"There's no words to describe it in French or in English" - Citizen Cope

Location: L'appartement
Currently Listening: Still Ghost Town soundtrack...Sideways by Citizen Cope
Weather: Foggy -8°C (18°F)

Got way lost in the subway today. Actually it wasn't bad at all. All the lines have two names. If you go say north, the name of the line is the last station you'll hit. If you go south, it's the last station you hit. Would've been nice to know that... haha. I also did not know how to open the subway door and missed my stop. Live and learn, right?! The metro stations are fun though. You get to hear really great music - sometimes an accordion player..I heard a violin rendition of "My heart will go on" as well, although I've obviously would've picked a better song. I had to sing that for choir in the 5th grade. Can you imagine having to practice Celine Dion daily for weeks? Torture. Oh P.S. There was definitely choreography..

Anyway, after getting off at one stop too far I had a long walk down Boulevard Voltaire to get to my parents' "oh-tel". That place has everything times two: salons, undistinguishable globs of meat, discount stores, brasseries (no that does not refer to bras), chocolat, electronics, and signs for Happy Phone. Definitely wouldn't pick up one of those, I have no desire to figure out who is at the other end of that line........

Met up with Mummy and Papa and sat down for "le petit déjeuner" (French breakfast, typically light) in a nearby patisserie. That's still the only French word I can say properly.

We headed first to Cathédrale Notre Dame, have a lot to pray about these days. The place, as one would imagine, is breath-taking with its intricate scenes of stained glass and peaceful aura. It's a strange feeling you get walking into a place like that..knowing important people who have done great things have been exactly where you're standing. I think I might have to go back there and audio-guide it to hear more of the history.

I ventured into the glam side of Paris that everyone knows and loves. Ah, mon cherie, mon Paris! Spent the afternoon shopping in Galeries Lafayette - 10 stories of shopping glory and wonder. Couldn't afford a single thing. Mom and I spent a bit ogling at the Swarovski nook. We both lost our earrings in Paris. All this taking clothes on and off, you're bound to lose something...

At night, my roommate Laura and I visited the Latin Quarter. It's lively, full of restaurants and brasseries and reminded me of Covent Garden in London. We had intended to meet up with some Longhorns also studying at ESCP, but somehow missed their happy hour at Cafe Delmas. By "somehow" I mean Laura and I left way late from the apartment and also had to go back because I left my gloves at home. After that setback, we perused the area browsing all the menus posted outside the restaurants. I hope I can find places to eat that actually serve something vegetarian besides Sandwich 4 Formagge (four cheeses and bread) and that is affordable. 17+ Euros my arse! I know these restaurants serve their purpose, but where do all the people eat on a regular basis? I guess back home I'm used to going to cheap/moderately priced eateries all the time.

We wandered somewhere outside the Latin Quarter and fell upon Crêpes à Gogo. HELL YEAH (Said that in the most Jeff Kramer voice possible). Got seated at a cozy table for two next to the heater. Tres awesome! There were so many crepes I almost started drooling at the menu. Laura ended up with Crepes Gourmande...laced with hot chocolate and toasted almonds and topped with ice cream. I kind of wanted something flambed but didn't really want apples, which I believe the waiter said was the only thing I could get as a filling with the various alcohols. What does cointreau taste like? Never tried it before. I ended up with crepes covered in Bailey's with a little scoop of Bailey's ice cream and sprinkled with coffee beans. De-lish, but seriously there was an entire shot of Bailey's poured over that crepe, totally drenched. Rachel(the bff) probably would have wet her pants over it. Anyway, Laura and I promised ourselves to go-go back and delight our bellies once more.

Our waiter sent us in the direction of Mono Prix, a 3-level grocery store where I picked up essentials: soy sauce, green beans, oatmeal, and risotto. I was really tempted to pick up a basil plant, but I tried to grow one in Edinburgh and that failed(It rains there incessantly). I also got mocked for eating leaves. Thank you, Monica, Lauren, and Karina! This cold weather = certain doom for that tiny plant.

Completely unrelated, but just got an email from my sister that I just had to share with you. LOVE YOU, SONIYA:)

"HI Saloni,

Be safe in Paris. Don't take any taxis with people you don't know (not to scare you but someone told me about how there are some people who get you to share a taxi with them, they find out where you live, and then they kidnap you for ransom later. Again, don't want to scare you, but I want you to be safe.

Love,
Soniya"

Well, it's time to make another attempt at getting rid of my jet lag so until next time, amigos.

