Dijon

Endeavor to Persevere…

Post author By Monica Bernard
Post date May 19, 2017

I am over halfway through my culinary studies at Le Cordon Bleu and honestly had no idea it would be so intensive…When I said I was ready for a new challenge someone was listening as I certainly got it in spades – so goes the saying ‘ Be Careful What You Wish For!!’

I could never watch those cooking competition shows on TV because they gave me stress just watching…after being in this course and exposed to what we have to do as students…well I would not say those shows are easy but I understand a lot more of why they gave me stress, and now as I have to do it myself – oyyy!!! and with more stringent rules to follow as we are under the microscopic eye of many great French Chef’s!

I must say I am amazed at the products we learn to make and then proceed to attempt making them ourselves…some better than others but I am quite proud of all of them. When all this is over (and I plan to make it that far as I am stubborn and determined as the day is long) I want to compose a little album of my work from start to finish.

Here are a few of the many dishes we made in the first part of the course…when I get to that album I will give the dishes the proper French names….until next time..Bon Appetit!!!

Food

The Next Chapter…

Post author By Monica Bernard
Post date January 7, 2017

I recently made a decision to do some drastically different things in my life. Things that are way outside of my comfort zone, or that zone I have had for many years and considered it comfortable. It seems a bit odd because those ‘out-of-comfort’ things are the things I love: food, cooking, baking and all things food, cooking, baking etc. These are my passion but not anything I have done as a career to support myself thus the ‘un-comfort’ zone.

So I decided to take yet a further break from my normal life and become a student again this time in culinary arts. I have always wanted to study at Le Cordon Bleu as long as I can remember so I said ok, go do it. I am now registered at the only North American campus of Le Cordon Bleu and will be studying Le Grand Diplome. Classes begin in a few days. Most people take either the cuisine or the patisserie but not both so I understand I will be very very busy. Wish me luck 🙂 I am excited and nervous and a little afraid…I know there is a fair bit I know about cooking and I also know there is a lot more I do not know (at least I can be humble about it 🙂 ).

I may not be posting very often but only time will tell.

It will give a whole meaning to each time I say “Bon Appetit!!”

Germany Life Miscellaneous Travel

Strasbourg and Heidelberg

Post author By Monica Bernard
Post date December 25, 2016

When living in southern Germany in 2006 we made a few trips to Strasbourg which was a short drive from Karlsruhe. The first trip was on New Years Day and I recall the amazing Christmas market in the old town near the Cathedral. Surrounded by beautiful buildings of stunning architecture, people playing music in the streets, vendors selling their wares of clothing, leather goods, pottery, woodworks, jewellery and food. The smell of spicy sausages being cooked over an open fire must be savoured along with as many cups of hot mulled wine you can handle! I can still picture the colourful decorations and lights twinkling in the streets and smell the food and taste the wine; so wonderful!!

Strasbourg Cathedral and Christmas Market

On this same trip we made the short journey over to Heidelberg during the day to walk around the castle. What a lovely city is Heidelberg, so picturesque with the river Neckar flowing through it, surrounded by the beautiful buildings so prevalent throughout Europe.

If you are ever in the area, it is definitely worth taking some time to wander through the city…

Enjoy!!

Food Life Miscellaneous

Merry Christmas Turkey Neck!

Post author By Monica Bernard
Post date December 25, 2016

Yes folks, Merry Christmas today to everyone who celebrates this special day. I do. My family does, and the majority of my friends do…even for those of my friends who are not Christian they tell me they love an excuse to celebrate anything so they join in whenever they can 🙂

