Valentine's Day Brownies

I didn't grow up celebrating Valentine's day. Should I even attempt the stereotypical sentence that Paris is romantic every day of the year and that we don't need a special day to celebrate love? I wouldn't dare. But the truth is, it's not a day of the year we that we're particularly attached to in France. Or at least not a day that really marked my young teenage years. I see a lot more marketing around the holiday when I go back to France now, but while I was in high school I saw it as a North American celebration that you really only understand from cheesy American movies.

Now that I live on this side of the world, I've got to admit, I have a love/hate relationship with it. Yes, it really is a consumer-driven holiday. The cards, the chocolate, the teddy bears, the teddy bears made of chocolate, the hearts, the flowers - is that really what we are waiting to receive? That part isn't really enticing to me in any way. However, the love part I'm all for. Although I don't believe in set days to remember to show affection, I will never say no to an added day of the year that's about a little bit of giddiness.

To mark the occasion, I've got an an easy update on a classic. Deliciously sweet brownies, all-dressed up for Valentine's Day! I like to use the Baked brownies (my all-time favourite!), cut the cooled brownies with a heart-shaped cookie cutter and add a few decorative Smarties.

2011's Favourite Eats

2011 marks the year I got my very first iPhone. Before that, I was getting by with a fridge of a phone and, to tell you the truth, I was quite happy about it. I liked how little I was dependent on that type of technology and the fat numbers on the phone made me, more often than not, think twice before texting a friend. One of the things that really drove the change was being able to easily take pictures, everywhere, at any time. I have always been a very visual person - which in part explains me starting this blog years ago, while still a college student. Although, I love my camera it's just not feasible to always have it on me. My phone, on the other hand, is always accessible. I've been visually recording most of the delicious eats I've been trying since moving to Toronto a handful of months ago and these pictures remind me of every perfect bite. These are some of my favourite Toronto eats from Fall 2011 taken thanks to Instagram.

Lemon tarts at the Brick Street Bakery in the Distillery.

Brunch at Aunties and Uncles.

Roasted Tomato Soup with Mozzarella and Basil

As I'm writing this post, snow is swirling on my balcony, and my usually quaint view of downtown Toronto has become a blur. There's something quite soothing about watching this unravel, from the warmth of my living room. And what more suiting way to really welcome winter than with a deliciously steamy soup? This soup is perfect to enjoy at this time of year, but also delicious cold in the summertime. Instead of using canned tomatoes, this soup is made with pureed, slowly roasted tomatoes. Tomatoes become so incredibly flavourful and sweet when roasted and work wonderfully in this soup. A simple garnish of mozarella and fresh basil finish off the soup. 

Roasted Tomato Soup with Mozzarella and Basil
15 tomatoes, quartered

2 tsp dried oregano

2 shallots, diced

1 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 cup to 1 cup of low sodium chicken stock

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Olive oil

Mini mozarella or bocconcini balls

Fresh basil

Baked Eggs with Tomato and Feta and a Few NYC Eats

A few days ago, I got back from spending the holidays in NYC. It was a whirlwind: between spending time with family and catching up with old friends, it felt like a very short week. I have this very love/hate relationship with the city. I love the architecture and its uneven buildings from different moments in time that somehow work perfectly with one another, the food, the vibrant streets, the mix of people, the energy. I tend to get irritated by the crowds upon crowds of people and the fact that you almost can never just walk in to a trendy restaurant and get a table. If you're in NY for a handful of days only and want to try a popular restaurant you often end up eating at 6 or 10PM or not getting a table at all. That's been the case for Mario Batali's Babbo - reservations are made up to 30 days in advance to the day, and I have yet to get a reservation that suits my schedule! Things were of course a little different when I lived in NY but being there for a visit makes things a little hectic. With Babbo out of the question, I managed to get the next best thing - or, as it turned out to be, one of the best restaurants I've been to in NY to date - ABC Kitchen!

Our reservations were pushed to late in the evening, but it was well worth the wait. The restaurant, at the ground level of home decor store ABC Home is stunning. It's warm and charming without being stuck up, pretty and whimsical without being snobby. Tables are simply set using a mix and match of vintage-inspired plates that can be purchased at the store (most much more than I would want to spend on tableware however) and the food is simple, fresh and very reasonably priced, especially for New York. Highlights of our meal included a salmon tartare on crusty bread, deliciously simple charred brussel sprouts and handmade warm mozarella with olive oil and sea salt. It was a really perfect meal.

Espresso at ABC Kitchen

Marshmallow Pops

I first wanted to wish a holiday holiday to all of you Chocolate Shavings readers. Your kind comments, emails and readership mean the world to me and make me want to write even after a long day. I hope your holidays are filled with great company, delicious food and a lot of love. Maybe even a few thoughtful gifts too!

For a simple festive treat, here is my recipe for marshmallow pops. These are delicious - and even better with homemade marshmallows!. You can make them as a part of a dessert buffet table or a simple indulgence for an afternoon party. Once the chocolate has set you can lay them out on platters or creatively display them upwards on a table. If you like marshmallows as much as I do, these are the treat for you!

Spiced Apple Cider and a Holiday Cookbook Giveaway

Can you believe how fast December has gone by so far? I have quite a few things left to do on my list and very little time do it in! This year, I'm spending the holidays in New York - it's the first time that I will be spending the holidays outside of a 'home' - we usually spend the time off at our family home in the South of France. Living in North America now, it always feels great to take the time to go to back to my French roots and recharge but we are switching it up this year! It won't be a home-cooked meal but it will be a delicious New York staple restaurant and instead of lazy days by the fire, we will be catching up with New York's busy Christmas streets. I'm wrapping a few small gifts for my family to pack in my suitcase - just a few presents that are sure to please. Sometimes the holidays end up being a hectic time of running back and forth trying to find the perfect gifts for one another - which in my family can be quite the challenge! Most of my immediate family is not materialistic in the least (which overall is a good thing!) but makes it difficult to attempt to pick something out. So this year, we are keeping it simple and sticking to what really matters in the end: spending time together. That might sound a tad cheesy but that's exactly what it's going to be!

And now for a very fitting recipe ....spiced apple cider! It's perfect for this time of year - soothing and filled with holiday flavours.

Hot Chocolate with Mini Marshmallows

After putting up my Christmas tree this weekend, it seems that the holidays are really in full swing! During this hectic time of year - between holiday shopping, seeing friends and family and wrapping up a busy work year - there is often little time to sit back and relax. No matter how hectic it is, it's always healthy to take a little time to yourself and enjoy the simple pleasures. A warm cup of hot chocolate topped with mini marshmallows and a festive candy cane is a great place to start in my book!

Hot Chocolate with Mini Marshmallows
Ingredients per mug
1-1/2 to 2 cups of milk
1 tbsp of good quality cocoa powder
1 tbsp of bittersweet chocolate chips
1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
1 candy cane
5 or 6 mini marshmallows

Add the milk to a saucepan on medium high heat. Bring the milk to a high simmer and mix in the vanilla extract. Set aside.

In each mug, add the cocoa and chocolate chips. Slowly whisk in the milk, making sure the mixture is homogeneous as you go.

Garnish with a candy cane and mini marshmallows. Enjoy!