The Simply Luxurious Kitchen - Seasonal Fare to Elevate the Everyday Meal

For some time there has been one skill in the kitchen that has been an unknown to me, but when I finally decided to explore it, my experience and flavors were taken to an entirely different level. The skill I was intimated to learn initially in the kitchen was how to make delicious sauces, inspired by French cuisine.

Perhaps that is a lesson to apply to all arenas of our lives, and it is something we talk about often here on the blog. What we fear is often a road sign letting us know where we need to travel if we wish to grow, but also if we wish to step into the life we want to live. Our fear acts as sort of wise fortune teller who actually does have the map toward are dreams’ materialization. We’re not talking about having doubts, remember as shared before in TSLL’s second book, the two are entirely different. What we fear is something we do not know, and thus it is curiosity and courage that will help us take the first step to learning and seeing what is around the corner.

Discovering that sauces are absolutely a skill any one of us can master if only we have the proper teacher, cookbook or guide, was a game changer for me as I mentioned above. Every dish that was complemented with a sauce made of the renderings and finished with the right flavors from either wine, butter, stock, aromatics, acids such as lemon (but there are many more), and/or herbs took the entire dish to a new and delicious level. And it didn’t take all that much more time to do. I simply needed to learn how to do it.

I have been exploring sauce-making for years (and making many mistakes along the way), watching other cooks whip them up effortlessly, but it was with the guidance of Susan Hermann-Loomis and the cookbook by James Peterson Sauces: Classic and Contemporary Sauce Making that gave me the specific and direct skills to have the confidence and the success I was searching for.

In today’s episode, to demonstrate just how simple a classic French sauce can be that will elevate any dish you wish to pair it with, I am making Citron Beurre Blanc, a version of the classic Beurre Blanc (I will demonstrate and share the recipes for both, as well as the history). Paired with a simple Herbed Trout recipe, a scrumptious dinner will be on the table and ready to enjoy in fewer than 20 minutes.

As well, I will take you back with me to Louviers, France, and share with you the highlights of my cooking class with Susan Hermann-Loomis this summer. I do hope you enjoy this episode, and thank you for stopping by.

Fall is just about upon us and the apples are abundant at the market. What a wonderful way to welcome into our homes the new season by making a classic French dessert - Apple Tart Tatin!

I have always been fascinated by this recipe, tried it a multitude of different times and ways, and it was over the summer that I discovered what worked best for me - smaller apple slices and keeping it simple.

In this second season's third episode, discover how to make a dish that will delight your tastebuds and be surprisingly easy to make. While there is some patience involved as you wait for the caramel sauce to arrive at its beautiful luscious amber color and consistency, overall, the construction of the dish is easy. I will offer a few tips and tricks for elevating the flavor and having a successful flip and reveal. As well, I will be cooking and using my beloved copper and showing and sharing why I love it and how to clean it.

~View the Show Notes - https://www.thesimplyluxuriouslife.com/recipe/vodcasts2e3/

Weekly rituals infused into our everyday routines welcome anticipation with quick attainment, as we can look forward to them four or sometimes five times a month and experience the culmination in relatively a short amount of time.

Such is the case for my Friday Nigh Lemon Butter Shrimp Pasta. For nearly 12 years and likely longer, I have enjoyed this recipe most Friday nights after a full week of teaching.

Part of the reason this recipe is a go-to is because I have the recipe ingrained in my memory and create it unthinkingly all the while knowing full well it is abundant with flavor and a complete meal in one dish.

As I will share in today's episode, there are many different variations on this recipe depending upon what you have in your épicerie. The dish can even be made without shrimp or substitute your favorite protein into the dish instead. As you can see below, while in today's video I make the dish with angel hair pasta, I have also frequently made it with linguini.

The beauty of this dish is what is shared in the episode of where to begin but then play with it and make it your own. And delight in its flavors. The addition of tomatoes was when this dish fully came alive, and I think your appetite will be delighted with what you make.

For the second season of The Simply Luxurious Kitchen, I am excited to bring to you recipes inspired by my trip to Paris and Louviers, Normandy, this summer, as well as a most memorable dinner in Berkeley at Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse, and other outings around San Francisco. Also, viewers have asked that I share with them meals I enjoy during my everyday work week. And while each of the eight episodes share just this, I also have a couple of episodes dedicated solely to meals I enjoy quite regularly at the end of a busy day that are simple and full of wonderful flavor.

For the premiere of the second season, the first episode takes us to Louviers as well as to the Oregon Coast. Today’s recipe Moules Marinière, and more specifically Moules Marinière à la Crème, holds a special place in my dining memories as it happens to have been enjoyed and talked about on some very special occasions. All of which I will share during the episode.

Visit the Show Notes for Episode #8 - https://www.thesimplyluxuriouslife.com/vodcasts1e8

Simple, delicious and seasonal. Somehow, this always leads me to some detail of the recipe that is inspired from the French culinary world, and the recipe showcased in the final episode of Season 1 is no different.

