Blue Champagne

7. March 2011
by troutandhawk
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Drinks

The first Cocktail to be presented is neither the Margarita, nor the Mojito, nor the Cosmopolitan…. it is the Blue Champagne!

If you wonder how I aquired my broad knowledge of cocktail mixing and alike  I blush and tell you some invented anecdotes from my past  before I admit, that the secret lies in Charles Schumann’s Bar book.

I remember a BLUE CHAMPAGNE we tried out once with unexpected consequences. Since then it has become a terrific help when we have guests who haven’t met before or are suffering from a laming shyness or from a bad case of political correctness.

How to mix:
1 cl lemon juice
dashes Triple Sec
dashes Curacao Blue
3 cl Gin or Vodka
and Champagne

Shake in a shaker with ice cubes, strain in champagne glasses, fill up with champagne. Enjoy!

blood orange jam

20. February 2011
by troutandhawk
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Jams + Preserves / Sweets

I hope this recipe comes  still in time….

because usually the good quality sicilian blood oranges are sold  by the end of February. If nevertheless you decide to have a try in your own kitchen, you should start  NOW with the adventure race in search for the last organic blood oranges. I promise it’s worth the effort: this Jam is to die for!

“La Marianna” is not organically grown. I bought 1kg of organic oranges ( for peel and juice) and 1kg of the regular “Marianna” (for juice).

peel, pulp and juice



The recipe
2kg blood oranges, zested and pressed (should yield 1l of juice)
500g sugar
2 tbs apple pectin
100ml freshly pressed lemon juice
Instead of sugar and apple pectin, you may use 500g of  “2:1 sugar” containing already the pectin.

Zest the organic oranges with a zesting tool. Then squeeze the oranges  and the lemon. Add also the pulp of the oranges. Add the zests of 2 oranges. Should yield 1l altogether.
Add sugar and apple pectin, bring to boil stirring constantly. I cooked the mixture for 10 minutes always stirring. If you are not sure if the jam is ready, place a small amount on a chilled plate. If it wrinkles the jam is ready to be filled in glasses.

Spread  the remaining zests on a baking paper, sprinkle with sugar and let them dry during the night.
Next morning you’ll find a most delicious candied treat!

makeover for the spirits cart

13. February 2011
by troutandhawk
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From my parents-in-law I got an old Spirits Cart (or Cocktail Trolley ??) which in the 50ies must have been the culmination of stylishness. Brown oakwood with a top side of flowered plastic tiles.  Consisting the awful tiles in one single piece integrated in the wood, they couldn’t be removed without destroying the whole cart. So what to do?
I decided to risk it all and just rely on the  beneficial effects of strong colours and lacqer. Anyway, it was worth a try!

Actually we were so inspired and “in-the-flow” that even our lunch came out red and white.


Some side pieces, quickly produced during the drying times:



birthday cake

13. February 2011
by troutandhawk
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Cakes + Cookies

The recipe, adapted from my Tuscanian Cookbook by Stephanie Alexander and Maggie Beer:

200g bittersweet chocolate, chopped
200g butter
100g flour
200 g Sugar
5 – 6 eggs, depending on the size

Preheat the oven to 180° and butter a 26cm baking form  (or two smaller baking forms like in the picture). Melt the butter and the chocolate in a bain-marie (double boiler) stirring often until smooth. Set it aside to cool for 5 minutes. In the meantime whisk the eggs and the sugar until creamy. Add the flour and stir to mix well. Finally add the chocolate butter.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking form and bake for about 25-30 minutes. The top should be slightly crackled and the center still creamy. Let the cake cool completely before cutting. Enjoy!

after the flood

29. January 2011
by troutandhawk
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Not quite the famous “Canaletto” view, nevertheless the place I took the photo from was still flooded a week before. The meadows along the river Elbe are conserved as drainage areas, which when flooded make the Elbe look like the Missisippi!


You still can see the waterline in the tree…


Hope you enjoy a sunny weekend!

Cafe Fernando

24. January 2011
by troutandhawk
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Sweets

Browsing food blogs some days ago I made an amazing discovery: Cafe Fernando by Cenk who describes himself as a “food blogger, novice photographer, seasoned home baker and a shameless chocoholic from Istanbul, Turkey”.
Food Blogger: no doubt about; novice Photographer: a big NO to “novice”, his photos are outstanding, real works of art, supermotivating; shameless chocoholic : makes him absolutely and utterly adorable!

As I got to know today independently of each other my daughter, my cousin and I discovered Cenk’s Blog and fell in love with the Best chocolate mousse of your life …having Turkish Coffee in our tree house

oven-baked carrots with olive oil and fresh marjoram

20. January 2011
by troutandhawk
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Dinner / Lunch

Last weekend I bought a whole armfull of fresh herb pots and so turned my windowsill into a summerly smelling little mediterranean garden. Italian parsley, chives, chervil, lemon balm, marjoram, thyme and rosemary… Best preconditions to prepare a simple and aromatic dish like the carrots with marjoram!

You just need carrots, a 1st class sea salt, a 1st class olive oil and some sprigs from the marjoram pot.

Spread the sliced carrots on a tin foil, sprinkle with sea salt, add some olive oil and top with the marjoram sprigs.
Close the foil and put it into  the oven for 20 minutes at 200°C.

It’s a perfect light and healthy dinner!


on the way to Dippelsdorfer Teich, Moritzburg

mascarpone yoghurt with muscobado and red fruit

15. January 2011
by troutandhawk
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Sweets

So soft and sweet and rich! It absolutely has the potential to make you addict. It’s summer and happiness. Exactly what I need in this moment…. And it’s so easy to prepare:

For 4 servings
250g Mascarpone
200g mild plain creamy yoghurt
3-4 ts Muscobado sugar plus additional Muscobado for the topping
fresh or soft dried red fruit

Mix Mascarpone,yoghurt and sugar.
Spoon it in glasses and top generously with more Muscobado sugar and red fruit.
Enjoy!