Café des Négociants

Sweetheart had been dying to go to the Café des Négociants for ages, as his colleagues and friends (me included) are always praising this place. So I managed to secure a table - here you have to book a table a week in advance - for our first dinner out of this year. We went there a couple of weeks ago.

“This French Bistro is one of the best I have experienced to date. The food is delicious and the portions are generous.” he said. I couldn't agree more…This restaurant ticks all the boxes: food, deco, excellent service, atmosphere and location. It is our kind of place...

Located in the main street of Carouge, Négociants is a bright and pretty café on two levels. In the summer you can eat outside…they have a nice (and crowded) terrace. Can you picture yourself sitting there when the sun is shining...hmmm...lovely isn't?

Exterior view

Main dining room with big windows looking onto Carouge’s high street

The other level is the wine cellar which you can book as a private dining room for an event. It accommodates up to twelve guests; it is really a charming and intimate room. After sweetheart had admired their wine cellar downstairs, we took our place upstairs. We were literally watering at the mouth at the treats that were presented on the menu…

Downstairs wine cellar

Menu

The food was extraordinary. It was delicious and well prepared, made with locally produced ingredients. It reminded me of great home cooking, which I adore.

Sweetheart ordered Scottish salmon tartare with lime zest and toast with seaweed butter as a starter.

...and for main course, he ordered roast duck breast with peppers and French fries

I opted for marbled duck foie gras and braised oxtail in red wine as a starter

…and for main dish I chose my favourite meat, lamb shank confit, thyme sauce, gratin potatoes with cream. I love their French fries, so I asked for a portion on the side

Even though I was so full, I couldn't resist a dessert...you know me by now, I have a sweet tooth. See how yummy this rum baba is...Sweetheart finished his delicious chocolate mousse in a flash...maybe he was worried I would eat his dessert...after all, I have a bad habit of stealing his desserts....

Pure Venezuela chocolate mousse with double cream and cocoa meringues

Rum Baba, with orange flavoured syrup and whipped cream

Every dish we had was an explosion of flavours and tastes. The price was reasonable; the entire meal came to around CHF 200 including an aperitif, Kir Royal, Champagne and a glass of wine each.

Our motto is “Eat cuisine du terroir, unpretentious and yet fabulous. It is all about taste.”

As for my look, it was comfy, sober and feminine, as usual, with my favourite high heel boots by Luis Onofre...and jewels, of course.

Café des Négociants

29, rue de la Filature

(on the corner of Rue St-Victor)

1227 CAROUGE

Tél. : +41 22 300 31 30

Goat Cheese Pudding

This is one of my favourite puddings, a gorgeous dessert. Quick and easy to make, tasty and not too sweet or heavy…At home we all crave for it…here is my dear mum’s recipe. She learned it while living in Africa.

Ingredients

6 eggs

250g sugar

350ml milk

1 tbsp butter

150g grated dry goat cheese (best to use artisanal cheese)

1 grated lemon zest

For the caramel

8 tbsps sugar

2 tbsps cold water

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC

2. Put the sugar with the cold water in a frying pan and heat gently over a low heat. Keep stirring until the sugar melts and forms a dark golden caramel. Do not let the sugar burn!

3. Pour the caramel into a pudding mould, quickly, before it hardens. (I use a trusty 16 cm diameter, 10 cm deep aluminium pudding mould.)  Set aside to cool completely.

4. In the meantime, blend together the sugar, eggs, milk and the melted butter for about 5 minutes.

5. Add the grated cheese to the liquid mixture and add the grated lemon zest.

6. Pour the liquid into the pudding mould, over the cooled caramel. Then, place the pudding mould in a pan partly filled with water (bain-marie, a technique that prevents the sugar from overheating) and put them in the oven.

7. Cook for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. It is ready when it becomes firm.

8. Let it cool before putting in the fridge for around 8 hours. Then, turn the mould over a serving plate in a sudden movement. Serve.

Serves 12-14

Tips: If there are any leftovers, refrigerate. You can easily keep the pudding for up to five days. You can prepare it in advance (this makes it even tastier).

