I love tea, just not in BLOOD flavour

I'm not a vegan and I sometimes wear fur if it's vintage. I believe in leather as suitable for shoes and so on.

So I'm not PETA's most perfect spokesperson.
However, testing tea on animals is quite nasty/cruel/horrible/however you may put it.
I love tea, but not in blood flavour.
If you care, read HERE and help PETA in the best way you find appropriate.

http://www.peta.org/action/action-alerts/Tell-Lipton-Tea-to-Stop-Torturing-Animals.aspx

LATER EDIT: Lipton and PG tips announced they stopped unnecessary torturing of animals. By unnecessary they mean that they will still experiment on animals in countries where this is required.

Food for the eyes: Baracca, Cluj

When I'm traveling I almost always find special places where the food is great and where my eyes can have a feast too.
This time it's about Baracca in Cluj, Romania. They say their food is "design food".
I only say that I had a great experience there.

The first time I went there I had a homemade ice-cream and I had to try all three flavours [the pink one's raspberry], so I wouldn't leave thinking that I missed anything. I'd been ranting around about the fact that I couldn't find locally made ice-cream at restaurants in my country for quite a while so finding it there was just perfect.

To be honest, I knew I would have a good time there from the first moment I set foot in the cleverly designed space. It was just perfect chemistry.

There were little green  leaves greeting me from metal pots on every table and huge lamps promising to lighten up my night. And so it was.

My ice-cream was good - so smooth and subtle. I thought I had everything and nothing could push me off my pink cloud.

But then I saw it: a tiramisu cake served in an individual jar - so chic and thoughtful! So my complete beatitude turned into need. I needed to have one of those. So I asked for one. And they brought it with a smile on their face. 

I had a red dry wine to complement my dessert spree - it was brutal and astringent - but I loved it.

I took a few seconds to admire the wall art upon leaving. Simple messages were scribbled on the walls. Some were lists of world renowned chefs or restaurants and some were clever and cute quotes.

There was a sense of relaxation I left with, turning my head once again to get a last glimpse of my table.

Prepare a body scrub in the kitchen

I've never found a scrub that properly does its job so far. They are always too rich in oils or they lack scrubbing particles.
Tired of failing when shopping for scrubs, I thought of making one myself. After trying many combinations I came up with this "recipe".
Mix cornmeal with sea salt and just a pinch of rice. Add coffee grounds and mix well. Now you need the "wet" part of the scrub. Here there are many options: 1. use the scrubbing mix of particles together with your favourite shower gel; 2. add honey until it binds the particles; 3. add oil until it binds the particles; 4.[the best version] add honey and just a drop-or-two of oil.
If you chose to use shower gel in the process, just wash normally as if you had a store-bought scrubbing shower gel. Otherwise, wash first using soap/shower gel/shower cream and then take a walnut-size portion of the scrub and gently rub it on your skin. Leave on for five minutes or ten - so that the honey/oil has enough time to moisten your skin and then wash it off and - voila! your skin will be soft and glowing and happy.

Observations:
Use coffee grounds that are finer than the salt or cornmeal particles. That way you create a spectrum of particle sizes which will ensure that your scrubbing is effective.
The oil can be any vegetable oil but you should aim for olive oil, grapeseed oil, flaxseed oil - if you use the latter, prepare minutes before you use because it won't keep.


Other things you can add:

• salicylic acid/other acids used in cosmetics for a peeling effect
• essential aromatherapy oils - the scrub, if you follow my recipe, would have a nutty flavour
• coloring substances/extracts - to make its color more appealing

You can store it in small dark glass recipients. It makes a great gift.

Bits of Austria

 

At the end of september I took a trip to Austria.
I had not many food-related desires but the one thing I wanted to try was the Sacher cake.
It's a simple yet exquisite cake that features apricot jam and chocolate and it's very easy to make. However, today I'm not going to post a picture of my Sacher masterpiece [I haven't even made one yet but I will soon]. Today is all about delicious memories from Austria.

Of course we had to try other sweet delicacies too. This fresh raspberries tartelette reminded me of  the 2006 Marie Antoinette movie and the love she had, as an Austrian, for lavish desserts.
All the cakes we tried were un-originally but tastefully accompanied by espressos.

Apricot jam jammed into jars open ajar

It's apricot time and I love trying apricots in various dishes and smoothies, but I never forget saving some [in jam form] for later - in the year, in the month - depending on how greedy I become when I set mt eyes on the glorious chunks of gold.

Best enjoyed on a pound cake and responsibly [that meaning you manage to save some for later].

A new meaning given to "tonic water"

I love tonic water in my gin&tonic or as is - both when temperatures don't rise too much, that is.
When it's too hot for anything but water, try this instead: fill your glass 2/3 with spring water, add 1/3 tonic water, don't forget the ice cubes, lemon wedges an'all.
And there you go, your tonic-water summer drink!

It's fizzy, it's somewhat sweet and it feels just like drinking the much-needed water.

Tuna-tomato penne rigate

In a pan on medium heat make a sauce from canned and fresh tomatoes, peppers, herbs and garlic [add garlic at the end and don't cook it for more than one minute otherwise it will change its taste].

