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just look at the whimsy table setting for our family five o’clock tea time some weeks back! i think my mom is so good at hosting guests. she inspires me. different pattern for everyone, mixed and matched. candles and roses. plenty of home-made cakes, one for every type. a coconut chocolate marble loaf, a pavlova (coming soon), a red currant tart (dito). plus a selection of fingersticks and tiny salads (no picture of them yet, i didn’t want to disturb the sweet and whimsy look of those rather dessert like shots…). and of course hot and ice cold fresh teas, from earl grey to limeade. and everything was garnished au naturel with slices of lemon and lime, currants, flowers, berries and leaves.

my overall memory of this afternoon tea is… well, dreamy, lavish, and quite classy. and thus now even more so: i can’t wait to go for a proper english afternoon tea when in london in september! i will go to the goring for that, sans doubt. or maybe also the browns. i’ll sit there, in a trench coat, loafers and a plaid scarf (it might already be a bit chilly in september, at least i secretly hope so…), sip some earl grey tea and dream of being an english lady with plush bedding and linens, twelfe beagle dogs and a vast collection of soupières and hunter wellies… yeah, life is good.

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what’s more appealing and inspiring that a pile of new cookbooks? there’s nothing quite like that to take me away into another world… here i’m browsing my mom’s new stack: two from nigella lawson, one really good standard work on pasta, and the noma cookbook. sighs… give me a rainy weekend, some pots of tea and this stack - and you won’t hear from me for at least 48 hours. 

