The Trail of Crumbs • A Gastro Travelogue

Countryside Break

Just returned from a few days in the french countryside for Thanksgiving. The next post will feature the walk we took while foraging for décor for the grand feast tabletop and the meal cooked for 42 guests! Ah.... the countryside.

TofC at Jack's Jumble Sale at Candelaria in Paris

Our pain d'epices caramels just before getting dressed for the party...made with hand ground gingerbread spices and love

Last weekend we participated in the first 'Jack's Jumble Sale' event at Candelaria, put on by The House that Jack Built. It was full of charm and warmth. The goods varied from personal closet treasure's set up like a classy vide grenier, garage sale, to haircuts by Japanese hair stylist extraordinaire Kazuko (I totally got a new do!), hot autumn punch by Candelaria's Carina, second-hand designer menswear from Paris wine blogger Aaron and ...

Lauren of T.H.T.J.B. and Cheri Messerli stoking

Stylist Hannes Hetta trying on some shades Aaron Ayscough

Madison with her lavender-honey cakes and other delights / Carina (rt) prepping some steamy lemony cocktails

Kazuko cutting Oliver's hair... the doorman of Candelaria

Insanely cute things made by Stella

...vintage blouses, boots and scarves from Alison and Lauren (the ladies behind the T.H.T.J.B.), sweet tunes by DJ Rager, jars of fragrant loose chai tea by Tifamade, rad vintage books and glasses from t-magazine writer, Sarah, and lots of other mega goodies and good vibes galore.

Chef and consultant Yvette Bordignon made chutneys, biscuits and lollipops!

We ran into Thomasine Barnekow at the event who was wearing one of her glove designs

Her work is very unique and intricate... and such soft leather

French vintage paperbacks on Sarah's Moroz's table

Tifamade's goodies in one of their vintage display suitcases (normally on a back of her signature pink delivery bicycle)

Tiffany of Tifamade with her magical Chai Tea

T.H.T.J.B.'s vintage children's kitchen set that appears at their Candelaria events

Alison keeps the tea bags stored in the lil oven

Adrian designed and crafted beautiful wooden pendant necklaces out of tropical hard wood and colored leather cords. I made organic oreo's with a white chocolate ganache, pain d'epices, gingerbread, caramels and organic vanilla-lemon sandwich cookies. Our oreo's were such a hit that I blinked my eye and they were gone. Seriously. The french do love their chocolate.

Our Oreo and l-v sandwich cookies photo by Cyril Pennec

Adrian's wooden pendant necklaces ( write to us if you would like to purchase one!)

Adrian asking Aaron, our friendly event neighbor, about the black leather boots he eventually went home with... Merci A!

Our pain d'epices caramels ... no one said 'no' to a sample of these

Disclaimer: I normally like to feature photographs taken with our high quality equipment but due to the rush of wrapping every last caramel, we ended up taking informal photos using an available pocket camera ;) Fun times.

Two Slam Dunk Pumpkin Pies

Our friend and TofC contributor Leela Cyd is not only a photographer and cook extraordinaire, but also finds the time to write and photograph stories for The Kitchn and Re-Nest. Here she share's her favorite pumpkin pie made by her father.

We've also included a pumpkin pie recipe favored by Virginia Miller, the mother of TofC co-creator, Danielle Rubi-Dentzel! Loving all the family faves during the month of Thanksgiving. Feel free to write us and tell us some of your top TG family recipes.

Family Recipe: My Dad's Legendary Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
written and photographed by Leela Cyd

I have a confession: Trying new recipes for Thanksgiving is not my thing. In fact, when the time comes to prep my dad's legendary pumpkin chiffon pie, nothing delights me more than the same old same old.

There are certain dishes that pull so hard at our heartstrings, the secrets to conjure the foods that define us and our family traditions, they nearly barrel us over with love. This pie is one of those dishes, a dessert that signifies togetherness. Do you have one of these recipe narratives in your life? What's your family's signature dish?

My dad, Richard, first encountered this recipe while shooting a Thanksgiving spread for Saveur magazine, over a decade ago. He's a photographer as well, although I didn't know this part of the recipe origin story until this year. Known for his images of museums, historic spaces throughout the world and most recently, a body of work addressing incarcerated juveniles, food was about the farthest thing from his repertoire. He shot the pie and accompanying Thanksgiving meal in New York anyway, typifying his photo motto of "Say 'Yes' then figure it out later." He also tasted the pie that would define our family's Thanksgiving meals for years to come.

What's so great about this pie? To put it simply, it's ruined me for every other pumpkin pie out there. I can't eat any pumpkin related confection because it just makes me wish for my dad's pie.

