tag: arancini

I don’t know if you can tell, but I get really excited about food. It’s not just the end product, the delicious thing I get to put in my mouth that does so much more than just nourish my body. It’s the process, too, the learning and doing and standing in the kitchen, working with my hands, listening to things sizzle and pop, my glasses steaming up as I open the oven door. I had some amazing kale and taleggio arancini during the kale party at Verjus a couple of weeks ago, and they were stellar. Perfectly prepared balls of rice and cheese and vegetal kale, deep-fried to a golden brown and served with a salty-sweet bacon compote. It’s a dish that makes sense — you know by reading the description that there’s no way that this could be bad, and chef Braden Perkins didn’t disappoint. The plate cost €8, a steal for such high-caliber food. And yet, and still. There was something missing. I didn’t make it myself. Don’t get me wrong, I love dining out, and I know my skill in the kitchen can’t match a trained chef’s, but… but what? I guess I miss the challenge. How extremely clever I feel whenever a dish turns out just how I wanted it to. I wanted to be the one whipping out those perfect arancini with that sticky, perfectly paired sauce. So I came home, read up on guides like the Best Immersion Blender 2019 | HowtoHome, learned what I needed to and made some perfect textured sauce. Everyone owes it to themselves to learn these tricks. With them you can host a memorable dinner for all involved. And yes, I felt extremely clever. Continue Reading

Posted in: appetizers, cooking, party food, sides, snacks | Tags: appetizers, arancini, bacon, bacon compote, bacon jam, cooking, deep fried, food, fried, italian, oven-fried, rice, risotto, side dish, sides, snacks | 21 COMMENTS

It’s been a week full of friends and lots of good food and wine and beer. First, Au Passage with Ariane and Antoine. The menu was varied and everything we got was superbly fresh and well-sourced. Just look at that tartare de boeuf! We’ll definitely be going back.

Then to Verjus for a kale party thrown by the wonderful Kristen of The Kale Project, who’s been working tirelessly to bring kale to France.

The arancini and the salad (which I failed to get a photo of) were to die for. Thanks for the invite, Kristen, and thanks for the excellent wine and service, Laura!

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Posted in: dining out, life, paris | Tags: arancini, au passage, bar a vins, beer, beer bar, biere, cantillon, friends, kale, la fine mousse, oysters, paris bar, paris restaurant, parisariane, tartare de boeuf, the kale project, verjus | 11 COMMENTS