Having heard the term clafoutis many years before, it certainly was something that caught my ear, but for quite some time I had never attempted to make one. As someone who wasn’t a fan of cherries (I have since changed my mind as I have enjoyed more and more freshly picked cherries), the only context I would see a clafoutis was with cherries. For whatever reason, it never crossed my mind to substitute any fruit I preferred and make the same dessert.

And then I came across Daniel Rose’s recipe as shared a few years ago with Ina Garten. Daniel Love is the acclaimed American-born, Paris-based chef who attracted the attention of the Michelin guide soon after opening his restaurant Spring in 2006. The restaurant remained open for 10 years until they shut it down, and now he has opened the restaurant named Le Coucou also located in Paris. Needless to say, when I saw that this curious dessert of a dish could be made without cherries and with the subtle sweet flavor of pears, I paid close attention.

I have adjusted the recipe slightly after having made it more than a few times to suit my tastes, but the beauty is, as you will see and hear in the video, there are many flavor changes you too can make to suit your preferences. Ultimately, it is a simple dessert that offers an abundance of flavor and is perfect for a dinner party as it puffs up slightly like a souffle without the fuss, and has the sweet and bit of sugar without the heaviness ideal for concluding a delicious evening. Now to the episode!

Visit the show notes - https://www.thesimplyluxuriouslife.com/vodcasts1e7

Perhaps you've found yourself in the middle of the week, tired and hungry. Thankfully, your home épicerie is stocked, but you don't want to spend a lot of time cooking or making something all that complex. But . . .

. . . you want a delicious meal, complete with a satisfying dessert (not too sweet, but you, know, sweet with a little flaky, butter crust). 

I have found myself at this exact moment many times during busy work-weeks, and one of the simplest meals, that doesn't appear to be, is the focus of today's episode of The Simply Luxurious Kitchen. One of my favorite proteins that is plentiful here in the Pacific Northwest is salmon, and as I will share in the video, there are three types of salmon I recommend. As well, lentils: French lentils (but any lentils will do), can add numerous nutrients and a wonderful complement to a fish dish. Add some vegetables, and the dinner is complete. But wait - dessert.

Yep, it is fall, so that means apples are abundant. But I usually don't have time to make a full apple tart or pie in the middle of the week. So, what has been my solution?

For the past few years, I have been loving a rustic apple tart that requires no finesse in the pastry department and not a lot of filling which might add the excess (and often unnecessary) unnatural sweetness. Choose beautifully ripe and flavorful apples, just a dash of brown sugar and dizzle with honey and that is it. A truly delicious weekday dinner is done and yum. :)

But there is more. Enjoy a tour of one of the largest potagers (French vegetable gardens) in France from my trip this summer. An episode full of inspiration to step into the seasonal selections all the while enjoying weekday meals without the extra stress or fuss. 

~Visit the Show Notes - https://www.thesimplyluxuriouslife.com/vodcasts1e6

One of my favorite appetizers to serve in the summer as the tomatoes are at their peak and the basil is growing seemingly nonstop begging to be enjoyed is the classic Caprese Bruschetta. A crispy crust baguette with chewy insides becomes all the more scrumptious with a few added flavor amplifiers and quality fresh mozzarella.

As you will see in today's epsiode, there are three different ways that I enjoy it depending on the ingredients available and what the kitchen makes offers for cooking purposes (an oven or just a stovetop, or any cooking mechanism at all). Each one offers the traditional three ingredients of Caprese - Basil, Tomato and Mozzarella. And with those three ingredients, you really cannot go wrong.

Also, it is important to note, regarding the taping of today's episode that it was actually the first episode I taped for the season. There were, as you will see, a few learning curves that needed to be maneuvered (ahem . . . running out of recording space before the cooking session was done), but I did what I could to salvage the final presentation. Thank you for your patience with this first-time stepping in front of the camera, and regardless of the season, if you are craving Caprese Bruschetta, it is a simple and quite delicious appetizer to pull together. Every time I have chosen to include it at any one of my many dinner parties or gatherings at my home, it is a crowd favorite.

Included in this episode is a short tutorial on knife skills, which size and design of knife to use and how to properly hold and use a knife to avoid any accidents (aka cutting one's fingers). Now to the episode! I do hope you enjoy!

Welcome to The Simply Luxurious Kitchen, Episode #5, Season 1

I am very excited to welcome you into my kitchen which has become a haven of curiosity and exploration for me over the years and share with you what I have learned to simplify and amplify the flavor in your everyday cooking excurions. 

As I shared in the pilot episode, the ultimate goal of this new vodcast series is to help viewers discover how to enjoy the everyday cooking that will elevate the quality of our lives. In other words, enjoy stepping into the kitchen. 

