For the ones wondering how my flight went yesterday with both kids, here is a short summary! Let me start with a little description. I flew to Brazil with an 8-month-old baby and a 2-year-old toddler. While our kids have been overseas before, this time my husband couldn't come with us, so it was my first long/multiple flight journey outnumbered by kids.
Our itinerary included an hour car ride to the airport, a 3-hour flight to Miami, an 8-hour flight to Sao Paulo, and a 4-hour drive to our final destination, west of Sao Paulo.
We planned and packed toys and books, snacks, a little blanket and a Mac with many DVDs. Our toddler doesn't watch much TV, so I knew that having some cartoons would be perceived as a major treat!
About 2 hours before our departure to the airport, I received a call from the airline informing that my international flight was going to be 3 hours late, which meant having both kids at that horrible airport for 5 hours, and after 9pm, way passed their bed time. That completely ruined the confidence I had on my preparation.
Understanding that the airline agent who called was unwilling to help, I called the general reservations, and luckily got a nicer rep on the phone. She sympathized with my drama and rerouted us through Dallas. My layover would be only 40 minutes! While that wouldn't allow me to feed or even change the kids, I took it anyway. Way better than a 5-hour ordeal in Miami (boy, I really dislike that airport!).
Going through security was painful, even with the help of my lovely hubby. Having to take both Ergobaby carrier and stroller through the X-ray machine, removing all the shoes, belts, laptop, baby food and liquids, and putting everything back are always frustrating, even when you are alone!
First flight was the most difficult part of the journey. My toddler was very unsettled, not understanding why he had to be confined! We've made it, and the toys tied by the yarn were life savers!
We were very excited to land, and dashed to the next terminal.
As we were all boarded and settled, I asked the flight attendant to watch the toddler while I changed the baby, and then the baby while I changed the toddler. No drinks for me, I'm not sure the flight attendant would be ok with watching both kids at the same time. Whew!
Both kids were a lot easier on me this time. Seats on 777s are wider and the individual little screens can keep toddlers entertained for hours! He didn't care for the movies, but was thoroughly engaged with browsing through the channels, features and languages.
Around midnight the baby fell asleep on my lap, and my toddler finally gave in at 2am. While I couldn't sleep at all, at least I was able to relax and close my eyes for a few hours. They kept waking up every time they tried to change positions. Both were completely awake by 5am. Hey, 3 hours of relaxation for me is not bad at all!
We finally arrived, and many Brazilians helped me with the luggage, car seats and babies. We got the car, and after installing both car seats, which can be trick when sleep deprived, we were finally on the road to our final destination. Both kids fell asleep and only woke up at the destination. Whew! I'm a pro now!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
There are changes, yes!
Things seem to be evolving very nicely in town. There has been some rearranging of schedules at the Ala Wai Multi Purpose Facility. There will definitely be less dancing there.
Meanwhile we need to find other places to dance, the McCoy Pavilion and the Kilauea Recreation Center the most prominent in view. The McCoy Pavilion to take some of the natural overflow from the Palladium But the Kilauea would definitely fill a need for the East section of Oahu. Time will tell.
Then we have made contact with Arthur Murray studios and I intend to attend. As per usual, after the dinner, get some photos a few quotes, and make the write up for an interesting blog. Some of you are familiar with the Lehua Ballroom as a perfect place for a Tea Dance. Friday Night?
Direct from the Arthur Murray Studio flyer:
Spotlight Ball - Havana Nights!
Our Spotlight Ball which includes the infamous... Spotlight Challenge will begin at 5pm on Saturday April 9th at the Ilikai Lehua Ballroom.
Our theme for the evening will be Havana Nights so get ready to put that "cuban motion" to good use! All participants and spectators will be treated to a Welcome Drink when they first walk in as well as a formal sit down dinner, general dancing, and professional show.
This will also be the night of our First Annual Spotlight Challenge! All of the students are extremely excited to compete for the Grand Prize, but don't worry, it's not too late to sign up. Talk to your Instructor today about enrolling.
There are still some open seats for this event but they are going FAST so please RSVP as soon as possible to enjoy this amazing night of fun, food, and dancing.
