Chef Chevelle

14/04/2014

Even the chefs from Chevelle need a time out once in a while.

11/04/2014

The Herbex team had very happy tummies today!

08/04/2014

Fun facts about France.

- A French kiss is so-called because at the beginning of the 20th century, the French had a reputation for more adventurous and passionate s*x practices. In France, it is referred to as un ba**er amoureux ("a lover's kiss") or un ba**er avec la langue ("a kiss with the tongue"), even in past times it was also known as ba**er florentin ("Florentine kiss"). Therefore, the term French kissing is an insult to the French and their ways. It is also an insult on their public display of their promiscuous nature. Also, the French were the first people to allow public displays of love and affection such as kissing and dancing.

- According to a 2003 survey, the French have the most s*x in a year (unsurprisingly!)

-Wine has been made in France since the Roman Empire.

- Champagne is a “Sparkling Wine” produced from the grapes grown in the Champagne region of France, following rules that demand secondary fermentation of the wine in the bottle to create carbonation. Some use the term “Champagne” as a generic term but the majority of countries reserve the term exclusively for sparkling wines that come from Champagne, France and are produced under the rules of the appellation.

-French cuisine is considered one of the best cuisines in the world and there is an average of 2 cookbooks published every day.

French cooking is known for being exceedingly old fashioned, and makes little use of modern super-ingredients.

-French men have the lowest level of obesity in Europe, and the women are second after Denmark.

-France is famous for having many castles, palaces and manors. It’s said to have around 40,000 castles.

-There are more than 300 kinds of cheese made in France.

- Coco Chanel’s real name was Gabrielle Bonheur.

- Non-French celebrities who speak French include: Jodie Foster, Johnny Depp, Diane Kruger, Elton John, Ewan Mcgregor, Halle Berry, Jackie O, Madonna, Mick Jagger, and John Travolta.

-The Eiffel Tower in Paris was originally thought to be an eye sore by the people of the city when it was first constructed in 1889. Now she hosts over 6.8 million visitors and tourists and it is said that over a quarter of the world’s population have visited her during her existence. She has also been destroyed 10 times in the film industry.

- French was the official language of England for over 300 years.

-The Statue of Liberty was made in France and then gifted to the U.S in 1886 in the celebration of its centennial.

- The national mascot of France is the skunk. Hence Pepe Le Pew...

- The Beret was invented in the 1880's by a Frenchman to keep his head warm while he was riding his bicycle and wearing a stripey shirt. For this reason in American culture the beret is regarded warily - for those 4 months when Samuel L. Jackson was into them. Not to mention being used by Militaries all over the world along with the Applet.

- The ancestors of the French were the Gauls, most famously depicted in the pages of the Asterix comic books. These comics told the story of a group of friendly and cheerful Gauls who got into all sorts of hilarious mishaps, and used the powers of homemade amphetamines to viciously brutalize any approaching Italians. These comics are very popular in France.

07/04/2014

Famous Last Words Of Marie Antoinette, The Late Queen Of France

"Pardon, monsieur, je ne l'ai pas fait expres."

It meant, "Excuse me, sir, I did not mean to do it." She had accidentally stepped on the executioner's foot.

07/04/2014

Moist and delicious classic banana bread recipe. Easy to make, no need for a mixer. Ripe bananas, butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, baking soda, and flour.

04/04/2014

It's National Chocolate Eclair Day!

This is a classic! No-bake Chocolate Eclair Icebox Dessert is creamy, delicious, and comforting. And it's ALWAYS a big hit!!

04/04/2014

Another month and another Daring Bakers challenge. This month's challenge is hosted by Meeta of What's For Lunch, Honey? and Tony of Tony Tahhnan. They chose chocolate éclairs from the fabulous cookbook Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé (written by Dorie Greenspan).

04/04/2014

Thomas Keller’s Over-the-Top Mushroom Quiche recipe combines silky egg custard with sautéed mushrooms and cheese—and rises several dramatic inches. It just might be the best quiche recipe ever.

03/04/2014

Frog legs?!

Frog legs are one of the better-known delicacies of French and Cantonese cuisine. They are also eaten in other regions, such as Kerala-India, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the region of Alentejo in Portugal, Spain, Slovenia, northwest Greece, and Northern Italy, as well as the Southern regions of the United States.
Currently the world's largest exporter of frogs is Indonesia, also a large consumer. In regions such as Brazil, Mexico and the Caribbean many frogs are still caught wild. A type of frog called the edible frog is most often used for this dish.
Frog legs are rich in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A and potassium. They are often said to taste like chicken because of their mild flavour with a texture most similar to chicken wings. The taste and texture of frog meat is approximately between chicken and fish. Frogs are raised commercially in certain countries, e.g. Vietnam. Frog muscle does not resolve rigor mortis as quickly as warm-blooded muscle (chicken, for example), so heat from cooking can cause fresh frog legs to twitch.

French cuisine.

In the English-speaking world this dish is most often associated with French cuisine, and hence a commonly used insult for the French is the Frogs.
Frogs legs or cuisses de grenouille are particularly traditional in the region of the Dombes (département of Ain). Widespread consumption is relatively recent occurring within two hundred years.
The dish is common as well in French speaking parts of Louisiana, particularly the Cajun areas of Southern Louisiana as well as New Orleans. They were introduced to New Orleans by Donat Pucheu. Only the upper joint of the hind leg is served, which has a single bone similar to the upper joint of a chicken or turkey wing. They are commonly prepared by frying or deep frying, sometimes breaded and sometimes unbreaded.

02/04/2014

The Three Musketeers.

(French: Les Trois Mousquetaires) is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, first serialized in March–July 1844. Set in the 17th century, it recounts the adventures of a young man named d'Artagnan after he leaves home to travel to Paris, to join the Musketeers of the Guard. D'Artagnan is not one of the musketeers of the title; those are his friends Athos, Porthos and Aramis, inseparable friends who live by the motto "all for one, one for all" ("tous pour un, un pour tous"), a motto which is first put forth by d'Artagnan.[1]
The story of d'Artagnan is continued in Twenty Years After and The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later. Those three novels by Dumas are together known as the d'Artagnan Romances.
The Three Musketeers was first published in serial form in the newspaper Le Siècle between March and July 1844.
When Alexandre Dumas wrote The Three Musketeers he also was a practising fencer and like many other French gentlemen of his generation he attended the schools for Canne de combat and Savate of Michel Casseux, Charles Lecour[2] and Joseph Charlemont (who had been a regular fencing instructor in the French army).

01/04/2014

This Banana Bread French Toast makes a delicious twist on two classic breakfast or brunch items.

01/04/2014

This mulled wine sorbet recipe is not only a festive and unusual idea for Christmas lunch, but is also a great way to put leftover mulled wine to good use.