Food | Keep Calm & Carry On

Stuff dreams are made of

this weekend is gruyere pretzels at street fairs, reading in my air-conditioned cocoon of an apartment, and floaty fabrics + cutoffs . . .

. . . isn’t that floral acne shirt divine?

KC&CO,

Bessie

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Oh, look what you’ve done

janne peters’ food photography . . .

what a beautiful, delicious-looking mess.

KC&CO,

Bessie

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lunched on the yummiest rock shrimp and miso-marinated black cod this weekend (might make it myself some time using this surprisingly simple recipe.) much love for restaurant bon, but ny certainly wins out over paris when it comes to nom noms in the asian fusion category.

now, all i need is a place that’s even mildly as creative as luxirare when it comes to presentation. below, her three translations of the always-delicious-always-boring spicy tuna roll . . .

{fried spicy tuna in a bonito, mirin, and soy sauce}

{spicy tuna burgers with lotus root fries}

{spicy tuna falafel}

KC&CO,

Bessie

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Cook the book

these illustrated recipes from they draw and cook are the cutest. have a happy weekend!

KC&CO,

Bessie

Comfort food

hello, hello! i spent the weekend moving into my new apartment and i’m now reporting live from the heart of manhattan’s east village. while scoping out the area yesterday, i stumbled upon S’MAC on e 12th st. between 1st and 2nd avenues. S’MAC specializes in macaroni and cheese- 12 different varieties, with an additional “build your own” option. it’s basically an answer to my wildest, fattest dreams. S’MAC’s dangerously close proximity to my apartment ensures that i’ll be trying the Parisienne with “creamy Brie, roasted figs, roasted shiitake mushrooms & fresh rosemary,” or the La Mancha with “flavorful Manchego cheese accented by fresh fennel and onions” sometime in the very near future. in the meantime, i’ll devour these photos from serious eats’ “the best macaroni and cheese in new york” feature (yes, S’MAC made the list) . . .

KC&CO,

Bessie

Empire state of mind

these photographs from jewels of new york are fresh from the farmer’s market. . .

{pickled ramps and cured meat on fresh baguette}

{spring breakfast tart of bacon, eggs, asparagus and arugula flowers}

{chocolate-covered mixed berries}

{caramelized fennel and tomato flatbread}

. . . ahem. i know what i’m doing this weekend.

KC&CO,

Bessie

Up, Up, and Away

what better way to spend a quiet sunday night than bellinis and birthday celebrations at kong?

perched at the top of the LVMH building, this so-trendy-it-hurts restaurant lived up to my expectations. apparently it made an appearance in the last episode of sex and the city; according to someone at my table, it’s smaller than it looked on the show. i’ve never really gotten into satc so i can’t confirm, but i liked the intimate feel of the small-ish space. other highlights included the kitschy philippe starck decor, my amazing dessert (a pear and puff pastry confection with caramel whipped cream,) and the glass ceiling that allowed for gorgeous panoramic views. reservations can get tricky thursday through saturday, but the sunday-night ambiance was positively peaceful.

kong

1 rue pont neuf, 75001 paris

tele. 01 40 390 900

KC&CO,

Bessie

Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This

since my arrival in paris, i’ve made it my personal mission to find the best croissant in the city. i know they’re simple, but i love how a great croissant’s delicately flaky exterior contrasts with its buttery, light-as-air center. anyways, as a result of my search for the perfect croissant, i’ve hit up about a billion boulangeries (bakeries,) while somewhat neglecting the innumerable pâtisseries (pastry shops.)

this weekend, i was wandering around the 7th arrondissement when i stumbled upon Philippe Conticini’s aptly-named “La Pâtisserie des Rêves,” or “The Pastry Shop of Dreams.” the shop’s cheerfully-colored interior (lime green! orange! pink lemonade-pink!) drew me in, and upon entering, i was surprised to find glass bells suspended from the ceiling, each holding a single pastry. customers order from the display, and their selections are delivered fresh from the kitchen!

i ended up going with a seemingly-simple pain au gourmand. the texture was incredible: if a bread roll and a slice of cake were to mate, i imagine that the result would be similar. it was lightly flavored with cocoa and hazelnuts, with a sprinkle of coarse sugar on top. sigh.