#Saffron Parsnip Soup

[askwhatsforlunch]

Saffron Parsnip Soup (Vegetarian)

Beautifully smooth and velvety, this hearty Saffron Parsnip Soup takes it suave fragrance and gorgeous hue from the warming spice, and is thus deliciously comforting on a cold and rainy night. Happy Tuesday!

Ingredients (serves 3 to 4):

1 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

2 shallots

2 good pinches saffron threads

1 litre/4 cups boiling water

3 large (or 4 medium) Garden Parsnips 

1 heaped teaspoon coarse sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

In a large pot over a medium flame, melt butter with olive oil.

Peel and finely chop shallots.

Once the butter is just foaming, add chopped shallots, and cook, a couple of minutes until softened.

Stir in a jolly good pinch saffron threads, and cook, another couple of minutes.

Place remaining saffron threads in a medium bowl, and cover with boiling water. Set aside.

Thoroughly scrub and rinse Garden Parsnips, and peel them if necessary (their skin is particularly thin when they've just been dug up, so they needn't be peeled).

Cube Parsnips, and stir into the pot, coating well in butter and saffron.

Season with coarse sea salt and black pepper. Cover with a lid, and cook, about 5 minutes.

Remove the lid, and stir in saffron water. Bring to the boil.

Once boiling, cover with the lid, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, 25 to 30 minutes, until Parsnips are very tender.

Spoon the whole lot into a blender, and process until very smooth, adding more water, if necessary.

Pour soup back in the pot and heat over a medium flame.

Serve Saffron Parsnip Soup hot.

[blackvahana]

Oh that wasn't what this was about! I'm just thinking about getting more food because I'm fucking hungry. No, today I wanna get some - dropped a chopstick weirdly, Lev's hungry - Chinese food for Lev which. my god. I keep thinking I'm insane. I keep getting my hands on things so easily and I keep asking questions of..... of Who Cares Anyway Food Talk. Flock and other manifestations go out on my behalf to bargain and barter for local goods. What am I exchanging?? Oh who knows. I may or may not be using my marvellously convincing charisma and beautiful peacock aura to worm my way into things (translation: I forgot to add a translation here)

Anyway. Waiting to get judged by Lev. I have a very... Specific Type Of Chinese Immigrant In Australia palette for Chinese food, I would kill a man for fried lap xuong and. uh. anyway. Lev was definitely almost curious as to what cuisines I'd pick from and where I'd go to get him food but he knows lmfao he knows. Our minds our bound, he can read me

Anyway. Got him some kind of bao, steamed them, some kind of basic broth-y soup with thick seaweed in it. God. Looking ta those bao like a fucking hungry dog watching their family eat. God I fucking love bao

Anyway no. 2. Dinner for me is more of something I made the other day, a lot of Indian spices. Let's see if I can get the ingredients across: Tamarind,..... already failed. it's not turmeric or cumin - actually might be a form of turmeric. saffron real fresh. another kind of paste but it's a mix of spices and kinda like harissa colour, these cool AF earthy tuber root veg that have this gorgeous again earthy taste but like... Like a mix between the heavy earthy taste of a baked potato with a real strong taste, minus the taste of the potato itself, plus like parsnip or carrot sweetness (less sweet than carrot, but that genuine sweetness) and a sort of. Idk they're soft when cooked I love them. Those, some specific spices that transcend more physical ingredients like this one that just kinda is the warmth of spice without a taste, it's an energy spice, another that has the sky inside it which... I'm not sure if that was.... seen by the people who grew it but you know. I obsess over communion through autophagy. A third one just had a really nice sparkly (like the stars, not like fireworks) energy-taste. Then I was using two sea creatures that are local - nope, self, I was using two different ones, the vivid vision of putting squid in there was the Mira just now talking lmfao -

Oh my god and I got good quality jasmine tea from China too, I fully expect that that'll "disappear" before tonight's over

- but yeah. The fish... These cool ghostly ethereal white flesh fish, literally ethereal they're semi invisible and. glowing? Glowing in the way that blue rings on blue ringed octopuses "glow", except it's literally over laying reality. Reallllyyyy tasty. They have a mostly empty/watery absence of taste on the middle of the palette which makes them really good for absorbing front-loading spices, and then this gorgeous baked white fish type taste on the outside that almost spikes you? Is almost ending in a sharp taste? But isn't, it's so good. Then there was this specific type of shallow water seaweed that absolutely got lost because I did not find it in the shallows lmfao. Very mild, very vegetably in the way that it's. a vegetable. Its like boiled string beans in the way that it's mostly just Taste, not really strong in any one flavour zone but reallllyyyy good when you treat it right. I sautéed it in butter and a few spices before adding it to the mix, a big stewpot, which cooked out some of the moisture making it thick and rubbery and wet and allowing more flavour to seep in

There were a couple elements I wasn't too excessive with? Sorta like adding bay leaves, you can taste a difference but it's subtle because it's supposed to be subtle. There were these popping seaweed things that had a nice peppery kick - or. maybe that was a different thing, but these popped into this slimy texture which I was hoping would slide down like okra but I didn't really give them enough room to show what they could do. Chucked in some earthy minerals too that I'd scrounge together, adding interesting flavours but I went easy on them too because I'm not... too confident on my feet yet. What else...

I don't remember. Gorgeous fish curry though. The fish held together better than I thought it would without being tough! Flaky but not dissolving into the stew, though to be fair, I know how to cook fish lmfao. It was served with this gorrrgeoussss coloured rice, it reminded me of that rainbow corn except more muted colours and less colours all together, but it was... so tasty. I love wild rice mixed in with basmati on the physical and was craving something better than that? Oh yeah. Oh so good. So rich in the rice taste but with like sweetness in some pieces and just. like. adding good vegetable taste experience to the dish. You know when you eat vegetables well seasoned and really well cooked? That experience of earthiness without bitterness, richness without burying natural tastes with spices, and those gorgeous hues and tones of different kinds of flavours... Yeah that's the good vegetable taste experience

Anyway. I have been staring into thin air and also at my husband for this entire post I should probably. stop that. and get back to working with the Mira

"look what I stole": guy who absolutely actually paid legitimately for the thing

"I borrowed this": guy who cannot and should not be trusted

[wyvernscales]

This post by @zevsurana got me thinking about a family dinner with my canon worldstate.

Cerberus (Talani Brosca, Feja Aeducan, Elias Mahariel) and the Theirin-Mac Tir’s have a family dinner at the palace. What could go wrong? | wc: 1.2k

———————————————

Six pairs of flatware clinked against the silver plates in the King’s great chamber, six pairs for six equally silent guests at the table. At the center of the table was a wicker cornucopia of fruits and vegetables that had somehow managed to grow even after the Blight had ravaged the nation just a year prior. Stewed beef ribs, Alamarri pickled krone, cormarye, turnip and barley stew, mutton pie, pickled eggs, parsnip and carrot fritters, funges, Ferelden cheeses, and piles of bread--all national delicacies--were all prepared and plated with care for the feast.

The woolen curtains did little to keep the Harvestmere chill from seeping through the stone and the fireplace roared as a servant tended to it. As she poked the fire, a log shifted and sent embers flying up into the air for her to stomp out.

Frequent scrapes could be heard at the head of the table where King Alistair sat. With his elbow on the table and chin resting on his hand, he swirled the contents of his bowl with his spoon and watched as the mushrooms and leeks spun in the saffron tinted broth. 

Sat to the right of her new husband with a familiar face, Anora scanned the room and tapped her linen handkerchief to her lips before adjusting her fur ruff and placing her hands in her lap. 

“How fares the reconstruction effort at Vigil’s Keep, Warden-Commander Elias?”

Roused from his singular fascination with the white Werewolf head mounted above the hearth, he wracked his brain to recall the question before replying.

“The Keep has largely recovered. It was good fortune that we greatly repaired our weakened fortifications before the final push from the Mother’s forces”

“The Mother? Do those horrendous things truly have parents?”

Elias paused to find some way to sate the Queen’s curiosity without revealing too much before Talani interrupted.

