Monday, April 18, 2016

~Fresh~ And..Very Nantais~













I think I scanned it fuzzy:)


I made something cool;) 2... something cools.. in the kitchen..

Madonna's CF..I tried once and failed..because I did not buy whipping cream..so I tried again..and now it is a staple here for J not me.
My staple is a chip..;)Or pineapple.
But he loves a dollop on little cakes..and strawberries ..etc..

so now I make it..thank you Madonna!

So easy..

Mix one tbsp of buttermilk w/ 1 cup of whipping cream..place in a clean sterile jar and cover w/ a coffee filter..leave on counter 24 hours..then refrigerate..that's it..:)

last time..3 pots:)

I made a delicious 8 inch cake..a Nantais Cake..I found the recipe on Mamina's Blog..Et si c'était bon~

It really is delicious..

La recette..gleaned from Mamina~Merci!

125 grams semi-salted butter softened..room temp..I used salted
140 grams of sugar
110 grams almond flour
30 grams of flour
3 beaten eggs
2 tbsps dark rhum
1/2 envelope of  baking powder..(I put 1 tsp)

10 cl of dk rhum******  see below..
100grams icing sugar..

In a bowl cream butter and sugar..add almond meal and flour that you sifted with the bp..add the eggs and the 2 tbsps rhum..
Bake in a 350 F oven for 30 mins

let cool 5 minutes..
unmold..

now..you should poke the cake and add some of the 10 cl of rhum..but mamina felt the icing was rhummy enough and I agree..

***so forget about the 10 cls of rhum:)

And simply make an icing by combining the icing sugar w/ enough rhum to create a nice coating..ice cake letting the icing fall by the sides..

Hope all this makes sense...because it is so moist.. look at the cumb..cuts beautifully..
And Jacques will add a dollop pf CF.
His parents had a grocery store when he was growing up..maman stayed home and always had something cooking..baking..
I guess he got his love of a sweet bite after dinner from that.

The stories he tells me..
I am reading The Only Street in Paris..the author..Elaine Sciolino.. describes working in her father's food store..
Jacques has so many stories..delivering groceries up and down streets Christmas Eve with a sleigh..he was 12..he eventually graduated to a car..but young..the girls in the family worked the cash..the boys delivered..it was not optional to work in his father's store as she said..it was mandatory:)

At the age of 7-8..he delivered milk..for a brother-in-law of a brother-in-law..
 left at 7 AM..back by 3PM.. $0.75 for the day..a container of chocolate milk and doughnuts..lol..he said they ran in and out of that truck all day..for $0.75 ..

I do love those stories..

which brings me to mine..


The garden in April above..brown and beige.

The garden later on below..not much later on..when things start to happen here..they know they are on borrowed time and grow fast:)



The bare bones of a QC garden in April..
..when the temp is screaming summer..Nana's 2 biggest Littles..came to help..
We rake and blow every single leaf in October..for some reason..come April when the snow recedes..every bare bed is full of leaves again..the potting shed opens it's doors..the rakes and tarps come out..and these 2 darlings came to help nana while grandad raked elesewhere.
I remember putting these 2 Littles  to sleep as infants out back.. swinging them on the swings Jacques built..swinging on the front porch watching grandad mow his lawn..
my heart was bursting working alongside them in the garden.


They worked in harmony..I was so proud of the little gentlemen they are becoming..
nice..nice boys.
All 4 boys are tenderhearted..each in their own ways.

OK..
moving right along..The borage seeds were first to germinate...a few little tomato seedlings with a new way of planting..

have a peek.

I'll see how they do..
I need more prepped gardens for the food I want to grow..
when my Littles will be older:)

And painted a few Spring and Summer clothing items..find an ad..on Polyvore..or Pinterest w/ real clothes and try and draw and paint..
Fun...
found some new nibs to write with..Gillott 303s..hope they arrive soon.
That sweet serving spatula.. ..Anthro..artist is Molly Hatch..I love her.Sarah..from Texas introduced me to both the darling spatula and Molly Hatch♥

57 comments:

  1. The cake sounds wonderful. I love that the boys are helping!

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    1. Oh me too..both Jacques and I appreciated how well they worked together..
      The cake is a little delight!