You know the hallmark traits of some traditional recipes for pumpkin pie? High density, low flavor filling met by a pasty white crust? This version trumps tradition with its impossibly light 'chiffon' (just saying the word makes me feel buoyant!) texture throughout the lightly spiced filling and the shattering crusty, vanilla sweetness of a Nilla wafer crust. This pie, it's poetry.

I know I'm being challenging when I declare this pie the best, and probably you have your own dearest pumpkin pie recipe, but Thanksgiving calls for bold statements and it calls for family favorites. If you're looking to change it up this year, throw this recipe into your mix. You'll be pleasantly surprised at the light, mousse–like filling and the strong vanilla crust.

Dad's Legendary Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
adapted from Saveur
makes 2 pies
For the crust:
4 cups crushed Nilla wafer cookies (a rough texture with unevenly sized pieces is fine)
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the pie filling:
3 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup Cointreau or Drambuie
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar and 1/3 cup sugar, divided
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 egg whites
Fresh whipped cream, to serve
Prepare the crust:
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, butter, sugar and salt. Press mixture firmly into 2 9-inch pie pans (if you have any extra mixture left over, you can press this into muffin tins with great results).
Bake for 10 minutes, and cool on a wire rack.
Make the filling:
In a small bowl sprinkle the unflavored gelatin over 1/4 cup Cointreau to soften for 5 minutes. Set the mixture over a bowl of hot water and stir until the gelatin is dissolved.
In a heavy saucepan whisk together the pumpkin puree, heavy cream and 1/2 cup of sugar, 3 egg yolks, the cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, allspice and salt and cook the mixture over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula for 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, stir in the gelatin mixture, and let the mixture cool.
In a large bowl beat 4 egg whites until they hold soft peaks (see this video for a clear idea of what you're looking for). Beat in the remaining 1/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating the meringue until it holds stiff peaks, and fold this meringue into the partially cooled pumpkin mixture.
Assemble:
Pour the filling into the baked shells and chill the pie, lightly covered, for at least 6 hours. Garnish with plenty of fresh whipped cream.

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My Mom's Favorite Pumpkin Pie with Bourbon-Maple Whipped Cream
adapted from Bobby Flay

Virginia Miller says, " I made this pie last year, and it was the best one yet"...and that's coming from a very critical Thanksgiving household who loves the best of everything! (sorry no photos of this one but I'm sure you know what it looks like! )

1 (9-inch) pie, plus leftover filling

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust:

    * 1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
    * 6 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly warm
    * 1/4 cup granulated sugar
    * 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pumpkin filling:

    * 2 whole eggs
    * 2 egg yolks
    * 1/4 dark brown sugar
    * 1/4 cup granulated sugar
    * 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
    * 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
    * 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
    * 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    * 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    * 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    * 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
    * 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
    * 1/2 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped and reserved

Bourbon-Maple Whipped Cream:

    * 1 1/4 cups very cold heavy cream
    * 1/2 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped and reserved
    * 2 tablespoons Grade B maple syrup
    * 1 to 2 tablespoons bourbon (to your taste)

Directions
For the crust:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Add all the ingredients for the crust to a food processor and pulse until combined; it should feel like wet sand, and just come together.

Spread the mixture evenly into a 9-inch pie pan, using your finger tips or the flat bottom of a glass. Firmly press the mixture over the bottom and sides of the pan.

Put the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until the crust is light brown and firm to the touch, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

For the filling: Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.

Whisk together the eggs, yolks and sugars in a large bowl. Add the butter, pumpkin, cream, spices, salt and vanilla seeds and whisk to combine. Strain (important) the mixture into a bowl.

Pour the strained mixture into the baked pie crust and bake until almost set, about 1 1/2 hours.

Remove and let come to room temperature. Refrigerate until chilled, if preferred.

Cook's Note: The filling makes more than what is needed to fill the pie shell. You are able to freeze the excess. We made a double batch and it filled 3 pie shells very comfortably.

For the whipped cream:
Combine the cream, vanilla seeds, syrup and bourbon in a large chilled bowl and whip until soft peaks form.

Garnish each piece of pie with a dollop of the whipped cream before serving.

Le Fooding Announces 2012 Paris Winners

On November 14, Le Fooding, France's well respected restaurant guide, named their top restaurant choices for their just released 2012 restaurant guide.

The category I like most, Fooding d'Amour, is the best restuarant that cooks with love and has l'amour vibes. How sweet. The winner of this category, Au Passage, is a favorite among many of our friends. It's a wine bar serving delicious food tucked in a...you guessed it, passage in the 11th.

