tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70084639681112916252024-03-19T08:41:49.206+01:00The Salty CodMallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.comBlogger219125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-6237933961895168502015-03-31T02:33:00.002+02:002015-03-31T03:10:03.278+02:00The ReturnI'm back. I mean, I'm back in the US. Is my slump over?<br />
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What happened? We decided to make a leap. Where are we? Rochester, NY. After five years in Brazil, husband (H) accepted an inter company transfer offer for a position in the US, and we decided to take it. So here we are. I seem to restart my life over every five years. It's deathly frightening and liberating all at the same time. That's that.<br />
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So how is it? Getting used. We're rounding into three full months in our new home so we're starting to get a handle on the place. Moving from the tropics of South America to the tundra of Lake Ontario is an extreme shift, one extreme to another. The weather has been unusually cruel. It's the end of March and we're still dipping below zero at night. We expected cold, we expected snow, but we didn't expect this much. We haven't explored nearly enough, but so far what Rochester has going for it, for me, are the parks and the food. There are more parks around this city than imaginable. I have yet to repeat a park on my trail runs. The choices are never ending, and the views, foliage and wild life are breathtaking. One point for Rochester. The second great advantage to being here is the ability to buy and eat locally. Let's just say that's been a dream... We're smack in the heart of upstate New York farm land, a feature that i intend to exploit with fervor.<br />
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Do i miss Sao Paulo? Yes. Five years is more than enough to build a home and to build a place to fit in. I found my place in Sao Paulo, I was thriving. So why did we leave? I refuse to have regrets based on missed opportunities. I would never have moved to Brazil if i hadn't taken a huge gamble that my husband calls brave yet others might call naive. I don't know what it was. All i know is that i would regret it for the rest of my life if i hadn't tried. <i>What if</i> is nothing i ever want connected to my memories. Five years later our decision to move to Rochester was rooted in the same thought. So we wander. Brazil is not gone. I will always be part Brazilian. There is nothing I can do about that now.<br />
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I don't know why i stopped posting recipes when i moved to Brazil. Why I wanted Salty Cod to die, or to sleep. To fade to the bottom at the exact moment that the world of food blogging boomed. But it did. And he was left behind. I also don't know why i am now inspired to resuscitate him. To feed him. To post, for you, recipes.<br />
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So to start off with a bang, I will post my recipe for Moqueca Baiana, a Brazilian fish stew from the northern state of Bahia. This recipe was made here in Rochester using ingredients that can be found inside the United States. So Gemma, no excuses. <br />
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Moqueca Baiana<br />
Serving: 4 <br />
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Ingredients:<br />
Two cans coconut milk<br />
Four quarts stock (or water)<br />
One pound large shrimp (if you can find with heads and skin, better)<br />
One large red onion<br />
One large red bell pepper<br />
1 tsp red chili flakes or 1 fresh hot red chili <br />
4 cloves garlic<br />
Dende oil (known in the US as Red Palm Oil)* <br />
1.5 cup farofa (or panko)*<br />
Shredded unsweetened coconut <br />
Fresh cilantro<br />
Limes<br />
Salt, pepper<br />
Prepared rice (brown or white) for serving<br />
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*Red palm oil can be found in most grocery store (Trader Joe's has). It usually can be found solid in a jar (similar to coconut oil) and runs anywhere from five to fifteen dollars a jar.<br />
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*Farofa is made from a roughly ground tapioca flour. It is possible to find at international import stores, but if it's not available in your area regular panko works just as well.<br />
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Method: <br />