Pub's Note: Sounds pretty good. We've got some pretty good Latino dancers out there. And what is more, the American Rumba box step taught on Oahu is the Arthur Murray style, slow, quick, quick.
"People prefer to believe what they prefer to be true."
Then we have made contact with Arthur Murray studios and I intend to attend. As per usual, after the dinner, get some photos a few quotes, and make the write up for an interesting blog. Some of you are familiar with the Lehua Ballroom as a perfect place for a Tea Dance. Friday Night?
Direct from the Arthur Murray Studio flyer:
Spotlight Ball - Havana Nights!
"Maria" by Ricky Martin
Our theme for the evening will be Havana Nights so get ready to put that "cuban motion" to good use! All participants and spectators will be treated to a Welcome Drink when they first walk in as well as a formal sit down dinner, general dancing, and professional show.
There are still some open seats for this event but they are going FAST so please RSVP as soon as possible to enjoy this amazing night of fun, food, and dancing.
Pub's Note: Sounds pretty good. We've got some pretty good Latino dancers out there. And what is more, the American Rumba box step taught on Oahu is the Arthur Murray style, slow, quick, quick.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Less Stress, Better Sleep May Help You Lose Weight
If you're looking to lose those extra pounds, you should probably add reducing stress and getting the right amount of sleep to the list, say researchers from Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research in Portland.
In fact, although diet and exercise are the usual prescription for dropping pounds, high stress and too little sleep (or too much of it) can hinder weight loss even when people are on a diet, the researchers report.
"We found that people who got more than six but less than eight hours of sleep, and who reported the lowest levels of stress, had the most success in a weight-loss program," said study author Dr. Charles Elder.
Elder speculates if you are sleeping less or more than recommended and if your stress levels are high, you will not be able to focus on making behavioral changes.
These factors may also have a biological impact, he added.
"If you want to lose weight, things that will help you include reducing stress and getting the right amount of sleep," Elder said
Read More
In fact, although diet and exercise are the usual prescription for dropping pounds, high stress and too little sleep (or too much of it) can hinder weight loss even when people are on a diet, the researchers report.
"We found that people who got more than six but less than eight hours of sleep, and who reported the lowest levels of stress, had the most success in a weight-loss program," said study author Dr. Charles Elder.
Elder speculates if you are sleeping less or more than recommended and if your stress levels are high, you will not be able to focus on making behavioral changes.
These factors may also have a biological impact, he added.
"If you want to lose weight, things that will help you include reducing stress and getting the right amount of sleep," Elder said
Read More
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Tricks to Fly with Kids
When kids play with small toys during a flight, they often drop them on the floor, and it is so hard to find anything underneath the seat! We have a genius trick for your next flight: tie their toys with a long yarn. Then tie the other side to somewhere that you can easily pull and recover them (armrest, our finger, etc).
As a bonus, kids like to play with the yarn as well!
That will buy you a few more minutes of peace during your flight!
Michael Schwartz's Falafel Balls with Tahini Sauce
I've already introduced you to Michael in a previous post. This is the second recipe I've made from his new cookbook. (For more details about the cookbook and Michael's restaurant, go HERE.)
Today I'm all about falafel: the fish and chips of the Mediterranean, the tapas of the Middle East. If Israel has adopted a national food, falafel is it. But despite its strong connection with Israel, falafel actually originates from Egypt and was originally made from fava beans. Its roots can be traced right back to the Christian Copts of Egypt who were forbidden from eating meat during certain holidays and came up with a falafel-like alternative. Lebanese falafel often uses a combination of fava beans and chickpeas, while in Egypt, it is traditional to use just fava beans. I've only eaten falafel made with chickpeas. If you're interested in more history, I found a wonderful article about chickpeas HERE.
History aside, I've got to be absolutely the last blogger to make falafel. I've read about it, eaten it, but for some reason have never made it at home. I have several recipes saved but once I read Michael's cookbook, I decided on his rendition. And I had my share of problems (see Bench Notes) but I am nothing if not determined! And I was finally successful. They were fabulous. We loved the flavors and the crispness and when dipped in the tahini sauce they were a marvelous mouthful. Now that I have the hang of it, I'll make these again and again.