Growing up it was a big deal. Lots of church I remember well. I had to be part of the church choir (that did not work out too well for me overall) helping my Mom and of course the big meal on Christmas day. When I was really young it was usually always at my Grandma’s then as I got older it would alternate between my Grandma’s and our place. My Mom would be up after 4am making the stuffing for the gigantic bird we would later be devouring. And just on queue my Grandma and Mom would fight over who got the turkey neck (well not literally…and Grandma usually won!!) I aways thought it was disgusting – arguing over this ridiculous piece of bone with little bits of meat on it. I would mock them and belittle the thought of holding such an insignificant part of the grand turkey so high above all others. Until a few years ago that is, when I had guests for a turkey dinner. There was no fight for the neck and I indulged. Oh my. I never gave my Grandma and Mom enough credit for the taste of this odd bit. Some of the tastiest and most tender meat I have ever tasted. I was a convert. I actually am surprised at myself for being so critical as I have had beef neck bones which are fabulous, and grew up eating pork hocks which is some of the most tender meat on little porky. But I had shunned the turkey neck for years.

This year as we join in a festive dinner with family I plan to scope out this little gem; scrutinizing the company I am in for anyone else planning the same….I may have some stiff competition…

Merry Christmas and Bon Appetit!!

Food Recipes

Baked Chicken with Herbs

Post author By Monica Bernard
Post date December 2, 2016

This is such an easy dish to make and so flavourful!

What you need:

Chicken pieces preferably chicken leg and thigh pieces with skin on. It is really important to have pieces with skin on – you can trim them but leave a good portion of skin as this adds much of the flavour.

Olive oil

Spices such as rosemary, oregano, sage

Chili pepper flakes or cut up a dried chili

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1/2 onion chopped

A couple garlic cloves

White wine about 1/4 cup or some sherry vinegar or just use a little extra stock

Chicken stock about 1/2 to 2/3 cup

Heat oven to 400F

Heat a frying pan on medium heat with some olive oil. Add the onion, sauté a few minutes, add the garlic. Add wine or sherry let reduce a few minutes. Add stock, reduce heat a little and let reduce slightly. Add salt and pepper.

Wash the chicken pieces and trim some of the skin if necessary. Place in a large casserole dish so there is no overlap.

Sprinkle the chicken the herbs and chili and then season with a little sea salt and pepper.

Cook, uncovered, in heated oven for 30 minutes.

Remove the dish from the oven and pour the sauce over the chicken pieces and cover the pan with foil and return to the oven reduced to 300F and cook for another 30 minutes.

The initial cooking at high heat with these simple seasonings leave a crispy skin, sealing in the flavour followed by the final cooking session to finish off the dish. The chicken is so moist and tender and flavourful this is one of my favourite fast and easy chicken dishes to make.

Chicken with herbs, fresh pasta with onion and tomatoes and rum-maple baked quince

Serve with potatoes, vegetables, pasta etc.

Bon Appetit!!

Food Recipes

Pork Chops with Fennel and Bacon

Post author By Monica Bernard
Post date November 29, 2016

You need some nice thick pork chops on the bone for this dish. The chops I got were from the food market at Piazza De Nardi. http://www.piazzadenardi.com/food-1/ These chops were over an inch thick they were fabulous!

Olive oil

Fennel (ground) I only had seeds so I ground them in a mortar and pestle

Thick sliced bacon, about 3 slices for each chop

Salt and pepper

Heat oven to about 375F, rack about mid-level

Brush chops with olive oil both sides.

Place in a dish, season with a little salt and pepper.

Place a good portion of the fennel on top of each chop to cover.

Place bacon strips on top to cover each chop.

Bake until a meat thermometer registers about 135F; this will take about 20 minutes maybe a little longer depending on your oven.

Reposition the rack higher for broil (but not the highest position) and turn on broil.

Return the pan to the oven and finish cooking until meat thermometer registers 145F; the bacon should be well cooked and slightly crispy.

Finished chops after baking and broiling

Remove and cover with foil, let rest about 10 minutes.

Serve with some potatoes or pasta and a vegetable.

Saute roasted peppers and garlic, add some pasta water to make sauce

Chops, Roasted pepper pasta and broccolini — Chops, roasted pepper pasta and broccolini

I served this with a fresh pasta and a simple sauce of garlic and roasted peppers alongside some steamed broccolini with a touch of butter and salt and pepper.