1) Prepare the shrimp. If you can find whole shrimp with their heads still attached, get them. They will add an extra flavor dimension to your moqueca. If you can't find, no sweat, but you will need to make sure you use a stock such as fish stock or chicken stock. If using shrimp heads, remove all heads, legs and shells from the shrimp meat and dump into a pot. Add four quarts water (or stock) and bring to a boil. Strain the liquid into a Medium stock pot and discard the heads and shells. Set shrimp bodies aside.<br />
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2) In a saute pan, heat 2 tbsp dende oil (red palm oil) and add sliced onions, bell pepper, garlic and chili pepper. Heat until fully sweated. Add to the stock. Over medium heat, stir the coconut milk into the stock/onion/pepper mixture. Set aside.<br />
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3) Prepare your rice. <br />
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4) Prepare your fried coconut. Heat 1 tbsp dende oil in a small frying pan. Once hot, add the shredded coconut. Stir until the coconut absorbs all the oil and begins to crisp (turn a darker orange color). Let fried coconut dry on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt.<br />
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5) Prepare the farofa. Heat 1 tbsp dende oil (see the pattern here?) in a sate pan. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add pank and stir until completely absorbed and the panko begins to crisp. Sprinkle with salt and take off heat.<br />
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6) Cook shrimp. In (another) saute pan, heat 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Saute shrimp for about two minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add cooked shrimp to Stock pot and stir.<br />
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To assemble: Start with rice, add a heaping scoop of moqueca (as much shrimp as you can scoop), sprinkle with farofa and fried coconut, garnish with fresh cilantro and for good measure drizzle a fresh squeeze of lime over the top.<br />
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Enjoy. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6ZJ-5yaRz-Z0KrXzdCa8-m6G8Qn0D_KiQit1I_kGgcyMWkqou0twQzVbjYU74ymUGb59l7yI0k9DEVy5tA44rTAjC1eFeYAXlHPNfjIxqKzbGKKx-rGmzBxIBbcpHhZQkRmKxkQN_-Lf/s1600/DSC_7357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6ZJ-5yaRz-Z0KrXzdCa8-m6G8Qn0D_KiQit1I_kGgcyMWkqou0twQzVbjYU74ymUGb59l7yI0k9DEVy5tA44rTAjC1eFeYAXlHPNfjIxqKzbGKKx-rGmzBxIBbcpHhZQkRmKxkQN_-Lf/s1600/DSC_7357.jpg" /></a>And that's that.<br />
Thanks for having me back, America!<br />
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<br />Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-14578066369204496182014-05-06T17:36:00.000+02:002014-05-06T17:40:23.134+02:00Hello Polo<br />
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Hello Codet(tes). Today I am sharing with you an incredibly fun photo shoot I did about a week ago featuring beautiful animals, a stunning woman and an amazing oasis in the middle of Sao Paulo Capital city. Can you believe these photos were taken in the middle of the concrete jungle?<br />
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The shoot took place at the <a href="http://www.shp.org.br/" target="_blank">Sociedade Hípica Paulista</a>, located in the Brooklin district in Sao Paulo. When you enter it's as if someone switched the city off. You hear crickets, smell manure and hay and see well-to-do people happily strolling about in their knee boots, riding gloves and strappy tights. You don't just feel transported out of the city, you feel as if you've left the country!<br />
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My model for the day was a true horse lover through and through. She frequents the polo center every Saturday morning to spend a coveted one hour riding atop a beautifully groomed polo horse. She doesn't play for a team, but rather needs that one hour weekly to decompress and feel like herself. We chatted about how expensive it is to have access to horses in the city, but we made a great comparison: some people in Sao Paulo buy asparagus to feel comfort and ease (asparagus are very expensive!) and others spend hundreds a week at shiny bars and clubs (even more expensive than the asparagus!!) but for her, instead of the clubs and bars (and asparagus for that matter) she chooses the horse and stays in on Friday nights. We all make different choices on what to indulge in, what to splurge on in order to relax and be happy. And if it makes you happy then it is beyond worth it.<br />
