Happy New Year!

Hmmm, I'm not really a New Year's Resolutions kind of girl.  Don't think I've ever written down a list of resolutions, and the only one I usually ever make, even in my head, is to drop those last 5 pounds.  But I do feel like I'm in something of a transition period (I got tenure just over a year ago which gives me more freedom academically, I'm on sabbatical next fall which will give me a lot more free time, and I'm in the midst of starting my home-based baking business), so I guess I'm feeling a bit more contemplative than normal.

Here's a recap of some of my food-related highlights of 2009.

Wishing you a wonderful 2010!



January 2009:  Caramel Cake with Brown Butter Frosting Filling and Chocolate Glaze

Dinner Party - January 2009

March 2009:  My Version of Pierre Herme's Concorde with Chocolate Meringue and Nutella Mousse
   

April 2009:  My Birthday, Trip to the Culinary Institute of America (CIA)

 

Dessert at the Apple Pie Bakery Cafe at the CIA

April 2009:  More birthday desserts:  Hazelnut Dacquoise topped with a layer of milk chocolate crunch, topped with chocolate mousse, lemon mousse, more chocolate mousse, then a chocolate ganache glaze

July 2009:  Paris and Italy

Tomato Parmesan Risotto at the Rose Bakery in Paris

Macchiato at Platti in Turin

Spaghetti Pomodoro in Turin - No picture, but one of the best pasta dishes I've ever eaten




August 2009:  Pastry Course at the Institute for Culinary Education (ICE)

Mille Feuille with Chocolate Pastry Cream  (See more pics here, here, and here)

October 2009:  Brioche and Croissant Course at the ICE (still haven't posted about this yet, but I will!)

Brioche a Tete and Braided Brioche Round

Pain au Chocolat

December 2009:  Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

I've been making versions of this for almost 5 years now, but it will always be one of my favorites.

December 2009:  Buche de Noel (and the Cutest Cookies I've ever made)

 

Not very daring... Paris, Turin, Florence

No July daring bakers post for me. I spent the first half of the month in France and Italy, and the second half in DC. More tempting desserts coming soon, but for now, here are some of the amazing desserts I found on my trip. I was so busy partaking of the delicious dolci, I unfortunately forgot to take pictures of most of them!

The picture above is my first breakfast in Turin - the birthplace of both chocolate and nutella. It was at one of the several historic cafes in Turin, Caffe Platti. The interior was absolutely gorgeous - baroque style, very ornate. I am not really a coffee drinker, unless you count caramel latte's and caramel frappuccinos. But the macchiato above (even with no sugar added!) was delicious, as was the brioche. It's a little scary when a macchiato and a plain croissant feels like a very healthy breakfast after a week of pain au chocolat in Paris.



I quickly became a regular at Cantinetta del Verrazzano in Florence with a breakfast of cappuccino and brioche.




My hero, Pierre Herme. His macarons will always be my favorite. The olive oil and vanilla (green, below) was surprisingly good. The deux-mille-feuilles, though, may have been the best pastry I've ever had; it's like a traditional Napoleon (a millee-feuilles) but with caramelized puff pastry and a hazelnut cream. It did not last long enough for a photo shoot!



The pictures below are from Des Gateaux et Du Pain. I went for the chocolate hazelnut eclair which they did not have that day. But there were plenty of other gorgeous desserts to pick from instead.



I don't have any more pictures, but the schiacciatta (Florence's version of focaccia), hazelnut gelato, pappa al pomodoro, and zucchini flower pizza in Florence were all amazing. And I think I could eat the tomato parmesan risotto at Rose Bakery in Paris every day.


Coming soon:

raspberry shortbread bars

chocolate hazelnut dacquoise layer cake

August Daring Bakers