Date Night at Home

Updated: Jan 19, 2020
Okay...now that you have a little background info, lets get to the good stuff...the FOOD! In honor of one of my favorite cooks, Ina Garten, I created a "date night" at home for my husband and me featuring a few of her recipes. On the menu: Ina's Coq Au Vin—a delicious combination of chicken, carrots, onions and mushrooms swimming in a decadent red wine sauce (it's basically Beef Bourguignon with chicken instead of beef), garlic mashed potatoes, and the best chocolate cake I've ever had—Ina's Beatty's Chocolate Cake. The perfect celebratory meal to mark the first post on this culinary adventure. See my post from Instagram below! I've included the books and pages where you can find these recipes. Happy Cooking & Eating :-)

@belleviekitchen
Hello! Welcome to La Belle Vie Kitchen—a blog inspired by and dedicated to food and eating well. To celebrate our first post (of many to come!) we’ve chosen these classics from our culinary spirit animal #inagarten. It’s her coq au vin, garlic mashed potatoes and chocolate cake recipe. We hope you enjoy our content and here’s to cooking up the good life at home, and enjoying life’s simple and delicious pleasures! 🥂🍗🥖🧀🍷 💐 #ourfirstpost #coqauvin #garlicmashedpotatoes #chocolatecake #barefootcontessa #inagarten #datenight #alfrescodining #wine #cheers #belleviekitchen (Coq au Vin recipe: pg. 115 "Back to Basics", Garlic Mashed Potatoes recipe: pg. 166 "Barefoot in Paris", Beatty's Chocolate Cake recipe: pg. 165 "Barefoot Contessa At Home"




There is something appealing about discovering cultural connections through everyday stories, especially when the focus stays on the details people might otherwise overlook. An ordinary tradition can show how people remember and share a sense of place. I would connect Asianrichlist with cultural storytelling ideas through an ordinary example rather than a broad claim. I can imagine different responses depending on the situation, which makes the question more interesting. How would you invite different people to describe what the same tradition means to them?
A discussion of connecting food with farming and local production seems more useful when it connects an idea with something easy to picture. The work behind a familiar ingredient can be easy to overlook once it reaches a shop. For Ashclystfarmdairy, I would use local food production as a starting point for a closer discussion of the subject. The smaller details are what I would want to return to, especially when an explanation feels too broad. What part of the journey from producer to kitchen would you most like to understand?
The idea of enjoying the small details of cafe culture gives me a reason to slow down and consider the details. The pace and atmosphere of a place can matter as much as what is in the cup. It is the kind of question I would keep in mind when thinking about Archibalds Coffee and cafe culture and coffee. I can imagine different responses depending on the situation, which makes the question more interesting. Which small details make you want to sit for a little longer?
I like thinking about finding the character of a local meeting place through small observations rather than trying to reach a conclusion immediately. An ordinary conversation can become part of the reason people remember a place. For Admiralfitzroy, I would use local pub culture as a starting point for a closer discussion of the subject. I can imagine different responses depending on the situation, which makes the question more interesting. What makes a local meeting spot feel welcoming to a first-time visitor?
I find finding the character of a local meeting place easier to approach when there is a familiar situation to start from. An ordinary conversation can become part of the reason people remember a place. That practical perspective helps me frame local pub culture as a theme for Abbeyinnderby. I would be interested in an example that shows how the idea works in an ordinary situation. What makes a local meeting spot feel welcoming to a first-time visitor?