A Promenade in Aiken, South Carolina by Ruth Paget

Hand-made Chocolates from La Bonboniere in Aiken, South Carolina (Also has a shop in Augusta, Georgia)

A pretty promenade in Aiken, South Carolina:

White chocolate covered ganache filled chocolates for nibbling (above - photo by Ruth Paget)

Below: New Court House on Chesterfield Street in Aiken, South Carolina

A cupola topped by a weather vane on the new courthouse allows hot air to rise up out of the building beneath it. A similar cupola sits on top of Mt Vernon in Virginia. (Below - photo by Laurent Paget)

Below: The Old Court House on Chesterfield Street in Aiken, South Carolina

A Palladian inspired window on the old courthouse.  

Monticello outside Charlottesville, Virginia has similar windows on a smaller scale. - (bottom - photo by Ruth Paget)

Fashionable streetlight on Chesterfield Street in Aiken, South Carolina

Chesterfield Street is a boulevard street with a tree-lined park in the middle of it with benches under the trees offering shade in the heat.

A white picket fence that will pick you if you try and climb over it in Aiken, South Carolina.

Promenade lunches in Aiken, South Carolina

Goat Cheese and Dandelion Greens Salad at La Parisienne

Salade Nicoise with the Works at La Parisienne

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

StubHub sells Broadway, Concerts, Sports reposted by Ruth Paget

StubHub sells Broadway, Concerts, Sports by venue online. They have an app.  StubHub.com

Happy scrolling!

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget’s Books

The Complete Book of Cheese Reviewed by Ruth Paget

The Complete Book of Cheese Reviewed by Ruth Paget 

The Complete Book of Cheese: History, Techniques, Recipes, Tips by Anne-Laure Pham and Mathieu Plantive provides readers with all the information they need to obtain the best value for their money when buying elite cheese products, especially French cheese. 

The Complete Book of Cheese contains information such as:

-cheese production processes from selection of milk to aging 

-French cheese classification system 

-cheese buying tips 

-pairing suggestions for beverages and food 

-cheese board composition ideas depending on event 

-cheese recipes for appetizers, savory dishes, and sweet desserts 

The French cheese classification system helps with purchasing decisions and is broken down as follows: 

-fresh cheese 

-blooming-rind cheese 

-washed-rind cheese 

-uncooked pressed cheese 

-cooked pressed cheese 

-blue cheese 

-goat cheese 

-processed cheese 

-stretched curd cheese 

-whey cheese 

Among the cheese recipes, there are recipes for fondue and raclette. These two dishes are quickly eaten and require lengthy preparation time. If you want to make these dishes from scratch, the recipes are well written but require patience. 

The recipes I prefer are veal cordon bleu (pan-fried veal with ham and melted cheese), tartiflette (made with potatoes, bacon, onions, and cheese), and a dessert crisp made with Beaufort cheese, pears, and ginger. People interested in the following careers might find 

The Complete Book of Cheese useful:  

-sommelier 

-server 

-bartender 

-elite grocery store worker 

-chef 

-caterer 

-health inspector 

General readers might enjoy the great introduction to the world of cheese in The Complete Book of Cheese by Anne-Laure Pham and Mathieu Plantive. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget's Books

78th Cannes Film Festival starts today reposted by Ruth Paget

Click on the link below for information about films being shown at the 78th Cannes Film Festival and news releases:

Cannes Film Festival Media Page

Make a Salade Nicoise to eat while reading each day’s updates!

Salade Nicoise ideas:

Salade Nicoise Recipe Ideas

A goat cheese and dandelion greens salad would also go well with red carpet viewing;

Goat Cheese and Dandelion Greens Recipe Idea's

Salmon Salade Nicoise Ideas

Salmon Salade Nicoise Ideas

Happy Film Watching!

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget’s Books

In Search of Total Perfection Review by Ruth Paget

In Search of Total Perfection Review by Ruth Paget 

Readers who like chef’s travel books with recipes will find much to love in In Search of Total Perfection by Heston Blumenthal, owner of The Fat Duck, a 3-star Michelin restaurant in England. 

Blumenthal traces the history and industries behind contemporary British favorite menu items including the foreign sounding ones that have been transformed a bit for British tastes. He goes a step further for some recipes by putting gastronomical claims to scientific tests like MRIs. 

His rationale for travel is to find the best model to emulate for inclusion on British menus including his own, which drives him to dine on steak at Delmonico’s in New York, Bresse chicken in Burgundy France, and Amadei chocolate for his Black Forest cake among his travel activities. 

I am always on the lookout for 3-star Michelin recipes when I read chef’s travel books so I can try some of the simpler recipes at home. The simpler recipes in In Search of Perfection are made up of about 5 to 7 basic recipes that are put together simultaneously by a team of cooks who often outnumber restaurant diners at The Fat Duck. 

I love all the sections about the various “industries” that go into making food products mentioned in the book. These sections prompt you to savor and enjoy food rather than gobble it for the dishes described below in this 436-page book:  

1-Roast chicken and roast potatoes 

2-Chicken tikka masala 

3-Peking duck 

4-Steak 

5-Spaghetti Bolognese

6-Chili con carne 

7-Hamburger 

8-Bangers and mash 

9-Fish and chips 

10-Fish Pie 

11-Pizza 

12-Risotto 

13-Black Forest gateau 

14-Treacle tart and ice cream 

15-Baked Alaska 

16-Trifle 

In Search of Total Perfection by Heston Blumenthal could help readers interested in the following careers: 

-anthropologist 

-chef 

-restaurant worker 

-restaurant critic 

-pastry chef 

-travel planner 

-recipe developer 

-cookware salesman 

-film crew worker 

-restaurant publicist

Readers who would enjoy learning about the history, industries, and science involved in everyday food items will like In Search of Total Perfection by Heston Blumenthal, especially with its bonus recipes given with step-by-step directions. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget's Books

French Mustard Chicken Video by Florence Paget posted by Ruth Paget

Florence Paget made her first food video featuring French mustard chicken (poulet a la moutarde).  

This is a delicious recipe.  The hardest part of making it is browning the chicken.

Mustard has several health benefits according to WebMD:

Mustard Health Benefits

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

AP Subject Flash Cards for Skills Development by Ruth Paget

AP  (Advanced Placement) Subject Flash Cards created by Barron’s are a tool for learning knowledge skills in any number of fields like:

Statistics 1 and 2

French

Spanish

Calculus

Economics

Chemistry

Biology

Physics

I bought the AP flashcards I have on Amazon.  They come in boxes for easy storage.  Families can use them to make society games.

There are cards on many subjects to browse through.

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget’s Books