Foodblog – www.nildeae.com

Connect International is proud to announce the new blog by our member Adeline Chipaux, who has given several workshops for Culinary Connect to an enthusiastic group eager to learn and taste interesting new recipes. The recipes are in English, French and Dutch.

Adeline, from France, learned the basics of pastry cooking from her mother and took lessons in pastry and regional cuisine in Paris. She has spent much time honing her skills and is happy to share knowledge and fun in her workshops for Connect International.

The official blog opening party was on November 21 when Adeline invited us to her home and introduced us to sample some of the published recipes.

We first tasted the savory treats: Roquefort Onion Pie, Three Bean Soup inspired by Dutch bean soup, Tofaille des Vosges, and Caramel and Curry Paste Chicken. For dessert we sampled the sweet menu of Chocolate-Chestnut Cake, Zwolse Blauwvingers, Apple with a Salted Butter Caramel Filling, along with cookies and other suprises like Adeline’s homemade Gluhwein, the best I ever tried. She also has a white wine version and a warm spiced orange juice which are now added to the blog!

Every one of the treats was enthusiastically tasted as we mingled with old friends and welcomed newcomers.

The Chocolate Chestnut Cake introduced something unusual – chestnuts. Once tasted, I knew I had to make this at home and suddenly felt sorry for people who cannot find chestnut cream in their shops. It is possible to make your own but it is also possible to find the brand that Adeline uses at the Souk on Folkinggestraat: Ardeche chestnut cream made by Clement Faugier, in a small can. Use two cans if you want a super decadent version of this cake.

Our last workshop before Christmas was on December 8 in Adeline’s kitchen where we learned the steps to make an extraordinary Christmas Buche. The ambitious project came together perfectly under Adeline’s expert leadership. It did not seem that difficult in the end and, in fact, many of the steps can be done in advance so the cake can be assembled more quickly. If you serve this buche for dessert, it will never be forgotten – it is far beyond the quality of store-purchased cakes. After making this, there will be enough leftover buttercream to use for other desserts and it can be be kept in the fridge for 3 days or frozen for longer, and flavoured as you wish.

Keep watching Nildeae.com for Adeline’s kitchen tested recipes and please watch Connect Events to attend Adeline’s very popular home workshops!

For tantalizing recipes and culinary history see www.nildeae.com