The world of Anthropologie

     In the busy lifestyle that we lead nowadays, many have been the times when I wanted to get away and lose myself into an idyllic, comfortable - yet stylish, world of my own.  The answer to all of this I found, notably, at my local Anthropologie store.  Undoubtedly, this is the store for any woman who wants to challenge her inner French girl.  It is not only what is offered at “Anthro” (its more familiar name), but the way that it is offered as well.  Because in Anthropologie, one shops as if in one’s own home, with the exception that everything displayed is for sale.  In fact, as soon as she enters, the shopper gets stroke by a feeling of being inside a very cozy Provençal home, where things are scattered about, yet there is a certain disorderly harmony about the style, the colours and the elements. 

My neighborhood "Anthro" at the Mall at Millenia.

     
In clothing, Anthropologie sells everything from dresses, tops, swimsuits, accessories, coats, tops and bottoms, lingerie, shoes, ethnic jewellery and perfumerie.  All the clothes have a decidedly European or Oriental style, which is laissez-faire, sophisticated and at times quite exotic.  Last Christmas I indulged myself in a one-of-a-kind Mongolian coat, with fur collar and intricate embroidery.  It is one of my favorite pieces as I know the likelihood of seeing a duplicate in the street is not only practically nil, but the style, with bone buttons, is a standard that will always be either in fashion or, at its best, vintage.  My newest acquisition, however, are a pair of suede flats in goldenrod colour by Pilcro.  I grabbed them as soon as I saw them as I find that bright yellow is a colour that pairs well with a neutral outfit, thus naturally bringing up the Fall palette of any wardrobe.  Plus, one cannot beat the comfort.

Happy Birthday to me in my exotic
Mongolian coat!

     One of my favorite areas is that of home furnishings.  The store offers the oddest – and priciest – sofas, along with wonderful bedding (mostly 300 thread), kitchen aprons, décor, candles of premium quality by the likes of Seda France, Voluspa and an exclusive line designed by New York City’s Le Labo especially for Anthropologie.  One can also find porcelain door knobs and coat hooks from India; as well as tea and coffee sets, and – my newest favorite – Fleur de Lys carved glasses from Portugal and milk drinking glasses from Italy.  My newest indulgence is a set of stainless steel etched silverware in a flowery design.  I have also recently spotted a wonderful selection of dish towels made of pure cotton with colourful designs and appliqués.  There is an extensive selection of bedding sets, ranging from in soft pastels or in bright colours like their new “Pavo” design.

An antique chest with goodies at the Tampa store.

     Books are another favorite of mine in Anthropologie.  The store offers a large collection of journals – both blank and pre-outlined, books on style and decoration, travel books about the world’s largest cities with references to food markets, walking plans and general curiosities, children’s books with titles such as “Just being Audrey”, to nurture a sense of style in young girls from a very tender age by illustrating the life of unforgettable icon Audrey Hepburn, and cookbooks and recipes aides from the likes of Alice Waters and her “Chez Panisse” series.  For those interested in sketching, Anthropologie is one of the few stores where one can find a set of nine coloured pencils from Thailand carved out of natural tree branches.

Like shopping out of someone's own home.

     In addition to the stores, the company mails a seasonal catalog to its regular customers and has recently started sponsoring a magazine entitled Anthology, which carries the style philosophy of the company by including not only decorating tips, but also recipes and suggestions for flâneurs.
Yet another excellent source for Anthropologie’s items is the company’s website.  Regular visits will let this most excellent company’s fan see what is new and what is coming to the stores, plus the fact that it offers standard shipping for free means that one will not pay more than in the store while ordering online, yet the selection is wider.

     Two things that I find this company needs are more customer-friendly pricing (in this times of crisis Anthropologie’s prices are generally exorbitant), and their own credit card with reward points to be able to afford all those purchases!! But next time you find yourself in need of those moments to “get away” while feeling great, surrounded by beautiful things, do head over to your nearest “Anthro” and indulge your senses.

Shortbread short-comings

I love shortbread.  My favorite ones are the “Highlanders” and the orange chocolate covered ones from Walkers.  I am also always sneaking into Starbucks to buy a 2-packet one of their own Walkers version.  I then saw Martha Stewart baking it on “Martha Bakes”, and thought her recipe and technique were worth a try. 

