_ } Bebe Rose

This smooth and lightly sweet drink is a classical French beverage, which kids commonly drink on hot summer days at the beach, along the promenade (or any where you would like). We drank it for the first time in the quaint small bistros in southern France where my grand-parents live.  The bistros decorate either side of the river along the canal in Sete where my grandparents live.

As we were sitting there tired, under the umbrellas, escaping the mid day July sun, we were in for a lovely surprise. A bright blue gondola filled with cheering men, glided past our table followed by a crimson red one. The battle field was being set, and the opposing navies were about to clash. On each boat, two men were standing on the front with two very long jousting sticks. A horn was blown and the men strategically tried to push one and another off the boats and into the water. First one in is the rotten fish. The man in the red boat won. We kept walking to meet up with my grandparents for dinner. Later, my brother and I would sneak peeks at the ongoing competitions through the balcony window.  READ MORE....

                Ingredient for the Bebe Rose: ( yields 2 cups)

5 tablespoons of strawberry syrup – we like the classic French way with syrup or you might like to make it with strawberry puree’. We were inspired to make a puree, first because it is using fresh fruits- always good. Also because our friend that is in our French class has a food dye allergy and we did not want him to miss out on this drink.  The puree- Which uses 10 large strawberries, blended with 3 tablespoons of water.

1 cup of milk

First step:
 5 teaspoons of strawberry syrup  (we use Torani’s they seem to be the most similar to the sirops in France / Europe) and  put it into a cup.

Second step:
Add milk. Stir.

(if you are using the strawberry purree method- blend the already blended strawberries with the milk)

Third step:
Serve cold. (you may want to place in fridge for a half hour)  ENJOY!!!!!!

  **By the way the Sete Jousting competition – my team won. They were smaller than the red team but seems more clever. Bigger is not always better. 

 

_  Sipping Chocolate

Yup – I have a chocolate issue. Everyday a bit of chocolate, not a lot, just a bit. It has to be good chocolate. I know at 11 years old I am already a chocolate snob.

Viva Cocolat in Petaluma has been my favorite place since…. Well it opened. I was among their first customers. Proud.

Sometimes I can’t wait to get to the downtown or I want to drink this in front of the fire at home.

  Yieds 4 – 4 oz cups

  12 oz of chocolate chips- semi sweet chocolate is my favorite
  1 cup of milk
  1 cup of heavy cream or half n half will do nicely too.

  In a double boiler or a medium casserole filled half way with water and a bowl that can sit on top of it without touching the water underneath.  (crucial point – otherwise chocolate will be burned). Get the water going at almost a boil place the chocolate chips in the bowl and let melt while stirring.

Once all chocolate is melted. Lower heat to low/med. Pour in the milk and cream alternating a little of one then a little of the other. Be sure to stir constantly. So the chocolate is absorbing the milk and cream. (You don’t want a puddle of milk that is sitting in the bowl with nowhere to go.)

Serve the sipping chocolate immediately – I use a ladle. It still drips down the side – but big deal. We are all going to lick the sides anyway – right!  Put a saucer under.

  I also love it with some homemade Chantilly – fresh whipped cream. We always have some in the fridge because it goes on everything. We all love it – the thought of buying it just isn’t right. Homemade whipped cream – OMG!!!

Here it is – tell me you are going to make this…..! Seriously, let me know if you have any ideas to change it up a bit.