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One of the many joys of working here is getting to experience the guests' special events right alongside them. From birthdays to anniversaries, engagements and honeymoons, and even family reunions are such a special treat. One of the most memorable was the Brown family that visited us this past summer. They made Petit their home for the weekend and were quite a blast to hang out with! Here are some of Casey Browns' kind words:

After breakfast this Thursday morning, I happened to glance outside to my dismay. A longer look sent me straight past the lace curtains, beyond the geraniums and into the dreary gray sky looming overhead. It was staring right back at me with a challenge, maybe even a little scoff. I mean, with all this soggy weather, what could we possibly do this weekend?!Quelle déception! My face must have looked crestfallen because a guest piped in, "Hey, its a good excuse to stay inside with a good book." True, that is an option for some, but I was looking for a little more "umph" this weekend. But what?

It was just six years ago that Petit Soleil opened its doors to introduce provence to the Central Coast! Six years of bustling breakfast hours, six years of jovial wine tastings, six years of Edith Piaf ballads, and six years of quiche recipes. Quel voyage! The journey has been sweet with a pinch of salt at times to keep it real. After all, we cannot subsist off the sweet alone, right?

Bon Jour....!

I'm sure that reading the previous blog entry about January Foodie Month got you all worked up to come to SLO... Well don't worry because February has its fair share of enticing food features. The First Annual Culinary Carnival comes to SLO February 6-8 and will feature:

-An opening reception with a hot & feisty "Iron Chef" style cooking competition, featuring SLO County's most popular chefs, teamed with local celebrity "sous chefs"

- Three educational food/wine and food/bear pairing seminars

Partial it may seem, yes, that I think SLO is quite an epicurean delight. With food havens like NOVO, Blue, The Park, and a wide choice of Italian, Japanese, Indian, and Thai digs, how could one argue? We have access to top organic produce, grass-fed meats, local artisan breads, and local olive oils. The chefs here know exactly what to do with high quality products, and they do it well.

You must see the new Facebook page that Cole set up! It has pictures and recipes and quite a few friends, already! I love it and I think that it will be the perfect way to show everyone our new shirts or happy pictures of guests...really anything! If you read this blog and would like to know even more about Petit Soleil, please find our Facebook page and enjoy the fun (and the recipe for Falafal Pecans!).

Many of you already know that we always do thing out of the ordinary here. And the latest Petit shirts are no different! Cute, huh? The staff are loving the new style...so far the guests are too!

In the spirit of the New Year, Oprah and her promise to new healthy eating habits, I am sharing a recipe for a most scrumptious and healthy muffin! We have not yet served it at Petit, but I have made this recipe at home maybe ten times - John loves these healthy little morsels and he is NOT a big veg fan! I can eat them for breakfast every day. They are made with whole grains and fruit and nuts and I use organic eggs. So, please enjoy the recipe! ...and then let us know if we should serve them for breakfast at Petit Soleil. Bon App`etit!

gARDEN MUFFINS

1 LARGE ZUCCHINI, GRATED AND PATTED DRY
2 LARGE CARROTS, GRATED
1 C. CANOLA OIL
1/2 C. DARK BROWN SUGAR
3/4 C. SIGAR
2 LARGE ORGANIC EGGS
1 1/2 TSP. GOOD VANILLA
MIX WELL

1 3/4 WHOLE WHEAT PASTRY FLOUR 9OR REGULAR WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR)
1/2 C. OAT BRAN
1/4 C. CRUSHED FLAX SEEDS
1 1/2 TSP. BAKING SODA
1/2 TSP. SALT
2 TSP. PUMPKIN PIE SPICE
1/2 TSP. GROUND GINGER
MIX DRY INGREDIENTS THOUOUGHLY AND ADD TO ZUCCHINI MIXTURE.

1 C. RAISINS OR DRIED CRANBERIES, CHOPPED DATES OR CHOPPED DRIED PRUNES
1 C. WALNUTS OR PECANS
1/4 C. COCONUT

FOLD IN THE FRUIT AND NUT MIXTURE OF YOUR CHOICE. SPOON BATTER INTO MUFFIN CUPS SPRAYED WITH PAM (ABOUT 3/4 FULL). BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR 25-30 MINUTES.

Anyone that knows me or any of the Petit Soleil staff, for that matter, knows that we all love to bake, cook and eat! We buy each other cookbooks, and talk restaurants and wines and CHAT about what we made for dinner (some Petit girls make dinner for their whole sorority!) or discuss what is in the latest Gourmet magazine. We would love to hear about your (our guest's) favorite recipes, as well! Or tell us about your favorite wines, or fave restaurants or a cooking class that was especially fun. As I am writing this I am thinking about a wine I tried yesterday and thought was especially delish (Bouchaine 2006 Reserve Pinot Noir....) and I was remembering the dinner we just had at Wildwood Restaurant in Portland (an incredible salad with grapefruit, sunchokes and toasted hazelnuts and I had Black cod....AMAZING!!!!)...

Anyway, I can get carried away talking food and wine...please do the same!

I am so looking forward to the Petit Soleil's Monde du Blog
and I am looking forward to a healthy and prosperous 2009!
Cheers and best wishes,
Dianne

They say two thousand zero, zero, party over,
Oops, out of time!
So tonight I'm gonna party like it's...2009!