“And ‘how fares thine heir-making’ my Lady?” Talani asked, splashing a red wine sauce on her royal blue gambeson as she waved her knife around as a mock scepter.

Anora’s face remained still, the almost imperceptible wrinkle of her brow the only clue to her true feelings, yet Talani saw through the feigned indifference.

“You know, there’s this old dwarven trick for fertility that the casteless girls used. I could send a letter to my sister, Queen Rica for you.”

“I’m sure my daughter does not need to hear of such things. At least spare her father the details.”

“Since we all know you don’t have that problem”

Loghain’s eyes widened. Before he could retort, a particularly high pitched squeak from the King’s spoon stopped the conversion before it could start. Loghain returned his solemn gaze to the portrait of Maric upon the wall. 

To stop himself from being asked another question, Elias cut off another slice of cormarye from his plate and placed the pork atop a slice of bread to eat. The heavily spiced sauce combined with the thick slab of pork loin sat uncomfortably within his stomach and a strong aftertaste of ground black pepper and garlic lingered.

Feja concealed her grin with a sip from her glass. A fine Fereldan spiced wine with notes of apple, cinnamon, nutmeg, and honey spilled across her tongue; but it was no Orzammar ale.

“The reclamation of Bownammar and Kal’Hirol is going quite well”

Relieved to return to a more dignified conversation, Anora’s face turns to Feja.

“I am gladdened to hear it, don’t you agree Alistair?”

The King continued to push a slice of mushroom around in his bowl absentmindedly, attempting to see his reflection through the soup in the freshly polished silver.

“What the Grey Wardens do is of no concern to me, my Queen.”

Feja paused to look at the King who wouldn’t meet her eyes with a tenseness in her face that belied her true feelings, but shook her head and adjusted her position before replying to Anora.

“A fight broke out in the Assembly when the topic of populating the Thaigs got out. It ignited a few age old blood feuds and left two members dead I’m told. Someone even attempted murder against the King”

“Oh... my that’s certainly...”

“They were stopped before they even reached the palace I’m afraid. My plans against Bhelen’s life were far more sophisticated at age ten.”

Anora stopped trying to fill the charged silence, and instead motioned to the lute player to please select a piece to play. He seemed to get the hint, and started to strum a jaunty tune that didn’t match the mood of the meal.

Talani went to grab a roll from the plate in the center of the table, and had to lean almost on top of her plate for the tips of her fingers to gain purchase on the edge. Across the table, Loghain pushed the plate closer to her, allowing her to grab a roll from the bottom of the pile and topple some others onto the tablecloth.

They ripped the delicate baked good apart in their hands and held it to their face to smell the familiar aroma.

“This bread’s to die for”

Feja stealthy kicked Talani’s foot to prevent her from putting it in her mouth again, which quickly turned into a game of footsie that was frankly beneath both of the Living Ancestors.

Either not noticing the squabbling between the Dwarves or more than likely choosing not to comment on it, Anora tried to strike up conversation once more. 

“Oh? That’s wonderful to hear. Most of the farmland of the Bannorn has been devastated by the Blight, but some fields in western Amaranthine have recovered as a result of the Warden-Commander’s efforts”

Said Warden-Commander kept his hands under the table to pull in some magic from the Fade to inch a silver candlestick upon the mantle forward, hoping a house fire might put an end to the meal. Loghain’s mouth couldn’t suppress his sneer and grunt at the mention of the Bannorn however. 

“And what are you doing here? I thought you were transferred to Orlais after the whole ‘regicide and attempted coup’ thing? Are you here to try again?”

For the first time since the dinner had started, Alistair’s sharp gaze met Loghain’s. The heat of the fire immediately forgotten, everyone, including the lutanist froze to stare at the two of them. 

“I’m afraid I don’t know why I was given leave to come to the castle for this meal. And though I suppose it would be a good plan to lure you into a private dinner to kill you, I would at least wait until dessert was served to make the attempt. I heard the confectioner speak of elderflower cheesecake.”

“Father!”

Anora, ever the diplomat, tried to cut one of them off, fearing the two of them might attempt to duel at the table.

“At least I’m safe until dessert then.”

“For what it’s worth, I think you’ve done well for yourself. You’re not the fool Cailin was. I think your father would be proud.”

Everyone jumped at the sound of a knife slamming through the wooden table and watched as Alistair stood and stormed out of the room. Anora threw her linen napkin on her plate and excused herself, exiting the room in the opposite direction. 

The various servants in the chamber looked at each other for guidance before Loghain excused them all. The Wardens all waited in silence for the room to clear. 

“So I suppose at least one of you has heard from Morrigan?”

The three heads of Cerberus all looked at each other, silently coming to an agreement.

“A boy. His name is Kieran.”

------------------------------------------------ 

Notes:

So how would the dinner go? Not well. I feel like I wrapped this up super quick, but I simply refuse to look at this anymore. Also I don’t think Talani really intended to make it awkward or shame Anora with the heir comment. She really did have advice and needed to turn the conversation around.

Ferelden is said to have a pretty bland cuisine, but I only listen to canon when I want to. I looked up actual medieval recipes instead. Here’s what’s on the menu:

Funges: mushroom and leek soup with a saffron, pepper, cinnamon, clove, black pepper, and ginger spice mix

Battered and fried parsnip, carrot, and apple fritter covered with almond milk (lots of almond milk/butter in this time period)

Cormarye: a hunk of pork loin with a sauce made of red wine, coriander, black pepper, garlic, caraway, and salt

Mutton pie: minced lamb roast with salt, pepper, saffron, marrow, vinegar prunes/raisins/dates, and beef broth all combined, placed into a pie filling, and baked

Stewed beef: Beef ribs roasted until mostly done then boiled with onions, parsley, currants, raisins, pepper, cinnamon, clove, saffron, sandalwood, vinegar, and wine. After the onions and currants are soft, the meat is removed from the pot and baked in the oven once again.

Elderflower cheesecake: a cheesecake made with dried elderflowers and rosewater

Pickled eggs, Alamarri pickled krone, cheese, and turnip and barley stew are canonical Ferelden fare however.

Did you know that forks weren’t common until the early modern period and people had to bring their own knives to dinner parties? Tis true. Tis true.

[kikiscauldron]

The Yule and Winter Solstice Menu: Recipes for the Winter Holidays

The holiday season offers dishes that warm the body and comfort the soul. At the Winter Solstice the focus is on rich, hearty, and nurturing. The season celebrates displays and masterful cooking through roasted dishes, slow cooked stews, bright salads with pops of fruity flavor, and sweets that double as delicious gifts. Seasonal fruits and vegetables include beets, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Citrus Fruits, Cranberries, dates, escarole, fennel, horseradish, kale, parsnips, pears, persimmons, pomegranate, radishes, sweet potatoes, and winter squash.

At this time of the year I like to honor the traditions and the foods that my family cooked. I love the nostalgic feeling of creating recipes that my parents had at Christmastime, so you may find recipes inspired by that. Do you have a dish that reminds you of the winter season and December holidays? Is there something you traditionally make for your Yule or Winter Solstice celebrations that I didn’t put on this list? Please let me know and I will add it!

Main Courses

The main courses of the winter holidays are warm and inviting for a full table of friends and family. Common main courses are rich, filling, and lavish – classic main courses include roasted or baked bird, hearty beef dishes, pot roasts, and meat pies.

·      Chicken and Dumplings with Mushrooms

·      Coq au Vin

·      Cranberry Hazelnut Turkey Wellington

·      Fennel & Rosemary Beef Tenderloin with Creamy Mustard Sauce

·      Herb-Crusted Roast Beef with Horseradish

·      Mushroom Wellington

·      New England Lamb Bake

·      Old-Fashioned Honey Glazed Ham

·      Perfect Turkey Recipe

·      Pomegranate and Fennel Chicken

·      Pork Schnitzel with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

·      Roast Goose

·      Simple Crock Pot Turkey Breast and Dressing

·      Slow Cooker Pot Roast

·      Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Anchovies

·      Stuffed Cornish Hens with Cranberries and Apples

·      Tourtiere: French-Canadian Meat Pie

Soups, Stews, and Chilis

There is nothing like a rich and hearty soup to warm you up during the winter season. Soups that kick up their spice game are a great feature at the Winter Solstice.