The more powerful reason I definitely wanted to bake my own shortbread was the fact that I had found a very exclusive butter, imported from France, bearing the AOP label (Apellation d’Origine Protégée), at one of my local gourmet markets.  It is called Beurre d’Isigny, and I thought it a masterful element in the elaboration of exquisite shortbread, since butter is the main ingredient in the product – i.e. the better the butter, the better the result.

As simple as the recipe looked, it took me 3 tries to master it.  The problem laid with the measurements.  See, the Beurre d’Isigny shows its weight in grams – 250 for each log, equivalent to 8.8 ounces.  Martha’s recipes calls for 2 sticks of butter, or a cup (are 2 sticks really a cup?).  But of course the sticks she is referring to are American size.  The French version is sufficient with just 1 log of butter, minus a little less (the extra 0.8 ounce that the log carries). 

Due to all this confusion, the first time I tried the recipe I used 2 logs of butter, resulting in fabulous flavour… and a complete blob.  As soon as I pulled it out of the oven, it reminded me of the 60’s movie “The Blob”, only in a lighter colour.  The next time I tried it with only 1 log of the dreamy Beurre d’Isigny, plus a little more.  Still not good.  The final result came out too greasy and, although browned enough after 50 minutes in the oven, it seemed still a bit undercooked in the center.

Last weekend I tried it again.  And this time I subtracted the 0.8 ounce from 1 log.  After I had finished incorporating all the other ingredients it formed into a dough, and I knew that finally, I had mastered it.

Undoubtedly, the secret to outstanding shortbread lies in the quality of the butter used to make it.  So I encourage you to buy the best one you can find, plus the best vanilla extract you can afford (I use Penzeys’ Double Strength Madagascar Vanilla), and give it a go.  It makes for an excellent gift as well as a hostess’ treat.

Here is Martha’s recipe for traditional Scottish Shortbread, adapted to accommodate the exquisite French butter:

Ingredients:

      9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom

      Flavour-less non-stick cooking spray

      8 oz. (almost 1 log) Beurre d’Isigny

      ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

      ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract (I suggest Penzeys’ Double Strength Madagascar Vanilla)

      2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted

      Sanding sugar to spread on top.  Some very nice ones can be found at www.layercakeshop.com

Directions:

It makes a wonderful gift, highly appreciated.

1. Spray the 9-inch fluted pan with removable bottom with the non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar.  Stir in vanilla.  With mixer on low speed, slowly add flour.  Mix until well combined.
3. Evenly spread the cookie dough into the prepared tart pan.  Refrigerate overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 326 degrees.  Sprinkle shortbread with sanding sugar.  Using the back side of a knife blade, score dough from the edge of the circle in the center toward the edge of the pan into 12 equal wedges.
5. Transfer the tart pan to the oven and bake until light brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the shortbread comes out clean, about 50 minutes (but check it closely, as oven temperatures vary greatly).  Immediately re-score wedges with the back side of the knife blade.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 1 hour.  Remove shortbread from tart pan and let cool completely.  Cut into wedges with a serrated knife along the scored lines.

Nothing like shortbread with crema de cioccolatto
and refreshing smoothie for a cozy afternoon snack.

The Vacherin Adventure

Ever since I read about this seasonal cheese called Vacherin Mont d'Or, in Susan Herrmann Loomis' book "On Rue Tatin" (http://www.amazon.com/On-Rue-Tatin-Living-Cooking/dp/0767904559/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335135353&sr=1-1), I have been in its pursuit.  It is a Swiss cheese that is made only in the winter months (September through April), and is mostly consumed with fruits, right out of its box, at the end of a meal.  In the USA, this cheese has to be especially ordered, yet the true Mont d'Or is not really available as it is made with raw milk.  I looked and looked for it online, and found the closest counterpart through iGourmet.com (http://www.igourmet.com/shoppe/prodview.aspx?prod=3059), but at the time, it was out of stock.  I left my email address in order to be notified when it will be available and months later I received a notification that it had finally arrived.  So naturally, I ordered it right away.  

It was to be delivered the next day, via FeDex in insulated packaging, as the cheese is highly perishable.  Just in case no one was home to receive it, I left a note on the door requesting that the package be left underneath my floor mat.  But as Murphy's Law claims that everything that could go wrong definitely will, the package arrived, and the driver utterly ignored my note.  He simply scheduled the package for re-delivery - the next day.

