The OPMOM Blog

Sarah Turnbull is a former Australian journalist who married a Frenchman and wrote a compelling memoir of her first years acclimating to life in Paris and circumnavigating the somewhat confusing new culture she found herself enmeshed in.  Almost French is a quick read; I finished three-quarters of it on the plane home.  Her descriptions of the maddening yet charming ways of the Parisians she encountered in her day-to-day life were spot-on.  I recommend it, especially if you enjoyed eat, pray, love.

In one chapter,  Turnbull describes what it’s like to host a typical French dinner party.  According to her, all those gorgeous patisseries that line the streets of Paris aren’t just there for the enjoyment of American tourists whose closest approximation back home is Dunkin’ Donuts.  When the French decide to entertain at home, they may spend hours on entrees and plats, but they purchase the dessert.

Well, not I!  The very notion of a store-bought dessert is an affront to my Martha Stewart aspirations.  When I decided to try my hand at French cooking, I planned my menu based around the dessert I wanted to serve.  It would be the crescendo at the end of the meal, the crowning jewel in my toque:  chaussons aux pommes.

Sara and I had practically come to blows over the ones we had in Paris.  I was determined to try making them myself.   Though they were a pain in the arse, (and the arms.  LOTS of rolling out pastry dough involved.) they were a delicious, sweet, flaky, aromatic success, if I may say so myself.  The picture at the bottom of the post doesn’t do them justice, but I would have made Martha and Julia proud.

I invited close friends over to celebrate Bastille Day, the 14th of July.  I knew they wouldn’t mind being guinea pig to my forays into the world of French cooking.  To complement the chaussons (apple turnovers), I would be serving the duck breasts with fig sauce from Le Petit Prince (See Le Petit Prince Post).  You can find ths Bastille day Dinner Menu below.

 
I thoroughly enjoyed preparing and eating this wonderful meal and encourage anyone to try their hand. French cooking is not as intimidating as you might think.  It’s based on three simple principles:  seasonality, simplicity, and passion.  After dinner was over and the wine had been drunk I came up with my own rules:

1. Allow yourself plenty of time.  It took me all day to shop for, prep and cook everything.
2. Cook for the people you love and they will love you for it.
3. Buy dessert.

Bon appetit!

Bastille Day Dinner Menu

Mediterranean Olive Medley

White Wine – Etienne Boileau Chablis Premier Cru Grand Vin de Bourgogne, 2007 from French Country Wines

Seared Duck Breasts with Fig Sauce 

Zucchini Gratin* The notes section of this recipe suggests that you can make these ahead and then rewarm them in the over just prior to serving.  Don’t do it.  Although you will be slaving at the stove while your guests are chit-chatting, you need to make these immediately before you want to serve them.  Right out of the pan they are crispy and light, but when rewarmed they become heavy and lose a lot of their flavor.

Baguette

Red wine – Terrasses Chateau Pesquie 2006 Cotes du Ventoux

Dinner is served!

Cheese Course

Gorgonzola with fresh pear, sliced very thin, brie d’affinois, goat cheese with honey, served with pretzels (pretzels?  Yes, I know.  Sounds almost like bar food.  The cheese maiden at Central Market suggested it, and it was outstanding.  The crisp, saltiness of the pretzels contrasted with the smooth, sweet, creaminess of the honeyed chevre.  Mmmm. )

Dessert & Cafe

Chaussons aux Pommes – This recipe takes up three pages in my cookbook.  Find it here**

Bon appetit!  Jamie toasts, “Vive la France!  Vive l’amitie!”  (Long live France!  Long live friendship!)

                                             
The Fourth of July usually involves meat and a hot grill but we decided to do something different this year. With the summer heating up to over 100 degrees by noon the grill is not exactly the place we want to hang out.

So we decided to cool our 4th of July down with some amazingly easy dishes that will spark an East Coast Vibe for your Red, White and Blue Holiday!

We couldn’t think of anything more American & East Coast than the famous Lobster Roll Sandwich!
I tend to be more of a purist when it comes to the Lobster Roll. I don’t want to add to much to the mixture since it would overpower the flavor of a sweet lobster. So try out our Lobster Roll  for your 4th of July. Also I love the fact that the buns have a dual purpose here.  For the kids we served the buns up with hot dogs which made this an easy meal to accommodate adults and kids.