·      Creamy Spinach and Pear Soup with Pancetta

·      Farro and White Bean Soup with Swiss Chard and Herb Oil

·      Golden Turmeric Chickpea Chicken Soup

·      Pasta e Fagioli with Escarole

·      Parsnip Soup with Pears, Ginger, and Coconut

·      Slow Cooker Winter Vegetable Soup with Split Red Lentils

·      Sopa Azteca (Mexiccan Chicken Tortilla Soup)

·      Swedish Meatball Soup

·      Turkey and Butternut Squash Chili

·      Winter Solstice Soup

·      Winter Solstice Stew

·      Winter White Soup

·      Wintertime Braised Beef Stew

Salads

During the winter months salads become creative dishes featuring root vegetables, nuts, and citrus fruits.

·      Brussels Sprouts Salad with Apples and Walnuts

·      Citrus Endive Salad

·      Millet & Pumpkin Winter Salad

·      Roasted Beet and Winter Squash Salad with Walnuts

·      Roquefort Pear Salad

·      Warm and Roasted Winter Salad Bowl

·      Winter Chicory Salad with Kumquats and Date Dressing

·      Winter Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad

·      Winter Solstice Salad

Breads

There are many traditional breads baked at this time of year all around the world – some favorites are featured in this list below, along with flavors perfect for the holidays.

·      Ham and Cheese Quick Bread

·      Holiday Rum Eggnog Bread

·      Panettone (Italian Christmas Bread)

·      Krendel (Russian Christmas Bread)

·      Pecan Maple Loaf

·      Savory Christmas Bread

·      Savory Rosemary Goat Cheese Quick Bread

·      Spiced Anjou Pear Bread

·      St. Lucia Saffron Buns

·      Stollen (German Christmas Bread)

Side Dishes

Casseroles featuring in season vegetables and rich side dishes, all served piping hot, are familiar fares at the Winter Solstice.

·      Farro Risotto with Walnut Cream and Roasted Butternut Squash

·      Glazed Parsley Carrots

·      Macaroni and Cheese in Acorn Squash Bowls

·      Parsnip Latkes with Horseradish and Dill

·      Persimmons and Watercress Salad with Candied Walnuts and Goat’s Cheese

·      Potato and Parsnip Gratin

·      Roasted Winter Squash with Kale Pipian

·      Seared Radicchio and Roasted Beets

·      Spicy Broccoli Rabe with Parmesan and Pine Nuts

·      Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Rosemary Parmesan Cream Sauce

·      Twice-Baked Cheddar Potato Casserole

·      Winter Pastry Wreath

·      Yorkshire Pudding

Desserts

Sweets flavored with nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, or peppermint work out perfectly for Yule. Other classic sweet treats for Yule include traditional holiday cookies like shortbread, snowball, caraway, or ginger snaps. Pears and oranges are also a nice touch to a dessert at Yule.

·      Buche de Noel

·      Cardamom Orange Sugar Cookies

·      Chocolate Pavlova with Spiced Pears and Butterscotch Sauce

·      Christmas Pudding

·      Christmas Rice Pudding

·      Classic Yule Log

·      Cranberry and Peppermint Honey Cake

·      Cranberry Bliss Bars

·      Cranberry Chestnut Cake

·      Cuccia

·      English Toffee

·      Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies

·      Grand Fir Dark Nougat: Winter Solstice Sweets

·      La Befana Cake

·      Maple Pecan Shortbread

·      Partridge in a Pear Tree Pie

·      Pecan Pie Truffles

·      Potato Chip Cookies

·      Roasted Chesnut Cookies

·      Salted Caramel Brownie Truffles

·      Salted Dark Chocolate, Pecan, and Rosemary Bark

·      Snickerdoodles

·      Solstice Shortbread

·      Sparkling Butter Toffee Cookies

·      Spiced Brown Butter Linzer Cookies

·      Spice Parsnip Cake

·      Sugar Plum Cupcakes and Sugar Plums

·      Swedish Ginger Thins

·      Tiramisu Yule Log

·      Vanilla Crème Brulee

·      Vegan Gingerbread Man Donuts

·      Walnut Cardamom Snowballs

·      Winter Solstice Cake

·      Winter Solstice Cake (Festive Carrot Coconut Cake)

·      Winter Solstice Cookies

·      Woodland Shortbread: Evergreen Biscuits Three Ways

Beverages

Nothing says “Happy Holidays” quite like a warm and rich drink curled up in front of the fire. Yule and the Winter Solstice feature beverages that warm the soul and bring cheer to hearts.

·      Harry Potter’s Hot Butter Beer

·      Hot Buttered Rum and Cider

·      Hot Wassail (Non-Alcoholic)

·      Mulled Wine

·      Old-Fashioned Swedish Glogg

·      Slow Cooker Gingerbread Latte

·      Slow Cooker Mulled Wine

·      Toffee Eggnog

·      Tom and Jerry

·      Vegan Eggnog

·      White Chocolate Peppermint Mocktini

·      Winter Sangria (Non-Alcoholic)

·      Yule Tea

[elfwreck]

Meats:

Sheep, chickens (and ducks, geese, etc.), pigs, goats, rabbit/hare (seasonal), fish (freshwater and ocean, depending on location), cow (for wealthier folks, mostly), game fowl, deer (also wealthier, or poachers), squirrel, and occasionally what ever mammal predator someone in the village managed to kill before it killed them.

Vegetables:

Turnips (...lots of turnips; they’re what the UK and much of Europe had before potatoes, and they were used for the original jack-o-lanterns), rutabagas, beets, cabbage and leafy greens of several types, onions, parsnips, leeks, artichokes, fennel, carrots, beans, peas, asparagus.

Herbs: 

Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme (heh), lavender, mint, anise, caraway, dill, dittany, horseradish, tarragon, and lots more.

Other:

Since they had hens, they had eggs. (They also used quail eggs, duck eggs, and others from non-domestic birds.) They had milk, either from goats or cows. They had cheese, sometimes made with herbs. They had other milk products that can’t be made with pasteurized milk. They had grain--several kinds of wheat and barley--so they had several kinds of breads, and plenty of fermented drinks. They had fruits and berries: Apples, pears, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, currants, and plums. Imported spices like pepper, saffron, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves weren’t for everyday use but were sometimes used in feast recipes.

Medieval food is known to be “bland” because most people didn’t have access to all of that, and didn’t have access to much of what they did have. A chicken and turnips and some savory herbs can make a fine meal; one small chicken and four turnips and a handful of rosemary made into a soup for a family of seven is not a fine meal, not even if there’s some barley to stretch it.

this is such a strong opening paragraph for an article about a medieval cookbook

[tsgcharlottesvillevirginia]

Don’t Miss Winter Restaurant Week 2020

Restaurant week is rolling! It started last week, but it goes on through Saturday, February 1 with three courses for just $29 or $39. There are so many fantastic restaurants participating, so if you’ve been wanting to check some of them out, this is a great time to do so. Plus, $1 from every Restaurant Week purchase will go to benefit the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. Here’s a sample of what two of our favorites are serving: 

Red Pump Kitchen, $39 401 E. Main Street on the Downtown Mall {First Course] Oak Leaf Salad cauliflower, pine nuts, golden balsamic Brussel Sprouts marcona almonds, marsala balsamic reduction, pecorino Parsnip Soup brown butter, crispy sage

{Second Course} Seven Hills Skirt Steak black garlic, broccoli, yukon puree Potato Gnocchi turnip, salsa verde, prosciutto crumb CavatelliI

{Third Course} Chocolate Budino peanut butter mousse House Made Gelato two scoops Make reservations HERE. 