Falafel with Tahini Sauce
Adapted from Michaels' Genuine Food by Michael Schwartz
Bench Notes:
- I noticed Michael's recipe did not have any flour. Hmmmm. I'd rarely seen a falafel recipe without a little flour, bread crumbs or some sort of binder. I was doubtful, but I tried a small batch that way and they disintegrated immediately in the hot oil. I tried again, pressing very firmly on the falafel ball, as the recipe mentions the balls must be pressed tight or they will fall apart. No dice. Raised the temperature of the oil. That didn't work either. So, as to not waste my remaining ingredients, I cheated and added a little flour and had no further problems. Please note in recipe below I included the correct amount of flour I used. Sorry, Michael, but I'm going to use a little flour when I make them from now on.
- Also: use the dried garbanzos as called for. Not canned. Just not the same.
- And...make certain the temperature of the oil remains between 350 and 375. (Michael suggested 350; I increased it to 375.) I ended up cooking only 3 or 4 falafels at a time and the temperature stayed constant that way.
Ingredients:
2 cups dried chickpeas. picked through and rinsed
1 small red onion, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat leafed parsley
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons flour (I added this)
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
canola oil for frying
Tahini Sauce (recipe follows)
Method:
Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with water by 3 inches. Soak overnight. They will double in size.
Drain and rinse thoroughly. (I think you should make certain the chickpeas are very dry at this point. It may have been one of my problems. See Bench Notes. Some of you who make falafel on a regular basis might have some other suggestions.)
Put the chickpeas in a food processor and pulse until the consistancy of cornmeal. Remove and set aside.
Add the onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro and mint to the processor along with a couple tablespoons of the chickpeas. Pulse until pureed. Add to the remaining chickpeas along with the cumin, coriander, baking powder, flour, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
You may refrigerate, covered, at this point for up to 3 days.
Heat about 3 inches of the oil to 375 in an electric fryer or deep pot.
In the meantime, make golf-sized balls with the falafel mixture, squeezing tightly so they don't fall apart while cooking. (See Bench Notes) Place a few falafels in the oil at a time, moving them around so brown evenly and don't stick. Fry until crusty brown on all sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes; remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Makes about 2 dozen falafels.
Tahini Sauce
(makes 1 cup)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup tahini
1 tablespoon soy sauce
juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, minced
pinch of Kosher salt
Method:
Combine all the ingredients with 1/2 cup water in blender or processor. Process until smooth.
Walnut May Be Top Nut for Heart Health
Walnuts are the No. 1 nut for heart health, says a researcher who presented his findings Sunday at the American Chemical Society annual meeting.
That’s because walnuts were found to have more antioxidants -- and better-quality antioxidants -- than other popular nuts tested, says Joe Vinson, PhD, a researcher at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania.
Antioxidants protect cells against damage caused by harmful molecules known as free radicals. The damage can play a role in heart disease and other health conditions.
''Nuts are good for your heart," Vinson says. They can lower cholesterol, reduce the oxidative stress caused by the free radicals, and decrease unhealthy inflammation, he says.
When Vinson analyzed the amount of antioxidants found in walnuts and a variety of other nuts, walnuts came out on top.
"Twenty-eight grams of walnuts (an ounce) have more antioxidants than the sum of what the average person gets from fruits and vegetables," he says. "That is not to say they are a replacement for fruits and vegetables, but they are very antioxidant dense."
Read More
That’s because walnuts were found to have more antioxidants -- and better-quality antioxidants -- than other popular nuts tested, says Joe Vinson, PhD, a researcher at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania.
Antioxidants protect cells against damage caused by harmful molecules known as free radicals. The damage can play a role in heart disease and other health conditions.
''Nuts are good for your heart," Vinson says. They can lower cholesterol, reduce the oxidative stress caused by the free radicals, and decrease unhealthy inflammation, he says.
When Vinson analyzed the amount of antioxidants found in walnuts and a variety of other nuts, walnuts came out on top.
"Twenty-eight grams of walnuts (an ounce) have more antioxidants than the sum of what the average person gets from fruits and vegetables," he says. "That is not to say they are a replacement for fruits and vegetables, but they are very antioxidant dense."