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The horse pictured in all the closeups is known as Mr. Wilson, he was a little shy of the camera. Enjoy. <br />
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-Y3mTkA7eXbk%2FU2j6egc4UWI%2FAAAAAAAAE7E%2F8qv7Ij9GRLU%2Fs1600%2Ffour.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_Yqjw8C4waQknaoSzl5HxCLpa16EW9F5aw4pzS3rPb2XWjCBkvoNA-8D-vz105xjQch5GmnWlJocnaRIk1ZhXlY2VOTj2DMKiI1ebshub63k-jDbmevoGsmKmXxb1wk5Z7DnvFyKyd1W/s1600/four.jpg" -->Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-38698858085850626602014-05-05T23:26:00.002+02:002014-05-05T23:36:23.176+02:00A Real Wedding Cake<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yyijDrkKRruFwu-n0qZN8iF-_mJLybO8JgZq-nRQDbBu25_76Cu5h6IbxHlvXcMOmL8nldGQ9Eui-7e3WBusXD_hZh_k1jL7lX6x0IB0GFeJ2A4-u86YUmwcMi5Q8W3-OSsaUXfVHuYM/s1600/lighter+wedding+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yyijDrkKRruFwu-n0qZN8iF-_mJLybO8JgZq-nRQDbBu25_76Cu5h6IbxHlvXcMOmL8nldGQ9Eui-7e3WBusXD_hZh_k1jL7lX6x0IB0GFeJ2A4-u86YUmwcMi5Q8W3-OSsaUXfVHuYM/s1600/lighter+wedding+cake.jpg" /></a>Hello Codet(tes.) Remember the cake tasting from a few months ago? The session with the bottle of bubbly and such indecision that all three flavors were chosen for the cake? Yes? Remember? Well i made that cake this past weekend. This was my first extra large tiered wedding cake. It was also one of the most difficult things i have ever made. For this, you should know that your wedding cake costs what it does because it is a miracle that it exists!<br />
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Because i am quite confident with my single tiered cakes, the ones ordered for birthdays and small occasional gatherings, i knew i would be able to make each tier look/taste pretty good on its own. The difficult part came with the anxiety over whether or not i would be able to stack it evenly and whether or not it would be strong enough to keep from sinking in or falling over.<br />
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It took two days to bake all of the layers inside this beast. Any layer that wasn't perfect, i chucked and started again. I went through over 45 eggs, six kilos of flour, and over four kilos of butter. This. Was. Intense.<br />
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The thing that nagged the most on my anxious mind, however, was the way the Swiss meringue buttercream would hold up. The bride hired me specifically for my style and specifically for the fact that i don't work with fondant. It's almost unheard of to find a wedding cake made without fondant here. When i tried to explain to the wedding planners that it wasn't fondant they looked so confused. I use traditional American buttercream on all of my small cakes, but for the wedding cake i grudgingly settled at SMB. Why? I'll tell you. American buttercream, the kind made from butter and powder sugar, dries hard at room temperature. After an hour or so after frosting the cake, it's set. While you might think that a set, dry-to-the-touch cake would be perfect for this, i wasn't so sure. When buttercream sets it has the possibility to crack, and in my case the certainty to crack. Cakes settle, cakes heat and cool on their own, and during transport or lifting to each tier to mount cracking loomed almost inevitable. AND fixing dried buttercream has never worked for me. It just doesn't. It lumps up and never lies smooth. SMB, on the other hand, only hardens when it is in the fridge. At room temperature it stays soft and sticky--meaning it can't crack or ruffle off in powder. It can also be smoothed out again if, say, your apron happens to swipe it's side. For this i went with SMB, a much more difficult buttercream to make (it requires five five times the amount of effort needed to make American buttercream) but in the end the benefits seemed to outweigh the risks.<br />
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We transported the cakes flat in their individual tiers. I sat in the backseat with all four of them. Holding my breath. The delivery took about a four hour drive to get to the small suburb city of Embu das Artes, which is half and half a poor suburb and wealthy cottage town for weekend getaways and event rentals. It was a hot sunny day, a little over 75F. When we arrived the wedding planners told me to assemble the cake outside on the dessert table. Outside? In warm weather? No cloud in sight? Under a glass roof no less? You madame, must be joking. I said i wouldn't, i wouldn't unless she wanted to present a crying bride with a cake of clarified butter. So while the wedding planners scrambled around to figure out their whole dessert table issue, i set the cake up on the dance floor (hence the horrible photo with no light and an ugly background) it was the only place with an open table away from direct sunlight. While i was finishing attaching the flowers, the planner came over to me and said "well, all the chocolate truffles we put on the table outside melted. good thing we didn't put the cake out there." Yeah, no kidding. <br />
