maple roasted cabbage with caramelized hazelnuts

those short days and long nights have started... it's like the world runs at a different, slower, pace. some people say they're less cheerful when the sky is bleak - but i'm not. i'm happy with the grey covered sky, the fog in the morning, that lulls everything in softness, and the promise of a cosy night in. bring it on, winter! show us what you've got in terms of bad weather, cold and greyness! i'm ready with some easy to create dishes to fight you.

roasted blue & green cabbage

ingredients:

1 blue cabbage, shredded or cut into fine stripes

1/2 green cabbaged, dito

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. maple syrup

1 tsp. maldon sea salt

1 cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

2 tbsp. sugar

directions:

preheat the oven to 240 degrees celsius, and, as always, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. put the shreeded cabbages, the oil, maple syrup and sea salt in a bowl and toss well to combine, until all of the cabbage is coated with the oil-syup. spread on the baking sheet. roast for 30 minutes, occasionally taking it out to turn it over. note: first, you will experience the cabbage wilting. it's not ready yet! wait, and have patience. keep on roasting and stirring it occasionally. after about 30 minutes, the cabbage should look a bit dried and browned on the edges and partly even crispy. that's the sign that it's good. 

while the cabbage roasts, melt the sugar in a small frying pan, until dark brown. add the hazelnuts to the sugar, and toss to coat. spread out onto a parchment paper and let cool.

arrange the cabbage on a plate. sprinkle with the nuts. serve warm, as a side to classic meat dishes, a turkey or venison. i personally think it's the ideal addition to a thanks giving. might even have to make a turkey just so i can serve this with it.

flapjacks (something like a granola bar)

whenever you explain that london is your favorite 'food-city', people look at you funny (that is, if they aren't both, foodies and london-fans, which is not a combination of traits you'd find as often as you'd think). clearly, those people have never been to the right places to east! i'm not even only talking about the - vastly creative and inspired - new, exotic cuisines that are popping up everywhere. i'm talking about the traditional english food, too. like mint sauce, roasts or puddings. and flapjacks. flapjacks are in any case the best thing of them all. the americans might think it's a granola bar in disguise. and they're probably not entirely wrong (anyone here to object? i mean, somehow with a say in flapjacks, obviously?). 

ps: this is our new (shriek with joy at this point) dining table! it is old and shabby looking and laaaarge. it's a pleasure to shoot food on it (and eat it, afterwards). there will be more occasions to show it off, properly. for now let me just boast a bit, if you don't mind?

flapjacks (something like a granola bar)

recipe adapted from here

ingredients:

300 g unsalted butter

75 g demerara sugar

120 g golden syrup

250 jumbo rolled oats

200 g small oats

1 pinch salt

directions: 

preheat the oven to 150 degrees c (if you want them soft & chewy, like i do. otherwise turn up the heat a little). line a baking sheet with parchment paper. melt the butter, syrup and sugar together in a small saucepan. remove from the heat and stir in the oats and pinch of salt. pour onto the sheet and press firm evenly (i made a square here, of about 20 x 20cm). bake for 25 minutes (or a bit less, if you like them chewy, not crunchy). allow to cool a bit, but before they harden cut them into bitesize squares or bars. wrap with a bit of parchment paper and a string bow. they're good for breakfast, tiny snacks throughout the day or a dessert, even. they will make anyone happy. keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

baked sweet potato with spiced yogurt & grapes

sooooo. it's time for some confessions. again. like, i am freaking out about turning thirty. three-zero. it's not that i'm feeling different, or that this thought makes me feel sad, or old and wrinkly... it's more like: how come i'm already thirty (so very soon)? i still feel... well, twenty-something-ish. if not younger (at heart, you know). 

yet most of my friends made at least some kind of a party for their big three-o event. i won't. not because i don't like parties, or because i will be terribly depressed on that day. just because... well, honestly, i don't really know why. so far, my excuse was always that my birthday is in december, and that people are busy, all the time, anyway during this season. this year, i guess people would even make room for 'my' party, somehow, considering it's a sort of relevant age. they'd make an effort. but... i just don't want to celebrate this event. i want to have a nice piece of cake (sure), get a few really warm and long hugs - and just move on. no biggie.