Oakhurst Inn, $29 122 Oakhurst Circle

{First Course} Little Gem Salad herb buttermilk dressing, breakfast radishes, scallions, breadcrumbs Butternut Chickpea Soup charred poblano crema

{Second Course} Braised Lamb potato pave, honey roasted carrots, lamb jus Saffron Cream Gnocchi escarole, bacon lardons, parmesan crisp

{Third Course} Grandma’s Pound Cake cinnamon apples, cardamom whipped cream Espresso Pot de Creme toasted marshmallows, chocolate shavings Make reservations by calling 433.872.0100 ext.1 or email frontdesk@oakhurstinn.com

Don’t forget to tell them The Scout Guide sent you! 

📷: Red Pump Kitchen

[askwhatsforlunch]

Olive and Saffron Semolina

When I first cooked this Saffron and Pepper Chicken Stew a few weeks ago, it could have served two; but as I was alone, I ate half of it and froze the rest. This came in very handy when I came back from a weekend away last week and my fridge was empty. So, I reheated the Stew and ate it with Butter Parsnips (the las fifty grams I dug out in the Veg Patch!) And then, I kept the fragrant and flavourful leftover Broth, congealed at the bottom of the saucepan*, knowing it would be the base for another delicious meal, perhaps a soup. Instead, I used it to make this nonetheless delicious and fragrant Olive and Saffron Semolina, very tasty on its own or as a side to fish or poultry. Nothing is ever lost in a kitchen!

*you can keep within three days in the refrigerator, otherwise, freeze up to three months

Ingredients (serves 2):

1 cup leftover (congealed) Saffron and Pepper Chicken Broth

1/2 cup boiling water

3/4 fine semolina

a dozen green olives, pitted

In a small pot, combine Saffron and Pepper Chicken Broth and water. Bring to the boil. Once boiling, remove from the heat and stir in semolina. Cover with the lid, and set aside, 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut green olives into slices.

Once all the liquid has been absorbed and the semolina is cooked, remove the lid, and fluff up the semolina, using a fork. Stir in half of the sliced olives.

Serve Olive and Saffron Semolina hot, topped with remaining olive slices.

[notesfromatinykitchen]

Carrot Saffron Soup

It’s turned a little cold and dreary here in DC and I was ready to get rid of my drawer of root vegetables in the fridge. I made this soup on the fly - I chopped up an onion, a couple pounds of carrots, some celery, a left over parsnip, a lot of ginger and garlic. I softened the vegetables in my soup pot in butter (for vegans, olive or coconut oil would be fine) for around 10 minutes, then added in the garlic, ginger and saffron. I seasoned everything at each stage with some salt and pepper. 

Once  I felt the flavors had melded, I put in four cups of vegetable broth and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, covered. I used my immersion blender to get the texture I was looking for. I like a thicker soup, since I generally make them a meal with a small side of bread or fruit, but it wouldn’t be hard to thin it out with more broth or water. 

[easytravelpw-blog]

Full text write on https://easy-travel.pw/restaurant-review-boisdale-of-mayfair-london/hotels/

Restaurant Review: Boisdale of Mayfair, London

Boisdale of Mayfair

Boisdale of Mayfair is the newest and smallest of the Boisdale family of four – the other restaurants are in Belgravia, Canary Wharf and Bishopsgate. They are owned by the eccentric cigar-loving Ranald Macdonald, who is descended from Highland aristocrats and has a reputation for being “a bit of a character”.

This addition landed in Mayfair exactly a year ago this month and has been dishing out Scottish fare from a converted listed stables with decor that gives off the archetypal air of an old boys club: dark red furnishings, mahogany panelling and a mounted stag’s head to finish the look.

Boisdale of Mayfair Restaurant Interior

While this may sound like a testosterone overload (there’s also a cigar terrace), it is in fact rather charming and unpretentious. Live jazz and blues plays throughout the evening, complimented by a cheerful buzz of chatter and clinking glasses. The service is also exceptional – thanks to the intimate setting the waiters actually have time to converse with the diners. It’s a pleasant change to your average London restaurant experience.

This is also a place where you are encouraged to imbibe, aided by a vast choice of wines, whiskeys and cocktails and a selection of signature tipples.

There are some very fine wines – one, a bottle of Château Pétrus 1995, is on the menu for £2040. Thankfully most are in the £25-£60 bracket, and we enjoyed a delightfully crisp bottle of Pinot Grigio Grave de Friulli for under £30.

Boisdale of Mayfair bar

Now the food: starters and mains are a blend of traditional Scottish fare (including fish & game of the day) and choice of five “Boisdale Burgers”. There’s also a dedicated shellfish menu and selection of British tapas.

For our first course we sampled two joyously runny haggis scotch quails eggs and a small bowl of soup of the day: a sensationally rich and creamy parsnip and apple with white truffle oil accompanied by crusty bread and creamy butter.

Boisedale of Mayfair half lobster (c) Lucy Woods

Next, for me, were seared hand-dived Scottish King and ever so tender Scallops with quince, haggis crumbs & Boisdale Claret sauce – a delightful combination. The traditional haggis accompaniment, though well spiced, was an over-generous portion.

My partner chose the half grilled lobster, which came with a lip-smacking chilli and garlic butter.

Roasted Cornish cod with saffron dressing (c) Lucy Woods

For the main event I tucked into the fish of the day: a generous portion of roasted Cornish cod with saffron dressing, purple kale and tasty dollops of Jerusalem artichoke puree.

I couldn’t resist ordering a side of truffle, rosemary & Parmesan chips, which were chunky, crisp and very satisfying. My partner opted for a plate of Devonshire crab linguine which he tucked into with great relish.

Boisdale of Mayfair cheese board (c) Lucy Woods

At this point we were reaching full saturation level, and had decided to call it a day. That was until we spotted the cheese counter at the bar, proudly displaying more than 30 British cheeses. Our charming waitress took us to the counter and helped us make our selection, to down with a glass of 20 year old Tawny port.

For us the cheese was the highlight of the evening: each one distinctive and so very, very tasty.

Verdict: Boisdale of Mayfair is a cosy and eclectic venue with an extravagant, yet affordable menu. It’s a place to celebrate, indulge and be merry. The food may not be the most refined, but it is generously portioned and very enjoyable. The music is excellent, as is the service.

When: Boisdale of Mayfair is open Monday to Friday from 07.30 – 00.00, Saturday from 11.00 – 00.00 and Sunday from 12.00 – 22.00.

The restaurant has just launched a Wild and Foraged Tasting Menu, serving six different signature Boisdale dishes for £60.

Getting there: the nearest station is Marble Arch. Boisdale of Mayfair, 12 N Row, Mayfair, London W1K 7DF

#wpdevar_comment_1 span,#wpdevar_comment_1 iframewidth:100% !important;

#travel #airlinetickets #airtickets #cheapairfare #planetickets #travelinsurance #travelquotes #travelblogger #traveller #travelling #travelocity #travelodge #vacation

[quenchmagazine]

Every year, Quench profiles Canadian chefs who are contributing that elusive something to the food scene, helping to change it, helping it to evolve. This year’s lineup is (often unintentionally) helping to define Canadian cuisine, which is no mean feat. Michael Hunter at Antler Kitchen and Bar in Toronto melds wild, foraged ingredients and game meats with his European-inspired style and technique to craft dishes that showcase Canada’s natural products.

Chef Michael Hunter is probably one of the only Mav Chefs on this list who is actively trying to define Canadian cuisine. His passion for nature, and all it has to offer Canadians, is evident when you speak with him. He’s a regular forager, gathering ingredients for the restaurant, and a hunter. Everything on his menu is game-based (meat), local/seasonal (produce) or foraged (fungi, berries). If you usually order the steak or chicken, then you won’t find these options on his menu. Try bison or Cornish hen instead. Antler Kitchen and Bar’s culinary theme is “Canadiana”; Hunter showcases contemporary Canadian cuisine with flavours from Ontario, Quebec and even British Columbia. He is transforming familiar dishes — like Jamaican patties, gyoza and even burgers — into local creations.

What do you love about cooking?

I’ve always loved food. So, even as a kid, I just loved to eat. As I got older, I just really liked trying new things. And then, as I got into cooking professionally, I really fell in love with organic gardening and foraging for wild food and hunting, just because it tastes so much better than what you buy at the grocery store.

