Barefoot in Paris

One thing I have yet to discuss on this blog is cooking. This topic has been a strange omission on my part as it is such a huge part of my life. I love to cook. Starters, main courses, desserts... I love it all! I am not a cook of the freestyle variety however, and always heavily rely on cookbooks to create my delights. Today, my parents were coming over for lunch and as I have had a recent yearning for French food I got out my trusty cookbook Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten- otherwise known as the Barefoot Contessa.

I'm a huge fan of the Barefoot Contessa's show and cookbooks- Ina has such a great way of creating delicious recipes that tend to look intimidating on the plate but aren't at all intimidating to make.

So for today's lunch? It was eggplant gratin with a simple salad. I love serving gratins as you can make them the night before and simply pop them into the oven about a half an hour before your guests want to eat. This gratin, which I had never made before, came out great and got rave reviews. But the piece de resistance? My dessert, a Coeur a la Creme. This delicious dish is similar to a panna cotta but done Parisian-style in a heart shaped mold and served with a dash of framboise sauce and some fresh raspberries. It is the easiest dessert in the world to make (another one that you prepare the evening before) and is a real show stopper for your guests.

There is nothing quite like an afternoon spent eating lovely food with the people you love...

I would love to know what you enjoy cooking...

Bon Apetite!

Barefoot in Paris can be purchased at: www.amazon.com