SWISS FOODBLOGGERS PICNIC - 10 JUNE 2007

The kind and joyful San of "Dans La Cuisine Des Frangines" from Geneva (Switzerland) had the good idea to organize a picnic for all the foodies from Suisse Romande and around (neighboring France)...

That's how, last Sunday, I met up with a group of foodiebloggers and readers in the magnificent "Domaine De Penthes", a park with an old manor house (originally a 14th century fortified mansion). The place could not have been more idyllic for a first meeting as we had a plunging view over Lake Geneva.

~ Catherine, her husband and two children, Aurélie (San's sister). ~

~ Estèbe's cheese (Bleu De Termignon from Savoie in France) and San's "Feta And Dried Tomato Bread". ~

Originally, we had our rendez-vous at 13h00. But as Geneva had been hit by an immense and long-lasting thunderstorm (~3 hours) in the morning that stressed us to the highest point (especially San), because we did not know if our event might have to get cancelled due to the weather's whims! I remember being woken up by strong rumbling, lightning and gallons of water falling from the sky and thinking to myself, with my heart beating, "Oh, no not TODAY!!! What are we going to do?!?...". But, fortunately, the Gods were graceful enough to offer us sunshine and (steaming) canicular heat!

~ Laetitia, Lily and Bebop. ~

~ My plates: 1st plate has Corinne's "Salmon Tart", Claude-Olivier's "Thai Spicy Beef Salad", Damien's "Marinated Red Mullet Fish", Laetitia's "Chinese Dumplings" and Rai's "Gorgonzola And Pear Puffs". 2nd plate has my "Savory Cheesecake", ?'s "Chickpea Salad", San's "Feta And Dried Tomato Bread" and Corinne's "Goat's Cheese And Artichoke Tart". ~

So, I met my dear American friend Rachel of "Ugly Fruit" at the Gare De Cornavin (train station) and we took the bus V (see TPG company infos) till the stop "Penthes. We were some of the last bloggers to arrive. There, we discovered many smiling faces and a real feast that was waiting to get greedily eaten. Kiriel of "The Papillon Pantry", another enthusiastic foodie friend from Australia came a little later...

~ Kiriel's "Mediterranean Stuffed Bread" and Corinne's "Goat's Cheese And Artichoke Tart". ~

Apart from San, her sister Aurélie and us three, there was also Bebop (and her husband) of "Plaisir Des Papilles", Marie Flo of "Ma Nature 2" (from Haute-Savoie in France) , Ptinutz of "La Page De La Noisette", Lily of "Gnocchi Et Cie", Catherine of "Sans Sucre Ajouté" and her little family, Claude-Olivier of "1001 Recettes" (from Canton Fribourg, FR), Damien of "Un Monde De Saveurs" (from Sion in Canton Valais, VS), Laetitia of "Au Bout Du Monde", Estèbe of "Top Slurp!" and finally Corinne, an assiduous blog reader (and her husband and two children).

~ Bebop's "Cherry Boats", Claude-Olivier's "Amarula Cream And Tonka (Fava) Cheesecake" and Lily's "Carrot Cake". ~

The main attraction that day was, of course, the beautiful food which was brought in quantities. Everything looked and tasted delicious! I really had a lot of pleasure tasting everybody's dishes/specialities. It was ever so marvellous to get to know people through their food!

~ Rai's "Champaign Cupcakes" and detail. ~

After a lot of thinking and going through my books as well as surfing on the net, I finally decided upon making a "Savory Cheesecake" with gorgonzola, parmesan, ricotta, mascarpone, cream cheese and topped with my famous "Caramelized Onions", a German "Partybrot (party bread)" with "Israeli Hummus" and a batch of "Fudgy Blondies" with white chocolate chunks and pecan nuts (recipes soon to come). I must say that I was really satisfied with my choice and with the way my creations turned out (very well)...

After having eaten and iddly chatted with one another, the thunder was again threatening us. We all started to pack and, unfortunately, our little group splitted and too the way home (too early...).

~ My "Israeli Hummus", "Savory Cheesecake", "Partybrot" and "Fudgy Blondies. ~

In conclusion, that picnic/potluck was a real success and I really had a lot of fun taking part in it. I got to meet many great and interesting people, and tasted their gorgeously fabulous food and wines (Mont De Vuilly, mmmhhhh. Thanks Claude-olivier!). What more could you ask?!?... My only regret is/was that I didn't get to speak to all the bloggers (some not at all). A pity! Anyway, I hope that it will not be our first and last meeting, so I guess that I will have the chance to speak with everybody on the occasion of our next foodie picnic, which I hope will be very soon!!!....

THANKS SAN FOR ORGANIZING THAT EVENT, THUS GIVING US THE CHANCE TO MEET OTHER FELLOW FOODIEBLOGGERS.
A WONDERFUL AND FRUITFUL EXPERIENCE!

