In the Kitchen

It's tough being on vacation. You know, having time to try new recipes, especially ones that take more than 30 minutes. I had fun baking yesterday. Once I get started, I just can't stop. What's one more dirty bowl in the sink?


First up were these Light Brioche Burger Buns which were remarkably easy, and really tasty. And about a million times better than the spongey buns they sell here. We ate them with the veggie burger from the summer issue of the LCBO's Food and Drink magazine (couldn't find the recipe online).


Then I came across this recipe for Cherry Hazelnut Loaf Cake, and figured it would be a tasty way to use up some less than stellar cherries I had bought at the market that morning. It made a lovely moist cake, that isn't too sweet at all. The only problem is that now I have almost an entire loaf cake staring at me from across the kitchen. It will be so nice when we can finally freeze things!

I think I'll take a day off from baking. I'm also busy researching restaurants and places to eat for our upcoming trip to Brussels. The hardest part is narrowing down the choices. Only two dinners!! Three lunches!! And street food (it is the home of frites, after all!). I'm already hungry just thinking about it. I'll have to have some cake to tide me over :)

Last night we went to Japan

Well, it seemed like Japan!

We had a karaoke night at a genuine Japanese karaoke joint in the Japanese quarter here in Paris. We've made some new friends who lived in Japan for a couple of years. They already had a tip on this location courtesy of some salary men that they had questioned on a previous outing. After meeting up at the Opera, we headed over to what appeared to be a restaurant, and were immediately taken down to the cellar and shown into out private karaoke room.


It was nothing glamorous, but what it lacked in glamour it made up for in authenticity. The song books were the real Japanese ones, and the machine showed all the Japanese translations along with the English words.


Our friendly host brought us ice cold Kirin beers, and we basically sang out hearts out for three solid hours. It was fantastic.

Christy's Visit

Photo Recap

Saying goodbye to Anja, who's off to New Zeland for the summer. We met up at a bar close to our new neighbourhood for a vernissage (art opening). She showed off her new blonde locks. Looking good!


There was a huge storm on Thursday night. It was so windy that three trees outside our building snapped. We fell asleep to the sounds of chainsaws, as the pompiers took care of the problem.

Banana Upside Down Cake

I thought I should at least share this recipe, seeing as I've eaten most of it myself, it was so good. Which is remarkable considering that there are three adults currently living in this apartment, so I really have no excuse. Except that it's really good. And so easy to make.

This is also the first recipe that my new Kitchen Aid mixed up, and it performed fantastically.

We're still enjoying Christy's company, and did an interesting walking tour in the 16th this morning looking at art nouveau and art deco style architechture.

Tonight we're headed for the Champs de Mars for a free Johnny Halliday concert, and then, of course, the fireworks. It is Bastille Day today, after all!

Probably the most exciting thing that will happen all summer

Aside from that whole apartment thing.

Now, what do I bake first????