the night Christ was born and followed it to Bethlehem… The Epiphany is celebrated twelve days after Christmas. At this occasion, families meet to share the traditional “galette des rois”. This puff pastry pie is filled with almond cream and... something else ! It’s time to find the kings. The French call it “ tirer les rois ”. The traditional galette is cut in slices (one per person sitting at the table plus one. The slice

Pumpkin & Coconut spicy Soup

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Winter vegetables are not only healthy but also good for the planet as we just have to buy the ones offered by local producers on the market. I have chosen pumpkin but instead of adding a little bit whipping cream, I add coconut milk instead. Try it and you'll see it's delicious! INGREDIENTS (6 serving) 1 pound pumpkin 1 orange 1 onion 1 liter chicken stock 250ml coconut milk 1/2 tsp ras-el-hanout spices Olive oil Salt & ground pepper DIRECTIONS Peel the pumpkin and remove the seeds. Keep the seeds that you will roast and enjoy later.  Cut the pumpkin in cubes. Peel the orange. Peel the onion and mince it. In the pot, cook the onion with a little olive oil until tender. Add the pumpkin cubes and the orange cut in quarters. Combine. Add the chicken stock. Season with salt, ground pepper and ras-el-hanout spices. Cook for 15 minutes over medium heat. Pour the coconut milk and cook for 5 more minutes. Mix with the blender. Filter it if necessary. You can serve this soup hot or

Cheese, Pecan & Squash Savory Tartlets

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I'm glad to share with you a delicious appetizer to enjoy in winter ! This recipe is a tribute to the French Mountain culinary heritage that I'm glad to highlight in my cooking tours. In the Alps, Jura and Franche-Comté, no meals without cheese and dairy products!! Morbier is a delicious cheese from Franche-Comté, one of the 3 PDO cheeses. It's a raw milk cheese that we easily recognize with it's horizontal line of ashes. In the past, this line preserved the cheese made with the morning milk before the evening milking. Preparation 45 minutes -  Baking time : 50 minutes INGREDIENTS (6 tartlets) Dough : 250g all-purpose flour 125g unsalted butter at room temperature 1 egg 1 tbsp water a pinch of salt a few sprigs of thyme. Garnish : 1/2 medium-size squash 1 red onion 30g pecan 80g Morbier cheese 200ml liquid cream 38% 2 eggs 1 tbsp granulated sugar 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar table salt & ground pepper olive oil. NB: if you can't find Morbier cheese, you can make thi

Christmas Shortbreads, a old tradition...

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We will celebrate Christmas soon and it's now the time to prepare delightful biscuits! According to the tradition, Christmas biscuits are usually star shaped and do you know why ? In the past, peasants said that shortbreads' pointed ends protected people against curses, chased away evil spirits and brought good luck for the new year. I decide to make a crown with my little Christmas vanilla flavored shortbreads. It's easy to make at home, and the presentation is nice too. INGREDIENTS (4 serving) 420g all-purpose flour 170g granulated sugar 200g soft salted butter 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp icing sugar & a drop of water 2 eggs Gold color powder Star shaped cookie cutters DIRECTIONS In a the bowl of your food processor, put flour, butter cut in cubes, sugar and baking powder. Mix on low speed until you get a sandy dough. Then add the eggs and the vanilla extract. Mix again until the dough has a smooth consistency. Wrap the dough in plastic film and c

Lemon flavored Chicken Supremes and Rice

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Nothing's better than using a cast iron pot for preparing a stew. Today, I share a recipe that I'm damned for : a delicious lemon flavored chicken cooked with rice. It doesn't take time to prepare. The perfect meal to enjoy during the winter season! Tight your apron and let's cook together ! Preparation time : 10 minutes Cooking & Baking time : 35 minutes INGREDIENTS (4 serving) 4 chicken supreme (with the skin) 2 shallots 1 garlic clove 2 organic lemons 350g Basmati rice 800ml chicken stock 1 tbsp dried oregano Table salt - Ground pepper Sunflower oil DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic. Heat the oil in the cast iron pot, add the chicken supremes, brown it on all sides. Set it aside on a dish. Add the shallots and garlic to the same cast iron pot, cook it for a few minutes until tender. Deglaze with 100 ml of chicken stock.  Add the rice with the oregano to the simmering stock and add the zests and the juice of

Black Truffle Brie

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The black truffle is the Star of our winter menus and delicious meals served for special occasions. It's combined with fat ingredients (sunflower oil, butter, cream, cheese) and eggs!  For a holiday dinner, I suggest to prepare a delicious truffle Brie. Here's my recipe : INGREDIENTS (6 serving) 1 slice raw milk double-cream Brie de Meaux 150 g mascarpone 1 truffle of 20g DIRECTIONS Slice half of the truffle using a mandoline. Grate the truffle leftover. Combine the mascarpone with the grated truffle using a fork. Open the cheese in half lengthwise. Spread the truffle cream on one side. Display the truffle slices. Cover with the cheese cap. Wrap the brie with plastic film. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 days before serving and enjoying it. In France, black truffles are harvested from December to March, especially in Provence and in the Périgord.This noblest and most characteristic underground mushroom grows on the roots of oak trees.  Join me in Provence to experience the Truffle Hunti

Savory Bûche de Noël

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Serving a log-shape cake for Christmas is a long tradition. A French celebrity Chef had the idea to create a savory recipe from the traditional Bûche de Noël : a  green rolled biscuit filled with a vegetables whipped cream and beautifully decorated to make your Christmas party unique!   Preparation : 35 minutes Baking and Cooking : 15 minutes INGREDIENTS (6 to 8 serving) For the green biscuit :  125g fresh spinach 5 eggs 175g all-purpose flour 125ml whole milk 75ml sparkling water 1 tbsp sunflower oil  1 tsp baking powder Table salt and ground pepper. For the filling: 200g carrots  100g  celeriac 1 lemon 150ml cold 35% whipping cream 225g cream cheese 2 tsp powdered garlic & parsley 1 tsp pink peppercorns Table salt and ground pepper. DIRECTIONS Wash the spinach under clear water. Cook it in a wok or large pot with a knob of butter for about 5 minutes until tender.  Mix the spinach with the eggs, milk, sparkling water and oil. In a salad bowl, combine flour with baking powder, salt