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  2. Such a light, bright feel to this post --- I love your watercolors! I've been making creme fraiche for years, I think it's so much better than the store bought, and so easy!

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    1. Jacques agrees! He loves the home made one much more~

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  3. The cake looks like a bite of spring.
    I love your story about the boys.

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  4. The boys out working makes me smile. We have new neighbors across the street, a young family with two boys. Their father, a high tech executive, takes the time to work in his own yard so he can instill that in his sons. I admire that! He told me, his father taught him, and he wants to pass this along to his sons. Of course, for me, working in the garden is sheer joy. I hope these boys embrace these tasks and develop a love for it.
    Oh, your cake would be a joyous treat! J and I share the sweet tooth thing. '-)
    Molly Hatch - have you seen her new garden pieces? I've only seen them online. They are not in our stores yet.
    The little cake server reminds me that I should make a cake soon. As always, thank you for shring today.

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    1. I did see Molly's garden line..I follow her on Instagram now..and I have a feeling I know what you bought when you had the serendipitous find!:)
      VERY YOU.
      I hope they get to like it also..full of charm those boys..I think it's great your neighbour is doing that...it seems children have more materially now tan our children did..and ours had more than us..and so on and so on..

      so instilling work values is a commendable thing I find:)
      Thank you very much again Sarah.

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  5. It did green up fast. Must be pretty warm too as the boys in tees and shorts. That cake looks wonderful. My great grandfather was a store owner in McAllen, Texas. Wish they still had those old general stores. Love your painting.

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    1. Yesterday was like a summer day..today so chilly again..just when my body settled in to feeling warmth!
      I miss it now!
      It was quite the life having a grocery store..they never lacked a thing..

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  6. Oh my gosh, what fun having the little gentlemen work alongside you in the garden!! The very ones who were your grand babies once...Your Think Spring is divinely adorable!! And that calligraphy, i love that French script! I don't often mention the baked treats because I am not a baker person, nor am I allowed to eat these treats, but, Yum! Your post is filled with light...Here it is gray and probably will rain...but definitely not winter anymore!

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    1. L'hiver nous a quitté!
      C'était moche hier..aujourd'hui..une belle journée ensoleillée:)
      Oh what a feeling looking at those boys..a reminder of how fast time flies though..

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  7. Que delicia, y preciosa presentación.
    Besos

    lagalletarota.blogspot.com

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  8. Love your potting shed! And, please share your tomatoes with us through photos when they come up. I think I'll try this method, too.

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    1. I have tiny pop outs..I've never been a grand tomato grower ..garlic seems to agree with me;)

      I will Laurie!

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  9. The cake sounds divine. Thanks so much for the recipe. Yes, we had to work when we were small and didn't make much money. I always picked grapes and strawberries. When I got older had to drive the tractor and help my father with hay and clover. Summer time my mother canned everything. I think if I stood to long in one spot she would have canned me. LOL So I can appreciate the stories your husband told.

    Your grands are such nice young men and I know you are so proud of them. Especially helping their grandma.

    Have a wonderful Spring week.
    Mary

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    1. Canned you:) You made me laugh Mary..

      yes life was so different!

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  10. Monique so glad you had success with the crème fraîche. The more I start from scratch the better my cooking gets. Doesn’t it make you wonder why everyone is not making something so simple? I just learned to make homemade mayonnaise. More on that later.

    Loving your garden shed. And, of course those growing boys are delightful.

