PhamFatale.com reaches 500 recipes!

This week, PhamFatale.com reached 500 recipes. It's truly surprising to me that there are over 500 recipes in my head, but as they say, the proof is in the pudding. In this case, the proof is also in the crème brulée, the risotto and the other dishes I've shared over the past year and a half.

I never in a million years imagined that publishing the recipes I prepare daily for and with my family and friends could have been so much fun. Food is an ephemeral art form, so it's easy to forget what ingredient combinations I've made in the past and what I've served.

The other neat side of the website I've enjoyed a lot is to be able to interact with other food lovers from around the world and also make dear friends locally. I'm always surprised at how readers find the website, whether it is through another food site, the newspaper or from a friend. Thanks so much for joining me in my culinary adventures. It's wonderful fun experimenting with recipes, playing with photography by switching lenses and getting the children interested and familiar with cooking. You've probably seen the dietary restrictions in my large family. They aren’t always simple to fulfill but they're always a great adventure!

Thanks for reading! And stay tuned as new surprises will arrive soon.

For now, here's an example of a menu I would typically serve for a dinner party, gathering my favorite recipes including Vietnamese, French and Indian cuisines. Enjoy!

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9.2.10

SFChefs 2010 Event Recap

My husband Lulu and I spent 3 fantastic days in San Francisco for the SFChefs2010 event this weekend. It's the second year the event has been organized and I wanted to share with you my experience. Read More...

Things To Do in Ashland (Oregon Shakespeare Festival)

Our friends Carole and David are making a big move from the Bay Area, California to Ashland, Oregon this week. They've been raving about Ashland so much to us that we decided we should spend our summer family vacation there. And I could not thank them enough for suggesting such a wonderful, relaxing place. Read More...

The Big 3-0

Turning 30 isn't as scary as I had imagined! Yesterday was my birthday, and to celebrate my 30th trip around the sun, I spent the day in San Francisco surrounded by my family. 10 years ago I took my first trip to San Francisco, and I didn’t know that it was going to become my home, or that I was going to meet the love of my life (and his wonderful little sisters of course). It’s amazing how time flies. Back then, Lulu’s 3rd sister (the one with all the allergies) was only 6 months old. When I got married 6 years ago, my little munchkin (Lulu’s youngest sister) was only 3 months old. Not only are they wonderful little sisters-in-law, but they make great mile markers as well! Read More...

Father's Day Recipes

Father's Day is this Sunday, and we’ve been brainstorming ideas of how to celebrate it. It’s probably obvious by now, but our family is all about the food, so we settled on preparing my father-in-law’s favorite dishes. I put up some recipe suggestions in case you're planning to cook as well. Naturally you'll want to pick the dishes that the dad(s) in your life likes. If he's a meat eater, fire up the barbecue. If he's a chocolate lover, focus on making a super decadent dessert. Even homemade nachos and other party food could work. As for Daddy (my father-in-law), I'll definitely make a large pot of masala chai for him as he's a "chai-oholic". Regardless of his preference, don't forget to add the most important ingredients: a spoonful of love, a pinch of affection and a dash of tenderness.

Papa (my dad) still lives in Paris and it made me so happy to talk to him last night. I won't be able to make Papounet's Vietnamese coffee or cook his favorite steak or crab this Dad’s Day, but I'll be thinking about him.

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