Wallpaper Cookies

Be still my heart. That's what was going through my head when I first came across these Miette cookies on DesignSponge. It took me all of two seconds to fall head over heels in love with these delightful treats and I knew that I wouldn't be able to resist posting something about them on Dessert Girl!

Based on the gorgeous Osborne & Little wallpaper that line the walls of the Miette Confiserie in San Francisco, these floral shortbread cookies are the perfect pairing of art and food. I haven't eaten one, so I can't vouch for their flavor, but everything that I've had from Miette has been mighty yummy, so I'm sure these would have the same glorious flavor as their other treats. As an added visual bonus, the plates in these pictures appear to be designed by the super talented Whitney Smith, one of my all-time favorite potters! At least, it looks like Whitney's work, anyway. Click here to order online. {Thanks, Ashley!}

OUR ENVIROMENT

In our English lessons we try to learn about our enviroment and how we can look after our planet, our home.
Have a look and see some activities we do:
Our Enviroment on PhotoPeach

MARCHING SONG

This song is about clothes. Can you sing it?

The Mixing Bowl: Strawberry Cupcakes by Flowers in May

Today’s recipe comes from graphic designer Emily Dumas. Based in Massachusetts, Emily runs the design and stationary company Flowers in May, where she creates super fun, themed prints (of course, the baking print is my favorite!), along with lovely invitations, note cards, coasters, and magnets. Today she’s sharing a delicious recipe for strawberry cupcakes. Personally, I think nothing says summer like strawberries and these sweet treats would make the perfect addition to your warm weather get together. I hope you enjoy them!

Click on the image at the top of this post to see a larger, readable version of the recipe card. Click here to check out the full selections at Flowers in May. Thanks, Emily!

WORLD BOOK DAY

April 23 is a symbolic date for world literature. This is because Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died on this date in 1616 . We are going to learn more about these writers. Click on their photos.
CERVANTES


Look at this video about Don Quixote of La Mancha. This is one of the most important book of Cervantes.


GARCILASO


SHAKESPEARE

EVERY DAY IS EARTH DAY

EARTH DAY SONG

The title of the song is "It's up to me and you!"(Tócanos a ti e a min decidir!). WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? I know... help the enviroment!

Inspiration Board: Typography

Font love started, for most people, back in 2007, with the release of the awesome documentary Helvetica. Who knew that a movie about a font could be so interesting?? Well, it was and typography is finally making it's way into the dessert world. Woo hoo! I especially love the font recipes featured in Sweet Treats - A Typographical Cookbook ($20) by Woodward Design (see below). The first time I caught a glimpse of it, I was instantly hooked. So many creative possibilities! If you're a fan of typography, it's definitely worth a browse. Check out the photos below for more fun ways to work typography into your desserts. {image above: Helvetica Cake}

Sweet Treats - A Typographical Cookbook ($20) by Woodward Design. Slab Serif Black Forest Cake.


Sweet Treats - A Typographical Cookbook ($20) by Woodward Design. Toothsome Typeface Tart.


Helvetica cookie cutters by Beverly Hsu


Nice Cake by Love to Cake


Scrabble Cookies by Peas Love Carrots

Brownie Husband

Tina Fey on Saturday Night Live. This is one of the funniest things that I've seen in a while. High-larious! [Thanks, Alja!]

Blast From the Past: Party Sandwich Loaf

Now that Spring is here and picnic season has officially started, I thought it was a great time to share these fun party sandwich loafs that would be perfect for your next picnic/outdoor get together. I will warn you, though, if you ever encounter one of these loafs at a party, please know that although it may look like a delicious cake, it is far from it! A fact that I was actually pleased to discover after spending some disturbing moments wondering what naughty person ruined a perfectly good cake by covering it with olives! I was in fact quite relived to discover that what I thought was dessert was actually a giant sandwich masquerading as a cake.

