brunosdream

Here are a few photos from Christmas dinner at a friend’s house. The lighting was low so the color and sharpness aren’t very good (except the salad photo which was taken in the kitchen), but at least you can see what we feasted on. There was butternut squash soup,  Boursin potato gratin, roasted veggies, a salad w/ candied walnuts, pears and gorganzola cheese, pecan pie and chocolate truffles! I brought the boneless leg of lamb stuffed w/ crimini mushrooms, fresh chestnuts, garlic, rosemary, thyme and apricots soaked in Calvados. I also made a merlot sauce w/ porcini mushrooms. Everything was delicious and the evening was a lot of fun!!

Hoping your 2013 is filled w/ peace, joy, health and happiness!

Happy cooking…

Bruno

Workin’ the early bird shift this week, but even the birds weren’t up this early!!

Happy New Year!

Bruno

I was very fortunate to have spent a few days working on Maui during the week before Thanksgiving. Here are a some of the many photos I snapped on this beautiful island.

Welcome to Maui!

View from my hotel room.

Fruit stand and smoothie truck on the way from Kahului airport to Kaanapali beach.

They sold passion fruit, guavas, papayas, mangoes, bananas, sugar cane, pineapples, star fruit, lemons, limes and coconuts among other things.

The old banyan tree in Lahaina.

Wood fired pizza from a street vendor – we selected the spinach special and lilikoi pork pizzas.

Our pies baking in the oven.

Time to eat!

Next stop the Maui Grown Company Store to sample some locally grown coffee. Sampled five types of beans and decided I enjoyed the Lahaina Beach the best so I bought a pound to bring home.

We then drove to the Kaanapali Coffee Farms to see where the beans are grown.

The next morning we drove to Hana on the windward side of the island. Sugar cane fields in the foreground w/ the sun rising over Haleakala volcano.

Along the Hana highway.

Surf’s up in Hana!

Breakfast at Uncle Bill’s in Hana. A quirky stationary food truck w/ an eccentric proprietor named Phyllis.

The funky decor at Uncle Bill’s.

Across from the ball fields in Hana is a great food stand called Thai Food by Pranee where I purchased the special of the day, Panang Mahi Mahi, to have for lunch before our hike in Haleakala National Park. No photo, just delicious memories and a link for more information : click here 

Baby pig crossing, but none were crossing as we drove by…

Entering Haleakala National Park.

Map of the park.

A banyan tree along the trail up to Waimoku Falls.

One of the many waterfalls along the trail to Waimoku Falls.

The bamboo forest.

Spectacular Waimoku Falls which drops 400 feet!

The base of Waimoku Falls.

Charles Lindbergh’s final resting place.

Continuing along the Hana highway there are many beautiful vistas.

The changing scenery as we get closer to the base of Haleakala volcano which you can see in the background.

One of the many hairpin turns along the highway. Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road!!

That’s all folks! Hope you enjoyed the tour…

Bruno

My brother sent me these photos of  mushrooms he found in a forest near where he lives in France. He said it’s been cooler and wetter than normal there and the conditions are ripe for mushroom hunting. He and his wife are going  hunting for more bounty in their secret spot which is located in this region:  http://www.perigordnoir.com/en/index.php.

Happy Hunting!

Bruno

Santa delivered us a beautiful snow for Christmas! These are pictures of my garden taken from my kitchen window this morning. Looking forward to greener days in the garden next year, but at the moment I’m enjoying this beautiful, relaxing and lazy day!

Happy Christmas and may 2011 bring you health, joy and great meals enjoyed w/ your friends and family!

Bruno

As we were flying up the west coast I was able to get some pretty good shots of majestic Mount Rainier and explosive Mount St. Helens.

Mount Saint Helens

Mount Rainier

Happy Thanksgiving!

Bruno

Here are a few photos from the brisket dinner I talked about in my previous fennel gelato post.

A votre sante’!

Bruno

This is a photo that my brother, Fred, shot in the Lot-et-Garonne region of France (not far from Bordeaux). What a beautiful area of the world! If you’re interested in viewing more of Fred’s photos, click this link to go to his website.

For those of you in America, I hope you’re enjoying the Labor Day weekend!

Bruno

Here’s another photo from my brother, Fred. The photo was shot southeast of Bordeaux in the Landes region. I thought the flowers were lavender but Fred informed me that it’s heather. It looks like spring in southern France!

Bruno

These photos were sent to me by my brother, Fred, who lives in Agen (which is located between Toulouse and Bordeaux). He didn’t know what type of grapes are in the photos, but they sure are beautiful! Thanks for sharing these w/ me Fred!!

Bruno