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I left the cake, standing there in the middle of the dance floor, alone yet looking quite regal. I can't believe i made that thing on my own. Well, i had a little help. H drove like an old man to ensure safe delivery, he also ran to the corner a few times to pick up more butter...and he cut the 15 dowels that secured each layer. Thanks H.<br />
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This was my first wedding cake and for this i attribute the anxiety and difficulty. I'm already confident that the next one will be easier and much more beautiful.<br />
<br />Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-86682689694424674022014-04-21T15:14:00.000+02:002014-04-21T16:10:23.099+02:00Carrot Cake, Presidents, Parties, Markets, the Photo Stream OH MY!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Codet(te)s, please, i beg you. Please forgive me for this absence. There is no excuse other than laziness. Laziness and perhaps an end-of-day repulsion from my computer. But, at the moment, i am 3/4 through the Easter Holiday weekend (in Brazil this holiday weekend covers Friday through Monday. lucky lucky) and i have time to do a recap of everything that has happened (professionally) over the past two months. As i uploaded the photos to Salty, i realized damn...i have been busy. But I want to share all of this movement with you, if you are still there. Movement that include birthday parties, mean-spirited models, famous ex-presidents, birthday parties with s'mores, corporate galas, beautiful babies, market adventures, start up companies and Thai luncheons. On y va.<br />
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Jesus. I don't even know where to start. Let's just begin with some food then...a few skips back we had a luncheon for a Thai-loving client. To be honest, she begged for pad Thai. I have nothing against pad Thai, it's one of my comfort dishes...honestly who (in their right mind) doesn't love pad Thai? But i had already done a pad Thai luncheon for a few months earlier and really didn't want her to get bored. So in an attempt to lure her to something new (for me as well) I suggested Malaysian cuisine. Now, I don't make Malaysian food very often, but with the resent absence (one of my best friends moved away!) of one of my dearest friends, who happened to be from Malaysia, I had recently been doing a lot of research on the region's cuisine. I settled on a basic curry (basic curry is called laksa) with a coconut milk base featuring chicken. She went with it, luckily, and i made my first laksa. Amazing flavors. Malaysian cuisine is the culmination of a partnership between so many historically rich cuisines (Chinese, Indian, Eurasian influences and others) that just the mental exercise of recognizing where your food's (recipe) came from is an existential experience. Needless to say it was a success. Chicken laksa served over rice noodles, appetizers including shrimp spring rolls, pork meatballs, strawberry shortcakes and some naughty goat cheese that weaseled its way in. It was a pretty good affair. <br />
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A week later we had an intimate dinner party for eight celebrating a 50th birthday party. The birthday girl wanted it to be casual apartment cocktail-style with a variety of fun appetizers and self-service treats. For this event i had one of my most trusted member of my wait staff with me to serve hot items around the room and help out with assembly. Appetizers are fairly simple because you don't have to worry about platting and temperatures, however, appetizers signify many small pieces...many small pieces that must be put together one by one, garnished, sauced, plated on a tray and that takes a lot of time. Having staff in the kitchen with me is quickly starting to be a necessity, but luckily im starting to build a good team. The birthday cocktail menu included puff pastry caprese sliders, individual beef bourguignon pot pies, blue cheese and apple crostini, couscous and garlic shrimp tasting spoons, pork in fig jam tasting spoons, a variety of pates and breads and of course, a red velvet birthday cake. <br />