but then why does this make me feel guilty - towards people i know and love? do you think it's kind of an obligation to throw a party at one's thirtiest birthday? or is it okay to go over it like nothing happened? what do you think?

can i serve you some nice food to distract you? that would be awesome... thank you.

baked sweet potato with spiced yogurt & grapes

ingredients:

4 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled
1 cup grapes, halved & deseeded
1 handful dried cranberries
1 handful cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
1 cup plain greek yogurt
1 tbsp. ras el hanout (an arab spice mix with cumin and rose petals)
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. maldon sea salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 drizzle lemon juice

directions:

preheat the oven to 220 degrees celsius (or 400 degrees f). line a baking sheet with parchment paper. cut the potatoes into sixth lengthwise. put them in a bowl, add the olive oil and a generous pinch of maldon sea salt and toss to coat well. spread evenly on the baking sheet.

bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the sweet potato wedges are slightly golden and partially charred. remove and let cool for a few minutes. prepare the yogurt: sweat the ras el hanout spice mix in a frying pan for a minute or two, until a strong nutty flavor develops. put aside and let cool.

combine the toasted ras el hanout with the yogurt, a generous pinch of salt, the minced garlic clove and a drizzle of lemon juice. arrange the wedges on a large plate, drizzle the spiced yogurt in the middle and sprinkle with the grapes, cranberries and cilantro leaves.

imagine... chalet getaway

imagine... you'd be invited to stay at a hidden chalet somewhere in the woods... to me this feels like the perfect scenario for a weekend (or week, for that matter) getaway right now. include a fireplace and a good book - and i'm sold! i'd definitely be wearing a loose, casual, flannel tartan shirt, some functional winter boots (good for long walks), and a very warm jacket. we would eat: anything simple, rustic, modern, like a 'naked' (i.e. not frosted) four-layer cake, maybe with gingerbread biscuits, and lots of cinnamon whipped cream. and for the occasion i'd definitely bring the new 'what katie ate' cookbook (though, sadly, i don't have it yet). and well, the peacefulness of the lonely woods would have to be enjoyed on the open terrasse, under a heavy blanket, with a cup of glögg or glühwein, naturally. anyone need convincing?

picture source: 1, 2, 3, 4

roasted-dried (breakfast) tomatoes

i've always been more of a day person than a night person... now, being a keen sleeper surely isn't very social, in itself. but the desire to mingle with my fellow pupils or students, meant that in my teen and (most of my) tween years meant tried hard to stretch my bedtime to beyond midnight. one: i never really got any good at it (staying up late). two: i finally reverted to my early-bedtime-early-rising habit. because i really love mornings. i love how they are so peaceful and promising. and i love to get up on sundays, and, drunken with sleep, shuffle into the kitchen and start something. 

though i've got a distinctive sweet tooth, the ideal sunday breakfast would definitely be hearty. and the best hearty breakfast thing: these tomatoes. 

they're doomed 'breakfast tomatoes', but still, these roasted-dried tomatoes can be used for so many things other than breakfast! you'd be surprised to find they're a great companion to avocado in a guacamole, tossed in a salad or panzanella, turned into a sugo for pasta or as a roasted tomato soup, even. 

roasted-dried (breakfast) tomatoes

idea from the modern pantry

ingredients:

4 tomatoes, halved horizontally

1 garlic clove, cut into very thin slices

3 sprigs thyme, leaves removed

1 tsp. maldon sea salt

1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp. olive oil

directions: 

preheat the oven to 150 degrees. place the tomato halves, face side up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. brush with olive oil, sprinkle liberally with the thyme leaves and season with sea salt and pepper. roast-dry in the oven for up to two hours or until the tomatoes are shrunk and partly, but not entirely dried. consume immediately, while warm, or let cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a few days.

ps: if you are looking for a breakfast dish that incorporates these tomatoes, go here. xo

tomato soup with mint, chanterelles, dried tomatoes & spiced almonds

i have never been a great fan of creamy soups... that's probably the reason why you won't find many (or actually: none, apart from the odd pumpkin soup...) on here. it's not that i wouldn't eat them or actually, properly hate them.... but i'd always prefer a solid, chunky, hearty, surprising (in terms of consistency, color and bite) soup to a (in my opinion rather plain) creamy one. but what's quite nice about creamy soups (if i do them justice) is that you can play around with the toppings. you can actually go crazy on them!

