A Little Book of Language
David Crystal
food for thought
Phillip Day
Ein Leben mehr
Jocelyne Saucier
Der Pfau
Isabel Bogdan
The Power of Glamour
Virginia Postrel
Die Auferstehung
Karl-Heinz Ott
Selbstporträt
Helene Beltracchi und Wolfgang Beltracchi
11/22/63
Stephen King
photo by Casey Ho
There are days to be more sensible about the food we eat and days to indulge. Like everything – it’s all about balance. I made this tart for a Birthday party and it was split between many guests, which made it a sweet little treat with coffee.
Tarte au Chocolat et Crème Brûlée au Café
for the dough:
250g tart dough with almonds
for the crème brûlée au café:
500g cream
20g instant coffee powder
50g sugar
4 egg yolks
for the ganache au chocolat:
400g cream
350g dark chocolate
70g butter
for the nougatine au café:
100g soft butter
10g instant coffee powder
100g sugar
100g ground or chopped almonds
Preheat oven to 160°C.
Roll out the dough and fit it into the bas e and up the sides of your tart pan. Bake it for 15 minutes.
For the crème brûlée heat the cream in a sauce pan and add the coffee powder. In a bowl beat the egg yolks and the sugar, add the cream. Pour onto the tart bottom and bake it for 20 minutes. Let it cool down.
For the ganache au chocolat bring the cream to a boil. Remove it from the heat and add the chocolate broken into pieces. Stir the chocolate in and add the soft butter. Combine well. Pour the mixture onto the cold tart and let it cool down.
For the nougatine combine butter, sugar and coffee with an electric mixer. Finally add the ground or chopped almonds. Spread the mixture on a baking paper and put it into the oven until it turns brown. Let it cool down. Break the cold nougatine and decorate the tart.
Matcha literally means “powdered tea.” In Japan, originally it has been used to aid in the practice of meditation. Matcha is rich in a rare amino acid known as L-Theanine, which creates alpha waves in the brain – a state of relaxed alertness. This is about focus and attentiveness without the side effects of being over-caffeinated.
Another health benefit comes from a potent antioxidant called Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) that exists in quantities up to 20 times that of other antioxidant-rich food.
Finally, matcha helps to lose weight as it increases the body’s at-rest metabolism.
matcha almond smoothie (basic recipe)
1 cup almond milk
2 teaspoons matcha powder
1 ripe banana, fresh or frozen
extra ingredients
2 dates or
1 tablespoon maple syrup (for additionaI sweetness)
1 peach (pairs perfectly with the flavours of matcha and banana)
a handful of spinach ( even more healthy and not bad at all)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for additional sweetness and flavour)
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
foods that cleanse
lettuce, avocado and roasted nori salad
1 firm but ripe avocado
6 leaves lettuce
1 tablespoon finely cut roasted nori
for the vinaigrette:
1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
a pinch of freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil
Chop romaine lettuce and place on a plate. Slice avocado in bite-size pieces and arrange on the lettuce. Sprinkle with seaweed.
In a small bowl combine the ingredients for the vinaigrette and whisk until well blended.
Sprinkle a small amount of the vinaigrette on top of the salad. Enjoy!
You will have some dressing left over. Keep it in the fridge and enjoy another salad tomorrow!
Be prepared for a big luxury chocolate bomb! Again inspired by patissier Eric Kayser’s Tartes et Gourmandises. I must confess, I changed two minor details of the original chocolate filling: 200g sugar to no sugar and 500ml cream to 50ml cream instead. It’s still an indulgence, promised!
If someone is brave enough to try the original recipe let me know in the comments..
Tarte au Chocolat Noir et aux Noisettes
for the dough:
250g tart dough with almonds
for the chocolate filling:
50ml cream
100g butter
200g dark chocolate ( 85%)
200g milk chocolate (37%)
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
60g hazelnuts, chopped and roasted
chocolate topping:
150g cream
100g dark chocolate
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Roll out the dough and fit it into the base and up the sides of your tart pan. Bake it for 20 minutes.
Melt the two chocolates, the butter and the cream in a bain-marie. Let it cool down to tepid. With an electric mixer beat in the eggs one by one, then add the egg yolks. Pour the mixture onto the baked tart base and bake for another 10 minutes.
For the topping melt the dark chocolate and the cream in a bain-marie and pour it onto the baked chocolate filling. Let it cool. Finally spread the hazelnuts on top.