C'est la vie en rose

Location: L'appartement
Currently Listening: the soundtrack of Ghost Town

Paris! Paris! How long it has been since I saw you last! I am not used to kissing all these strangers. The lady who greeted me to give me the tour of the apartment laid two nice big ones on me, much to my discomfort. By tour I mean walked from room to room explaining in great, complex detail how to work all the really old appliances. I'm only somewhat frightened by the fact that I need to light the stove and oven with a match. After many breaks for food and exploring, I am finally settled in my lovely apartment in Le Marais("marshland") district in the heart of Paris. It's apparently home to a large Jewish Community (I miss Kevin and his latkas and RachelB). 

I am in Paris from now until mid-May to study at École supérieure de commerce de Paris–École européenne des affaires aka The European School of Management. Fun fact:  It is the oldest institution dedicated to business education in the world. I will be taking a total of four courses in marketing and European economics. More details on those once I make it through a rather painful, week-long orientation, or so my friend from ESCP tells me. I was lucky enough to have an exchange student from ESCP, who shared quite a bit of insight, in my marketing research class last semester. 

My first day here I essentially spent with my parents walking around aimlessly in the 3rd arrondisiment. Dad amused himself asking strangers questions simply to listen to the French he needless to say doesn't understand. I am working on my French....which basically means I hope to get to a point where I can enter a restaurant, order a meal, and pay without making a fool of myself. What I've seen of Paris so far looks much like NYC...lots of graffiti, busy strangers, and hobos- and the drive from the airport - so industrial. It's not as charming as I remembered, and definitely not as charming as Vienna. I can't wait to go exploring and find the less-tampered nitches full of character. Bit hard though. My body has not adjusted to the freezing weather. I'll be fine in a day or two and possibly will rack up the courage to use my 50 Walks in Paris flash card set Karina gave me for Christmas. We (my roommates Laura & Blair and I) did go out to a little supermarché, Franprix...small and cute as grocery stores should be. I felt like a kid set loose in a candy store wanting to buy everything to try at least once. I kept picking up the wrong things 'cause I didn't know what the labels said. Buttermilk or regular?Shampoo or conditioner? Tomato sauce or tomato soup!? It can get confusing pretty quickly. I feel like I was less confused in Austria...but maybe that's because Lauren was a fantastic guide, having visited there several times. Regardless, pictures for the silly Americans, si'l vous plait! I bought some random things like tortellini with aubergine (eggplant) and what Laura and I thought may or may not be butter. I thought I was buying frozen yellow tomatoes, but they ended up being yellow bell peppers. Oh and I saw COCONUT yogurt?? Très sketchy. I need to find an actual market. There must be a little farmer's market somewhere in this city. .

All things go, all things go

Location: Dallas Love Field Airport

Currently Listening: Chicago by Sufjan Stevens

Days of travel are always filled with enough emotions to drive out any sane fibers inside the body. Upon arrival at Dallas Love, my suitcases seemed as though they’d been rigged to fall off the smartecarte. My new winter hat (Yes, Chris, the one I opened a credit card to purchase – haha long story!) blocked all peripheral vision so I’m not quite sure if Professor Quirrell was anywhere nearby muttering spells under his breath. This nice man (God, I’m going to miss Texas) seriously put them on the cart about 12 times as the police men just stared, probably in disappointment of today’s young generation and their inability to part with material belongings. So much for packing lightly and living with European simplicity! Thoreau would not be proud, but I will say this. I was under the check-in limit on both pieces of luggage. I blame my sudden fit of apathy whilst packing for not being more exact.

I don’t know what it is about this airport, but it seems like everyone here is looking for a little action. Is there something romantic about airports? Meeting strangers or perhaps it has something to do with the mindset of the traveler. I always feel as though I am in a dream-like state when I am on the go and let reality slip far back into the depths of my mind.

“Everytime I talk to a beautiful woman she’s going to college!” That was the rather disappointed airport security worker after discovering my plans to study rather than travel for business/pleasure. Not sure how to react to that one. It’s general consensus that I look about 16 so it was a bit pedophile-esque that he was trying to hit on me. Although really that was nothing after I walked by the shoe shining area and a 70-year-old man winked at me. I thought to myself, are you kidding me? He did not just do that. I looked back thinking that must've been a twitch, but no, the creeper smile was waiting for me. Needless to say I walked away quickly. About twenty minutes later, my elderly waiter at Chili's asked me if I wanted him to check me out. I'm just going to pretend that was related to some sort of language barrier. But really, it's incidents like these (and the essentially zero interaction I've had with my grandparents) that just augment my feelings of weariness and discomfort towards the elderly. I hope one day that will change. Anyway, this is starting to sound like Dr. Phil. I promise you much more exciting entries upon my departure of the U.S. to where the grass really is greener on the other side. Well, I'm off to Chicago for a bit of a layover where I will meet up with Mummy and Papa before jetting off to Paris! Kiss, kiss!

