17/04/2018
Food skincare

I try as much as possible to pay attention to what I eat, organic and local products as soon as I can. This way of life also extends to what I put on my skin, and I would like today to make you discover some natural cosmetic products which use…eatable ingredients!

Sister & Co

First of all, Sister & Co, an English brand with pretty packaging, created by Sophie. She had the idea to develop her brand after ending up having skin problems while traveling, and getting cured with coconut oil. She became passionate about the ability of food-grade, nutrient-rich natural ingredients in their raw and undiluted state when vitamins, minerals and nutrients are fully intact, to heal and nourish your body on the outside as well as the inside.

No additives or perfumes or toxins, not tested on animals, we love the lip balm with lemon myrtle and mint, the apricot and vanilla body cream, or the exfoliant with cocoa and coffee found in this kit of essentials.

>> Available at Nuoo or Asos (from 9,99€)

Frank Body

There’s also Frank Body, the fun and girly Australian brand, la marque australienne super fun et girly, which started selling a coffee-based body scrub in 2013 and which is selling its products around the world today… Creams with coffee bean oil, charcoal cleaners, lip balms, or this amazing lip scrub, essential during winter periods…

>> Available at Sephora or Urban Outfitters (from 8,95€)

Le Bon

The toothpaste Le Bon in addition to being super pretty, are made in France with natural organic products, vegan, and certified without sulfate, paraben, dyes, fluorine, … Available in 6 different tastes, they all contain green tea and aloe vera : they help to naturally prevent bacterial growth, plaque formation, cavity and to protect gums.

>> You can find them at Oh My Cream or at Printemps Beauté (21,50€ yes, they are indeed expensive!)

Wooden Spoon Herbs

What’s cool with Instagram it is to be able to discover sublime stories like the one of Lauren Hays the apothecary of Wooden Spoon Herbs. In the Appalachians, she harvests and picks medicinal plants that grow in the region and makes all kinds of remedies: moisturizing creams, invigorating herbal teas, cough syrups …

>> Available on their e-shop (from 14$)

Mustus

Mustus makes fabric masks impregnated with an essence of juice absorbed by the skin, made from fruits and vegetables.

>> Available at Sephora (4,95€)

Youth to the people

100% vegan and manufactured in California, Youth to the People offers products free of paraben, phthalate, mineral oil, sulfate. Harnessing powerful antioxidants and phytonutrients from cold-pressed plant extracts, Youth To The People combines superfoods and science and promesses to keep your skin youthful and vibrant. We love the kale and spirulina mask, or the goji and açai oil.

>> Available at Sephora, on their e-shop, or on Anthropologie (from 29,90€)

Pure Earth

Founded by Kavita Khosa, Pure Earth is inspired by Ayurveda. Also free of silicone, parabens, sulphates, GMOs, the brand uses wild ingredients or ecologically grown in villages and valleys of the Himalayas. We want to buy everything, like this turmeric mask, apricot oil or mandarin body butter.

09/04/2018
Sri Lankan Hoppers

I discovered hoppers during my trip in Sri Lanka. These little thin crepes fines are made with rounded pans which give them a bowl shape. I obviously made them the usual “French” way but they were still delicious. They are eaten rather at breakfast, or during a meal and not for dessert, and you can even break an egg in it. They can also be eaten with chutney or spicy coconut salad (sambal).

The Ingredients

1 teaspoon dehydrated baker’s yeast
250 ml of coconut water (I used the water of my fresh coconut)
1 teaspoon of salt
500 g of rice flour
1 tablespoon of sugar
750 ml of coconut milk

The Recipe

Mix the yeast and coconut water.
Mix the salt, rice flour and sugar, then add the yeast.
Cover with a damp cloth and leave it for at least 2 hours in a warm place.
Add the coconut milk and mix, then cover and let it rest again.
The dough should have the consistency of a light crepe dough, if it is too thick, you can add water or coconut milk.
In a hot oil pan, pour a ladle of dough and cook it like crispy pancakes.

21/03/2018
La Belle Assiette, chef at home

I spend a lot of my time in the kitchen, especially when I get friends over, and I never really thought about having a home chef over. When the opportunity presented itself to me with la Belle Assiette, I obviously accepted with great pleasure! I usually have trouble leaving my work surface, but I was actually rather pleased to put my feet under the table this time!

So how does it work? You hop on the site, you enter your postal code and the date of your dinner, then you can choose different types of menus (starting from 35 € per person), and browse the different profiles of chefs proposed. You will be able to choose from the comments of the customers, as well as the detailed descriptions of the chef’s style and photos of the dishes. On the D-Day, you just have to welcome your chef, and let the magic happen! He brings all the ingredients, cooks at home, does the service, and even … the dishes!

It is the chef Mathieu Zanette who came to cook for our table of 7. Mathieu was discreet while cooking, and made us discover his tasty cuisine with Asian accents: small bao pork buns as an appetizer, coconut broth and vegetarian homemade ravioli – amazing, duck breast with candied lemon and barley, and an exotic rhum baba with mango and homemade whipped cream. An exceptional evening, at home!

Photos © la Belle Assiette

05/03/2018
Chocolate candied citron

The citron is a large fragrant citrus fruit with a thick rind. It is found in Italy and Corsica.

The Ingredients

500g of organic citron
500g of sugar

The Recipe

This recipe should be ideally made over 3 days – although I must admit I did it in one day…

Cut the citrons into quarters then remove the seeds and the pulp to keep only the skin. Cut them into long sticks.
Blanch them for 10 minutes, then drain.
Weigh them, then prepare a syrup with water and the same weight of sugar.
Dip the citrons in the syrup and let them simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove the citrons, and let the syrup reduce for another 10 minutes over low heat.
Once the syrup has cooled, place the citrons in overnight.
The next day, cook again for 20 minutes the citrons in the syrup, drain, then repeat the same operation 2 days in a row.
The last time, reduce the syrup as much as possible (without it becoming a caramel!)
Sprinkle the citrons with the remaining syrup and let them dry.
Melt some dark chocolate and dip them in (half or full).

me on the Amalfi Coast with citrons ^ _ ^

19/02/2018
Kivu coffee

Kivu is a very interesting coffee project originating from Congo and roasted in London, which aims to strengthen the support of the local community by promoting creativity. Kivu collaborates with local and international artists to create works inspired by Congo, thus weaving a platform of intercultural stories.

The Arabica Kivu coffee is produced by the cooperative named Muungano (meaning “conviviality” in Swahili), and allows people previously divided by war to work together around Lake Kivu nestled in the mountains.

The coffee, with notes of dark chocolate and fig, is available online and also in one single place in France, at café Foufou!

16/01/2018
Café Foufou

Oh how pretty this little cafe Foufou is! Pink marble tables and counter, dripping green plants, funny proverbs on the walls, and an incredible mirror ceiling, it has already everything to please. And it is not only pretty, it is also delicious. We find everything we love: chia puddings, granolas (6 €), detox juices, and delicious avocado toasts with their poached egg. And as bonus you can even opt for the gluten-free bread version! The yummy pancakes (9€) are thick and soaked with maple syrup, and can be well accompanied by a filtered coffee V60 Kivu, a sublime Congolese coffee which I’ll talk about soon…

Café Foufou
10 Rue Oberkampf
75011 Paris
Monday-Friday from 8am until 6pm
Saturday-Sunday from 9am until 6pm