"Abandon every hope, you who enter."

Dante et Virgile, William Bouguereau , 1850, huile sur toile, Musée d'Orsay

"But neither the furies of Thebes, nor the Trojan, were ever seen toward any one so cruel, whether in goading beasts or human limbs, as I saw two shades pallid and naked who, biting, were running in the way that a boar does when from the sty he breaks loose. One came at Capocchio, and on the nape of his neck struck his teeth, so that dragging him he made his belly scratch along the solid bottom. And the Aretine, who remained trembling, said to me, "That goblin is Gianni Schicchi, and rabid he goes thus maltreating others." "Oh," said I to him, "so may time other not fix his teeth on thee, let it not weary thee to tell who it is ere it start hence."

Canto XXX, Inferno, Divine Comedy, Dante 

If you're looking for pink desserts and cloying romance tales, pass your way. Or as the Hell's gate reads : "Abandon every hope you who enter."

     You might be familiar with Bouguereau through Academic art- this seemingly overblown style. I personally respect Academic art, even though I don't like all of it as it sometimes simply doesn't appeal to my feelings and senses (I'm a Rubenist at heart, yay!), and I think it best to have a closer look at the historical and artistical context before deeming a painter boring and insincere. This little gem though is something entirely different from his typical oeuvre. 

         Dante et Virgile is one of my favourite paintings. Every time I go to the Musée d'Orsay I don't fail to head directly to the rooms at the right of the sculpture main aisle to have a look at the lurid painting and this one as well (actually they've not been on display for quite some time now and may I add : where the hell have they gone?). I'm not really being fair here : due to its monumental composition, you need to see the painting with your own two eyes to get an idea of the, well, Dantesque effect.

       Under a blazing bood red sky and the crackling of fascinating, unpredicatble flames, follow Dante's descent through the nine circles of Hell, each escalating in savagery, sinners enduring an eternity of ruthless chastisement . As you reach the tenth pouch of the eighth circle,  benevolently guided by the dead poet Virgil, your cloak sweeping the ashes, witness the violence that is presented to you in subdued light : two men mangling each other, Gianni's mouth fastened into Capocchio's neck, his knee slammed into his back, his talon-like fingers clawing his opponent's ribs. Those unreal, flawless anatomies exhibiting so much terribilità à la Michelangelo. 

          How do you react? Repelled? Fascinated? Will you look away?

And what could possibly Dante be looking at that is more terrifying than what is in front of you?

Pain, agony. Such a macabre and powerful painting! It's a shame Bouguereau didn't paint more in this vein, isn't it?

May I venture to say  this painting is somewhat sensual?

My favourite detail? Gianni's curvature with the protruding backbone which could be the one of some unreal beast.

I've just noticed this detail : see the woman in the background leaning on a man? Well she looks like Francesca in Ary Scheffer's Les ombres de Francesca da Rimini et de Paolo Malatesta apparaissent à Dante et à Virgile. Bouguereau cannot have depicted Francesca da Rimini in this painting though because she's in the first circle of Hell.

Want to see a detailed photo of Bouguereau's painting? Go there.

Bonus : you get three recipes! They're all grain-free, sugar-free, raw and one-serving : because sometimes I don't want to share.

(I am currently camera-less so forgive the phone pictures and the recent lack of posts)

Do not omit the hazelnut oil! Because a) you'll get to smell it (if you haven't smelled hazelnut oil for the sake of it, you should start right now!) b) as there's no sugar, it would be a tad bland without the fragrant oil.

Coconut avocado cream
(vegan, raw, grain-free)
(yield : for one)

1 medium avocado (100 g)
1/4 to 1/2 lime, juiced
3 g hazelnut oil
15 g unsweetened shredded coconut

In a blender (I used a coffee grinder because of the small quantities), blend the avocado with the lime juice and hazelnut oil. Spoon 1/3 of the mixture in a small glass, top with shredded coconut and repeat twice. I like drizzling with more lime juice on top so the shredded coconut isn't too dry.

Crème d'avocat à la noix de coco
(végétalien, cru, sans céréales)
(pour  une personne)

1 avocat moyen (100 g)
le jus d'1/4 à 1/2 citron vert
3 g huile de noisette
15 g noix de coco rapée (non sucrée)

Dans un blender (vu les petites quantité, j 'ai utilisé un moulin à épices), mixer l'avocat avec le jus de citron vert et l'huile de noisette. Dans un petit bol, mettre 1/3 du mélange, recouvrir de noix de coco et recommencer deux fois. Je verse un peu de jus de citron vert en plus sur le dessus pour éviter que la noix de coco ne soit trop sèche.

I've eaten  mostly raw since the beginning of the year and I'm happy with plain fruit but sometimes I fancy a little more elaborate dessert (that does not involve 500 g of nuts). This one is an apfelstrudel without the bread crumbs. Or the dough. Um.


