Monday diary

Monday mornings there is the Metro Diary! I break my self imposed rule of not reading newspapers in the mornings as to not ruin my creative juices and my nervous system.

Monday's diary has usually quirky amusing anecdotes that put a smile on my face. Today I read such a story and if my dog could understand human language, she probably would have smiled at it! Here it is:

"Dear Diary:

I was attending a group-show gallery opening in Chelsea, when I noticed a small Jack Russell terrier in the middle of several people who were talking, drinks in hand.

I began to see the dog was moving about, situating himself in the middle of different groups of people. Occasionally he barked and scampered around, capturing the other gallery patrons’ attention.

At some point it struck me that the dog was in the gallery by himself. I reached down and looked at the tag around its neck. On it was written, “Don’t Mess With Me, I Know My Way Home.” On the other side of the tag was a Yankees logo.

Later that evening, I saw the dog in another gallery, and I felt that perhaps he was going to various openings and was networking."

Babette and Friends A- B- C's

We are working on the alphabet design and drawings and having a lot of fun. You will find the complete set in our Shop.

Proust and Madeleine Tea Cakes

After reading page after page of Proust's description of his madeleines and because there is not a decent french pastry shop in the vicinity I baked my own madeleine tea cakes. Proust makes you do the most amazing things...

Voila the recipe I used:

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
Grated zest of 1 lemon (or orange)
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 3/4 baking poser
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or three pinches of vanilla powder
5 oz unsalted butter, softened or melted but not warm
1/3 cup milk
Madeleine molds, pastry bag and plain tip

Instructions
1. Brush molds with softened butter and then flour. Tap out extra flour.
2. Cream eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl with whisk or electric mixer, until light yellow and creamy.
3. Add dry ingredients and zest and beat until blended.
4. Beat in the butter and then milk.
5. Let rest for 10-15 minutes.
6. Set oven to 400˚F.
7. Pipe batter with pastry bag and tip into madeleine molds up to the rim. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden. Cool them before you eat.

PS: With whole wheat flour, yogurt, pieces of chicken liver and pieces of small cubed apple and crushed garlic make a mix and pour it in madeleine molds -very very lightly oil the molds with flux oil or olive oil- and bake and make "doggy madeleines" and spoil your doggies!

Three little bunnies and a Dove

Apparently there are three orphaned bunnies adopted and cared by a white dove who is affectionately named Noah by the staff at an animal sanctuary in Texas called Wild Rose. Noah is a permanent resident, a one legged non-releasable pigeon. He helps not just with the bunnies but, with all patients in need of tender loving care. He covers does and puppies in his feathers, keeps them safe under his wings.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY from BABETTE AND FRIENDS!

For Melis

IllustrationCurie@2010Babetteandfriends

Mille Feuille

Collage-Illustration©2010Babetteandfriends

It is a rainy Saturday, a perfect day for making sweets!

We decided to try and make Mille Feuille, since we woke up with a distinct sweet craving. While there are World Cup games going on, eyes are glued on "futbol" "soccer", whatever you call it, blood sugars may fall or rise and what better remedy than a perfect Mille Feuille?

Mille Feuille's success is all in the preparation of the dough.

Its thinness and freshness are essential for Mille Feuille.

Preparation is time consuming but, it is worth spending the extra time for crisp fluffy sheets. Once baked and filled with layers of fresh cream you will be delighted.

I watched the video of Master Pastry Chef,Keiko to refresh my memory for the dough and followed it for making my dough. It is very simple. She has also a great E book for novices. (thank you Keiko!)

For the cream you need:

Milk 500 g (17.5 oz) Butter (unsalted) 30 g (1 oz) Sugar 100 g (3.5 oz) Eggyolk 100g(3.5oz) Cake flour 40 g (1.4 oz) Vanilla essence

Bon Apetit.

Confession: For Babette and friends, I made their Doggie Mille Feuille with wheat flour and spread a bit of liver and cheddar in between their sheet of "mille woofs" so there would not be any "begging" while we are eating ours...