Serge the Concierge

Red and Gold Chocolate Heart, Mother's Day 2013 at Henri Le Roux, France

Treat Mom to a red and gold chocolate heart

If you are lucky enough to be close to a Henri Le Roux Maitre Chocolatier boutique in Brittany or Paris.

Put Your Stamp on Your Boxed Culinary Creations with Papermash 'From the Kitchen of' Stamp Kit

Put Your Stamp on Your Boxed Culinary Creations with Papermash 'From the Kitchen of' Stamp Kit.

 

Alternatively it will be a great gift to any friend who spends her-his spare time coming up with culinary delights.

Kit sells for £16.99 GBP, Papermash is based in UK.

(* Image from Papermash website)

Trio of Laguiole Knives on Display in Toulouse-Minimes Hardware Store

I know that Laguiole now delivers its corkscrews and knives worldwide via FedEx from its Aubrac home yet I was surprised to see a trio of Laguiole knives on display in hardware store on Boulevard des Minimes in Toulouse.

Perfect for picnics to make a fresh sandwich with charcuterie, cheese and bread you bought a couple hours earlier.

NY-Nairobi RT for $1031, Houston-Johannesburg RT for $805, Africa's Calling with KLM Spring Fares

With a stop in Amsterdam on the way, KLM puts Africa on map of Spring getaways for U.S travelers.

I would be delighted to put Kiss a Girafe, Hop on a Matatu, 10 do's and don'ts of Nairobi by Mark Kaigwa which we published in February 2011 to the test with best round trip fares from New York to Nairobi around $1030.

Houston to Johannesburg is even cheaper at $805 round trip (best price).

Doing a test on KLM website, only flights listed from New York to Nairobi were from JFK even though I found similarly priced flights to Nairobi from Newark by KLM for similar prices on Google Flights...

Fares are publicized by KLM USA for purchase by April 10, 2013. Travel must include a Sunday stay and be completed by May 16, 2013.

(* Illustration above is Nairobi's fixture a Matatu by Kenyan photographer Mutua Matheka from Nairobi's 10 do's and don'ts )

Nest of Eggs Hatching Chocolates or is it Truffles for Easter at Paul A. Young, London

The nest of eggs full of chocolates (or is it truffles?) at Paul A. Young in London might not be the largest Easter treat you could think of yet I am sure its richness makes up for it.

If you are too far from London to get a hold of one of them, you can always start Easter sunday with 2 recipes by Paul A. Young, Venezuelan Chocolate Maple Pancakes or the Aztec Hot Chocolate both from Adventures in Chocolate (Kyle Books).

 

Chocolate Chicken Takes A Bath, Poule Mouillee from A La Mere de Famille, Paris

Would you trade a bagful of Peeps and other generic Easter candies for a chocolate chicken that takes a bath.

If you don't mind a late delivery, A La Mere de Famille, a unique Paris shop founded in 1761 has that very chocolate chicken in store with La Poule Mouillee, created by Julien Merceron for their Easter 2013 collection.

Not sure if 'label bleu' (blue label) is available only at Colette a store with more than fashion on its mind.

A giant version of the Poule Mouillee was in full display in Colette's window prior to an Easter egg hunt that A la Mere de Famille and Colette co-organized.

It took place in Jardin des Tuileries, in the afternoon of Wednesday, March 27.

(* Image of Poule Mouillee from A la Mere de Famille photo album on Facebook page)

Goldbely brings Lou Malnati's Chicago Deep Dish Pizza and Comeaux Louisiana Boudin to your Door

New York based startup Goldbely only ambition is to bring local American food stars to our door.

If you crave Lou Maltani's Deep Dish Pizza which was part of our Chicago 10 do's and don'ts,  Fra'Mani handcrafted Salumi straight from Republic of Berkeley, Boudin by Comeaux from Louisiana (not Lyon) or Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream from Columbus, Ohio whose recipe for Sweet Corn and Black Raspberry Ice Cream we shared back in July 2011, visit Goldbely.

Some items come with free shipping.

Giving credit where it's due I discovered Goldbely via GOOD...

(* Image above from Goldbely Facebook page)

Vegan Faux Leather Mustache Like Luggage Tags Add Distinction to Your Travel

Even men who don't sport a goatee, moustache or beard will be pleased with Mustache Like Luggage Tags brought to us by Kikkerland Design.