Apfelstrudel salad
(vegan, grain-free, raw if you use fruit juice instead of rum)
(yield : for one)

20 g raisins
3-4 cl dark rum
1 apple (I used Braeburn)
2-3 cl freshly squeezed lemon juice
ground cinnamon, to taste
8 walnuts

Start by soaking the raisins in rum. In the meantime, slice the apple and roughly chop the walnuts . In a small bowl, toss the apple slices with lemon juice so they do not brown. Add the cinnamon, chopped walnuts, soaked raisins and rum (if some remains) and mix well.

Salade Apfelstrudel
(végétalien, sans céréales, cru si vous utilisez du jus de fruit au lieu du rhum)
20 g raisins secs
3-4 cl rhum brun
1 pomme (j'ai utilisé une Braeburn)
2-3 cl jus de citron frais
cannelle en poudre
8 noix

Commencer par tremper les raisins secs dans le rhum. Pendant ce temps, couper la pomme en lamelles et concasser grossièrement les noix. Dans un petit bol, mélanger les lamelles des pommes avec le jus de citron pour qu'elles ne brunissent pas. Ajouter la cannelle (selon votre goût), les noix et les raisins (ainsi que le rhum s'il en reste) et bien mélanger.

I used frozen cucumber juice cubes that I had left from making Pimm's popsicles this summer. As they're not in season, either sub with another vegetable juice or water.

The Green Pint

(vegan, raw, grain-free)
(yield : 1 pint)

1 banana, frozen

1 cm piece of ginger

1 small handful of Savoy cabbage

1 small handful of spinach

2 celery stalks, juiced

1 medium cucumber, juiced

10 g hemp hearts 

Blend.


La Pinte Verte
(végétalien, cru, sans céréales)
(1 pinte)

1 banane, congelée
1 cm de gingembre
1 petite poignée de chou frisé
1 petite poignée d'épinards
le jus de 2 côtes de céleri-branche
le jus d'1 concombre 
10 g de graines de chanvres décortiquées
Mixer!

             "Au milieu de l’hiver, j’apprenais enfin qu’il y avait en moi un été invincible."

   "In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer. "

L’Été, Albert Camus 

Happy Happy New Year !

(Good riddance 2013)


Passion fruit macadamia cheesecake
(vegan, gluten-free, raw)

For the crust:
60 g walnuts
40 g sunflower seeds
50 g dates

In a food processor, roughly grind walnuts and sunflower seeds. Add the dates and process until it forms a dough. Line the bottom of a 20-cm springform cake tin with parchment paper. Flatten out dough on it.

For the filling:
150 g Macadamia nuts, soaked in hot water for 2 hours
7 cl coconut milk
1 lemon, juiced
seeds from one vanilla bean
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
7 cl coconut oil, liquid
5 cl agave nectar

In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. Pour the filling onto the crust and freeze overnight or at least four hours.

For the topping:
3-4 passion fruits

Remove cheesecake from freezer 20-30 minutes before serving.
Open the passion fruits and scoop the content out with a spoon. Spread on cheesecake. Serve.

Cheesecake aux fruits de la passion
(végétalien, sans gluten, cru)

Pour la base:
60 g noix
40 g graines de tournesol
50 g dattes

Dans votre robot, hacher grossièrement les noix et les graines de tournesol. Ajouter les dattes et mixer jusqu'à former une pâte. Recouvrir le fond d'un moule charnière de 20 cm de diamètre de papier sulfurisé. Presser la pâte pour former la base.

Pour le cheesecake:
150 g noix de macadamia, pré-trempées 2 heures
7 cl lait de coco
le jus d'un citron
graines d'une gousse de vanille
1 teaspoon d'extrait de vanille
7 cl huile de coco, liquide
5 cl sirop d'agave

Dans un blender, mixer tous les ingrédients jusqu'à l'obtention d'un mélange crémeux. Verser la garniture sur la base et mettre au congélateur toute la nuit (ou au moins 4 heures)

Pour la garniture
3-4 fruits de la passion

Sortir le cheesecake du congélateur 20-30 minutes avant de servir.
Ouvrir les fruits de la passion et en enlever la chair. Etaler sur le cheesecake. Servir.

“When you walk with naked feet, how can you ever forget the earth?” 

Carl Jung 

Lately I've spiced up my running routine : at least once a week, I run without my Garmin. No time, no speed, no heartbeat. No numbers. 

I. Just. Run. And I run free. 

The first 10 minutes, I focus my thoughts on my body. My breath. Inhaling, Exhaling. The brisk air making its way into my lungs. Vapour coming out. How my legs feel. My strides. How my body is poised. My ponytail swaying side to side. Side to side. Side to side. (ok that annoys me a lot). Once I've set up the right pace and the right stride, I let my thoughts wander. Oh dear, do I think. When my thoughts get too loud or I feel like I will end up more stressed than when I started running, I focus on the scenery and usually end the run feeling grateful for being able to run on this earth. When I run like this, I feel like I can change the world (fellow runners, tell me you feel that way too). I feel so strong everything becomes possible. Except  I eventually have to stop running and when I do so, I need comfort and energy, especially when it gets cold. These truffles are the perfect post-run snack. Chocolate for comfort, spices for warmth and nuts for energy!

