If you’re a foodie like me then you’ll thoroughly enjoy two new blogs I just discovered that I’m excited to share. Both combine food and style and are completely addicting! First up is Sous Style…. a food blog created by Elle photo director Pippa Lord which chronicles the culinary adventures of fashionistas and tastemakers around the globe. The subjects are stylish and intriguing, the photography is stunning and the food is absolutely mouth watering. Pippa has dubbed Sous Style as a site for “a new generation of homemakers.” Think younger, hipper Martha Stewart types who love to cook and entertain at home. I’m completely hooked! Below is a look at what you’ll find inside and you can check out Sous Style here!
Sous Style Creator Pippa Lord (above)
All photos above via Sous Style.
Next up is Lookbook Cookbook which is written by Toronto based Jessica Milan, a photographer and former model that also happens to be studying holistic nutrition. I was especially excited to stumble upon this blog not just because of it’s unique fusion of fashion and food but also because I eat (mostly) gluten and dairy free and this recipe based blog features all vegan baking recipes that are gluten, dairy and, best of all, guilt-free! Jessica bakes her tasty treats and then shoots super cute, impeccably styled models eating them which puts both the food and fashion center stage for a double dose of inspiration. Catch a peek at some of the site’s sweet shots below and you can check out Lookbook Cookbook here!
Above photos via Lookbook Cookbook
Since Summer is here I’ve been buying up lots of summer berries and I love to bake so last weekend I tried out this lowfat blueberry muffin recipe from an awesome iPad app I recently downloaded called the Photo Cookbook Baking App. The muffins are made with yogurt and egg whites so they’re totally healthy and taste amazing! Mine came out so perfect I had to take a photo and here’s the recipe so you can try them yourself!
Lowfat Blueberry Muffins
from The Photo Cookbook Baking App
scant 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp ground allspice
generous ½ cup superfine sugar
3 large egg whites
3 tbsp lowfat margarine (*Note: I substituted an equal amount of olive oil for margarine)
⅔ cup thick lowfat plain
yogurt or blueberry-flavored yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 oz/85 g fresh blueberries
makes 12 muffins:
1. Preheat your oven to 375° F and place your paper liners in a muffin pan
2. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt and half the allspice together in a large mixing bowl. Add half the sugar and allspice and mix well
3. In a separate bowl whisk together the egg whites together then add the margarine, yogurt and vanilla and mix together. Next stir in the blueberries.
4. Add the fruit mixture to the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Don’t over stir and it’s fine fr the mixture to be a little lumpy.
5. Divide the mixture evenly between the paper liners. Each cup should be about 2/3 full. Mix the remaining sugar together with the allspice and sprinkle it over the muffins.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until risen. Remove the muffins from the oven.
7. Enjoy!
As I mentioned, this recipe came from The Photo Cookbook Baking App for iPad and iPhone which features the most beautifully photographed recipes with easy to follow step-by-step instructions. If you have an iPhone or iPad and love to bake I highly recommend downloading it here from the App Store! Below are a few screenshots!
Top photo by me
The best key lime pie I’ve ever tasted hails from the famous Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami. It’s both tart and sweet and has a ridiculously yummy buttery, sugary graham cracker crust that almost melts in your mouth. I tried my hand at the recipe and the result was bananas! It was also super easy to make. Here’s the recipe:
The Best Key Lime Pie Ever
Adapted from Joe’s Stone Crab
Crust:
1/3 lb graham cracker crusts (or 1/3 of a 1lb box of graham crackers)
5 tbsp melted butter
1/3 cup sugar
Filling:
3 egg yolks
2 tsp grated lime zest
1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cups of fresh lime juice
Vanilla Whipped Cream Topping:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and then grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie dish with butter. Set aside. Now you’re ready to begin prepping your pie crust. Using a food processor, pulse the graham crackers into fine crumbs. Next add in the butter and sugar and pulse again until the ingredients combine. (If you don’t have a food processor you can place the graham crackers in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin and then combine the remaining ingredients by hand.) Take the crust mixture and firmly press down onto the bottom and sides of your pie dish. (Tip: Use the bottom of your measuring cup like I did to help you press the mixture down smoothly and evenly). Bake in the oven for approximately 8 minutes or until just golden and set. Set aside on a wire rack and be sure to leave the oven on.