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did you ever try to make your own pasta? i made a few attempts. like these dim sum ravioli here. or malfatti. i even tried gnocchi several times and with several different approaches. those sure taste great, but somehow they feel like a cheater’s pasta… so, some time ago, i started to think that there won’t be a way around real, home-made pasta. i (spontaneously) bought a pasta machine. and a lot of eggs and flour. and on a rainy afternoon, i started to make my own ravioli (of course with a truffled filling). they were the perfect starter to a lavish dinner i made for friends. and, since the batch was pretty vast, i even got some leftovers which i quickly froze (with layers of parchment paper in between). they tasted just as good when cooked and served with beurre noisette (i won’t fool you, the beurre noisette is quite the delicacy on its own…).
truffle ravioli with beurre noisette
ingredients:
1 package fresh pasta dough, rolled out
250 g ricotta, drained
20 g minced black truffles, jarred
50 g grated parmesan cheese
2 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
2 oregano sprigs, leaves picked & minced
1 egg
1 garlic clove, minced
egg-wash (1 egg white with 1/4 cup water)
salt, black pepper, musk
50g organic butter
20g dried porcini, chopped
handful sage leaves, cut in thin slices
freshly grated musk
salt, black pepper
oregano sprig for decorating
truffle oil
directions:
if you want to make your own pasta dough (like I did), use 5 eggs and 500 g flour and combine, very slowly and steadily, by continually making stirring motions from the inside out with a fork. a store-bought dough is pretty perfect, too, though. roll the dough out pretty thin (about 3mm) - i used a pasta machine to roll it out - and place on a work space dusted with a little flour. prepare strips of twice 3 cms width. cut with a ravioli roller.
for the filling, combine the ricotta, truffles, parmesan, herbs, garlic and egg in a bowl. stir with a fork until homogeneous. season with salt, pepper and some musk. place 1 teaspoon of the truffle-ricotta-mixture on the upper side of the dough stripe. continue along the line, leaving out two finger widths between each new drop of filling. now brush each corner of every raviolo field with egg wash.
fold the dough over from the middle, on top of the filling. press together top and bottom of the dough, creating separate fields. make sure to press out all the excess air, as it will cause your ravioli to break during cooking. cut along the borders of the ravioli with the ravioli roller. continue until dough and / or filling are used up.dust with flour and put aside.
note: you can also freeze the ravioli with parchment paper in between layers of ravioli. when needed, just throw them, still frozen, in the boiling water (this will add a minute of cooking time).
heat a large pot of salted water. when it’s simmering (not boiling) add the ravioli to the water and let heat through until they appear on the surface of the water (after about 2-3 minutes). don’t overcook, and don’t let the water boil too much.
for the beurre noisette: melt the butter in a small saucepan, on low heat. add the minced dried porcini, sage, musk, a little salt and pepper. the secret to beurre noisette: the butter needs to develop the nutty taste and brown color, that can only be achieve with patience, low heat and a bit of time (it will take around 10 to 15 minutes, at least).
drain pasta, arrange on a plate, drizzle with truffle oil, pour the beurre noisette over the ravioli and arrange a sprig of oregano on top. serve with a little extra grated parmesan cheese, if you like.
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Standardby Scarlett0 Comments
it might appear otherwise now (thanks to my obvious bar obsession), but i’m really not that big of a drinker… i sure like a good hendrick’s gin & tonic now and then (though from too much pepper in it i start to cry…) or like to experiment with new drinks at a good bar, but that’s about it with booze for me (or you’ll have to carry me home). that’s why i simply don’t know anything about the art of cocktail drinking and preparing. sorry.
what i do know however is how to put a bar cart together, for the in-style cocktail hour at home. you’d need, of course, a bar cart (vintage, please?) and all of the below listed essentials. i prefer fun little objects that are both, functional and nice to look at (for example how cute is this pineapple ice bucket?).
1 a bottle opener (this one is made of an antler)
2 a crystal bowl with tongs, i.e. for lemon or lime slices
3 salt and pepper shakers (e.g. for bloody mary, hendrick’s g&t, tequila, right?)
4 whimsy champagne cups and other types of glasses
5 a lemon mortar
6 monogrammed coasters (preferably in your initials)
7 decorative lemonades and tonic (like the one from fentimans)
8 collection of bar tools, like a strainer and stirrers
9 pretty booze or bubbly, like monkey gin and skull vodka bottle
10 a decanter, for water or any home-brew (if you’re lucky to come across one)
11 pineapple ice bucket
12 crystal cocktail shaker
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hello lovelies! i’m sorry but i can’t write a lot tonight… i’ve been so efficient and on the run without really a break today, i feel exhausted. when i got up at six this morning, i started to clean a bit (i find myself doing a bit of cleaning on many mornings), then i couldn’t stop and in the end i had the whole flat cleaned by 8am (and it was desperately necessary). such things happen when your stupid cleaning company isn’t really all that professional. duh!
