Sweet paul

Time for cocktails!

A sneak peak from the Cocktail Kitchen shoot for Wine Spectator.

Photos by Colin Cooke.

Recipe monday

When it comes to tiramisu, its been love from the first bite.

A while ago I though about making tiramisu chocolate.

So I came up with this recipe thats a mix between truffles and tiramisu.

And wow, they came out really good.

Between you and me, a bit to good. I ate the whole thing.

Tiramisu squares

Makes 30

1 cup whipping cream

1 pound good quality dark chocolate

1 tablespoon amaretto

8 ladyfingers

Cocoa powder

 

Place cream in a saucepan and bring slowly to a boil.

Place the chocolate and amaretto in a bowl and pour the cream over.

Stir gently to dissolve the chocolate.

Pour the mixture into a small square cake tin that’s covered in wax paper.

Press the ladyfingers into the chocolate.

Leave to set,

Dust with cocoa powder.

Cut into squares and serve. 

Photo by Studio Dreyer Hensley

Crafty friday!

Who says you have to frame your family pictures.

Why not turn your loved ones into plates?

Find your motive and print it out on lazertran ink paper on your own home printer.

Cut out the motive and place it in water for 15 sec. It will then become a decal that you can place on plates, vases, everything china.

You can even burn it in the oven, so you can eat off your relatives.

Or just place them on a shelf like I did.

Photo by Frances Janisch

Have a fab weekend all.

Behind the scenes, cocktails

Some behind the scenes photos from the least two days.

Been working on a cocktail shoot for Wine Spectator.

Made so many good cocktails these last days, and might I say I have been leaving every shoot day a bit tipsy!

My wonderful assistant Claudia, also known as BangBang. And little old me.

Please note my stylish style kit in the background. Its a Louis Vuitton train case from the 30's.

Very proud of it.

Photographer Colin Cooke, master of his craft!

BangBang again, isn't she the cutest thing ever?

Recipe monday

Just taken my dog out for a long walk in a sweltering hot New York,

And during that walk the only thing I could think about was strawberry ice cream.

So after the dog was walked, I went to the store and got all the ingredients.

And now my friends I can hear the ice cream maker's comforting sounds while its churning its cold and creamy contents.

When its done I will serve it between two thin and crispy waffles.

Heat and humidity........Im ready to take you on!

Enjoy!

Strawberry ice cream sandwiches

Makes 12

 

8 egg yolks

1 1.3 cups sugar

2 cups milk

2 cups pitted strawberries, diced

2 cups cream

waffle cookies for serving

 

Place eggs and sugar in a saucepan.

Mix well.

Add milk and heat up.

Don’t let it boil.

Stir the mixture until it thickens.

This takes about 10 minutes.

Cool.

Add strawberries and cream.

Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze.

Serve between two waffle cookies. 

Photo by Alexandra Grablewski

Crafty friday!

I know I say every friday that today's craft is so easy to do.

Well my friends, this one is really easy.

And the best thing of all, is that it looks so hard.

So your friends will think you are so Martha.

All you need is two old doilies, rubber bands, needle and thread and some old velvet leafs.

Doilies and leafs are plentiful at any flee-market.

So, start with doilie one and roll it into a cone.

Secure with rubber band.

Roll doilie two around doilie one so that you have a bigger cone.

Secure with rubber band again.

With needle and thread sew the two doilies together.

Sew on the velvet leaf.

Pin the rose on your dress, hair, jacket, bag and you are ready to boogie.

Photos by Frances Janisch( Miss South Africa 1978)

Have a fab weekend all!

Recipe monday

I have to say that beets are one of my favorite ingredients.

The sweet taste, wonderful red or golden color and so easy to prepare.

The best way is to roast them in the oven.

Place the beets in an oven proof dish, drizzle with olive oil and bake at 300F, 180C until tender.

It takes about 40-60 minutes, all depends on how big the beets are.

Enjoy!

Beet salad with pancetta and peas

The smoky salty pancetta is such an amazing flavor to go with the sweet beets and peas.

Serves 4

 3 golden beets, roasted and peeled

3 red beets, roasted and peeled

100 g pancetta, cubed

4 cups of salad greens

50 g macademia nuts

50 g fresh peas

Dressing:

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon lemon juice

salt

pepper

 

Thinly slice the beets and place them on 4 plates.

Fry the pancetta golden in a pan. Drain it on some kitchen paper.

Sprinkle over the beets.

Add salad greens, macademia nuts and peas.

In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, mustard and lemon juice.

Season with salt and pepper.

Divide the dressing among the plates and serve. 

Photo Colin Cooke

Crafty friday!

Flowers can create a boring chandelier to something magical.

Inside or out this chandelier makes a big statement.

Simply wrap flowers and foliage like ivy around the chandelier.

Fasten with some thin metal wire.

Spray with water to make it last longer.

Its not going to last forever, but will keep beautiful for a few hours.

Photo by Frances Janisch

Have a fab weekend.

Norwegian summer

Summers in NYC can be kinda hard.

Its hot, humid and well.....a bit nasty.

I found these images that I made with Nina Dreyer and Jim Hensley for a book we did some years ago about the norwegian summer.

I don't miss Norway, but I must say a week by the sea of the coast of Norway would be great right now.

Eating freshly cooked prawns and crabs and drinking lots of rose wine.

Recipe monday

Today I'm bringing all my readers back to my childhood in Oslo Norway.

Every summer when the apples stared to ripe my grandmother made this dessert.

In norwegian its called "Tilslorte bondepiker", in english that would be " farmers daughters dressed in veils".

I know, don't ask me why!

All it is is wonderful homemade apple compote, toasted spiced breadcrumbs and sweet whipped cream.

For me, this is the dessert of all desserts.

Enjoy!

Serves 4

 

2 pounds Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into cubes

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup golden raisins

1 tablespoon rum

1/2 cup sugar

 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups fresh breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups whipped cream

Place apples in a large skillet.

Add lemon juice, raisins, rum and sugar.

Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until soft.

About 10 minutes.

Cool.

Heat the butter in a skillet and add breadcrumbs, sugar and cinnamon.

Cook, stirring, until golden brown.

Set aside and cool.

Spoon apple compot, breadcrumbs and cream in layers in 4 glasses.

Serve cold. 

Photos Ellen Silverman