Chef Amy Ferguson's Travel Blog

Home for the Holidays...

Funny, I am home, but I have been homesick. I ask why and for what? Home is where I am. We all carry home with us or do we?

I remember when I began this trip to Paris, I caught myself saying I'm going home... I have been left with numerous thoughts about why I would; one, think of Paris as home and; two, why would I feel homesick now. I think I figured it out.

The first time I went to Paris it was at 15 with my Mom. My mom has since passed to another realm. I like to say she is on her world tour. It was mom's dream to have an European education but WW2 preempted it. So, you might say I fulfilled a portion of that dream for her by going to school in France. I was and am still very close to my Mom. You may or may not relate. Surely there is that special connection you have with someone who is always nearby in a thought. I think I went home to Paris to find mom. Odd to think it was my turn, I was mom with Nick in tow. It was very much like my first trip...so much so that there were things I meant to accomplish while there that never happened.

Moving on...homesick. The more I look at it the more I understand. Most of our time there involved family, family gatherings, meals, trips, activities...it was not my normal life. My life is as far removed from family as any other empty nester business owning person without a spouse or significant other...I work, seldom socialize and find myself dining alone most always. Don't get me wrong, that's the life I created...but it dawned on me how important family is and if you or someone else doesn't take the time to pull the troops together there is no family. Mothers are good about that. I know my mom kept things and us in order especially around the holidays...I know my job now and have fully embraced it.

Just coming off this "homesick" feeling I have decided to create as much family feeling in my life as possible...beginning at my little restaurant O's. Thanks to Jessica reminding me how I am surrounded by family.

My extended O's family is 30 strong, not to forget all of our loyal clients and newcomers. Jessica my friend and the GM of our restaurant, the staff and I began by decorating O's for the holidays, then Jess helped me pick out my Christmas tree. She picked a beauty! While looking for ornaments I came across all of my cookie cutters, so I decided to make a Christmas cookie party and then I had the great idea to reach out to the community and advertise our O's Bistro's Christmas Cookie Contest with prizes and all...you have to have prizes after all I bet we get to taste a lot of great cookies...my family is growing see how this works...Call me crazy, then I called up my ex-husband and asked him to invite all of his family, their families and I added a few of my friends (since my family is in Texas and my 2 brothers aren't talking to one another, even at Christmas) to Christmas Dinner at my house. Nick will be home from school and he will have his driver's license so he will not only be a big help, but will get to see all of his family and friends...Our family continues to grow with the addition of our O's family New Year's Day party upon the Fairwind's cruise...we are off that day...all we have to do is rest and relax together laughing, swimming, snorkeling and just enjoying ourselves...

Well, as you can probably tell, I am not homesick anymore. I have a lot of "home" to enjoy. I must say this to Frank and Michelle, thank you for helping me find home again by making me and Nick a part of yours. After all home is where we find it within each of us, it is in our hearts. I'm home...

Happy Holidays...here's my favorite Christmas sweet, my mom's fudge. Please make it and make your own innovations by using different chocolates, flavorings, dried fruits and nuts...

Mom's Fudge

12 oz.   Chocolate (your preference, mom always used semi sweet)

14oz     Eagle Brand Condensed Milk

1 Tbsp. Butter, unsalted

1tsp.    vanilla extract

2 cups  Powdered Sugar (10x)

1 cup   Nuts (mom used pecans)

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler. Add milk. Cook until thick. Cool to room temperature add remaining ingredients.

Spoon fudge in small bite size spoonfuls onto waxed paper or parchment. Allow it to dry firm to touch, not rock hard.

Tricks: don't over cook! Mix sugar in thoroughly until the appearance is satiny. Don't spend too much time spooning out or fudge will get hard. If you don't dry the fudge will mildew, especially in this climate.

That's it so go out and experiment...Yes they packaged mixes...but why buy them when you have the b est fudge recipe and it's this easy to do.

