my photo journal

retro

2012-01-20T13:36:00.000-08:00

Here are some retro inspired shots I took recently.

jess

2011-12-16T13:37:00.000-08:00

I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read and all
the friends I want to see. ~John Burroughs

tomales bay

2011-11-21T19:29:00.000-08:00

These are some photographs from our wanderings around Tomales Bay.
"It was one of those perfect (...) autumnal days which occur more frequently in memory than in life." ~P.D. James

last days of october

2011-10-31T23:23:00.000-07:00

This was the most beautiful October I have ever seen in my city.
I really feel spoiled by warm afternoons, beautiful sunsets, gorgeous light and lush colors.
I know it's not going to last. I know the fog is creeping in.
I know the rainy season is just around the corner, but I am in love with the now, I am inspired by so many things:

I've been feasting my eyes on works by Harry Callahan,

listening to bon iver, a lot...

reading and rereading stream of consciousness poem,

loving the idea of a spontaneous detour by Alexandria.

planing a very special road trip, simply can't wait for it!

Heath Ceramics factory

2011-10-25T15:18:00.000-07:00

Photographs from Heath Ceramics factory in Sausalito.

Sarah

2011-10-19T13:50:00.000-07:00

Here are some photographs from a portrait session with my good friend Sarah.
Last Saturday, she invited me over to her Bernal Heights home, and while talking life and sipping mimosas we created this set of photos for her
writing blog - Our Mothers' Maiden Names. Be sure to check it out and sign up for her weekly stories.

thank you Sarah for such a fun time!

jess and bri

2011-10-17T23:36:00.000-07:00

my friends

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tea break

2011-10-12T12:39:00.000-07:00

rain inspired

untitled

2011-10-09T15:34:00.000-07:00

Photo taken during OccupySF protest.

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gorgeous little things

2011-09-28T13:30:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos from Bell Jar, one of my favorite boutiques in San Francisco.
The store is filled with amazing pieces: from vintage home decor to interesting stationary, cosmetics, jewelry and beautiful clothing.
Its eclectic style is always inspiring.

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in a different light

2011-09-25T23:32:00.000-07:00

A short break from clouds and fog.

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a breather

2011-09-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

shot with polaroid sx70

treasure hunting

2011-09-16T00:17:00.000-07:00

looking down

2011-09-14T11:58:00.000-07:00

The progress of a photographer can often be marked by the accumulated number of mistakes

he or she had made along the way. - Catherine Jo Morgan

my tongue is smiling

2011-09-13T10:13:00.000-07:00

"My tongue is smiling". Such a cute line from "Alice, Let’s Eat" by Calvin Trillin. He quoted his four year old daughter Abigail happy with her chocolate ice cream. What makes your tongue all smiley? Mine just needs a cup of good coffee and something sweet...

...and a little bit of this to induce big smiles all over...

sneak peek: stop motion animation

2011-09-05T14:15:00.000-07:00

Untitled from Monika Kotus on Vimeo.

Here is a sneak peek of a fun project I've been working on, a stop motion animation or rather my attempt at it.
I've always been fascinated by this technique and wondered if I could create anything of that sort on my own.
One afternoon, while I was making an apple tart, I mounted my old Nikon D70 on a tripod and using wireless remote I shot hundreds of pictures. My hubby converted all the photos and synchronized them with music using Vegas Pro.
I can't even describe how exciting it was to see all those still images "come to life"!
Now we're working on the ending, can't wait to see it finished.
I know, it is a little amateurish but it made us smile, so it's all worth it!
The music we used here is by Allie Moss from her "Late Bloomer" album, which I've been listening to obsessively.
Hope you all had a great weekend.
M.

san francisco street food festival

2011-08-22T15:14:00.000-07:00

magique

2011-08-12T01:01:00.000-07:00

Have a magical weekend my friends.

(the magician: my friend J.)

conversations over tea

2011-08-08T15:53:00.000-07:00

Couple of weeks ago our friend visited with her mother and her adorable nine months old daughter Naomi.

One foggy afternoon we sat down over a cup of good tea, and while her little girl was happily napping, we had a long and very emotional talk.

She shared her birthing story with me, and how having a child changed her and her life.

She told me how people around her reacted to the big news, and how her ninety-two-year old grandma had never thought she would live to see her great-grandchild being born.

Later on, her own mother join in to talk about her transition from a mom to a grandma, and how arrival of this little girl have brought everyone closer together.

It was an amazing afternoon, filled with tears, laughter and so many good stories,

and it made think about starting my own family, one day…when the time is right…

four barrel coffee

2011-08-04T11:08:00.000-07:00

I think I've found my coffee heaven!

outerlands

2011-07-24T14:59:00.000-07:00

continue here: Outerlands

lost in sugarland

2011-07-19T10:47:00.000-07:00

twilight

2011-07-16T01:00:00.000-07:00

sneak peek

2011-07-13T15:06:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I went through quite the drama when my beloved nikon broke down beyond the point of repair. Days of disbelief, and sadness followed, and then, very frantic search for its replacement had begun. After all, one cannot go through life without a camera, or at least I can't!
Making a decision was really hard and stressful, considering all the bells and whistles, and hefty price tags.
For a moment I even thought about making a leap over to the canon camp, but in the end, being a nikon girl for such a long time, I decided to just stick with it. Finding a store that would have this particular model in stock turned out to be another headache. It took lots of emails and phone calls, I even tried Canadian and UK stores! I guess I was a little desperate at this point! Luckily, my husband (I still wonder how???) was able to track it down for me! I'm sooo grateful!!!
So, here are first few test shots from my new camera, now I just need to sit down and read 500 page user's manual, phew! Piece of cake!

Big thanks to everyone who was kind enough to answer all of my questions about equipment they use!

happiest

2011-07-06T13:19:00.000-07:00

The top photo was taken by my hubby. I was so glad to see all this nagging about composition and framing finally paid off. Don't you think he did pretty good job?

long weekend

2011-07-01T14:53:00.000-07:00

What is your destination this 4th of July weekend? We are relaxing at home, firing up the grill and making some fun cocktails: cucumber gimlets, our favorite Pimm's cup and quick version of homemade ginger ale.
Have fun, whatever you do!

photos taken with holga, fujicolor pro400h film

capricious

2011-06-28T17:40:00.000-07:00

is the word to describe summer weather in a city. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I'm finally beginning to like it. Despite cold hands and occasional wet feet, I see it as very inspiring and nostalgic.
Do you love it or hate it? Do you find it depressive or conducive to being more creative?

john

2011-06-24T07:34:00.000-07:00

Here are few photos of my friend John, an English literature teacher and a huge rockabilly fan.
I have to admit, I myself am obsessed with retro style of 1950's. The greasers with their white t-shirts with rolled up sleeves and leather jackets, pompadour hairstyles, poodle skirts paired with cardigans, vintage cars, drive-in movie theaters, old dinners. Don't you think they were all beautiful and stylish?

brigid

2011-06-13T12:34:00.000-07:00

"I don't understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little - if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that's the day she has a date with destiny. And it's best to be as pretty as possible for destiny."

I love this quote by Coco Chanel. It makes me think of my friend Brigid, she always seems to be ready to meet her destiny in a beautiful and very original style.
And yes! Those are tattoos on her legs.

sweet little things

2011-06-07T00:33:00.000-07:00

What a day!
Gray and rainy...and absolutely beautiful!
I took part in a charity event Soles4Souls. Donated a pair of shoes and ended up with a pair of tickets to U2 and Lenny Kravitz concert! I'm so stoked about it, I have a feeling this going to be an awesome date for M and I!
I also took a long walk around the city and spotted this cute couple on bikes. They were so shy and sweet, it had to be their first or maybe second date. It totally unleashed my inner stalker(a.k.a. photographer).
If this wasn't enough, later on I sat down on a bench with "I love M" message written on it. I guess it was one of "those" days.
It also made me wonder: what would be your ideal date? Biking, sailing, going to a concert, or maybe...cooking together and watching movies?

kate

2011-06-03T17:19:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to share some of my other than food photography here with you, for a while now.
So, here are some photos from a really fun outing with my little sis to the de young museum. She's quite a natural in front a camera, patient and very inventive. We had a little bubble gum malfunction, it just wouldn't do what it was hired for, but we still ended up having a blaaaast!
Hope you'll like it.

playful

2011-05-31T23:45:00.000-07:00

holding on to spring

2011-05-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

per mia sorella Kate.

last week for tulips

2011-05-23T09:27:00.000-07:00

and just a little lavender for body and soul...

tuesdays with J.

2011-05-18T12:35:00.000-07:00

My good friend J. and I have this fun ritual of getting together every week and discussing our lives, books, movies, her love for "Glee" and all kinds of girly stuff. We usually do that over good food and wine, and after, try to burn off some calories(???) with window shopping.
Last Tuesday, when we were stuffing ourselves full with fantastic pizza at Pizzeria Delfina, I couldn't stop thinking how lucky I am to have some amazing women in my life: my mom, my sister Kate and also, very inspiring and creative girlfriends. How great it is to meet and talk, and get their perspective on life.
It also made me wonder, how many of you still maintain on a regular basis "girls only" dates past college? Do you go out or stay in and cook together? What do you do to have fun?

rice pudding with strawberry rhubarb compote

2011-05-09T15:08:00.000-07:00

I can’t believe it’s been a month already since we got married!
The time passes waaay too fast while you are walking slightly above the ground. But, according to Oxford Dictionary, this “abnormal” feeling of well-being should be wearing off already, and by now we should be checking back with reality.
Well... not so fast! I don’t know what kind of a downer came out with an idea of a short-lived wedded bliss, but I am not signing up for that!
After all, we got married for life, not for a month! And we just want to have fun with it for as long as we can.
So, last week when our marriage certificate finally arrived in the mail and made the fact that we’re stuck with each other now very much official, we decided to celebrate, again!
In this spirit of prolonged honeymoon we cooked big dinner with a dessert to die for: vanilla scented rice pudding, spiked with brandy and paired with strawberry-rhubarb compote.
I can't even find proper words to describe how good this was. Honeymooners or not, I recommend you two try it immediately and make a date out of it!

for the compote:

1 pound strawberries, quartered +extra for garnish

1 pound rhubarb(about 3 stalk), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces

1tsp lemon zest

1 Tbsp lemon juice

3/4 cup granulated sugar

for the rice pudding

1/2c caster sugar(scant)

1½oz brandy

4 egg yolks

4c milk

1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped

1Tbsp butter

1½ cups carnaroli rice

directions:

to prepare the compote: mix all the ingredients in a pan. Place the pan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. Boil for about 5 minutes to reduce the liquid, then reduce the heat and simmer for a few minutes until the rhubarb has soften.

