The keepers – part 1

The great closet purge started one day after work.  I stopped by the wine merchant, grabbed a bottle of red and headed straight for my shoe closet. When I first decided that a total refresh was in store for my closet, I also decided that I was going to be methodical and a little cerebral about the whole thing. I did my research, read a million different suggestions on the right way to go about culling ones closet and some how I ended up spending 3 weeks just thinking and imaging what my new wardrobe would look like. Last week I realized that if I kept it up I was never going to have a closet full of lovely things. It was time for a change in strategy. Thus the bottle of wine and the shoe closet.

I started by basically opening the closet and throwing everything onto the floor. The shoes were then sorted into three piles, keepers, donations and just plain finished shoes. Well to be honest there is a fourth pile, it is the shoes that should get donated but i’m not ready to part with pile. All of the keepers were lucky enough to received the royal treatment; polish, leather protector, black suede was re-dyed, and a final shine/brush. They are all looking lovely and organized in the closet as I sit here writing.

Next I pulled a chair into the bedroom and hauled out the purse collection, which was another easy target. I don’t have a lot of purses but the ones I have are good ones and I try to keep them in good shape. I did however send a few into the donate pile. Finally, I moved onto the scarf box, but there wasn’t much to do there.

So, what did I learn from all of this?

  • I need some new coloured flats and a pair of summer sandals.
  • Never buy shoes that don’t fit you perfectly. No matter how much you love their look.
  • Get a good cobbler. I take my good shoe there often and have them resoles and reheeled.
  • If you buy good quality leather goods and take care of them they will last for years.
  • You can never have to many scarves!

Stay tuned, I still have a long way to go on my closet purge. With a little fear and trepidation I will be moving on to my jackets, dresser and finally the REAL closet.

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Just in Time – Pots de Cremé

As it turns out, I am not sure how much of a winter we are going to get. But instead of sniffling about it, I set out to do something. It was a pack up the car on Saturday morning type of do something! It involved snacks and snowshoes and a lot of winter layers. But before too long, we were headed for the mountains for a little winter fun. We haven’t been snowshoeing nearly as much as I would like this year, so it was high time for a little trek through the snow. The weather was simply beautiful after a few days of fog down in the valley. If I had my way, I’d probably hole up in a snowbound winter cottage and be perfectly content, at least for a few months!

So, I’ve been thinking a little about Valentine these days. Not so much because I am the hearts and flower type, but just because everyone can use a little something to look forward to in February. And the opportunity to plan a nice little meal is something I relish. So, here I am to share!

While dinner with the two-year-old who will be joining us could hardly be called a quiet affair, I do count on it being a good time. And since Valentines will be on a weeknight this year, elaborate feasts are not really in the cards for me. But the one thing that I will go out of my way for will be dessert. Doesn’t a nice finish to a meal make it that much more special?

A few years back, I had my first real introduction to the dessert called pots de cremé via Orangette. And while chocolate seems to be the go-to flavor for this little dish of deliciousness, I’ve never been able to tear myself away from the caramely goodness of this recipe. Honestly, I have a small collection of recipes for chocolate, espresso and other varieties that have gone untried. But now that I am back in the swing of the ease of these desserts, maybe I’ll be willing to give it a try.

It may sound fiddly, but I think this is one dessert that will actually work pretty nicely into a weeknight meal. And whether you give it a shot for Valentines or not, it is a handy sweet to have in your repertoire. See, it’s cooked in individual portions and better still, I think it keeps really well for a day or two in the fridge. Which could mean dessert for a few nights, already perfectly portioned and chilling in your refrigerator. Need I say more?

Butterscotch Pots de Cremé

Adapted from Gourmet, October 2003

Makes about 6 servings, depending on your portions.

Here are a few ideas that might help you pull this recipe off with a little more ease, depending on your schedule. If you like, you can prepare the custard base and store it in the fridge overnight. Then, next day, pull it out of the fridge to warm a little before filling your ramekins and scooting them into the oven. They will just take a little longer to cook. Or, if you’re a little more adventurous, make them the night before. Seal each container carefully with plastic wrap and store in the fridge. Depending on your preference, allow to warm a little or serve chilled.