i usually like a bit of grated cheese, some roasted nuts, a dollop of yogurt or creme fraiche, a flavored or herbed oil or pesto, olives, spring onions or, the classic, bread crumbs, on top. but of course the options are limitless! it's up to your imagination. 

this tomato soup though could be a favorite. it's fragrant, tangy with a hint of sweetness, a bit of heat, a lot of depth, but still without tasting too complicated. it's a pretty straight-forward dinner. the home made dried cherry tomato halves are the absolute super topping for it. the drying renders them sweet and flavorful. this soup will convert even a cream-soup-sceptic into a -lover.

tomato soup with mint, chanterelles, dried tomatoes & spiced almonds

ingredients:

1 large can whole tomatoes

2 cups good vegetable broth

1 red onion, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves

1 tsp. maldon sea salt

1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

1 pinch chili flakes

1 tbsp. lemon zest, grated

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. olive oil

for the toppings:

1 cup chanterelles, cleaned

1 cup almonds, without skins

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved horizontally

1 handful mint leaves, coarsely chopped

some olive oil

1 tbsp. butter

maldon sea salt

2 tbsp. curry powder

1 tsp. chili powder

bread on the side, if desired

directions:

for the soup, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. sweat the onion for a few minutes, until caramelized and slightly brown. add the garlic, sweat some more. add the tomatoes, broth, lemon zest, pepper and chili flakes and cook for 5 minutes. puree with the hand mixer. season with more salt if necessary, or a pinch of sugar, if you think it's too sour. a drizzle of fresh lemon juice adds a nice tanginess, i quite liked it to complement to tomatoes. keep warm.

for the chanterelles:

just easily sweat them in some olive oil and a little butter. season with maldon sea salt. 

for the dried cherry tomatoes*:

half the tomatoes horizontally, and spread evenly on baking sheet lined with parchment paper, with their faces showing up. season liberally with maldon sea salt. dry, in the pre-heated oven, on 150 degrees, for 2 hours. take out, let cool and store in an airtight container in a dry place for up to one week.

for the spiced almonds*:

combine the almonds with a few drops of olive oil, the curry powder and the chili. place in the oven, preheated on 200 degrees. toast for 2-4 minutes, all the while watching them carefully (as they can go quickly from browned to burnt...). when they smell nutty and are golden brown, you're good to go. remove and let cool. store in an airtight container for up to one week.

assembling: place a ladle of the tomato soup in a cute bowl, carefully place some fried chanterelles on top, add a few dried tomato halves and - now for the interesting twist - add a sprinkle of chopped mint leaves. serve hot, with as much toppings on the side as there are left, for the eaters to help themselves. enjoy!

* best to be prepared ahead, as it will take some time. 

folk favorite in october: benjamin francis leftwich

when i'm cooking (which is most nights), and there isn't anyone around, i need a bit of background chitchat (usually the tv, if possible a cooking show. i know, weird on some level...). or listening to music. music meaning: only really ever folk music for me, if you don't mind.

benjamin francis leftwich... what can i say. his music is warm, relaxing, emotional. his voice is like balm for my soul. my favorite song from his (what, three?) albums is 'box of stones'. the only thing that's wrong with it is that it's too short (that's why i put it on repeat, on end).

i guess it's quite a sad song? but hey, it's sort of an outlet for me. when i listen to sad music i can put my emotion into the music - and afterwards i'm not sad anymore. it's folk therapy.

picture source

cookbook review: the modern pantry

yup, another one. another cookbook review. it's just the only (proper) thing i shopped for in london. actually, i took a whole load full of cookbooks, and some jelly beans, and some fudge, and some spices... with me. oh and the cookbooks? yes, they make me smile with pride.

especially this one here, from the modern pantry. it's got personal signatures and greetings in it from the chefs! serious big deal! i will never forget this awesome experience. i learned so much. well, okay, i am still kind of freaking out when i have a very big and very sharp knife in my hands... but... cooking just feels somewhat even better since. i'm just so inspired, and so keen beyond meausure, and so in love with food. so... thank you guys! thank you anna, candi, rob, luca, liam, josh, flo, denis, terry, ali and everyone else who was willing (or forced, laugh) to put up with me. 

