YaDa Chef Private and Personal Chefs

The crowd that buys the sickly sweet blush wines are turned off by the dryness of most Rosé wines and the wine snobs are too busy ignoring good Rosé wines because they do not take them seriously. In my mind there is no question that Europeans are the best Rosé wine producers, especially the French. The Bandol region is located around the fishing village of Bandol in Southeastern France just outside of Marseille. The region is mostly known for the production of rosé.  Domaine Tempier's rosé in particular is considered by many to be the finest in France, is fuller and creamier on the palate and shows dimensions not often found in rosé such as vanilla, red berries even leather and herbs. Prices can range from the mid 20 dollar range to the mid 40’s. Some of the best rosé wines come from the southern Rhone region in France just across the river from the famous Chateauneuf du Pape, which is the only AOC (Appelation d'Origine Contrôlée) that produces rosé exclusively.  Tavel i

Croissants to me are the most decadent of morning pastries.  In my mind I drift back to walking in the 5th arrondisiment on the rue Mouffetard and discovering L'essentiel Mouffetard and their most delectable croissants au beurre (butter croissants).  This recipe is a reworked version of Julia Childs and others I have worked with over the years.   Croissants are a labor of love. I've listed a recipe for 24—do yourself a favour, take half and freeze it for a later date. Makes about 12- make the full recipe and freeze the second half 1 ounce/3 tablespoons/30g SAF brand instant yeast (I prefer fresh yeast) 1/2 cup/125ml warm water 17.6 ounces/4 cups/500g all purpose flour  ( I prefer a mixture of 1 part unbleached AP to 2 parts unbleached Pastry flour for a less glutenous dough) 2-4 tablespoons neutral flavoured oil (optional) 1.3 ounces/3 tablespoons/36g granulated sugar, divided 2 teaspoons/10ml salt 1 cup/250ml milk for the butter 2 sticks/277g unsalte

Tapenade is French for capers. Tapenade is a dish from the Provençal region of France of finely chopped olives and capers. Frequently you will find anchovies, and poached flaked tuna. It is generally as a spread on bread, but is delicious on pasta or baked like this.  serves 4 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts Tapenade 1 1/2 cups/343ml/270g Kalamata or Gaeta olives, pitted 3 tablespoons/45ml capers, drained 2 garlic cloves, finely minced 1/4 cup/59ml/10g minced fresh parsley leaves 1/8 teaspoon/.5ml red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon/2ml salt 1/8 teaspoon/.5ml freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup/60ml extra virgin olive oil In a food processor or mortar, combine the olives, capers, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Slowly add the oil and pulse or work with the pestle into a coarse paste, retaining some bits of olive and caper for texture. Taste to adjust the seasonings. Stored tightly covered in the refrigerator, this will keep well for a week or two.  Preheat oven to 375F/1

There is some controversy as to how this divine dessert (tarte solognote) came about. Was it an accident (as so ma ny kitchen wonders are) or was it just an improved upon recipe of the region? In any case it was made popular at by 2 sisters that ran the Hotel Tatin 100 miles (60 kilometers) outside of Paris. It was Louis Vaudable, owner of Maxim’s Paris that coined the name "tarte des demoiselles Tatin" Tart of the sister’s Tatin. Normally you would use a short crust or a pate brisee. I used a simple pie crust in our recipe as we were short on butter. Serves 6-8 9 1/2 inch/ 24 centimeter pie crust Pie Crust 1 1/3 cup/167 grams all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon/2ml salt 1/2 cup/118ml vegetable (crisco) shortening (or 115g butter) 3-6 tablespoons/45-90ml iced water Filling 2 Granny Smith, Golden Delicious or other firm apple that will not disintegrate peeled, cored and cut in quarters 2-3 tablespoons/29-43g unsalted butter 1/4 cup/48 grams sugar pinch of salt In a bow

Rich flavours and a hearty sauce will make everyone think you have been cooking for hours. Bone in chicken has more flavor and is the classic way to make this dish, but feel free to use a boneless piece. Serves 4 2 pounds/900g chicken leg quarters 1 teaspoon/5ml sea salt 1/2 teaspoon/2ml black pepper 1/3 cup/90ml olive oil 1/2 cup/125 dry white wine 2 medium onions chopped 1 clove garlic minced 8 ounces/225g baby bella mushrooms sliced 1/2 cup/125ml pureed tomatoes 2 tablespoons/30ml chopped parsley Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Thoroughly wash and pat dry the chicken and season with salt and pepper liberally on all sides. Brown chicken 4-5 minutes on both sides. Reduce the heat to medium and add 1/4 cup of the wine. Cook chicken for 10-12 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, and 1/2 of the parsley cook for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and tomatoes. Cook for another 5-7 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Remove the chicken to a serving platter and add r