What exactly does it mean to forage for ingredients?

My take on it is: I go to the woods and pick. Right now, wild leeks are coming into season. So, we go pick wild leeks, bring them to the restaurant and serve them. We pick morel mushrooms, pheasant back mushrooms, wild ginger, cedar, sumac, watercress, wild mints. All these things we go and pick ourselves. So, that’s foraging. We’re not growing it; we’re finding it in the woods.

Is there a sustainability concern? You have to make sure don’t pick too much?

Yeah, definitely. Wild leeks are a big one. They banned it in Quebec, because they don’t grow back very well. [But] in Ontario there’s no law against harvesting wild leeks. There are definitely things you need to know when foraging certain things.

Why do you forage instead of buying ingredients?

It’s really strange. It’s a bit of a primal urge thing — satisfaction. It’s fun. I love being in nature, I think about my menu when I’m out in nature. I take my kids; it’s a family outing. I take my partner — she comes along with me. It’s very therapeutic to be in nature as opposed to a fast-paced crazy restaurant. So, it’s kind of just … my therapy. But also, it tastes great. Mushrooms that are picked that morning — you can’t buy them that fresh. A lot of them you can’t find in a grocery store. There are certain kinds of mushrooms that don’t keep well to sell. There’s a mushroom called inky caps that starts to liquefy after 24 hours; they turn to mush. They’re very rich in flavour. Cooking with them is great: they taste rich and creamy like Campbell’s mushroom soup, but they’re just natural wild mushrooms without any cream.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Why did you specifically choose to incorporate those foraged ingredients, game meats and that wild aspect into your menu?

It’s really just what I love to eat. For me, when you cook what you love, it tastes better. You know, you’re passionate about it. Our whole brand is Canadiana, wild food, forest to table. And for that to be authentic, we have to use those ingredients.

What is Canadiana cuisine?

Canada’s a very unique country in terms of food because our immigration is so huge. Our cuisine has turned into a bit of a melting pot. Which is really cool. But I think the Canadian food scene has a young identity. My take on it is: I’m born and raised here, and I’m highlighting the ingredients that are only from Canada. I love to eat avocados but I don’t serve them at my restaurant because we’re highlighting Canadian producers, farmers and foragers. So, we’re using, I would say, about 90 percent only Canadian products in the restaurant. A lot of those are regional Canada — we buy our wild fish from BC and the east coast, and also the Great Lakes. Our bison comes from Alberta, our deer comes from Ontario, our rabbit and wild boar come from Ontario. So, we’re just highlighting Canadian ingredients and farmers.

What would be at the core of Canadian cuisine?

For me, it is the game, because that’s what I believe our ancestors ate. A lot of communities in Northern Ontario and in the territories, all they eat is game meat. Their families hunt to sustain themselves and that to me — for them — that’s Canadian cuisine. My freezer is full of duck and deer, turkey, rabbit — and that’s what we eat at home. That’s my Canadian cuisine.

What is the biggest influence on your cooking style?

My cooking background is sort of a blend of French and Italian techniques. I trained with guys from the Stratford Chefs School, which is heavily rooted in French cooking. Various places I’ve worked have been French and Italian cuisine. I definitely use French and Italian recipes and techniques and influences, which are also a big part of Canadian culture.

So, you take the essence of Canadian cuisine — game, local — and you apply these types of cooking methods to the ingredients?

Yeah, I’m cooking something sous vide; I’m braising things; I’m serving rabbit with pasta. There’s lots of Italian dishes with rabbit and pasta, but we’re using local rabbit and local vegetables in that dish. So, it’s kind of a mash-up between my cooking background and Canadian ingredients.

What is your favourite meal when it’s cold and rainy outside?

Definitely some kind of soulful stew. I love braising duck legs or goose legs with a cassoulet. Or venison neck stew is really taste. Any kind of chili.

Ricotta Cavatelli with Venison Ragu

For this recipe, you will need a cavatelli machine (or a wooden gnocchi board with lined grooves).

Cavatelli Dough

500 g ricotta cheese 800 g all-purpose flour 200 g semolina 5 g salt 1 g grated nutmeg (optional) 1/2 cup milk 1 egg

Place all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix with your hands, adding water as needed, until the dough comes together. Transfer the dough to a table and knead until it is a firm, smooth ball. Cover the with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes.

Cut the dough into 6 equal-sized pieces. Roll each one into a log 1 cm thick and partially flatten into strips. Feed each strip of dough through the cavatelli machine while turning the handle. If you are using a gnocchi board, cut your logs into 1/2 cm rectangular slices and push the dough downwards onto the board, using your thumb to curl the dough and create a concave centre with grooves on the outside.

Spread out the dumplings on a baking sheet, dusting with extra semolina to keep from sticking.

Venison Ragu

2 kg deboned venison meat (neck, shoulder or leg) 1 large Spanish onion 1 carrot 2 stalks celery 6 roma tomatoes 4 cloves garlic 100 ml olive oil 350 ml red wine 200 g dried wild mushrooms (preferably saffron cap) 1 bouquet garni (thyme, parsley, and bay leaves tied with twine) 2 L dark venison stock Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat a large skillet. Cut the vegetables into medium dice. Crush and mince the garlic. Season the venison meat generously with salt and pepper.

Add the oil to the hot skillet and add the venison; do not stir until the meat is caramelized. Transfer the meat to a roasting pan and set aside.

Add the vegetables to the skillet and sauté until they begin to caramelize. Add the garlic and stir; deglaze the pan with the red wine. Add the soft mirepoix to the roasting pan. Add the stock, bouquet garni and dried mushrooms, then cover the pan with foil.

Bake at 325°F for 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender. Use a fork to pick apart into large pieces, leaving the meat in the liquid to cool.

To finish the plate

250 g butternut squash 250 g turnip 250 g parsnip 1 bunch kale 50 g unsalted butter 50 ml olive oil 250 g grated Parmesan cheese  Salt, to taste

Fill one of the large pots with salted water and bring to a boil (pasta water should be seasoned to taste mildly like the ocean).

While the water boils, mince the root vegetables. Tear the kale leaves off the stem and roughly chop. Heat a second large pot to medium-high and sauté the vegetables in the butter and olive oil until tender.

Add the braising liquid, pulled venison meat and soft mirepoix to the sautéed vegetables. Reduce by half over medium heat.

Once the water in the other pot comes to a boil, cook the fresh cavatelli for 5 minutes.

Drain and transfer the cooked dumplings to the ragu, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the cheese and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Spoon into serving bowls and top with additional grated Parmesan.

Michael Hunter of Antler Kitchen and Bar in Toronto, ON: Mav Chefs 2017 Every year, Quench profiles Canadian chefs who are contributing that elusive something to the food scene, helping to change it, helping it to evolve.

[xatired]

10 Ways to Stay Fit Healthy

Your breakfast options include hot cereal with berries and milk, poached eggs which has a whole-grain English muffin and orange juice, uncured turkey bacon with light cream cheese plus a wholegrain bagel, and also whole-wheat pancakes with berries and yogurt. Depending on the “Encyclopedia of Common 100 % Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics,” avocado seeds have a condensed flavonol that is in charge of this property. Antioxidant Properties Research published in March 2012 in ?Public Health Nutrition? followed nearly 9,000 those who had never been diagnosed with depression. The outcome showed that individuals that ate take out had higher rates of depression compared to individuals that failed to. As the BMI increases, your likelihood of obesity, diabetes heart related illnesses, arthritis and cancer increases. For anybody who is overweight or obese, reducing you weight by five to ten percent can lower that risk of these chronic diseases. Write a first draft associated with a menu, look at the number of calories it may well have, then adjust ingredients or the size of portions to develop a menu that will help you meet your excess fat-loss goals.

