I’ve been having a blast here lately! Really. Just so much fun. I hope you’re enjoying things as much as I am and I wanted to be sure send lots of love and thanks for coming here to visit me. I’m also quite an Instagrammer so if you’re looking for more pics of food, bubbly and the occasional shot of shoes and house stuff, find me there too @natirasu.
Kiss!
(Happy weekend to you and don’t forget about mom on Sunday.)
A decadent mid-week lunch & dessert & bubbly. You can see by my robot strength grip on the fork that I mean business with the Gateau Basque at Sitka & Spruce. (A huge and well-deserved congratulations is in order for Chef Matt Dillon and his new Best Chef Northwest James Beard award. There is no one in Seattle more deserving of this title.)
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A no-recipe spring potato salad. This was the highlight of my day off. Seriously, no recipe needed just boil 6 potatoes, toss in olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, scallion, spring onion, cornichons, capers, 2 boiled eggs, and 3 strips of bacon. (I think my guy also snuck some bacon fat into the olive oil, vinegar mixture. Do it!) My advice: don’t be shy with the olive oil and vinegar.
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A bit of bookshelf rearranging. Spring cleaning is underway but I always, somehow, get lost in my bookshelf. I could (and do) spend hours on it. (‘The Goodness of Garlic’ from Foodie Friend Brian, and my very favorite mug from @christinengo!)
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Filed under: Art and Design
My brother sent me a link to this yesterday and I couldn’t wait to share it. The artist is Erika Iris Simmons and among other things, she mostly makes portraits of people associated with the medium she’s chosen to work with. The cassette and film reel pieces are part of a series called “Ghost in the Machine,” but she uses other items as well and you can check them out at her site and blog. I love it all!
Look at this Beethoven piece and notice the precision in the cuts of the measures. She details this exacting work with an X-acto knife in this post here.
And here are her Salsa dancers for Hermes!
Lilac ice cream. Candied lilacs.
It almost seems like once you’ve been drunk off springs first cherry blossoms that it’s easy to take the consequent lilacs for granted. With the craziness at the restaurant last year I made this mistake, and there was no way I was going to do it again. In fact, after our cherry blossom cream & candied lemon verbena leaves at The Willows Inn we were inspired to celebrate the season with the lovely lilac in ice cream with candied blossoms to top it off. I’m giddy to report that it was UH-MAY-ZING!
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Candied Lilacs
We tried a few different methods for candying the lilac blossoms, but really the only real winner is painted-on egg whites dusted with caster sugar. While it was the most time intensive I should also say that it was the most rewarding, and even therapeutic. Add together fragrant flowers, a delicate paint brush, silky egg whites, and crystally caster sugar and there’s no way you could not have a good time.
Ingredients, tools, and mise en place
- Fine tip paint-brush (made of food-grade materials or cleaned really well before use)
- Wax paper dusted with sugar
- 1 egg white slightly beaten, just until there is a collection of small bubbles at the top
- Lilac blossoms, pluck the individual flowers from the bunch selecting the best ones to be candied and leaving the rest for the ice cream
- Caster sugar in a shallow bowl or plate
- Optional: tweezers. (I quickly found the lilacs were sturdy enough for my fingers, so the tweezers may not be necessary for you either.)
1. Hold each flower by the stem and lightly paint the front and back of the petals with the egg white.
2. Dust each side with caster sugar, lightly shake off any excess
3. Set on the sugar-coated wax paper and let dry overnight. No cheating here! They must be completely dry before storing in a container with sugar.
Some notes
- Only use blossoms that you know have not been sprayed…from your neighbors yard.
- Only use egg whites if you’re comfortable with this method. We use local, organic, and untreated farm eggs that we love. Other candy methods include simple syrup in place of egg whites. If you’re more comfortable with this give it a go.
- Washing the blossoms was a difficult call. After some research we found some washed the flowers while others didn’t in order to preserve the fragrance. It’s your call.
Lilac Ice Cream
Here’s a glance at our recipe for the ice cream. In addition to the lilacs we wanted to add as much springtime flavor as possible so we added an additional egg yolk and chose to use goat milk. It was a good call.
Be sure to read your ice cream machines instructions and adjust if needed.
Lilac Ice Cream
- 2 cups organic raw goat milk
- 1 cup organic heavy cream
- 5 organic egg yolks (initially we planned on 4, but 5 was better.)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 4 cups lilac blossoms
- 1 Tablespoon arrowroot powder
In a heavy saucepan mix the cream and goat milk thoroughly and add the lilac blossoms and maple syrup. Bring to a high simmer, but below a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and set aside for five minutes.
In a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks and add the combined the sugar and arrowroot powder. Whisk until the color pales and the mixture is creamy.
Strain the lilacs from the milk and cream mixture and bring the liquid up to a simmer again. Temper the mixture by gradually adding it to the egg yolks. Batches of 1/3 worked well. Add the entire combined mixture back to your pot and gently heat until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Remove from heat and strain again if needed (in the case you notice any gobules of fat that have formed). Chill the mixture for a few hours or until it is cold enough to add to your ice cream maker (my machine recommended 12 hours, but we didn’t need to wait quite that long).
