November 2020 Newsletter

November 2020 Newsletter Usually this time of the year bakers are talking about the holidays; what cakes we’re planning to make, cookies that’ll be c [Web Version](  [Preferences](  [Subscribe](  [Like](  [Tweet](  [Pin](  [+1](  [in](  [6645671549 fa5338e2e2 o](  November 2020 Newsletter [pictures-5] Usually this time of the year bakers are talking about the holidays; what cakes we’re planning to make, cookies that’ll be coming out of our ovens, and drinks we’re planning to serve to guests. You can find a round-up of [Thanksgiving recipes]( on my blog, although you may be making them only for yourself, or for very close friends and family, this year. As someone who has picked up his life, shaken it like an Etch-A-Sketch, and turned it back over to start again, I know that we can change and adapt to situations. It isn’t always easy with Covid-19 messing things up for us, but maybe this year you’ll be having a more intimate dinner at home, sans guests. It might be a dinner on Zoom or FaceTime with friends and family from afar. Or it could be just you. And as someone who has eaten St. Patrick’s day [corned beef]( and cabbage from a plastic take-out container in a hotel room while on the road, to doing a scavenger hunt trying to find all the ingredients for an American-style Thanksgiving dinner in Paris, which I finally gave up on (as much as we'd like everyone else to enjoy it, only Americans like Thanksgiving dinner), I know we're all capable of change and doing things differently if we have to. [newsletter] I’m not sure I have all (or any of) the answers but I have learned to adapt. While locked inside last spring, while some complained, I was thankful to have heat, a refrigerator of food, Wifi and a computer, plumbing, 150 bottles of liquor (from [writing about cocktails]( and a bed to climb into every night, especially after watching on the news how some people in other countries had to walk for days just to get home, or sleep on the floor, or don't have plumbing. (Or worse.) It’s easy to forget how fortunate many of us are to have those things and to be thankful for them. So this year, that could be the true meaning of Thanksgiving in 2020: Giving thanks for what we have, what we share, and who our friends and family are...and how much we appreciate them when we can't see them as freely as we would like to. (And as someone who spent much of his life working in the hospitality business, let's not forget the people who bake bread in our local bakeries, the farmers and others who bring foods to the markets and our tables, and the people who work in restaurants, cafés, and bars, making us happy when we go out to eat and drink.) As of this week, we're back in lockdown in Paris. There was a mass exodus out of the city the evening it started with 700km (450 miles) of [historic traffic jams]( that poor Romain got stuck in on his way home from work, which is normally a 20 minute drive...that turned into over 3 hours. This time around, I'm better prepared. You don't see the hoarding of food (and toilet paper) in France, that you do elsewhere, but last time I was stuck without baking chocolate and limited amounts of flour on hand. Because I test recipes, I always keep myself well-stocked (so I guess I am a hoarder! but at least I have a reason...) however there was a shortage of flour, sugar, pasta, and yeast, during the lockdown last spring. French people are not avid home bakers like Americans are; with 1300+ bakeries in the city of Paris alone, like charcuterie and cheese, most people are content to leave making those to the pros. And while you can buy pre-made tart doughs and puff pastry, sold in rolls at the [supermarket]( ready to unroll and use, people stuck at home with kids became DIYers, scooping up all the flour and sugar. I hope to be doing some scooping of flour, sugar (and ice cream) this month while I stay indoors as part of the national and international effort to tame the spread of the virus. You may be wondering why you got this newsletter a few days before the beginning of November. Speaking of change, I'm in the process of changing newsletter services and planning to make a few other changes, so wanted to get this out to you before the switch. So I'll see you next month...or perhaps a bit sooner the next time, too...! - David [squash] [***] Pandemic Strategies [98536F8B-3245-414A-BB93-D9A6747E68F7] Many people are dealing with “pandemic" fatigue. Wearing a mask, being afraid to touch everyday objects, unable to eat in restaurants or have a drink at a bar, not being able to travel, nor being able to see friends and family, is taking its toll on a lot of us. A few days ago I fell into a little depression one morning. The everpresent grisaille (gray skies) were