Take pan off the stove, cool to room temperature and refrigerate.

to prepare rice pudding:

Whisk egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale, set aside.

Combine milk and vanilla beans in a large sauce pan. Bring just to the boil, remove from heat and keep warm.

In a separate sauce pan melt butter over medium heat, add rice and cook for 2 min, stirring continuously. Add brandy and cook stirring continuously for another 2min.

Add warm milk/vanilla mixture, a cup at a time, stirring continuously until all milk is absorbed, before adding another one. Cook for about 25-30 min for al dente or longer if you like it softer. Add egg yolk mixture and cook for another 2 min. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate.

Serve with strawberry rhubarb compote, garnish with fresh strawberries and mint leaves, if desired.

(serves 6)
loosely based on a recipe for Fig and Orange rice pudding from my favorite cooking magazine: Australian Gourmet Traveler.

Woohoo! We did it!!!!

2011-04-26T09:38:00.000-07:00

I can only try to describe how fun and how crazy those past few weeks had been for us.

We met our family for some silliness in Vegas. We worked on some serious tan lines, we sipped on really tasty cocktails. We danced, we laughed a lot, we chased happy hours. We watched old movies, cooked dinners, had really long breakfasts. We snapped 2000 and some photos. We talked, we went for a picnic, long walks. We celebrated a birthday and a really beautiful anniversary. We played cards, ate a lot of cheese and oysters, and drunk wine.
And one day, somewhere between all this fun... and all this amazing family time... we got up, we dressed up, went to the city hall... and... got married!!!

photos: 1-8 by me,

photos: 9, 10 and 11 by Sasha, our wedding photographer.

what a fun ride it has been

2010-12-31T12:27:00.000-08:00

wishing you lots of happiness and creativity in the coming year

french apple tart

2010-11-19T13:55:00.000-08:00

We finally made it to our fall picnic. The weather was so beautiful, we thought: either now or never...or at least not until next year. We packed some food, blankets, an umbrella. Rolled down the windows, put some music on and drove along the panoramic highway to look for a perfect picnic spot. It was such a hot day, last breath of summer in the middle of November, if we only packed the swimsuits!
Naturally we brought more food than we could ever eat: freshly baked baguettes, caprese salad, wine, cheese, olives, some chicken sandwiches and a special treat - french apple tart!

I was really excited about this one, it was made with apples from our own tree! Plus french apple tart had been on my to-do list for quite some time, but I'd always assume there was a long list of ingredients, or some complicated technique, or something else...

As it turned out, I couldn't be more wrong. I found this simple recipe by Ina Garten in her "Back to Basics" book, which was exactly that - basic. Shortcrust pastry, sliced apples sprinkled with sugar. Baked for 45min and then brushed with apricot jam and brandy mixture, and voila! Simple and delicious Tarte aux Pommes was ready! And just to make sure it was authentic french, I first compared the recipe with Larousse Gastronomique, which is an amazing french food encyclopedia, and then I made my friend Pierre a taste tester.

Success! Ina's recipe was almost identical to the one I found in "Gastronomique" and Pierre described it as "excellent"!

Ingredients

for the apples:* 4 Granny Smith apples * 1/2 cup sugar * 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter,small diced * 1/2 cup apricot jelly or warm sieved apricot jam * 2 tablespoons Calvados, rum, or water.

for the pastry: *2c all-purpose flour * 1/2 tsp kosher salt * 1Tbsp sugar * 12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced * 1/2 c ice water

Directions
Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife and a melon baler. Slice the apples crosswise in 1/4-inch thick slices.

For the pastry, place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the butter is in small bits the size of peas. With the motor running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.Roll the dough slightly larger than 10 by 14-inches. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the edges. Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while you prepare the apples. Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices.

Sprinkle with the full 1/2 cup of sugar and dot with the butter. I usually skip the butter here and it still tastes great.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during cooking. When the tart's done, heat the apricot jelly together with the Calvados and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the jelly mixture. Loosen the tart with a metal spatula so it doesn't stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

bon appetit!

city wanderings: bi-rite creamery

2010-11-03T23:44:00.000-07:00

ever since my good friend Sarah wrote an article for the SF Bay Guardian about explosion of small, homemade ice cream shops in San Francisco, I vowed to myself to visit every one of them, to find out which one was best, the most decadent. The list of six different shops, with detailed descriptions of their most popular flavors was supposed to ease this "difficult" task. Mexican Chocolate from Mitchell's, Saffron Ginger from Xanath, or Goat Cheese from Holy Gelato - all sounded enticing, but I had my heart set on Bi- Rite's Salted Caramel, which has been one of my long time favorite flavors. Plus, I really wanted to see what the whole hype was about, and why there always seem to be so many people waiting patiently in line, just to get their ice cream.
As it turned out, the Salted Caramel lived up to its tasty reputation and paired really well with some other amazing flavors they had to offer. I especially liked it combined with white chocolate-blackberry swirl and ricanelas, which is (oh, my!) cinnamon with snickerdoodles. So, when few weeks ago M. and I found ourselves eating Bi-Rite's ice cream in the rain, under the palm tree, we knew we were in trouble. We had become "those" people! Addicted to creamy, sweet, salty goodness.
For months Bi-Rite Creamery kept me from moving down on Sarah's list, but promise is a promise, so Humphry Slocombe, you better stock up on your Blue Bottle Vietnamese Coffee flavor, because you're next!

their soft serve window offers different flavor each day.

not in a mood for ice cream? try their freshly baked cookies and fancy sodas.

for more info on Bi-Rite Creamery head over to their website.
you can read Sarah's article here.

fall smoothies, and where should we go?

2010-10-27T14:40:00.000-07:00

M and I are in the middle of planing our little fall getaway. We're trying to decide whether we should just go north: Inverness, Bolinas, Point Reyes in search of delicious oysters and gorgeous views, or go down south, looking for warmer weather, and finally organize our fall picnic, we've been talking so much about. We usually hate planning, we just hop into the car and get on the road, but this time our getaway will be very short, so any ideas???

In the mean time, we've been also playing around with smoothies, a lot. Since our CSA boxes have been overflowing with apples, pears, carrots and oranges, more than we could ever eat, we decided to give our healthy summer sippers a little seasonal update.
So here are our three favorite recipes: carrot-apple for our nagging sweet tooth, spicy pear-orange for heat and energy, and heart healthy pomegranate-orange smoothie.

Carrot-apple smoothie is my healthy sugar fix. I usually use 2 small purple carrots, 1 apple, plum and freshly squeezed orange juice or cantaloupe, if available. Blend everything with plenty of ice until smooth. And, if I still want some extra fiber I also add flax seed.

Spicy pear-orange smoothie is my pick-me-up concoction. I mix pear with freshly squeezed orange juice and spice things up with a Thai pepper. I usually just use half of it, as it has a really strong "kick" to it. Blend everything with ice and enjoy it's fiery flavor.

And just in case you missed it, here is the fall smoothie #1, pomegranate-orange:

enjoy!

autumn market

2010-10-20T00:47:00.000-07:00

I think it's official now! I am completely obsessed with my farmers' market! And each season makes me fall in love with it even more. The past few weeks have been amazing, truly a feast for the eyes. Cute baby pumpkins are popping up everywhere, walnuts, almonds and torpedo onions are just a few of my favorite autumn gems. But last week I couldn't take my eyes off display of hot and sweet peppers from Tierra Vegetables. Neatly arranged in vintage wooden crates, they were tempting with all kinds of colors, shapes and sizes. So, if you're visiting SF now, be sure to stop by their beautiful stand, at the Ferry Plaza Market. Last week was also a week of goodbyes. Some of my favorite vendors, like Green Gulch Farm or White Crane Springs ranch, were taking off for the winter and will not return until next year's late spring. Well, that only gives me an another excuse to finally plan a trip up there.
How is your autumn market? Can you share your favorites? Are you taking photos?

coffee cognac cooler

2010-10-14T12:30:00.000-07:00

I know, this is not exactly a fall recipe, but if you live in the City, you know, we're nowhere near spiced pumpkin muffins, hot apple ciders or heartwarming soups, yet. While most of you are putting cute fall sweaters on, we're finally getting our chance to wear sandals, summer dresses and enjoy the heat. So, when few days ago, I found myself slurping melted ice cream out of my coffee cup for breakfast, I suddenly remembered there was a coffee cooler recipe, I'd been wanting to try all summer, just couldn't find a perfect evening to match it. This is very elegant and decadent dessert drink, with lots of great flavors and textures. Very easy to make and so impressive, a perfect "sweet ending".

ingredients recipe by Stuart Walton from "The Ultimate Book of Cocktails"

8oz strong dark-roast coffee, chilled

3oz cognac

2oz coffee liquer

2oz heavy cream

2 scoops coffee flavored ice cream

directions

Blend all the ingredients except the ice cream, with plenty of ice. Divide between two tall glasses and top it off with scoop of ice cream. Garnish with chocolate shaving and serve with a spoon.

enjoy!

fig and goat cheese tartlets with honey syrup

2010-10-06T14:00:00.000-07:00

I think it was early spring, when I found this recipe in a mouthwatering Australian Gourmet Traveller Magazine. It combined some of my favorite flavors: goat cheese, cinnamon, citrus, honey with fresh figs. Made with Phyllo dough, instead of traditional short crust pastry, drizzled with sweet and citrusy syrup, it right away sounded like one of those warm and lazy fall afternoons, that we get here in the City.
Well, it's nice to dream a little, but… it was March, cold and rainy, and figs were nowhere to be found. I added this recipe to my never ending "make-some-day" list, and then waited whole six months to finally try it, but... it was so...so worth it!!!

ingredients (recipe by Lisa Featherby and Emma Knowles)
500 gm mild, soft goat cheese

275 gm honey

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 orange, finely grated rind and juice only

1 lemon, finely grated rind and juice only

1 egg

5 phylllo dough pastry sheets (13x17in)

90 gm butter, melted and cooled

60 gm raw caster sugar

30 ml dessert wine

8 figs, quartered

directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Process cheese, 75gm honey, cinnamon, rinds and egg in a food processor until smooth and set aside.