In addition I want to share Maria's Shortbread cookie dough recipe...it is very versatile...Jess says it's very close to my favorite French cookie the Sable which is a shortbread...but there is a flavoring I need to add to make it exact and I have yet to find it. I will post it shortly... Meanwhile here's a Madeleine Cookie recipe

Madeleines:
10 tablespoons (6 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch salt
6 tablespoons sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter 2 madeleine pans (with 12 molds each) using 2 tablespoons of the melted butter, and set the pans aside.

Combine the eggs, sugar, and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water and stir constantly. Once the ingredients are warmed through and the sugar has dissolved, remove the bowl from the heat. Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture until it is pale yellow, light, and slightly thickened. Fold in the sifted flour, remaining butter, and lemon zest.

Use a small spoon to drop a generous tablespoonful of batter into each mold of the prepared pans. Bake until the batter is set like a cake and golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Release the madeleines from the pans and cool on a parchment paper lined cooling rack.

Yield: 24 cookies

Lost in Paris…

November 16 to 20

Lost in Paris…four days later and I emerge from a blur of metro stations, monuments, museums, cafes and markets… This is a Paris I don’t remember. It’s modern. After all, 31 years ago I spent most of my time as a student in and around the 7e…not being a tourist. I am busy trying to show Nick, my 16-year-old son Paris for his first time. We find ourselves strolling into small souvenir shops looking for shot glasses with the Eiffel Tower engraved on it for his Russian school friend or instead of couturier on the rue de Rivoli….we are shopping for Bob Marley patches and wall hangings on the Champs Elysées…interestingly enough these items have been easy to find…I don’t remember Paris being this commercial nor for that matter this filled with tourist…many of them are French who have come to see the sights…

Walking is still my preferred method of getting around town. However the RER Red Line is a great way to reach the outskirts of the city. Seine St. Denis is the district where Nick and I are the guests of Frank and Michelle Lodinzski, Jessica’s mom and dad. They live in a charming home surrounded by beautiful gardens and with a kitchen equipped as well as only found in commercial restaurant. They have a passion for food and cooking. I have been dazzled by the variety of preparation that spans numerous countries… Simply put it has been by far my best food experience in France. Here’s just a few menu items for thought….Golobki (stuffed cabbages),Moules Frites , then next day Mussels in Garlic Sauce, Poached sole, and prawns in a light lemon hollandaise filled puff pastry with braised endive and courgette and carrot custard, next day for lunch we had a well marbled Beef Carpaccio with shaved Parmesan and an incredible Penne Arabiata spiced with Harissa and lots of my favorite…garlic. I never knew I was a fan of raw oysters until now…Normandy Oysters with Balsamic Mignonette, Sea Urchin straight from the shell…  and Frank’s hand thrown Pizza…better than any I have found stateside…these are just a few of the items Nick and I have happily consumed.

Touring the markets with Michelle is an education. I must admit while I am excited to see all of the overwhelming choices, I am a bit sad there are few places in the US that have this sort of variety of seafood, produce, meats, cheese, breads…not New York nor San Francisco can compare. And I am only talking about the variety found at a local Farmer’s Market on Sunday morning in this quaint town Of SSD.

 

Highlights:

Paris: Musée d’Orsay (don’t forget to stop by their café for a bite…it’s beautiful and the food and wine selections is surprising for a museum café), Stroll down Champs Elysées, Around the Arc de Triomphe, Trocadéro, Père – Lachaise tombs of Chopin, Sarah Bernhardt, Jim Morrison of the Doors and various tourist sites not to forget Nick’s shopping spree at Galeries Lafayette…and a regrettable forgettable Fauchons…what did they do to that once landmark shop?