When I checked delivery status of my coveted cheese online and saw the red letters DELIVERY EXCEPTION, I first panicked, then I immediately contacted Fedex.  The first lady I spoke with was very understanding, and stated she would send a notification to the driver to actually re-deliver the package that same day and leave it at the doorstep, as my note requested.  Although I trusted her good intentions, I didn't trust his.  So after about an hour I called again.  Same story, with another lady.  I even called one of my neighbors to be on the lookout for said package and stuff it in her fridge until I arrived home.  But yet another hour later there were still no signs of my Vacherin.  

I called Fedex for yet a third time.  This time a gentleman, Art, actually placed me on hold several times until he was able to establish direct contact with the driver and told him that the package was perishable and needed to be delivered PRONTO.  When he came back on the phone, he assured me the driver would re-deliver no later than half past six that afternoon.  I arrived home at twenty past six.  When twenty to seven hit the clock, I called Fedex a fourth time.  The agent this time did not offer a good prognosis: the driver would stop by again, if it fit his schedule.

“What!!!!  Don't you understand it is a perishable item.  I MUST have it today!!", I screeched, my desperation alarming even myself.  The Fedex rep got noticeably annoyed at me, but I persisted.  In the end, he assured me that yes, by all means, the driver would DEFINITELY stop by momentarily.

About half an hour later, I had my Petit Sapin - alter ego to the Vacherin Mont d'Or - after a very stressful afternoon.  When I opened it, I noticed it looked pretty much like a Camembert - at least it was packaged in the same way.  But as I tried to cut into it, I noticed its creaminess and how it would not hold within its rind as a Camembert would.  This is obviously the reason why the Swiss eat it right off its wooden box, spooning it out as they go.  The cheese is also wrapped around spruce bark leaves, which give it a very earthy, yet subtle flavor, reminding us that the cheese is indeed produced in Alpine conditions.

One of the best ways to have these cheese is with a glass
of chilled white port.  Make a few slits on top of the cheese
and insert some slivers of garlic.  Top with some port and bake
in its box in the oven at 320F for half and hour.  Eat with a
fresh baguette.

I have found it goes very well with raspberries, which are tart, yet unobtrusive in flavor, and some sweet digestif biscuits.  Some connoisseurs use it to make fondue, or even as a fondue in itself.  To enjoy it so, just place the whole cheese in the oven for a few minutes and it will melt deliciously inside.  Bring it out, and be ready with some sliced apples, pears, peaches and, last but not least, bread, and you will have a fantastic, elegant snack to share with your friends.  Either a soft Riesling or a nice Rosé will go wonderfully with this cheese.

The first time I visited Paris, I was able to obtain the true Vacherin Mont d'Or at Lafayette Gourmet.  Although it looked very much like its American wanna-be, the French version was, not surprisingly, creamier, and eating it with piece of crusty baguette and and glass of wine made for a delightful evening in front of the television.   

     Whether you decide to get the American version or the French one (undoubtedly the best), make sure you consume your Vacherin within a week.  It shouldn't be hard.     

Winter Garden's 12th Annual "Spring Fever" Festival

This weekend I attended the 12^th Annual Spring Fever Festival in downtown Winter Garden, about a ten minute drive from my house.  I remember how this area was 10 years ago, when I moved to nearby Ocoee , and I must say I am astonishingly surprised at its progress.  Downtown Winter Garden has nothing to envy any downtowns from major metropolis, such as nearby Orlando, Miami, or even bigger ones.  The sense of community that one breathes here is so palpable, I made a mental note to own a house there, when the time comes.

It was a bright and colorful event...

Me at an orchid stall.

Conservation groups were keen on showcasing Lake Apopka's wildlife. 

Local students painted these magnificent portraits in chalk on the grounds of City Hall.

But the true jewel of Winter Garden is its Sweet Traditions French Bakery.  The closest I have come to a French bakery in the USA.  They bake the most wonderful croissants, baguettes, quiches and all sorts of desserts.  It's my new go-to place for the weekends.

Happy Easter!!

