Food In My Home

I'm back from New York and was almost in tears on the flight because I was so sad to leave...and then I was in tears from watching really emotional movies. I will miss the funny buskers on the 6 train with their dance routine to 'signed sealed delivered', the 24 hr availability for anything you want. The constant attention of "Oh my god...SUCH a cute British accent". Randomly walking past movie stars. Not getting lost. Going out for dinner on a schoolnight and ending up out in bars you couldn't find again if you tried. Brunches in Brooklyn. Being an uptown girl and all the amazing restaurants and food oh and of course..the shopping! So since I did little work and lots of play I thought I would share with you the best places to eat and drink in my opinion. Brunch Juliette www.juliettewilliamsburg.com 135, North 5th at Bedford Williamsburg, Brooklyn 718-388-9222 A French Brasserie style atmosphere and Paris inspired menu. Very hip, buzzy and fun on a Weekend. R

Last week I went to a tasting event at La Maison du Chocolat at the Plaza Hotel, I jumped at the chance to go and have a snoop in the Home Alone hotel and also home to Eloise at the Plaza. It's a little different than in the film but still very snazzy and glamourous. The Macaroons are meant to be the best in New York rivaling Ladurée and they were seriously good. The chef at the event was loading up cups of their famous chocolate ganache which was smooth and delicious, and little salted caramel chocolates that were melt in your mouth yummy.

My Uncle was in New York for a few nights a couple of weeks ago so I got to pick a good restaurant for dinner. I chose Barbuto an Italian in the West Village where the owner and chef is a friend of my Paris Uncle Marks.  Thankfully it was a really warm night so we sat outside and ate and drank too much. I took advise from the waiter and ordered the stuffed Quail followed by Gnocchi with autumn squash and pumpkin seed pesto which I was told was good if I wanted a light meal. I didn't believe him as gnocchi is normally quite stodgy and make you feel a bit like you have to be rolled home. Both were delicious and the Gnocchi was absolutely amazing and I wasn't even very full after.  I have been thinking about it ever since and I finally had a go at cooking it last night. My version wasn't quite what I had planned since my kitchen in the studio is not exactly well equipped, so instead of the squash purée I had sort of mushed with a fork squash, it still tasted good but I want

At the weekend I went to my first food market in New York called Union Square Greenmarket with my friend Rosie and her very sweet rescue puppy Crosby. I saw all kinds of crazy looking vegetables that I didn't know existed, what looked like tiny watermelons were actually something that tasted like cucumber and some man popped a tomato out of a shell and told us it was a pineapple tasting tomato...well he was right, quite a bizarre concept but delicious in a sort of crazy Willy Wonker way. Since it's apple season there were hundreds of boxes of every different kind and they sell apple cider everywhere too which you can get hot or cold, not to be confused with the english cider as it is sans alcohol. Millions of pumpkins and squashes everywhere you look especially since Halloween is this weekend and American's go nuts for it. There has also been a pop up food market Madison Square eats for the last few weeks. I went one day with a friend in the afternoon which was a mistake as

New York life seems to consist of eating out every night which is causing me some serious problems in the cooking department. So far I think I have only cooked once so I thought that since now I'm living the  American dream I would make the classic Mac 'n' Cheese with a bit of an English twist. Sauce 20g butter 1½ tbsp flour 1 garlic clove, sliced 500ml milk 300g Macaroni handful of cherry tomatoes whole or chopped 1 onion diced 1 big leek sliced very finely 7 slices of bacon 75g chedder or red leciester 80g parmesan a few sprigs of thyme Get a pan of salted water on the boil and preheat the oven to around 220˚c. Melt the butter in a large pan and add the flour and sliced garlic, keep stiring all the time and you should have a paste, when the garlic has a little colour start whisking in the milk a little at a time so you make a smooth sauce. When all the milk is in let it gently bubble for a bit whilst still stirring and then leave on a very low heat while you get everythin

So I have finally made it to New York, which I have dreamed of going to since I was about six. My Dad promised me that he would take me when I was nine and I gave up asking after 17 years, so I booked a ticket to go for three months, with the presumption that I would love it. I am one week in, and so far I have... had a slice of pizza, seen a rat the size of a cat, had lots of terrifying late night taxi experiences, been to the NYC Ballet, a gig, shopped, visited pretty much every touristy spot, seen celebs, shopped, had brunch at a diner…with portions which made me understand the American weight issue...been to markets, had my nails done, seen a man perform some sort of Star Wars saber knife slicing champagne bottle neck off trick, stepped on a cockroach, shopped, drunk lots of coffee, been to secret bars where you drink out of teacups and eaten in lots of trendy cool restaurants…and tomorrow night I am even going to a Yankees game, all far to much excitement!

This is a recipe I got from Paris and I hadn't tried it yet until this weekend. We had millions of pears in the garden a few weeks ago and my Mum manically poached them all so she was dying for me to use some up. I decided to make them small in the style of petit fours to be tres French. Makes about 24 100g Butter 100g Sugar 100g Ground Almonds 2 egg 20g Flour Drizzle of booze, cognac, rum etc Preheat the oven to 170˚C Cream the butter and sugar with an electric whisk, when light and creamy whisk in the almonds and eggs then fold in the flour until all mixed well. Grease a small cupcake tin depending on what size you want to make. Spoon in the mixture ⅔ rds full and add any poached fruit like pear and apple. Or you could use any berries and just put them on top of the mix and they will soften in the oven. Cook at 160-170 for about 15 mins until golden.