  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream (or if you want to go a little lighter, try 1 cup of cream with 1/2 cup whole milk)
  • 6 tablespoons dark muscovado sugar *
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons Demerara sugar*
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 300° F, adjusting the rack to sit in the middle of the oven. Select ramekins or dishes for cooking and line a baking dish with a thin tea towel or two.

Combine cream (and milk, if using), muscovado sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and stir until all of the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.

Heat water and Demerara sugar to a boil in a large saucepan over moderate heat. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. Allow the mixture to continue cooking until browned and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add in the cream mixture, whisking until combined.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the yolks and the vanilla. Gradually pour in the hot cream mixture, whisking all the while. Once combined, pour the custard through a fine sieve into a glass measure. Skim off any remaining foam. If you plan on cooking the custard later, allow the custard to cool a little before covering and refrigerating.

Pour the custard into the ramekins and cover each one with foil. Arrange the ramekins in a towel-lined baking dish with a little room between each of the cups. Place the pan in the oven, then gently pour enough hot tap water into the baking dish to reach about halfway up the ramekins. The custard should cook until it is set around the edges, but still jiggle slightly in the center, about 40 minutes. Use kitchen tongs to remove one ramekin from the pan to check it. If you opted to prepare the custard in advance, you’ll have to cook it a bit longer.

Once cooked, lift the ramekins from their tray to a cooling rack, using kitchen tongs. Remove foil and allow to cool. The custard will continue to set as it cools. Serve warm or cool to room temperature before refrigerating.

* The muscavado and Demerara sugars are usually found in well-stocked grocery stores or can be purchased online.

The pots de cremé will be delicious as is. But if you want to fancy them up a little, you might try some of these ideas:

  • Whip cream and chocolate shavings
  • Fresh strawberries and whip cream
  • Speculoos cookies or gingersnaps

Either way, it’s going to be tasty! Enjoy!

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Make it better…

One of my recent delights is Gilt Tastes little series How to Make A Better… The series shows you, well, how to make it better. Grate the cheese for your grilled sandwiches!! Genius right, how come I have never thought of that! So far I have made the scrambled eggs and grilled cheese, next will be the pancakes.
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I am also delighted with the fact that next Tuesday marks Day 1 of my half marathon training program. In other words, bring on the pancakes! You are supposed to up your intake of carbs when you are training 5 days a week right?

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Sprouting

I took a slightly new twist on gardening this winter. While wintertime does not seem like the season for much of anything fresh, I brought my garden indoors. Yes indeed, I started growing sprouts. I chalk it up to spending just a little too long in the grocery store one afternoon. I happened upon the sprouting supplies and things have been a little crazy since then.

I’m perfectly happy to take the seasonal approach to my vegetables. And while my fall CSA boxes transitioned to heartier greens and roots, I happily cooked along with all of them. But I do like a salad, even in the winter – some shade of green, leafy and full of crunch. As you may have seen earlier, I’ve dabbled with other greens for my riff on a Turkish Salad. But sometimes, you want something other than a standard head of lettuce. And here is where my little sprouting box in the window comes in.

I started out small with alfalfa sprouts. That is what I was most familiar with as a kid. But after seeing a few of the other choices – clover, radish, fenugreek – I went a little crazy. I even went online and found a few more adventurous blends. But of everything I have tried, I think my favorite has to be a combination of radish and clover sprouts. The radish has a nice zing to it and the leaves get nice and big for sprouts.

As far as the causes of this undesirable and unpopular condition, some due to breathing issues and conditions of the real member itself that your doctor will be able to describe better than any words in the following paragraphs. purchase cialis online A man experiencing high levels of stress or anxiety may turn into bad habits that can cheap levitra tablets further contribute to ED. In browse around description buy viagra online in rare case when this condition worsened and went beyond control, only then men consulted physicians who often suggested exercises, herbs or other natural remedies to deal with hard water regularly. The reason why herbal alternatives are better than synthetic is because ED canadian tadalafil pills can only enhance the blood circulation. I have a pretty good system figured out now that provides me with fresh sprouts all week long. Sandwiches, burgers and salads are all tasty ways to use sprouts. But lately, I’ve been betting that a new twist on fresh spring rolls including these sprouts would be delicious. I’ll let you know how that turns out!

B has even taken a little interest in what I’ve got growing. He likes to stand at the sink with me while I am rinsing out the sprouts in the evening. Some days we’ll pick them out of the trays, one at a time, and snack on them. Yes, that delights me!