Place one filo pastry sheet on a clean work surface, brush lightly with butter, scatter with sugar and place another sheet on top. Repeat until all five sheets are used and then cut them into 6 squares. Divide cheese mixture among squares, then spread evenly leaving less than 1in border. Brush borders with butter, fold up sides, pinch corners to seal and bake until pastry is golden and filling sets (15-20 minutes), then cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, combine juices, dessert wine and remaining honey in a saucepan and stir over medium-high heat. Bring to the boil and simmer until syrupy (8-10 minutes), then set aside to cool.To serve, scatter figs over tarts and drizzle with honey syrup.
bon appetit!

welcome autumn

2010-09-24T12:37:00.000-07:00

Fall is finally here, and I couldn't be happier. I know it means, that winter is just around the corner, but if you live or ever been to San Francisco, you will know, it's the time, when we get to enjoy our summer. We still get all the bounty of the harvest season and long awaited, gorgeous, warm weather. Life is beautiful and it makes me want to drag all of my friends to a fall picnic, eat lots of apples, pears and pomegranates. Indulge on sweetness of dates,figs and persimmons. Photograph even more, listen to Kate Bush. Take long strolls around the city and stop by any cafe, that has patio seating.
So, what are you doing this first fall weekend? Are you going to celebrate the season? Are you cooking anything special, making your fall-to-do list???

There is lots of yoga on my list, and as a reward some delicious smoothies.
I'm leaving you for the weekend with this pomegranate-orange smoothie recipe, it's so easy to make and it couldn't be more nutritious. Did you know that pomegranates are packed with fiber, vitamin C and lots of antioxidants? They are so good for your heart. Their season is just starting now, so head over to the farmers' market this Saturday.

To prepare Pomegranate-Orange smoothie you will need:
*seeds of 4 pomegranates, free of any yellow pith, it has really bitter taste, click here for instructions
*freshly squeezed juice of one orange
*blender
Process pomegranate seeds with orange juice and some ice in the blender until smooth. Divide between two glasses and enjoy!

Have a beautiful weekend!

Kir Royale

2010-09-20T15:07:00.000-07:00

I can't imagine Sunday brunch or a proper french feast without Kir Royale. My french friends Pierre and Yveline introduced me to it few years ago, and it's been my favorite apéritif and special Sunday treat ever since. Kir Royal, a champagne mixed with black currant liqueur-Creme de Cassis, is a variation of a famous Kir, where white wine is used instead of sparkling. Originally called "blanc-cassis", Kir gets its name after Felix Kir, a french catholic priest and a WWII resistance fighter, who later was elected a mayor of Dijon in Burgundy. There are many different versions of this cocktail, but Kir Royale and Kir Imperial, which is made with raspberry liqueur-Creme de Framboise, in my opinion are best.

To prepare Kir Royale or Kir Imperial you will need:

Creme de Cassis or Creme de Framboise
Champagne or sparkling wine
lemon zest or fresh raspberries(optional)
champagne flutes

directions

Pour small amount of Creme de Cassis(for Kir Royale) or Creme de Framboise(Kir Imperial) depending on how sweet you would like it, some taste testing is recommended. Top it off with Champagne and garnish with a lemon twist(for Kir Royal) or fresh raspberries(for Kir Imperial). Enjoy!

Cheers!

spiced plum mini-galettes

2010-09-12T14:40:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed how beautiful this summer to fall transitional period is? The Sun is lower, the light is warmer and everything is enveloped in gorgeous hues of yellow, red and orange. Early fall apples and pears are popping out at the markets and late summer plums are so sweet and juicy right now. This time of the year always inspires me to bake, experiment with all kinds of fruit tarts and rustic galettes. They're so easy to make, travel well to a picnic and stay fresh for a few days. So, here is my favorite summer-to-fall spiced plum galette recipe.

Pate Sucree
ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4 tablespoons ice water
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

In a large bowl mix flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter and use a pastry blender or two table knives to cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water and egg yolks and kneed until the dough just holds together without being wet or sticky. Flatten it into a disc shape, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

to make Plum mini-galettes
(ingredients below)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle a lightly floured work surface with turbinado sugar. Roll out dough to about 1/4-inch thickness and with cookie cutter cut out circles 4 1/2inches in diameter. Combine leftover dough scraps and repeat, you should have about 14 circles.

In a small bowl combine plums with 2Tbsp flour, granulated sugar, spices and lemon zest. Arrange in the middle of each circle and fold up the edges. Feel free to be creative here. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 30min.

Enjoy at your next Sunday brunch with a glass of Kir Royale.

ingredients:
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
6-7 cups pitted plums red, black and plouts, sliced 1/4-inch thick
zest of 1 lemon
1 large egg
(adapted from here)

dirty mojito

2010-08-31T12:31:00.000-07:00

As it turns out, we spent this summer "researching" cocktails and building quite an impressive bar collection, with not only staples like: gin, vodka or tequila, but also with some interesting additions of Lillet, Dubonnet, Creme de Cassis or Chartreuse. We've purchased all kinds of barware and befriended new words like jigger and muddler. It's been an interesting adventure for a "cocktail virgin", like myself.
So far, we've found some definite favorites, like this refreshing cucumber gimlet or very festive looking Pimm's cup. We were amazed, how easy it is to make your own ginger ale, and even easier to mix it into some fun cocktails. And finally we've started growing mint to support our ongoing taste-testing of summery mojitos. We've tried all kinds of different recipes and in the end settled on a dirty mojito as our favorite. This recipe calls for dark rum and brown sugar. They will both make your mojito look like muddy waters, but don't be put off by its color, as it has very interesting, complex flavor.

Dirty Mojito

(you can find "clean" version here)

ingredients

6 oz spiced rum

12 mint sprigs, roughly broken apart(spearmint works best)

6 Tbsp fresh lime juice

4 Tbsp evaporated cane juice sugar

2 lime slices

club soda

ice

directions

Place mint and some lime juice in a shaker, muddle it gently. Add rum, sugar, few ice cubes and the rest of lime juice. Shake well, until most of sugar dissolves. Divide between two tall glasses filled with ice. Top it off with desired amount of club soda. Garnish with lime and enjoy!

banana pecan engagement muffins

2010-08-24T13:01:00.000-07:00

I'm sure your hear stories of someone getting engaged over muffins every day.
And you patiently sit there and listen to her describing: how it was typical San Francisco's cold and foggy morning, and how she missed her trip to the farmers' market, and how she needed some comforting, so she put two pairs of socks and thick sweats on, and how she decided to make their favorite breakfast: banana-pecan muffins, and how he was making coffee, and how she was mixing and toasting and mashing, and how he was suspiciously weird and nervous that morning, and how she was reaching for a baking powder and grabbed some tiny box instead...
and you can only imagine what happened next...pecans got toasted to a carbon black, the dough got over-mixed and muffins turned out dense and over-baked, but... delicious, best she'd ever had!
And you still sit there with a big smile on your face wondering...if there are any muffins left???
So, I'll spare you all the sappy details and just share this delicious recipe instead.

Banana Pecan Muffins
adapted from Chocolate and Zucchini blog

1 C sugar
1 egg
1/2 C unsalted butter
2 large ripe bananas
1/4 C milk
2 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1tsp salt
1Tbsp vanilla extract
1 C pecans, toasted and chopped

Preheat the oven to 360F, and grease muffin pan or line them with baking cups.

In a large mixing-bowl or in a food processor, cream together the sugar, the egg, vanilla extract and butter. In a small bowl, mash together bananas with milk. In another separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with banana-milk mixture in two parts, stirring with spatula until just combined (don't overmix or your muffins will be a little dense). Stir in the pecans.

Pour the batter into the muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes, or until the muffins are nicely golden-brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes then transfer onto a rack.

They taste delicious with whipped butter, lemon curd or honey.

My currant affair

2010-08-06T09:35:00.000-07:00

started many years ago, when I was little, during summer vacation at my grandma's house. She had currant bushes scattered all over her backyard, growing so tall, that my sister and I could play our favorite, hide and seek. We also loved eating those sweet-tart berries straight from the vines or holding them up toward the sun and pretending, we'd just found some highly valuable jewels and then, let them pucker our mouths. If I remember this right, my grandma wasn't particularly fond of those shrubs, complaining about them taking over the whole garden, steeling light from other plants and hosting hoards of snails. Luckily for us she wouldn't dare to remove them, out of, what I like to think was, respect for their old age. So summer after summer was filled with delicious currant compote and jelly making.
Somehow in my adult years, I have forgotten those little gems, partially, because I had no idea how to use them in my cooking and partially because, they are rather hard to find, unless you grow them yourself. So few weeks ago, when I spotted them at the market, in beautiful shades of white and red, I couldn't resist. I had to rekindle my love affair with those sweet-tart berries.

