Le Recamier

August 17, 2016 patricia kahane

The favorite address for soufflé lovers is a well-known restaurant in Paris off the popular Rue de Sevres.

Le Recamier is situated in an alley amidst planters with a comfortable outside seating area. It is usually where I take out of town friends and it is always a big hit. There is a long list of salty soufflés and another of delectable sweet ones. Depending on the season, you will be able to taste a light pea soufflé as an entrée or an apricot one for dessert. Ever present is their famous cheese soufflé, the popular chocolate, and, the one that gets rave reviews: the salted caramel.

If you are ever in Paris, visit or give them a call!

4 Rue Recamier, Paris 75007

Phone 01 45 48 86 58

New Finds at the Upper East Side of New York

July 16, 2016 patricia kahane

New Finds at the Upper East Side of New York

During this lazy week, I did some walking around my neighborhood. I was amazed at how many stores have closed, but also at how many new food business have opened and how they all cater to our new way of eating: healthy and wholesome.

Spring Diet

May 9, 2016 patricia kahane

Spring is upon us. Although enjoying the beauty of gardens and milder temperatures, many of us are already contemplating the agony of shopping for a bathing suit and worst of all: having to wear it. The magazines are already parading a plethora of cute summer dresses, sleeveless tops and body revealing outfits. How many of us feel ready to disrobe at the first climb of temperatures? With all of it in mind I have started a detox/diet program to shed the last pounds that haunt me. Hopefully, instead of moping around, I will be ready to spend days in the sun (with sunscreen of course!) happy by the pounds lost. I am giving you some quick recipes that can be prepared in minutes with few ingredients. There will be no excuse for not following them. Try it at least for a week and see how you feel. The pounds dropping on the scale will be your best motivation.

For the next weeks, I will be including some quick ideas and loose recipes upon which you can improvise. You should aim for a protein and some vegetable and a leaf salad. In America we usually have the green salad first, but in France it comes at the end of the meal. To my surprise, I have found that eating the green salad after the main course helps me feel satiated in a very pleasant way. Try it and see which way it works better for you: before or after. Avoid sugar and artificial sweeteners, sodas, fruit juices, potatoes, flour, corn and dairy products for the first 3 weeks. Be strict. Do you want to wear that donut on your way to the beach? I shouldn’t think so…

Le Bon Marche

March 22, 2016 patricia kahane

If there is a store that I absolutely love is the Bon Marche. Its fashion department is curated to the standards of the Vogue Room in Sex and the City. It is a delight to the eyes, but, what really caters to all senses is La Grande Epicerie, the incredible food hall attached to the clothing department by a glass catwalk next to the shoe department.

A Year in Paris

February 28, 2016 patricia kahane

The worst part about leaving your home for a year is the packing. Everything else is part of a wonderful adventure.

New Year's Resolutions

January 24, 2016 patricia kahane

With the beginning of the New Year we make lists of resolutions. Usually by the end of February we forget the list and fall back on old habits. Let’s try to redeem ourselves and be better this year!

Renting in Paris

January 3, 2016 patricia kahane

The French take their shopping seriously. They are meticulous about what they buy and if you think that French cooking is all about rich sauces you are mistaken. It is really about the freshest and most pristine ingredients which need very little manipulation.

Holiday Season

December 17, 2015 patricia kahane

I woke up to a bustling kitchen on Thanksgiving Day. We are all together in a rented vacation house in Orlando and I realize that I have too many blessings to give thanks for.

Comfortable Fall Entertaining

December 1, 2015 patricia kahane

Fall is the perfect time of the year to cozy up at home. It gets dark early, and the best way to beat the winter blues is by gathering around a table with good wine, delicious food and lots of laughs with some of your best friends.

I am still in an orange mood since the trees around me still hold their golden hues. I try to have Fall last as long as I can, thus the orange table décor.

Sunday dinners are all about comfort food which does not necessarily mean fattening food. My interpretation of a Lemon Chicken Tagine is a testament to flavorful healthy eating. Full of flavor and nuances but low in fat. The smell permeates the house in an inviting mood.

Paying attention to the tablescape is quite important. Let your imagination set the tone. You don’t have to pull out the silver or that china that needs to be hand washed. Make it easy and creative. You should have fun too.

Thanksgiving

November 22, 2015 patricia kahane

Thanksgiving is always a big thing in our family. We all get together and really connect for those five days. Against our better judgement we have decided to take the family to Disney World. We have rented a house large enough to accommodate all eighteen of us and I am now strategizing how to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner that is healthy, delicious and easy enough to be prepared in an unknown kitchen and limited supermarket choices.