Read More
Monday, March 28, 2011
New Happenings
I have a nice week ahead of me, and regrettably I will not be able to attend all of them. I must make the effort to go where there is the most feedback.
From Maurice Morita:
Monday Nights:
Dance Honolulu @ Washington Middle School
Dates of classes: April 4, 18, 25 / May 9,16, 23
/ June 12, 20)
6:00 p.m. - Registration & Line Dancing
by Roxanne Kaino
Dates of classes: April 5, 12, 19, 26 / May 3, 10, 17, 24
International Dance Instructors
Reggie Gascon & Gayle Kawahakui
7:00 p.m. - Foxtrot
8:00 p.m. - Cha Cha
9:00 p.m. - Dance Classes
Dance Moiliili @ Moiliili Community Center
Dates of classes: April 5, 12, 19, 26 / May 3, 10, 17, 24
6:30 p.m. - Registration & Line Dancing
by Roxanne Kaino
American Social Instructors
Patrick Watarai & Lynn Miller
7:00 p.m. - Foxtrot
8:00 p.m. - Mambo
9:00 p.m. - Dance Class Ends
Dance Hawaii Kai @ Koko Head School
Dates of classes: April 5, 12, 19, 26 / May 3, 10, 17, 24
6:30 p.m. - Registration
American Social Instructors
Erik & Naomi Takai with Sally Forges
7:00 p.m. - Cha Cha Cha
8:00 p.m. - Foxtrot
9:00 p.m - Dance Class Ends
Most of my "must" attends are in the West and that is slowly building up, so that I have to get rid of my best blog. My best blog is the one that gets the most hits and needs me the least.
Then there is HBDA Inaugural this Saturday at the famous Palladium. I will certainly try to get some photos there as June will too. She is making some very good blogs out of their dance functions. Perhaps, we can even have Calvin do a blog too. Wow, what publicity, the hits would go through the roof.
From the Social Dance Book:
Social Moves for the intermediate student with a working knowledge of the rhythms. should cover moves that are “lead-able”, by which we mean moves that can be easily led even if your follow has never done the move and has no idea what is coming.
The moves are designed with clear and distinctive leads that leave little or no question in the follow’s mind about where to go next and what it is you want to do. Many of these moves are lead-able variations on moves you should already know. The intermediate student will recognize the underlying turns, free-spins, side passes and other basic moves that these social moves are built upon, so the classes should move fairly quickly.
For the leads, we will focus on breaking down the individual leads, making them clear and distinct. The lead techniques explored here can be useful in all of your dancing. For the follows, we will be working on following techniques: how to be receptive to a lead, how to “read” a lead and how to be responsive to the lead. For fun we will show how the follow can hi-jack the moves and turn them into something different. This sounds like "Da Reel Teeng."
From Maurice Morita:
Monday Nights:
Dates of classes: April 4, 18, 25 / May 9,16, 23
/ June 12, 20)
6:00 p.m. - Registration & Line Dancing
by Roxanne Kaino
Dates of classes: April 5, 12, 19, 26 / May 3, 10, 17, 24
International Dance Instructors
Reggie Gascon & Gayle Kawahakui
7:00 p.m. - Foxtrot
8:00 p.m. - Cha Cha
9:00 p.m. - Dance Classes
"Fly Me To The Moon" by Matt Monroe
Dates of classes: April 5, 12, 19, 26 / May 3, 10, 17, 24
6:30 p.m. - Registration & Line Dancing
by Roxanne Kaino
American Social Instructors
Patrick Watarai & Lynn Miller
7:00 p.m. - Foxtrot
8:00 p.m. - Mambo
9:00 p.m. - Dance Class Ends
"I Walk The Line" by Roy Coniff
Dates of classes: April 5, 12, 19, 26 / May 3, 10, 17, 24
6:30 p.m. - Registration
American Social Instructors
Erik & Naomi Takai with Sally Forges
7:00 p.m. - Cha Cha Cha
8:00 p.m. - Foxtrot
9:00 p.m - Dance Class Ends
Most of my "must" attends are in the West and that is slowly building up, so that I have to get rid of my best blog. My best blog is the one that gets the most hits and needs me the least.
