Chez Loulou

We've been in Normandy for 11 days now and we haven't wasted a minute! 

Wishing you the Happiest of Holidays!

Crates of Coquilles St. Jacques along the quai in Port-en-Bessin. Straight from the sea, heading to tables all over France.  (a bit blurry as it was raining...it is Normandy after all!)

Tomorrow we're moving to Normandy. Please don't think we're crazy. We've discovered that when you tell people in the south of France that you're moving to the north of France, they tend to think that you've lost it. Completely. Well, we haven't. We know about the rain and the cold, the drizzle and the damp. We understand that moving from the south of France to the north of France is unconventional. We've also discovered that most of our friends and acquaintances who think that we've...

When it comes to apéro nibbles I have but one requirement - they should not be fussy. Actually, now that I think about it, I might have a few more... Nibbles shouldn't require utensils, they can be eaten in only one or two bites, and of course they should be delicious. Oh, and one last thing...they shouldn't take hours and hours to make. Luckily there are a myriad of recipes out there that meet my strict requirements, and these mini muffins are one of them. I have British chef, Delia...

You didn't think that I would share a bunch of fabulous nibbles and snacks recipes without including at least one that was made almost entirely of cheese, now did you' About 15 years ago I tried this recipe from The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins (I love these ladies!), and it became an instant favorite. It is super rich and flavorful, and is always one of the first things to disappear when served at a party or an apéro dînatoire. Herbed...

My second simple nibbles and snacks recipe comes from Cooking Light magazine. I just don't think you can go wrong with this one. It's both elegant and packed with flavor - and low calorie as well! Smoked Salmon in Endive Leaves yields 2 dozen 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon capers 1 teaspoon minced onion 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/8 teaspoon pepper 4 ounces smoked salmon, chopped 24 Belgian endive leaves Parsley sprigs (optional)...

Moving is always stressful. Moving during the holidays...doubly so! I still don't know what we were thinking when we decided to move only one week before Christmas. (and I'm sure our friends and family are wondering the same thing) But that doesn't mean that we won't be celebrating! We have a friend arriving from the States on Christmas day and although we'll be keeping this year's cooking and festivities fairly simple, they will be festive indeed! Over the next few days I thought I would...

In general I'm not much of a joiner. But when Christine of Why Go France invited me to be a part of the France Roundtable, a group of five bloggers who write about France, I thought it would be an exciting collaboration. Every month a theme will be chosen and we'll each share our thoughts, advice and experiences. The first topic, our Favorite Art in France, was an easy one, though I did find it difficult to choose just one favorite! Living in France means being surrounded by art,...

Getting a shot that captures the soft light and atmosphere of a church's interior has never been my forté. This time though, I think I got a good one.