S’MORES!

As the fourth of July is fast approaching, I thought to say a word about the s’more.  The quintessential summer dessert,  it is, in my view, a necessary element to any barbecue and most certainly the fourth of July barbecue.  The strength of the s’more is that it instantly fills you with sweet memories of summer camps and best friends and wet dogs and kick the can and hot dog dinners and all those romantic details of the american summer.  Here are some pics from our last year’s 4th of July bash at the summer house.

setting the tone….

s’mores go best with some quality champagne…don’t forget the americana napkins

supplies. note: we’ve made some substitutions from the traditional graham cracker/hershey bar version as we’re in provence where those things don’t exist.

the fire’s hot

you MUST use a stick you found in the yard….no skewers/etc they don’t count.

the french-american classic cooked to perfection.

 

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BIRDCAGES

This summer is the summer of the birdcage.  They are cheap, and look great with candles inside or little light up bird friends.  We’ve used these bamboo cages in really cool colorful ways, and also did a super chic table setting with them for a party at the Waldorf.  Imagine how cool it would be to have a night time picnic under a big tree with hundreds of these cages hanging and glittering with candlelight…………

 

at the Asia Society

 

 

at the Waldorf Astoria

 

SUMMER READING

I’ve just finished reading this incredible book by muriel BARBERY, Gourmet Rhapsody;  a truly uneasy story  told in intoxicating language using cuisine as the primary metaphor.  She uses a culinary critique style to create such a rich portrait of a man and his short life with brilliant success. A real pleasure to read as her words drip off the pages like, well, something really delicious. It totally and fully turned me on. (Thanks Benoit!)

TRAVEL TIP

These little French melons are like no others. So if you were wondering where to spend your summer vacation, I say, come over to France and eat a melon!