The sight of empty plates at the end of the meal will be a sure sign of success for this pasta dish.

Kataifi

Kataifi is a cloud of pleasure that floats on the surface of a sea of sweetness.
Kataifi is also the name of the needle-like pastry. This is a recipe that won't get you thinking of where to find that special pastry, since it's got directions for both the mysterious pastry ingredient and the sweet treat itself.

Step1: make the "pastry"
4 eggs, 200grams flour, 1 dash salt
Mix these ingredients until you get a dough. Knead thoroughly until the dough isn't sticky anymore.
Let sit for 10-15 minutes. With the help of a rolling pin [spread a thin layer of flour onto your working surface if needed], form thin-as-can-be sheets of dough. Let them dry a bit. Roll up the sheet and slice the roll into thin needle-like noodles. Let the noodles dry very well.
Then drizzle melted butter onto a large baking sheet, spread the noodles into a thin layer, drizzle melted butter onto the noodles and let them sit in the oven to brown [approx. 10 minutes].
In the meantime prepare the syrup.

Step2: making the syrup
300 ml water, 300 grams sugar, 50 ml rum, vanilla extract
Mix the water and the sugar and let them boil. Then incorporate rum and vanilla extract.

Step3: assemble the treat
500 ml whipped cream, quince jam [or sour cherry jam]
Get the noodles from the oven, divide into portion-size piles [2 per portion: one slightly smaller - for the top], drizzle warm syrup, return baking sheet to the oven until you notice firm noodle-piles. Remove from the oven, let cool down completely then assemble:
Place the bigger pile of noodles, spoon a dollop of whipped cream, a hint of jam, the smaller noodle pile and another whipped cream dollop - you can then decorate with grated almonds, nuts, walnuts etc.

Step4: enjoy!

Ecume d'été: Summer mousse

For those not-so-torrid summer days.
Frozen blueberries add just the right amount of cool.

Other ingredients include: apricots [an early July must], jasmine green tea [leaf-form, not brewed], cinnamon, and whatever else you might crave and doesn't spoil the taste. and a dash of milk to help the pureeing procedure.
Serve freshly prepared - with a cherry on top!

linked within:

Fruity gazpacho

Inspired by a flavoured Minted Peach and Tomato Salad recipe from Martha Stewart and by my newfound love for gazpachos.
Directions: assemble the salad as per recipe and them run it through a blender. Save the oil for the final touch [instead of mixing it]: drizzle a teaspoon [or two] on the surface of your newly created gazpacho. Don't forget the ice cubes and the mint garnish.
Couldn't decide on the presentation.

Using a glass is more efficient since it tastes so good you don't have the patience to spoon it into your mouth.

White mushroom delight

White pleurotus (oyster mushrooms) and white champignons were my mushrooms of choice for this full-of-texture half-creamed soup.

I had the luck of finding baby white pleurotus, velvety and cream-coloured and resembling a citrus-like fruit as per taste.

Sauteed them in butter along with the white champignons, used herbs and milk and no vegetable or chicken stock.

Didn't cook the mushrooms until totally softened, becasue I like a texture in my cream soups. Topped with some of the very same white mushrooms, a handful of croutons and a little bunch of cilantro.

Used some saffron to lend a warmer color to my otherwise perfect soup.

Spring frozen yogurt

Strawberries are already flooding the markets so having a nice refreshing dessert featuring them should be cliche. However, if strawberries and cream is too cliche for you, here's an idea that you can use for dessert or a healthy breakfast.

Turn your fresh strawberries into a quick jam by adding just a bit of sugar and placing them on low heat for as much as you like; this will release their flavours. Then scoop some of this quick jam and some full-fat yogurt into a bowl.

Stir them and place the mixture into a mold which you can remove easily when frozen. Choose a dome-shaped glass or cup. Cover with clingfilm and freeze - I froze it overnight and ate it for breakfast accompanied by an equal amount of strong black coffee.

Although I enjoyed it alone in the comfort of my cozy couch watching TV and wondering if I should get out of my pajamas I couldn't help styling it up a bit by adorning it with a cooked fruit and a little bunch of basil leaves.

Homemade chicken liver pâté

I first came across this delicious recipe from BBC GoodFood about a year ago. I've prepared it quite a few times since, preferring to use thyme only and no garlic - and sometimes I blended in by hand a bit of very finely chopped onion.

Orange muffins

You start with a crave for orange goodies.

Make sure the following are handy:

• 1  3/4 cup cake flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 large eggs, separated and whites beaten until stiff
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 stick of butter, softened

Combine butter, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla in a mixing bowl.  Cream these ingredients together thoroughly. 

Mix flour, salt, and baking powder together in a separate mixing bowl.  Add dry ingredients to creamed ingredients 1/3 at a time  alternating with adding portions of the orange juice to the creamed mixture. 

Fold in beaten egg whites.  Spoon batter into cupcake liners until 1/2 full. Bake in a 350F/180Celsius preheated oven for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Personal note: I did not use a thermometer so I preheated the oven on "high" then left the trays in the oven on "medium" for 20 minutes. Worked out well.

Enjoy.