The meat is so tender and juicy and the fennel added an amazing flavor!

Bon Appetit!

Italy Travel

Italy – Pisa and Siena

Post author By Monica Bernard
Post date November 26, 2016

In 2006 I was able to visit Italy for the first time. Rome, Florence, Pisa, Siena and Venice. I was travelling with a friend who also was experiencing his first trip to Italy, and whilst in Florence we made a day trip to Pisa and Siena. Travelling in most European countries is fairly easy; just go to the train station and pick a place and get a ticket. That is how we came to travel to both Siena and Pisa on a day trip from Florence. Back in 2006 the train on this particular line was very old and very slow. That was fine as the countryside was absolutely spectacular.

The train station is not centrally located in Siena and we had to take a short bus ride from the station into the city. Very easy and well worth the trip.

Seeing the leaning tower of Pisa up close was another check off the list. It makes you dizzy when you get up close and just look up although it is not tall at only 57 meters, it is very much leaning!

Siena is another popular city in Tuscany, and apparently a big University town. https://www.discovertuscany.com/itineraries-in-tuscany/one-day-in-siena.html

I think I most loved the Piazza del Campo, the central plaza with its sloped drainage to central locations with the most elaborately designed grates covering the drainage holes. Back in 2006 there was extensive restoration work at the Torre del Mangia (see the facade cover in the photo) but looking at recent photos the work is complete (at least from the pics of the front of the cathedral I have seen).

Torre del Mangia - ongoing restoration work in 2006 — Torre del Mangia – ongoing restoration work in 2006

Siena - this reminds me of a pic I took in Heidelberg Germany..when I get around to posting that trip I will include that pic — Siena – this reminds me of a pic I took in Heidelberg Germany..when I get around to posting that trip I will include that pic

Elaborate grate designs in Piazza del Campo

Food Italy Life Miscellaneous Travel

Italy – Florence

Post author By Monica Bernard
Post date November 24, 2016

Florence or Firenze as I prefer to call it, is probably my favourite place I have visited in Italy (so far). I was there in 2006 on a short visit and would have loved to have stayed much longer.

The Ponte Vecchio is the oldest bridge in Florence and is rumoured to have been in existence in Roman times. It still has shops and apartments built on the bridge that are in use today. It is also the only bridge across the Arno river that escaped destruction during WWII.

When I think of Florence I think of DaVinci and Michelangelo as they used to ‘hang out’ in the city. Fascinating to walk around the small streets and piazzas gazing at the architecture thinking of them doing the same hundreds of years ago. With only a short visit it was difficult to choose what to see as there are so many galleries and also so many tourists but waiting in the queue to see the Uffizi and the Academia Galleries was worth it. Our visit was in April so the big tourist boom of the season was just beginning; a few weeks later and I am sure the wait would have been much longer.

The Uffizi Gallery https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uffizi and the Academia Gallery http://www.accademia.org/explore-museum/artworks/michelangelos-david/ where the original sculpture of Michelangelo’s David is kept. Yes the original David. And it really is spectacular.

The Leonardo DaVinci Museum was also fabulous http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Leonardo-museum.html I think most of the magic comes from the ambience of Florence itself. To walk the streets where the great masters would meet for a drink, philosophize about life and discuss their latest ‘projects’ is simply a very cool feeling to experience.

South of the river are the beautiful Boboli Gardens https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-museums/boboli-gardens.html and the Buontalenti Grotto http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-buontalenti-grotto

There was a great outdoor market we would wander through each day I think it was close to the Florence Cathedral or Duomo. I remember the fine quality of leather goods and fairly reasonable prices and with some bartering, even more affordable. I still use a leather purse and jacket I purchased and they do not look much different than when I purchased them over 10 years ago.

Enjoy!