They add distinction to your travel and will make your luggage easy to spot on the airport baggage carousel.

Being vegan and faux leather will be a plus for vegetarians and vegans alike.

Its $8 price tag makes it a great small gift.

I originally discovered it via ModCloth who also sells it, for $9.99.

Mere Poule and its Baby Chicks, Pierre Marcolini 'Easter 2013' Edible Treats

La mere poule...

...And its baby chicks from Pierre Marcolini Easter 2013 collection of edible treats

Belgian chocolatier Pierre Marcolini also created a reproduction of a bell of Notre Dame La Cloche Maurice to celebrate the 850th anniversary of the cathedral.

Super Chocolaty Valentine's Day Homemade Gift, Chocolate Truffle Cookies from Dahlia Bakery Cookbook

Chocoholics will love you for it.

Bake them tonight, wrap these super chocolaty Chocolate Truffle Cookies from Dahlia Bakery Cookbook (William Morrow, Fall 2012) by Tom Douglas and Shelley Lance in the morning and you have a Valentine's Day homemade gift.

Chocolate Truffle Cookies With Crackly Crust

MAKES ABOUT 30 COOKIES (3 1⁄2 INCHES IN DIAMETER)

Packed with bittersweet chocolate, cocoa, and chocolate chips, super- chocolaty and soft with a crackled top, just one of these cookies will more than satisfy the cravings of any chocoholic. Whipping the batter well as you incorporate the eggs will give the cookies their characteristic crackly tops. But don’t overwork the batter after you add the flour, or the cookies will be tough.

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: ELECTRIC MIXER, 2- OUNCE ICE CREAM SCOOP
(OPTIONAL BUT RECOMMENDED)

1 1⁄4 cups (7 1⁄8 ounces/205 grams) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (3 ⁄4 ounce/20 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 pound plus 4 ounces (567 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped (see “Our Favorite Chocolates,” page 21, and “How to Chop Chocolate,” page 12)
1⁄2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1⁄4 sticks/5 ounces/140 grams) unsalted butter, softened
2 1⁄4 cups (1 pound plus 1⁄4 ounce/460 grams) sugar
6 large eggs at room temperature (see “How to Bring Ingredients to Room Temperature,” page 12)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Generous 2 cups (12 ounces/340 grams) bittersweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, and baking powder (see “How to Sift,” page 13). Stir in the salt and set aside. Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of very hot but not boiling water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water), stirring occasionally until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the water and allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment and cream on medium speed until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on medium speed until the eggs are incorporated. (Tip: Break the eggs into a bowl and tip them into the mixer bowl one at a time.)

4. Increase the speed to high and beat for a few minutes until the mixture is very light, creamy, and pale in color, scraping the bowl down as needed. Add the melted chocolate and the vanilla extract and mix just until combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the dry ingredients using a rubber spatula. Fold in the chocolate chips.

5. Start scooping the cookies as soon as you finish making the batter. The batter is very soft at first, but it starts firming up quickly as it sits, which will make it more difficult to portion. The easiest way to portion the cookies is with a 2- ounce ice cream scoop. Pack the scoop only about three- quarters full. Or use a scant 1 ⁄4 cup or 11 ⁄2 ounces of cookie dough for each cookie.

6. Scoop the cookies onto parchment- lined baking sheets, placing them about 2 inches apart. Flatten each mound of dough slightly with your hand. (Tip: You can use a dampened hand, because the dough is sticky.)

7. Soon after the cookies are scooped, put them in the oven and bake them. If you are baking in batches, don’t refrigerate the scooped dough, but leave them at room temperature. These cookies will not spread properly if the dough is chilled first.

8. Bake the cookies until they are evenly cracked all over the tops and softly set, 14 to 16 minutes, rotating the pan about halfway through the baking time. If you have 2 pans of cookies in the oven at the same time, also switch them between the racks.

9. Remove the pans from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Allow the cookies to cool completely before removing them from the baking sheets with a metal spatula. They stick to the paper a bit, but you can scrape them off with a sturdy metal spatula easily enough.

(* Recipe from Dahlia Bakery Cookbook by Tom Douglas and Shelley Lance - William Morrow, Fall 2012- Photography by Ed Anderson, All rights reserved)