At Home with Kim Vallee

COOKING tools, DINING | August 27, 2009

The Bodum Bistro Toaster Does More Than Add Color to Your Kitchen

I guess that a lot of college students will ask this toaster as a housewarming gift. I totally understand the appeal. You know by now that I love bringing color into my home. It is not the first time that Bodum introduced color in an unusual but tasteful way. The Bistro Toasters is not just a [...]

DINING, FOOD + drinks | November 4, 2008

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My Picks on Tastespotting

+ Learn how to make your own no-knead European peasant bread. Pete of Pete-bakes.com used a recipe from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. You may recall that I reviewed the book. By the way, the blog for the book is called Artisan Bread in five. + For breakfast, try this Bread pudding baked in [...]

COOKBOOKS, DINING | September 28, 2008

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Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day | Book Review

The blogger behind Zoe Bakes, Zoe Francois is a professional baker who wrote a book about Artisan bread making. She wrote this book with Jeff Hertzberg. Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day contains nearly 100 no-knead bread recipes including French loaves, ciabbata, pita, and peasant bread. An imposing majority of the 158 reviewers on Amazon [...]

DINING, FOOD + drinks | April 28, 2007

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Follow up to my No-Knead Bread story

The Pain Maison from Eric Girard has many holes on it as you can see on the picture. You cannot compare this bread to the texture of a baguette; that is two different things. The recipe produces a rustic bread loaf with a crispy crust. Rustic bread is often better toasted, which makes this recipe perfect [...]

DINING, FOOD + drinks | April 27, 2007

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No knead bread 101: Michael Smith vs Olive & Gourmando baker home recipes

Bread machine and kneading are obsolete with the latest crave for no-knead bread recipe. Since the New York Times published an innovative No knead bread recipe last November adapted from Jim Lahey’s recipe at Sullivan Street Bakery, everyone made its own version. I discovered the technique a couple months ago while watching a TV series called [...]