Phantom of Hollywood

I float just out of sight

You turn around and I'm gone

Film can barely capture me

Just a whiff of perfumed air

To tell you if I'm near or was

I exist only in my author's imagination

Here and yet not here

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Cool Savory Velvet Decadence

Years ago, as a first-time waitress at a now-closed French/Creole restaurant in New Orleans, I learned how to make cappuccino, garnish with parsley (which I detest), and discovered what has

become my favorite soup. I was so broke in those early days, I absolutely lived off my shift meal, which always started with the largest bowl of Vichysoisse I could get and lots of French baguette. This soup was a sublime revelation. A few simple ingredients prepared easily meld into a decadent elixir. I know I'm waxing romantic, but trust me, this is more than soup.

With autumn and cool weather on the way, here's one last cold potage to say Au Revoir to summer!

Note - A lot of well-meaning people try to over-pronounce the name and sound smart by leaving off the S sound at the end of the name, like many French words. However, there are two SS's so you pronounce the S like a soft Z. VI-SHE SWAZ

Behold, the fragrant leek!

Vichysoisse a la Boheme

This is a rich soup, but I highly recommend you making it this way first, to taste its subtle

luxuriousness, before you change it and make it your own. As with everything, eat it in

moderation, with an otherwise light meal, and enjoy life!

Clean and chop 4 leeks (mostly white part, a little green is ok). Leeks are notoriously

gritty and it's really important to clean them thoroughly. Wash them first, then remove

the green and roots and make a cut through the leek, leaving about 1/2 inch at the end.

Turn it 90 degrees and make another cut through, fanning it out and rinsing it again

under running water, then cut 1/2 inch pieces and put them into a bowl of water.

Clean 4 to 5 potatoes and cut them into 1/4 inch slices. I prefer Yukon Golds. In the

original recipe, you would be instructed to peel the potatoes, but their thin peels don't

really "pollute" the smoothness of the soup and it's healthier. I put them in a bowl of

water too, to discourage oxidation.

Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large pot over high heat and add the drained leeks just as the

butter melts, then turn the heat down a bit, like medium/high. You don't want the leeks

to brown, but to "sweat" and soften. Stir occasionally and gently until they're soft and

translucent, about 10 mins.

Add in the drained potatoes and 3 cups of chicken stock (or veggie stock) to cover them.

If they're not completely covered, add more stock until they are. Cover with lid and turn

down the heat to a low simmer for 30 mins. When the potatoes are cooked through, turn

off and remove the pot from the heat and wait for it to cool. When cooled, take the

mixture in a few ladle-full batches and puree thoroughly in a blender or food processor,

adding in 1 cup of milk to one of the batches.Put the entire puree in a large bowl, then

blend in 1 1/2 cups of cream, 1 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp white pepper (or to taste).

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cold. The cold really makes

a difference and I suggest making this a day in advance,to give the flavors a chance to

meld into perfection. Serves 4 generously. Don't forget the baguette to go with!!!

A good movie to watch, while sinking your teeth into this silky wonderful,

is Interview With A Vampire. It's a delicious French/Creole story that was filming

in New Orleans when I lived there. Later I was lucky enough to get invited to

Anne Rice's Halloween Party at her ex-convent haunted mansion, when she was

still the queen of the goths.

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Fashion's Night Out Funny

As I wandered through my Melrose neighborhood, on a night filled with pretty people,

drinking pretty drinks, looking at pretty things...

THIS is what caught my eye and gave me quite the naughty schoolgirl giggle.

I don't care if I'm the only one... Laughing my way down Melrose...

Merci Marc Jacobs for being the humorous highlight to my Fashion's Night Out!

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Synchronicity With a Gold Belt

Not long ago, I woke up from a dream obsessively thinking about a gold stretch belt I loved and

wore in high school, wishing I still had it and wondering why I ever let it go. A few weeks later,

I'm in Wasteland in Studio City, and discover a similar gold stretch belt, only $14, with a clasp

detail I actually prefer to the original. For some reason the universe wanted me to have this belt!

Who am I to argue with the fashion gods?

Can you see the monkey face the belt creates with the pillow? Love it when that happens!

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Paint It Black

The end of summer is here. The ennui and angst are still with me and have developed French accents.

Searching searching searching for sincere originality. Sacrificing sanity in wait for inspiration.

Listening to the French voices in my head... I express my creative restlessness...

By painting my nails black.

Over The Top by Essie (gifted from TwoPointOhLA! picnic)

Madness and stylishness aren't mutually exclusive. In fact, they often go hand-in-hand.

Hmmm, maybe I'm onto something.

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

A Cold Taste of Spain

Moi and la Cuisine were never close friends, despite my loving cookbooks since I could

read and growing up watching all sorts of cooking programs and food-centered movies.

Lately though, I'm finding cooking inspiration and I want to share it with you!

I love soup and one of my favorites is perfect for hot summer weather, Gazpacho.

There are several versions, but I based this recipe on Gazpacho I once had at this groovy

Spanish restaurant in New Orleans many years ago. It's light, flavorful, healthy and

extremely easy to make!

This is one of those recipes that is open to interpretation, so I'll give you my appx.

amounts/measurements, but you can adjust anything to your taste. When I decide

to make any dish, I look up several versions of the recipe to get an idea of how its

done, then make it my own.

Allow me to suggest... Pay attention to your ingredients, buy the best you can afford,

organic when you can, because there is nothing healthy or tasty about petroleum-based

fertilizers and pesticides nor animal hormones and antibiotics, that are finally being

studied regarding their dangerous effects, but not yet regulated in any meaningful way.

Remember, everything you eat has an effect on your health and happiness.

BOHEMIAN GAZPACHO

Take 1/2 loaf of bread (I use a French loaf or baguette), tear into 2 inch-ish pieces,

put into a bowl and cover with water, set aside. I take the other half, slice it and

make crostini for tapas.

Into your blender or food processor put after washing:

1 cucumber - chopped into 1 inch pieces (no need to peel unless it's waxy)

1 1/2 lb tomatoes (I used roma) - end removed and cut in half

1 red bell pepper - cut into 1 inch pieces

2 cloves garlic - peeled

2 cloves shallot - peeled

Pulse until everything is smooth, NO chunks or bits. You can put aside any of the veggies

and chop finer, if you want to garnish with them.

Then take the soggy bread to your sink and take it by the double-handful and squeeze out

as much excess water as possible, adding it to the blender as you go, transforming the soup

from reddish to pinkish as you process.

Then add and blend in for taste:

Juice from 1/2 large lemon - appx 4 tblsp

Splash of olive oil - appx 3 tblsp

Splash of sherry vinegar - appx 3 tblsp

3/4 tsp salt - use mineral or sea salt

1 tsp ground cumin

Take the soup (either still in blender or transferred to serving bowl) and refrigerate until cold.

It's best made a day in advance, so the flavors can meld and do their magic.

This serves 4 generously. You will be amazed at how flavorful such simple ingredients can be!

Make your visit to Spain complete by serving this with tapas and watching a beautiful film by

my favorite Spanish director, Pedro Almodovar, Talk to Her (2002).

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

International Woman of Mystery...

Lazercut Japanese Fan + Polaroid SX70 = Femme Fatale

Until next time... Miss Absinthe