I still love my  Garmin. It helps me get better, it prevents me from getting lost when I go trail running and it also helps me set limits. It's the perfect accessory to keep me motivated.

I haven't given measurements for the spices because I did not measure. Just adjust to your taste : I usually use more cinnamon and cardamom because that's what I like best.

Chocolate and spice truffle
(raw, gluten-free, grain-free, vegan)

65 g walnuts
60 g pecans
45 g almonds
20 g cashews
95 g dates, soaked in water (no need to soak them if they're soft, if you use Medjools for example)
20 g raw cacao
30 g cacao nibs
ground cinnamon
ground cardamom
ground anise
ground ginger
ground maca

raw cacao, for rolling

Process the nuts into a flour. Add in the dates and raw cacao. Pulse until it forms a dough. Transfer into a bowl. Fold in the cacao nibs and the spices. Mix well. Form little balls and roll them (but first dry your hands) in cacao if you want or in more cacao nibs. Keep in fridge for up to 6 days or freeze (they can be eaten straight from the freezer).

Truffes au chocolat et aux épices
(végétalien, sans gluten, cru)

65 g noix
60 g noix de pécan
45 g amandes
20 g noix de cajou
95 g dattes, pré-trempées ( ne pas les faire tremper si elles sont assez molles)
20 g cacao cru en poudre
30 g éclats de cacao
cannelle en poudre
cardamome en poudre
anis vert en poudre
gingembre en poudre
poudre de maca

du cacao cru en poudre

Dans votre robot, réduire en poudre les différentes noix. Ajouter les dattes et le cacao. Mixer jusqu'à former une pâte. Transférer dans un bol puis ajouter les éclats de cacao et les épices. Bien malaxer. Former des petites boules avec les mains humides. Les rouler (avec les mains sèches) dans du cacao en poudre (ou dans des éclats de cacao). Se conservent au frais pendant 6 jours mais elle peuvent être congelées.

Hummingbird cakelettes

(vegan, gluten free)

(yield: 14)

For walnut-banana cakes

125 g walnut meal

100 g almond flour

10 g baking soda

20 g coconut sugar

1 banana, smashed

5 cl agave nectar

1 flax egg (10 g flax meal + 15 ml water)

40 g coconut oil

To make the petite cakes, preheat oven to 180°C. In a large bowl, combine the walnut meal, almond flour, baking soda and coconut sugar. Fold in the wet ingredients and mix until well combined. Divide the batter into muffin pans, filling only up to 1/3. Bake for 12 minutes. Let cool before transfering onto a wire rack.

For coconut paste:

100 g coconut butter (not oil)

30 g unsweetened shredded coconut

20 g icing sugar

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. You might need to whisk depending if your coconut butter is hard or not.

To assemble:

walnut-banana mini cakes

coconut paste

pineapple, cut into small squares

To assemble the cakelettes, cut the top of the cakes to even them out. Spread some coconut frosting on a small cake, place pineapple squares on the frosting and top with another cake. Repeat. 

FRENCH:

Mini-cakes hummingbird

(végétalien et sans gluten)

(pour 14 mini-cakes)

Mini-cakes banane - noix:

125 g poudre de noix 

100 g farine d'amande (ou poudre d'amandes blanchies)

10 g bicarbonate de soude

20 g sucre de coco

1 banane écrasée

5 cl sirop d'agave

1 flax egg (10 g graines de lin réduites en poudre + 15 ml eau)

40 g huile de coco

Préchauffer le four à 180°C. Dans un bol, mélanger la poudre de noix, la farine d'amande, le bicarbonate de soude et le sucre de coco. Ajouter les autres ingrédients et mélanger jusqu'à ce que la pâte soit homogène. Verser la pâte dans des moules à muffins, en ne remplissant qu'au 1/3. Faire cuire pendant 12 minutes. Laisser refroidir avant de démouler.

Pâte de coco:

100 g beurre de coco (PAS d'huile)

30 g noix de coco en poudre

20 g sucre glace 

Mélanger tout les ingrédients au fouet si nécessaire (cela dépend de la consistance du beurre de coco).

Assemblage: 
mini-cakes banane-noix
pâte de coco
ananas, coupé en petits dés

Couper le haut de chaque gâteau pour qu'il soit lisse. Étaler de la pâte de coco dessus puis ajouter des dés d'ananas. Terminer en placer un autre gâteau par dessus.

If you feel adventurous, you can use a mortar as I did, the result will be a little more "rustic" (fancy word for less homogeneous).

Roasted walnut and spinach pesto

40 g spinach
50 g olive oil
25 g almond meal
45 g walnuts
8 cL lemon juice
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Roast the walnuts in a pan or in the oven until they turn brown.
Process all the ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Pesto d'épinards et de noix grillées

40 g épinards

50 g huile d'olive

25 g poudre d'amandes non blanchies

45 g noix

8 cL jus de citron

sel 

poivre

Faire griller les noix à la poêle ou au four.

Mixer tous les ingrédients dans un blender afin d'obtenir d'un mélange lisse et homogène.