If you want to read more reports, then here are the links:

• Bebop
• Corinne and family
• Claude-Olivier
• Damien
  
• Kiriel
• Marie-Flo
• San
  

FOODIE POTLUCK - DINNER PARTY

The good side to being a foodblogger (apart from having to do more sport!) is that you get to meet new people and it’s exactly what happened to me lately…

It all started a few weeks ago when the sweet Rai of “Ugly Fruit” contacted me in order to share a talk around a cup of hot chocolate. Although I was very nervous and stressed about meeting a total stranger, her request enchanted me. I really don’t regret my decision to kick myself in the butt, jump over my shadow and do something I had never done before!

Rai’s warmth and openeness enlightened me. We spoke and spoke and spoke for four hours about food-related subject and more!!! Being in the company of an interesting foodie like her really made me happy.

So, as Rai organizes “Themed Dinner Parties” at her home, she naturally invited me to the next potluck that was going to take place on January the 21st 2007 with other food-obsessed fanatics that she knows…

This “Theme Dinner” was under the sign of booze (alcohol). Well, don’t get me wrong, we didn’t get drunken as it was not meant to be a binge party! The alcohol was supposed to be in the food we ate (although we did drink some fine sangria, champaign and wine)… Regarding that theme, it was open to interpretation and everybody was free to prepare the drink or food of their choice. There was no limitation.

Although our group of foodaholics was smallish, it was composed of a good mix of different cultures (American, Swiss, English, Malaysian, Norwegian), ages and horizons. What we all had in common was our love for food, eating, experimenting in the kitchen and at the table! I must say that I’ve had a very good time there, I met great and interesting people and ate as if there would be no tomorrow. We had a gargantuesque feast and sat at the table from 4pm till 9.30pm!!! We swallowed so much fine food that we were nearly exploding, could not move anymore and had to roll back home!....

Here's how it went:

We started with Alison and Halvor’s “alien” starter, “Gin And Tonic Jello” which surprised us all with it’s interesting combination of sweet, strong, sour and bitter flavors as well as it’s fizziness. Every bite was like “woaw, that’s amazing and rather bizarre!!!”. I had never tasted anything like this before…

~ My "Beer Bread". ~

As a starter, I brought some homemade “Guinness And Rosemary Cheese Bread Buns” that were accompanied by a “Middle East Meets Italy Bean Spread” made with pureed cranberry beans, roasted garlic, cumin powder, paprika (smoked and normal), tahina paste, olive oil, ground black pepper and sea salt.

Rachel made a delicious “Sangria” which we gulped down greedily.

~ Rachel's "Sangria" and my "Bean Spread". ~

Then, we all sat down at the table and things got dead serious! Claudia from Alabama treated us with a delicate and fresh salad in order to open our appetite and add a healthy and vitamined touch to the highly nourishing and calorific supper that was going to follow!

Next came Rai’s trademark dish, an “Onion And Croutons Soup”. It had a very pleasant homely taste and was remarkably flavorful.

After having eaten that soup, we were very lucky to savor Mike’s uplifting “Fusion Duck” marinated in red wine and spiced with 5 spice powder and malt sugar. Delicious and very harmonious! We ate that dish with Rai’s two wonderful creations: “ Indian Spice Rice” which had a round taste, was perfectly balanced spice-wise and was awesomely perfumed, as well as a fresh and heavenly “Madagascar Salad” made with fresh pineapple, mango, green peppercorns, rum and orange juice. Yummy!

~ Mike's "Fusion Duck". ~

The dinner already started to weigh in our stomachs, but after a very short break, we continued with yet another duck dish made by Claudia. Her “Red Wine And Honey Glazed Duck” was wonderful. The meat was still tender and pink. It tasted so fine and was comparable to what one can find on a French table (“Cuisine Bourgeoise”). Rai’s rice was once again solicited…

By then, we were getting extremely full, but we still had space for dessert and the sugar tooths that we are craved for a sweet treat. A real foodie would NEVER leave without having eaten dessert!!!

Alison and Halvor baked a superb “Stout Cake” which’s ingredients were better kept secret lest you'd have a heart attack, since the quantities used were astonishing (1 kilo sugar, 500g double cream, 500g chocolate and so on… The list was long.)!!! It was rich, evil and "dirty" to please, moist, fudgy and hyper scrumptuous. Of course, this cake had to be paired with vanilla ice cream, for added pleasure!

~ Alison and Halvor's "Stout Cake". ~

To close our feast, we ended this supper in beauty with a very last course made by myself, a “White Wine Tart” (a speciality from Vaud) …

~ My "Wine Tart". ~

In conclusion, this “Dinner Party” was astonishing! The people were all very friendly, interesting and good cooks/bakers. We had a jolly good time blabbering, eating and drinking (not so much, though) 'till we were not able to move anymore. I think that I never ate so much in my whole life!!!!!!I am now already looking forwards to our next dinner which sounds very promising! I’m glad that such people exist and made/make me discover new specialities as well as new horizons…

A special thanks goes to you Rai for having created such a great event and making things possible!!!

(Party -Pic by www.realsimple.com)