Going with our Red, White and Blue Theme we experimented a bit and came up with a our newest creation Blue Cheese Fritters that are an adaptation of rice balls. Add a green salad with a lemon vinaigrette and your food menu is complete.  To finish this off set up a number 3 bucket with ice, beer and wine and you are so set for your holiday. Grab some sparklers and set out for the fun!

Guest Post by Emily Shearer, author of Kitchen Mission

I might have written a cookbook, but I do not consider myself a foodie.
I mean, hey, I like prosciutto just as much as the next girl, but I would like it better if you dipped it in buttermilk and fried it first, then served it sprinkled with Parmesan alongside some Crunch ‘n’ Munch and a glass of Chardonnay!

In seventh grade, I wrote an essay entitled “What Thanksgiving Means to Me” and listed Funyuns as the key ingredient in the feast.
But I have come a ways since my Funyun days. I can whip up a batch of pesto that will knock your socks off. Grilled pork with green onions and plums, homemade pies with pastry crust flakier than Kate Hudson. I make my own bread crumbs, but I am no gourmet. When I throw a party, my friends rave about my brownies and Lemon Squares. They’re simple and pure and outrageously good.

I have a strong sense of tradition, a heaping helping of Southern hospitality, and an open door policy like the Sunny D mom.
We throw dinner parties, Super Bowl parties, holiday parties and birthday parties. We are regular party animals over here, but dammit, no matter how many parties I throw, they never look like the pages in an O magazine spread.

So, admittedly, my sugar cookies and Easter eggs never look like Martha Stewart’s, but more like Martha’s neighbor’s kids’. The last time I baked cupcakes, the creamy, buttery vanilla goodness got lost under the canned frosting and the wrappers printed with footballs and baseballs. Had I but whipped up a batch of homemade icing, swaddled them in pastel crepe paper and served them on a painted, antique tray, I think I would have earned a few more detail points for elegance and panache.

Like my parties, recipes, and my oddball style, they tell a story, my story. So remember when you are entertaining, make it genuine and stay true to yourself, and embrace your personal style no matter how oddball it is.

And who doesn’t need that these days!

This is one of my small indulgences that is a real treat. They are called carmel wafers or “stroopwafel ”. They originate from Gouda (think cheese) in the Netherlands. A stroopwafel (syrup waffle) by defination is a waffle that is made from two thin layers of baked batter filled with caramel. My favorite one is by Daelmans.

They are great with a mug of warm coffee.

All you have to do is take the carmel wafer out of the package, put it on top of your coffee mug to warm up the carmel on the inside. After about 2-3 minutes (depening on how hot your coffee is) the carmel wafer is ready to eat. 

The uses are endless

I have used them to make ice cream sandwiches, topped them with mousse and fruit. I have even layered these wafers in cakes and crumbled them for toppings. They also make a great addition to a gift basket filled with goodies.

Front of package

Back of Package

Warming up!

It’s January the month of goals

And one of our goals at OpMom is to host a social every month that is
Inspiring, Educational, and Fun! If you are in the Houston area and love discovering great wines, come join us!

The “January Social” will be a wine tasting at French Country Wines along with some great giveaways!

About French Country Wines

Phyllis and Tim Smith, the owners of French Country Wines, have found a way to combine the best aspects of discovering and enjoying great French wine. Several years ago, they decided to leave successful white collar careers to chase a shared passion for wine and build a better kind of wine importing business – one that caters to what I’d call “frugal enthusiasts.” That’s people like me who appreciate great wine and the regions it comes from, and know that price isn’t always an indicator of quality.

They work almost exclusively with smaller chateaus and boutique vineyards in France, and as direct importers with personal relationships, they are able to bring over some of the most amazing wines we have ever tried.

You’ll get great stories and a intimate sense of the people and region that produced these memorable wines. Better yet, because there is no middleman you get an unbeatable price for quality. In fact, most of these wines have never been imported to the United States before. So if you can’t make it to France anytime soon to see the wine country this is the next best thing. Check out The French Country Wine Tour.