The Greenhouse, 2007 (original title: Afleggjarinn)

At 22, Arnljotur leaves the ice and lava of his native Iceland, destined for a monastery on the continent where he must restore the rose garden. He leaves with, in his pocket, a photo of his baby daughter, in his heart, the love of his father and his autistic brother and the memory of his prematurely departed mother and, in his trunk, three cuttings of rosa candida.

Author: Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir, is a woman writer born in 1958 in Reykjavik, Iceland. She is also a professor of art history at the University of Iceland and director of the University of Iceland Art Museum. She has published four books to date.

My thoughts: It was in May that I bought this book, to which I was intuitively drawn by its intense pink cover. After reading the first lines, I decided to take it home, but it was not until early January that I read this gem.

“The book chooses us, not the other way round.” A writer I once met at a book fair said to me....and experience has proved to me so many times that this is true!!

The Greenhouse is a gentle and soothing book - a touch of sweetness in this cruel world! A masterpiece of Icelandic literature. I loved everything in this book: the people, the landscapes and the emotions... It is the journey of a young man in search of himself who, thanks to encounters, advice and new experiences, discovers who he is and who he can become. I loved Arnljotur for his candour, freshness and goodness. I also adored his father, an old man completely overwhelmed by the unexpected death of his wife, always worried about his son, so kind and loving. This book is a breath of fresh air, a means to disconnect from harsh reality... We need more innocent and loving people like this young man. Captivated, I have purchased another of Ólafsdóttir’s novels "Rigning í November" or “Butterflies in November” in English.

Make Up

My taste for make-up is very limited; it doesn’t really interest me! Nevertheless, for very special occasions, I make a little effort…To summarise, my makeup kit includes seven items that are still almost new.

So, from time to time, I put on the ever versatile red lipstick to give a twist to my look. At other times I wear a pink shade of lipstick or a transparent lip gloss. I also wear black mascara for sensitive eyes. I have a BB foundation cream (used only once), I prefer the Nuxe "healthy glow" effect powder for sensitive skin.

However, I must admit that my preference is just red lipstick! In Gwyneth Paltrow’s words, “Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin. That or a kick-ass red lipstick”. I couldn't agree more with that.

My tiny kit includes:

Multi-Usage Compact Bronzing Powder, Nuxe

Beauty Balm Hydra Zen 4, Lancôme

Mascara Respectissime, La Roche- Posay

Envy Sculpting lipstick, Estée Lauder

Rose Envy Christal Shimmer, Estée Lauder

Gloss Ocean Shimmer, Chanel

… and this Christmas gift Gossamer Emotion Red by Kiko Milano

This post, like all my blog posts, is not sponsored.

Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Honey Drops Body Cream

Hello ladies, I have a divine cream suggestion for you, it is Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Honey Drops Body Cream.

Those who follow this blog know that I swim and thus need a rich body cream for my dry skin. I am addicted to this cream since I first tried it over a month ago. I bought a 500ml jar for CHF 27.00 before catching my flight. It was on promotion at Geneva Airport.

I love the texture, rich but not heavy, yet still thick enough to hydrate and nourish the skin perfectly. It is quickly absorbed; my skin just feels soft and smooth. I also love its fresh smell, both sensual and relaxing. The green tea scent is subtle and the honey makes it voluptuous.

This was my gift to me for Christmas. From time to time it is important to give yourself a treat. If you find it on discount, it is worth purchasing. I think you will love it!

This post, like all my blog posts, is not sponsored.

The First Sunday

The first Sunday of January we were treated to a radiant sun in the morning. After grey and rainy days, the sun woke us up at 8:00.

So, after breakfast, I took my faithful comrade - Mr Nikon - for a long walk into town.

It was nice to still see the Christmas decorations in the shops and restaurants: they warmed my heart!

I came across a multitude of people:  joggers trying hard to accomplish their New Year resolutions... and tourists capturing the last moments of their holidays. There were good vibrations in town... only happy faces!

I hope this year will be filled with joy and peace for all of us, just like that sunny Sunday morning.

Have a sweet Wednesday!