Enjoy Pot de Crème in the comfort of your home with Petit Pot

If you’re like me, sometimes you want a fancy dessert but don’t feel like getting all dressed up, eat dinner at a fancy restaurant, get to the dessert course and realize you’re just too full to eat it. Sometimes I just want to curl up on the couch, watch TV, and eat a decadent French dessert.

Maxime Pourvreau has made this possible with Petit Pot. Maxime grew up in southwest France. Since he was a child, he knew he wanted to be a pastry chef and learned that a sweet treat is a quick way to put a smile on someone’s face. He trained and worked with chefs throughout Europe and made his way to San Francisco, CA. In 2014, he noticed that Pot de Crème could not be found on the American grocery shelves. He knew he had to fix this and used his pastry knowledge along with the abundance of ingredients readily available in California to start Petit Pot. These decadent desserts are naturally gluten-free, made with organic and local ingredients, and use reusable jars and sustainable packaging.

Here are some Pot de Crème flavors to try:

Dark Chocolate Pot de Crème ($3.99) is silky, decadent, and accentuates the balance between bitter and sweet with a velvety finish. This is something I might find in a fine dining restaurant with rich chocolate flavor and creamy, luscious texture. Rating: 5/5

Salted Caramel Pot de Crème ($3.99) is smooth with a hint of lightly burnt sugar and a dash of sea salt for rich, dynamic flavor. I experienced a luscious caramel flavor with a velvety texture. It could use a touch more salt for the salted caramel experience. Rating: 4.5/5

Madagascar Vanilla Pot de Crème ($3.99) is light with a floral essence with a marriage of exotic spice and sugar sweet. I experienced a strong vanilla flavor with a creamy, velvety texture. I also love that you can see the abundance of vanilla bean mixed in. Rating: 4.5/5

Lemon Curd Pot de Crème ($3.99) is bright, aromatic, and a combination of citrus and cream for a balanced, full flavor. I like this as it has the right amount of lemon curd so that it is not overly sour with a creamy, velvety texture. I feel this would better paired with something like a piece of pound cake or angel food cake along with fresh berries like strawberries or raspberries. Rating: 4/5

Petit Pot also showcases a few French Mini Cookies or sablés.

French Mini Chocolate Cookies ($2.99, may not be available in all stores) are crispy buttery cookies with a hint of sea salt to enhance the intensity of the dark chocolate. These cookies have a rich chocolate flavor with a shortbread-like texture. These would be great with an espresso or cappuccino. Rating: 5/5

French Mini Vanilla Cookies ($2.99, may not be available in all stores) are golden butter cookies with a hint of sea salt that accentuates the vanilla bean flavor. The sea salt enhances the vanilla flavor with shortbread-like texture. These would be great with a cup of coffee or tea. Rating: 4/5

For more information:

Petit Pot

Available at Whole Foods Market, Lassens, and Erewhon.

Review of Upscale Downhome: Family Recipes, All Gussied Up by Rachel Hollis

Even though her family has its roots in Oklahoma, Rachel Hollis is clearly a SoCal gal. Her family, like many others, migrated to Southern California during the Dust Bowl (also known as the Dirty Thirties) when severe dust storms caused by deep plowing changed the environment to severe drought conditions on the prairies. Country downhome style of cooking and hospitality are part of Rachel’s DNA. When she was seventeen, she moved to Los Angeles to chase her dreams of being an actress (and marry Matt Damon). When she learned that carbohydrates could not be part of her diet, she changed gears, and met her husband (not Matt Damon). She loved planning parties and in January 2004, she launched her company, Chic Events. She started with weddings and party-planning on a budget and then became a high-end luxury event planner. She began collecting photos of décor, centerpieces, etc. from her events and started talking about them (she was blogging even though she didn’t know what blogging was). Her mom was her Number One and only fan. But as she progressed, the fans started to follow her journey and couldn’t believe that a mayo-based dip could be so popular. Her Chic Site became so popular that she shifted the focus of her company to solely keep up the site with content. Rachel is someone that you would love to have as a friend (and as long as you like bacon, “We can be friends!”) She has a great sense of humor, often poking fun at herself, which makes her even more loveable.

The great thing about Upscale Downhome: Family Recipes, All Gussied Up, Rachel includes photos of the recipe as it is being made. She, like many of us, see the final photo in the cookbook (or sometimes no photo at all) after following the directions but it just doesn’t seem to look like the cookbook. Rachel provides the photos so you can cross-check yourself as you are going through the steps. Easy peasy!!!

I’d like to give a big thank you to Melissa’s culinary team and Rachel who prepared the following dishes with the utmost care and expertise.

