Often the best eatery is Chez Moi, our place. As much as we love eating out, some of our best meals are when we cook. We never have those discussions some people have about whose turn it is to cook or do the dishes. We both love to cook and neither of us mind the dishes.

Recently, after watching an episode of Ina Garten, I adapted one of her dishes for us, shrimp with fennel. I would never have dreamt of pairing shrimp and fennel, but wow, it was amazing.

I sautéed diced fennel in olive oil with a bit of garlic and red pepper flakes. Then sautéed the peeled shrimp, added a splash of French sparkling wine, and a handful of parsley from our garden. To quote Ina, “How easy is that?” Then served it with fresh, local, brocoli that was steamed and topped with a bit of butter and salt.

Spring means asparagus, We don’t eat asparagus the rest of the year because it is just not worth eating; fresh local asparagus is such a treat. At the risk of offending my French friends, I do proclaim that Washington, USA grown asparagus is superior, but the stalks from France are quite nice.

One of the wonderful conveniences at the Supermarché are the premade doughs and crusts. They come in a package rolled around paper. To use you simply unroll the dough onto your baking sheet and you are set. For this tart I used puff pastry dough.

The first layer was crème fraîche. Then asparagus, leek, and sliced zucchini. It was seasoned with a bit of salt and red pepper flakes. (Yes, I do put a bit of red pepper flakes on most everything. Not enough to make it spicy, but even a bit enhances the flavor better than black pepper.) I topped it off with grated Parmesan cheese and baked.

In March 2022 we were in Paris on our way home from Faro, Portugal. We stayed for a few days at a newer hotel in the Montparnasse area, The Drawing House. A great place to stay if you want to try something with a real art vibe. It was late so we just ate in the hotel. Tricia had curried squash soup, which inspired her to do her own version at Chez Moi.

She topped it with mini-croutons, and a drizzle of olive oil. From my totally biased objectivity it was better than at the restaurant. Some slices of baguette and a glass of vin blanc made the perfect meal.

Cooking and eating has been an integral part of our life for as long as I remember. It is our hobby. Food brings us joy, which, when we get the opportunity, we love to share with friends and family.