While it is true that this loaf does have a cream cheese frosting, you won't find chocolate creme inside. What you will see is egg salad, ham, avocados, celery, tomatoes, mayonnaise, and French dressing, among other ingredients. Okay, I'll admit it, the sandwich loaf doesn't exactly make my mouth water, but it is filled with kitschy goodness. A friend of mine recently made one for a get together and I was completely fascinated by it, even though I don't eat meat! Besides, vegetarians can always swap in fake meat, instead, if they want to give it a whirl or make one with only veggies. Check out some more sandwich loaf options below. [Thanks John and Sadie!] {image above by Eartha Kitsch}

Party Sandwich Loaf by Betty Crocker


image courtesy of Lissy Friedman


image courtesy of tyty

Suggestion Box: Favorite Spots in NY

One of my favorite things about New York is the fact that you can find a bakery on just about every street. I'm not going to lie; it is pretty much the only reason that I would consider packing my bags and moving there permanently. My fondness for trees and peace and quiet would probably prevent such a move, but the fact that I could go to Baked and Momofuku on a regular basis . . . now that would be tempting! It certainly would be much easier than what I do now, which is to try and cram all my NY eating into one long weekend! Food is most definitely on my brain while I'm there, and even when I'm not, like tonight, when I was driving home from work. I seriously spent my rush-hour drive time trying to decide if I want to order the Arnold Palmer cake or the Lucky Charms ice cream at Momofuku! It was while contemplating this important decision when I thought, hey, wouldn't it be fun to ask people about their favorite things to eat and do in New York! I find that the best ideas usually come via recommendations and, besides, I love hearing about people's favorite spots, including the nonfood variety. I mean, you can't possibly spend the whole time eating, can you? [Gramercy Park print by the smile inducing Matte Stephens]

The Mixing Bowl: Bakewell Tart by Katie Green

I am such an illustration geek that when Katie Green sent over these illustrations/pictures for her Mixing Bowl recipe, I had a little internal freak out (in a positive way, of course). Illustrations make me sooo happy and these Bakewell Tart drawings by Katie are just perfect! I was also really thrilled, and quite honored, to discover that Dessert Girl is now officially part of Katie's What I Wore Today series, in which she playfully chronicles her daily outfit choices, not in photos, but in illustrations! It's a great, whimsical alternative to all those fashion blogs out there. Here she is making her (vegan) Bakwell Tart for us!

But, wait, that's not all Katie's got up her sleeve! For a lot of designers, having one creative outlet might be enough, but not Katie. She's also has found time to write and illustrate a super cute vegan cookbook, in which this Bakewell Tart recipe appears and she is in the process of writing and illustrating a graphic novel that is set to be published by Jonathon Cape (see b&w image below). Oh, did I also mention the painting, papergoods, toys, jewelry, and graphic design work?? It's making me tired just thinking about it!

I hope you enjoy Katie's Blackwell Tart! She has assured me that it tastes as good as it looks in the pictures. Oh, and in case you're wondering, Katie used natural uncoloured glacé cherries on her version, which is why they look dark and prune-like instead of red! [click on the image at the top of this post to see a large-print, readable version of the recipe.]

Click here for more info on Katie’s latest projects, including her graphic novel. Also, you can check out her What I Wore series on Flickr, right here. If you're interested in ordering her vegan cookbook, Bake Me a (Vegan) Cake, you can contact her directly. Thanks, Katie!

More tart pics and artwork after the jump.

Pepi Sings A New Song

I’m always excited to hear about what past Mixing Bowl contributors have been up to, so I was thrilled to hear from Laura Ljungkvist about a children's book that she wrote and illustrated titled Pepi Sings a New Song. The story is about an enthusiastic parrot that roams his neighborhood looking for things to sing about. Among the places that Pepi visits are a music studio, an art studio, and, of course, a bakery! So cute! The book will be released April 20th and can purchased right here. Thanks, Laura!

Catch-all Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup

I am in the middle of moving. Again. We are finally finishing the last bits of the renovation and starting to move our things to the new flat. As anyone who has renovated (or constructed for that matter) knows, this becomes an interminable phase which involves a million little things that you suddenly notice are unfinished or need to be changed --- things which seem to multiply overnight!

So that’s where I have been, and still am. Halfway packed with a new kitchen agonizingly near yet still so painfully out of reach. Near enough so I can almost taste it, but too far to actually do so. So cooking has been sporadic and not particularly inspired. Waking moments are filled with back-and-forths between the contractor, the interior designer, and us. Thank goodness we found a place that sells decent chocolate croissants or I don’t know what I’d do for sustenance!