Details

Venue: Wine Tasting with Light Appetizers
Date: Tuesday, January 27th, 2009
Time: 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Location: French Country Wines
2433 Bartlett Street (right next to Goode Company on Kirby)
Houston, TX 77098

*Please RSVP by commenting here on this post something like “I’m Coming to the wine event” or you can email me at carrie(at)opmom(dot)com

p.s. Tim can sell directly to you so if you fall in love with something there you can take a bottle or 2 home with you ~ Santé!

Fantastic Giveaways:

-Mom Agenda from Nine Maternity
-Malcolms Miracle Hand & Body Lotion
-A Ticket to the Mom 2.0 Summit February of 2009
-A bottle of Wine from French Country Wines

Picking out wine for Thanksgiving can be tricky.

The table is full of robust and sweet flavors. So let’s take a look at our options for a Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner.

Champagne or Sparkling Wine Pick a Champagne or sparkling that is not completely dry. Look for the label “extra dry,” which is just a little softer than a “brut”, with fuller fruit flavors that will pair wonderfully with your holiday meal. A brut, which is what I prefer doesn’t serve this type of meal well. It’s a bit like drinking orange juice after you brushed your teeth. I would go with a Piper Heidsieck Extra Dry Champagne, Moet Chandon White Star Extra Dry, or a Sparkling Chandon Extra Dry

White Wines I believe that Chardonnay is one of the BEST to pair with a turkey and sides. I would choose a full-bodied, ripe, fruity Chardonnay from France, California, or Australia. These wine will serve well from the appetizers through the meal. Now if you aren’t a fan then of Chardonnay and prefer something lighter then go for a Riesling from Washington State.

Rosé Wines
It’s true that dry rosé wines go well with almost any dish, and with so many flavors on the table at Thanksgiving, rosé can be a great choice. If your taste runs to drier wines (mine certainly do), a rosé from the Cotes du Rhone or Provence regions in France will be light, crisp, and flavorful, but won’t overpower the meal.I’m personally not a fan of Californina Rosé BUT the the ones from Cotes du Rhone or Provence or simply amazing and you should definitely give it shot. It isn’t sweet and cheap, it is a classy bottle of wine.

Red Wines For red you have a couple of options. A Beaujolais Nouveau from the Burgundy region of France complements Thanksgiving fare and it can be enjoyed slightly chilled and work for those who favor white wines. An aged version of Beaujolais will be smoother and more aromatic.
One of my favorites is a Red Cotes du Rhone from France’s Rhone Valley. My favorite and popular choice from this area is by *Châteauneuf-du-Pape*.

*Hostess Notes* When hosting I always start off with a Sparkling or Champagne. Then I move to both red and white understanding that some people prefer one or the other. For Thanksgiving I like to offer a dry French Rosé as an option instead of white or red since it seems to pair so nicely with a Traditional Thanksgiving Meal.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving this year. Blessings to you all and Happy Entertaining!
P.S. come back and let us know what wines you enjoyed with your Thanksgiving Dinner!
 

I love The Celebration Shoppe’s Birthday Party Ideas because they are cute and affordable!

They have so many adorable designs and themes to choose from. But wait it gets better because they have secret sauce involved.

I love the Pirate Skull Invitation, Pirate Ship invitation , and The Princess Invitation. But what I found to be the best about their birthday party themes is that you can purchase the entire setup from The Celebration Shoppe. It’s like Birthdays to go or something. They have everything you need all bundled up into a theme which means you are not driving all over town trying to find items that match.

Here’s how the process works (the secret sauce)
Step 1: Pick a theme and get your custom invites ordered
Step 2: After you pick your theme add items such as plates, napkins, utensils, cups, candles, cookie cutter, table cloth, centerpiece and goodie bag items.
Step 3: Next, head straight over to the planning and idea center for that theme (this one is for the princess party). Every theme has it’s own planning and ideas center.

This is such a great way to plan your next party because they have all the ideas right there for you. It’s like having an assistant for planning your next gathering and I know we could all use some of that!

I love putting together festive celebrations and I am a firm believer that it starts with the invitation. That is why I am so excited to tell you about 
The Celebration Shoppe. They are perfect for finding the most adorable supplies you need to complete your birthdays, baby /  bridal showers, & holiday parties.

