When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Mousse au Citron

Elle Philippe Photo 3Ask most people what they do with the lemons life gives them. By now the entire world has learned how to make lemonade. I’ve got a few pitchers ready to go. How about you? Before you ask Elle Philippe that same question, find a comfortable chair. Get a good pen and a large notepad. Her response will not be brief.

When you’re in the food business–or any business, your goal is to make customers happy. For this reason, Elle would make a pitcher of lemonade just for you; of course, she would. She would even raise her glass and propose a toast to all the lemon growers of the world. Then, her creative side would take over. In no time at all, a procession of delicacies would appear: lemon tassies, lemon terrine, lemon soufflé, lemon bars, lemon tea, lemon martini, candied lemon peels. Gee, that’s just super, Elle! But what about the seeds? What can you do with the seeds?

elle philippe table setting“Stay tuned,” Elle would tell you in a voice accented by years of venturing into all corners of the world. In a few seconds, she would have thought of a hundred ways to turn the seeds into something irresistible. What else do you do when your first name is a personal pronoun that stands for unapologetically feminine?

Meet Elle Philippe, if you haven’t already. She’s a compatriot. A daughter. A sister. A mom. A creator of dreams at: Chez Elle.  Read her VoicesfromHaiti INNERview here. Bon Appetit!