Beautiful and Delicious foods

Recipe from simply recipes


Membrillo or Dulce de Membrillo

Since the very first time I tasted this I have been anxious to write about it.  Membrillo is simply delicious.  For those of you who may not know it, it is also called Quince Jelly but it is more than a jelly.   It is firm, sticky, sweet and utterly delicious.
It is eaten in Spain, Portugal and Italy as well as here in the US though not so much.

If you want to make it yourself, the recipe is in the book I mention below.  It is made of quince, sugar and water cooked over a very slow flame and then baked.  Better still you can buy it at Whole Foods in the cheese department.  It is in the cheese department because it is traditionally served with cheese, especially Manchego. Just slice off some and put it on your cheese platter, yummy!!!!!

The book, however, has other wonderful recipes if you like making things at home.

 Jellies, Jams & Chutneys by Thane Prince @Amazon.com

Something else I just learned about is "coffee caviar".  I have bought "balsamic caviar"in France and it is pictured below.  This is molecular cooking and I am fascinated with it.  There is also "carrot caviar" and I suppose if you use your imagination you will find lots of other "caviars".

Great Restaurants

From time to time I am asked to recommend restaurants so I would like to make this post about really great restaurants I have eaten in lately.

For the most beautiful and delicious food, go to Red Medicine in Beverly Hills.  Every dish looks like a work or art and tastes gorgeous too.

Chef Jordan Kahn trained at Thomas Keller's restaurant The French Laundry as well as the incredible Per Se in New York City.  Red Medicine has an open kitchen so you can watch the chef transform his dishes into works of art.

Another restaurant I love in Los Angeles is Jar.  If you are a meat eater, they have the very best pot roast ever.  Chef Suzanne Tracht prepares the most wonderful retro dishes, the choices are endless.
Suzanne worked at several restaurants including the Bel Air Hotel and Campanile before opening her own restaurant.

I recently went to Crave Fish Bar in New York City where the menu was outstanding.  It doesn't have much curb appeal but once inside it is charming and the food is absolutely delicious.  We ate so many different things and each and every one was amazing.  The young chef, Todd Mitgang prepares wonderful, imaginative dishes.

In Paris I was taken to the recently renovated Raffles Hotel Royal Monceau for lunch.  It had been newly decorated so not only was the dining room beautiful but so was the food. There are several restaurants at the hotel, we ate at La Cuisine.
Be sure and leave room for the best desserts ever prepared by master pastry chef Pierre Hermé.

Here in Dallas I love going to Rex's  for the absolute best lobster roll ever.  I had been in Cape Cod recently and tried lobster rolls everywhere I went but I must say this one in Dallas was the best one of all.
Rex's is a seafood market so you can see the fish you want to eat before it is cooked.  He is proud to say that all his fish is caught by American fisherman in American waters.  On his web site Rex gives you lots of wonderful recipes for preparing many different kinds of fish.  You should try making some, the recipes are easy and delicious.

I hope you have the opportunity to try one of these restaurants and I would love to hear your comments.

French Vintage Home Event

Our company French Vintage Home had the pleasure of showing our beautiful vintage finds at the Kappa Tablescapes event at the beautiful Dallas Country Club.  Our table was located in front of a window overlooking the magnificent golf course.

Pictures of our beautiful table, it was so lovely.

We were invited to participate, along with many other designers,  to show off our vintage wares.  The tables were all spectacular and several thousand people attended over two days.

A very clever bridal table using a gown to hold the flowers.

Another lovely table setting

I spend most of the year collecting the items for French Vintage Home in country France where I have had a home for the last fifteen years. My partner Laura is a stylist, photographer and floral arranger so our table looked amazing.

Please visit our web site www.frenchvintagehome.com and we are also on www.etsy.com and all you have to do is type in frenchvintagehome with no spaces and you will find us on Etsy.. Lots of great new things.

My time in Dallas is busy and productive but before I know it, I will be back in France.

I am spending Thanksgiving in Los Angeles with my large, beautiful, family.  I am a lucky girl.

We are tossing around the idea of a Fall 2013 Brocante tour of the Perigord, Dordogne region of France and would love to know what you think of the idea.  Please let me hear from you.
audreyfriedman1@gmail.com

A la prochaine.......

All pictures on this blog were taken by "Moi".

Wedding on Cape Cod

This past weekend was the wedding of my grandson David to his gorgeous bride Katie at Nonquitt on Cape Cod.  Everything was beautiful, including the weather, for a wedding at the beach.

The girls are gorgeous and so sweet, I am a very proud grandmother!!!!!

Beginning with the rehearsal dinner on Friday night until I left on Sunday, each moment was special.

The rehearsal dinner was held at the amazing New Bedford Whaling Museum

The ceremony begins.........

Katie with her Mom and Dad

What a beautiful Bride

Sisters-in-law chatting at dinner

Even the food was beautiful...delicious too

"I can't help falling in love with you"

And a good time was had by all