The Health Benefits of Parsnip

Children also love tacos, wraps, and other foods which permit them to make their own individual dinner. Serving a variety of healthy food with meals increases your child’s overall nutrient intake. Make certain you don’t casually ignore the signs of a critical condition, specially if your risk factors — such as smoking, obesity and high cholesterol — are high. Lifestyle and Screening If you presently smoke, provide it up. In case you drink alcohol, do this without excess. Vitamin Water Ingredients Vitamin water is composed of fortified vitamins and various ingredients for taste. Included in this are syrups, sweeteners and flavors that mimic the flavors of some fruits. Including miso soup in what you eat can help you lose weight. The seaweed often employed in miso soup caused a 5 to 10 percent weight loss in animal studies owing to a compound inside the seaweed called fucoxanthin which has an impact on tummy flab. While eating lots of it might certainly be a tasty way of getting those phenolics, you?d be ingesting a remedy that may be at least 66 percent sugar.

Modern science has approved the utilization of cloves for diabetes and cancer prevention and has recognized its anti-fungal properties and role in oral health. Your leaves on the clove plant along with the clove buds popular as spices have been discovered to get significant benefits. Saffron is really an anti-oxidant, but it really generally seems to have additional qualities that particularly affect vision. The researchers found out that saffron may alter genes liable for the fatty acid content vision cell membranes, which impacts the strength and resilience of eye tissue. Though traditional cooks could make mashed potatoes with whole milk or cream, melted butter and plenty of salt, you could keep your heart-wholesome diet plan by replacing the less-nutritious ingredients with items higher in health supplements. Each step of processing moves them a tad farther from the that natural state, so attempt to choose foods that will be minimally processed or completely unprocessed. Use up leftovers first when planning your weekly menus to protect yourself from waste and help you get the most from your grocery budget. The biscuits served with soup in the previous day may be followed by cooked oatmeal, milk and fresh fruit for the next day’s breakfast, http://ift.tt/2unXBFY. Ordering cashew chicken with brown rice in lieu of steamed rice offers a serving of grain and fiber. Fresh spring rolls are a healthy Thai food full of vegetables. These are a considerably healthier replacement for fried spring rolls, depending on the American Heart Association.

Engaging in physical demands around five days every week for 30 or over minutes each day can prevent life-threatening conditions for instance diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, high blood cholesterol, liver disease and some kinds of cancers. If you want to be getting the most benefits from your carrots, choose organic carrots. A research published in the Polish journal, “Roczniki Pan?stwowego Zakladu Higieny” in 2009, found out that organic carrots contained more beneficial carotenoids, polyphenols and ascorbic acid than conventional carrots. Medical News Today warns however that the majority commercial cocoa powders hold the antioxidant-containing flavonoids removed simply because they taste bitter; therefore, in an effort to get the health boosting benefits, consider buying raw cocoa powder, which is actually minimally processed cocoa powder. So who?s right? Recent evidence from the International Journal of Obesity shows that this diet it is possible to comply with best is the most appropriate one ? no matter the exact breakdown of macronutrients. But this still leaves questions on how to determine the needs you have to simplify eating. Therefore, unless your canola oil is labeled ?organic,? it is likely contaminated with toxic chemicals. What?s more, unless the oil is labeled ?solvent-free? or ?expeller-pressed,? hexane, a flammable solvent derived from petroleum, has likely been included in the extraction process.

The post 10 Ways to Stay Fit Healthy appeared first on Xatired.

from Xatired http://ift.tt/2xNfyR2

[clubnail]

The Beauty Secrets I Uncovered in the Austrian Alps

A few weeks ago, I had the most transformative experience I couldn’t wait to share with all of you. I had the pleasure of visiting Susanne Kaufmann at her spa at the Hotel Post Bezau. The blonde beauty comes from the Bregenzer Forest, a unique valley in the Austrian Alps, and has developed powerful, results-driven products (I’m sure you’ve heard of them) comprised of the cleanest, most refreshing ingredients. I was lucky enough to visit her picturesque hotel for a mini-detox and to test out her line and her treatments.

Here’s the scoop.

During my three night stay at the Hotel Post, I slept in one of the special “sleep therapy rooms.” My bed was made in a particular way to ensure deep sleep and at night, the wifi actually turns off to encourage further relaxation. The design of the room is very simple, no TV, just very zen. I ate from her Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Detox Diet, which was delicious and left me totally satisfied. The cuisine supports purification, detoxification and de-acidification of the body and the connective tissue. I could get down with that.

A typical menu sounded like this. Breakfast: hot oat cereal with fruits, pudding of chia seed with coconut and cardamom, juice freshly squeezed with linseed oil, and Susanne Kaufmann Detox Tea. Lunch: fennel tomato soup, quinoa with cucumber, bell pepper, olives and capers and SK Peppermint Tea. Dinner: stewed saffron fennel with celery, cream of parsnips and wild herbs, fennel tomato soup and SK Acid Alkalizing Tea. The teas became my addiction over the course of my stay, especially the Acid Alkalizing Tea.

The best part? I had the opportunity to meet with Susanne. I, obviously, asked her everything – from the inspiration behind her skincare line to her under-the-radar beauty secrets. Read on for my full interview with the guru.

Tell me about how you got involved with the spa.

“When I took over [the spa in 1994], there was one masseur, one therapist, a doctor, a little spa and a sauna. It was the typical European detox center, but very simple. I quickly realized I wanted to develop and focus on the spa.

A lot of the spas at the time were influenced by Greek and Italian architecture, very heavy, so I was always striving to be unique, which is why I decided to keep the spa clean, sterile, white and very medical. I wanted to have nothing in the rooms – no colors, pictures, sounds – so you can focus on yourself.”

When concepting the spa, how did you decide to develop your own line of products?

“We had tried all the big name brands – Shiseido, Estee Lauder, but nothing natural. And I was very lucky because I was told about a producer that was only 15 minutes from the hotel that has his own line using whey in his cosmetics. And at the beginning there were 24 products, now we have around 80 products. And people really came to the spa, and I didn’t know if they would like the products and would ask for Clinique or Estee, but they didn’t, they loved our line. So after a year, we fazed out all the other lines and we used only Susanne Kaufmann products. And that’s how it started.

How would you describe your skincare line?

“It’s about taking the best quality and bringing it into the skin in the most natural and effective way and really do something and work. When you bring something in very deeply, you have to be careful about what you take and which quality. For me, cooking and cosmetics are a bit the same. It all depends on the ingredients. If you make a fish that isn’t good quality, and you put on the best sauce in the world, the fish still isn’t good. And the same goes for cosmetics. You can disguise anything with fancy packaging, but if the quality isn’t right, it’s harmful.”

 What ingredients make your products stand out?

“Ectoine. It’s a wonderful cell repair ingredient. When it comes to anti-aging and radiance and beautiful skin, it’s always about helping your cells work better. After we turn 25, the cell regeneration diminishes. The ectoine helps the cells regenerate and protect themselves. We have it in the whole A-Line, the advanced anti-aging line as well as well as the sun production creams. It’s from an algae, so they do it in the lab. They put the algae’s under stress by freezing them. To prevent the algae from dying, they give the algae a little ‘coat,’ which is the ectoine. This protects from the coldness. So when you go back and de-freeze them, they release the ectoine! It’s so natural and it’s a wonderful botanical active.

I also use arnica. In the summertime as a child, my parents would send me and my cousins to the mountains [to visit my grandmother]. We always had time to collect things. There were blueberries and ingredients for tea. And my Grandma was obsessed with arnica. She would make arnica schnapps. And whenever you had something, if it was a scratch, a sore throat, if you had problems with you knee – arnica cured everything. So whenever we would go up into the Alps, she would ask us to bring it. And it wasn’t for drinking; it was just for the cure.”

Have any favorite products in your collection?

“The Line A Eye Cream (which contains that entoine) and also the Skin Lighting and Radiance Complex. It makes your skin really even and removes the sunspots and age spots. But it takes time to really remove the pigmentation. If you really have those dark spots, it takes a year but it works. You don’t need lasers; the creams and serums will really work.”

You are known to be fascinated by Traditional Chinese medicine. How does that influence the spa?

“I was looking for something a bit deeper than only doing facials and massages. I always thought there was more more about being beautiful or healthy, so I tried a few different courses. I went to a Panchakarma course [aka the most effective healing modality in Ayurvedic Medicine] and it was a really wonderful experience but I couldn’t introduce this into the Hotel Post. Your hair needed to get really oily and this was more of a retreat, so it wasn’t right kind of experience.

