Yikes, it's October. Depending on how you feel, I've either been a good boy - working diligently - or a bad one, because September slipped by and there's a gazillion things on my to-do list, and all I want to do is return to August, when were we driving around France, sipping wine, tasting cheese, and mooching off - er, I mean - visiting friends.

However I did get to New York, where I had a pretty crazy ten days taking care of some stuff that wasn't as much fun as eating pastries and drinking rosé, but so be it. (Like I always say, "They call it work for a reason."!)

I did have a chance to stop in and visit my publisher in New York City, who is as delighted as I am that a number of you have been enjoying My Paris Kitchen. Although I didn't bring them a chocolate-dulce de leche tart from the book, shown above, I did get to meet many people I've only met via e-mail, who were even nicer in real life. Aren't we all? I even got taken out for sushi and wine at a rooftop bar nearby to catch up on things. (ie: catch up on cookbook gossip).

Speaking of cookbooks, I got a chance to spew some thoughts about 'em over at Serious Eats. I talk about love, loss, and a few new under-the-radar cookbooks that I've been cooking and baking from. I'm just finishing up a post on a Thai recipe from one book that particularly caught my eye, and I was surprised to make something that took less than 10 minutes, that captured all the flavors of Thailand that I love, in one spicy bowl.

Now that I'm back in town for a while, I've got a whole bunch of stuff to share on the blog, including a visit to a cave à jambon (ham shop) that's one of my new favorites addresses in Paris. A recipe from one of those books I mentioned, on my bookshelf, above, 7th book from the right side, far left cubicle. (Just kidding.) A recipe I made with something that I normally hate, that made me a believer. I'm going to share a spicy pickle that'll knock your chausettes off. And I went to a Swedish housewares shop, that has some of the most beautiful - yet functional - Swedish and French kitchen tools imaginable. I'd move in if I could, but my Swedish isn't quite up to snuff.

-I shared a favorite French-inspired brownie recipe, that's moist and delicious. Bursting with dark, bittersweet chocolate.

-Although I was crazy-busy on my trip to New York, I took some time to eat. I wrote up some places to eat in New York City, including Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn.

-Good dim sum in Paris? Surely I jest! Nope.

-I launched my all-new Paris Pastry app

-Because I've recently rediscovered reading books, in spite of the fact that I just downloaded the latest season of Modern Family, which I can't pull myself away from, here are six books that I found particularly interesting lately.

-Looking for a great jambon-beurre (ham and butter) sandwich in Paris? Look no further than Caractère de Cochon, the best-stocked ham cave in the city. With friendly service to boot!

Well, that's it for September...and hello October! I'm getting ready to gear up for the holiday season, ready to bake up some panforte, churn up some spiced pumpkin ice cream, and start sipping Parisian hot chocolate...to stay warm!

A bientôt.... David