an illustrated journey of an american in paris
Yes, I know. February’s fruits and vegetables look a lot like January’s. If truth be told, drawing salsify, the hairy carrot on the left, is just as daunting as eating it.
But you know the drill by now. Print it out. Color it in. Share on instagram using the hashtag #colormeseasonal. And don’t forget to follow my attempts at micro-blogging on Instagram, too. Click here.
Happy February!
Eat so much foie gras this Christmas, you sprouted a beak and a few extra tail feathers? Get the Vitamix humming and beat the bloated January blues with Rizzoli’s Juice. Blend. Taste. by Cindy Palusamy, founder of The Juicery. A tantalizing source of over 150 recipes for colorful juices, smoothies, soups and infusions by health aficionados and nutritionists from around the world. It is also illustrated with 75+ of my watercolors. Here is a taste!
If you are in Paris, Colette is hosting a signing of Juice. Blend. Taste. with Cindy on January 6th, 2015 from 4:30-6:30. I will be there too if you’d like to say hello. The Juicery‘s signature smoothies and juices can also be enjoyed at the Colette Water-bar.
Juice. Blend. Taste.: 150+ Recipes by Experts from Around the World by Cindy Palusamy. Rizzoli New York.
Buy a copy here.
September still showcases the relics of the colorful summer months behind us. So print out the illustration below, buy all the tomatoes you can carry, stockpile as much tomato coulis as you can and color in all the fruits and vegetables of September as you eat them. Take a photo of your progress and add the hashtag #colormeseasonal and #thefrancofly.
Happy coloring!
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Just like any other day, aside from the crisper drawer full of Kodak, the fridge is barren, except for a well-rounded collection of condiments with nothing to put them on. But regardless of what’s inside, there are always a few zucchini lurking about. They are sturdy, reliable, adaptable, and have already outlasted Kodak.
I never cared much for zucchini in my previous life, pre-France. Growing up in the Midwest, zucchini was yet another victim of the deep fryer. And in the summertime, my mom always thought buying a 5-pounder from the farmer’s market would satiate our annual zucchini consumption. But in reality, half went to a zucchini bread and the other half was lost to the fridge. Just like avocado chocolate mousse and peanut butter & banana sandwiches, zucchini bread was another cultural over-share with mon mari qui fume. But that’s ok. In France, zucchini always seems to be in season and the price is always in reason. Mixed with a little creme fraiche and sprinkled with cheese, it bakes up into a beautiful gratin. I usually slice it and sauté it over a medium heat in olive oil with a crushed garlic clove until it caramelizes on both sides. 
Mixed with anchovies and pasta or made into an omelette, this super-simple preparation heightens the nuttiness of the zucchini in less than 5 minutes. Now, what to do with all those condiments?
Yes, here is the recipe for lentils I promised you a few weeks back! Oh, Lentils. The mighty, high-protein, highly-economic standby food! Like all simple foods in France, they get the VIP treatment. Lentils are always dressed up with bits of foie gras or smoked salmon. However, considering we just bought an apartment, they rest unadorned, but nonetheless delicious.
Sadly, my husband is opposed to spice. He will find ways to eat around herbs. As I heard so eloquently said recently (in David Lebovitz’s blog), Americans are into fireworks when eating. However, the French prefer something truly simple and well-made. It goes to show that my own personal style is to throw a handful of cilantro on everything. Needless to say, the following recipe is tasty whether you choose to dress it down for dinner for two, served with some baked potatoes and grilled sausages. Or in my case, incorporate some chopped ginger, garam masala, creme fraiche and a handful of cilantro for lunch!
Compromise be gone!
Lentils for one and all (or 8 people)
1 ½ Cup Green Lentils, soaked for several hours or overnight
2 leeks, finely chopped
3 small onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic
2 carrots, shredded
3 plum tomatoes, grated
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. olive oil
6 cups water, more if needed
1.) In a heavy-bottomed pot, sauté the leeks and onions over medium/low heat until soft and translucent. Add bay leaves, carrots, garlic, pepper and tomato. Cook until softened and lightly caramelized
2.) Add the drained lentils and cover mixture with water
3.) Cook for 30 minutes until the lentils are soft and stewy. Add salt
4.) Enjoy!
Continuing my post-France cleanse, I’m still attempting to be a vegan as much as possible, give or take the Girl Scout cookies that have miraciously popped-up in New York City these days. Nevertheless, being a veggie has not been as restricting as I have always imagined…although I do get a few groans from friends when making dinner plans. Although I often lack the discipline to resist those delectable afternoon Tagalongs, being a vegetarian has challenged me to explore new ingredients and think creatively about all those stockpiled beans and whole grains in my cupboard. Needless to say, let’s talk about barley! Plus or minus the mushroom barley soup of my childhood, the grain was more or less foreign to me. I picked up a Goya bag of it from the market, cooked it up, and was hooked. It can be mixed with soymilk milk and sugar for breakfast, mixed in with soups, or as a perfect addition to a chopped salad. And it’s a nutritional powerhouse! Amino acids! Fiber! Antioxidants! And let’s not forget that it has a similar texture of pasta! What’s not to love?
This afternoon, I had planned to do my own take on the classic mushroom and barley medley by just cooking the barley as instructed and giving it depth by adding sautéed mushrooms. I started by sautéing the mushrooms with shallots and onions. In the meantime, I had some homemade vegetable stock simmering away next to me. To my chagrin, I had all the components of a risotto at my fingertips. Since barley has the same rounded shape as Arborio rice, why not give it a try as a risotto? I threw the barley in with the nicely caramelized vegetables and added a half-cup of broth. I stirred the bubbling barley mixture until the liquid evaporated then added another half-cup of the broth. Continue stirring in the broth one half-cup at a time until the barley plumps up and the risotto begins to develop a creamy texture. But be prepared to stir; elbow grease is the only fool-proof ingredient added to risotto. I added a splash of red wine to give it a touch of depth and sweetness. And added a little brightness with a handful of chopped parsley and a small squeeze of lemon juice. And top it off with a handful of parmesan cheese (controversial for a vegan, but necessary for a risotto) and a little drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. And voila! Your accidental dinner is done!