From here, your ice cream maker takes over, so be sure to read the instructions.
One thing I can share is that once you see the consistency you like, don’t wait! Turn off the machine, sneak a taste or two, and freeze overnight (or as long as you can wait).
To Serve
The ice cream is mildly fragrant with the lilacs and has a lovely, faint taste on the back-end. If you’re looking for a more punchy lilac flavor, that’s where the candied blossoms come in. I’d say aim for one or two in a bite, but also be sure to enjoy a few bites without.
Voila!! Lilac ice cream.
For me, the Met Gala is about the ULTIMATE dress. The one gorgeous, extravagant, daring, and innovative frock that you couldn’t wear anywhere else. Oddly enough it seems there are fewer dresses that meet these criteria each year, but there are still plenty that I would enjoy seeing at other red carpet events.
Regardless, I thought I’d collect some of the elements that could possibly end up working their way into now or seasons to come. Here are just a few examples that stood out.
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Gilded
Lots of gold and glitz, but the only one I truly enjoyed was Carey Mulligan. It’s so interesting and still so lovely. She looks great, and I adore the heavy eyeliner with the nude lips. Outside of Carey, and going against everything I just listed as Met-worthy, I’d have to go with Michelle Dockery’s gold and black number; however, I would have styled it with a bold necklace (turquoise perhaps?), a clutch and maybe more of a lively hair-do. I love the gloves though.
Everything else here is gaudy and dated.
Carey Mulligan in Prada / Scarlett Johansson in Dolce & Gabbana / Michelle Dockery in Ralph Lauren / Karolina Kurkova in Rachel Zoe / Jessica Paré in L’Wren Scott / Bianca Brandolini D’Adda in Dolce & Gabbana / Leighton Meester in Marchesa and Harry Winston
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Citrus
I love the range of orange to yellow. Nothing incredible but still a couple of lovely dresses. Solange in yellow might be my favorite, and while Kristen Bell looks great the dress is almost prom-like. And now to Kirsten. Am I supposed to appreciate its intent and styling? I would love it in a movie (kind of Joan Crawford-esque, isn’t it?), but I’m so confused to see it on the red carpet.
Kristen Wiig in Stella McCartney and Fred Leighton Jewels / Kirsten Dunst in Rodarte and Van Cleef & Arpels / Katherine McPhee in Elie Saab / Kristen Bell in Tommy Hilfiger and Van Cleef & Arpels / Emma Roberts in Escada / January Jones in Versace / Solange Knowles in Rachel Roy
Currant lips
I’m most excited about this category and it might just be because I have a super dark lipstick that I’ve had forever and have been waiting to wear again. I’m sure this look won’t be a sweeping favorite but I like the darker take and think I’ll be able to try this out in the fall. As for the dresses, Camilla looks lovely, and ranks right up there with Carey. (Jessica and Lana both look lovely and also fit in the Gilded category.)
Camilla Belle in Ralph Lauren / Jessica Alba in Michael Kors / Amber Valetta in Prada /Kate Bosworth in Prada / Lana Del Rey in Altuzarra/ Jessica Chastain in Louis Vuitton and Harry Winston
There are a million more dresses and trend possibilities so check them out. Outside of these you should check out Gwyneth and Beyonce.
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999Bottle
Cool! The 999Bottle is a reusable stainless steel water bottle with a dial that you click-ahead each time you refill and avoid a plastic bottle. Stylish, functional, and fun. It also comes with an iPhone app that let’s you know just how meaningful each tally is with smart bits of info like “You’ve saved 1,063 bottles! That’s equivalent to the height of the Eiffel Tower. Oui, oui!”
They’re looking for funds on Kickstarter, and are also a Seattle-based project, so if you’re as taken with this as I am and if you’d like to help support a local project head on over and check it out.
I love that Portland is just a few hours away; it’s such an easy jaunt from Seattle whether by train (my fave option) or car. For me, the food scene (overall) trumps Seattle any day, and really…it doesn’t hurt to do some tax-free shopping. I was lucky enough to tag along with my sweetheart at the last minute, so while he’s at work I’m able to get into some trouble on my own. I covered quite a few stops, but unfortunately some of the best shops don’t allow photos to be taken. I’ll throw together a little list once I finish exploring, so in the meantime here are some things you might want to check out the next time you have the chance to escape. Happy, happy weekend to you!
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The sweetest room key ever. Our hotel has me feeling all sorts of old-Hollywood glamourous. It’s a lot of fun, and the room is great. (I’ve heard some of the rooms can be quite small so be sure to ask about the types of rooms when you book.)
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The little touches at Little Bird. Solo lunch in a city that’s not your own can be so romantic. If it’s something new for you add a glass of bubbly and a magazine, then just sit back and watch. You learn a lot about the locals (and yourself too). By the way, don’t skip dessert at Little Bird. I mean it.