Next combine the egg yolk and lemon zest and beat on high speed using the wire whisk attachment on your electric mixer until the mixture is fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Gradually add in the condensed milk and continue to beat for another 3-4 minutes until the mixture is thick. Lower the speed and gradually add in the lime juice until just combined.
Next pour the mixture into the crust and bake for about 10 minutes until the filling sets. Cool on a wire rack and then refrigerate until the pie is completely cold, then set in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes before you’re ready to serve the pie. While the pie is freezing, combine all of the ingredients for the topping and whip together until the cream is stiff. Spread the whipped cream evenly across the entire pie. Feel free to garnish with sliced lime if you wish then cut into wedges and serve.
Be prepared to be blown away by the deliciousness of this pie…It’s that good.
Earlier in the summer I had my best friend and her husband over for a visit and I made them this very decadent, very yummy coconut cake. I garnished it with freshly shaven coconut and let me tell you, this cake was insanity! Here’s the recipe:
Double Layer Coconut Cake
Adapted from Sweets: Soul Food Desserts & Menus by Betty Piner
2 sticks (one cup) of unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs separated
3 cups sifted cake flower (I prefer Swan’s Down)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 cup butter
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
Milk as needed
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut for garnish
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom and sides of 9-inch round cake pans with butter, then lightly dust with flower. Set aside. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In another large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then alternate adding in the remaining dry ingredients and milk, a little at a time until well blended. Next stir in the coconut and vanilla. (I used store bought coconut for the cake batter, but fresh coconut for the garnish.) In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Then fold the beaten egg whites into the cake batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans, place in the center of the oven and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, approx 30-40 minutes.
Remove cakes from oven and cool on wire racks for approx 15 minutes. Remove cakes from pan and place on wire racks, tops facing up, to cool completely. While the cake cools, start working on the frosting. Simply add your butter, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla and cream to a large bowl and mix until blended. Add a few drops of milk as needed until you achieve your desired consistency. If your frosting ends up too thin, simple add more confectioner’s sugar, a tablespoon at a time until perfect.
The crumb coat on my coconut cake
Once your cake has cooled, you’ll want to crumb coat your cake. This is an important step to achieving a smoothly iced cake. Before icing your cake, place strips of parchment paper onto your cake stand or platter to keep it clean while icing. Now start applying the frosting on the top of the bottom layer, about a quarter inch thick. Then place your second layer on top. Then apply a thin layer of frosting all around the
top and sides of the cake (it doesn’t have to be perfect). This is your crumb coat. It acts sort of
like a paint primer, sealing in all of the crumbs and imperfections, so
that you can add a smooth and flawless coat of frosting on top. After you’ve finished your crumb coating, place the cake in the refrigerator for approx 20-30 minutes. This will allow the crumb coat to set. Then, add the final layer of frosting to your cake, garnish the top with flaked coconut. You flip when you taste the end result. It’s that good.
Here’s me cutting the first slice of cake for my bestie.
And the aftermath the following morning. For breakfast? You guessed it! More coconut cake! Mmmmm! If you’d like to know how to prepare and shave a fresh coconut, click “continue reading” for instructions.
Continue Reading »
Almost every weekend I bake something sweet and since today is Halloween I woke up with pumpkin on the brain! I decided to make a very simple spiced pumpkin loaf which I topped off with cinnamon whipped cream. It turned out delicious! Here's the recipe:
Spiced Pumpkin Loaf
3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup golden brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 medium sized eggs
1 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Cinnamon Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously grease 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan with butter. In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients except sugar. In another bowl, whisk together sugar, pumpkin, oil and eggs. Beat in dry ingredients until just blended. Pour batter into greased pan and bake until toothpick comes out clean, approx 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes. Invert loaf onto wire rack to cooling further. To make whipped cream, combine ingredients into a small bowl and whisk using an electric mixer until cream is thickened. Serve bread slightly warm with a dollop of whipped cream on the side. Enjoy!
