The Sweet Life

Planning a birthday dinner for a savory chef isn't an easy task. Especially if it also involves an anniversary (1 year), and Valentine's Day (he cooked a birthday dinner for his mother and family the day before so we basically stayed close to home on Sunday). (For Valentine's day, I had thought of doing it over-the-top and having some sort of heart theme with each course. But I think it turned out better this way). I'd planned, researched, second guessed, changed, finalized, and fretted over the menu. I consulted cookbooks, YouTube videos, websites, blogs, friends, and even the man himself (when I found out his favorite seafood was scallops, I quickly added a course). Once the menu was finalized, I planned the prep, making lists (couldn't live without them), scheduling prep as well as shopping and lying. I made and froze rough puff pastry from Michel Roux's Pastry: Savory and Sweet . I made fresh pasta dough and filling, formed, and shaped the ravioli. I...

I'm slowly coming to terms with the fact that I have to save money. This isn't easy for me, because I love food and books. I love to eat out, not because I don't like to cook. On the contrary. I love to eat, first of all, but I also like eating out because it can inspire me in the kitchen. Especially desserts. But, with the beginning of the new year, business is slow, and so hours have been cut. This whole not eating out thing sorta got me down. And I've been wanting to go to my favorite little place, Bistrot Zinc , which is only a couple of blocks away. It's the one French restaurant that I must visit when I return from Paris (sadly, might not make it this year), because of the ambiance and the food. And every time that I eat there, no matter how full I am, I have their Tarte aux Pommes. Yesterday, I had a craving that almost drove me crazy, but instead of charging a meal on my card, I cooked at home, and made a little tart of my own. It was almost like...