Traditional Chinese medicine is all about preservation. You basically go to prevent getting sick. I thought this was the right thing. I didn’t want to be a medical center but I did want to prevent people from getting sick. If you come to the hotel for the whole detox program, you are seen by a Chinese medicine practitioner and your plan is based on your diagnosis.

From there everything falls into place and you get specific cuisine, treatments, movements and products. It’s a 360 degree approach. We see beauty in a holistic way. You have to look at the whole picture – not just at the skin. It’s what how eat and sleep, so we try to integrate all of this into your treatment.”

How did you choose the hotel’s menu?

“The food was really important to me because I love food. If I have a 5-course menu or if I just have some cheese and potato, I always look for good quality. Food is how you feed your cells, everything. It’s really the base. Now we see, that people eat to much yogurt and have these sugar shocks so again, its so important what we give and feed our bodies from the inside.”

What’s the deal with your famous Whey Bath?

“We are doing so much cheese here in this area. If you have 1 liter milk you are only doing 90% cheese out of this, so the remaining 10% is the whey. And there are so many vitamins and minerals in this whey. My grandmother made all these different things with whey, because it was so good for you. She even made whey soup, which I never liked. She lived to 99. The reason that it’s so good for you is because of the lactic acid. We have heard all these theories about how Cleopatra bathed in milk. Well she actually bathed whey.”

Are you now as obsessed as I am with Susanne? I thought so. To give you a little mini crash course in her skincare line, I put together a shortlist of my favorite discoveries….

It was really hard to choose, but because I am such a bath addict, I love her Whey Bath (duh) and her Mallow Blossom Bubble Bath. Both look and feel incredible and actually make your skin more hydrated. The cooling and warming foot creams are really incredible products too. I bought the warming cream for myself and the cooling for my mom and she absolutely loves it.

For skincare, I am an Hyaluronic Acid lover, so it was only natural that I gravitated towards her Hyaluron Serum. The super concentrated plant-based formula is enriched with Hyaluronic Acid to help the skin retain moisture, as well as Citric Acid to reduce the appearance of fine lines.

After experiencing the anti-aging facial at her glorious spa, I knew that I needed the power trio in order to get my pre-party facial on. This means that the Enzyme Peel, the Moisturizing Mask and the Skin Lightening and Radiance Complex are now integral parts of my skincare routine. I’ll have a tutorial on how to do this coming up!

If you try any of my recommendations, you have to keep me posted! I know they will help you get that lit-from-within glow in no time.

The Beauty Secrets I Uncovered in the Austrian Alps syndicated from http://ift.tt/2kHgYTQ

[lookitcookit]

Incanto, Harrow-on-the-Hill

In the middle of the High Street in Harrow (opposite this scene) is this unpretentious Italian restaurant.  A parsnip soup was a hefty starter and a thick piece of cod in a saffron sauce was good, but let down by slightly underdone dauphinoise potatoes. Slow-roasted lamb was, however, much enjoyed.

Somehow they failed to get the booze into the tiramisu, with the sponge fingers dry, instead of being soaked in strong coffee and liqueur. (But I did like the dark chocolate lettering on a white chocolate disc.)

I’m afraid the food came second in enjoyment to our conversations with friends who had been married on the same day as us.  You can imagine in all these years, we still have a lot to talk about.  After they left, we wandered round the village that is home to Harrow School.

The buildings, gardens, library and boys’ ‘houses’ must be one of the finest places in the world to get your first class education.  The Man in the Armchair Kitchen was in his element, having been to this school, and having the pleasure of meeting one of the young students who had just completed his first year there.

[zillowcondo]

London in Bloom – Chelsea Flower Show & A Floral Afternoon Tea

With the sun finally here to stay in the capital, there’s never been a better time to explore London in Bloom! We’re sharing photos of our recent escapades at Chelsea Flower Show and in Belgravia for afternoon tea with a twist. These charming London areas have never looked lovelier…

Chelsea in Bloom

Chelsea Flower Show officially marks the start of the UK social season, and thankfully the weather usually seems to perk up around this time. I really enjoyed visiting the flower show last year so was excited to see what they had come up with this year. We made our way to the flower show via Sloane Square where the shops have put on an impressive floral display of their own as part of #Chelseainbloom Floral Safari. There were some quirky giraffes outside Rag & Bone and another colorful one in front of Kiki McDonough’s boutique.

Chelsea Flower Show 2017

Weaving through the throngs of people inside RHS Chelsea Flower Show, we admired the elaborate trade stands including this cute topiary display.

This driftwood horse by James Doran Webb also caught my eye…

I couldn’t resist climbing up to this tree house made from kebony wood by BlueForest. There was a surprise inside – you can see down to the ground via a circular glass peep hole!

We enjoyed looking at the RHS Photographic Competition winning entries too. They go on tour to the RHS Gardens for the first time ever this year, and can be viewed at Rosemoor in Devon in July, Harlow Carr in Yorkshire in August, Hyde Hall in Essex in September and Wisley in Surrey during the month of October.

Among the Show Gardens, the Morgan Stanley Garden was one of my favourites and it scooped a silver-gilt medal. After the show, the whole garden will be donated to the Groundwork charity, to benefit 3 East London community schemes.

We were also impressed by the Silk Road Garden from Chengdu in China. The red blades represent the mountains in Sichuan Province, whilst the colourful peonies and rhododendrons were a joy to behold.

Floral Afternoon Tea at COMO The Halkin

As part of Belgravia in Bloom, a six day floral festival in Belgravia from 22-27 May, I was invited to afternoon tea with a difference at COMO The Halkin. The Belgravia in Bloom theme this year is children’s books, so COMO The Halkin have designed a tribute to Paddington Bear.

Don’t you just love these Wellington boots!

The amazing floral arrangements outside the hotel and in the lobby have been created by In Water Flowers. The Halkin is located on a discreet road in Belgravia. It’s surprisingly quiet considering how close it is to Hyde Park Corner. This week, Paddington Bear shaped cookies will be available in the Halkin Bar too.

The sun is here to stay in London! I made the most of it by heading to @comothehalkin with @rosana_mcphee for their Ametsa Afternoon Tea with Sipsmith floral gin cocktails. Loved the Paddington Bear inspired floral decorations in the lobby too! What do you think of the flower decorations?

A post shared by Suze | Luxury Columnist (@luxurycolumnist) on May 24, 2017 at 2:05pm PDT

The floral theme continues with the recently launched Ametsa Afternoon Tea, including floral gin cocktails and flower inspired desserts. Designed by Michelin starred chef Sergi Sanz in collaboration with award-winning Sipsmith gin, the cocktails are very photogenic. I chose the Berry Caipirinha, which was a delightful fruity blend of Sipsmith Dry Gin, cachaca and raspberry purée.

My friend Rosana went for the Eldorado, which was an appropriately golden colour, being a tasty combination of saffron infused gin, Lillet Blanc and St. Germain elderflower liquor.

We really enjoyed the Basque themed savouries – the original Ametsa in San Sebastian is famous for its Michelin starred Spanish cuisine and this tea certainly lives up to their reputation. First up was a refreshing sweetcorn soup with Txangurro, a mix of crab, onion and tomato, and a distinctive green pea cuajada curd.

Next up were duck and shallot skewers, crispy ham croquettes, Idiazabal cheese sandwich with onion chutney and broken eggs on waffle – my favourite being the tender duck. Certainly makes a change from the usual cucumber sandwiches!

There was a good choice of black, herbal and green teas, all by JING Tea. I opted for the lemon and ginger as I’m trying to shake off a cold, and was pleased to see that it was real lemon and ginger in the teapot rather than a teabag. Our floral themed desserts were very innovative, with  a “dropped” rice pudding cone, a surprising parsnip cob, quince balls, and orange toast with spinach.

The pear and strawberry consommé and the emerald chocolate were the highlight for me, and the tempura rose petals set them off beautifully. All in all, a fitting end to our London in Bloom adventures! Afternoon tea is available every day from 2.30 to 5 pm at COMO The Halkin, for £32 per person or £36 with a glass of cava or a Sipsmith cocktail.

