Back home.

I'm back in New York.

Paris was beautiful, magical, romantic and delicious.

My blogging will recommence shortly.

Cheers from Dublin

Greetings.
I spent this past weekend in Dublin, Ireland. It's a relatively small city but the people are friendly, the food is delicious and beer is a'plenty. The climate is cold and wet and there's not much to do during the day but the nightlife is...gee, what would be the right word...energetic?

We arrived at noon on Friday and my first and only thought was breakfast. The receptionist of our hostel recommended The Lott's.

The description of Traditional Irish Breakfast on the menu said sausage, Irish bacon and black and white pudding. Being an uncultured American, I asked the waitress what black and white pudding was and once she got over the shock of my ignorance she informed me that white pudding was a mixture of grain, vegetables and meat, while black was pork and pig's blood. Upon seeing the outrage on my face after the words "pig's blood" she hurriedly explained, "They put a lot of pig's blood in it but it doesn't taste like blood! It's black." I politely declined and asked to have only the white.

My breakfast commenced with tea and milk (which I would never have at home but when in Ireland, do as the Irish do) and a glass of Guinness. Yes, beer for breakfast.

And then this happened:

Needless to say this was the best breakfast of my life. The white pudding was delicious and unlike anything I've ever had before. I have to make it at home. And surprisingly, I did not have a heart attack at the table!

By the end of my trip I did try the black pudding...I wasn't a fan...


Ireland was a lot of fun and now I'm back in Paris until the 19th.

Bon jour from Paris

Hello, blogosphere!

I've been in Paris for about ten days now and of course it's been nothing short of marvelous. All of my expectations have been exceeded. I've been eating plenty of pain au chocolat and croque madame, and drinking wine everywhere. I love this country.

Forgive me for the lack of posts but I have no kitchen here and therefore cannot cook.

Below are some photos of my stay here so far.

Jardin du Luxembourg

Tour Eiffel et moi!

I hope all of you are enjoying your summers as much as I am. A bientot!

Paris!

The first 24 hours in Paris have been a dream. This city is magical and too beautiful for words. I've wanted to come here for so long, I still can't believe I'm actually here. We live in the St. John's Paris Campus on rue de Sèvres in the 6e arrondissement, surrounded by patisseries and brasseries.

Our first dinner out was in a brasserie called L'Horizon. We ordered two onion soups, a steak in a pepper sauce and a bottle of Rose. Everything was fantastic and relatively inexpensive.

For today's lunch we decided to buy some groceries and eat at home.

Charcuterie, tomatoes and cheese are from the Carrefour market (unfortunately La Maison du Fromage was closed for lunch). The bread and macarons are courtesy of the Malo boulangerie, two blocks down from our dorm.


So far Malo is my favorite place. Their bread and croissants are the best. And, the salesladies are very nice and patiently put up with my bad French...

Tonight, we're going to see the Tower!

Bon Voyage!

The day is finally here. A day I've been waiting for for years - at midnight tonight, God willing, I will be taking off in a plane to Paris, France. To say I'm excited would be an understatement.
I will be away for one month and will also visit Dublin for a weekend. I will try to blog from there as much as possible and keep you guys updated on all the croissants, baguettes, vins et fromage I will be consuming.

Au revoir, mes amis!

Picket Fence: Not just for suburbs anymore

Picket Fence is a restaurant on Cortelyou Road in Brooklyn that serves classic American favorites in an upscale way. I’ve been there once before and when my girlfriends suggested a sort of ‘going away’ dinner for Sofya and I, the Fence’s friendly atmosphere came to mind. Their interior is cozy; the design reminds me of a summer home in Connecticut. They also have ample seating in the back garden area.

We were seated in the back. The waitress was friendly and we didn’t have to wait long for our food, which always enhance a dining experience.

I ordered the Skillet Roasted Chicken ($15). It was served in a tomato shallot sauce with a polenta cake and steamed broccoli.

This entrée was just amazing. The chicken was so tender that it fell off the bone without the assistance of a knife. The polenta cake was the texture of a creamy cloud. The broccoli was perfectly cooked and well complimented by the savory sauce – it was the perfect crunchy element of the meal. Needless to say, I practically licked my plate clean…my mama woulda been proud.

(That's a happy Sasha)

Picket Fence

1310 Cortelyou Road

Brooklyn, NY 11226

Apple, Carrot and Raisin Blinis

I’m not fully sure if these are blinis, by American standards, or fritters, but either way they’re perfect for breakfast or brunch.

(Yield: about 10)

Ingredients:

1 large carrot, shredded

1 apple (any kind but not tart), shredded

2 tbsp white raisins

1 egg, beaten

¼ c buttermilk

2 tbsp sour cream

1 tbsp melted butter

½ tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1/3 tsp baking soda

3 heaping tbsp all-purpose flour

3 tbsp frying oil

Shred the carrot and apple and squeeze out all juice (drink it if you want). Place the carrot and apple into a bowl and combine with raisins, egg, buttermilk, sour cream and butter. Then add the dry ingredients, being careful not to overmix. The mixture should not be too sticky to the touch but not pasty either. Heat the oil on medium heat on a griddle. Working with one tbsp of dough at a time, form it into a round patty and place in oil. Fry 4-5 min on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot or at room temperature with lots of sour cream on top.