May 7, 2010 by Rosa Jackson
I was pleasantly surprised to discover Pramil with Rosa Jackson and Paule Caillat for a tasty dinner of refreshingly delicious, and reasonably priced French fare and excellent company. Pramil is a tiny bistro tucked away on a small side street in the hip Arts and Metiers neighborhood of Paris. I’m already plotting my return and thanks to Rosa’s great write up, I can re-live the savors and the experience until I’m able to find my way there again! — Erica.
When it comes to restaurants, I’m not really that demanding. I want the basic ingredients to be seasonal and good. I want the cooking to show restraint: nothing puts me off more than an overly complicated plate. And I want the chef to have a heart that shines through in the food.
Sounds simple, right? Yet these three elements come together more rarely than you might think, even in Paris. That’s why a recent meal at Pramil felt so refreshing.
Rosa Jackson
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Posted in Food, Tours and Classes | 2 Comments »
March 8, 2010 by Tory Hoen
It’s easy to eat well in Paris, but to truly eat like a local is a whole different endeavor. At the heart of the Parisian culinary experience are the city’s markets, and eating like a Parisian means knowing where to get the “best” of everything—the freshest produce, the most interesting wines, the best baguettes, the most unique specialty products. The preparation of a perfect at-home meal is a nuanced process that involves the assembly of carefully selected puzzle pieces—not to mention the actual cooking, plating, presentation and consumption rituals.
Luckily, there is a short-cut in the form of Paule Caillat’s Promenades Gourmandes: personalized culinary excursions that allow anyone—from novices to gourmands—to access the pleasures of French home-cooking done right. Continue Reading »
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January 6, 2010 by Tory Hoen
I spent Christmas of 2008 in Paris, strolling along the glittering boulevards, ducking in and out of specialty shops, sampling seasonal foods, and fueling myself with vin chaud. It was utterly magical, and while there’s no substitute for a real Christmas in France, Rosa Jackson and Paule Caillat managed to re-create the culinary splendor for a lucky few this December when they crossed the Atlantic to host a 2-day workshop at the Culinary Loft in New York.
Photos: Foodnetwork.com and Deliciousdays.com
The two sessions (“Christmas in Provence” and “Christmas in Paris”) entailed the preparation—and enthusiastic consumption—of a variety of traditional holiday foods from these two parts of France. I was lucky enough to be invited to the Provence workshop, where I learned how to knead, whisk and poach like a pro, all while enjoying the company of the group—replete with Francophiles and gourmands—that turned out for the workshop.
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Posted in Food, HiP Recipes, Tours and Classes | 3 Comments »
November 27, 2009 by Tory Hoen
As the holidays approach, why not brush up on some new cooking techniques that will wow your guests and provide a little variety to your holiday menus. If you can make it to New York City on December 13 or 14, we have two French-inspired cooking workshops you won’t want to miss.
Our Provence-based friend Rosa Jackson (of Edible Adventures) will be teaming up with popular French chef Paule Caillat (owner of the Promenades Gourmandes cooking school in Paris), to share their regional cuisines with home cooks on this side of the Atlantic. Friends and collaborators, the two will teach participants a variety of recipes from their “home” towns (Nice and Paris) and will feature a powerful trifecta of ingredients: olive oils, truffles and sea salt. The women will infuse traditional recipes with modern flair—truffles will make their way into savory madeleines, olive oil will enrich desserts, and sea salt will add Mediterranean flavor to colorful vegetable dishes. Continue Reading »
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October 1, 2009 by Haven in Paris
Guest blogger Rosa Jackson (one of our favorite France-based foodies and author of Edible Adventures) shares some insight into the art of the mirabelle–in season right now!
Photo: RosaJackson.com
Text by Rosa Jackson
When summer decides that it’s over in the south of France, it doesn’t fool around. For a few days last week, it was as if someone with a wicked sense of humor was aiming a giant fire hose at the city of Nice. Local artist Sylvie T.’s mother, who delights in chatting with passers-by in front of her Old Town gallery, put it more poetically. “In Nice it doesn’t rain; it’s the sun that’s crying.”
The tomatoes are no longer as sweet, eggplants are on their way out and peaches are ancient history (even if there are still some impostors at the market stalls), but unlike the capricious sun, I’m still finding reasons to stay cheerful. First among these are mirabelles, little yellow plums with a pink blush that appear at the market for no more than six weeks every year. I first spotted them this year at the Paris markets in early September, and was not surprised to see them pop up in various guises wherever I turned: when a fruit has a season this brief, no cook can resist it. Continue Reading »
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