Vegetarian blog

Mostly Eating is one of the most well-balanced vegetarian sites I’ve seen. It is overflowing with creative, tasty combinations of flavors, and contains recipes for every course. The chestnut, parsnip and orange soup recipe is perfect for this time of year, as is the cauliflower and white bean purée. The blog does include some non-vegetarian dishes, but there is a definite emphasis on meatless.

Molecular cuisine and much more

The British Larder food blog has a sleek, cutting edge design to match its daring, cutting edge recipes. There is an emphasis on desserts, with recipes such as tamarind pears with creamed tapioca and toffee pear lollipops and lots of espuma recipes. The photos are drop dead beautiful and the general cooking tips and safety awareness information is quite useful. Very professional site.

Essentially healthy food

Essentially Healthy Food is running over with beautiful photos of colorful, tasty and often surprising combinations, with recipes such as beef stew with globe artichokes, olives & pumpkin dumplings or swiss chard salad with raisins and pine nuts, perfect for this time of year.

For chocolate dessert lovers: moelleux au chocolat!

For those of you who can never pass up the moelleux au chocolat, or molten chocolate cake, when you see it on a menu (I’m one!), check out Gastronomers Guide.

The recipe is American, so it needs a little adaptation for a Swiss or European kitchen, but that is simple enough. Replace the bittersweet chocolate by a good quality dark chocolate from your favorite chocolate shop, and use a vanilla bean in place of the vanilla extract. The cayenne gives the cake an non-traditional Aztec flavor, which I love, but some may prefer to leave out. 450° F is 232° C, and be careful because precise temperature is very important. The altitude may also affect how long it takes to cook, so watch after it carefully. Four-ounce custard cups are the equivalent of about 12 dl.

Chef Geoffroy Pautz is giving summer cooking classes near Lausanne

Hostellerie Les Chevreuils
80 route du Jorat
Vers-chez-les-Blanc
1000 Lausanne 28
Tel. +41 21 785 01 01
http://chevreuils.ch

Hostellerie Les Chevreuils is offering summer cooking classes for children. Classes will continue on Wednesdays through October.

These courses were such a great hit in last summer that head chef Geoffroy Pautz has decided to do it again. Classes are geared for children 10 to 15 years of age, and take place in the restaurant kitchens.

After the classes, at the end of the afternoon, parents and relatives are invited to come taste the dishes the children have prepared.

Classes cost CHF50 per child. This price includes the choice of one cookbook. There is a maximum of 12 children per class.

Classes are held on Wednesday, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., on the following dates:

8 July 2009

19 August 2009

23 September 2009

14 and 21 October 2009

To make reservations

Reservations can be made by telephone, using your credit card. Your card will not be debited; it is only used to confirm your reservation. Payment is made in cash, at the reception desk when you come in.

Complete collection of 15 of Geoffroy’s recipes, as well as 10 recipes on video.

Click here to see how to get there.

Cleaning vinegar: an ecological, economical multipurpose cleaning product

White distilled vinegar is still a standard cleaning product in Switzerland. It can replace many of the more expensive, name-brand cleaning products with all their “new and improved” claims and hefty price tags.

It’s not new, and it’s not improved, but it serves hundreds of purposes around the house.

You can buy it in any supermarket in Switzerland. You’ll find it in the cleaning products section, under the name Vinaigre de nettoyage. In France, simply buy vinaigre blanc in the vinegar section of the supermarket. Any Carrefour, Super U, Champion or Casino carries it.

Cleaning vinegar is not only economical; it is also ecological and non-toxic.

You can easily pour it into a spray bottle for easier use.

To remove odors

Wipe down inside of refrigerator with vinegar to remove odors. Mix it with baking soda to remove odors from garbage cans. It can generally be used to remove odors of all types, including mildew and musty smells.

To remove build-up of lime or corrosion

Put vinegar on a sponge or soft cloth to shine chrome sink taps. Fill kettle with vinegar and let it sit overnight to remove lime deposits.

To remove stickers and glue

On windows or other spots that have the left-overs of an adhesive hook, price tag or sticker, use pure vinegar.

To clean windows

Use vinegar and old newspaper to clean windows. Newspaper works much better than paper towels, because it leaves no white paper traces.

To remove grease

Vinegar is also good for removing grease on exhaust hoods and oven grills.

General cleaning

Cleaning vinegar is good for removing the film that forms on kitchen cabinets, cutting boards, and stovetops. To remove tea or coffee stains from porcelain or china, soak in vinegar, mixed with either soda or salt. After cutting onions or garlic, clean your hands with vinegar to remove the smell.

WARNING: Vinegar is an acid, so it should never be used on marble.

The Rambling Epicure covered this Cave Berthaudin’s spring wine tasting and gala dinner at the Beau Rivage in Ellen Wallace’s blog Among the vines.