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homemade granola
2 handful almonds
1 large handful dried mulberries (or dried apricots)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
8 Medjool dates
1 large handful dried goji berries
2 tablespoons honey
100g mixed seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
100g rolled oats
100ml water
Remove stones and hard ends from the dates and chop each into quarters. Place in a container along with the dried goji berries (if they are very dry and hard). Cover with the water leaving overnight or for a minimum of 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 150°C. Place the dates, the goji berries and the water in a mixing bowl. Coarsely chop the almonds and add them to the mixing bowl along with the mulberries, mixed seeds, oats and nutmeg. Gently combine.
Put the coconut oil and honey on a baking tray and place in the oven for 1 minute. Pour the granola mixture onto the baking tray, distribute evenly and and bake for 40 minutes, stirring part way through. Remove from the oven, allow to cool and store in an airtight container.
Best served with banana seed or almond milk.
mixed seed milk
1 tablespoon honey (or vegan sweetener)
100g mixed seeds
1 pinch Himalayan salt
200ml tap water
800ml filtered water
Soak the seeds in the tap water overnight or for a minimum of 6 hours.
Pour away the water and rinse the seeds. Place the seeds, filtered water, salt and honey into a blender and blend for 1-2 minutes. Pour the blended seed mixture through either a nut milk bag or a sieve and discard the pulp.
The seed milk will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Both recipes you find in Jason Vale’s app Super Fast Food.
Here’s how to make almond milk .
Finally I hold in my hands French patissier Eric Kayser’s book Tartes et gourmandises, an insider’s tip among connoisseurs in matters of tarts and taste. After the first browsing through this whole lot of sweet delicacies I decided to bake each and every tart in my own kitchen and share the recipes with you.
You will easily recognize the tartes et gourmandises by their French title on the image.
Et voilá, number one,
Tarte à la rhubarbe et à l’orange
300g tart dough with almonds
1kg rhubarb
2 organically grown oranges
4oog sugar (300g for the syrup, 100g for the filling)
125g softened butter
150g finely ground almonds
20g flour
3 eggs
2cl Grand Marnier
icing sugar
Wash the rhubarb and cut the stems into 2cm pieces. Finely grate the zest of the oranges. In a saucepan bring 1l water to a boil, add 300g sugar and the rhubarb. Bring to a boil for a second time. Strain rhubarb through a sieve and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
In a bowl beat the butter until creamy. Add sugar (100g), almonds and flour, then add the eggs one by one.
Beat until all ingredients are well blended. Mix in the grated orange peel and the Grand Marnier.
Roll out the dough (26cm circle or 20 x 30 rectangle) and and fit it into the base and up the sides of your tart pan. Distribute the rhubarb evenly on the dough. Spread the filling onto it and bake for about 30 minutes. Serve the tart cold sprinkled with icing sugar.
Tart dough with almonds (basic recipe)
500g flour
250g softened butter
50g sugar
100g icing sugar
60g finely grated almonds
5g salt
2 eggs
Beat the softened butter until until creamy. Add the sugar, the icing sugar, the almonds and the salt. Incorporate the eggs one by one. Mix in the flour until you get a homogenous dough. Shape into a ball and wrap in a plastic wrap. Refrigerate during the night.
Tea Tree Essential Oil
Melaleuca Alternifolia is a potent antimicrobial agent. Because of its ability to kill off bad bacteria and at the same time soothe inflamed skin, tea tree oil is perfect for gum and tooth care. After brushing my teeth I usually rub a drop into my gums and teeth.
It also heals and soothes insect bites.
Cloves Essential Oil
Cloves essential oil is very powerful. Cloves are one of the highest valued antioxidants. The essential oil is antibacterial, antifungal, analgesic, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. It remineralizes teeth and decreases decalcification. As it tastes very strong and has numbing properties I use it only from time to time for tooth and gum care.
For immune and antioxidant support add 1 drop of clove essential oil to 1 teaspoon of honey, maple syrup or coconut oil and drink it with a glass of lukewarm water. For further benefit pair it with cinnamon oil and poppy-seed oil.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Mentha x peperita is my pick-me-up for long road trips, rubbed gently into the area behind the ears, forehead and temples (be careful to not apply it too close to the eyes!) as it improves concentration and alertness. It also prevents nausea and helps to fight carsickness. Just sprinkle a few drops onto a cloth, hold it in front of your face and breathe deeply.
Peppermint essential oil clears the sinuses, cuts cravings and is the best natural energizer!
Frankincense Essential Oil
Boswellia carterii or serrata is known for its highly anti-inflammatory properties. I use it for skincare mixed with coconut oil in a ratio of 2 drops frankincense oil to 1 teaspoon coconut oil. The result is simply amazing, best skin treatment ever!