My week in Rio

November 8, 2015 patricia kahane

Just came back from a wonderful week in Rio de Janeiro where I saw old friends, ate some of my favorite foods and attended a magnificent wedding.

I ate grilled fresh heart of palm and sipped lemonade with friends at one of my favorites: Via Sete, a perfectly located eatery in the heart of Ipanema, close to wonderful shopping and perfect for people watching.

I indulged in the delicious buffet of salads at Rascal, a shopping center restaurant that I love. The salad bar is beautifully presented as if prepared by an impeccable host. I could not resist and snapped a few pictures. Maybe I should send them to the Golden Corral…

Whenever I had a chance I ordered PICADINHO, a dish that speaks to my childhood and I am crazy for. Picadinho comes in many versions and each person imparts a special touch to the recipe. From the simple to the sophisticated version this counterpart of our Mac and Cheese is less fattening but equally comforting. Even at the fancy wedding that I attended it was one of the star dishes of the buffet.

Years ago French Chef Claude Troisgros moved to Rio where he explored native ingredients and added sophisticated touches to our day to day dishes. A movement was born and pride in our cuisine reached new heights. You can now find typically Brazilian restaurants where familiar dishes have gained new life and refinement. One of them is Iraja where I had a very unusual but delicious version of picadinho.

Paris a la Table

October 6, 2015 patricia kahane

Hubby and I arrived in Paris this morning. The first thing I noticed was how it is much cooler than back in Richmond. Paris is grey with bursts of sunshine that do not last more than half an hour. You can easily have four seasons in a day. Thus the layering is a must when packing for a sejour in this most beautiful town. Blacks and greys come in handy since they go well with the scenario. Comfortable shoes are essential but no gym tennis shoes, PLEASE! A good idea is to wait and buy your “baskette” when you arrive. It will give you an opportunity to see how the French woman carries a sport look with so much charm. Baskettes are everywhere with various styles and prices. You will be in French mode in no time.

Once we arrive the first thing we do is to head to Laduree at Orly Airport for the best scrambled eggs ever. No macarrons for us. I confess that they are not a temptation for me. I find them extremely sweet but if they are your poison go ahead: these are considered the top.

Our second stop is the newsstand to pick up a copy of the latest Pariscope, the French weekly Time Out, and the current ELLE a Table where I can find tons of inspiration for my healthy cooking. This latest issue came with a bonus: healthy recipes for vegans and health obsessed ones like me.

Those are the recipes I want to share with you in the coming weeks. Straight from the pages of Elle a table with that French twist that makes simple food taste divine.

All around the city there are Grab and Go little stores where the emphasis is on fresh and light. It started with Cojean which used to be at the basement of Bon Marche, the Rive Gauche department store, but now they are sprouting everywhere. My favorite is Q & CO with its wonderful small plates, many of them gluten free. If you do not want to interrupt your shopping day with a 2 hour lunch it is a good option. The portions are small so you will not feel guilty and you can save your appetite for a later dinner.

My visit with Dr. Shilpa Saxena

September 10, 2015 patricia kahane

Dr. Shilpa Saxena on the cover of Tampa Wellness Magazine

I am at that age where pounds are hard to loose and every day that you see your waist getting thicker you wonder what to do. I also worry about my health. It is not just about being skinny but also about being able to keep up with life and having lots of energy to spare. Now that my workload has lightened I want to be able to trek around the world going down my bucket list and that involves a lot of walking. With that in mind I set out on a car ride from Miami to Tampa to visit Dr. Shilpa Saxena at her clinic in Ludz. Dr. Saxena is a functional medicine doctor. A functional medicine doctor addresses the underlying causes of the disease instead of just dealing with the symptoms like most traditional doctors. Full of determination I made the 4 hour drive with enough resolve to become a stellar patient. Driving through alligator alley felt like the road to health, to a new beginning where I vowed to listen to my body and not abuse it anymore.

My appointment was for 10 am until 4pm. That afternoon I was poked, pinched and examined but most of all I was heard. Dr. Saxena spent a lot of time talking to me about my symptoms, my disposition, my stresses and my ability to follow the new health plan. It not only involves food but exercise and relaxation techniques. Considering that the visit costs a pretty penny (although less than my cable bill!) I walked out of there thoroughly invested in the program and highly excited with the challenge.