Blue Star Cafeteria

Blue Star Cafeteria.

Not quite a cafeteria. Blue Star is a sleek, clean cafe. A modern diner with retro lighting and deco that serves up ordinary food with a twist.

Our meals were decently priced but the dishes were nothing more than a-okay tasting. I guess it is a cafeteria after all.

Perfect Pumpkin Chip Cookies

Sorry dears, no picture this time. I hope you will still consider this recipe. In general, I strictly avoid recipes without pictures. I am rather visual and prefer to have something to serve as a guide and means of comparison, but I assure you these cookies (should) turn out a lovely golden brown with a hint of orange in color.

These chocolate chip pumpkin cookies truly are impeccable in their simplicity and spiced goodness. I went on a hunt to find a pumpkin cookie that still tasted like a cookie. I'm quite particular about my chocolate chip cookies. I want something chewy and gooey that still maintains it's freshness the next day and doesn't dry out and get hard. But when it comes to pumpkin cookies, I often find them to be cakey and taste more towards the likes of a muffin top. Every single recipe I found - and I did in fact venture out of my realm of trusted websites and blogs - presented recipes for such cookies and so none were suitable. I realized then that I was taking the wrong approach. I closed all of those windows and went back to basics. If I want it to taste more like a chocolate chip cookie, then well, I suppose it should have been obvious that I start with one.

Essentially I took this recipe for Guittard's Original Chocolate Chip Cookie - but really just take your favorite trusted chocolate chip cookie recipe unless you're making cookies for me, of course - and add everything that you find in pumpkin pie! The cookies were softer because of the pumpkin, but really lovely and with one bite, my friends and I drifted off to pumpkin heaven.

Perfect Pumkin Chip Cookies

Ingredients

- Fresh Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (You know, the amount that always says it makes several dozen, tiny cookies, but really makes about 2-3 dozen)

- 2/3 Canned Pumpkin* (I suppose you could try this with fresh pumpkin, but I can't tell you how this will change the texture of the cookie, could in fact help make to cookie less on the soft side and more on the chewy cookie side)

- 1.5 tbs. pumpkin spice** (a combination of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, allspice)

- 2 handfuls of pecan halves (make the cookie taste like Thanksgiving)

Directions

If you've got the chocolate chip cookie going in the kitchen, I say before you add the chips to make things easier for yourself, spoon in the pumpkin and the pumpkin spice, and work it in really well. If you're not frightened of raw eggs, give the dough a go and see if it's spiced and pumpkin-filled to your liking. Go easy on the pumpkin. If you add too much, you'll get a muffin and we are not baking for moose! Follow up with a bag of only the best packaged chocolate chips - Guittard semi-sweet - or venture into bulk foods or imported chocolates section and find yourself something you trust. Then nicely chop the pecans to your liking and stir the dough till everything is mixed in evenly.

Spoon out dough about two inches apart on parchment paper lined cookie sheet if you have it, otherwise leave the pan ungreased. Bake for about 10 minutes until golden turning around halfway. I find that not everyone appears to make cookies on cookie sheets. Seriously guys, it makes a difference in how the cookies turn out. I like my shiny silver cookie sheet that, no matter how bad it's been scratched, never fails to bring my cookies to that perfect consistency.

*There's now a company besides Libby's that cans pumpkin, and it's organic! Farmer's Market Organic Pumpkin. I have seen it at Whole Foods, not sure where else you can find it.

**A word of advice. Buy your spices from the bulk foods section. It's definitely cheaper in the short run and the long run since you don't have to pay for packaging! Plus, spices taste better fresh. Who wants to eat ground ginger that's been sitting in your cabinet for God knows how long?

My friends enjoyed these cookies very much, one of whom was my best friend and coincidentally my best/worst critic. I know when it comes to sweets, if I have to ask her if she likes it, then the dessert is sub-par, but if she asks for seconds and tells me she likes it on her own repeatedly that it's a hit, and thankfully that was the case this time. Unfortunately the cookies did not live to see the next day - they did, however, make it to the 10 o'clock showing of Prince Caspian at the dollar cinema 'cross town - so I cannot tell you how they taste the following day or any number of days after. But when I make these again, assuming they last more than 2 hours, I'll edit this entry and let you know.

I also plan to experiment again and see if I can come up with a Pumpkin-less Pumpkin Pie Cookie that imitates a pumpkin pie but maintains more the of the chocolate chip cookie texture that we have all come to know and love. I think I'll try making chocolate chip cookies again, but only add the pumpkin pie spice or maybe toss in some dried pumpkin shavings if those exist.