The best part about this kind of gardening is that you don’t need dirt or even a well-lit window. Just a little spot on the counter in the kitchen will work just fine. I bought trays, but some people just do their sprouting in jars or other containers. With little attention and a few days, a little green goodness can be your in the midst of the chilly winter.

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New lovelies

Today marks a new day here at The Albrecht. Today, we are launching two exciting new features on our site. I’ll give you a hint, one is a current favourite website of ours and the other is a favourite app. If you guessed Pinterest and Instagram you are right! The Albrecht now features a Pin it button and links to our Instagram feeds!

I have been involved in an on and off sort of relationship with Pinterest for about the last year or so. Right now we are very much on. So I am delighted that we can facilitate easier pinning! Look for it.
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Both Ginger and I fell in love with Instagram over the summer and have been avid IG’ers ever since. I adore being able to search for country, cities, or a even specific location that I love and be able to see them again through another photographers lens. You can find links to our feeds in the top menu. Love, love, love it! Enough said really, here are a few  favourite images from our feeds.

Happy pining! Happy Instagraming! Happy Friday!

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Thoughts on the garden

It’s one of those things I can count on…when the holidays are over, the seed catalogues will come. And while I might have to wait for months before really even thinking about taking spade to garden, I can dream my way through the dahlia catalogue along with the stack of other seed catalogues that have been filing up my mailbox. A weekend or two will inevitably be spent trying to decide on what four tomato varieties will make the cut in the garden. Or what mixture of greens will kick off my spring salads. In short, it gives me a little hope that eventually, spring will come.

Last year was my first with a proper garden in a few years. My parents arrived on the scene with ideas aplenty and in no time had full plans sketched out for the garden. And this was no ordinary garden plot – they built me raised beds with rails for sitting, gravel walks for easy maintenance and a little fence to keep out wayward toddlers and anxious dogs! I know, this whole area was a very kind and thoughtful gesture and I am still touched by the generous gift this garden has been to me. By the time the summer was over and the tomatoes and dahlias were towering over the pathway, it felt jungle-like. A friend donated a chair and table, which I painted yellow, and hauled it into the garden. This was almost on the level of garden spa! (Tina, you may also note that the yellow spray paint idea is hardly something new – I was doing it months ago!)

I should be honest and tell you that things got a little out of control in the garden. I am not sure if it was the year or what, but my tomatoes fell over at least three times last summer. The plants were too vigorous to stay with their stakes. It became my weekend project to keep adding new stakes, pruning viciously to try and control the growth. The dahlias were so top-heavy with flowers that they drooped across the pathways, sprinkling spent petals at an alarming rate. I must come up with a new plan for proactive staking this year! But I embraced it all – tucked out of sight from most everyone, my little jungle was a quiet refuge all summer.

And now, through the silent winter, those beds have sat under the briefest cover of snow. I mulched them with leftover leaves and grass, just hoping to replenish the soil enough for a repeat performance this summer. I’ve already been out there once to see how the composting process is going and take a quick look at my volunteer fava beans, an added bonus from my composting antics. I am going to be so excited if those actually produce anything this year!

As I quietly surveyed the garden last week, I wondered just where I should plant the lettuce this spring? Where should the dahlias grow? Can I add any new flowers to my collection this year? Where will my first row of radishes grow? Tina suggested I draw a little planting map – it might help with my planning. Maybe I’ll share it here…
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My one new discovery last year was purslane. It’s not really a well-known green, but it is going to be. If you’re looking for the latest food trend, you heard it here first. To many, this is actually a weed, but the seeds I found were for an upright variety that made for easy picking. The leaves had a bit of a citrus flavor to them and lasted much further into the summer than any of the other lettuce varieties and was a welcome addition to salads. I think it was sometime toward the end of July when I finally decided it had run its course and pulled it out.