Soft, buttery and full of lemon flavor, the classic French madeleine is one of my favorite sweet treats. When I was in college I was a hostess at an restaurant in Chicago called one sixtyblue. After the check was presented to a table there, each guest was served a single madeleine on a tiny white plate compliments of the pastry chef. The madeleines were plentiful so every single night I worked I would sneak off to the kitchen at least once to devour a few. And so began my love affair with this delicious, cake-like cookie. Madeleines are very simple to make. I’ve tried about a half dozen recipes over the years but this is the one that always results in perfection. I made a batch a couple of weeks ago and above is a picture of the final result. Thanks to Austin Irving for taking photos of my baked goods!
Classic French Madelines
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living
Makes approx 2 dozen
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (3/4 cups), melted, plus additional for greasing your pan
1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
3 large eggs plus 2 additional egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 heaping teaspoon of sour cream
2 1/2 tablespoons of freshly grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (2 to 3 lemons total)
Before you begin: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease your madeleine pan using melted butter. Set aside.
Step 1: Grate your lemon zest. I like a lot of lemon flavor but you can adjust the amount of zest based on your preference. To grate my lemon I use a nifty citrus grater by Microplane that I picked up at Williams-Sonoma. Tip: You can do this step in advance. Just refrigerate your zest in an airtight storage container until you’re ready to use.
Step 2: Put your eggs, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest to a bowl and mix on high speed using an electric mixer for 4-5 minutes until thickened and smooth. If you are using a hand mixer, mix for about 6 minutes. Next, mix in the butter, about 1 minute.
Step 3: Fold in the flour using a spatula, then let the batter rest approximately 20 minutes.
Photo: Austin Irving for So Haute
Step 4: Spoon batter into greased pan filling each mold approx 3/4 full. Bake for 7-10 minutes, rotating once halfway through baking. Cookies are done when tester inserted in center comes out clean and edges are golden. Invert madeleines onto wire rack and let cool.
Photo: Austin Irving for So Haute
Step 5: Dust madeleines with confectioners sugar and enjoy!
Stylish Serving Tip: Small desserts like madeleines look great on a footed platter or a cake stand. I served mine on a vintage glass cake stand purchased on ebay which you can see in the photo above. Below are two great options for serving your madeleines and other desserts. On the left is a chic hand-blown glass cake stand with pewter bead edging and base by Arte Italica from Neiman Marcus, $208. On the right is a budget-friendly glass cake stand with dome lid from Martha Stewart Everyday for Kmart, $16.99.
This past weekend it was incredibly hot outside which had me craving a glass of cool, refreshing strawberry lemonade! I made a pitcher on Saturday and it was delicious. The ingredients are simple. All you need are lemons, strawberries, sugar and water. The recipe is super simple too.
Nicole’s Sweet Summer Strawberry Lemonade
5-6 large lemons
1 lb strawberries
5 cups cold water (approx)
A concoction of simple syrup made from 1 1/2 cups sugar dissolved into 1 cup of warm water.
Note: The pitcher I use holds approx 80 oz so you can adjust the recipe based on the size of your pitcher. I also like my lemonade on the sweeter side so adjust the sugar based on your desired sweetness.
Step 1: Slice up your lemons and strawberries. Mix your simple syrup and set aside.
Step 2: Place the strawberries in a food processor along with 2 tablespoons of the simple syrup and grind until a smooth puree forms. Set aside.
Step 3: Extract the juice from your lemons. I use
this inexpensive citrus juicer by Proctor Silex which makes this step a breeze.
Step 4: Add the lemon juice, strawberry puree and the remainder of your simple syrup to a pitcher and stir. Next add the cold water. (Use more or less water depending on your desired level of sweetness and citrus strength.) Chill in the refrigerator for about a half hour, then serve over ice.
And Voila! You have yourself a pitcher of Sweet Summer Strawberry Lemonade. Enjoy!
Stylish Serving Tip: For a finished look, garnish your glass with a simple sliced strawberry. And your strawberry lemonade will look even yummier if served in a lovely pitcher and glassware. The classic pitcher and pint glasses below from Pottery Barn will do the trick nicely plus they’re a really great value.
Noria Morales
I’m a big foodie. I’m a passionate cook and I also enjoy dining out so when I learned that my friend Noria Morales (who also happens to be a fashion editor at Lucky Magazine) started a food blog, I knew I’d love it instantly.