Now, if anyone has any recipes calling for cherry preserves, I'll be off to the kitchen. And as they say in Kenya, tigara buya (stay well)!

Cheaper by the cheesecake?

That's right. Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake. One Dolla Fiftee.

In celebration of the Cheesecake Factory's 30 Year Anniversary they served up $1.50 slices (normally about $7 or $8) to dine-in customers. Yes, we all know the cheesecake is great but the food here isn't even worth mentioning. The Cheesecake Factory can't do food right. Karina's salad was gross. My grilled cheese on egg bread was lacking that buttery crunchy toast and the cheese wasn't even melted. The Rachels thought their Four Cheese Pasta was alright, but the others didn't even bother ordering entrees. Food here is always terrible. Their partner restaurant Grand Lux at least can do food right.

Our selection of cakes:

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cheesecake with Caramel - White chocolate cheesecake is nice if you're not look for an overload of milk or dark chocolate, but I'll have to say the whole macadamia nuts doesn't seem to fit in well with the cheesecake. It's like they tried to jam the wrong puzzle piece in just 'cause it kinda sounded nice together. It really does make a much better cookie.

Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake - My favorite. I prefer the delicate, light texture and the smooth blend of chocolate and the cheesecake.

Oreo Mudslide - The only one that was actually too bothersome to eat. It took forever to muddle through one spoonful. Just way too rich.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake - Essentially cheesecake atop traditional cookie dough. You get exactly what you ask for.

I don't really have anything to say about the Tuxedo Creme other than it was good and well-decorated on the plate.

Another friend ordered banana something or the other. It was blah-tasting. That whole banana creme flavor tastes artificial to me. I think my friend Shyam put it well. It tastes like Laffy Taffy. It also didn't look very appealing on the plate. That cake needs some work!

On the whole, Cheesecake Factory has good cheesecake. Lots of choices. Just pick the best ones! Be ready to cough up eight bucks a slice (they've upped the price, and dropped in size) except on what we all hope will be a yearly celebration of $1.50 cheesecake.

Baked Butternut Penne

Baked Butternut Penne

My take on this recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/BUTTERNUT-SQUASH-AND-HAZELNUT-LASAGNE-105911. I guess this is what happens when you buy all the stuff to make lasagne and forget the noodles! For as long as I spend making grocery lists and analyzing recipes, when I get to the grocery store I get distracted by all of the different foods shouting out to me. Shopping with me is like setting a little kid loose in candy store. And with all the good stores sampling out delightful desserts on the weekends, I do indeed walk out with a sugar-high (and a money-low). As far as this recipe goes, that butternut tastes good alone!! It would make make an excellent side dish. Especially if you add a little green spinach for color. Dad and I kept snacking on it throughout all the cooking. Bad idea though it's sooo filling. I felt a little full before I even served dinner haha. 

But if you have time, this baked penne is a breath of fresh air when all those store-bought-jar-sauce-pastas start to run together. It's colorful - red, green, white and yellow - and the butternut gives a nice sweet-salty combination. Using freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano makes this dish so I beg you- do not pick up Kraft packaged Parmesan and take the easy way out. I loved this dish because it has a lot of texture with the soft squash and pine nuts that give it a bite. Often you'll find lasagne and baked pasta dishes overrun with marinara. The Baked Butternut Penne has a nice white sauce for a change, but tomatoes are so good I'd rather use diced ones to maintain that taste of light freshness in the baked penne.  Well, I hope you can sit around the table one evening and enjoy this penne with your family and friends!

For squash filling
3 scallions, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 cloves minced garlic
salt and freshly ground pepper to season 
salt-free Italian seasoning

pine nuts

 

For sauce
3 cloves teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups milk
salt-free Italian seasoning
salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

For assembling casserole:
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (5 oz) 
15 oz wheat penne, cooked al dente
diced tomatoes
fresh spinach

Preparation

Make filling: 
Cook scallion in butter in a deep pan or wok over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. Add squash, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is just tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Italian seasoning and nuts. Cool filling.

Make sauce while squash cooks: 
Cook garlic in butter in a large, heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, 1 minute. Whisk in flour into melted butter, whisking, 3 minutes. Add milk in a stream, whisking. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 10 minutes. Whisk in salt and black pepper and remove from heat. (Cover surface of sauce with wax paper if not using immediately.)

Assemble casserole: 
Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a large mixing bowl mix penne, ¾ of the parmigiano, squash filling, diced tomatoes, and fresh spinach. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in a 13- by 9- by 2-inch glass baking dish and cover with all of penne mix. Pour over remaining sauce and sprinkle with remaining parmigiano. Sprinkle Italian seasoning. Bake for 15 minutes.