Macarons

My friend David brought this box back from Montreal on Saturday night, an early birthday present.

According to him macarons are all the rage in Montreal. Well not only in Montreal, it seems these delicious little biscuits (cookies) are finally becoming popular outside France.

Christmas Chocolate

This photo was taken by my friend Robyn in Brugges, en route to visit me in Paris and I couldn't resist taking a copy of it. These goodies are to be found in Verheecke Chocolate store. Brugges bills itself as the world capital of chocolate, a bold claim but with over 49 chocolate stores and a museum of chocolate it might be justified. So if you don't know what to get the man in your life for Christmas and happen to be anywhere near the charming town of Brugges you might consider one these chocolates.

Winter Blaahs

Well it is bitterly cold today. Whoever decided to work out wind chill should be shot. I know it's cold,  and knowing it is - 18C with the wind chill just makes it worse. The days are getting shorter and by 4pm the sun is gone from my apartment and I have to turn the lights on. So to cheer myself up, and anyone else who has had enough of winter already here are two photos.

A day for Rillons

Winter has finally arrived in Toronto and with this view from my window I knew I was spending the day inside. I decided to make rillons the French term for chunks of pork belly browned in lard then slowly cooked in more lard with herbs and spices, a big brother of rillettes and less work.

Bollocks!

Do you recognize this piece of animal anatomy? Well I admit that it's pretty new addition to my repertoire. I'll give you a hint  - it's one of a pair and it used to belong to a ram. Yes, it is a sheep's testicle. When I ate these in Paris over a year ago I promised some photos and more information. I keep my promises even if it takes more than a year - sorry I was waylaid.  Last weekend I was testing recipes for my next book and testicles were on the list so here are some thoughts.