Bonjour Mars!

Chocolate & Zucchini newsletter // March 2017 edition
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Last March, I...

February was a big and happy month for me. Most notably, we celebrated my youngest son Mika's second birthday (where'd my baby go?) and I completed the manuscript for my new cookbook, Tasting Paris! I have a couple more sections to write, but the bulk of it--all 100 recipes and accompanying headnotes--is done, and I am proud and excited.

The photos will be shot later this spring by the amazing Nicole Franzen, and the finished book will come out in the US in early 2018. (We'll be looking for publishers to publish it in other countries and other languages.) I will continue to share the process with you in the coming months.

Book a Paris consultation with me!

Headed to Paris? Getting overwhelmed with the research and planning? I now offer exclusive one-on-one video consultations to help you figure out how to make the most of your time in Paris. This is typically a 45-minute conversation over Skype, in which I help you form a plan, share advice, and give you specific recommendations based on what you’re hoping to experience on your trip.

If you're interested, hit reply and I'll give you more detail! (Please note I will only be offering three slots a week.)

Things That Made me Happy in February

• Despite being hard at work on my manuscript, I did not drop the ball on my Monthly Museum Challenge, and went to see the Bauhaus exhibit at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. It was crowded--no surprise, I went three days before it ended--but I got to doodle a few cool chairs and teapots, so all is good.

• I have loved loved loved watching The OA. Amazingly engrossing!

• In an episode of The OA I came across Emma Lazarus' poem The New Colossus, which rang especially timely. It is the one I memorized this month. This poem challenge has turned into the sweetest bedtime routine with my sons: my five year-old requests les poèmes nightly and I recite the six I now know, offering my own imperfect translations for the ones I've learned in English. Triple parenting win: I get some practice, I slip pretty words into their heads, and I put them to sleep.

• One of my favorite ways to unwind at night is to work on my hand-lettering, and I have enrolled in this excellent class on Bounce Lettering from Teela of Every Tuesday, breaking down precisely how you can make those bouncy words look so happy. Teela is a natural teacher and the course offers clear directions and tips in concise videos, with handy worksheets. Much recommended for the creatives among you.

• Wanting to perfect the Simple Chocolate Macaron recipe I'm including in my Tasting Paris book, I took the intensive macaron class taught at La Cuisine Paris, a Paris cooking school run by my dear friend Jane. The class was taught by pastry chef Eric Ngo, and I enjoyed every minute.

• Remember my Day in the life post, in which I told you about the mastermind group I belong to? I share more in this guest post Should You Join a Mastermind Group? and have put together a free swipe file for you to get started.

Follow me on Twitter and like the C&Z Page on Facebook for many more links throughout the month!

Best Eats in Toulouse, From a Local

(February 23, 2017)

Travel season will be upon us very soon, and I want to make sure you see and taste the best France has to offer. When it comes to Paris I’ve got you covered (ask me about my tours!) but there are many other places with exciting and delicious things for […]

10 Romantic Things to do in Paris

(February 14, 2017)

Hey, Happy Valentine’s Day! Do you have something fun scheduled with your special someone, with your friends, with your kids? I want to hear all about it! For our first Saint-Valentin as newlyweds, Maxence and I had an advance dinner at a new Italian restaurant in our neighborhood, Il Cuoco […]

Last-Minute Chocolate Recipes

(February 8, 2017)

There is no shortage of chocolate recipes in my repertoire, but seeing as Valentine’s Day is less than a week away, I’ve handpicked these 5 recipes for you based on their effort-to-chocolate ratio: with these very easy treats, there is no excuse not to show your special someone how much […]

Valentine’s Day Gifts for Food Lovers

(January 30, 2017)

Blame it on my recent nuptials: I am in a romantic mood. And since V-Day is coming up fast (February 14, if you’ve just landed from another planet) I had fun creating this selection of fabulous Valentine’s Day gifts for food lovers. And of course, many of these will work […]

 
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Clotilde Dusoulier is a French food writer based in Paris. Her focus is on fresh, colorful, and seasonal foods, making room for both wholesome, nourishing dishes and sweet treats. Read her blog at http://cnz.to and follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Facebook Live.