I came back home with a list of Dos and Don’ts that at first glance were quite overwhelmingbut after a few days it was surprisingly easy to cook and to follow it even when going out. The truth is that all we need is to change our perception of what food should be and its role in our lives.

My mom used to say that we should eat to live and not live to eat. This coming from a woman that despised cooking and only exceled in buying cleaning supplies never stuck to me but maybe there was some truth in it. Since I was born with a healthy appetite and an adventurous taste I have decided to create dishes that I can savor guiltlessly and abundantly (yes, for a lot of people like me quantities are important).

So from now on I will share with you amongst the many recipes some that follow Dr. Saxena’s food recommendations and I will make sure to point it out to you. I will keep you posted on how my elimination diet is going. Maybe I can motivate you to follow suit…

Cooking with Scott

September 4, 2015 patricia kahane

I spent the afternoon cooking with my friend Scott. She wanted some ideas on how to make diet food taste good and I immediately volunteered. It took me forty minutes at Whole Foods and Martin’s to gather supplies. They are very close by and in Richmond there is no traffic. I do not know if I could do it in LA or NY. Yes, I am picky and I go to two supermarkets: there are things I cannot find at Whole Foods and vice versa. I should also tell you that I go to Cosco and I cannot resist a trip to Southern Season for all the specialty items that can make any culinarian go crazy.

I like the idea of taking a day a week to stock the freezer and the refrigerator with healthy and low cal food to have on hand once the hunger pangs start and you have no time to cook. In Brazil our skinny friends have help in the kitchen and once they are home from the gym or from work, the food is on the table: that perfectly grilled chicken and one or two veggies carefully sautéed. We on the other hand have to chop-chop quite a lot to have dinner on the table therefore a well-stocked freezer is our best friend. I pack my meals in 1 cup or half cup containers so I can pull out the perfect amount when needed.

Two of our most successful dishes were chicken with balsamic and soy and a mushroom quinoa risotto.

You should try them. The risotto will be a perfect Meatless Monday dinner if paired with a salad. The chicken is wonderfully delicious with brown rice (yes you should always have brown rice in the freezer) and a seasonal veggie. We did it with cauliflower….

Call a friend and get to work! If the two of you are committed to healthy eating and becoming “Brazilian fit” doing it together will increase your chances of success by tenfold. Get the cell and start dialing…

Zucchini Carpaccio

August 19, 2015 patricia kahane

One of my biggest hits for a summer lunch, or as a dinner starter, is my Zucchini Carpaccio. It is one of these go to recipes that I use to enhance a dinner or a buffet. You can put it together in ten minutes or less and it is pure sophistication. I also have had it as an afternoon snack since I am permanently worrying about calories and healthy foods: it covers both categories….

Using a vegetable peeler slice the zucchini as you see in the photo. Arrange it on a platter. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over it. Sprinkle salt, pepper and parmesan cheese over it. Pure deliciousness!

Chinese Cooking Class

August 14, 2015 patricia kahane

I love to take cooking classes. It is a great way to get new ideas and tips from experienced chefs and to be amongst culinarians. Last night was Chinese Cooking at Southern Season, the beautiful gourmet shop that opened last year in our town. For me it was a special treat since our youngest married this most adorable girl from Singapore I have been paying a lot of attention to Chinese cuisine. After all smart mother in laws are extra nice to their daughter in laws! Think about it this way: if your wonderful, special boy married her she has wonderful qualities or otherwise she would not have been the chosen one.

Our instructor was Shiu-Min Block that with all her grace guided us through some delicious and light Chinese fare. The dishes were intense in flavor but not in preparation. Just my kind of cooking! The abundant use of vegetables in Chinese cuisine makes it very appealing. The meat is just a side element and the emphasis is on the low calorie veggies and spices. Also it can be prepared in a flash especially if you have decent knife skills. I am a firm advocate of Knife skills classes. It can speed up your prepping process and also save your fingers. A win win situation!

Shiu-Min has also created a delicious spicy topping for her Chinese food. It is crunchy and flavorful. It worked great for me since my husband does not like spicy food: I have been sprinkling it all over. It is so yummy and it finishes the dish nicely.

If you are gluten free remember to only buy gluten free soy sauce and stay away from oyster sauce…

Usually Chinese dishes are paired with Rieslings or Beer. Since I do not like either I have been drinking Vouvray which is fruity and crisp without being overly sweet. If you like Sauvignon Blanc you will probably enjoy a Vouvray.