From just a handful of currant recipes I could find, I wanted to share with you two, I really liked. Sweet: Fresh Red Currant Scones(which you will have to tune in for sometime next week) and savory: Shallot-Cassis Marmalade, spread over fresh baguette and paired with goat cheese, simply delicious!!!

Shallot-Cassis Marmalade by Amanda Hesser via NYT
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups peeled and thinly sliced shallots
1 teaspoon salt
5 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
4 tablespoons créme de cassis
1/4 cup red currants, fresh or frozen, or 2 tablespoons red currant jam
1 round Chaource or Chevrot (or any other goat cheese that has a rind but is still soft inside, I used Humboldt Fog)
1 baguette

Directions
Melt the butter in a large sauté pan and spread the shallots over the bottom. Sprinkle with salt. With the heat on low, allow the shallots to caramelize. It will take about 30 minutes, stir from time to time so the shallots don't burn. In the meantime, pull the leaves from the thyme.

Mix the thyme with shallots, then transfer into a bowl. Place the pan back on the stove, add the vinegar and over medium-high heat stir to deglaze the pan. Pour the contents of the pan over the shallots and stir to mix. Add the crème de cassis, a little at a time, to taste. Allow the shallots to cool, then stir in the currants. Refrigerate.

Before serving, bring the cheese and shallots to room temperature. Slice a baguette and serve with a dollop of marmalade and a generous slice of cheese, for garnish you can use leftover berries or sprinkle with thyme.

Homemade Ginger Ale two ways

2010-07-26T00:38:00.000-07:00

Here are two recipes for homemade ginger ale I tried recently. One is for the impatient (me) and the other for those, who don't mind waiting few days (sometimes me) and then be rewarded with truly home-brewed ginger ale or you could even call it a ginger beer. It does have small amount of alcohol and superb, intense gingery flavor. Spicy and very refreshing, would definitely make a great cocktail mixer. It makes Gin and Ginger sound very good all of a sudden.

To make Ginger Beer you will need:
1c sugar
freshly grated ginger root (1 1/2-2 tablespoons), use the fresh ginger root you can find, it really makes a difference
juice of one lemon
1/4tsp baker's yeast
cold fresh spring or filtered water

special equipment:

clean 2L plastic bottle, funnel, patience
Directions:
Through a funnel add sugar and yeast to a plastic bottle. Mix grated ginger root and lemon juice and then transfer it to a bottle, add water to fill it half way and shake well to mix all ingredients. Add more water, leaving about an inch head space, screw the cap on and shake again. You can also mix all the ingredients in a jar and then transfer to a plastic bottle (as I did). Leave in a warm place for about two days and then transfer to refrigerator, to stop fermentation process. Refrigerate overnight. Pour it trough a strainer and enjoy!
(adapted from here)

Ginger Ale, an instant gratification version:
(adapted from here)
1 cup fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
club soda
juice of one or two limes, juice from half lemon
mint for garnish

Directions:
Combine ginger, sugar and water in a saucepan. Simmer slowly for 10 minutes, until sugar is dissolved and ginger is softened.

Strain warm syrup and allow to cool. Fill a tall glass with ice, add 1 part(used 2oz shot glass) of ginger syrup and 3 parts of club soda.
Squeeze lime and lemon wedge into glass. Use more syrup if desired. Garnish with mint. Stir and enjoy the zing.
Still thirsty??? Hop over to Yummy Supper for some Watermelon Punch.

Summer inspiration

2010-07-17T14:04:00.000-07:00

Rise and shine, Saturday 7:30am. Shot of espresso, ~~cold shower~~…, no, warm shower.
Check the shopping bags: one for heavy veggies, one for flowers, herbs and other things that bruise easily; check the camera, extra battery (always forgotten). Check the shopping list, hard to stick to it but let's just pretend I'm capable of some kind of planning; comfy shoes, sunglasses; small bills, lots of change and off I go.... to the farmers market.

It doesn’t get any more beautiful than in the summer, when everything is blooming, bursting with intense flavors, amazing scents and colors. I love how my cooking gets inspired by this wonderful season. With the freshest, organic ingredients I can limit my food preparation to the bare minimum and actually spend more time enjoying it with my friends and family.

I get here early to avoid the crowds and adapt Alice Waters’ approach to shopping at the green market. Her advice is to come with nothing specific in mind, soak up the beauty of summer produce and then decide what to buy. So I make my “inspiration round”: touch, smell, taste whatever I can, stimulate my senses, dream up some dishes in my head.

Summer is all about freshness, beauty and simplicity. I keep that in mind as I make my way through the market. I’m looking for heirloom, ethnic and some other unusual fruits and vegetables, even edible flowers. I talk to farmers; I talk to shoppers like myself, farmers market addicts, ask their advice on what to buy, how to cook or store it. This is one of my favorite parts of shopping at the green market.

I pick some squash blossoms, with baby zucchini still attached they look so adorable. Some curious people stop by to ask me how to cook them. I like them stuffed with spiced ricotta cheese, dipped in light better and then deep fried. I also bought heirloom carrots in all shades of pink, purple and yellow, some calendula flowers(for the salad), green and purple orach, which someone explained to me, is a wild spinach, beautiful two-colored “Zephyr” squash, parsley blossoms, heirloom tomatoes, sour cherries, apricots and a few different kinds of berries. All looks so exciting and beautiful, I can not wait to get home and start my summer-inspired cooking.

I'm curious, how do you work a green market? Do you let it inspire you or plan ahead and stick to your shopping list???
For more inspiration check out this Alice Waters' video here.
It was so exciting to run into her this morning at the market and see in person, what she was going to cook today.

Gazpacho Andaluz, guest post on The Kitchn

2010-07-12T14:50:00.000-07:00

My introduction to gazpacho was like probably many of us, through Pedro Almodovar’s movie “Women on the verge of nervous breakdown”, where Pepa (played by Carmen Maura) throws a handful of barbiturates into bright red tomato concoction, prepared for her ex-lover. While the plot keeps twisting and turning, gazpacho plays bigger and bigger role in the movie, putting nearly all of its characters into deep sleep.
When in the end, asked by a police officer what was in the gazpacho, Pepa reciting list of ingredients: tomates, pimiento, cebollia, pepino, sal, vinagre… describes perfect recipe for classic Andalusian gazpacho, adding that its whole secret lays in mixing it right.
It sounded so simple and refreshing, exactly what I needed after two hot hours of Spanish passion and drama.

This post is kicking off Escapes Month, featuring international cuisines on The Kitchn. Hop over there to see it.

To prepare Gazpacho Andaluz you will need:
(serves 4)
* 2 thick slices of day-old country bread, crusts removed and cut into small pieces
* 1.5 to 2lb ripest, sweetest, most flavorful tomatoes, quartered
* 2 Tbsp aged sherry vinegar
* ½ cup fragrant extra-virgin olive oil
* ¼ cup bottled spring water,
* 2 small garlic cloves, minced
* pinch of ground cumin and pinch of cayenne pepper(optional)
* sea salt
* 1 firm medium-sized cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
* 1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
* 1 small green bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
* ½ small red or Spanish onion, peeled and chopped

To garnish:
save small amounts of bell peppers, onions and tomatoes.

Directions:
1. Place the bread in a large bowl, drizzle with some olive oil and squeeze out juice from one tomato over it. Add 1tsp of sherry vinegar and mix it well with your fingers. Set aside, for at least 10 minutes.

2. Transfer the bread mixture to a food processor and add minced garlic, cumin, cayenne pepper(if using) and salt. Process until very smooth.

3.Add half of the tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, onions, generous pinch of salt and ¼ cup of olive oil; process until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside. Repeat with another batch of vegetables and olive oil. You can also pass the soup through a sieve, but I don’t find it necessary.

4. Add some of the remaining sherry vinegar, salt and spring water. Taste and adjust amounts of each to your liking.
5. Chill for at least 3 hours.

To serve:
divide between chilled soup bowls, prepare small dishes of chopped peppers, onions and tomatoes for garnish. Add side dish of olive oil for drizzling and some good crusty bread.

Buen provecho!

Mixed Summer Berry Shortcakes

2010-06-23T17:37:00.000-07:00

Summer might have officially started on the day of the solstice, but to me it starts on the day, when the first truly summery dessert is being imagined and created. It usually means some yummy mixed berries, zesty lemon juice, beautiful aroma of fresh mint and lots...lots of ice cream. Imagine all of it sandwiched between buttery, flaky sliced biscuits....that's how the Summer should start! Don't you think??? I simply loooove this version of a classic strawberry shortcake, where the biscuits are spiced with ground nutmeg and the berries are fancied up with mint. This recipe is loosely based on the one I found in an old issue of "Self,Dishes", a healthy cooking magazine, and even though it barely resembles original version, it still tricks me into thinking, that I can eat two instead of one....with no guilt!

ingredients for the berry mixture:
1lb of strawberries, halved
6oz blackberries
6oz of blueberries
2 Tbs fresh mint, chopped, save some smaller leaves for garnish
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbs of lemon juice

In a large bowl combine all the berries, add lemon juice, sugar and mint. Mix well, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

ingredients for the shortcakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 stick (1/4c) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup buttermilk(well shaken)
1 tablespoon buttermilk for brushing the biscuits

directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl twice sift all of the dry ingredients, mix it well and add chilled butter. With your fingers blend the mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Add the buttermilk and mix just until combined. It will be very moist and sticky.

On a lightly floured surface, gently roll the dough with rolling pin to 1/2 inch thickness. With floured cookie cutter, cut out 6 biscuits. Transfer to ungreased baking sheet. Brush the tops with buttermilk.

Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 12 to 15min. Until lightly golden. Cool to room temperature, before serving.

to serve:

Half the shortcakes, place the bottom part on the plate, drizzle with some berry juice if you like, top it with big scoop of vanilla ice cream, add the berry mixture and cover with top part of the biscuit.

I usually like to wait a moment before I eat it, just until the ice cream melts slightly and softens the shortcake, but you go ahead and indulge, it really tastes like Summer!

Pimm's cup

2010-06-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

Summer is almost here and with first truly hot days patio dining, picnicking, entering with friends and of course refreshing cocktails come to mind. As I mentioned here earlier I've been playing a "weekend mixologist", expanding my drink repertoire a little, so after cucumber gimlets(get the recipe here) I'm giving Pimm's No. 1 cup a try. Served over ice with fizzy lemonade and various fruits, it's a favorite English summer drink, keeping cool Wimbledon, Henley Royal Regatta or polo matches goers. It originated in London in 1820s, when James Pimm wanting to distinguish his oyster bar from many others, started serving this gin based concoction to his customers. It soon became a hit and by 1860 was being bottled and sold on a large scale, making summer heat more bearable to this day.

To prepare Pimm's No.1 cup you will need:
*fizzy lemonade but you can also use ginger ale, soda water or sprite;
*thin slices of fruits like: orange, lemon, lime;
*cucumber cut into wedges, strawberries, thin slices of apple can be added as well;
*chopped mint, and if you can find, borage flowers;
*and Pimm's of course.

To mix:
in a tall glass place the fruit, add ice, one part of Pimm's and two parts of fizzy lemonade(I used 2oz shot glass to measure). Garnish with cucumber wedge, some mint and borage flowers. And voila! Beautiful summer cocktail is ready. You can wow your friends at your next dinner party by preparing Pimm's in a large pitcher or set up a "help yourself" bar with individual bowls of fruit and let your guests prepare their own cup. I guarantee they will love it!

I can already tell this going to be my favorite summer drink.... summer of Pimm's, if you will.
Have fun with it and tell me, what is your favorite summer cocktail?

herbed goat cheese tart with roasted beets

2010-06-14T01:04:00.000-07:00

How was your weekend? Were you fighting off the heat wave, enjoying almost-here-summer days, picnicking or hiking??? I did some of these things plus trip to the farmers market and some good cooking. I had this herbed goat cheese tart on my mind for quite some time now, was just waiting for a perfect summer weather as an excuse to make it.....just in case a picnic dish was needed. It's made with marinated roasted beets, whole wheat pastry flour, fresh herbs, goat and ricotta cheese, delicious. Perfect for a picnic at the park or day at the beach.

marinated roasted beets

2 golden beets
2 small red beets
1 small Albina Vereduna, white variety (optional)
2 garlic cloves, smashed
4 Tbsp olive oil
2Tbs sherry vinegar
sea salt, fresh ground pepper
2 Tbsp fresh thyme

for the pastry

1cup whole wheat pastry flour and
1 1/2 all- purpose flour or if you prefer use 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

for the filling

10 ounces soft mild goat cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon chopped mixed fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, oregano

for garnish
fresh chopped herbs, baby arugula
fresh ground pepper, sea salt

directions

To roast the beets wrap them in aluminum foil, place on the baking sheet and bake for about 30-40 min in 425°F oven, wait until cool enough to handle and use paper towels to slip the skins off. Slice thinly and place red and golden beets in two separate bowls. Mix olive oil, vinegar, garlic, thyme salt and pepper, pour over each bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
In the mean time mix all of the ingredients for the pastry dough until smooth, flatten into a disc, wrap and refrigerate until ready to use ( at least 30 min).
In the food processor blend all the ingredients for the filling, until smooth.
Preheat oven to 350°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/8-inch-thick rectangular shape( if you're using this kind of pan) . Roll the dough around the rolling pin, and lift it over a tart pan with a removable bottom( I used 10.5x7.5). Line the pan with the dough, pressing it into the corners.You'll most likely use only 2/3 of prepared dough. Prick dough all over with a fork. Transfer to refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes. Bake for 10-15 min on the middle rack. Remove from oven, add the feeling and bake on the middle rack for another 30 min. Remove from oven, arrange the beets on top, garnish with chopped thyme, oregano and baby arugula, drizzle with some oil and vinegar mixture saved from marinating beets. Tastes great with mixed greens salad and sauvignon blanc wine.

cucumber gimlet

2010-06-05T02:07:00.000-07:00

How was your post holiday week? Are you still recovering from too many hot dogs and waaay too much beer??? I was good this year, ate really healthy food but definitely drunk too much beer. I also realized something, while I'm trying to be creative with food, my usual drink choices are rather boring. It's always either wine or beer. Don't get me wrong, I love them both but it has gotten a little stale over the years. I've been thinking it's time to expand and experiment, just a little. So this weekend is all about cucumber gimlets, perfect drink for summer.Traditionally gimlets are made of gin and lime juice but I think cucumber adds some refreshing flavor and aroma to it. There are two ways of preparing cucumber gimlets, you can either infuse gin with cucumber slices, which would take few days or if you're impatient like I am, you can puree the cucumber and add it to your drink.

ingredients
(makes one drink)
11/2 limes, squeezed
1/2 cucumber, seeded, chopped (about 1c, enough for 2 drinks)
2 oz gin
11/2 oz simple syrup
ice cubes
old fashioned glass

directions

Slice four 1/4-inch-thick slices of cucumber and set aside for garnish Peel, seed and coarsely chop cucumber; transfer to food processor, squeeze juice from 1/2 lime over cucumbers and purée until smooth.(you can muddle cucumbers if you prefer but using food processor will save you time)

Pour the cucumber puree through fine mesh strainer set over small bowl. Mix gin, cucumber juice, lime juice, and simple syrup; pour over ice in an old fashioned glass, mix well. Serve garnished with lime and cucumber slices.You can adjust amounts of lime juice and simple syrup to your liking.

Have a great weekend!

whole fish baked in sea salt

2010-05-31T21:54:00.000-07:00

was something I wanted to try for quite a while, but being intimidated by the "whole fish" part I always kept putting it off for some other, more convenient time. The truth is, that since these days all of our food comes neatly packaged, already sliced, filleted or ground, it seems a bit overwhelming to choose right kind of fish, clean it and gut it. So, after weeks of window shopping, I've finally decided to give it a try. I bought beautiful tai snapper and since I've never done it, I(cowardly) asked the fishmonger to gut it and clean it for me. I stuffed it with kumquats, herbs and garlic and baked it enveloped in a thick layer of sea salt. It turned out to be the best fish I've ever eaten...delicate, juicy and very aromatic. As the fish bakes, layer of salt turns into thick crust, entrapping the whole moisture, herbs and citrus aromas inside. Simple, healthy and so....so delicious!!! Where is the final photo??? Well.....make the fish and you'll find out why it's missing...

shopping list
*whole fish about 2lb, I used New Zealand Tai Snapper, ask the fishmonger to remove the gills and gut it for you, the scales and head left on
*sea salt, you can use kosher salt if your prefer,
*2 sprigs of rosemary, few sprigs of thyme,
*chives, 2 bay leaves,
*2 garlic cloves, smashed
*4 kumquats sliced,
*black pepper, coarsely ground,
*spray bottle with water,
*parchment paper, kitchen twine

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2.On the baking sheet spread parchment paper big enough to wrap around the fish. Spread a thick layer of salt, spray with water to form a crust, place cleaned fish on top.
3.Place the herbs, kumquats, garlic and black pepper in the belly cavity of the fish.

4.Make another layer of salt on top, leaving head and tail exposed, spray with water.

5.Wrap with parchment paper and secure it with kitchen twine. Bake for about 25 min on the middle rack of the oven.

to serve

Remove the fish from the oven, unwrap it and gently crack off the layer of salt, the skin should come off with it.If it doesn't, you might want to use a sharp knife to gently lift it off. Divide among two or four plates, drizzle with olive oil or sprinkle with freshly squeezed lemon juice(I didn't think it was necessary) and enjoy it!

It tastes great with roasted potatoes and paired with dry white wine, like sauvignon blanc.

spiced cornmeal biscotti

2010-05-23T14:29:00.000-07:00

Can you remember your first impression of biscotti??? Mine wasn't exactly 'love from the first bite'. Good friend of mine, who also happens to be an amazingly creative baker invited me over for coffee and asked me to be a taste tester for her newly discovered cookie recipe, she could not stop raving about. Girlie talk, coffee while munching on cookies??? Of course I would do it, no need to ask me twice! As soon as I arrived into her house, I knew it was going to be something special and something different.....all that excitement in her eyes!

So I carefully examined interestingly looking cookie....mmmm...loaded with pistachios, dried fruit and lemon zest....weird texture though...but.....not wanting to hurt her feelings.....I took a bite......
WOW!!! THESE COOKIES ARE WAAAAY PAST THEIR EXPIRATION DATE!!!!! I said to my friend.....
While with tears in her eyes she chuckled at first, soon got struck with uncontrollable laughter..... I on the other hand....kept riding my tongue over front teeth, making sure they didn't chip....As soon as she was able to calm down, she explained that biscotti is baked twice to achieve this hard and crunchy texture, and it's meant to be enjoyed with hot coffee, tea or sweet wine. So to make a long story short, as soon as I dunked it in a cup of coffee, the hard cookie simply stole my heart!
The inspiration for cornmeal biscotti came to me from Ashley of Small Measures blog, you can see her dried fig and pistachio version here, I made mine with bittersweet chocolate, pecans, crystallized ginger and spices. Enjoy and for the sake of your teeth make some coffee or tea!

shopping list

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/4 c. yellow cornmeal

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. sea salt

6 Tbsp. butter, softened

3/4 c. sugar or 1/2 c sugar and 1/4 c honey

2 large eggs

1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/4tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp cardamon

1 c. bittersweet chocolate chips(I used Michel Cluizel 72% cocoa, amazing!), tossed with some flour

1 c. pecans, chopped
1/4c crystallized ginger, finely chopped

directions

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

-Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and spices in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.