In preparation for the big (and final!) move, I’ve been trying to use up all the bits that have been hanging around my fridge and freezer. Despite all the hustle, and the awkward half packed state of affairs over here, and the odds-and-ends ingredients, this soup turned out to be a lovely by-product of the clean-out.

I first took two roast chicken carcasses that I had tucked away in my freezer for future stock use, along with a bag full of random vegetable parts (broccoli trunks, the woody parts of asparagus, parsley stems, etc), and plopped them all in a pot with an onion, some bay leaf, black pepper, salt, and water. I let this simmer and reduce until I had a nice flavorful stock…which I then strained and set aside. I peeled and chopped another onion, the two last carrots in the crisper, and a lonely sweet potato --- these I sautéed with a nice amount of butter in another pot. In went some generous shakes of cumin, a smidgen of cinnamon, a few twists of black pepper, and the stock. I cooked this until the vegetables were tender then took everything off the heat to puree the lot with a hand-held blender. At this point you should taste and adjust seasoning, as well as add more stock if the soup needs to be thinned out (or cook further if it is too thin). I topped mine with a dollop of Greek-style yogurt which I strongly recommend!

Sorry for the lack of recipe…I really just cobbled together what I had. It turned out so well though that I had to share it here (no matter how wooly the description). And I will definitely be making this again, perhaps taking better notes and fashioning a recipe for it. Perhaps when I am at last cozily ensconced in our new kitchen which I cannot wait to start cranking up. Until then I just want to let you know that I’m still here, and no matter how hodge-podge, I’m still cooking! :)

To those who celebrate it…Happy Easter! :)

The Mixing Bowl: Very Berry Lemon Mousse by Silvana Ferreira

I had just finished watching Coco Before Channel when I first came across Silvana Ferreira's photos on Etsy. I was already in full French mode after spending ninety minutes in turn-of-the-century France, so it didn't take me long to become mesmerized by Silvana's gorgeous photos of Paris. There's something about her colors that just lures me in, especially the image of the Place des Vosges.

The striking blue of the sky against the red of the building...together the two transport you to a whole different place entirely. I'm a big fan of old buildings, too, so I think that one is definitely my favorite in the bunch, but there are so many other photos that I love, and not all of them are of Paris! She has a lot of beautiful nature photos as well, including some floral images that are just lovely.



Today Silvana is kind enough to be sharing with us a recipe for Very Berry Lemon Mousse, which she made using lemons and mint that she picked directly from her own garden! It sounds like the perfect summer treat! Check out the recipe and photos after the jump to see what it's all about.

You can check out Silvana's Etsy site by clicking here. You can also visit her Website, right here, and her blog here. Thanks, Silvana!

You can find the complete recipe after the jump.
 

From Silvana: A refreshing summertime dessert or perfect after a heavier meal. The recipe is originally by Emeril Lagasse (recipe on the Food Network, right here). I fold slightly more whipped cream into the mousse and I think it serves 3-4 comfortably.

Lemon Mousse:
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
1 egg
6 tablespoons butter, diced
3/4 cup heavy cream, whipped
bowl of ice

In a large, heavy bottomed stainless steel saucepan combine the lemon juice, sugar, egg yolks, egg, and butter. Over medium-high heat, whisk the mixture constantly until thickened. Strain it through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl set over ice and chill, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Fold in the whipped cream, wrap with plastic wrap and chill until ready to use.


Raspberry Coulis:1 pint raspberries
3 to 4 tablespoons sugar

Place the raspberries and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from the processor and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean nonreactive mixing bowl. Use immediately or refrigerate in a well-sealed container until ready to use. Will keep for 2 days.


Serving Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups halved blackberries
3/4 cup Raspberry Coulis
3/4 cup whipped cream
6 sprigs fresh mint

Place 1/2 cup of the mousse in champagne flutes, margarita glasses or other stemmed glasses. Place 1/4 cup of the blackberries on top of the mousse in each glass. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the Raspberry Coulis over the blackberries and place a 2-tablespoon dollop of whipped cream in the glass over the Raspberry Coulis. Garnish with a sprig of mint and serve.