Find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need, the remainder is needed by others. ~Saint Augustine
Then there is HBDA Inaugural this Saturday at the famous Palladium. I will certainly try to get some photos there as June will too. She is making some very good blogs out of their dance functions. Perhaps, we can even have Calvin do a blog too. Wow, what publicity, the hits would go through the roof.
Social Moves for the intermediate student with a working knowledge of the rhythms. should cover moves that are “lead-able”, by which we mean moves that can be easily led even if your follow has never done the move and has no idea what is coming.
The moves are designed with clear and distinctive leads that leave little or no question in the follow’s mind about where to go next and what it is you want to do. Many of these moves are lead-able variations on moves you should already know. The intermediate student will recognize the underlying turns, free-spins, side passes and other basic moves that these social moves are built upon, so the classes should move fairly quickly.
For the leads, we will focus on breaking down the individual leads, making them clear and distinct. The lead techniques explored here can be useful in all of your dancing. For the follows, we will be working on following techniques: how to be receptive to a lead, how to “read” a lead and how to be responsive to the lead. For fun we will show how the follow can hi-jack the moves and turn them into something different. This sounds like "Da Reel Teeng."
Cooler than Mama's Hybrid Car
Kudos to Green Toys again. Check out the new Race Cars. Built in the USA from 100% recycled plastic milk containers. These cool cars have an eco design, no BPA, PVA, phthalates or eternal coating. Available in red, blue or pink. Better than any hybrid car! ;)
By Green Toys
Green to Grow Eco-Giveaway: Have You Signed Up Yet?
Have you signed up to this amazing Eco-Giveaway yet? First winner will be announced in April 1!
Green to Grow eco-friendly sippy trainer cup and snack and formula stackers are made from recyclable polypropylene plastic (#5), and are free of BPA, phthalates, PVC, and lead. All products are beautifully designed, combining high quality materials and convenience.
In celebration for the coming Earth's Day, we are giving away 2 awesome kits, each includes:
- 1 Ecosystem Seahorse Sippy Trainer Cup
- 1 Ecosystem Snack Stacker
- 1 Ecosystem Formula Stacker (may also be used for snacks)
- 1 Pack Seashell lids
- 1 Pack Fair Trade, Organic Cotton Baby Cloths
As always, it is very easy to participate:
Become fan (a.k.a. "Like") of EcoLogical Mom and Green to Grow on Facebook. That's all you need to do! Winners will be announced on April 1 and 8, 2011.
Green to Grow offers a complete line of baby bottles, sippy cups, formula and snack stackers, totes and other accessories. All products comply with EN 14350 and CPSIA. Click here to learn more about the new Ecosystem lineGood luck!
Winners will be chosen at random.
The "Ecosystem" line is provided by Green to Grow.
The "Ecosystem" line is provided by Green to Grow.
Elevated radiation found in rainwater
Low levels of radioactive iodine linked to the nuclear disaster in Japan were detected in a sample of rainwater in Massachusetts, state health officials announced yesterday.
The concentration of radioiodine-131 found in the sample is very low and did not affect the health of the state’s drinking-water supplies, said John Auerbach, commissioner of the Department of Public Health.
The rain sample was taken during the past week in Boston as part of regular monitoring by the US Environmental Protection Agency. No detectable increases in radiation were discovered in the air that was tested in the same location where the rainwater was collected, Auerbach said at a press conference yesterday at the William A. Hinton State Laboratory Institute in Jamaica Plain.
“In Massachusetts, none of the cities and towns rely on rainwater as their primary source of water,’’ Auerbach said. “That’s why we’re so comfortable in saying that the drinking-water supplies throughout the state are pretty safe.’’
Officials would not specify which days the rain samples were taken or exactly where in the city they came from.
The concentration of radioiodine found in the rainwater sample was 79 pCi/L (picocuries per liter). Auerbach said that hypothetically, even if someone drank the rainwater directly, “it is still 25 times less risky than it would need to be in order to cause any kind of health concerns . . . . And that is even true for the population that would be the most vulnerable, such as pregnant women, breast-feeding women, and infants.’’
Read More
The concentration of radioiodine-131 found in the sample is very low and did not affect the health of the state’s drinking-water supplies, said John Auerbach, commissioner of the Department of Public Health.