The Celebration Shoppe offers:
• Custom invitations
• Cool and creative party décor at affordable prices.
• Option to order a minimum of 8 invites, and then increments of 1 from
there. (Now you don’t have to pay for 25 invites when you only need 10)
• Super organized and easy online ordering

The Celebration Shoppe Story
Like all great concepts Celebration Shoppe was created out of the frustrations of a very busy new mom planning a First Birthday. Running all over town trying to pull it all together and not being pleased with what was offered on-line,
Kim Byers decided to change that. Kim created a stylish online party shoppe. Not only did Kim want to offer cool designs and fun décor, but ideas. Lots and lots of ideas for baking, crafts, and party favors for some very unique themes.

Party Chat with the Experts
Hosting a party? Need ideas? Or just having touble finding original party favors? You can have access to expert advice first hand. The Celebration Shoppe has a MomCircle you can join on OpMom.com called
Party Chat with the Experts. When you join the group you are also automatically entered to win personalized invitations with coordinating table décor. (Maximum value $75) You must join by November 10th, 11:59 p.m. CST.  

Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year. For the last 2 Halloweens we have been sticking to a Harry Potter/ Hogwarts theme that has been a lot of fun. I love having people over to the house and cooking up some amazing treats to share.  My Menu for the festive night begins with a Baked Brie that is to die for, then my Minestrone Soup Recipe that has been handed down for generations that I call my Witches Brew for this night.

I also make yummy Halloween Sandwiches that I bake into the shape of snakes, and then we make Chocolate Frogs out of candy frog molds and Pumpkin Pasties that are delish. I also make a Cake with Nutella frosting and decorate it with candy corns or you can have a baker decorate one up for you like I did for my son’s Harry Potter Birthday Party.

The best part about following a theme is being able to transform your home into it.

For the Harry Potter/Hogwarts theme
I use anything that looks gothic or like it belongs in a castle. I also have props to help me out like white owls, silver birds, the sorting hat, Professor McGonagall’s hat, wands and the nimbus 2000.  With those props I set them up around the house and it makes for a beautiful transformation.

Can you believe it has already been 10 years since Harry Potter was released!?  Scholastic hosted an all-day readathon to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Here are some pictures from the event. Harry Potter 10th Anniversary

Motherhood, business ownership, and wifely-hood.
All great parts of my life, but occasionally mama needs a glass of wine. One of my favorite sites is Women & Wine – our friend Julie Brosterman has created a great community at Women & Wine that brings women together in the appreciation of all things wine – great finds, cool products, and the best in wine travel and “experiences” (vinotherapy spa treatments, anyone?).

Yoga in a wine glass!
Julie has a presentation she gives called “Yoga in a Glass.” I haven’t seen it presented yet, but I adore the title alone. I can picture it… my morning Yoga on the mat… and evening Yoga on the placemat. I love it. And I’ll definitely have more on Julie and her site in a later post.

But today, we’re all about Champagne, folks.
As a part of my OpMom webcast series, I recently visited with Tim Smith of French Country Wines about the differences between Champagne and “sparkling wines.” What I wanted to better understand was the quintessential question with Champagne and (decent) sparkling wine, which is how to find good quality at a good price. This involves much more than just reading the latest Wine Spectator review and proving that we know 91 is a higher and presumably better number than 88. Over at www.opmom.com, the moms in our “Matter of Taste” MomCircle group often discuss this issue, so we decided to consult an expert.

Since I love the bubbly but I’m also budget conscious when buying wine, it’s great to get some tips on how to shop and what types of bargains I can look for. And then there’s the issue of what to choose. Most people get very un-adventurous with wine over time and stick to wines they know, because nothing is worse than spending your hard-earned money on a total guess or grocery store employee recommendation. If you find yourself looking at an overpriced wine menu at a restaurant, the situation only gets more frustrating. So, it helps to know what the labels signify, and how to get the most for your dollar when choosing these great but often pricey wines.

Bubbly isn’t just for big celebrations.
So check out the video below, and remember: You can celebrate a quiet Tuesday evening. Every now and then, I’ll have a glass while hanging out with my husband as we watch the kids run around outside. Another great day completed, healthy & happy kids… you know, that’s enough for me to celebrate!

Watch the show below, and be sure to leave comments! PS – any complaints about the annoying “Pop-Up” style text overlay should be addressed to John!