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The endless aisles at Powell’s Books. The most amazing maze of a bookstore. After floating through the cookbook section I did the same in puzzles and games. Leave it to me to buy a game (Big Boggle!) from a bookstore. This is a “must-do” in PDX.
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I neglected to mention that I’ve escaped to Portland for my “weekend” yesterday and today. I’m tagging along with my guy on a work trip, so I must keep it short in order to get to exploring.
Anyway, I was super-psyched to see that Wes Anderson has a new movie on its way! I am so freakin’ excited! Check out Moonrise Kingdom:
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Sorry, but with scenes like this how could you not get excited?
[image via booooooom.com]
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Filed under: Art and Design
A lovely card from Cartolina Cards
I received the most beautiful card from my guy and ever since I’ve been dreaming of ways to get my hands on a giant version so I can frame it and gaze into it every day. [Cue museum scene from Ferris Bueller's Day Off.] Yes, I love it that much.
I’m completely enchanted by the elegance of her hand and the delicate grasp on the bouquet. And what about the texture and depth…all captured on this small little card. Vintage, yet so vibrant.
These lovely pieces of artwork come from Cartolina Cards, a vintage-inspired and eco-friendly line of paper products that also extends to housewares, textiles, and iPhone apps. They’re designed and produced by Fiona Richards, and when you read about her you’ll understand why her work is so fascinating.
You can find her products at specialty boutiques but also perhaps most easily accessible through Anthropologie. Also know that her stationery can be found at the Smithsonian and The British Museum! Also be sure to check out the goods on the App Store.
[iphone image & set of four cards from Cartolina Cards]
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Beatrice Rorke
The only thing better than ogling the latest street fashion photography is finding these images from the LIFE magazine archives…all the way back from 1944! Alfred Eisenstaedt (perhaps most well-known for the V-J Day Kiss in Times Square) photographed these ladies in front of Rockefeller Center as part of a series called Beautiful Girls in New York.
I have a small collection of vintage dresses that I adore and each time I wear one I feel effortlessly stylish and elegant, just like these lovely ladies do here. There’s something magical…even ethereal about vintage dresses that just can’t be duplicated with something new. And don’t you find it so interesting that each of these outfits is still completely relevant today? (By the way, I’ve got some great vintage shops to share if anyone’s interested.)
Oh, and can we talk about the hats, gloves, and shoes? Polished from head to fingers and toes!
Delma Byron
Eileen Moore
Ginger Sokoll
Iris Abel
[via Happiness is...]
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Domaine de Canton as a champagne cocktail & margarita
Lately I’ve been deep in cocktail testing mode for the restaurant and have been reading about Domaine de Canton, a ginger infused liqueur distilled from cognac. I was super excited to start playing with it, and with the bottle as lovely as it is I figured I couldn’t really go wrong.
Of course, my first test was to try it with champagne. I chose a cuvee brut and added small amounts incrementally hoping to get a nice balance of the ginger with the dryness of the champagne. The problem here was that the sweetness curve rose much more dramatically than the ginger did, so it wasn’t really possible to get the ginger taste I wanted without making it too sweet. While it is aromatic and gingery, the fragrance is just not as exciting or as enticing as St. Germaine; which by the way, I have been referring to as Domaine de Canton’s cousin throughout this process.
Next I tried it as part of a vodka soda and still wasn’t able to get it to successfully take center stage. The sweetness overpowered any chance of true ginger intensity to come through.
Finally realizing it could best be used as a supporting ingredient I tried a margarita and used it in place of Triple Sec or Cointreau. I thought the salt would be a nice balance against the sweet and perhaps it would serve as a ”secret-secondary ingredient”; something that you wouldn’t necessarily recognize but could identify as something special. The margarita application was the best so far, but it was still so far from the fresh gingery cocktail I’d been craving.
Here’s the thing:
- It’s far too sweet. The texture has a viscous quality that is more slippery and syrupy; and aside from the initial fragrance, the first, last, and most predominant taste was sugar. Cloyingly so.
- While there are hints of ginger in the aroma and taste (and not at all artificial, by the way) it completely lacks that ginger punch and spiciness that, as a ginger-lover, I dearly missed.
This is going to be one for many a mixologists arsenal, but I just can’t jump on the bandwagon. As much as I wanted to love it and share some killer recipes, the level of sweetness and lack of true ginger zing limits its applications.
- Salt for rimming the glass
- Ice
- 1 lime
- 1.5 oz. Tequila blanco (I used Don Julio)
- .5 oz Domaine de Canton
- Float of soda water to top-off
- Slice the lime in half and from one of the halves slice one small wheel. Cut in half and set aside.
- Salt the rim of the glass by rubbing half of the lime and dipping into salt.
- Place the small pieces of lime in the bottom of the glass and add the Domaine de Canton. Muddle gently.
- Fill with ice.
- Add the Tequila, juice from the lime halves, and top with a small float of soda.