In the “Snacks” chapter, Sticky Ham ‘n’ Cheese is a recipe all mid-west grandmas, aunties, cousins, and moms say they invented. It is made with dinner rolls, mayonnaise, deli ham, Swiss cheese, poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, butter, onion powder, and Worcestershire sauce. The ham and cheese sliders are great for parties and are quick and easy to make. Everyone will love the salty ham paired with the nutty melted Swiss cheese. Rating: 4.5/5

BLT Bites is a recipe that came from her event planning days. It is made with white bread, olive oil, mayonnaise, pesto, iceberg lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and bacon. It is an easy grab-and-go bite providing salty, smoky, meaty flavors from the bacon, crisp lettuce, and sweet tomato and herbaceous flavor from the pesto. This is great as passed hors d'oeuvres for a party or even just on the buffet. Rating: 5/5

In the “Dips” chapter, Rachel shares her friend Patty Fallahee’s recipe, which is also on the Chic Site. I can see why this is still one of their most popular posts. It’s my favorite dish as well. It is made with butter, onion, garlic, red bell pepper, corn, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, mayonnaise, cilantro, scallions, chipotle, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. It has all the flavors and textures you want in a dip – salty, sweet, salty, smoky, cheesy, and herbaceous. You can serve this with chips, crudités, or even toasted bread slices. Rating: 5/5

In the “Slow Cooker” chapter, Turkey Chili is one of the first dishes Rachel mastered as a newlywed. It is made with olive oil, ground turkey, onion, garlic, garlic salt, chili powder, black pepper, tomatoes, red kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, tomato sauce, and green chiles. This is a great dish to make on a Sunday so it can be quickly reheated for the rest of the week. As Rachel says, “the flavor gets better with every passing day”. It is so true. The longer the spices and vegetables meld together, the richer the flavor becomes. I also love that she uses 3 different kinds of beans as they have different textures and flavors. For us Hawaiians, a pot of sticky rice is always at the ready when it comes to chili. Rating: 4.5/5

In the “Potluck” chapter, there is Fresh Green Bean Salad. Rachel loves bacon and ranch dressing. She makes it a healthy eat with some fresh green beans. It is made with green beans, salt, mayonnaise, buttermilk, buttermilk ranch mix, cherry tomatoes, corn, bacon, and black pepper. This salad definitely has a potluck or picnic way about it. The green beans have a crunchy texture and sweet flavor which pair nicely with the ranch dressing and salty, smoky bacon. The corn and tomatoes add their sweet and juicy flavor to the mix. I can also see this at the Thanksgiving table in place of the traditional green bean casserole. Rating: 5/5

In the “Somethin’ Sweet” chapter, Cookie Pudding Pie is a downhome “parfait” dessert. It is made with chocolate chip cookie dough, chocolate pudding, milk, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and whipped topping. Serving them in preserve jars just makes it that much sweeter! This is just a fun comfort food, feel good dessert. This would be great at a party yet elegant enough for a seated dinner with family and friends. Rating: 4.5/5

In the “Sips” chapter, Grandma’s Sweet Tea is Rachel’s Grandma Opal’s recipe. It is made with water, black tea, sugar, and ice. Rachel has renewed my love of sweet tea. I’ve tried it numerous times at different places and just could not finish it. I think the use of sugar versus honey made the difference in this recipe. I love this sweet tea!!! Rating: 5/5

Upscale Downhome: Family Recipes, All Gussied Up provides fun in the kitchen while wowing your guests, family, friends, and co-workers!

For more information:

Upscale Downhome: Family Recipes, All Gussied Up by Rachel Hollis

Available on Amazon

On the search for an ingredient that you can’t find in the store, check out Melissa’s Produce.

If you like this blog post, check out these:

• Review of Whitney Miller’s New Southern Table by Whitney Miller

• Review of Flavorful Shortcuts To Indian/Pakistani Cooking by Farhana Sahibzada

• Review of Mexican Today: New and Rediscovered Recipes for Contemporary Kitchens by Pati Jinich + Recipe

• Review of Katie Chin’s Everyday Chinese Cookbook: 101 Delicious Recipes from My Mother’s Kitchen by Katie Chin

• Review of Crack the Code: Cook Any Indian Meal with Confidence by Nandita Godbole

Review of Whitney Miller’s New Southern Table by Whitney Miller

Season One winner of MasterChef, Whitney Miller, is a Southern gal just full of personality coupled with the sweetness of the girl next door. She has been inspired by her great-grandmother’s Southern hospitality and the creativity of her mother and began cooking at a young age. She has shared her love of Southern cooking around the world from cooking demonstrations, speaking engagements, to recipe development for products and magazines. In her second cookbook, Whitney Miller’s New Southern Table, Whitney takes her family’s traditional recipes, adds her special touches, lowers the calories, and incorporates modern cooking methods and techniques for these New Southern Table dishes.

