Hvar, Croatia

A holiday should be a departure from the grind of everyday life to a place of beauty and creative stimulus, a time to relax and rejuvenate your normal life. But in the case of Julia Restoin-Roitfeld — born and raised in the city of lights and surrounded by the world’s finest art, fashion, and food, breathing in the very air of romance, glamour, beauty, and sophistication — what constitutes a holiday getaway?

Julia Restoin-Roitfeld can go virtually anywhere she wants in the world and her favorite spot to escape is Hvar, Croatia. Julia's gorgeous boyfriend Robert Konjic just happens to hail from Croatia and she has come to adore not only Robie but his homeland, feeling quite comfortable on holiday there. Hvar is the crown jewel of the Dalmatian Islands. The weather is always picture perfect and the beaches, where Julia likes to spend much of her time, are pristine rock-pebbled wonders situated along freshwater turquoise bays surrounded by pine forests. Paradise!

Since Hvar is separated from the mainland of Croatia, the enticement of privacy attracts other beautiful and well-known celebrities from around the world. It is a spot where you can truly connect with nature. Ancient olive trees, fields of lavender, robust vineyards, and of course fresh fish and seafood make up the staples in this Mediterranean nirvana. After a long day on the pebbled beaches with Robert, Mademoiselle Restoin-Roitfeld loves a bit of wine along with her favorite Croatian dish of Lobster Spaghetti made with the freshest tomatoes. While booking your plane fare and packing your bag, whet your palate for your journey to Hvar with Julia's favorite Croatian recipe. Sretan Putovanja! This really is the perfect holiday...

Lobster Spaghetti With Fresh Tomatoes

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients
½ cup fruity extra virgin olive oil

2 large cloves garlic, sliced thin

2 ½ pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled and very finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 one-pound lobsters, cooked and shelled, or ¾ pound cooked lobster meat

3 tablespoons finely slivered fresh basil, plus sprigs for garnish
1 pound spaghetti alla chitarra or spaghettini

Red chili flakes

Directions

1. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 5 quart sauté pan or a wide saucepan. Add garlic, cook over low heat until it softens, then add tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook 3 minutes over medium heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for spaghetti.
3. Dice lobster meat. Place 1 tablespoon oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Add lobster and cook until just warmed through. Fold in half of the basil. Cover and set aside.
4. When water boils, add pasta and cook until barely al dente. Drain and place in pan with tomatoes. Stir in remaining oil. Cook, stirring gently over low heat, about 5 minutes, until pasta and tomatoes are warmed and well incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper; fold in remaining basil.
5. Transfer to 6 shallow soup plates. Top each portion with lobster, garnish with basil sprigs and serve, with red chili flakes on the side.

Yields: 6 servings – Invite your traveling companions!

Julia Restoin-Roitfeld in Hvar, Croatia photographs courtesy of twitter.com/RestoinRJulia

Croque Madame

One of Julia Restoin-Roitfeld's favorite foods is the croque madame, a feminine version of the croque monsieur with the addditon of an egg of course. "The first thing I eat as soon as I get back to Paris," Julia declares, most likely stopping into her preferred restaurant, Café de Flore, to savor this treat known there as "Le Jockey."

This beloved French bar snack is traditionally made with melted Gruyère or Emmental cheese and ham, grilled to perfection between two slices of crusty bread perhaps dressed in a Mornay or Béchamel sauce with an egg sunny side up on top. In parts of Normandy they refer to this culinary comfort as croque-à-cheval. The decadent croque madame first appeared on menus in Paris in 1910 and in literature in Marcel Proust's À la recherche du temps perdu (Remembrance of Things Past) in 1918.

In a pinch in France, McDonald's locations offer the "Croque McDo" sandwich. In the US, a new restaurant called Croque Madame opened recently at Kennedy Airport in New York and Chef Andrew Carmellini features the signature namesake proudly on the menu which you can order directly from the iPad attached to your booth. Located at Gates 25 and 26 in Terminal 2, Croque Madame assures the food will be delivered in ten minutes or less; in the meantime, guests can use power strips in the booth to charge electronic devices while enjoying the free wireless signal.

Croque madame or "Le Jockey" at Café de FloreEven better, try making your own croque madame at home, below is a simple recipe in both French and English. The amounts listed will make four sandwiches.

Ingrédients

8 pain de mie
4 jambon blanc
150 g de fromage râpé
60 g de beurre
4 oeufs
20 cl de crème fraîche liquide
Sel, poivre

Préparation

1. Coupez légèrement le bord des tranches de pain de mie. Tartinez-les d'un peu de beurre. Coupez de fines tranches de gruyère et disposez-les sur le pain.
2. Ajoutez la tranche de jambon pliée en deux. Recouvrez avec une autre tranche de pain de mie préablement beurrée.
3. Dans un bol, versez le fromage râpé, ajoutez la crème épaisse, une pincée de poivre et de sel. Mélangez.
4. Déposez sur les croque-madames une grosse cuillère à soupe du mélange de fromage râpé et de crème. Etalez-le délicatement sur la tranche de pain de mie et réservez. Préchauffez votre four à 180° C.
5. Au moment de servir, passez au four 3 à 4 min puis au gril.
6. Dans une poêle faites cuire les oeufs au plat. Déposez un oeuf sur chaque croque-madame et servez bien chaud.

