Love + A Little Chocolate

Ask me my opinion about Valentine's Day and you may receive a brief rant about the "Hallmark holiday," but I'll never pass up an invitation to indulge in divinely good chocolate and enjoy the company of a loved one to share it with, no matter what day of the year.  These pretty pics are from Dude, Sweet Chocolate, a Dallas-based chocolatier that I'm lucky to have stumbled upon earlier this week thanks to the wonders of the web--perfect timing right?  Hand-made, artisan confections using the world's best chocolate and a mix of ingredients that I'm fairly certain, will leave you screaming for more.   

A sampling to wet your taste-buds..savory flavors like Marakesh (fresh dates & ras el hanout), Parique (Louisiana tobacco & cognac)...and sweet - Tahitian (passionfruit & ginger salt), Hill Country (Zip Code honey, lavender, Dallas Co. goat crema) Indian (rosepetal jam & marzipan).   

Above you've got a rich dark chocolate bark studded with salted and candied whole hazelnuts, almonds and macadamia nuts, aptly named "Crack in a Box".  Other options to tempt your lover with...chocolate covered marshmallows, fudge, popcorn, nuts rolled in white and dark chocolate and a love-inducing potion of chocolate sauce if you're really intent on celebrating Vday.  Sadly, I'm left to order these lovelies online straight from Dallas, unless some secret crush out there surprises me come Monday!  Happy hearted weekend all!

toffee with hints of porcini mushrooms, adorned with crunchy pumpkin seeds (that happen to be a great source of healthy omega-3 fats!)

so chic, you almost don't want to eat them...almost

Spring...in Paris

If you're on the hunt for a stunning meal, a stellar atmosphere and the added bonus of fine food products, look no further than Spring, ex-pat Daniel Rose's seasonally-focused restaurant.  The restaurant recently reopened in a larger space in the 1st arrondissement near the Louvre  (it was formerly an extremely-cozy 16 seater) , and added a fine foods boutique/wine store just down the street.  Garnering a reservation at the restaurant is still quite a feat, unless you're lucky enough to have time for a leisurely 3-course lunch.  All meals are based on set multi-course menus, the design is contemporary and the new kitchen remains as open and inviting as it was the original space.   They've even added wine pairing classes on Thursday evenings - taught in both English and French.  Sadly, I only had the chance to discover the gastronomic finds at the boutique, but even with a simple lunch of soup and baguette, it was quite possibly the best meal of my trip.  And on a cold day like today (at least in NYC), nothing sounds better than a warm bowl of rich saucisse de canard.  

 lunch: lovely, light & full of warmth

saucisse de canard epeautre e legumes (translates to: a rich soup/stew of duck sausage, duck leg, stock, onion, celery, carrot, barley, diced potato & turnip, garnished w/orange zest & parsley).  olive oil samples stand tall in the background.   

 oh yeah, it was good.  and how amazing is the vintage spoon it's served with

simple yet refined. and something i'll definitely attempt to recreate at home.

 a sampling of the boutique's carefully selected products -- from local French olive oils, to vinegars, honeys, jams and of course wine

 the interior of the boutique: wines to the left, fine foods to the right, cured meats, cheeses, mini pastries and a single lunch option to the back

 a glimpse of the full restaurant...from the outside looking in.  i'm in love with the open kitchen!

A Taste of Paris

I'm back and fresh off a food and culture-filled, whirlwind week in France.   I've got a number of Francophile posts to share this week, but I thought I'd start off with a few of my favorite sights, smells and scenes from the city of light.

an adorable flower shop in my favorite neighborhood, the Marais (4th arrondissement)

Merce & the Muse: a hip coffee shop in the Marais founded by an ex-pat that made me feel right at home - thanks to the tres Parisian chic Tiffany Iung for introducing me!  

because what would France be without a crumbly, fresh baguette and...

...a bit of unbelievably rich cheese?

Au Petit Fer A Cheval - quite possibly the epitome of a picturesque Parisian cafe.  And as luck would have it, it was right around the corner from me.  The best cafe creme (cappuccino) and simple bistro fare you'll stumble on

the bright blur of an entire wall full of Kumsi tea, a French staple

an outside peek at Spring Boutique, the wine and fine foods shop of Spring restaurant...so fantastic it deserves it's own post (later this week!)

gorgeous dark purple anemones - rich and regal flowers for a city rich with culture and history

a peaceful Parisian street, and the perfect end to a post!