My Winter Project

http://knittingandsomemore.blogspot.com/2008/08/photographer-mittens.html

I'm sad that I didn't come up with this idea! Gloves with a shutter finger hole so you can take pictures.. genius! This should keep me busy for the next month! So excited to make these!

Carrot Soup... nom nom nom

With not a lot of food in the fridge nor money in my pocket, I decided to make a carrot soup for lunch today. After doing some searching online, I found a recipe that sounded good so I gave it a try and it was honestly the best carrot soup I've ever had!  It's simple, fast and healthy!  I didn't have any coconut milk and decided to go without the cream and added some broccoli to it and it was amazing. (The cloves and curry really add to the flavor.)
Alors, 'tis the season of soups, so give it a try and enjoy!

Ingredients
Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds carrots - peeled & sliced
1 large onion - finely chopped
1-2 garlic cloves - peeled
5 whole cloves
4 cups water
2 tbsp coconut milk
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp curry powder (optional)
1/4 cup chilled whipping cream
fresh cilantro or parsley - for garnish 

Directions
Heat oil in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, garlic, curry powder and cloves and saute until onion is translucent, about 8-10 minutes. 

Add 4 cups water. Cover and simmer until carrots are very soft, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

Remove the cloves from broth and discard. Puree soup in batches in a blender. Return soup to same saucepan. Mix in lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Beat the whipping cream and coconut milk together. Now add this to the soup and allow to simmer for a few more mins.

While serving, transfer the Curried Carrot Soup into bowls. Drizzle some more cream if desired, and garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley.

Mom's visit

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Photo books are the perfect gift for any occasion.

Je n'ai pas de chance...

As I was walking to the train station this morning I heard that sound we all dread. The train was leaving. Disappointed but not in a huge hurry, I patiently waited the fifteen minutes for the next one to come along. For some reason this morning the Transilien (aka the suburb train) was stopping at every stop. Normally it goes straight from La Defense to Paris Saint Lazare sans arrete. I realize this means nothing to you, but let's just say it added a good ten minutes onto my trek into Paris.

When we finally arrived at the station I was already late for class so I walked quickly to line 12 which takes me straight to my stop: Sevres-Babylone. After a four minute wait the train pulled in, packed with Parisians headed to work. We stuffed ourselves in and just when we thought there wasn't any more room, people forced their way in. After one stop the train slowed and barely inched forward, jerking every few seconds to a complete halt.  Then we didn't move at all... The conductor announced over the intercom that there was a blockage and thanked everyone for their patience... yet time continued to pass with no mercy. Sandwiched with at least 30 other people in the area of the train by the door (around 6 ft by 6ft). I finally managed to awkwardly take off my beanie and jacket without hitting too many people and watched as the men in their suits wiped the sweat from their brows with their handkerchief. People began to moan and a few shouted as I realized an elderly woman had sat down and was beginning to vomit. Everyone pushed as far away from her as possible, which only meant a step at most. Someone passed her their water bottle and others tried to fan her with the Direct Matin journal in attempt to get her some air. More time passed yet nothing happened. We all just stood their, staring at each other with sweat trickling down our temples. A young woman near me began crying into her scarf as the man behind me gently said, "Excusez-moi, ca va aller." in an attempt to comfort her. Every so often the conductor would announce that it would only be a few more minutes and we hoped it was true. Any signal that we were going to move and people would breathe out a sigh of relief only to remain motionless.  "Putain" seemed to escape the lips of everyone around me and I wanted to say it too.

I couldn't help but think of the Seinfeld episode of Elaine trapped on the subway, surrounded by people. You hear her thoughts as she screams inside her head. After nearly an hour of standing, hoping I wouldn't faint, my inside voice was all screamed out.

The good news was it finally rolled forward and got me where I needed to be, even if I was over an hour late for class. But you can bet I wasn’t in any hurry to get back on the metro after that.