Prix Fooding Guide 2012 de la meilleure table, best table
Chatomat, Paris

Prix Fooding Guide 2012 du meilleur bar à vins, best wine bar
Frenchie bar à vins, Paris

Prix Fooding Guide 2012 du meilleur delirium
La Grenouillère, Montreuil-sur-Mer

Prix Fooding d’amour Guide 2012 , best 'love' restaurant
Au Passage, Paris

Prix Fooding d’honneur Guide 2012, honorable mention
Bertrand Grébaut
Septime, Paris

Prix Fooding Guide 2012 du meilleur “régalez-vous !” , "dig in!" award
L’Agapé Substance, Paris

Prix Fooding Guide 2012 du meilleur retour de pêche, best seafood
Le Cabanon , Ajaccio

Prix Fooding Guide 2012 du meilleur livre de cuisine, best cookbook
En cuisine avec Alain Passard, Christophe Blain, Gallimard

Prix Fooding Guide 2012 du meilleur décor, best interior design
Pier Schneider et François Wunschel (1024 Architecture)
Les Grandes tables de l’île Seguin, Boulogne-Billancourt

Prix Fooding Guide 2012 des meilleurs bistrots ex aequo, tie for best bistro
Le Pantruche, Paris
Le Grain de Sel, Marseille

We Found Kale!

Spotted! Tuscan Kale at a farmer's market in Milan, Italy

Since finding Kale in Paris is impossible, we've been keeping an eye out for it when hitting up farmer's markets around Europe. When in Milan last weekend, we cruised through the Viale Papiniano market on a whim while it was heavily raining and out of nowhere, boom, Tuscan Kale! We bought a few bunches and threw them into our suitcases, as we were flying back to Paris later that day. We've been enjoying Kale in every way possible until the very last leaf since.

The following is a recipe I've altered slightly from TofC contributor Jane Grawe for a delicious and nutritious raw Kale salad:

(to be improvised upon endlessly and in varying ways)

Wash kale, cut out the tough stems, cut it into thin strips and dry in salad spinner-- 8 cups or so ( you can leave the stems on if you like some crunchy roughage)

Put it in a bowl and drizzle with:

1 Tablespoon each olive oil, sherry vinegar and a hefty sprinkle of salt and massage it a bit to wilt slightly

Slice and sautée 1 red onion until caramelized and crispy in a bit of olive oil or butter ( don't stir too much so they get crispy )
Then add, or not, as you like:
1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese or grated Parmigiano-Reggiano ( do you have a microplane? use it!)
1/2 c. golden raisins
1/2 c. shredded carrots
toasted nuts (almonds or hazelnuts are a nice choice)
(optional) a couple of rustic country bread slices made into cripsy croutons by sautéeing in a little olive oil or butter

dressing:
1/3 c. olive oil
2 T. sherry or balsamic vinegar
1 minced garlic clove or finely chopped shallot
2 teaspoons honey or agave honey

optional: chili flakes or harissa (so good!)
s&p

My sister in California, Simone Rubi, tested this recipe and sent us this photo of her creation!

Also... We LOVE Kale caesar salads.. there is a great recipe from Chad Robertson, the man behind San Francisco's Tartine Bakery here!

Bottom 2 photos by Simone Rubi

“Oh, just in time for Thanksgiving”

We asked Jane Grawe (mother of friend and TofC contributor Sam Grawe ) to write us something from her rich culinary experiences all over the world. Every time we're in her company, we talk for hours about recipes, travels, ingredients, history, etc. Here's a little piece for you to enjoy.

There are a few things in life you don’t do very often, and I did one of those today; I went to look for a new stove. Then, in the course of conversing about its merits and installation and delivery fees, I surprised myself by saying , “Oh, just in time for Thanksgiving”... Well, that is primarily because I have rarely cooked Thanksgiving dinner in the traditional Norman Rockwell sense for over two decades.

Everyone has a sense of how the day should go--mine was formed , of course, in my childhood, and particularly in my teen years in Concord, Massachusetts where our high school football team had its annual closing game against Lexington at 10:30 am on Thanksgiving Day. That excursion fulfilled the prerequisite need for some exercise and cool and crisp air, for sure. Our table had that quintessential turkey, and was filled as well with a bounty of local produce--Hubbard squash, creamed onions, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and of course, cranberry sauce. There were celery and carrot sticks and a few pimento-stuffed green olives on a Majolica plate used for the occasion as well. Mince pie and squash pies sat on the sideboard waiting. The proper time for that meal was sometime in the mid-afternoon, which meant that, before bedtime, each of us could go back out to the kitchen for leftovers. We’d lift the dampened dishtowel that my mother had placed over the turkey to keep it moist, and pick and slice the meat we wanted, light or dark. Then, with a healthy slathering of cool mayonnaise on a slice of her homemade white bread, or Pepperidge Farm sandwich bread otherwise, each would make a turkey sandwich, usually with a slice of stuffing and a bit of cranberry sauce. An earlier childhood memory is of my widowed mother, who while short on funds was long on tradition, made a football shaped meatloaf to which she attached paper frills sitting on chopsticks in lieu of the absent drumsticks.