-Add butter to mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until smooth.

-Add sugar and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.

-Scrape down sides of mixer, add eggs one at a time, and beat until well incorporated.

-Reduce mixer speed to low; add flour mixture until just incorporated.

-Remove bowl from mixer; stir in chocolate drops , chopped ginger and pecans until well-incorporated.

-Using a spatula, scrape dough out onto parchment-lined baking sheet in a log shape. You want it to be roughly 3 1/2 inches wide by 14 inches long. Use spatula or your hands to pat it into shape.

-Bake 30-35 minutes, until lightly browned.

-Remove from oven, place baking pan on a wire cooling rack, and allow to cool 15 minutes.

-Transfer biscotti log onto a cutting board (carefully; if it is too hot, the log will crack).

-Using a serrated knife, cut the log into slices 1/2-inch thick.

-Place slices back onto parchment-lined baking sheet and cook for 15-17 minutes rotating sheet half-way through, until the edges brown.

-Allow to cool on a wire rack.

creamy zucchini soup with basil

2010-05-19T10:07:00.000-07:00

Are there any foods you hated growing up, only to rediscover them as an adult, wondering what were you thinking???
Mine was soup. I often argued, that according to my "scientific expertise", overcooked vegetables swimming in a pool of hot liquid didn't have any nutritional value( how did I ever come up with that???). Luckily for me, my mother being a wise woman, just wouldn't accept it. Soup had to be consumed if I wanted to get to delicious main course... and I won't even mention beautiful dessert that usually followed. Uhh, tough life I guess...
Well....these days I have a stack of soup recipes so thick, I could make my own cookbook out of it.....and I have to admit, somehow.... it slowly turned into my favorite comfort food.

creamy zucchini soup with basil
* 1 pound zucchini, chopped
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 1 large garlic clove, smashed and halved
* 1/3 c basil, chopped
* 2Tbsp olive oil
* 1/2 c dry white wine
* vegetable broth
* salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste, bay leaf
directions:

In a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat saute the onion with olive oil until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add chopped zucchini, garlic, salt, pepper, bay leaf, cook for another 5 min, stirring occasionally. Add wine, cover the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Next add enough broth to barely cover the vegetables, about two cups, simmer partially covered until tender. Purée soup in 3 batches in a blender adding some of the chopped basil each time, add salt and black pepper to taste. Serve warm, garnished with grated lemon zest(optional).For more inspiration on how to cook zucchini, check out this lovely gratin recipe at Dash and Bella.

enjoy!

Design Sponge and Orange Ricotta Breakfast Dumplings recipe

2010-05-09T23:21:00.000-07:00

I think it was two or three years ago when I started drooling over design sponge on a regular basis…every day to be exact….going through every page, from furniture and house renovations, to flower arrangements, to delicious recipes(of course!)… thinking how great it would be to join this company of amazingly creative people...one day.

So you can only imagine how stunned I was, when Kristina Gill from “In the kitchen with” on the very one Design Sponge, asked me to pitch in some recipe ideas. It had to be something original and something that photographed well....so after going through vast collection of my favorite family recipes, I decided( or Kristina decided) to go with an updated version of ricotta dumplings my grandma used to make….delicious, easy, original for sure, but…..turned out to be…so…so not photogenic…

While ingredients photographed well, the dumplings themselves, yummy but rather plain looking, were really challenging to style and photograph. I don’t even know where to begin to describe all the things that were going wrong but, I think the hardest one, was getting over the rejection of my first set of photos. The dried lavender I used to" beautify" the dish, did exactly opposite, it didn’t catch on light and ended up looking rather like dirt or fruit flies than appetizing lavender petals….so I had to modify the recipe, find fresh lavender and redo all the photos. And as it turns out fresh lavender is not that easy to come by either...after running from one store to another, I finally desperately knocked some strangers' doors with scissors in my hands and asked, if I could "borrow" a little lavender growing on their front porch. Luckily for me, they agreed.

In the end it was really fun experience, I enjoyed every minute of it, even scraping all this cheese and flour off my camera wasn't so bad either. Thank you Grace and Kristina for having me on your beautiful blog!

Please see the whole story and Orange Ricotta Dumplings recipe here, and tell me what you think???

almond cake with strawberry-rhubarb compote

2010-05-06T11:32:00.000-07:00

Everybody loves a little afternoon indulgence, especially if it comes in a form of moist and flavorful almond cake, drizzled with delicious strawberry-rhubarb compote. I have to admit, the cake was just a pretext...what I really wanted was the sweetness of juicy strawberries and the zesty taste of rhubarb make its way into a compote and just a little something to drizzle it on.....hence the cake. Both are really easy to prepare but I must warn you.....

Number of little things could go wrong with this recipe:

you can accidentally drink whole amaretto and end up making uwanted trip to the store,
you can eat all the toasted almonds before the cake is ready, only to find out there aren’t any stashed in your pantry, and make another, even more unwanted trip to the store,

you can eat the whole cake before the compote cooks or

you can eat all the compote before the cake is baked...so, be sure to plan ahead.

This beautiful recipe was created by famous French Laundry chef Thomas Keller (via SK),

shopping list:

for the compote:

1 pound strawberries, rinsed and hulled

1 pound rhubarb, trimmed

1 lemon

3/4 cup granulated sugar

for the almond cake:

butter and flour for the pan
7 ounces almond paste
1/4 cup granulated sugar

4 ounces unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled

2 Tbsp honey

3 large eggs

2 tablespoons amaretto, plus additional for brushing

1/3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

pinch of salt

1/3 to 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Confectioners’ sugar

3/4 cup crème fraîche, whipped to soft peaks(optional)

Make the compote

1. Select about 4 ounces of the smallest strawberries and cut lengthwise into quarters. These will be added raw to the cooked compote; set aside.
2. Cut the remaining larger berries in halves or quarters so that the pieces are about the same size. (You should have about 2 1/2 cups.) Place them in a medium saucepan.
3. With a paring knife, pull away and discard the strings that run the length of the rhubarb stalks. Cut the stalks into 3/4-inch pieces (you should have about 3 cups) and add to the saucepan.
4. Use a fine grater or a Microplane to zest the lemon. Add 1 teaspoon of the zest to the pan. Squeeze 1 tablespoon of juice and add it to the pan. Add the sugar and stir to coat the fruit.
5.Place the pan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. By the time the sugar has dissolved, the fruit will have released a lot of juice. Boil for about 4 minutes to reduce the liquid somewhat, then reduce the heat and simmer for another 2 minutes, or until the rhubarb is soft.
6. Take pan off the stove and stir in reserved strawberries. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate in a covered container until cold. (This makes about 4 cups of compote, but the extra will keep for a couple of weeks and is delicious for breakfast)

Make the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round cake pan, line its bottom with a circle of parchment paper;

2. Place the almond paste and sugar in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in another large bowl if using a handheld mixer. Begin to cream the mixture on low speed to break up the almond paste, then increase the speed to medium for about 2 minutes, or until the paste is broken into fine particles.

3. Add the butter and mix for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the mixture is light in color and airy; stop the machine and scrape down the sides as necessary. It is important to mix long enough or the cake will have a dense texture.

4. Mix in the honey, then add the eggs one at a time, beating until each one is fully incorporated before adding the next. Add the amaretto, flour, and a pinch of salt and mix just to combine.

5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake the cakes for about 25 minutes, or until the cake is golden and springs back when pressed. Transfer to a rack to cool.

6. Unmold and invert the cake onto the rack, remove the parchment paper, and invert the cake again so that the top is once again facing upward. Brush the top of the cake with amaretto and sprinkle with the toasted almonds. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Cake can be stored, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to 2 days. Serve cut into wedges, with a dollop of whipped crème fraîche and the strawberry-rhubarb compote.

Serve cut into wedges, with a dollop of whipped crème fraîche and the strawberry-rhubarb compote.

indulge and enjoy!!!

chilled beet soup with kefir and chives

2010-04-26T12:27:00.000-07:00

If I was to choose one single dish to showcase beauty and flavor of spring, it would be this gorgeous, deep purple colored chilled beet and kefir soup.
I know….I know….here we have morel mushrooms, asparagus, strawberries, rhubarb…… and I’m talking beets. Well…. I can’t help it…..I fell in love with this refreshingly sour and earthy tasting mix of baby beets, radish, cucumber, chives and dill. Packed with probiotics, antioxidants and vitamins….it’s definitely a spring celebration soup.

Ingredients:

1 bunch baby beets with stems and leaves, peeled and finely chopped
3 large radishes or about 6 small, grated
kefir, I used LifeWay organic
bunch of chives or about 6 green shallots, finely chopped
fresh dill about 6-8 sprigs, chopped
english cucumber, grated
vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, minced garlic(optional)

Directions:
place chopped beets with their stems and leafs in a large pot, add only enough stock to barley cover them and boil until tender, about 20 min, add salt to taste. Set aside and cool, reserve the stock.
In the mean time, in a large bowl mix all vegetables, finely chopped or grated with dill and chives(or green shallots), add cooled beets and stock. In a final step add kefir, more or less 12 oz, depending on what color and consistency you would like to achieve. There is no hard rules to follow in a preparation of this recipe. I often eyeball amounts and alternate ingredients, always successfully. Add salt and ground pepper to taste. Serve chilled on a hot spring or summer day.
As my tripod went through some major trauma, I asked my other half to give me a hand(s) with theses photos, so... many thanks to my helpful and patient model :)

I know...I promised there would be cake

2010-04-06T23:21:00.000-07:00

for your birthday celebration...chocolate one, orange scented with cointreau and freshly whipped cream...well it didn't exactly turn out this way....you got "I love Spring" screaming pie instead. An odd, one might think combination of thyme pate brisee, filled with layer of lemon curd and freshly picked strawberries.....sweet and savory pie this beautiful weather called for. I hope you will enjoy it.