At First Bite is a must-read blog that celebrates food and chronicles Noria’s frequent excursions to some of the most fabulous restaurants in New York City and beyond. From hole in the wall taco joints to top-rated fine dining establishments, Noria will keep you in the loop on what places you should be checking out and why. Whenever I’m stumped on where to go for dinner or drinks, I visit AFB’s regularly updated
Eat/Drink Here page which features her well-edited list of bar and restaurant recommendations. The blog is also filled with enticing food photos that are sure to make your
mouth water. (I swear, every time I read her blog I get hungry!) You can visit At First Bite by clicking
here and below is a sample of some of the tempting photos you’ll find while there. Hungry yet?
Carrot Cake Cupcakes from Babycakes
A creative culinary confection from LaGrenouille
Seared sea scallops with parsnip puree and caramelized Brussels sprouts served at a dinner party
A yummy brunch at Morandi in the West Village
And a fresh fruit breakfast of papaya, pineapple and bananas which Noria consumed during a fairly recent trip to Hawaii
Photo: Bill Brady/UptownI’m always inspired when I hear about people who took a leap of faith and quit the corporate grind to follow their passions. Such is the case with two friends of mine, Vanessa Cantave and Gracia Walker who run a cutting edge food services company called Yum Yum Chefs which is based in DUMBO Brooklyn.
Photo: Bill Brady/UptownIn 2005 Vanessa left her job in the advertising and marketing industry to explore her passion for cooking at the renowned French Culinary Institute. While in school she apprenticed under famed chef Daniel Boulud and after graduating at the top of her class, she founded Yum Yum Chefs. Gracia quit her high-powered beauty PR job a little more than a year ago and joined Yum Yum full time as head of business operations.
Photo: Bill Brady/UptownSince then the company has expanded its range of services which now includes catering, private dinner events, personal chef services, instructional cooking classes, a weekly meal delivery program (think NuKitchen only better) and made-to-order cupcakes which are insanely good. (They put Magnolia and Billy’s to shame)Yum Yum features a team of classically trained chefs who use only the finest certified organic ingredients. The company also partners with a local farm to source produce and free-range, all-natural, antibiotic-free meats, fish and poultry.
Yum Yum has really taken off and has been generating quite a bit of buzz including coverage inDaily Candy, The New York Post, Ideal Bite and most recently, Uptown magazine. I’m especially excited about Uptown because Gracia & Vanessa were photographed in the Yum Yum dining room which I helped decorate! It’s sort of hard to see the details since the dining room is in the background but below is a closer look.
Photo: Bill Brady/UptownThe 1300 square foot Yum Yum loft is in a 200 year old building which used to be a factory and some of the building’s original details still exist such as the rustic wood beams that run through the ceilings. Gracia and Vanessa wanted a modern looking space that played off the charm of the loft’s original details. They needed a dining table that could seat at least 10 comfortably and they also wanted to incorporate Yum Yum’s signature color which is a super bright red.
The walnut dining table, similar to this one, is by
Bruce Marsh Designs. I had seen his work on Apartment Therapy and in the New York Times and I knew Gracia and Vanessa would love it. Bruce Marsh had makes his furnishings which are all made of solid hardwoods using eco-friendly materials. The best part is that Bruce Marsh is based in Dumbo too so the ladies didn’t have to travel far to visit the showroom and they got a great deal on shipping! The table is hands down my favorite piece in the space. It love its beautiful woodgrain pattern and rich, dark coloring. It also seats 10 people comfortably and 12 with a tight squeeze.
For the chairs, we went super sleek with the high gloss
Selene chairdesigned by the legendary Italian furniture designer and architect, Vico Magistretti. We chose bright red!
The space has amazing 14 foot ceilings so for the lighting I wanted to go with a large, dramatic, low hanging pendant lamp over the dining table. The end choice was a pair of spun metal
Powell Street Pendantsfrom O Lighting. Dimmers were added so the mood could be easily controlled.
The decision on what to put on the walls was easy…Vanessa wanted to prominently display this photo of her grandmother and muse. Isn’t she so chic?
Although not visible in the Uptown piece, the photo of Vanessa’s grandmother is prominently displayed in this oval shaped baroque frame from Ikea. Vintage black and white photos of other family members also pepper the walls in a gallery like arrangement and all are in black frames are from Ikea.
For more info on Yum Yum Chefs, visit their website here.