so anyway, after this efficiency i’m tired. somebody told me today i sleep too much to be efficient and get everything done in due time? well, thank you very much. but i officially admit: i love a good night’s sleep… i could never become a person with only 3 hours of sleep at night, just for the sake of efficiency. could you? let’s be honest: life is just to good not to sleep! haha.
lemon grass risotto with roasted vine tomatoes, grilled haloumi skewers & basil oil
for four people
ingredients:
2 cups of risotto rice
2 cups of white wine
1 liter of vegetable bouillon, kept simmering on the stove meanwhile
1 onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
4 lemongrass stalks, outer leaves removed, soft core minced
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 tbsp. mascarpone
1 tbsp. lemon zest
1/2 lemon, juice
1 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt, pepper
for the top:
2 haloumi cheeses (or about 600 grams) + wooden skewers
4 vine tomato branches (with about 5 tomatoes per branch)
drizzle olive oil
salt, pepper
1 cup basil leaves
1 cup olive oil
salt, pepper
lime oil (for finishing touch)
directions:
start by heating the bouillon in a saucepan and keep heated. heat olive oil in a large saucepan, sweat the onion, garlic, lemongrass and rice in it for 2 minutes. deglaze with the white wine. add the lemon zest. stir continually. when the wine is evaporated, continue to add liquid (now broth) and stir on. whenever liquid is incorporated in the rice, add more liquid. proceed until the rice is cooked al dente.
in the meantime: preheat the oven to 220 degrees c. place the tomatoes (on the branches) in a oven proof pan, drizzle with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast for twenty or so minutes.
next, cut the haloumi cheese into cubes and pull onto wooden skewers. place on a baking pan lined with a parchment paper. grill in the oven (one oven layer over tomatoes) for 15 minutes or until golden.
and: for the basil oil (note: i love a good pesto-like drizzle on almost any dish… it adds flavor and color). you can either quickly blanch the basil leaves in hot water for only 20 seconds, drain and pat them dry and finally puree them with the olive oil - OR you just puree them with the olive oil. on the blanching: the blanching isn’t necessary, but it makes sure the green color stays and prevents bitterness (which can happen with basil, normally). in any way: add a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
finally, the finishing touches to the risotto: add the butter and mascarpone for creaminess, stir to combine. same with the parmesan. season only now with salt and pepper (since the parmesan adds a bit more saltiness, too, so only salt now). now for the twist: add the lemon juice (only shortly before serving). 
assemble everything: place the risotto in the middle of the plate, place the tomato branches and the haloumi skewer on top, drizzle with the basil oil and finally with a few drops of the lime oil (if available). serve & enjoy.
good night, everyone! i’ll sleep, i’ll sleep…
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what a weekend! there was a friend’s wedding (wonderful, magic, love!) to celebrate. she looked gorgeous in her dress, like a greek goddess. we danced (even a bit of line dance, and i was in heaven) with a breathtaking view of the city lights at night. the crowd was amazing. thank you friends, for the celebration! it was a good one. and hey, it’s exhausting to celebrate and generally just have a good time… my every bone aches (not necessarily from the high heels only…). i feel too tired to utter or write another word. give me a break! laugh.
fittingly, this cake was made by my mom. it’s a ‘3 c’ cake (sorry, i’m in marketing!): crumbl-ey, coconut-ey, chocolatey. actually, add a little ‘n’ for nice.
coconut chocolate marble loaf
(for one large 30cm loaf pan)
ingredients: 
4 tbsp. milk
1 small can coconut milk (175 ml)
100 coconut rasps
150 butter, at room temperature
200 g sugar
2 pinches of salt
4 eggs
150 g flour
50 g semolina
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. milk
150 g dark chocolate, crushed
2 tbsp. rum
directions:
preheat the oven to 180 degrees. line the loaf pan with parchment paper. combine milk, coconut milk and coconut rasps in a bowl and combine. in a second bowl, stir the butter until creamy, add sugar, salt, and egg and continue to stir until the mixture is of a fair color. add the coconut-milk-mixture. sift in the flour, semolina and baking powder. that’s the light, coconut mix. pour half of the dough mix into the loaf pan. 
next heat the milk in a small saucepan, add the chocolate and melt slowly. stir in the rum, cool slightly. pour melted chocolate into the dough mix. distribute on top of the coconut mix in the loaf pan. now combine the two mixes by running through it with a fork. 
bake for about 35 minutes. remove from the oven, let cool slightly, remove from the pan and let cool completely. serve with cinnamon whipped cream, or such.
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we’re not experiencing a really hot summer at the moment… but still, i find myself lusting after some lighter sheets and duvets for the warmer nights. something that feels crisp, light and cool on the bare skin. something that’s comforting to be wrapped into at night. i finally found a really pretty linen throw… but it didn’t stop there: in the end this shop, calypso st. barth, drew me in so much, i couldn’t stop creating mental wish lists (it’s not that i don’t have a bottle stopper or a lavender sachet… just not such pretty ones… hmpf). 