hovering over Paris. The weather was damp and drizzly, and when I went to the market, I missed the brightness of the previous season's cherries and peaches. Instead, I came home with some squash and a pineapple from the supermarket. I am very fond of squash and pineapple, but still, I needed a little something upbeat in my life. So I met [a friend]( for lunch and had a “smashburger” (above) at [Echo Deli](. If you read my book [L’Appart]( you know that burgers became my comfort food when the going got tough. (Nowadays, [burgers show up on 85% of the restaurant menus]( in France.) Just seeing my friend, and eating something that made me feel better, was the ticket. As the idea of another lockdown has become a reality, I thought I’d share a few things that helped me get through confinement/lockdown: -Make a list daily of what you want to accomplish that day. Make the list large and tape it to the wall so it’ll seem more important. (Which it is.) Even something like “Take a shower” or “Email my aunt” should go on that list. Cross things off as you accomplish them, which’ll make you feel like you’re moving forward and getting things done. -Exercise. I'm one of those people who can’t exercise unless someone is yelling at me. Ok, that’s not quite true. They don’t need to be yelling, but if someone is not standing over me or if I’m not in a group, I’ll quit after 5 minutes to check my email or rummage through the refrigerator for a snack. Running? Ha! I’ve only been able to go 2 blocks without turning back. After a knee injury a few years back at "boot camp" I now do Pilates. Fortunately the two studios I go to in Paris have been offering classes on Zoom, which keep me connected to my teachers and the other students. I'd made a commitment to myself during our previous confinement last spring that I would exercise every day, but with classes costing €18 ($21) at one studio I go to (yes, even online - people aren't fond of offering discounts here), daily classes at 18X30 would cost €540/$640 a month, I’d be heading straight from confinement to the poorhouse…albeit with impressive shoulder muscles. To soften the financial blow, I found some great classes on YouTube, particularly those by [Katja]( and [Beth]( who are calm and clear instructors. But even if you’re not athletic, it helps to do some stretching and it's nice to have a guided voice to keep you motivated. A little searching around will help you find the right people to follow, that meet your needs. Note: If you do free online classes, you’ll notice there are ads before the workouts. That’s how the instructors make a living. So if you can, let the ads, or at least let one ad, run before you workout so they make some money for their work. The cost to you? Zéro. Zip. Nada. I click on the video, then get changed and unroll my mat while the ads run :) Other online options include [Apple Fitness+]( (if you have one of their watches, which I don’t.) I just joined [Glo]( and using their two-week trial for free Pilates (and yoga) classes, which I'm finding are very good. It goes to $18/month after the trial period, which is a good deal, imho. And kudos to them for having teachers with different body types than the usual ones you see in exercise programs. -Eat well. That’s admittedly hard to do if you can’t get ingredients, and it’s easy to eat frozen pizzas, chocolate, ice cream, peanut M&M's, and leftover Halloween candy corn, which I enjoy in moderation. But make it a point to include lots of vegetables and salads in your diet. Eating well is one of the best, and easiest, ways to stay healthy. -Organize something, and use everything. I never was able to wrap my head around a total Kondo-style purge, which has you go through everything in your home at the same time, rather than room-by-room, or closet-by-closet. But I did organize my liquor shelf, which boasts 150 bottles that were in complete disarray. I went through my refrigerator and freezer, and scoured through my drawers and kitchen cabinets to use all those bits and pieces and cans and boxes and bottles of everything that’s been sitting around, waiting to be used. I melted the 5 packets of flavored butters crammed in various spots in my freezer to make [cornbread](. [Kitchen Sink chocolate chip cookies]( became a staple around here for a few weeks. And radish leaves didn’t go to waste in a yummy [Radish Leaf Soup](. -Do good online. A lot of people aren’t feeling so great right now so before you hit the “Send” button, think about what you are posting or how you are responding to a comment. Are you adding something positive to the conversation? Or just being a douche because you don’t agree with someone who prefers creamy peanut butter to chunky, or they didn't have spaghetti so used rigatoni in