Do you have green fingers or are you more of a backseat gardener like me?

The post London in Bloom – Chelsea Flower Show & A Floral Afternoon Tea appeared first on Luxury Columnist.

London in Bloom – Chelsea Flower Show & A Floral Afternoon Tea published first on http://ift.tt/2pewpEF

[clubnail]

The Beauty Secrets I Uncovered in the Austrian Alps

A few weeks ago, I had the most transformative experience I couldn’t wait to share with all of you. I had the pleasure of visiting Susanne Kaufmann at her spa at the Hotel Post Bezau. The blonde beauty comes from the Bregenzer Forest, a unique valley in the Austrian Alps, and has developed powerful, results-driven products (I’m sure you’ve heard of them) comprised of the cleanest, most refreshing ingredients. I was lucky enough to visit her picturesque hotel for a mini-detox and to test out her line and her treatments.

Here’s the scoop.

During my three night stay at the Hotel Post, I slept in one of the special “sleep therapy rooms.” My bed was made in a particular way to ensure deep sleep and at night, the wifi actually turns off to encourage further relaxation. The design of the room is very simple, no TV, just very zen. I ate from her Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Detox Diet, which was delicious and left me totally satisfied. The cuisine supports purification, detoxification and de-acidification of the body and the connective tissue. I could get down with that.

A typical menu sounded like this. Breakfast: hot oat cereal with fruits, pudding of chia seed with coconut and cardamom, juice freshly squeezed with linseed oil, and Susanne Kaufmann Detox Tea. Lunch: fennel tomato soup, quinoa with cucumber, bell pepper, olives and capers and SK Peppermint Tea. Dinner: stewed saffron fennel with celery, cream of parsnips and wild herbs, fennel tomato soup and SK Acid Alkalizing Tea. The teas became my addiction over the course of my stay, especially the Acid Alkalizing Tea.

The best part? I had the opportunity to meet with Susanne. I, obviously, asked her everything – from the inspiration behind her skincare line to her under-the-radar beauty secrets. Read on for my full interview with the guru.

Tell me about how you got involved with the spa.

“When I took over [the spa in 1994], there was one masseur, one therapist, a doctor, a little spa and a sauna. It was the typical European detox center, but very simple. I quickly realized I wanted to develop and focus on the spa.

A lot of the spas at the time were influenced by Greek and Italian architecture, very heavy, so I was always striving to be unique, which is why I decided to keep the spa clean, sterile, white and very medical. I wanted to have nothing in the rooms – no colors, pictures, sounds – so you can focus on yourself.”

When concepting the spa, how did you decide to develop your own line of products?

“We had tried all the big name brands – Shiseido, Estee Lauder, but nothing natural. And I was very lucky because I was told about a producer that was only 15 minutes from the hotel that has his own line using whey in his cosmetics. And at the beginning there were 24 products, now we have around 80 products. And people really came to the spa, and I didn’t know if they would like the products and would ask for Clinique or Estee, but they didn’t, they loved our line. So after a year, we fazed out all the other lines and we used only Susanne Kaufmann products. And that’s how it started.

How would you describe your skincare line?

“It’s about taking the best quality and bringing it into the skin in the most natural and effective way and really do something and work. When you bring something in very deeply, you have to be careful about what you take and which quality. For me, cooking and cosmetics are a bit the same. It all depends on the ingredients. If you make a fish that isn’t good quality, and you put on the best sauce in the world, the fish still isn’t good. And the same goes for cosmetics. You can disguise anything with fancy packaging, but if the quality isn’t right, it’s harmful.”

 What ingredients make your products stand out?

“Ectoine. It’s a wonderful cell repair ingredient. When it comes to anti-aging and radiance and beautiful skin, it’s always about helping your cells work better. After we turn 25, the cell regeneration diminishes. The ectoine helps the cells regenerate and protect themselves. We have it in the whole A-Line, the advanced anti-aging line as well as well as the sun production creams. It’s from an algae, so they do it in the lab. They put the algae’s under stress by freezing them. To prevent the algae from dying, they give the algae a little ‘coat,’ which is the ectoine. This protects from the coldness. So when you go back and de-freeze them, they release the ectoine! It’s so natural and it’s a wonderful botanical active.

I also use arnica. In the summertime as a child, my parents would send me and my cousins to the mountains [to visit my grandmother]. We always had time to collect things. There were blueberries and ingredients for tea. And my Grandma was obsessed with arnica. She would make arnica schnapps. And whenever you had something, if it was a scratch, a sore throat, if you had problems with you knee – arnica cured everything. So whenever we would go up into the Alps, she would ask us to bring it. And it wasn’t for drinking; it was just for the cure.”

Have any favorite products in your collection?

“The Line A Eye Cream (which contains that entoine) and also the Skin Lighting and Radiance Complex. It makes your skin really even and removes the sunspots and age spots. But it takes time to really remove the pigmentation. If you really have those dark spots, it takes a year but it works. You don’t need lasers; the creams and serums will really work.”

You are known to be fascinated by Traditional Chinese medicine. How does that influence the spa?

“I was looking for something a bit deeper than only doing facials and massages. I always thought there was more more about being beautiful or healthy, so I tried a few different courses. I went to a Panchakarma course [aka the most effective healing modality in Ayurvedic Medicine] and it was a really wonderful experience but I couldn’t introduce this into the Hotel Post. Your hair needed to get really oily and this was more of a retreat, so it wasn’t right kind of experience.

Traditional Chinese medicine is all about preservation. You basically go to prevent getting sick. I thought this was the right thing. I didn’t want to be a medical center but I did want to prevent people from getting sick. If you come to the hotel for the whole detox program, you are seen by a Chinese medicine practitioner and your plan is based on your diagnosis.

From there everything falls into place and you get specific cuisine, treatments, movements and products. It’s a 360 degree approach. We see beauty in a holistic way. You have to look at the whole picture – not just at the skin. It’s what how eat and sleep, so we try to integrate all of this into your treatment.”

How did you choose the hotel’s menu?

“The food was really important to me because I love food. If I have a 5-course menu or if I just have some cheese and potato, I always look for good quality. Food is how you feed your cells, everything. It’s really the base. Now we see, that people eat to much yogurt and have these sugar shocks so again, its so important what we give and feed our bodies from the inside.”

What’s the deal with your famous Whey Bath?

“We are doing so much cheese here in this area. If you have 1 liter milk you are only doing 90% cheese out of this, so the remaining 10% is the whey. And there are so many vitamins and minerals in this whey. My grandmother made all these different things with whey, because it was so good for you. She even made whey soup, which I never liked. She lived to 99. The reason that it’s so good for you is because of the lactic acid. We have heard all these theories about how Cleopatra bathed in milk. Well she actually bathed whey.”

Are you now as obsessed as I am with Susanne? I thought so. To give you a little mini crash course in her skincare line, I put together a shortlist of my favorite discoveries….

It was really hard to choose, but because I am such a bath addict, I love her Whey Bath (duh) and her Mallow Blossom Bubble Bath. Both look and feel incredible and actually make your skin more hydrated. The cooling and warming foot creams are really incredible products too. I bought the warming cream for myself and the cooling for my mom and she absolutely loves it.

For skincare, I am an Hyaluronic Acid lover, so it was only natural that I gravitated towards her Hyaluron Serum. The super concentrated plant-based formula is enriched with Hyaluronic Acid to help the skin retain moisture, as well as Citric Acid to reduce the appearance of fine lines.

After experiencing the anti-aging facial at her glorious spa, I knew that I needed the power trio in order to get my pre-party facial on. This means that the Enzyme Peel, the Moisturizing Mask and the Skin Lightening and Radiance Complex are now integral parts of my skincare routine. I’ll have a tutorial on how to do this coming up!

If you try any of my recommendations, you have to keep me posted! I know they will help you get that lit-from-within glow in no time.

The Beauty Secrets I Uncovered in the Austrian Alps syndicated from http://ift.tt/2kHgYTQ