I’m always looking for new things to add to the garden mix. This year the idea came to me that perhaps I could add a Meyer lemon to the garden. Obviously, I am not going to be able to plant it anywhere. But in a pot, it could be quite a nice addition. In my mind, I’m thinking towering lemon tree. But this is likely going to be more of a small shrub – alas! And so long as I didn’t feel inspired to buy a whole grove of citrus, maybe I could winter one plant in the house. Maybe I’d have room for two…and who wouldn’t love a citrus tree in the living room? Just the thought of a future lemon or two would truly be a treat. Of course, this could be along the lines of my attempts with the fig tree. For all of my efforts hauling the massive barrel in and out, my fig harvest over the years has been scarce, at best. But still I try, just hoping that this might be the year. And who knows, I might have a real knack with citrus!

I’d best be off now…I really have to decide on those tomatoes!

 

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Adaptation

Spaghetti with Chorizo and Almonds is one of my go-to recipes. It is fast, easy and delicious. And for about 4 years now I have been obediently following the directions. Suddenly, out of the blue last week it stuck me, “Why have I not adapted this recipe!”.  It is the perfect recipe for adapting. So last Thursday I did.

 

Spaghetti with Farmers Sausage, Cannellini Beans & Spinach
Adapted from Gourmet’s Spaghetti with Chorizo and Almonds

yield: makes 4 servings | active time: 30 minutes | total time: 35 minutes

 

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 or 3 garlic cloves, diced
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 medium onion, finely chopped
12 ounces fideos (dried coiled vermicelli noodles) or angel-hair pasta broken into 2-inch lengths
1 bunch of baby spinach, trimmed
1 (14- to 19-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Parmesan for topping

 

Directions: Bring broth, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a small saucepan, then reduce heat and keep at a bare simmer.

Heat oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté garlic until pale golden, about 30 seconds. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Add farmers sausage and sauté until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to paper towels with garlic. Add butter to pot and sauté onion until golden, about 5 minutes, then add pasta and sauté, breaking up fideos with a wooden spoon, until golden, about 4 minutes. Add broth mixture and cook, covered, for about 4 minutes. Quickly add spinach to the pasta mixture and continue cooking until all liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Stir in cannellini beans, farmers sausage, garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve pasta with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

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Almost time for brunch

It’s almost the weekend. I look forward to those two days with so much anticipation. It’s a great time to relax and for me, to cook! As the week draws to a close, I am often planning what I am going to cook and compiling grocery lists. But one of the best parts of the weekend is breakfast. Or more specifically, brunch! We usually manage to get a little more sleep on the weekends and once everyone is up, head to the kitchen for coffee. That gives me a little lead time to start on something tasty to eat.

Last weekend, I cooked some eggs and tomato sauce. Call it what you will, this dish seems to find roots in a few different culinary traditions. Probably because it is so delicious! The tomato and egg combination holds up to a multitude of variations, so I’m sure to have something to throw together.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Baking dish – I prefer to use a skillet that can stand the oven. It makes the dish a true one-dish wonder!
  • Additions – sauté veggies such as onions, peppers, greens or mushrooms. Add in chickpeas, olives or sausage.
  • Tomatoes – a basic tomato sauce will work. My favorite is a large jar of whole tomatoes from my garden, but a tin of diced or whole tomatoes will work equally well. Add them to your pan once your veggies and other additions are cooked. Let this mixture simmer a bit so it’s not too juicy.
  • Spices – Add what you will, just tailor it to the flavors you are building. Add a little harissa for a kick, fresh basil or pimentón. But don’t stop there, anything goes with this dish.
  • Eggs – add as many as you are going to eat. I try to create little hollows all around my tomato sauce before slipping in the eggs one at a time.
  • Baking – finally, pop that pan in the oven. 350 is usually a good starting temperature. Since your pan and sauce are hot, all you have to do is get the eggs to your desired level of doneness. Check frequently, but I can usually count on about 15 minutes for minutes for mine.

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Happy weekend, everyone!

 

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Inspired DIYs

When you are the youngest child in the family your early years are spent trying to keep up with your older sibling. In order to not get left behind, you have to learn to walk, talk and basically do everything faster. As a child, it always seemed to me that Ginger was operating in some sort of better parallel universe. The games she played looked like more fun, her Barbie’s outfits seemed nicer, everything she did was somehow better. I felt compelled to copy her. If her Barbies were lounging poolside, so were mine. If she fashioned some sort of Barbie motor home out of mandarin orange box, my motor home was not far behind. Ginger hated it and wasn’t shy about telling me that she hated it. I did it anyway.

