Desperate Anglo Housewives : Bordeaux > she's back and dating in her 50s

The place to shop for those heart-wrenching ingredients... Even in the absence of a Sunday morning hangover, major cravings for a bagel with lox, red onion rings, capers and of course Philadelphia cream cheese nest firmly in the "morning eat" hemisphere of my food-dominated brain. In January, Desperate Anglo Housewives had one of her major brunch rants ( check out Hangover Brunch Cure post). For me, one of America's greatest tributes to food has been brunch. As an exchange student in the mid-west in the late 80's, I used to live from weekend to weekend. The first Lox and cream cheese bagel is something forever stamped into my epicurian memory box. In France, its not that easy to find all those brunch ingredients...in particular the orgasmic thigh-enhancing Philadelphia cream cheese and the peanut butter cups to follow...and where can I buy Crisco for my own mother's 1950's souvenir of her stay in NYC, Pecan and Choc Chip Cookies ...? MyAmericanMarket.co...

We all have a favourite restaurant, one we keep going back to, never to be disappointed. This is mine. Its my foodie treasure trove, my den of culinary iniquity... It just doesn’t get better than this – perfect service, perfect food, perfect wine list in perfect surroundings. “Fine” doesn’t even capture the quality of the food in this, my favourite Bordeaux restaurant. It is ambience plus. Anne Marie Gravelier will tempt you with the menu of the day or recommend whatever suits your tastes – the daughter of Troisgros Michelin star restaurant chef, she and her husband, Chef Gravelier, have created a chapel to new French cuisine in the very heart of Bordeaux's Chartrons quartier.  Market-fresh every day. Impeccable but non-pretentious service. Not to miss! 114 cours de Verdun 33000 Bordeaux 05 56 48 17 15

Spring is here. Bring on  fresh, vital, new fare. Put colour on my plate. Celebrate the beginning of the strawberry season with this colourful and original salad.  Chose your strawberries with care. Don't be afraid to put your nose down to business. Avoid the large, attractive strawberries which are often completely flavourless. I go for Gariguette. Less beautiful than their Spanish cousins but sweet, juicy and flavour-exploding. One of my favourite food marriages is strawberry and cherry tomato. First tasted in Italy, this salad is the very essence of Spring. Strawberry and Cherry Tomato Salad with Basil and Mint 1 cup cherry tomatoes , halved 1 cup fresh strawberries , cleaned and halved 2 tablespoons finely scissored mint 2 tablespoons finely scissored basil 1 tablespoon good quality olive oil 1 tablespoon ages balsamic vinegar 1/2 teaspoon Malden salt ( or sea salt/Fleur de Sel) 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper Place strawberries, cherry tomatoes, oil, vinegar, sal...

Will World War 3 be fought with pie-pans and charlotte moulds? Brits better cooks than the French? Yesterday The Guardian published an article* affirming just that. France's reputation "as the home of unrivalled culinary excellence"  was undermined. "Results suggest the British cook more often, for longer, and produce greater variety than their French counterparts ." The French have always been sniffy, if not arrogant, about English cooking...understandable 20 years ago but less so today. They remain sniffy, believing that everything is underseasoned and overcooked but this can be rationalised by the fact that the majority of French nationals haven't travelled to Paris, letalone dared to cross the channel to London!  It is my observation that French attitudes are largely based on swelling ignorance and nationalistic pride. This is understandable given the depth and technique of French cuisine...but where has it gone? Where do we find this amazing F...

Spring reveals all... Last week I was ranting on about the beauty of Spring.  Had a bit of a reality check this weekend when trying on some of last summer's clothes.   After lying down on the bedroom floor, concentrating on my pelvic floor/flaw and meditating that my stomach was touching my back bone, I DID manage to get on my light weight jeans. Trouble was the result was anything but "light weight." Looked like last year's christmas pudding was still trying to escape over the top of jeans -  NOT a good look! Am desperately trying to console myself with thoughts about necessity to eat more in European Winter to protect kiwiself from sudden onset of second ice-age etc etc...truth is I need to shed some kilos! I am not good at diets but know that if I cut down certain elements I will manage to drop weight. First on the list...no wine during the week. Alcohol is calorie-packed. Then its onto the obvious, avoid over-loading on carbs - biscuits, bread, pasta (sob!!...

A quiet word about the change in weather... This "housewife" was far removed from perfect yesterday as she sat with her friends sipping wine in the evening spring sunshine. Needless to say she was feeling just as far removed from "desperate." We all love our partners and families but what is it that makes sitting around with your girlfriends, at any age, sometimes just the best place to be. Perhaps it is because we are all "ex pats" and with partners of another culture that these stolen moments are glorified.   France is the country of wine and food...and yet it is still a taboo for women to drink. This is often a topic of conversation amongst my friends. Whereas in our anglo/american culture the men hover around with chardonnay bottles topping up our glasses, their french counterparts are asking us if we " have had enough." A woman drinking to laughter point is considered the last bastion of vulgarity in France...no, I simply don't...

One of my favourite desserts, cheesecake. Can never resist second helpings. For me the best cheesecakes are the baked, crustless lighter versions, dressed with an acid fruit to balance the taste. Here is my late mother's recipe. It came from a Spanish friend. The Spanish influence can be felt in the cinnamon, orange zest and the garnish of finely sliced oranges...It is light, delicious and should be served the day its made. Baked Cinnamon and Orange Zest Cheesecake 1/2 cup liquid cream 250 gr cream cheese/St Moret in France works well 100 gr  fine white sugar 1 heaped tablespoon sifted good quality flour 200gr quark ( closest relation to fromage frais in France)  3 tablespoons liquid honey 5 eggs zest of 1 oranges 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons fine white sugar Oven 175°. Grease and line baking tin with baking paper. I use a loose based tin. Beat cream cheese until creamy then beat in gently liquid cream, fl...

Colour and vitamin kick. Packed full of vitamin C, blood oranges are not only good for you , they are simply beautiful. I can't cut one open without thanking nature. Winter is coming to an end. Blood oranges are a great way to boost your immune system and all that vitamin C is a great panacea to sooth winter-sore skin. Jazz up winter tired winter veg with blood orange in cooking. Here's one of my mother's old recipes used to ply endives on me as a child.... Endive Braised in Blood Orange 3 Endives whole, cleaned Glass freshly squeezed blood orange juice Olive oil Salt Pepper Place whole endives in a pot. Pour over blood orange juice. Cover with water. Bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 30 mins. Drain well. Pat of any moisture with paper towels. Cut endives in half. In a skillet, heat a teaspoon of olive oil. Place endives cut side down and colour. The cooking juices can be reduced and used to deglaze what ever you chose to serve...pork fille...

Love the kids but sometimes run out of steam by the second week of holidays. Tonight we are going to have one of our favourite ( and easiest!) suppers. Cheese and mixed green salad . My children are French and they love cheese, all cheese. My son's first solid piece of food was a piece of Roquefort he grabbed  off the table with his 6 month old chubby fists. He chewed, smiled and gurgled for more. I firmly believe that, in moderation, cheese is good, very good. In France we are particularly spoilt for choice.  I have been boycotting the supermarket for years and buy less but better from my local cheese shop. Spoil your family with 4 or 5 well chosen cheeses served with an enormous green salad.  Cheese, like most dairy, will also help them fall asleep and sleep well....what more can a mother want! Roquefort,  St Nectaire,  smelly brebis/sheep cheese especially from the Paye Basque ( serve it with black cherry jam ) and if a full brebis is too strong try...