Champagne: The caves at Moet et Chandon…lunch at a country restaurant featuring Pate Maison, Coq au Vin with Agatha Whipped Potatoes and Chanterelles…yummy! Last but far from least, our spontaneous drop in on  René Geoffroy to taste not only his champagne Brut Rosé but try his Cumieres Rouge. His dessert wine Rafiata (I have to check my spelling is a great alternative to a dessert Sauterne)

Farmer's Market: Potatoes...here's just a few; Ratte, Pompodour, Le Charlotte, Amendine, La Belle de Fontenay, Mona Lisa, Agatha....a pink one I have forgotten it's name...there are more of course. The shallots: Cuisse de Poulet (the real shallot/ mildest), Grey shallot (spiciest) and our common shallot (medium spice)

My greatest pleasure has been being Michelle and Frank's guest...talk about 5 star treatment! Merci beau coup, mon Ami's

In tribute to my friend Michelle who always sets a proper table, makes every dinner a party while making it look easy, I givee you her recipe for a fast yet fabulous Penne Arabiata.

Penne Arabiata

Fry a generous amount (lots) of sliced garlic cloves in a flavorful fruity olive oil until the garlic is golden (not burned). Add Good canned Italian Whole Tomatoes that were previously pureed. Add Harissa (chili pepper sauce) to taste (start with a tablespoon..then add more if desired). Season with salt (Fleur de sel / the top layer harvested from sea salt). Simmer until tomatoes no longer taste raw and garlic has infused sauce. Simply boil Penne pasta until it is al dente. Drain and serve hot in a pasta bowl with the heated Arabiata sauce on the side with Parmesan Regianno.  Frank and Michelle served this after a beautiful beef carpaccio laced with good olive oil and shaved Parmesan...crusty french bread is a must to satisfactorily sop up any remaining sauce in the bowl....

Bon Appetit

A walk down memory lane...Paris 31 years ago.

Aloha

I am still in Kona preparing for my long awaited return to France. It's been 31 years since I left Paris. Bright eyed and full of ambition. My dream of becoming a chef could only manifest if I were to return home to Texas to put to use everything  I had absorbed as a student living in the 7e. Looking back, 17 and living in Paris...it was so "Sabrina". I was 8 maybe 9 when I knew I wanted to be a chef. I loved  to cook for my family...later my friends...always from my heart. It was the my way of showing love to those special to me.

Back to Paris, I was 15 when my mom first took me to France and England to visit schools. Of course I would choose France for my studies only after promising my mom that I would major in art. She did not want me to be a "servant". Clearly a difference in generations. I respected her wishes and became intimate with the art of France, Spain and as well as the Dutch masters. 

My earlier years was spent reading Larousse Gastronomie, Ma Point (Fernand Point's story), Escoffier Cook book. My father thought I was a little different. When other kids were out playing I was sitting on the edge of my bed plowing through cookbooks. I could not get enough of it...I was hooked! It must have been from a past life after all a young girl living in Houston Texas, steak, BBQ, and Mexican food...not a lot of French cuisine. Never the less, the books allowed me to experiment and dream. It all seemed so easy..it came naturally to me.

As I prepare for my return to France, I am compelled to share my experiences with anyone interested. It will be on this journey that I re-visit my youth. I am taking my son Nick who is 16 along with me. He is about the age I was when I first saw Paris. I can't help but wonder how it will effect him. He loves art...now let's see just how much he loves it after I take him on one walking tour after the other of through the museums I studied in daily. This could prove to be a turning point for him. Or it may just be another trip with mom. 

Highlights to look forward to on our trip:

Release of the Beaujolais Nouveau (it will be released upon our arrival)

Champagne..the region and the wine!

The Markets

The Catacombs...

The TVG bullet train to London...the trip through the tunnel under the English Channel

and of course the museums, tombs and Brasseries

Daily Notes and photos will be posted to keep you informed of our travels in and out of Paris...

My favorite part will be retracing my steps when I was student; the cafes, la Caves, Quartier Latin, the artists scene, if I can find it...Gitanne / Gauloise filled cafes, the Tunisian bakeries ...

For now A bientot...