The first season is focused on simple everyday meals - with ideas for dinner and lunch as well as breakfast and of course a few desserts to enjoy as well. There will be eight episodes in our first season, and a new one will air first here on the blog (as well as on iTunes or wherever you download your podcasts/vodcasts) each Saturday morning through October 27th (and become available on Youtube within 24 hours).

Each episode will be accompanied with detailed show notes which will include the full recipe, links to anything that was mentioned, as well as kitchen tools and utentils that were used in the episode. 

~View the show notes for this episode (Episode 5, Season 1) here - https://www.thesimplyluxuriouslife.com/vodcasts1e5/

~Want a preview of the upcoming episodes for the first season?Subscribe to TSLL's Weekly Newsletter which is delivered each Friday and shares exclusively with subscribers the subject of the upcoming episode which will go live the next day. 

For the recipes and more from this episode visit - https://www.thesimplyluxuriouslife.com/vodcasts1e5/

~Cook & Share! I would love to share your Simply Luxurious Kitchen inspired experiences from your kitchen! Tag me on Instagram with @thesimplyluxuriouslife #tslkitchen and your post could appear on my Instagram feed.

~View all episodes of The Simply Luxurious Kitchen here - https://www.thesimplyluxuriouslife.com/category/vodcast/

Welcome to The Simply Luxurious Kitchen, Episode #4, Season 1

I am very excited to welcome you into my kitchen which has become a haven of curiosity and exploration for me over the years and share with you what I have learned to simplify and amplify the flavor in your everyday cooking excurions. 

As I shared in the pilot episode, the ultimate goal of this new vodcast series is to help viewers discover how to enjoy the everyday cooking that will elevate the quality of our lives. In other words, enjoy stepping into the kitchen. 

The first season is focused on simple everyday meals - with ideas for dinner and lunch as well as breakfast and of course a few desserts to enjoy as well. There will be eight episodes in our first season, and a new one will air first here on the blog (as well as on iTunes or wherever you download your podcasts/vodcasts) each Saturday morning through October 27th (and become available on Youtube within 24 hours).

Each episode will be accompanied with detailed show notes which will include the full recipe, links to anything that was mentioned, as well as kitchen tools and utentils that were used in the episode. 

~View the show notes for this episode (Episode 4, Season 1) here - https://www.thesimplyluxuriouslife.com/vodcasts1e4/

~Learn more about my time in Patricia Wells' Cooking Class in Provence - https://www.thesimplyluxuriouslife.com/patriciawellsprovencecooking/ 

~Want a preview of the upcoming episodes for the first season?Subscribe to TSLL's Weekly Newsletter which is delivered each Friday and shares exclusively with subscribers the subject of the upcoming episode which will go live the next day. 

For the recipes from this episode visit - https://www.thesimplyluxuriouslife.com/vodcasts1e4/

~Cook & Share! I would love to share your Simply Luxurious Kitchen inspired experiences from your kitchen! Tag me on Instagram with @thesimplyluxuriouslife #tslkitchen and your post could appear on my Instagram feed.

~View all episodes of The Simply Luxurious Kitchen here - https://www.thesimplyluxuriouslife.com/category/vodcast/

Welcome to The Simply Luxurious Kitchen, Episode #3, Season 1

I am very excited to welcome you into my kitchen which has become a haven of curiosity and exploration for me over the years and share with you what I have learned to simplify and amplify the flavor in your everyday cooking excurions. 

As I shared in the pilot episode, the ultimate goal of this new vodcast series is to help viewers discover how to enjoy the everyday cooking that will elevate the quality of our lives. In other words, enjoy stepping into the kitchen. 

The first season is focused on simple everyday meals - with ideas for dinner and lunch as well as breakfast and of course a few desserts to enjoy as well. There will be eight episodes in our first season, and a new one will air first here on the blog (as well as on iTunes or wherever you download your podcasts/vodcasts) each Saturday morning through October 27th (and become available on Youtube within 24 hours).

Each episode will be accompanied with detailed show notes which will include the full recipe, links to anything that was mentioned, as well as kitchen tools and utentils that were used in the episode. 

~View the show notes for this episode (Episode 3, Season 1) here - https://www.thesimplyluxuriouslife.com/vodcasts1e3/  

~Want a preview of the upcoming episodes for the first season?Subscribe to TSLL's Weekly Newsletter which is delivered each Friday and shares exclusively with subscribers the subject of the upcoming episode which will go live the next day. 

For the recipes from this episode visit - https://www.thesimplyluxuriouslife.com/vodcasts1e3/

~Cook & Share! I would love to share your Simply Luxurious Kitchen inspired experiences from your kitchen! Tag me on Instagram with @thesimplyluxuriouslife #tslkitchen and your post could appear on my Instagram feed.

~View all episodes of The Simply Luxurious Kitchen here - https://www.thesimplyluxuriouslife.com/category/vodcast/