The rain sample was taken during the past week in Boston as part of regular monitoring by the US Environmental Protection Agency. No detectable increases in radiation were discovered in the air that was tested in the same location where the rainwater was collected, Auerbach said at a press conference yesterday at the William A. Hinton State Laboratory Institute in Jamaica Plain.
“In Massachusetts, none of the cities and towns rely on rainwater as their primary source of water,’’ Auerbach said. “That’s why we’re so comfortable in saying that the drinking-water supplies throughout the state are pretty safe.’’
Officials would not specify which days the rain samples were taken or exactly where in the city they came from.
The concentration of radioiodine found in the rainwater sample was 79 pCi/L (picocuries per liter). Auerbach said that hypothetically, even if someone drank the rainwater directly, “it is still 25 times less risky than it would need to be in order to cause any kind of health concerns . . . . And that is even true for the population that would be the most vulnerable, such as pregnant women, breast-feeding women, and infants.’’
Read More
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Men Becoming Dancers
Actually you were always a dancer. Somewhere along the way you lost it simply because your peers convinced you that it wasn't right. Now is your chance to get back into it without having to get a partner first. Line Dancing.
Line Dancing is moving along very nicely in Oahu. And plenty of ladies are learning the movement in the dance good enough to phase over into partner dance. However the scarcity of men really astounds me. Some of the best potential dancers on this Island are walking through the streets or drinking in the bars of Oahu right now. Go to any bar and you will see the amount of men and so few women.
We have to find a way to communicate to these men that there is a much better way than drinking one’s life away. Drinking is not that bad if it is coupled with food and dancing. In three hours you will drink less and have more fun than three lonely hours in a bar.
On Oahu, they teach the steps first, then a little of the rhythm and timing and then the music. Street dancers learn it the other way. The music first, then the rhythm and the timing and then the steps. By that time you can move to anything. So get the music that you want to learn to dance and listen to it, and even move to it. A couple of days of doing that off and on and you are ready for your first go round in Line dancing.
And you don't have to be Spiderman!
Since there are at least ten women for every man in line dancing you can start there (no booze) and follow them. Get used to fact that the men are at a premium. But most ladies are good in their styling even if different from each other. Imitate all of them. You won't succeed of course, but you will develop your own unique style. From there it is a skip and a jump to Ballroom partnered Dancing and a lot more fun.
"Friendships double your joy and divide your griefs"
We have to find a way to communicate to these men that there is a much better way than drinking one’s life away. Drinking is not that bad if it is coupled with food and dancing. In three hours you will drink less and have more fun than three lonely hours in a bar.
And you don't have to be Spiderman!
Since there are at least ten women for every man in line dancing you can start there (no booze) and follow them. Get used to fact that the men are at a premium. But most ladies are good in their styling even if different from each other. Imitate all of them. You won't succeed of course, but you will develop your own unique style. From there it is a skip and a jump to Ballroom partnered Dancing and a lot more fun.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Blackberry and Tomato Crumble
My Michigan family was visiting recently and my sweet DIL mailed me a "thank you" cookbook after they returned. Angie's an excellent cook and she loves looking through my cookbooks. I bet she looked to see if I had this one....I didn't and was really thrilled to get it.
As you can see, it's Avec Eric and the only way I can describe it is to say it's a cookbook/travelogue/scrapbook. With LOTS of photos of Eric. But that's OK with me; laid back and handsome Eric Ripert is a favorite of mine and his restaurant, Le Bernardin in NYC, is as near perfect as you can get. I've eaten there and can state that unequivocably. As one reviewer stated: "it is a high church of reverently prepared fish."
What I found unusual about this cookbook was the way the chapters were labeled. Not according to food groups as one expects, but location. Eric has this to say in his introduction: ".....you really have to get out of the city and visit the source to appreciate what it takes to cultivate and produce the food that ends up in our markets.....you have to walk the fields, talk to the farmer, see the animals and taste everything in its purest form."
So Eric takes us with him on his travels....to California, to Italy, to the Cayman Islands...where he finds inspiration for his restaurant, his home and hopefully, for us. The directions are not fussy, the recipes easily within the reach of everyone and they include wine pairings and notes. It was a pleasure to read.