Thyme and Strawberry Galette
pate brisee
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour(I usually mix it with 1/2c or more whole wheat pastry flower)
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
3 Tbsp ice water

strawberry filling
3 Tbs lemon curd
Strawberries, sliced 1/4 inch thick (I used almost a pint, may vary depending on the size of the strawberries)
1 tablespoon honey
1-2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash

Directions

Mix the flour, salt, and thyme in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball and then flatten it into a disk shape. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to one hour. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 400 degrees. In the mean time prepare the filling by mixing all the ingredients except the egg. Set a side.
Sprinkle a lightly floured work surface with 1/2Tbsp turbinado sugar, it add nice color, texture and a little sweetness to this otherwise savory crust. Roll out the crust to about 1/4 inch thick and about 8 inches in diameter. Top with lemon curd. Placed the strawberries on top of the curd in an even layer, leaving a one inch ring around. Fold the edges of dough over the strawberries. Brush the dough with the egg wash and bake for 20-25 minutes until the crust is browned and the center is bubbling.
adapted from beautiful Dishing Up Delights blog.

We are saving chocolate cake recipe for some rainy days....happy, sunny, beautiful birth day and bon appetit!!!

writing, cooking, nourishing

2010-03-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

My good friend J (who happens to be an amazing short story writer) and I decided to combine our creative forces and good appetites into wholesome nourishment of cooking and writing. We talk food a lot, often venturing into our childhood favorites, discussing how some of them stayed with us till adulthood completely intact and some, considering abundance of available ingredients, have evolved into something different...but still delivering the same feeling of comfort, we got from these foods when we were little.

nourishment (written by J)

Grilled cheese sandwiches with the crusts cut off. My grandfather’s specialty made with white bread, (the only kind I knew there was back then) and bubbling yellow American cheese, (gently peeled from the individually wrapped coat of plastic) slightly burned on the outside, (just the way I liked it.) Consuming the masterpiece of carbohydrates, dairy, and grease slowly, examining each bite for teeth impressions, and eating around the ends in a spiral-like fashion, so that my final bite of cheesy goodness would be the exact center of the sandwich, the heart, the core.
I would enjoy my lunch on the screened-in back porch of my childhood home, the thin royal blue weathered carpeting, the wooden drawer that housed my expansive rock collection, the old worn-out sofa, which doubled as the base for a fort. That tired and patched sofa marked the gathering space where my Poppy and I would spend many evenings sitting and listening to nature’s chorus: identifying bird calls, eavesdropping on the conversations of insects and frogs..... (read the rest of the story here)

Grilled cheese sandwich must be everyone's childhood favorite. We LOVE this adult, gourmet version with three amazing cheeses, fresh herbs and crusty bread.....we simply can't resist that!!!! And although list of ingredients has changed we still get the same feeling of nourishment completed with memories of places and people that created them.

Cowgirl Creamery grilled cheese sandwich
(created for Hog Island Oyster Co)

1 cup Cowgirl Creamery Fromage Blanc
1 cup Grated Cave Aged Gruyere Cheese
1 cup Grated Vell Mezzo Secco Cheese
1 tablespoon fresh herbs like thyme and oregano, finely chopped
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 slices good crusty bread, I used Italian Batard
a little bit of olive oil

Mix the cheeses with herbs and pepper in a bowl. Preheat non stick fry pan to medium hot. Sprinkle one side of each slice of bread with some olive oil. Spread the cheese mixture on the non oiled side of the bread slices and place four pieces, oil side down, into the fry pan. Place the corresponding slices on top and cook until brown, then turn and brown the other side. Because the cheeses are grated and bound together with the fromage blanc, they melt quickly and evenly, slightly oozing out the sides. Serve with pickles like cornichons, pepperoncini, olives. Serves four. (recipe source The View From the Bay)

happy cooking and finger licking from M&J

feeling green, Asparagus Tart

2010-03-14T18:52:00.000-07:00

I love this moment of awakening, rebuilding and renewing.... always associated with arrival of spring. Switching to lighter clothes, lighter foods.... feeling more energized and more alive.... starting new projects... finding new looks and more positive outlooks... if this was up to me, first day of spring would also be first day of a new year. It would be so much easier to follow through with your new year's resolutions with longer, sunnier days on one's side. Not that I'm counting....but six more days and we are there!!!
In the mean time I found this recipe for lovely asparagus tart to celebrate spring with. It has layers of puff pastry, thinly sliced potatoes, eggs, cheese, touch of cream and organic asparagus. This combination of different textures and flavors was so delicious that even my usually carnivorous other half ate seconds and thirds. It tastes great with white wine, as an appetizer for six or light dinner for four.

Green Asparagus Tart with Potatoes

shopping list (serves 4):
1 bunch of organic green asparagus (I used about18 pieces)
1 large potato, sliced
3-4 tbsp olive oil
puff pastry, used 1 sheet
75g Gruyere, grated, used aged cheddar instead and more than recipe called for
2 eggs, lightly beaten
100ml heavy whipping cream
a pinch or two of freshly ground nutmeg
sea salt & freshly ground pepper

Cut off the asparagus’ tougher stalk ends (about 1-2 inches). Blanch the asparagus briefly for 1 to 2 minutes in boiling, lightly salted water, then transfer to a bowl with ice water.

Peel and thinly slice potatoes and add to a pan with a few spoons of olive oil. Carefully pan-fry potatoes over low to medium heat for about 5-8 minutes (don’t let them brown). Then remove the slices from the pot.Place them on a paper towel.

Grease a rectangular tart ( I used 9 inch) form with butter, arrange puff pastry and form a small rim. Using a fork, stab little holes all over the arranged puff pastry. On top, add a layer of potato slices and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Combine eggs and cream in a bowl, season with sea salt, freshly ground pepper and nutmeg and pour over the potatoes/cheese layer. Arrange asparagus spears equally across the tart. You may want to brush the tart edges with egg yolk to let it gain a nice golden color while baking.

Bake at (350°F) in the preheated oven for about 30min or until edges are golden.

Serve warm. Adapted from delicious days.

Challah, my first bread

2010-03-10T12:13:00.000-08:00

Pulling freshly baked bread out of the oven for the very first time was something so incredible, that I will never forget. While I was anxiously awaiting for it to cool down, I couldn't believe this amazing scent of a busy bakery was spreading around my own house!!! .... Finally after what seemed the longest ten minutes ever of staring at it and rubbing my eyes in disbelief, I could proceed with spreading butter and examining taste and texture of my newest creation.... I took the first bite of my very own homemade loaf...and screamed: Oh... My.... Challah!!!! It was so amazing and so incredible and so this and so that...I was trying to explain to my mother, who immediately took a pen and wrote the recipe down. While I was pulling various jams and marmalades out from the back of my fridge, determined to find a perfect match for my challah, I had already forgotten knuckle and wrist pain from kneading and planed to add more raisins, tad more sugar and vanilla extract next time.

This recipe is adapted from Joan Nathan, who says:
"Several risings make a better loaf, and if you want an especially brioche-like texture, let the dough rise slowly in the refrigerator for one of the three risings. The secret to a glossy loaf is to brush with an egg wash twice, once just after braiding and then again just before baking."
Time: about 1 hour, plus 2 1/2 hours’ rising
makes 2 loaves

1 1/2 packages active dry yeast (1 1/2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the bowl
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon salt
8 to 8 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup raisins per challah, plumped in hot water and drained
1/2 Tbsp of vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water.
2. Whisk oil into yeast, then beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, with remaining sugar and salt. Gradually add flour. When dough holds together, it is ready for kneading. (You can also use a mixer with a dough hook for both mixing and kneading, but be careful if using a standard size KitchenAid–it’s a bit much for it, though it can be done.)
3. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Clean out bowl and grease it, then return dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size. Dough may also rise in an oven that has been warmed to 150 degrees then turned off. Punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another half-hour.
4. At this point, you can knead the raisins into the challah, if you’re using them, before forming the loaves. To make a 6-braid challah(it's kind of challenging, so I use a little help from this video), either straight or circular, take half the dough and form it into 6 balls. With your hands, roll each ball into a strand about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Place the 6 in a row, parallel to one another. Pinch the tops of the strands together. Move the outside right strand over 2 strands. Then take the second strand from the left and move it to the far right. Take the outside left strand and move it over 2. Move second strand from the right over to the far left. Start over with the outside right strand. Continue this until all strands are braided. For a straight loaf, tuck ends underneath. For a circular loaf, twist into a circle, pinching ends together. Make a second loaf the same way. Place braided loaves on a greased cookie sheet with at least 2 inches in between.
5. Beat remaining egg and brush it on loaves. Either freeze breads or let rise another hour.
6. If baking immediately, preheat oven to 375 degrees and brush loaves again. Sprinkle bread with seeds, if using. If freezing, remove from freezer 5 hours before baking.
7. Bake in middle of oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden. (If you have an instant read thermometer, you can take it out when it hits an internal temperature of 190 degrees.) Cool loaves on a rack.
Note: I let my challah rise slowly in a rather cold kitchen, it takes longer then times given in the original recipe but it yields great texture and excellent, deeply developed flavor.

simply delicious: breakfast

2010-03-03T12:50:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but I love starting my days with some yoga and delicious, simple and nourishing breakfast, which seems to be undermined, underrated or skipped altogether these days. With the same tired excuse of lack of time, we try to survive on cup of coffee and some sugary pastries till lunch but it only takes 5 min to prepare nutritious breakfast that would start our day just right. And I know waking up at 5am to bake muffins and quick breads is not in your plans and cereal with cold milk in wintry morning doesn't sound that enticing either, that's why I love oat bran hot cereal. This wholesome meal, full of fiber and protein tastes great with just some fruits, nuts and honey.