Ingredients

8 slices of bread
4 slices of ham
150 g grated cheese
60 g butter
4 eggs
20 cl whipping cream
Salt, pepper

Preparation

1. Trim the edges of the slices of bread. Spread them with a little butter. Cut thin slices of cheese and arrange on bread.
2. Add the slice of ham folded in half. Cover with another slice of buttered bread.
3. In a bowl, add grated cheese, heavy cream, and a pinch of pepper and salt. Mix.
4. On toasted bread place a spoonful of the mixture of grated cheese and cream. Spread it gently on the slice of bread and reserve. Preheat oven to 360° F.
5. Just before serving, broil in oven 3-4 minutes.
6. In a skillet fry eggs. Place an egg on each croque madame and serve hot.

Croque madame at Croque Madame at Kennedy AirportCroque madame image courtesy of catastrophysicist.wordpress.com. Croque madame at Café de Flore photograph courtesy of foodspotting.com. Croque Madame at Kennedy Airport photograph courtesy of ultraclay.com.

Lychee Martini

Julia Restoin-Roitfeld declares that her absolute favorite food combination is the sea bass enhanced with a lychee martini at Indochine in the East Village, this is what she always orders when dining there. If you are in the mood for an exotic treat, try the refreshing lychee martini which is inspired by flavors of Asian influence. Lychee trees grow natively in southeast Asia and the fruit bears a slight citrus flavor with floral tones that makes for a delightful drink. Below is a recipe to mix your own lychee martini.

Ingredients

• 3 ounces vodka
• 1 ounce lychee syrup
• 1 ounce Triple Sec
• 4 ice cubes
• 1 or 2 lychees, peeled and pitted

Preparation

1. Add 3 ounces vodka, 1 ounce lychee syrup, 1 ounce Triple Sec, and 4 ice cubes to shaker.
2. Cover and shake.
3. Strain into a chilled martini glass.
4. Garnish with peeled lychees and serve.

Here are a few tips to help you achieve the perfect lychee martini... The quality of the lychee flavor determines the authentic taste of the martini and colors the drink experience. Natural lychee syrup from fresh fruit imparts the best flavor as purists say that lychee liquor can leave a processed taste behind. If fresh lychees are not in season, use lychee juice as a substitute. Garnish with fresh peeled and seeded lychees on a skewer. If you cannot find fresh fruit, frozen or canned lychees will work instead. Dip the rim of the martini glass into crystallized ginger before you pour your drink from the shaker, this unusual mixture lends a distinct oriental zing to the cocktail. If you do not like vodka or prefer a different taste, try soju, sake, or champagne for a twist. Visit lycheesonline.com for more fun lychee recipes.

Lychee martini photograph courtesy of Conexión Brando.

Vodka Tonic

What is the fairest cocktail in the land? According to Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, it is the classic vodka tonic. Here she is enjoying a cold one with Monsieur Robert Konjic (rhymes with vodka tonic) at her brother Vladimir's gallery opening after-party. This hot Swede recently earned enough to buy a house for his five days' work as the menswear face for Gucci. Yes, Konjic is a model just like her last boyfriend, Magnus Berger. The Roitfelds certainly do love the model crowd... and let's not forget their affinity for Gucci...

To enjoy a vodka tonic yourself, here's the simple recipe:

• Fill a highball glass with ice.
• Add equal parts vodka and tonic water.
• Garnish with a lime wedge.

À votre santé !

Julia Restoin-Roitfeld and Robert Konjic photograph courtesy of Style.com
Robert Konjic photograph courtesy of Mostbeautifulman.com

Apple, Carrot, and Ginger Juice

What is the secret to Julia Restoin-Roitfeld's gorgeous skin? She claims that it is not a secret beauty potion but rather a delicious glass of fresh apple, carrot, and ginger juice every day. Since Martina Navratilova also attributes her youthful vigor to daily juicing, I decided to give it a try myself. If just this one habit could improve my skin and my tennis, I figured I have nothing to lose. I bought the Breville Compact Juice Fountain last December and I have used it virtually every day since. It is quick and easy to use, the juice is pulpless and invigorating, and my skin has better tone and color. I wish I could say there's been a drastic improvement in my tennis, but some things take time. If you'd like to try it yourself, combine one apple, one carrot, and one piece of ginger (approximately 1" square and 1/8" thick) in your machine, juice, and enjoy. Repeat daily and be prepared to reap the rewards of healthy nutrition.