Through the years, however, things changed. Once I was upcountry in Kenya with some Peace Corps’ friends, and one, who weekly rode his bicycle to town for the mail, wearing flip flops over the miles of dirt roads, had previously announced that he would bring a turkey for our American celebration. No one knew how he rode a bike with a live turkey on board, nor the Swahili word for turkey, so the housekeeper’s son was asked to slaughter and clean the “rather large chicken”, which he efficiently did before going for his day off. It was my charge to make the stuffing (no problem, I’ve had plenty of experience with that) and to cook the turkey. That turned out to be a big problem, because we were cooking in a house with no electricity and with only a wood stove. Well, to make a long story short, by ten pm, the turkey still wasn’t cooked sufficiently so we all went to bed hungry, and we fired up the stove properly the next day so the turkey could be properly cooked.

Over the years, we’ve put everything from oysters and sausages to chestnuts and apples in the stuffing, but we have always insisted on Bell’s seasoning for flavor, and we have never called it dressing. Once, we had a family car trip complete with cooked turkey to a country inn in Upstate New York to accommodate our college-basketball playing daughter for her practices and tournament. And another time, my daughter announced that she was going to bone the turkey and stuff it. She did, and the results were spectacular; it tasted absolutely delicious, made carving a dream, and everyone got a bit of both white and dark meat. We practiced the boning on a Cornish hen--that was difficult and required quite a bit of manual dexterity!

Returning closer to the present, last year in November, I was in Switzerland visiting my daughter. We weren’t able to buy, nor would we have been able to consume, an entire turkey. So, we bought a leg/thigh piece and a breast piece. Putting the experience of that boned turkey to work, Katie made a stuffing and rolled it into the breast piece which she then covered with bacon. The other piece was set to roast on top of an array of fall vegetables-- carrots and parsnips being requisite to our minds. Starting with an appetizer which included foie gras, mache (lamb’s tongue/lamb’s lettuce) and a quince based dressing, we had a spectacular Thanksgiving feast.

Purchasing those turkey pieces in Switzerland, and after having had a few Thanksgivings in India, it finally occurred to me just what the meaning of the French word for turkey was all about: la dinde, from d’Inde, which literally means “of India”, but alas, not that India. Back to those helpful Wampanoag, and in particular Tisquantum (better known as Squanto) who taught the Pilgrims how to plant corn and to use fish as fertilizer. Which then makes me wonder, why don’t we eat herring as a first course at Thanksgiving? And, just what will I be cooking on that day on my new stove while I’m sipping a glass of Zinfandel.....

Text and photos: Jane Grawe

Marie Antoinette x Gordon Ramsay x Vintage Cars

Kirstin Dunst from the cover of a past issue of Vogue magazine as Marie Antoinette ,

the hallway leading to La Veranda restaurant in Versailles

Dunst surrounded by Paris's own LaDurée creations for the film set

Went to Versailles recently for a portrait photo shoot and lunched at Gordon Ramsay's La Veranda restaurant at the Trianon Palace Hotel. We started the day by slowly walking through the palace while shooting portraits in hidden corners basked with natural light. We had a real portrait moment when arriving at Marie Antoinette's personal house, Le Petit Trianon. Soft oval shaped inset windows and a powerful energy in the space made the magic happen. My subject Michelle, along with Marie A., embodies a whimsical elegance and so I suppose it just felt like the right place to be.

Images of Kirstin Dunst, playing the 19 year old queen, came to mind while meandering through the palais. The film's director, Sofia Coppola , was granted (rare) permission to shoot her film, "Marie Antoinette", entirely on location within the grounds of the Château de Versailles.

One of my favorite things in life, Andalusian Gazpacho, with heirloom tomatoes and a chévre and lobster croûton - yumtastic

A highlight of the lunch, a silky pumpkin soup with a hidden burrata pillow underneath and a bit of brussels sprouts

Pressed Foie Gras with cured artichoke hearts, fleur de sel, and a citrus and ginger chutney

Loved this Cala Lily display in the lobby hallway

La Veranda burger, or what Michelle called , the 'spleen burger' . It tasted very organ-y, a disappointing burger


Bavette of Black Angus with braised endives and augrumes, citrus fruits - Nice textures and flavors with this one

Coffee mousse with biscuit crumble and Manjari chocolate ice cream - kinda don't remember it

Cheesecake frapée with a sablée crumble and wild strawberries

After lunch we went outside to find our driver, but instead we found a vintage car show. Lots of over the shoulder sweaters and suited up men with swirls for eyes.