I remember very well how every Easter, my father would buy the precious, jewel-like chocolate eggs from Maison Lion D'Or for my mother and I.  Hers was always slightly bigger than mine, but then she was the Queen, and I was the Princess.

The famous chocolatier is still situated in Avenida Corrientes, and continues to produce these gems of chocolate.  Some eggs are up to several feet tall and worth thousands of dollars (or pesos, in this case).  They all come with surprises and even more chocolates inside.  Watch this video clip.  Even if you don't speak Spanish, the images are tantalizing by themselves.

Maison Lion D'Or, Buenos Aires, Argentina

This is our own version, which we celebrated with a nice German chocolate egg I found at our local Aldi Supermarket.  Not bad, don't you think?

Battle of the Potato-Bulge

     Since last autumn, I have been indulging on my passion for cooking and tasting, especially starches (read potatoes). It is something I have always liked; however not till recently have I been able to have a fully equipped kitchen in just the way I like it, with my glistening KitchenAid mixer in brushed copper, the Waring blender (you guessed it, also in copper), all sorts of necessary utensils like copper bowls, mandolin, etc.  

I've decided I would like as much copper in my kitchen as I can find.

     It was years since I made a roasted goose for Christmas, and last year I made it again, along with a Galette de Pommes de Terre (or potato cake) cooked in goose fat (recipe from On Rue Tatin http://www.amazon.com/On-Rue-Tatin-Living-Cooking/dp/0767904559/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333804350&sr=8-1), and a lovely Bi-colour Chocolate Terrine (recipe from http://www.utilisima.com/recetas/9139-terrine-bicolor.html). I even invited a dear friend to share in the feast with us. It had been years since I had entertained and I loved it.

     Sadly, six months later all of this has added up to my waistline, in ways that are integrally dangerous. To add insult to injury, I had a condition about two months ago that still lingers, and which gave me a totally stiff back, painful to the extreme of being unable to move, drive, sit or even lay down. The pain lasted two very long months, during which I saw my weight painfully shoot up without me being able to do anything about it. Not one zit.

     Although I am better now, I feel emotionally and physically exhausted. I want to resume my exercise routine but have found I have to do it slowly.  I have book in my library that is ideal to kick-start an exercise program after a long hiatus - "Strength training for women", by coach Joan Pagano (and which I reviewed in detail here ).  My big paradigm is how to get rid of those 6 extra pounds that make me look like a matron and not like Giada, while still enjoying my cooking – and eating, and while regaining the strength to exercise 4 days a week, 1 hour each day. So there, dear Hamlets, is the question! Does anyone have any answers?

When one is a foodie, trying to keep in shape is not easy.

     Nonetheless, I am transcribing the recipe here for La Galette de Pommes de Terre Dordogne from On Rue Tatin.  It is an excellent accompaniment for pork or goose, a bit laborious when it comes to peeling the potatoes, but so worth it.  I think of it as French tortilla - so refined, minus the eggs you would find in the Spanish version.

     Ingredients:

• 6  garlic cloves, green germ removed
• 1 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley, plus additional for garnish (optional)
• 5 Tbsp. goose fat
• 3.5 pounds waxy potatoes, peeled
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

     Preparation:

1. Mince the garlic with the parsley and transfer it to a small bowl.  Add 3 Tsbp. of the fat and mix thoroughly to make a paste.
2. Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp. of fat in a large, nonstick skillet with sides that are about 3 inches high.  You will need to slice the potatoes paper-thin for this dish and the best way to do that is to use a European-style vegetable peeler.  "Peel" the potatoes right into the hot fat, stirring them occasionally so they don't stick and seasoning them regularly with salt and pepper as you add them to the pan.  The potatoes will cook evenly as long as you remember to stir them from time to time.  They will stick together somewhat, so gently break them apart as you stir.
3. When all the potatoes are sliced into the pan, season them one more time with salt and pepper ans stir so they are all coated with fat.  Add the garlic and parsley mixture and stir so that it melts evenly throughout the potatoes, then cook until the potatoes are deep golden on the underside -  a generous 10 minutes.
4. Carefully invert the potato galette onto a large plate and slide it back into the pan, golden side up and cook until the underside is deep golden, about 15 minutes.  To serve, place a serving plate on top of the pan and invert so the galette falls onto the serving plate.  Garnish with flat-leaf parsley leaves if deisred, and serve.