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Already getting tired? I'll try to speed it up. A few other notable food events this past month included our stand at the SP Night Market where we sold banh mi sandwiches, chickpea salad in a cone and a sweet box full of brownies, biscotti and other goodies. This market was particularly amusing because we held a raffle to give away a two-tiered strawberry cake. The conversation about what a family of two or three would do with a cake for 50 was quite interesting.<br />
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The final two foodie events I will bore you with are big ones. Both events were estimate at 50+ attendees; one was a birthday party for a six year old boy and the other a cocktail party book-release for a former Brazilian president. Say what? Oh, you know, just starting to build up my celebrity-client base. <br />
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The presidential party was extremely tough, mainly because i put a lot of pressure on myself to make everything absolutely perfect. The menu included ten different (and complex) appetizers, adorned shortbread cookies and miniature strawberry pavlovas. The planning and prep before the party took a full four days. Every hour or so i was sure i wouldn't make it. Luckily, the obsessive prep paid off and, come party time, everything flew out of the kitchen like clockwork. I had my new sous chef G in the kitchen with me and my wait staff Indy and Reno serving food and beverages to the party guests. It went perfectly well. A real presidential affair. I think i slept for three days straight afterward. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and former Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso</td></tr>
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Not to be shadowed by the president, a week later i had a fun birthday party for a little boy with an airplane theme. Children's birthday parties in Brazil can be a bit complicated. Most people expect you to go all out on EVERY single birthday party. These parties usually have guest lists of a minimum of fifty people including kids and adults, boast table shrines to the birthday kid, and offer way more in the realm of sugar than good old cake and ice cream. Most people expect to be fully fed as well. Pretty intense you say? I agree. I think i prefer the invite a few kids over from school, at your house and not a rented venue, parents drop off and pick up, play a few games, cake ice cream and pizza, boom. Done. But Brazil is not like that. Fortunately, there is something i can do to help out. Most buffet services that cater children's party offer monotone items including bread rolls, fried bread items, fried rolled bread items, and hot dogs. Lovely. Kids like to eat color, and luckily color is usually better for you. Our kiddo (and parents) menu included fresh Vietnamese spring rolls (yes, kids ate them), cucumber sandwiches, chicken curry sandwiches, fruit in whipped yogurt, ham and spinach pesto wraps, and a scone and muffin station with whipped butter, jams and creams. Yes, I'm a Jaime Oliver fan, don't feed your kids crap! Well, s'mores are alright (note: graham crackers aren't available in Brazil, my client happened to be in the US during the menu planning and was able to bring back a few boxes so we could make s'mores party favors.)<br />
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Have you noticed that i make Vietnamese spring rolls at almost every single event i have? Out of the four I have just mentioned, three featured these rolls. I love that people want to eat fresh healthy food, but i kinda screwed myself over with this one because spring rolls take absolutely forever to make. At least by now i've got them down to almost production line status. Spring rolls for life. <br />
