A Fresh Start
Angel Vine, Spent Blossom, Rose Hip, Patchouli Candles.
“You let the old out the back door & open the front door to the new.”
I WOULD NOT SAY THAT I’M A NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION GIRL…
I am however a lover of fresh starts. The sunrise of new day, the hope of a new year, is not unlike opening a notebook to a crisp, clean page. A blank slate waiting for a sharp pencil point to etch endless possibilities. This is the gift we've all been given, the gift of free will. We can wake tomorrow morning & choose something completely different. A new way of thinking. A new way of living. I for one am choosing joy. The kind of joy that comes from inventorying one’s life & clearing away everything that doesn’t bring joy.
Giving space & time for reflection.
Practice the lost art of letter writting…
It is the lost art of the old soul, that of letter writing. The written word requires a different sort of reflection, both for the writer & for for the reader, engaging both an intellectual & creative part of the mind. You are gifting someone your thoughts & sentiments that can be reflected on & recalled.
Set the scene. Find a quite place with ambient light in which to write. Make a hot cup of tea, get some pretty or stately stationary & let the words flow. Take the time to compose something truly extraordinary. Not good with words? Look for inspiration in books of poetry, music can inspire the writer in you. Looking through old photos or even gazing out a window can flame the words.
create a book nook…
Create a cozy reading nook that beckons you to curl up with a book & cup of tea, coffee or warm brandy. Add a cashmere throw some inviting pillows & a stack of books on a bench near a window. Soft natural lighting casts warmth, while a soft moonlit glow comes from beneath the bench from a salt lamp.
What are your favorites reads right now? Cookbooks, mystery, something that enlightens spiritually? Arrange a few vintage notecards & inexpensive journals with a good pens, tied with jute as take away gifts for whomever frequents there. This is the perfect space for journaling sentiments of gratitude.
vellichor (n.) the strange wistfulness of used bookshops.
dry january…
We have decided to start this year off with a dry January. So in support of all of all family & friends who are doing the same, here are some recipes for alcohol free enjoyment, one soul soothing brew & one swanky mocktail.
Nothing fills the walls of a home with more warmth than a mulled cider simmering on a stove top. Citrus & spice balanced with vanilla bean makes this recipe truly special. Invest in some glass mugs for aesthetics & pleasurable sipping. Here is a lovely recipe for spiced cider served as is with a cinnamon stick & star anise garnish. Shown above with a butter sauteed lemon slice & a sliver of vanilla bean.
Warming Cider
SERVES 8- (MAKES 2 QUARTS)
Wendi’s Mulled Cider
2 quarts of apple cider (unfiltered apple juice)
2 cups unsulfured dried apple slices
1 orange sliced
2 tangerines sliced
2 lemons sliced
3 star anise
1 vanilla bean, cut in half, seeds removed (save seeds for another recipe as these are worth they’re weight in gold)
1 Tbsp. cloves (stud orange slices)
3 cinnamon sticks
Place ingredients in a crock pot, instant pot or large sauce pot. Cover & simmer very low for a minimum of two hours.
nostalgia (n.) it’s delicate but potent. In Greek, “nostalgia” literally means “the pain from an old wound.” It is a twinge in your heart far more powerful than a memory alone. It’s a feeling of a place where we ache to go again.
Violescent | A Swanky Mocktail
SERVES 8
12 oz. fresh blackberries (this should yield 2-cups of juice. Fresh is best but you may substitute frozen if necessary)
8-10 large lemons- zested & juiced (use a microplane zester for zesting, you will need 2-cups of juice)
1/2 cup agave (you may need more or less depending on the sweetness of the berries)
4 sprigs of fresh rosemary (if you can not find fresh, omit from recipe as you need the resin)
1/4 tsp. salt
3 cups sparkling water
cracked ice
In a gallon size ziplock bag, place the blackberries, the lemon zest, agave, rosemary & salt. Seal bag and massage mixture bursting open the berries to release their juice. Set aside for 20 minutes to allow flavors to acquaint (or up to 12 hours in the fridge). Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, you should have about 2 cups of blackberry syrup.
TO MAKE AN INDIVIDUAL mOCKTAIL
3 oz. sparkling water
2 oz. fresh lemon juice
2 oz. blackberry syrup
Place ingredients in a shaker with ice & shake vigorously for 8-10 seconds. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist & a sprig of rosemary.
gezelligheid (n.) the coziness, warmth and comfort of being at home, or being together with friends or loved ones, sharing time in a pleasant and nice atmosphere.
DUTCH
baking as therapy…
Baking is a bit art & a bit magic. When we bake or cook for others it is an extension of ourselves, a gift. My grandmother always taught me that one should never arrive empty handed. So whether its a hostess gift, or just a little something to brighten a friends day, bake one for home & one to give away. My new favorite quintessential for fall baking & gifting is this lovely combination of Baklava & Strudel, which I affectionately named; Strudel-Lava. It’s truly extraordinary.
/Strudel/
a layered pastry containing a sweet filling.
/Baklava/
a rich sweet dessert with layers of filo & chopped nuts held together with honey.
/Strudel-Lava/
an ingenious creation that combines layers of filo with butter, honey & chopped toasted walnuts that envelop layers of tart, sliced apple.
SERVES 8
Begin a day ahead as you will need to thaw the filo dough in the refrigerator overnight.
8 sheets of filo dough (Phyllo)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
2 seeds from a star anise (save the seed shelling to add to the apples)
1/2 cup organic brown sugar, packed
zest of 1 large orange (use a microplane zester for this)
1 tbsp. ghee
3 large tart baking apples (Granny Smith or Pink Lady)
1 star anise
1/4 cup apple juice concentrate
juice & zest of 1 lemon
pinch of salt
1.) Allow filo dough to thaw under refrigeration over night. Remove filo from fridge. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Whip together softened butter & honey, set aside. In a food processor, pulse together toasted walnuts, star anise, brown sugar & orange zest.
2.) In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt ghee. Toss in apples & star anise, saute a few minutes then add apple juice concentrate, lemon juice with zest & pinch of salt. You want the apples just browned in spots giving you some caramelization but do not cook them through. Set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 350f.
3.) Lay out 8 pieces of filo dough & cover with a towel (refrigerate or freeze the rest). Place first sheet of filo on parchment lined sheet pan, brush lightly with butter honey mixture using a pastry brush. Place another sheet on top, brush with mixture then crumble 1/4 cup of the nut mixture evenly over the filo. Repeat this layering process two more times ending with the last 2 sheets of filo. Stack cooled apple slices down the center of the pastry lengthwise (leaving excess juices & star anise in pan). Carefully fold one length over filling, brush with a little butter honey mixture, fold in ends. Then finally fold pastry over placing seam on the bottom. Brush pastry with remaining butter & honey & bake until fragrant & golden brown, 30-35 minutes.
4.) Serve warm or at room temperature. Cut into 8 portions. If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Chef Notes: Resist the urge to add sugar to the apples. The juice concentrate is all that is required & allows the true apple flavor to shine through. You want that wonderful contrast of a tart apple complemented by the layers of honey, butter & brown sugar. Serve with a cup of afternoon Earl Grey tea or after dinner with an expresso.
sonder (n.) the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.
“Embrace life today. Not tomorrow, today. Wear the dress you’ve been saving. Break out the pearls. Love those who surround you & love yourself.”