Gourmet Chef

My husband is a gourmet chef. In our seven year relationship (thus far) he has shown me amazing delicacies that I otherwise never would've known. He is Turkish and it seems Turkish Cuisine is among  the undiscovered wonders by the rest of the world. If you taste this (and you should) I swear it will not disappoint!

This Quince Dessert (Ayva Talisi) is one of the best sweet treats I've ever tasted!

A quince is a sort of pear. It's a bit squattier and much more cloying when eaten raw than a pear is but when poached in a simple syrup and served chilled garnished with Kaymak (the Turkish version of Mascarpone) it is divinity. Photo Source

Ingredients:

3 Quinces halved and cored (reserve the seeds)

2 C sugar

6 whole cloves

1/2 C - 1 C water

Directions:

Place the quince core side up in a pan

cover with sugar

put the seeds in the bottom of the pan (this gives the stunning color)

add the cloves too (optional - my husband doesn't use them)

add the water 

cover and simmer checking often so as not to burn them

To serve (pictured above):

Place half a quince core side up in the middle of a plate

drizzle some of the pan syrup over the quince

add a generous dollop of Kaymak (if you cannot find Kaymak, 

Mascarpone is an acceptable substitute)

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

That's, perhaps, my favorite Christmas carol!  "I really can't stay - baby it's cold outside - I've got to go away - baby it's cold outside - This evening has been - been hoping that you'd drop in -So very nice - I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice..."

So to keep your hands, your neck, your body from being like ice but still being sinfully stylish, I found a sweet little ditty on Etsy.

As most if you know, I love that place. I have a shop there soon to be followed by another to accompany Poppies and Paperbacks. I often go there to pass the time looking at things I covet and wish I was have the crafter that many of these people are!

Today I came across a coat that I simply must have. Because, it's winter and "Baby, it's cold outside!" It's created by Leanne Marshall who hails from Brooklyn, New York. It's not just cold outside there...It's freezing outside there. SO you know this lady knows what a coat should be like. This feminine little coat with a short swing peplum is Melton wool on the exterior with vintage plaid at the hems and lined inside with silver crinkle satin. Go visit her site, you won't be disappointed. And, bonus, she does much more than just coats. She makes dresses, skirts, shirts and other apparel all with her own signature of awesome!

Geographer

Last night, Anna, Meaghan and I went to Sacramento State University to see the incredible song trio - Geographer - fronted by Michael Deni and partenered with Nathan Blaz on cello and Brian Ostreicher on drums. These lovelies create a trifecta that will blow you away. Deni's vocals are dreamy but crisp and take you to a place of love and lust. Gauzy and organic, his voice is pitch perfect and lovely. That angelic voice on it's own is great but with the cello the Geographer sounds become elemental! And, I've seen a live cello in my day but I have never seen it rocked like this. Nathan Blaz is impeccable and a sacred complement and necessity to this determinate, wicked sound that belongs only to this band! And last but most certainly not least, the passion of this tryptic is incomplete without the seriousness and device of Ostreicher. As the percussionist, he pulls these sounds together and sews them up to be one artistic outpour of danceable, singable, memorable melodies. Oh, and did I mention we screamed like little girls when they began their set?

If you don't know about or haven't heard Geographer, I suggest you do some research. These guys have the kind of sound, that in my romantic, perpetual teenage mind, would have been chosen for a John Hughes film. I suppose in modern terms, that means imploring Stephanie Meyer to love them for a Twilight film or perhaps I should contact the music team that does the great sounds for The Vampire Diaries? Yes! That's it!

If I knew how to add sound bytes here, I'd let you listen, alas I don't. So, on the Trycicle Records site, there is an artist's stream or of course, iTunes.

By the way, they'll have an new album release in February.

Photo Source

Happy Harmonizing, XO Gwen