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Ok, enough of that. Let's talk about photography now. I have three businesses here in Brazil you know and yes sometimes things get a little jumbled up in my mind. Alright, so lately i have been working a lot more with portrait and event photography, mainly because there is more of a demand for portraiture than there is for food, and i do enjoy it. Believe it or not, photography is a bit more stressful than the food side of my business. Why? Because there are humans involved, not just carrots. Clients are hit or miss. Most people are genuinely amazing and fun to be around, but then every once in a while you get those people out of left field who just completely boggle your mind. I'm still young in portrait and event photography, so i try to take the advice of my photo mentor J, and not let it get to me. But even with the bad egg, we've had some great photo sessions this past month. A graffiti tour in Vila Madalena, an office and park shoot on Faria Lima, frolicking with chickens at Parque Agua Branca, a corporate event at Tofiq House in Jardins, and (my personal favorite) a four-month baby session with sous-chef G's beautiful boy.<br />
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On the food side of the photo aisle we are still working every month with our favorite cupcake client, Sophie & Theo, and have luckily added on a new start up company; Pop Art Gourmet Popcorn. I love working on website photos for food business because it is the perfect chance to fuse both food photography and portrait photography. Humans and food, together at last!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaspgEi8YMkWFRHegj3-k7sd7MecYDMSpea41ipREDLPt586JlfoGfCiryPSoHth8_HeFn5VVkG0gHCCtkmhehVpQFCJjilUDTdZwq-3B9uocGKmDicayibsXzbr3dOWCJuqS1dJD82AMs/s1600/cake+top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaspgEi8YMkWFRHegj3-k7sd7MecYDMSpea41ipREDLPt586JlfoGfCiryPSoHth8_HeFn5VVkG0gHCCtkmhehVpQFCJjilUDTdZwq-3B9uocGKmDicayibsXzbr3dOWCJuqS1dJD82AMs/s1600/cake+top.jpg" /></a>Well, how was that for a recap? Tired now? I'll leave with my Easter cake. I hadn't made anything for Easter in years, but i was finally bit hard by the crafty bug. I make so many cakes for clients that i don't remember the last time i actually ate a piece of cake. So this speckled cake went with me to an Easter-eve dinner party at the home of some dear friends. It is a gluten free carrot and coconut cake with lemony cream cheese buttercream. The speckling is made from dark vanilla and cocoa powder. You splatter it on with a paint brush, but i used a frayed pineapple leaf. The nest is purely coconut and corn syrup, the eggs are hollowed out quail eggs filled with chocolate. Probably the most fun i've had with making a cake in a while.<br />
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<i>Gluten free Coconut Carrot Cake: </i><br />
1 cup white rice flour<br />
1/4 cup brown rice flour<br />
1/2 cup tapioca flour<br />
1/4 cup ground flax<br />
1 tsp baking powder <br />
3 grated carrots<br />
1/3 cup butter<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1/4 cup brown sugar <br />
3 eggs<br />
1/4 cup shredded coconut<br />
dash of vanilla<br />
lemon zest<br />
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Mix together the flours and baking powder. Whip the butter, sugar and eggs together. Combine with the flour and add the remaining ingredients. Makes 4 cake layers for a small 14cm cake tin. <br />
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So, happy spring holidays, happy spring! We are entering winter in the Southern hemisphere though...either way. Hope to see you again sooner than later this time. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpmXFikoJq9jTOJqar4lkHrYL8dkQt4ij6z03Ev-PW9XYQhqq8bbrFAhh-wNQ9gd6pcjX-GZpnc_R91m1UX0Y3xvF5VRiqnKklx48IEmysSYqZ3ByLubxRvo8bwNt5FxjrV98PscjbVw2/s1600/choco+figs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpmXFikoJq9jTOJqar4lkHrYL8dkQt4ij6z03Ev-PW9XYQhqq8bbrFAhh-wNQ9gd6pcjX-GZpnc_R91m1UX0Y3xvF5VRiqnKklx48IEmysSYqZ3ByLubxRvo8bwNt5FxjrV98PscjbVw2/s1600/choco+figs.jpg" /></a>Hello codets. Figs can be a difficult business. I think they are very mysterious. I have no memories of figs as a child outside of the fig newton cookie. I don't think i had ever seen a whole, fresh fig until I moved to France. Figs are somewhat exotic to Americans, largely because they are native to the Middle East and Mediterranean regions, which is why they were so prevalent in France. I remember mentioning how much i adored dried figs in a <a href="http://saltycod.blogspot.com.br/2007/09/figues-sches.html" target="_blank">post right here</a> on the Salty Cod. If you decide to meander into the past please take note of the horrifying photos, everyone starts somewhere. The first time i tasted a real, fresh fig was here in Brazil. I thought it was very bitter. Looking back it was probably due to the fact that it was green and hard rather than a soft shade of bruise purple. Figs must be eaten ripe, even if you are going to cook them. A ripe fig is perfectly beautiful. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/58571_Ficus_carica_L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/58571_Ficus_carica_L.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">source: Wikimedia Commons</td></tr>