I’d like to give a big thank you to Melissa’s culinary team and Whitney who prepared the following dishes with the utmost care and expertise.

In the “Socials and Snacks” chapter, Sparkling Lemon-Limeade is a refreshing version of her family’s lemonade. It is made with lemon juice, lime juice, sugar, and sparkling water. It is light with a refreshing natural citrus flavor and a great alternative to soda as it is not overly sweet. This would be great served at a bridal or baby shower but is even casual enough for the backyard family barbeque. Rating: 5/5

In the “Soups, Salads, and Sandwiches” chapter, Creole Succotash Salad is inspired by farm fresh ingredients that Whitney grew up on at her grandparents’ and great-grandparents’ farm and her dad’s home garden. It is made with lima beans, corn, green onions, grape tomatoes, pickled okra, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), sea salt, black pepper, feta cheese, and bacon. The vegetable medley is refreshing and the juicy grape tomatoes burst with sweetness. The bacon and feta add smoky, salty flavors to the mix. This would be great served at a potluck or as a side for a family dinner. Rating 5/5

Mississippi Banh Mi is inspired by Whitney’s first encounter with the Kogi BBQ Food Truck while visiting Los Angeles with her mom. She made a version of a banh mi and put her Southern twist on it while using vegetables more widely available in the South. This is made with rice vinegar, sugar, sea salt, carrots, and broccoli, French bread, Sriracha Spread (recipe is in the “Essentials and Enhancers” chapter), Seared Beef Tips (recipe is in the “Family Suppers” chapter), jalapeno pepper, and cilantro. You’ll taste some familiar flavors of a banh mi from the pickled veggies and fresh cilantro. The beef flavor of the beef tips has a Southern flavor and different mouthfeel than the typical meat found in a traditional banh mi. The spicy flavor is just right from the sriracha spread and fresh jalapenos. This is a great dish to make for a game day party and cutting the sandwiches into quarters for slider-size bites. Rating: 4/5

In the “Sides to Share” chapter, Chopped Green Beans and Mushroom Sauté is inspired by the green bean casserole found on her family’s Thanksgiving table. She took the traditional dish and made it healthier yet still delicious. It is made with EVOO, green beans, baby bella mushrooms, sea salt, black pepper, garlic, almonds, and goat cheese. Unlike the traditional dish, the green beans are crisp and the fresh mushrooms add an earthy flavor. The goat cheese adds creaminess without the heavy calories of cream of mushroom soup. This is a great dish to serve at Thanksgiving but also great for other family gatherings or potluck. Rating: 4.3/5

In the “Something Sweet” chapter, Baked Apple Hand Pies are inspired by her great-grandmother McCarter’s tiny fried apple pies which Whitney’s mom made when she was growing up. Whitney’s version is baked instead of fried and uses a pie dough instead of biscuit dough. It is made with butter, light brown sugar, Granny Smith apples, cinnamon, Olive Oil Pie Dough (recipe is in the “Essentials and Enhancers” chapter), egg, and sugar. These hand pies are petite and a great size for passing or grab-and-go. The apples are caramelized inside with a bright and sweet flavor. Since these hand pies travel well, they are great for a potluck or picnic. I would also add powdered sugar or icing before serving. Rating: 5/5

Brownie Cookies are inspired by Whitney’s love of the brownie. Like most people, everyone fights over who gets the crispy edge slices. With this recipe, everyone wins! This dessert is like a brownie and a cookie had a baby. The crackled exterior is beautiful like stained glass with crispy texture. Once you bite it, the interior is soft and dense like a brownie with intense rich, chocolate flavor. Rating: 5/5

Whitney Miller’s New Southern Table will change your perspective of Southern cuisine!

For more information:

Whitney Miller’s New Southern Table by Whitney Miller

Available on Amazon

On the search for an ingredient that you can’t find in the store, check out Melissa’s Produce.

If you enjoyed this blog post, check out more:

• Review of Flavorful Shortcuts To Indian/Pakistani Cooking by Farhana Sahibzada

• Review of Jewels From My Grove: Persimmons, Kumquats & Blood Oranges by Helene Beck + recipe

• Review of Mexican Today: New and Rediscovered Recipes for Contemporary Kitchens by Pati Jinich + Recipe

• Review of Katie Chin’s Everyday Chinese Cookbook: 101 Delicious Recipes from My Mother’s Kitchen by Katie Chin

• Review of Crack the Code: Cook Any Indian Meal with Confidence by Nandita Godbole