1 a lush pale greige throw
2 a crystal bottle stopper
3 a lavender filled sachet with a tiny skull on it

you love, as well?
love
scarlett

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i know it’s been a while since my last folk favorite (namely in march - las year! gee…). but now is just about the perfect time to bring it back. there wasn’t really anything out there that i felt like showing you. but the music of ‘bahamas’, my dears, touched me beyond words…

afie jurvanen, the man behind the band bahamas, is another one of those self-taught, awe-inspiring, deeply emotional musicians. just like bon iver, he recorded his first album in a cabin somewhere in the middle of nowhere (or so i like to think). he’s got so much talent and puts so much emotion into his folky, authentic, earthy music. no wonder it was awarded with several prices. his two albums so far (the first, pink strat, was recorded in 2009, the second, barchords, only in 2012) are both brilliant.

it’s hard to tell which is my favorite song.. i guess it must be ‘lost in the light’. as so many weddings advance around me, as a proof for the love in this world, i can’t help but dream about finding the one that’s ready to love me back, for as long as we both shall live. well, one fine day, i know i will. and: this song has got to be on the playlist of every little and big love celebration. so smitten.

i know i can be a little cheesy sometimes - okay, all of the time. but, please don’t stop reading right now! there’s an additional note: ‘lost in the light’ is the first song that i heard from bahams. so, i feel like adding the credits is only appropriate: ashley from not without salt created a video of her and her husband’s date nights (needless to say i love everything about that concept anyway…) using this specific song. thank you, ashley, for sharing this with us. your family is gorgeous. and i am struck by the way you live and cherish the love that’s been given to you. thank you for the romantic inspiration, you made my week.
ps: is this afie guy cute, or what?
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dears! i’m sorry for the slow-down of updates… i’ve been busy making plans, running around golf courses (melting), cooking (at least there are some really good new dishes in the pipeline for you… just give me some time to edit them and write down the recipes) and organising my wall painting session. next weekend! i am so looking forward to it (the result, i mean, not the actual painting, ugh…). and by the way: i’ve got a new settee! my sister in law and my brother gave it to me after they felt they probably haven’t got the space anymore with the baby due any minute now… lucky me! i’ll show pictures of it, soon! it adds a bit of glamour to my living room, i’d say.
so far, here’s a vegetarian dish i made for dinner with a friend. we both thought it’s quite the good vegetarian alternative. because often times enough, vegetarian dishes are a bit bland at restaurants… those polenta fries were crispy and tasted just a little bit of parmiggiano… 
polenta fries with home made ketchup and tsatsiki
ingredients:
1 cup polenta grain (i took the finest one available)
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup milk
1/2 cup parmesean cheese, freshly grated
2 tbsp. butter, plus more for greasing
2 sprigs thyme, leaves removed
2 sprigs oregano, leaves removed
1/4 cup olive oil
Fleur de sel
black pepper, freshly ground
zest of organic lemon
directions:
heat the milk and broth mixture in a large saucepan. when hot, cook the polenta in it according to directions on the packaging (mine took about two to three minutes), while stirring constantly. stir in the parmesan cheese and butter. season with salt and pepper according to taste. grease a large form (a baking sheet or a gratin form) with some butter. pour the polenta mix in the form and let cool completely. 
when cooled, slice it in sticks. spread them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment. preheat the oven to 220 degrees c (or 420 degrees f). combine the olive oil with the herbs, lemon zest and some salt and pepper. brush each polenta stick with the oil mix. bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the fries are golden-brown around the edges.
for the ketchup go here. and for the tsatsiki inquire donna hay aka my personal hero. she knows best.
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after some search in the www (i can be very persistent) i found the pendant lamps i posted some days back. they cost 2000 euros. each! faint. then my mom went to ikea’s this week (for the new true blue collection) and came back with two identical, just as chic and classy and elegant black ones for me. so totally made my day! can’t wait to hang them up.
in the meantime, i also deepened my search for table lamps (once i’m in the swing for things…) - and i thought i’d share my elaborate research results with you. so: the stacked ball ones (in either silver or crystal) is still one of my altime favorite models - but those four seem to be worth giving another thought. don’t you think? i particularly like the rock crystal one (that one won’t be such a bargain, i’m afraid…).
peace, love and light to all of you!

sources (from left to right, top to bottom): 1, 2, 3, 4

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