Cannelés Bordelais

A real delight, (a.k.a. Canelé de Bordeaux) this is a pastry gem from the Bordeaux region. It's a bit weird and dull at first sight. But when you taste the crusty caramel outside and get to the soft, spongy inside and the elegant flavour of vanilla and rum – you're toast!

Cannelés done the right way are quite a complicated matter. However, you'll get great results if you choose to skip the road less traveled. With this recipe, these little delicacies are simple to make.

1/2 l milk

1 dl cream

50 g butter

1 vanilla pod

150 g flour

200 g sugar

3 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 dl brown rum

a little pinch of salt

Boil milk, butter and vanilla pod (split and scrape) and simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool. Combine flour and sugar, whisk eggs together and pour into the flour/sugar mix. Remove vanilla pod and pour in the milk. You can clean the vanilla briefly in running water and leave to dry. Put in a little glass with sugar and you'll have great vanilla sugar in a week, or so).

Whisk together and add rum and salt. Whisk well, cover with plastic and leave in fridge for at least 24 hours. The longer time, the better taste.

Pour in cannelé molds and bake in oven 200° C for 50-60 minutes. If you're using silicone molds, you don't need to butter them first. If you have copper molds, and want to do it the real way, you need to get hold of beeswax. You can also have a look at FX Cuisine (an eminent food blog) for visual aid.

If you think the cannelés are getting too dark, you can cover with a parchment paper or tin foil.

They are supposed to be medium brown with a caramel crust, but not burnt or too dark.

Moules frites

It's bistro time! Blue mussels and french fries. Lovely and simple, this is a winner both in winter time (when the mussels are at their best) and in summer time, when we're really into crisp, dry white wine

and seafood.

Some years ago, our family was spending the summer days in the southern part of Norway, at my wife's place of origin. We were lazy dogs on the rocks, by the shore. As hunger started to kick in, my brother in law took on the task of searching for mussels. I remember the weather to be nice and warm, but the sea temperature to be slightly different. Brother in law over board and the rest of us serving as cheerleaders.

A George Costanza-like shrinkage experience paid off, and we were rewarded with a good bucket of fresh mussels.

Grandpa fired up the portable stove, and it all came close to perfect: The sun sliding down in the ocean, everything golden red and quiet, just a couple of distant seagulls adding to the scenery. Maybe the best food I've ever had. Especially as I recall it now, some years later.

Here's he indoor version. There are some things a food lover should always have at hand, like duck fat. And if you happen to have some in your freezer, this is the time to invest it! French fries done the proper way – treated with the mandatory «double fried in duck fat» that is – will make you ban McD… forever,

if you haven't already done so.

This one serves about 4 persons, depending on hunger. You know your guests.

2 kg fresh mussels

2 glasses dry white wine

1 garlic (peeled and coarsely chopped)

1/2 cup parsley

3-4 shallots

1 chili (optional)

a small handful fresh thyme

a good dash of butter

Clean your mussels. Fry all ingredients but mussels in butter a couple of minutes, add wine and let it simmer 10-15 minutes. Add mussels and a lid and boil 10 minutes, or until the mussels have opened up. Throw away those who haven't, and serve with good baguettes and aioli. The sauce serves as dipping for the bread.

Now, if you're lazy you could stop there and have a great evening or whatnot. If you have a day of vigour and enthusiasm, continue with the fries.

Slice potatoes in finger thick slices. Put in a bowl and cover with cold water, a good pinch of salt and a little vinegar. Leave the potato slices there for at least half an hour. This draws out some starch and will give you crispier fries. Heat duck fat, or oil, in a deep pot or pan. Dry your potatoes well and throw them in a handful or two at a time. Fry for some minutes until slightly golden, drain on kitchen paper while frying a new batch.

Refry the potatoes a second time, just like the first round, until desired colour and crispiness.

Make sure to syncronize mussels and fries. If you start with the mussel-sauce cooking and the fries at the same time, add mussels when you fry the potatoes the second time.

Serve with good baguettes and aioli. Best there is!

Fresh Bread in Five Minutes

If you love fresh baked artisan bread with a nice thick crust and a tangy taste, this one is for you.

The honour goes to Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I have just simplified their idea a bit more.

It's not a joke. It will take you about 5-10 minutes to get a really tasty bread at your breakfast table every morning. I've done it for a while now, and my family loves waking up to a delicious bakery smell in the house with some chilled jazz in the background. Who said the wee hours of morning is better skipped...?

Frankly, it's one of the easiest bread recipes you could try. And I can't recommend this one enough

for bread lovers!

1 kg all-purpose wheat flour

a handful of coarse flour

a handful flax seeds

2-3 table spoons salt

7-8 dl water

15-20 gr yeast - preferably fresh

As you understand, I don't fancy very precise recipes. Do it a couple of times and get used to your own style of bread with the ingredients you like. Make sure the dough is nice and soft.

Mix everything. Use cold water if you ordain a food processor for the job – which is a point if you love quick results. The dough gets fairly warm in short time and your friends «The Yeasts» don't like that. Pour the dough in a bowl, cover with cling film or a plastic bag and put in the fridge.

In the morning, the first thing you do is to take out the bowl, carve out half the dough as careful as you can. Put the rest back in the fridge. Now if the dough rests in the fridge for a couple of days, guess what happens? You get even tastier bread!

Don't knead the dough, just shape lightly on a baking tray. Use a little flour or semolina if the dough is sticky. Let it rise in the oven at about 30° C for 20 minutes or so (while you take a shower). Then turn it up to 220° C and bake for 30-40 minutes. And – ta-ta – you have wonderful bread every morning for about 5 minutes of effort a day. Cool, eh?

Stand's Marsmallow Shake

Ok, so I have never been to NY. Hence, I've never tried the original. Stand's

supposedly make one of the best shakes around (if milk shake is your thing).

But copies can sometimes go a long way. Shake, Rattle and Roll!

3 scoops of vanilla ice cream

1 dash whole milk

1 large dash Natural Yoghurt

6-8 marshmallows

whipped cream

Toast the marshmallows to golden and eat a couple (because you're worth it).

Blend milk, yoghurt and ice cream in blender swiftly, and add marshmallows.

Don't overblend the concoction, as you want it a bit «loose».

Pour in a tall glass, add whipped cream and a couple of toasted marshmallows.

Share with someone you love! That might be yourself for now.