At Home with Kim Vallee

CAKES and baked goods, ENTERTAINING | October 13, 2009

Stylish Fruit Pastry Skewers by Fou de goût

I wish the fruity fine pastry skewers by Fou de goût were available in Canada. They would be awesome for the dessert table I am preparing for my husband’s 40th birthday party. Can you believe that these marvelous fruit pastries are available at the frozen counters at Monoprix? Once again, it shows the big gap in [...]

HOME + GARDEN, HOME decor | August 14, 2009

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Jazzing Up the Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers typically comes in red or white. Because they are not the most decorative items, many are tempted to put them in a closet. This is a big mistake. It has to be easily accessible in case of emergency. One French company called Fire Design makes it easier for us to hang in style our [...]

DINING, FOOD + drinks | July 29, 2009

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Save Time with the Frozen Gourmet Food at Gastronomia

I was invited for a tasting at Gastronomia that are located here in Montreal. Since 1998, they sell to upscale hotels, restaurants, bars and caterers across the United States and Canada.. What’s best is that they now operate a warehouse store open to the public. Most of their products are imported from France. This is high [...]

ENTERTAINING, OUTDOOR entertaining | July 16, 2009

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Summer Menu Inspired by La Tartine Gourmande

I am huge fan of Bea from La Tartine Gourmande. She always inspired me to cook. Plus, looking at her pictures is always a delight. I wish to cook something tasty, healthy (meaning with vegetables) and fast to prepare tonight. I found what I will be making when I saw the appetizing Spaghetti with arugula and [...]

CAKES and baked goods, ENTERTAINING | July 14, 2009

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Cones and Trees of Macarons by Dalloyau

Le Jour de la Bastille, July 14th, calls for a French delicacy. You probably remember the macaron towers of Paulette that I talked last week. It is nice for a birthday. For special occasions that require a more polished look, I suggest these creations by Dalloyau. Since we do not live in France, you must [...]

CAKES and baked goods, ENTERTAINING | July 6, 2009

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Tired of Cupcakes? Get a Macaron Tower for your Next Party

I absolutely adore the five tiered tower of Paulette Macarons that holds 60 assorted macarons. In case you do not know him, Christophe Michalak is one of the most renowned pastry chefs. Modern version When Laduree reinvented the macaron at the start of the 20th century, they could not anticipate that their creations would be so popular [...]

DINING, EATING out | June 30, 2009

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Chez Papa in San Francisco | Restaurant Review

This is a delicious French restaurant in San Francisco with a beautiful quiet terrace, set on a plaza not far from Blue Bottle Coffee. I am showing you the lunch we ate on the terrace of Chez Papa on Mint Plaza last Monday. My Grilled Arctic Char with Fingerling Potatoes, Capers, Lemon and Brown Butter was [...]

ENTERTAINING, TABLESCAPE | June 24, 2009

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Tabletop and Party Favor Accessories by L’Atelier Modele

I am responding to my interior designer friend Jennifer Mitchell of Design Hole who spotlighted these French-made tabletop accessories having me in mind. She was looking for an excuse to throw a party. This concept was developed by L’Atelier Modele. Every product from Lajolitable series would add a festive touch to your table on any occasions [...]