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  11. This story particularily drew me in...
    The boys...Jacques....the never ending leaves....that shed....the cake!
    Our leaves do the exact same thing...we rake...blow....burn in the fall...
    But...come spring....they're back! I raked for 2 days at the cottage!
    Still summer here today...back to reality tomorrow!
    Your painting is beautiful...love your style...
    Enjoy your week mon amie...
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

    ReplyDelete
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    1. It does feel good to get out doesn't it?
      Miss V will be into gardening with you.
      I was actually surprised at their stamina..I know they have it for football etc..but they were grat.
      I hope they liked it..;)
      You too have a great week.

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  12. Wow, it's really spring at your house. Love the photo of the boys helping with the raking - such nice boys you have. So glad that your crème fraîche worked out. I've gotten spoiled and don't make it much anymore since I can find it at Fresh Market now. But seeing yours makes me want to try it on my own again. Your cake looks so moist and the butterfly on top is "you."
    Sam

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    1. I am hoping you are loving Spring in Fl Sam:) Your first one!

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  13. Love your beautiful cake Monique. Wish our Grands were closer to help rake. We have had to hire some young men to help us get rid of all of the leaves. Ahh Spring. Your cottage will look so cute soon I am sure. Love your sketches. Reminds me of paper doll pages.

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    1. A lot of work isn't it?

      If it was just once..but twice a yr..

      anyway..onward and upward:) I wish your Littles lived closer also..

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  14. It seems like you went over its from knee-high snow to full grass green!?
    Love that cake knife thing and your watercolor!!!
    As always adore.

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    1. That's QC for you..and so reflected in what people wear..we need almost 4 season clothes in the cupboard..always.
      NY is much warmer..
      Merci Carol..Bon mardi .

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  15. You know how much I adore Molly's cake server :-)

    Hope you're enjoying the beautiful weather.

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    1. I do an a vision of you popped into my mind..:)
      So cute.

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  16. Spring is here. So cute to see your littles helping Nana. The cake looks lovely. I need to look at your recipes for an inspiration to make something yummy for my girlfriend.

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    1. I just made choclate chip muffns..so easy:) And they are 5 star..I will share them soon but if you need them now..let me know I will sned you the link Linda:)

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  17. I'm looking forward to seeing your garden transition into summer, Monique. I envy your green thumb. My favorite kind of dessert is a simple, very flavorful, little cake that I can garnish with a berry or two. I'm looking forward to trying your recipe.

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    1. I have been thinking about you! I emailed you..I hope all is well:)

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  18. Oh! Your garden house is so lovely!
    Et la simplicité est toujours la meilleure concernant la cuisine, ce gâteau traditionnel semble délicieux.
    Have a good week :)

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  19. I am going to put buttermilk and heavy cream on my shopping list so I can make my own creme fraiche! It's so expensive to buy and with such easy instructions and simple ingredients I'm sure I'll be wondering why I didn't start long ago. The nantais cake sounds wonderful too - just my kind of dessert. I may even like it without the glaze and topped with the CF. I love seeing your handsome helpers working in your yard! What a difference a few weeks makes in the yard and garden. And how big those boys are getting! They can stop now! Don't you wish you could just freeze time. Mack just lost his first front tooth :) Love your sweet fashion sketches and reading Jacques' stories of working at the store ♥

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    1. I wish I could feeze all now..
      Max just left..and bless his ♥..they are the lights of our lives and that says a lot..:)
      Oh dear Mack:) Why are Littles so stinkin' cute missing teeth?

      And they are..

      They are all growing too fast and I love them all like you do..there's room for all of them.
      Lucas is ..almost as tall as I..Max is getting there..

      Oli should be the tallest..

      and Noah..may be the shortest..but stamina for 10!♥

      I have new choco chip muffins soon for you nana...x

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  20. Homemade CF! I must give it a try. The cake looks wonderful, your spring clothing is beautiful and your boys are adorable. Now we must discuss your fantastic garden. Your yard looks like a secret garden from my dreams. Absolutely beautiful!!!

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    1. Aww..thanks Tricia!!

