Mailboxes across France are smelling a little better recently. Because last month, La Poste released a limited-edition of, yes, chocolate stamps—or des timbres au chocolat. When I saw them over at La Cuisine de Babeth, I raced over to my local branch of La Poste and asked to buy a sheet. When the woman behind the counter handed the sheet over, the smell of chocolate…
In a world of kitchen gadgets gone amok, there are some that look cool, and some that might make you look like a fool. When you live in a small kitchen, things get pretty brutal, and when natural selection kicks in, only the essential equipment survives the cut. Yes, my mixer and espresso machine get a disproportionate amount of space, but only because I use…
Do you know what media training is? If you don’t, it’s when they teach people how to behave on television and radio. Media trainers work with politicians, business executives, and nowadays, a lot of chefs. Cooking on tv is much harder, because instead of just sitting there having a casual chat, you need to be fielding questions at the same time as measuring out and…
I don’t like to make promises I can’t keep. So when I posted on my classes at the L’école du Grand Chocolat Valhrona, everyone began clamoring for the secret technique for the caramelized white chocolate that was shown. Technically, even though I didn’t promise anything, I can’t say I blame you—if I saw a picture of it, I’d want to know how to make it,…
I’m a big fan of wine bars. Not only because there’s nothing more I’d rather do than work my way through a large list of wines available to sip by the glass or pot, but because they’re some of the most enjoyable places to eat in Paris. And with summer coming up, bringing warm weather and longer, lazier days, I find I’m more interested in…
At a recent book event, there was a little Q & A session after I chatted and read from my new book. The only guidelines were that I told people that two questions were off limits. One was; “Why did you move to Paris?”, and the other “How long are you planning on living in Paris?” Because I get asked them at least six times…
The year was 1999 and my first book had come out and was nominated for one of those terribly-important cookbook awards. During the dinner and awards presentation, everyone thought I was a shoe-in and so I was seated right up in front, sharing a table with Graham Kerr, Claudia Rodin, some woman from Sweden (I had no idea who she was; the only Swedish women…
…but that’s my kinda bakery! BabyCakes NYC (Website) BabyCakes Cookbook (Amazon) BabyCakesNYC (Twitter)
A few years ago at a culinary conference in the states, I met some eager-beaver folks from the International Rice Board, or something like that, who were there to promote rice consumption. I told them, point blank: “If you really, truly want to increase the consumption of rice, just send everyone a rice cooker.” I loved mine, but unfortunately in Paris my kitchen is so…
A
Get David's newsletter sent right to your Inbox!
Sign up for my newsletter and get my FREE guidebook to the best bakeries and pastry shops in Paris...
