Playing With My Food ~
A journal about food, thought, travel, and life; by Chef & Raconteur Chaz French.

I’m not one to gloat but…

Maybe just for tonight... I'm too emotional to put up my thoughts about this historic event and what I feel is needed next, so for tonight all I can manage is "SUCK IT NEOCONS!" (I don't know where the photo comes from to give credit, if anyone … [Continue reading]

Blog Action Day Post – Poverty

I lived in Los Angeles from 1987 until 2002, for much of that time I was involved with a group called "Under The Bridges And On The Streets" their mission was and is to bring food to the homeless where they live. It went like this, one Saturday a … [Continue reading]

Vanilla Bean-Cream Cheese-Buttercream

Oooh. Yes, you should go "Oooh." and when you taste this you should go "Mmmmmmm, oooh, unnnngg mmmm." Yeah, it's that good. Ingredients: 2 8 ounce bricks of Philly cream cheese at room temp. 1 stick of butter at room temp 1/2 teaspoon almond … [Continue reading]

Brown Butter Carrot Spice Cake

Yeah that's a mouthful, imagine if I had included "With Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Buttercream" but I'm saving that for a separate post because it's so damn tasty it deserves its own damn write up! So carrot cake, people either love it or hate it, … [Continue reading]

Pistachio & Chorizo Cake

Recently David Lebovitz posted a version of this recipe that he adapted from Chocolate & Zucchini. I have to say this is an excellent savory snack cake, perfect for afternoon nibbles, cocktail parties and picnics. I made it for a day with the … [Continue reading]

Saying Good-bye to Mother’s

Mother's cookies has closed their doors and filed for bankruptcy protection. For those of us who spent any time on the west coast these cookies were a tradition. I'm not a fan of the frosted animal cookies. I LOVED the chocolate chip cookies, ever … [Continue reading]

Wilde’s Tomb

Oscar Wilde's TombGerman tourists adding to the desecration of Wilde's tomb. Music by Edith Piaf "Enfin le Printemps" The tomb of literary genius Oscar Wilde in Pere le Chaise Cemetery, Paris. If you're reading this in an RSS feed and don't see … [Continue reading]

Train through the Belgian Countryside

Train ride through the Belgian countrysideOn the train from Bruges to Paris. - Music Jacques Brel "Il y a" On the train from Bruges to Paris back in May I decided to pull out the Flip and get a little scenery on video. Music is by the … [Continue reading]

The Sahara Hotel & Casino – To Be Avoided

I don't normally use this as a platform to complain, some notable exceptions like being ripped off in Paris aside. But this time I have to share and hopefully prevent others from making the mistake of staying at the Sahara Hotel & Casino in Las … [Continue reading]

Recent links that caught my eye

Welcome to the latest edition of "I Can't Possibly Eat, Bake, Cook, Taste Everything on the Internet." Summer Meatballs Hot Cross Buns Saffron & Cardamom Panna Cotta (can't wait to try this one). Caramel Apple Cake (I might be making this one … [Continue reading]