Hello April
(are you really here to stay, Spring?)
April 7th, 2022
Could it be…. spring is coming? It’s trying hard! We’ve had some beautiful spring-like days recently here in Toronto, followed by below zero (˚C) temps but looking down in the garden, you can see signs that spring definitely wants to be here to stay.
Spring is typically a time of the year that feels more hopeful. The brighter, longer days, the gardens just starting to bloom… People collectively breathing a sigh of relief. This year is a little different (see below) but I’m trying to focus on the positives.
A big positive recently is that our girl Cleo turned 21 (!!!!!!!!! < sorry Grammarly, it does merit this many exclamation marks!).
If that’s not a positive, hopeful piece of news, I don’t know what is! I feel very lucky that I’ve been able to spend so much time with her at home over the past two years…
And speaking of that, It’s kind of mind-blowing to think that this will be our third Covid spring. On the one hand, it feels like just yesterday that we were entering lockdowns for the first time yet on the other, life in the “before times” feels SO long ago. It’s a little discouraging to learn that case counts this week in Ontario are the highest they have ever been throughout the entire pandemic. Not much to say here except “sigh”. Onwards, right? It can only get better from here?
Though Covid still rages on all over the world, it’s been pushed out of the headlines by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A couple of weeks ago, I shared some ways to support organisations and people helping Ukraine. If you haven’t checked it out already, please do. Truly, every little bit helps.
This month, I’m donating $1 for each copy sold of either of the French Food for Everyone books to World Central Kitchen. See below for links to purchase.
In-person cooking classes are back!
In-person classes at The Kitchen at St Lawrence Market in Toronto are back (and we’ll be continuing with added Covid protocols to keep everyone safe)!
People are so happy to be able to be cooking together again and I’m thrilled to be offering a few more classes in April and May.
In the lineup of classes this spring with remaining availability, you’ll see some familiar favourites - macarons and choux pastry!
If you’re in Toronto or know someone who is, check out my May offerings here. Use NEWSLETTERSUBSCRIBER for 15% off ticket prices.
Online classes are still here!
I’m still teaching online cooking classes for Context Travel! Use the code MMICHELS20 for 20% off registration (new Context clients only). Join in from anywhere in the world! Classes are listed for April currently - more classes for May onwards will be added soon!
Recipes you might have missed
My creamy French chicken stew from French Food for Everyone: le dîner was featured on Leite’s Culinaria.
Looking for a lighter comfort-food dish? My chicken pot pie with asparagus and bacon is just the thing!
(After-school) snacks more your thing? I have you covered with a chocolate financier loaf cake or chocolate “barquettes” :)
These no-bake chocolate-hazelnut energy bites (below) have been popular on my blog lately too!
links you might like
eat
Haven’t we told Julia Child’s story enough? via Eater. What do you think? Are you tired of hearing about Julia? I haven’t seen the recent HBO series yet, but am curious to see if I will be done with hearing about her once I watch it.
The unsung women of the Betty Crocker test kitchens via Atlas Obscura. Do you know the origins of Betty Crocker? (spoiler: she’s not real!). Best marketing invention ever!
I’m breaking up with butter because I love the earth via Epicurious. Are you trying to eat more sustainably? Have you cut out butter/ dairy? An interesting take…
live
French supermarket tills where chit-chat is welcome grow in popularity via The Connexion. I LOVE this idea for tackling loneliness and isolation.
Escaping the efficiency trap - and finding some peace of mind via The Wall Street Journal (possible paywall). I feel this very strongly right now - as we move out of the pandemic (maybe?), “it’s time to break the busyness cycle.” Let’s be more like the happy animals in Richard Scarry’s Busytown who, although busy, “exude the cheery self-possession of cats and pigs who have plenty to do, but also every confidence that their tasks will fit snugly into the hours available.”
How Covid-19 has reshaped our friendships via The Globe and Mail. Did you go through a “friendship audit” over the past couple of years?
travel
Summer 2022 will be the busiest travel season ever Expedia CEO predicts via Fortune. What about you - are you ready to travel yet?
(and now a little French culture)
A French Netflix must to understand French culture: L’Agence via Comme une Française. If you’re as obsessed with L’Agence (The Parisian Agency) as I am (see below!), this is a must-read to help you understand both the language and culture. As this article says, it’s SO FRENCH. And so much current French to be learned. I always tell the parents of my students that the easiest way to tune your ear into another language is TV in that language with subtitles. This is an excellent way to hear real French in context (bonus: you’ll be hooked on the series too!).
write
(sharing a recently-published piece I’m proud of!)
Cooking with kids: a parents’ guide via Leite’s Culinaria. My article chatting about ways to get started cooking with kids and all the benefits it will bring!
what we’re watching
Lies and Deceit. “Laura is disturbed by her memories of what happened at the end of her first date with Xavier, who claims she is misremembering the evening.” This will keep you guessing to the end. Held my attention through multiple timezones (in Spanish with subtitles!).
L’Agence (The Parisian Agency). SO. GOOD. I binge-watched this on my recent trip to France and as per the article linked above, it was a great way to get current with language! Even if you think you are not interested in real estate, it’s eye-opening to get a peek into the “ultra-luxe” the Kretz family deals with. I challenge you to not fall in love with Majo, the matriarch of the family!
About Time. An older movie (2013) I discovered on Amazon Prime and downloaded for the plane trip home, thinking it would be an easy movie to watch even if I was nodding off (as one does on a plane!). This is LOVELY. SUCH a feel-good movie! “At the age of 21, Tim discovers he can travel in time and change what happens and has happened in his own life. His decision to make his world a better place by getting a girlfriend turns out not to be as easy as you might think.”
The Bombardment. Sobering viewing, especially given what’s happening in Ukraine. “The fates of several Copenhagen residents collide when a WWII bombing mission accidentally targets a school full of children.” Hard to watch. Important to watch.
Station Eleven. We haven’t finished this series yet but am curiously watching and cautiously enjoying it, as much as one can with a series set in a post-apocalyptic world where the world ended with a flu killing most people (!). Spans multiple timelines (this is a bit irritating, to be honest, but you get more into it with each episode) and tells the story of hope with the survivors attempting “to rebuild and reimagine the world anew while holding on to the best of what's been lost.”
buy my books
This month, I’m donating $1 for each copy sold of either of the French Food for Everyone books to World Central Kitchen.
Don’t have my books? Read all about them and find links to purchase near you here!
rent our holiday home in southwest France!
Our charming house in Nérac, halfway between Bordeaux and Toulouse in the heart of Gascony is ready for the spring/ summer season! A handful of spring and summer dates are available as well as August and beyond!
Read more and book your stay here!
Thanks for reading!
Stay safe xo