Fika

Yesterday you got a chance to see what Stockholm looks like.  Today I’m sharing a tradition in Sweden that I think we should adopt here.  It is called fika (fee-ka).  The basic idea of it is to have an afternoon coffee with a sweet treat, but it is more than that.  It is a break to be shared with people you care about.  A chance to step away from hectic life and remember what is important: loved ones, sweets, and good coffee.

The illustration you see is one that I created using Adobe Illustrator.  The dessert you see in the image looks like a cinnamon roll.  It is called kanelbulle.  Rather than being smothered with frosting, it has sugar pearls sprinkled on top.  The best ones have a flaky, buttery crust.  Interested in having your own fika?  It doesn’t take much.  Grab a friend, a cup of joe, and a little dessert.

 

Learning Italian While Making Tiramisu

Dabble has got to be one of the coolest ideas I’ve ever heard of.  Basically, you pay a reasonable amount of money for a couple of hours filled with something you enjoy.  Learn something new, try new activities, meet new people; it is just a fantastic idea.

I attended my first class today: Make Tiramisu and learn (a little) Italian.  It was a balance between learning about the Italian culture, basic Italian vocabulary, and the steps to making tiramisu.  I’ve learned enough to make a couple separate posts in the near future, but today, let’s talk about tiramisu.

Did you know it is so easy to make?  No baking, easy ingredients, and perfect for dinner parties because it should be made ahead of time.  I would make some slight changes to the recipe because of my own preferences, but otherwise, this is a great foundation for making tiramisu.

Ingredienti:

3 Large Eggs (yolks and whites separated)

1/2 Cup Sugar

8 oz Mascarpone

Package of Ladyfingers

1 Cup Espresso

1/8 Cup Cocoa

Combine egg yolks and sugar into a mixing bowl.  Be sure to beat until sugar is absorbed.  Add mascarpone.  Fold into mixture.  In a separate bowl, combine egg whites with a pinch of sugar. Whisk until peaks form.  Gently fold this into mascarpone mixture.

Pour espresso in flat dish so ladyfingers can be dipped in it easily.  Douse the ladyfingers with espresso and place in serving dish.  Spread 1/3 of mascarpone mixture onto layer of ladyfingers, then sprinkle with cocoa.  Continue until you are out of ladyfingers and mascarpone mixture.  Do not sprinkle cocoa on last layer of mascarpone mixture.  Refridgerate for an hour, then add cocoa on top.  Be creative by cutting designs into paper and sprinkling cocoa powder over the design.

My Revised Ricetta (Recipe):

Add liquor to espresso mixture (marsala wine, dark rum, amaretto, coffee flavored liqueur)

Do you have your own killer recipe for tiramisu?  Please share :)!

The Language of Food in France Part 1

Yellow Cafe

Visiting France is a culinary overload.  There are fromageries, boulangeries, and charcuteries.  What does it all mean?  Follow the slideshow tutorial to learn the basics.

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Cook’n With Class in Paris

Taking a cooking class in Paris is a good idea.  Taking a market cooking class in Paris is a great idea.  I browsed the different selections for cooking classes, and Cook’n with Class seemed to fit my personality best.  Hands on learning, “field trips,” eating, drinking, and good company.  We went with the chef to select the freshest food for the day.  From there, he creates a four course menu: appetizer, main dish, cheese plate, and dessert.  I learned so much about food and cooking that will have to be shared in a separate post, later.  They are very generous with their wine, and the hour is late, so I am going to keep this post short because sleep is calling.

Menu

Entree (Appetizer)

Veal on top of a celery salad with Dijon and Roquefort blue cheese vinaigrette.  Garnish: Candied orange peel

Plat

Fish with celery root gratin, haricot verts, red onions in wine, and tomato/butter sauce.  Garnish: basil and julienne tomato peel

Cheese

Goat, Brie, Roquefort, a stinky one, and one that was my favorite (and the favorite of France, similar to Swiss), but the name is escaping me

Dessert

Cherry cake with improvised sauce

The chef will e-mail the recipes within a week.  I think I may have to take another class…  Let the pictures do the talking for tonight.

Poisson=Fish

Boucherie=Butcher

Of course I have to get food in here. This was a dish I created in cooking class. I’ve realized that food and gathering with people have fueled some of my favorite memories. Even I can make a masterpiece dish.

Fromage=Cheese

Fromagerie=Cheese Shop