here are a few impressions of my two favorite (so far) recipes: the confit artichokes (i already tried) and the banana pudding (which i also already made, and it really is good, oh boy... but the pictures didn't turn out so well sadly, might have to do it again). the first two of many, many more to come, i'm sure. uhm, here's to hoping anna and her team have got some more recipes in store for a second book...! eep!

xo

moroccan butternut squash tajine

when i was 11 or 12 years old, we spent a family holiday in marakesh, morocco, during fall. i remember it very well. we stayed at a lovely hotel, complete with lines of palm trees everywhere, different restaurants and sitting zones, a splendid pool area and a vast golf course. i have fond memories of the souk, where we bought some arabesque silver plates and tea pots for being able to serve food and drink in that dreamy manner of one thousand and one nights. i remember the custom of serving the (very sweet and tasty) fresh hot mint tea by pouring it into the glass cups from high above the guests' heads, with the aim to provide as many bubbles as possible. the more bubbles, so the belief, the more welcome a guest is. and, oh, i remember the food...

i remember we had lovely tajines and couscous every night, served in large, colorful, beautifully ornamented clay pots. and a vast selection of mezze. pomegranate seeds sprinkeled on just about anything, the colors amazing. and i remember... rice briouats. rice briouats are filo pastries, shaped like little spring rolls, filled with sweet, cinnamony, orange-blossom fragrant rice pudding, baked in the oven. they were dusted in confectioners sugar, and dipped in hot melted honey... it was divine. my dreams are still made up of those.

it's evident: ever since morocco, i was hooked on middle eastern food. my mom used to cook a great deal of middle eastern dishes when i was a kid, so i sort of got used to it from early on. for me it's kind of normal to inocorporate a few middle eastern dishes into my cooking repertoire. now, rice briouats (sadly) aren't something you would end up doing every day (and probably shouldn't include in your daily diet, either...). but tajine, i guess their quite healthy (as healthy dishes go).

side comment: the last thing i want to do is offend anyone with my cooking. i guess in the real middle eastern kitchen world, or the tajine world, to be specific, this here recipe would probably just be a funny joke. you probably wouldn't even add butternut squash to it? who knows. but the idea of a tajine is transported quite well: it's spicey, fragrant, zingy and comforting - all in one. in other words: good food for cold nights.

moroccan butternut squash tajine

ingredients:

1/2 butternut squash, diced

2 red potatoes, diced

2 carrots, cut into diagonal slices

1 small can chickpeas, drained and washed

1 small can chopped pelati tomatoes

1 large white onion, diced

2 cups vegetable broth

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 pinch hot paprika

1 tsp. sweet paprika

1 tbsp. ground cumin (of this, i feel, you can hardly ever add too much)

1 tsp. ras el hanout spice mix

1 pinch urfa chili or other sweet chili flakes

1 pinch ground cinnamon

1 lemon, zest and juice 

1 tsp. maldon sea salt

cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

1 cup couscous

2 cups vegetable broth

directions:

preheat the oven to 220 degrees celsius. spread the butternut squash, potato and carrots evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. coat with a drizzle of olive oil and season with a pinch of salt. bake for 30 minutes, until the edges of the vegs are slightly browned. the separate roasting process adds more flavor and a nice change of color (which, all tone in tone orange, might otherwise look a bit dull).

in the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. sweat the onion for a bit, until translucent. add the spices to sweat: hot and sweet paprika, cumin and the ras el hanout. deglaze with the broth and the canned tomatoes. add the chickpeas and the leftover spices, cinnamon and chili, as well as the lemon zest. when the roasted vegetables are done, add them to the tomato-chickpea mix. heat through for 2 to 3 minutes. at the end of the cooking, season to taste with more salt, and add the lemon juice.

also, prepare the couscous according to directions. in my case, it meant boiling the double amount of water (i used vegetable broth), then adding the couscous, removing the pan from the heat but cover the lid and let steam for 10 minutes. i added a generous drizzle of olive oil - some butter would be fine too - to prevent it from sticking together.

