Baking: In February, we had some very very cold weather blow through France. What better way to stay warm than by baking delicious things for my loved ones? These peanut butter chocolate chip cookies were so soft and divine, that they even won the French over! Most people over here don't like the idea of peanut butter and chocolate, yet these cookies had just enough. My fave yet.
First signs of spring: Thankfully, after said cold weather, came more temperate times. I bought these lovely buds down at the rue Cler market near my apartment, and they added a lovely fragrance to our home. Looking at them made us feel as if spring was already here, bringing with it longer days, warmer temperatures, and travels across Europe!
Spending time with our baby: Artemis is like our child. She hates when we leave for work all day, so I always try to get some quality time in with her. She was just too adorable with her Angry Birds toy this one night.
Learning about Macarons: I was given a lovely Christmas present: French cooking lessons. It's been difficult to choose which ones to take; there are just so many! I decided on macarons, because I've been told by many a person that they are incredibly difficult to make. Time consuming yes, not too terribly difficult. I really enjoyed this class because it taught me what I probably could not have gotten out of a book. You need to make sure you age your egg whites, let the batter sit once you've piped it out, and open the oven door every 5 minutes until they are good and stuck on the parchment paper. It was fascinating, and the results were delish! I can't wait to start experimenting with my own flavors.
Walking around new neighborhoods: I know the 18th (Sacré Coeur pictured above), but only the really touristy Butte de Montmartre. After venturing up there a couple of times for engagements at friends' places, I thought it would be cool to explore a little more...especially since we are starting to think about a new place to live. The 18th sometimes has a bad reputation, but there are some lovely places to make a home. We'll see where this year takes us, but we're definitely exploring Paris for a new view.
Inventing: One of the new directions I'd like to take my blog in revolves around my love of cooking. I know that there are *tons* of food bloggers out there, so that won't be the main focus of my writing. Yet, I live in an apartment with a tiny French kitchen, and I love giving American/Southern US recipes a French touch, as well as seeing what local ingredients I can use to make what I love from home. Like this breakfast soufflé. I got tired of making eggs and bacon for brunch today, so I took what little I know about soufflés, and I invented a new recipe. Fab told me to write it down and sell it as he gobbled it down. I won't sell it, but I'll definitely be tweaking it, getting the measurements more precise, photographing it, and sending it your way.
Have I mentioned that I have become obsessed with running? And that I'm training to run my first 5K? I'm beginning to think I've hit my head.
Stay tuned for travels to Istanbul, Berlin, Greece and more. As well as those changes I promised.
Enjoy your week!
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