Perfect monday…

Off early, coffee and a chat with a good girlfriend on the sunny terasse in the garden… followed with a couple of glasses of my favourite white cote du Rhone (a Mont Redon), a couple of calls and off we are for an impromptu dinner. A short trip to my local shopping street for a bunch of the best asperges around, a kilo of tiny new potatoes, a large cote de boeuf as tender as butter and the first strawberries of the season… More friends, a little bit of peeling, fresh herbs from the garden, a bit of salt and pepper, a drop of olive oil and a pinch of vanilla. No fuss, laughters and wine, satisfied smiles and full stomachs.

Today, I love mondays….

 

Bittersweet

I had plans to post my favourite egg dish for you to enjoy during the easter weekend but something got in the way and I didn’t find the 8 minutes to prepare them nor the many more minutes for the photo session… But anyway, there will be plenty more occasions for brunches and I’ve got something at least as appealing and slightly magical under my sleeve for this weekend brunch.

Peasto

The lazy gourmande has once again been hibernating for a while (and so has her kitchen diaries). But winter is over and it’s getting hungry again.

I hope you guys haven’t lost faith in seeing me again around the kitchen? I’ll try to make it up to you. To start with, something green, fresh, velvety and fragrant. Something like spring to cheer up your aperitif or a dish of fresh pasta with friends.

Un bol de soupe pour Sophie!

There’s nothing like a fuming cup of Erwtensoep (dutch pea soup) to warm you up from head to toe during the cold dutch winter days…

My friend Sophie would definitely agree with me… Although, she might not be the most objective on that one: she likes it so much she would also ask for it when visiting me in april! She’s been begging for the recipe for years now… With the great tips provided by my butcher and the icy weather from the last couple of weeks I really didn’t have anymore excuses to keep her waiting any longer, so here it is…

Happy New Year!

Thank you all for visiting my kitchen in 2008! I’ve loved to have you around.

 

With all the economical, political and climate challenges shaking the world right now, I’d like to wish you a lot of delicious and happy moments that will give you the strength to make 2009 a beautiful year.

I am looking forward to sharing with you my little moments of gourmandise in 2009 and I hope you’ll enjoy them too.

Until then, here’s a little retrospective of what’s been cooking in my kitchen in 2008… I’ve had a definite tendency to give into comfy dishes and soups, lavish brunches and sweet treats, so there’s a good deal of heartwarming dishes that should keep you warm during the cold days (click on the pictures for the recipes)…

 

 

 

Happy new year and Bon Appetit on my kitchen diaries!