My need to not be left behind actually drove me to such extremes that not only did I mimic her all the time, I also wanted to be around her all the time too. Probably because I was sure that if I wasn’t around she would do something fantastic and I would miss it. On one particular evening Ginger was playing with her Barbies and I was feeling sick. Unlike a normal child who would have gone to bed, I insisted on watching ginger play. I curled up with a blanket and my best doll Annie and watched as the Barbies splashed in the pool and rushed around the room doing this and that. I will not regale you with all the details but, let’s just say that Ginger insisted that my doll and I be removed from her room, and I shouldn’t be allowed to return. Now I approach life with a healthy dose of caution when it comes to “copying”.

So it is with a little apprehension that I unveil my two DIY necklaces. I find myself feeling like a 7 year old kid who has been caught copying her big sisters! But as they say, imitation is the best form of flattery, no?

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A Pair and A Spare’s fantastic tutorial on how to make your own Sass and Bide inspired neon necklace and the Mara Hoffman style tribal necklace from I Spy DIY were just the inspiration I needed to start a few DIY projects of my own. Do check them out as they really are geniuses.

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The importance of being cozy

In the heart of winter, I just want to hunker down inside and get cozy. Sometimes that might be a warm cup of tea in the afternoon or a toasty pair of wool sock and slippers as I pad around the house. Whatever the case may be, I must be talking about this idea a fair bit as my son has taken up the cry. I know it is just a two-year-old’s stalling technique as he hollers from his bedroom that he needs another blanket to be cozy, but it’s just too cute not to oblige.

This week we had snow. I’ve been waiting for a bit of the white stuff for some time now. And that big winter storm that covered the Pacific Northwest a few days ago promised to deliver. What followed was a wee bit more messy – snow, freezing rain, ice and then slush. And in the end, it seemed a little bit more treacherous than your typical snow day should be. But I made the most of it with a little quality driveway snow shoveling and some baking to keep us all cozy and fed on a winter afternoon.

Sometimes a winter snack calls for something with a little most substance. Something that stands up to a quick dip into my hot chocolate. These biscotti fit the bill for me. There is even a little crunch of cornmeal that makes me feel all the more healthy for adding it in. And depending what I’m in the mood for, I can make them as healthy as I like. Almonds and cranberries make a nice festive cookie. As would pistachios and cranberries. Chopped dark chocolate plays to their cookie sensibilities. And dark chocolate and orange peel sounds enticing.

I like the dry, crunchy texture of this biscotti. Even the dry shower of crumbs that they always leave behind. And not that they ever end up sitting around for long, but they taste just as good on day one as they do several days later. So a little tin of these biscotti is always welcome around the espresso machine in these parts. Sometimes they will even stand in for a little breakfast tie-over while brunch is in the works. But whatever the occasion, these biscotti always seem to bring the right level of coziness to any snack.

Almond Biscotti

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Lenox Almond Biscotti in Baking

I’ve made this recipe dozens of times with many variations. It may not be authentic, but someone at my house loves chocolate! Dark chocolate chunks and almonds are a pretty addictive combination. The sky is the limit, but I’d try to keep my additions to about 1 cup in total. And since all that chocolate sweetens up the dough, I often reduce the sugar a little as well.

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

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1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup chocolate, chips or chopped your choice

Heat your oven to 350 F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add the cornmeal and whisk to combine.

Working with a stand mixure, or hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar for about three minutes, until very smooth. Add the eggs and continue to beat for another two minutes, scrapping the bowl as needed, until the mixture is light, smooth and creamy. Beat in the almond extract. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only enough to combine. You’ll have a very soft dough. Scrape the bowl and beaters to clean and gently stir in the almonds and chocolate.

Scrape half of the dough onto one side of the prepared baking sheet. Using your fingers and perhaps a rubber spatula, work the dough into a log about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Sometimes a little water on your finger tips works well too. The log does not have to be perfect. Form a second log on the other side of the pan.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the logs are lightly golden and still soft to the touch. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and cool the logs on the baking sheet for 30 minutes. If you turn off the oven, bring it back to 350 as you prepare the next step.

Using a wide spatula, transfer the logs to a cutting board and trim the ends of the logs. They make a perfect snack at this point! Cut the logs into 3/4-inch-thick slices and return to the baking sheet and the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden and firm. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.  Enjoy!

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