assemble everything: add the couscous to a bowl, on one side. place the tajine on the other side. sprinkle with the herbs. serve hot. 

notes: you can prepare the tajine ahead, simply reheat it and add the lemon juice only at the end of the cooking. i sometimes even feel that it's even better reheated the next day, maybe because the flavors develop more. serve it with a dollop of natural greek yogurt. and if you have some dried apricots around, add them to the tajine, too. they give it a nice, fruity, sweet flavor addition that tastes just that little bit (even more) arab... sweet dreams of 1001 nights! xo

cookbook review: arabesque

usually, i am pretty happy with 'simple' (i.e. vegetable centered) food. a plate of roasted cauliflower is just fine with me on most nights. if, however, i want to add a little twist or a special something to a dinner (particularly when friends are visiting) i find myself often relying on middle eastern staples. dishes like hummus, baba ganoush, labneh or a special flatbread add a nice, exotic touch to conventional every-day things. 

so, when i spotted this cookbook, arabesque, at the petersham nurseries (the cookbook was written by the nurseries' current chef, greg malouf), i couldn't withstand. it offers a collection of middle eastern recipes, presented in a way that they can easily keep up with today's reduced yet effective cooking trends and styles. the dishes' contemporariness is what drew me in. in fact, the cookbook was written some 10 or 15 years ago first, by malouf, and has now been reeditet and the pictures were done again. i love how the dishes feel exotic - but how easily they transition into your everyday kitchen routine is what makes them so appealing.

highly recommened for any food lover who wants to adapt a few more things with a guaranteed 'aaaah-factor'.

flavorsome fall soup

the first real fall dish that we made on a cold sunday had to be soup... steamy, hot, flavorsome, fragrant, spicy, healthy, vegetable-based soup. it tastes of fall. combined with a long walk in the crisp fall air, it's bliss. 

i'm making fig chutney today... better get my bum off the couch, now... thank you for stopping by!

flavorsome fall soup

ingredients:

1 cauliflower, in small roses

2 red potatoes, cubed

1 celeriac, cubed

1/4 savoy cabbage, cut in squares

2 carrots, cubed

1 onion, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp. dried curry leaves

1 bay leaf

1 cup vegetable broth

4 cups water

2 tbsp. olive oil

5 black pepper corns

2 tbsp. medium hot curry powder

1 tbsp. ground turmeric

1 tsp. chili powdersalt & pepper to taste

1 cup parsley, roughly chopped

some grated parmiggiano

method:

heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. add the onion and the curry powder and sweat until onions are translucent. add the carrots, potatoes, celeriac and cauliflower, and fry until a bit browned. add the garlic and swet a bit more. deglaze with the broth and water (add more water if necessary). season with the curry leaves, bay leaf, the pepper corns, chili powde and turmeric. bring to a boil and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft. add the savoy cabbage and simmer for 2 minutes more. season to taste with more salt or more broth. sprinkle generously with parsley and some parmiggiano, if you like, and serve hot.

london diary III: more cityscapes

'when a man's tired of london, he's tired of life' - dr. samuel johnson

isn't that just so true... i, for sure, can never get enough of this city. my heart was jumping with joy and aching with longing at the same time just while editing these pictures here. everything i experienced there burnt itself into my memory so intensely. so many colorful corners, crazy contrasts, dirty little fun things. i could browse and roam cities all day through my camera's lens. also, it's pretty obvious by now that i've got a ridiculous fondness for kitschy & shabby street art. bring it on, london!

1 china town & w hotel // 2 gherkin and the city // 3 iconic street sign // 4 notting hill & the portobello market with its candy colored houses // 5 east london street art I // 6 china town II // 7 more china town signs // 8 + 9 more east london street art // 10 a dirty pub sign // 11 a giant rat (luckily that one won't bite) // 12 a fantastic dirty restaurant with art all over - the meatwagon // 13 our food at the meatwagon: meat (sorry, i had to sneak in some food, it was that good...! will show some more foodie related pics asap) // 14 piccadilly circus 

cookbook review: ottolenghi's jerusalem

i couldn't hide my excitement when i finally held the latest cookbook by yotam ottolenghi in my hands... jerusalem is yet another master piece. vibrant colors, healthy ingredients, lots of veggies, exotic spices, funky combinations with a twist... the perfect addition to my ever-growing cookbook shelf. please get one, too!