Oat Bran Cereal with Dried Cherries and Honey:

1/3 cup of oat bran cereal ( I love Bob's Red Mill)
1 cup of water
pinch of salt
1 banana sliced and divided
honey
shredded coconut
dried cherries
chopped pecans(optional)

I cook cereal accordingly to packaging instructions and then stir in some chopped pecans, place 1/2 of sliced bananas in the large bowl, top it with prepared cereal, then add the rest of bananas, dried cherries, drizzle with honey, sprinkle with shredded coconut and voila! Delicious, simple and nourishing breakfast is ready!
Enjoy your day.

Anatomy of an Outrageous Brownie

2010-02-16T15:55:00.000-08:00

My name is M. and I'm a Chocoholic!!!
But I think I can live with that!!! Please tell me if you're not addicted as well. And if you claim not, I dare to say YOU LIE!!! Let's face it, if you are to be addicted to something (and most of us are) it should be this wonderful thing called Chocolate. So far, the longest living woman Jeanne Louise Clement of France, who lived well passed 122 years, attributed her good looks and health to port wine, olive oil and chocolate, which she ate every week in amounts of no less than 2lbs!!! Two pounds every week???!!!! Piece of brownie....I mean cake, I can do that!!!
With great variety of chocolates available these days, it seems to be easier then ever. And some of us, seriously obsessed, treat it like finest scotches or wine, knowing its percentages, origins, plantations, cuveé(s), grand cru(s), premier cru(s), textures and aftertastes.
If you decide to splurge on that highly priced chocolate bar you should also know how to enjoy its every bite. First carefully break off a small piece, smell it, notice all the aromas..... then let it sloooowwwly dissolve in your mouth.... instead of wolfing it down, brace yourself!!! I know it's hard but this way you will get so much more for your buck. And if you can pair it with ruby port or red zinfandel wine, you're right there....in a place called chocolate heaven!!! To me high quality chocolate can be easily compared to jazz, it will crazily play all your taste buds, whereas not so great one will leave you with just a dull tap. But enough.... I think I've already proved my chocolate insanity, let's talk about some outrageously tasty brownies here.

shopping list+anatomy poster and some directions:

1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
6 ounces unsweetened, good quality chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee granules or brewed espresso
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar, I usually use only 2cups
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups chopped walnuts +1/2cup cocoa nibs(optional but you will love it!!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour a 12 x 18 x 1-inch baking sheet.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake!!! I can not stress this enough if you want some soft, chewy brownies. Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into 20 large squares
and then GIVE IT TO YOUR FRIENDS!!!

adapted from Ina Garten's "Barefoot Contessa", original recipe from NY's SoHo Charcuterie Restaurant

Lemon, thyme and sea-salt shortbreads

2010-02-11T00:29:00.000-08:00

Aromatherapy session while baking??? It turns out with right ingredients even that is possible. Just mixing lemon zest, fresh thyme with flour and butter will fill your kitchen with wonderfully refreshing and energizing aromas, which only intensify during baking. Each such session will not only result in relaxation but will also leave you with these flaky, savory and fragrant cookies, sprinkled with crunchy sea salt. They will make perfect addition to dry white or rose wine, beer and cheese. I like them best freshly baked and only slightly cooled. This recipe is from "Savory Baking" by Mary Cech, my new favorite... or at least for a while. Do you have your own version of aromatherapy and baking??? I would love to hear about it.

shopping list:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature, I think cold butter works here better
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons water
coarse sea salt for sprinkling

1. Stir the flour, salt, lemon peel, and thyme together in a medium bowl. With your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until a coarse, crumbly mixture forms. Blend the lightly beaten egg, egg yolks, and water together. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the egg mixture for brushing.
2. Make a well in the center of the flour. Add the remaining egg mixture and blend together with your hands without kneading the dough together; the dough will look a bit crumbly. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough together once or twice, just until it sticks together. Press the dough into a 1-inch-thick disc, wrap in plastic film, and refrigerate until firm, about 1/2 hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line the bottom of a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Remove the shortbread dough from the refrigerator, unwrap, and place it on a floured work surface. Press the dough into a 6-by-5-inch rectangle. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a larger 10-by-7-inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.
4. Cut the shortbread dough in half, forming two 5-by-7-inch pieces. Using a pizza wheel or sharp paring knife, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Carefully place the shortbreads on the prepared baking sheet leaving a little room between each cookie. Brush the tops with the reserved egg mixture and sprinkle a little coarse sea salt on top. Gently press the salt into the surface of each shortbread so it does not fall off.
5. Bake until the shortbreads are lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and serve warm or at room temperature. Store the shortbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Bon appetit!

Citrus salad

2010-02-03T14:44:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's February, it seems like we are one foot into spring already, but I can not think of it yet, not before the citrus season ends. I have to admit I rarely buy any citruses through out the year and it's not because I am particularly picky, they just don't taste as great. It is their peak season right now, which means that farmers markets are filled with beautifully looking and heavenly tasting grapefruits, meyer lemons,oranges and pomelos, which I had no idea even existed, until now. It is the biggest citrus you can find, weighting between 2 and 4.5 pounds, similar to grapefruits but sweeter and milder, without that mouth puckering tanginess. What can you do with such abundance of fragrance, beauty and flavor??? I myself love them in compotes or salads and I don't mean heavy sauces and complicated lists of ingredients. I rather think of sliced blood oranges, grapefruits and clementines dressed with some olive oil, sherry vinegar and minced shallots. Do you have your own version??? I'm waiting for some suggestions.

shopping list:

blood orange
ruby red grapefruit
pomelo
meyer lemon, since those are sweet not sour lemons, skip them if can't find
clementine

These are not in any specific amounts, just eyeball it and decide how much of each fruit you like.Peel the citrus, remove white pith and slice it. To make dressing mix 2Tbsps of olive oil, few drops of sherry vinegar and honey, freshly ground black pepper, pinch of sea salt and 1tsp of minced shallots and again you can add more or less, depending on what you like.If you decide you're in the mood for something fancier, just skip the oranges, add some crab meat, bitter greens and sliced avocado.

Bon appetit!

Meyer lemon and poppy seed cake

2010-01-31T22:33:00.000-08:00

There are some great combinations of flavors complementing each other so well, that I can never think of only one of them, they always have to be in pairs. Like lemon and poppy seed, cranberry and orange, lavender with vanilla, or rosemary with sage. It's simply impossible to resist them in freshly baked muffins, cakes or breads. Wanting to sweeten up those long, wintery days I recently made a meyer lemon and poppy seed cake but I still can't tell if it's worth of failing a drug test for. It tasted pretty good, had great texture but we thought it should have been a tad more moist. Any thoughts on how to achieve that???

shopping list:

2/3 cup sugar
8 large egg yolks
1 large whole egg
1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
pinch of salt
2 sticks of unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup of poppy seeds

Preheat the oven to 325°F Butter and flour an 8-inch fluted Bundt or tube pan generously, I'm not so "high tech" so I used regular cake pan. Butter the dull side of a 10-inch piece of foil.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the sugar with the egg yolks and whole egg at medium-high speed until the mixture is pale yellow and very fluffy, about 8 minutes. Beat in the lemon zest. Sift the flour and cornstarch over the egg mixture and fold in along with the pinch of salt with a rubber spatula. At medium speed, beat in the butter, then beat in the poppy seeds.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and cover tightly with the buttered foil. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the cake pulls away from the side of the pan and a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the foil and let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto the rack and let cool completely before serving, at least 30 minutes.

original recipe by Kurt Gutenbrunner via SmittenKitchen

They taste like dirt, really???

2010-01-20T13:17:00.000-08:00

Whenever I hear someone explaining why they hate eating beets and hear that
they taste like dirt, my heart just breaks.....
They are such beautiful and nutritious little gems, sure...
they have some earthy qualities but they taste sweet and peppery as well, plus you can use them in so many ways: dye fabrics, make borscht, put them in salads,make lead free lipstick and blush or use them as a natural food colorant in those delicious red velvet cupcakes that everyone likes so much..... I personally use them to make salads.Should you finally decide to give a dirty beet a try, you have to find chioggias. These are heirlooms also known as Candystripe or Bull's eye beets, when sliced they display an array of amazingly red, pink or orange colored stripes. To show they flavor and beauty off I usually go for simple thyme and goat cheese beet salad.

You will need:

*5 medium beets,you can use chioggia, golden or red variety or mix all three
*1 clove of garlic, smashed
*2Tbsps of olive oil
*1Tbsp of sherry vinegar
*coarse sea salt and ground pepper
*1Tbsp of fresh thyme, coarsely chopped plus some for garnish
*1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Directions:
Clean the beats thoroughly,cut off green parts carefully without touching the beetroot itself, you don't want to loose any of that nutritious juice while cooking.

Next you can either steam the beet for 30 to 35 min or wrap them in aluminum foil and bake them at 425 degrees for about 45 min, checking once in a while for doneness. When cool enough to handle, grab beets with a paper towel and slip off skins you can also use gloves to prevent your hands turning red. Cut the beets into thin slices.
In a medium bowl combine sliced beets, garlic, vinegar, and oil; season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Remove and discard garlic. Serve beets topped with thyme and crumbled goat cheese.If the cheese is too soft you can briefly freeze it and then crumble it on a salad.

(adapted from Whole Living)
Bon appetit!

Is there a room for one more??

2010-01-19T12:24:00.000-08:00

I've had this idea of a food blog sitting (lying, hanging) in my head for months, maybe even a year when only by chance ( while looking up a recipe) I discovered that about 500 000 people had already done it. Is there a room for one more??? A 500 000 and 1 website with food stories, recipes and photographs??? Well ..... as a self proclaimed foodie, wine and photography fanatic wanting to share my culinary triumphs and disasters, I hope there is.....