Life Miscellaneous

Dream On…

Post author By Monica Bernard
Post date November 22, 2016

I woke up this morning thinking about flying. Then before I got up I grabbed one of the many varied books on my night table which happened to be “The Rules of Life” by Richard Templar. I opened the page to Rule number 20 – Don’t Be Afraid to Dream. It was something so obvious yet so profound. Never stop dreaming; dreams can come true; dream big; no one can take away your dreams; I could go on but no need, you have heard all the sayings. I used to dream a lot as a child. I don’t dream as much as I have grown older. And I have found when I think I start to dream that I subconsciously (and likely consciously) will stop and tell myself that is ridiculous and re-dream my dream into something more realistic. Well, that is a plan or a goal, not a dream and much less exciting and fun. That’s life – everyone has to do that sort of stuff all the time.

A child would be able to tell me what I am doing wrong. A dream is a dream simply because there are no limits, there are no dream police or reality checks. It’s a Dream!!! Granted, sometimes these farfetched things do come true but that is not the point of a dream. It is to let go of everything holding you back in your mind. All inhibitions, insecurities are gone. You can be a bloody Princess if you want! Flying to Mars. Who cares? Reporting your dreams is not required…they are your own. All your own.

Not that I am completely unhappy or discontent with my life, but I believe I was happier and more at peace with myself when in fact I was doing a little more dreaming.

As for the Pilots License, it was 10 years ago today that I finished my last exam and obtained my PPL. I remember dreaming about that when I was a child.

So my friends….dream on…

Food Life Travel Vienna

Austria – Vienna

Post author By Monica Bernard
Post date November 13, 2016

I have been fortunate to have visited Vienna on a number of occasions. All of them a day or two when I would have loved to have stayed for many more. It is such a beautiful city and probably one of the most beautiful city centres I have visited in Europe.

The last time I spent a few days visiting I also attended an opera and a ballet at the famous Vienna Opera House https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna_State_Opera Oh how utterly spectacular to only be inside this building filled with history and stories of days gone by. I saw the Barber of Seville Opera and then the piece de resistance for the ballet – Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. I actually had a seat in one of the private balcony suites by the orchestra for the ballet. And I have to admit I cried during the performance because it was so unbelievably moving to see such a beautiful work of art so close I could almost touch the dancers.

Vienna Opera House from the balcony seat taken before the ballet

Sachertorte – one must indulge if in Vienna; and other delicacies of chocolate and special liqueurs abound, try as many as you can!

As per my usual pattern I try to pick a place to stay close to the central core where things are easy to walk to and explore the area. I like to look for places that advertise their food…or a small, unique boutique property. I have had a lot of success thus far in my years of travelling and my lasts few stays in Vienna were no different. My last stay was at a small boutique property close to the central plaza and St. Stephens Cathedral, the Hollman Beletage http://www.hollmann-beletage.at/en a very very cool place. All the rooms are a different design with various open concepts it really is unique.

I had the best breakfast at this place that I have ever had anywhere. Period. And I have stayed at a lot of 5 star and upscale properties. This breakfast was great. Lots of it to choose from, chef cooking to order hot dishes plus everything else you can imagine including fresh fruits, cheeses, preserves, breads, yogurts, muesli, meats…I could go on and on. The presentation is what I loved and I would go back to stay in a heartbeat if only to have that breakfast again! After having a great meal like this to start the day there is really no need to eat anything for many hours.

The start of the breakfast at Hollman Beletage

A few minutes walk is the main plaza and St. Stephens Cathedral https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Stephen%27s_Cathedral,_Vienna I did not take the time to tour inside this cathedral on my visits but I am sure it is spectacular given the track record of European cathedral construction and architecture. Wandering around the exterior of the building displayed numerous examples of that superior gothic architecture that is so easily distinguishable.

The entire old city area is full of cafes and shops and beautiful buildings to browse. Vienna is just a very beautiful city and if you ever get the chance to visit even for a brief time you will not regret it.

Enjoy!

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