i'll show pictures of his other london based restaurant, nopi, where i had lunch all by myself, too, asap. 

xo

germknödel (austrian sweet dumplings)

austrian food is top of my list of comfort foods. lots of sweet pastry stuff, like these pretty babies here: germknödel - or to make it more understandable: sweet steamed yeast dumplings (the word creation alone deserves a medal!). they're filled with powidl (plum jam) and topped with buttered blue poppy seeds... doesn't this sound like cloudlike heaven to you, too? my dad loved it, he said they were almost as good as his mom's. so it was well worth the effort.

germknödel (austrian sweet steamed dumplings) with plum jam, vanilla cream & poppy seed butter

ingredients:

30 g yeast

500 g flour

pinch salt

70 g sugar

70 g butter, melted

1/4 l milk, lukewarm

1 egg, yolk

1 egg, whole

1 pack vanilla sugar

for the filling / decor:

1/2 glass powidl (plum jam)

1/4 cup poppy seeds

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

100 g butter

for the vanilla sauce:

1 l milk

1 vanilla bean

250 g sugar

4 egg yolks

3 whole eggs

directions:

first, combine the sugar, yeast and a bit of the flour with the lukewarm milk, until yeast is dissolved. this is called a 'dampfl' in austria, something like a starter dough). set aside until tiny bubbles appear. in the meantime, combine the rest of the flour, the salt, butter, egg yolk and egg, and combine well with the starter dough, until a round ball shapes. dust with a little flour, put in a bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. put in a warm place to let it rise to about double its size.

divide the dough into 8 (or more, if you want smaller dumplings) balls. press each one flat with your hands, place a spoonful of powidl on the dough and reseal the dumpling by pressing the corners together with your fingers, firmly. set the dumplings aside on a parchment paper or towel to let them rise again, for about 15 to 30 minutes. 

now for the steaming: i used a wok and an asian bamboo steamer, and it worked perfectly. heat a wok covered with 3 cm of water until water is simmering. lightly grease the bamboo steamer's surfaces. place the dumplings in the bamboo steamer (mine had three levels), and put it on top of the wok with the hot water. steam for about 12 to 15 minutes (depending on size). the dumplings will feel firm to touch, but still moist. 

in the meantime, prepare the vanilla sauce: heat the milk with the vanilla bean (slitted), and half of the sugar. beat the eggs and egg yolks with the sugar, until creamy-white. let the vanilla milk cool down a little, and slowly while stirring pour into the milk. reheat slowly, and stop before boiling. be careful not to overheat the cream. serve tepid with the dumplings.

in addition, for the topping, slowly melt the butter in a saucepan, add the confectioner's sugar and add the poppy seeds. assemble everything: pour some vanilla sauce on a plate, place a dumpling in the middle of it and drizzle with the poppy-seed butter. serve hot.

serious desk

for a change, not something related to food. but another thing that keeps me busy: my home decor planning... hot topic right now: home office. why? looooots of work at the moment (my kitchen experience seems like so long ago, already...).

on a styled desk like this, i'd be able to work like a maniac and still look pretty serious and professional. in fact, i may i have to quote my friend (hi, c!) here, since this normally her credo for life. here goes: keep looking professional! well isn't it a pretty darn good motto for us girls (and boys could profit from it too, actually).

okay, i admit... i might mainly grin (!) like a maniac, while sitting at this desk... because it's such a darn cute little corner. but i'd still (at least) strive to look pretty professional. well, count on my friend to check in on me, time and again, and shift some things around, put used tea bags away, sharpen pencils and slap me on the bum if i don't put my business-ey face on. no time for daydreams, folks!

1 owl lamp via west elm
2 astier de villatte scented candle 'commune de paris', similar here
3 apothecary matchstick bottle via etsy
4 pencils with name inscribed here
5 crystal book ends set by mccoy
6 philipp starck louis ghost chair in black
7 parsons mirrored desk via west elm
8 woven large basket for storage by ikea
9 silver mini globe e.g. here