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Almost anything can grow in Brazil. Anything aside from russet potatoes, cranberries and holly bushes. Figs, though not native, thrive here. Even so, you don't see them around much. If you can't juice it, it's not very popular. I have never seen a snack bar on the streets of Sao Paulo selling fig juice. It is a more acquired taste, and similar to the filling of a newton cookie, i've seen jars of compote for sale. Figs have acquired a somewhat snobby connotation, --you know, the Master Chef quick challenge of douse a fig in honey and serve it ripe with a shaving of pancetta reputation.<br />
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There is a city not far from the old Sao Paulo countryside town where i used to live called Valinhos, where every year they hold a fig festival. Sadly I never attended, but the obscurity of making a festival around a single edible item hits close to my heart, as that is undoubtedly a very American pastime. For example, the <a href="http://saltycod.blogspot.com.br/2008/08/lentils.html" target="_blank">lentil festival</a> in Pullman. Someday i will make it to the festival. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3f1IRw_Y2Qn1A-SDOT0etgwJpwUpCKm3Tc9ggdk4Yf3o9wqMUx090czv6EhEbsJy9PoVTm8vfnVpjrWtPIeSr4gdnKuwd2niacFcadZXHHCLrxTjnkWfV9j4DObxU4kjPy4oFc9m-mk9/s1600/figs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3f1IRw_Y2Qn1A-SDOT0etgwJpwUpCKm3Tc9ggdk4Yf3o9wqMUx090czv6EhEbsJy9PoVTm8vfnVpjrWtPIeSr4gdnKuwd2niacFcadZXHHCLrxTjnkWfV9j4DObxU4kjPy4oFc9m-mk9/s1600/figs.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDAbM8246aVXswF96qeoGugbAwf0WuGkS6CcqNyF2IVmYkuAqtDiguwyWSrxoF_Gh-CJXBraeRvkXL-tuF3Yr8BiATMYtmIedaGPZldvXRk2jBaDzztQFq4OzpoREM1lxv9BDx5daPee5/s1600/choc+fig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDAbM8246aVXswF96qeoGugbAwf0WuGkS6CcqNyF2IVmYkuAqtDiguwyWSrxoF_Gh-CJXBraeRvkXL-tuF3Yr8BiATMYtmIedaGPZldvXRk2jBaDzztQFq4OzpoREM1lxv9BDx5daPee5/s1600/choc+fig.jpg" /></a></div>
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A few weeks ago we had chocolate covered fruit on the menu for a party we catered. Obviously, i had strawberries in mind. Unfortunately, when i arrived at the grocery store the strawberries, which were on sale the week before, had evaporated. What was in their place? Figs. Figs for pennies. The cheapest fruit is always the fruit that is in season. So, not sure if it would be a big hit or not, i grabbed a few boxes and decided to give it a go. After dipping them in chocolate and allowing them to dry, i was in awe at how beautiful they looked. Almost majestic. Even if no one eats these, i had thought, they will make a beautiful presentation on the dessert bar. And they did. During the party i was approached by an older gentleman who thanked me for reviving figs, as he put it, his favorite fruit that is severely underrepresented in everything. He proceeded to eat half of the display. If you've never had a fresh fig dipped in chocolate before, you are severely missing out. </div>
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So naturally this week i picked up another box of figs, for myself. Of course i dipped them in chocolate. How else could i share them with you then?</div>
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When dipping figs in chocolate, make sure the fig is completely dried after washing. Only use ripe, slightly squishy figs that have a deep purple tint. Allow the chocolate to dry completely, in or out of the fridge so that they obtain a hard crunch. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0_PK87UDVPQSWN4o3w4r3Wb-QZvqhQFrOoGJ8D8GznuiKRt2DC2KSGC1iovQfSQFCsKbfHGF4sRgiqcKs5bpKmRIJKLQ6VjsA1eG_SbpaunneykI0YUJqueSbBYhOddtXE-Tz3PkgJ8O/s1600/fig+box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0_PK87UDVPQSWN4o3w4r3Wb-QZvqhQFrOoGJ8D8GznuiKRt2DC2KSGC1iovQfSQFCsKbfHGF4sRgiqcKs5bpKmRIJKLQ6VjsA1eG_SbpaunneykI0YUJqueSbBYhOddtXE-Tz3PkgJ8O/s1600/fig+box.jpg" /></a></div>