their pasta Puttanesca. Stop, take a breath, and turn that attitude around. Ditto with leaving negative reviews of restaurants and other establishments online. Very, very, very few people open a restaurant, bakery, or bar, and say, “I’m going to use this opportunity to rip people off.” I like to think that people are doing their best in whatever endeavor they've chosen to pursue, so let’s support people in the food, beverage, and hospitality business as best we can. In that vein, take some time to write positive things about your favorite restaurants, bakeries, cafés, and bars on social media and websites. (As well as your favorite books on websites that allow reviews, which really help authors.) Tip well if you can. And be patient with the staff. -Give yourself a break. Whew! This one is so hard to do. We are told to “be strong,” which is indeed a worthy goal. But it’s hard when there’s a global pandemic, leaders are saying n’importe quoi (and blurring the lines between truth and reality, adds to global feelings of frustration), or a message from someone arrives in your Inbox, irked that you wrote "it's" instead of "its" in a description on social media of a meal your eating. Or, you're, I should say... ;) We’re dealing with a wheelhouse of emotions we’re not used to confronting, such as loneliness, depression, hostility, and helplessness. Stay mindful of the news, and be vigilant. If you live in the U.S. or are American, be sure to vote. That's one thing we still have control over and hasn't been taken away from us. But feel free to take a moment away from social media, tv, etc., and go for a walk if you can to experience nature and the good things around us. And if necessary, that restaurant is offering smashburgers to go, in case I need another one in a week or two... [***] Recent Recipes and Posts on My Blog [linstant cacao paris chocolate shop boutique bean to bar-3] I’m always happy to find new chocolate shops in Paris. Although [L’Instant Cacao]( has been around for two years, I was thrilled [to discover this bean-to-bar chocolate shop]( a budding trend in Paris, and wanted to share. [chocolate dulce de leche vanilla marble cake recipe-7] You look marbelous! Yes, this [Chocolate, Dulce de Leche, and Vanilla Marble Cake]( tastes just as good as it looks. If you're anything like me, to you there's nothing more fun than swirling cake batter around in a pan. And if you're not like me, give it a try! [salted candied peanuts-7] J'adore candy. And so do the French. These [Salt-roasted Peanuts]( are a big hit around here, perfect to snack on, to accompany drinks during apéro hour, or scattered over a bowl of ice cream with dark chocolate sauce to make a salty/bittersweet sundae. Or any day, really... [Rob Roy cocktail-4] The [Rob Roy]( is a classic cocktail that hasn’t gotten the same adulation the [Manhattan]( has. But with a hint of smokiness from Scotch whisky, and a drier profile than its Big Apple counterpart, this cocktail named after a rogue Scottsman is ready for its comeback. [Terrine La Buvette-15] A favorite wine bar in Paris came out with a book! [La Buvette]( is rightly famous for its [Terrine with Apricots and Pistachios]( and I’ve shared the recipe. You’ll think it makes a lot, but if you’re anything like us, it’ll be gone before you know it. It’s great for the holidays, whether you’re able to entertain, or just to keep it all for yourselves. (Tip: Make sure you let it rest at least 24 hours after baking, in the refrigerator, which gives the ingredients time to meld, and will make the terrine easier to slice.) [coup de roulis cocktail recipe gin vermouth cointreau triple sec cherry] The [Coup de Roulis]( is a delicious cocktail with a funny French name. This award-winning cocktail lands a mightly blow (coup = blow or strike), but it definitely doesn’t blow. So don’t be afraid to give it a go. [dulce de leche brownie recipe chocolate-8] Give these swirly [Chococolate Dulce de Leche Brownie]( a whirl. (See? I told you I like swirling...) I tried putting half the pan in the freezer, thinking it would stop me from polishing them all off, but discovered they're just as good - if not better - frozen, in thin slices lopped off with a sharp knife. But in case anyone else goes looking in the freezer for the brownies you said were stashed there, you didn't hear it from me... [Lowfat caramelized banana upside down cake recipe-6] Apologies (...not) for bringing back this [Caramelized Banana Upside Down Cake with Chocolate Chips](. Bananas made the news a lot this year, but this cake - which is reduced-fat - really does take the cake, with melting chocolate chunks surrounded by moist cake covered with a caramelized line-up of fresh bananas. 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