Blackberry and Tomato Crumble
From Avec Eric by Eric Ripert
Crumble Ingredients:
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold, diced
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
pinch of fine sea salt
Fruit Ingredients:
1 pint small grape tomatoes
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
3 tarragon sprigs
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 pint fresh blackberries
lemon zest strips and tarragon leaves for garnish
Sorbet for garnish, optional
Crumble Method:
Stir all the ingredients in a large bowl until it forms a pebble-like consistancy. Cover and chill for one hour.
Preheat oven to 325 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Spread the crumble mixture on the parchment paper and bake for 10 - 15 minutes until golden brown. Cool.
Fruit Method:
Bring a pot of water to the boil, drop the tomatoes in for 20-30 seconds. Remove to ice water and peel the skin.
Combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add the basil, tarragon, lemon zest and juice and the seeds from the vanilla pod. I tossed the pod in as well for good measure. Cover and allow to infuse until cool. Strain the mixture.
Rinse and dry the blackberries. Place the tomatoes and blackberries in the syrup. Chill for at least 1 hour. Drain, but reserve the syrup.
Arrange the fruit in 4 bowls and top each with a spoonful of the syrup, along with 3 or 4 tablespoons of the crumble. Garnish with lemon strips and tarragon and top with a small scoop of ice cream or sorbet.
Gothic Wedding Cake
Our final for Advanced Pastry was a three or four tier wedding cake. The first week we worked on learning to make flowers for the cake. Then we had one more week of prep and this week was the week to put it all together. I, of course, didn't want to do the same thing everyone else was doing. I just always want to be different. I don't like "competing" by definition. I don't want to be "better" than anyone else, I just want to be different. It's funny. As children and teenagers, the worst thing in the world is to be different. As adults, at least in my case, I have learned to embrace uniqueness. It's what sets me apart. It is what makes people go, "Wow!" I like doing things people don't expect. I like thinking "outside of the box."
With that in mind, I didn't want to do a classic white wedding cake. I had seen a photo of a gothic cake that was my base inspiration. Of course, mine ended up not being very similar at all as it evolved, but this cake was the one that I looked at originally and got the wheels turning.
When I was at work at Doing Dishes Pottery Studio, a photo cube caught my eye.
People paint the cube, then we glue the metal photo holder into the top once it is fired. My brain started churning. "What if I just used the metal part as the cake topper." I began to sketch a plan for my cake. This was the original sketch.
I went on to think as I got more and more into it, "What if I mold something around the topper to look like a tree??" The cake continued to evolve. I love how this happens. My mind just churns and churns and eventually something wonderful comes out of it. I make lists upon lists. I edit, cross out, and crumple up sketches and notes. I plan like crazy. It usually works and this was no exception.
Thomas Hill from Marion Crane and Digital Kill Productions, and incidentally my husband's best friend, came through for us and willingly went with us to take our photos in a Gothic Wedding Photo Shoot for the photos on the top of the cake. Jaime Yeoman also helped out with the makeup and the actual shoot and the cake wouldn't have been the same without them!!!
Wednesday I put the whole cake together. First I put the cake topper on the cake and added the "roots" of the tree. To make the topper I used a mixture of modeling paste and modeling chocolate kneaded together with black food coloring powder. It took several tries to come up with the right ratio, but once I did, I was able to keep making small amounts as I needed it to make the flowers, leaves, and trees. Then I piped the wrought iron fence on the bottom tier with black royal icing and the web on the top tier, and piped a simple border on all tiers. I added the second tree and the leaves, spiders, and flowers. I finished up adding accents of luster dust here and there, and finally added the photos to the tree.
I was so extremely happy with how the cake turned out that I was thrilled when I learned that one of the guys from the photography department at the Art Institute volunteered to take professional photos of all the cakes.
*If you click on the photos, they will come up larger so you can see more detail.
These are the other photos that were on the top of the cake. Some of them were edited to be black and white with only the purple remaining.
I love that these say Husband and Wife:
And just for fun, here are additional photos from the shoot that didn't make it onto the cake.
Here is Marc rear naked choking one of the headstones. He's in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
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