Aris, Me, and a Bottle of Wine

Mes amies! I am currently drinking the most amazing wine that was given to me by one of the most thoughtful… generous… beautiful people… I mean… inside… of course… Aris. Yes, Aris, the dear boy, who I’ve just discovered, believes he’s in love with me! Could it be true? Could it be true that his heart… beats as mine? That he too longs to throw his arms around me as I do him in wild abandon and wonderful sweet… Mon dieux! I must slow down. The wine is making me say… things. Be assured. I am completely in control of my emotions. Nothing will be taken to heart until he is well again and I can truly discover if the rumors are true or if he’s just toying with me. Excuse me while I pour myself another glass…

A moment to myself…

I have been an absolute disaster mes amies! Ever since Christmas, I haven’t had a moment to myself. I’ve been doing party after party, non-stop cooking & baking. Insanity! I never thought I’d say it, but thank goodness the holidays are over… I’m pooped! And now it’s time to relax with a glass of one of my favorite wines. Today’s selection is a wonderful red. One sip and you feel as if you’ve been transported to Château La Grolet from which this wine comes. Aromas of red fruit, leather and cocoa make it a true masterpiece!

No Rest for the Merry…

Mon Dieux! It’s been one Christmas Party after another for your favorite celebrity chef. I’ve been here… there… everywhere. But! I am taking the next 9 days to rest, because on Thursday, December 24th the masterpiece shall begin! (Of course, what of mine is not a masterpiece?) But on that night especially, I will be creating the most amazing dinner with so many side dishes it will boggle the mind. In fact, there is little time to create the entree. But no matter, I have the perfect solution: filet mignon! What people never seem to realize is that it is SO easy to cook and… it’s to die for! You really ought to try it!

The Dark Chocolate Diet?

Mon Dieux! Thanksgiving has come and gone. Of course the meal I whipped up was absolutely delicious as everyone knew it would be… but I really wasn’t quite satisfied with dessert. Yes, there was pumpkin and apple pie, blueberry tarts… but none of that really excited me. So here I am, days later, indulging in what I really wanted all holiday… these delectable Grand Marnier dark chocolate truffles. Aristotle must’ve felt my pain as he brought them over to me just this morning as a “thank-you” gift for cooking! He is so intuitive. And he has such a good memory! He said that Rico said at one of their work out sessions last year that dark chocolate is OK since it’s full of antioxidants and one knows you can NEVER get enough of those. What fantastic news! Now I can rationalize an all dark chocolate diet!

Thanksgiving 101

I am in the process of creating a Thanksgiving feast that is good enough for the most delicate pallet!

Aris has once again opened his home to the Viva Swag family for a Thanksgiving celebration. I can’t wait! I am so thankful for so much. What am I most thankful for? Other than Aris… I mean my Viva Swag family… I would have to say I am MOST thankful for the fact that I am a culinary artiste, that I am French and that my good friend Rick Rogers wrote: Thanksgiving 101. It’s the perfect little cheat book on occasions such as these. He takes you from shopping to chopping to cooking to serving and its not all turkey either… it’s so deliciously done that one could almost eat the book…

Football = Fun with Cheese!

Would you not say that I am a girly girl? Yes? No? Of course you would… I am tres feminine! Yet, even the most delicate of lilies gets a little rough and tough on occasion… I’m talking about football of course. Now don’t be silly, I don’t actually WATCH it. I’m talking about the parties. My parties are ALWAYS a huge success. My secret? The wide selection of cheeses! Don’t tell anybody… but I once devoured a one pound block of smoked cheddar on my own… and that was BEFORE the party even started…

Carrot Cake Masterpiece!

Mes amies! I am so very happy and excited to announce that I am preparing for a wedding… not my own, mon dieux! But rather that of a dear friend. However, since I am in charge of the meal as well as appetizers I simply haven’t the time to make the wedding carrot cake she desires… so between you and I… I’ve cheated a bit! My dear friend Mich Turner of the Little Venice Cake Company created this beautiful wedding carrot cake masterpiece for Pierce and Keely Brosnan. If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for my friend! Modeled after the cake created for John and Jackie Kennedy it’s absolutely delightful! Best though, is she’ll never know I didn’t make it myself!