      From now till October..it may be more gardens than food;)

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  21. Love all the whites in this post Monique. Homemade Creme Fraiche. Pinning that one! All is so lovely. The cake, your remembrances of J's childhood work, your boys working hard in your beautiful garden, you spring painting. Love, LOVE it all. You are my French Susan Branch. Seriously. xoxo

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    1. You are my British One:)

      For sure.

      I think the home made CF is so you:)

      Have a great afternoon:)

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  22. I have finally surfaced after having a stomach bug and a touch of diverticulitis. I missed Gerarda and Chris's birthday celebration but sent all my prepared food. Oh this cake looks heavenly. I will be making it for sure! Maybe I am missing it, but what size pan did you use? I just got the 9" X 2.25" Nordic pans and love them. Now the home made creme fresh looks great too. But I would never use all four jars in 10 days. You gave some to the family didn't you? Isn't it great to be back out in the garden? Any sign of the hellebore seed germinating? I have so many babies I wish they could be send over the border and they would arrive safe. So nice that the boys came to help out. I just had Frankie say he would help me with the gardening, I may be taking him up on this. He is almost as tall as grandma and much stronger. Now if I could get Katherine to help too I would be in heaven. Guess I could bribe them with grill cheese sandwiches and home made cookies...

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    1. I have been thinking about you!
      I am so sorry you have not been feeling well and missed the festivities..I hope the choco cake was perfection!

      8 inch..I had to re-read my post as I had forgotten!

      It's at the top:) Go peek..

      Jacques loves CF..he has one pot left.I think it keeps longer)

      but this is my second time making the 3..3 ..pots..:)

      But Mylène and Noah had some too..

      I don't eat it..as usual..:)

      Noah..didn't like it..just like the frozen yogurt Lego people..too bitter..he needs honey in his greek yogurt:)

      Lucas is almost as tall as me too! Just like Frankie w/ you:)

      NO SIGNS yet..
      My garlic has sprouted and I think the spinach..unless..it's the hellebores;)
      Have to look up the Nordic pans:)

      Take care!!!

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    2. Thanks Monique. Yes the cake came out well. Katherine could not wait so she dug into it before it was served!

      Did you use ultra pasteurized heavy cream? That is all the one store carries.

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    3. I have no idea..it's just called Whipping Cream..I looked on our 10% cream and it's writen pasteurized..not ultra..not sure what our whipping cream was..madonna lives in the USA maybe she knows:)
      you do need a heavy cream 35%

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  23. The cake - divine.
    Your garden and potting shed - beautiful. (just like you)
    Your garden helpers - priceless!
    xo

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    1. Susan:) How nice of you.
      It will be a few more weeks before the potting shed lloks like the bottom photo..no leaves on the trees yet..

      Delete
  24. Another yummy dessert, I have to try this recipe! I love Molly Hatch designs too! What can I say, Anthro is one of my favorite stores! The boys are getting so big, nice to have the help! Your garden looks so pretty and green! Hopefully San Diego gets a little rain this weekend.
    Hugs, Jody ♥

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    1. I guess you must ray for rain..with your gardens..I hearSan Diego is just beautiful:)

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  25. oh monique your watercolors are wonderful,
    and i just love how you said your littles are tenderhearted, so wonderful
    so great to see you all enjoying your spring garden

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    1. They are Jenni..2 just left..and even the soon to be 11year old hugs us.
      Their name in French..is Latendresse..means tenderness..

      but even our Noah..who's last name is not Latendresse..

      is very loving.

      I am so grateful to be able to feel all this♥
      My watercolrs..dear Jenni..are very "ordinaires"...
      But thank you..

      Enjoy this warmer weather..

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  26. You are a very busy lady! I love spring, prepping and planting... We actually have about five tomatoes that are about the size of a fifty cent piece! They are early this year....but then, so is our heat!

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  27. I just made a similar cake this weekend but the quantities of the flour and the almond flour are almost opposite of your recipe. I can't wait to try yours and I think it will have more almond flavor. I know you must really enjoy having the littles in the garden helping you…they are so sweet.

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