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Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-20317318718179711002014-02-12T18:01:00.001+01:002014-02-12T18:15:40.821+01:00Dégustation <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfOD135JO8JljHibQJkhZzSNBItXNA0pEtuZzn2wd8F16_kRhzYDLPGdKckx_dQaEelzkhAVnpyTPrBmphZgm9xXG6YKXSa4Ml0hmJOz6unkuggMWAznP-Qfq_xU2Fd-KgWdJNVPBV9zN/s1600/cake+tasting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfOD135JO8JljHibQJkhZzSNBItXNA0pEtuZzn2wd8F16_kRhzYDLPGdKckx_dQaEelzkhAVnpyTPrBmphZgm9xXG6YKXSa4Ml0hmJOz6unkuggMWAznP-Qfq_xU2Fd-KgWdJNVPBV9zN/s1600/cake+tasting.jpg" /></a> Hello Codets. Everyone in this country is complaining about the heat. I might as well chime in. It's bloody hot here. Last week was my four year anniversary of moving to Brazil, and i must say that in my four years here i have never experienced such cruel heat without reprieve for so long. Whatever is happening here is the southern parallel of the freezing snow storms hitting the northern hemisphere. I dream of hugging a snowman....Comfort aside, this blasted heat is bad for business. Do you think cakes like the heat? No. They hate it. They melt and buckle at the hips. Once-perfectly sculpted sides spontaneously sprout love handles. Smooth tight finishes crack and wrinkle, stretchmarks expanding with every minute. Yes, i had a few issues last week with melting cakes. We had a birthday party for thirty a week ago, the menu was fun. Small bites hot and cold and a large fiesta-toned cake covered in roses and gerberas. Unfortunately through transport (and lack of any room in my fridge due to the food-for-thirty) the cake melted out the bottom. Aside from the aesthetic damage done to the outer frosting, the biggest impact is on the height of the cake. The melting out and settling shrunk the beast by nearly half an inch. Ever seen me mad at a cake? How about mad at the sun? It was not pretty. But, when the guests were fed and watered though, and the cake prepared for serving, no one cared. It was gobbled up either way. But now I am very wary of the precautions that must be taken during these waves of inferno. <br />
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Luckily, the food escaped the fate of the poor cake. The party was a cocktail-style party with easy to pick up and eat items. The menu included beet, pecan and ricotta salads in ramekins, spoons filled with melon gazpacho and spicy shrimp, Vietnamese meatballs, apple and blue cheese crostini, BLT sliders with a spicy homemade mayo, steak shoots with caramelized onion jam, couscous with chicken tagine en papillote (served in their own parchment paper parcels), chicken curry salad served in wonton cups and chocolate covered figs. The children's menu included shortbread cookies, cheese and chicken sandwiches and cupcakes. It was a lot for just one. Prep took a full day and a half and cooking took the full five to six hour duration of the party. I'm learning that even this size of a party desperately needs a sous-chef on board. But, the food was well received (except for the two older Brazilian women i overheard say "too experimental for me") but you can't please everyone now can you.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9g90Wfj_i6NOQoNtWPKAG0ZvWXoRKm9PX_I_cUkM-P2mR2yq74kbh3i6Lpt88zOIzzi0zGi78eEp5n49pXF7wQ36p2sqIw2hwR3YyxL-bUZ94FPDkevruNBDUvzlBcxchAzbf2buTfrKw/s1600/bright+melting+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9g90Wfj_i6NOQoNtWPKAG0ZvWXoRKm9PX_I_cUkM-P2mR2yq74kbh3i6Lpt88zOIzzi0zGi78eEp5n49pXF7wQ36p2sqIw2hwR3YyxL-bUZ94FPDkevruNBDUvzlBcxchAzbf2buTfrKw/s1600/bright+melting+cake.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cake buckling under the heat</td></tr>
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Right after wrapping up the catering event i threw myself into planning another cocktail party, a surprise in-apartment gig for my husband's 30th birthday. Now, after complaining about how horrible the heat is you can imagine my fear of my little apartment filled with fifteen people. Luckily, guests BYOFed (brought their own fans.) The theme of the party was originally meant to be "James Bond" because it is très distingué for a 30th birthday party. But i hate corny decorations so it eventually evolved into "mid century" theme with era food, music and drinks. I instructed guests to wear cocktail dresses but the heat deterred many from getting in the mood. no harm. For drinks I served martinis and dirty Shirley's along with an avalanche of cold beer and Chardonnay. The menu wandered quite a bit from authenticity but was fun nonetheless. Wasabi pork, salmon rillettes, ham terrine, tomatoes stuffed with risotto, baked crab and dough wrapped sausages. The small cake i made also began to melt, but the smaller size made it less noticeable. Was he surprised? Yes. Especially by the fact that when he arrived there was no one in the apartment. Oh well, in Brazil everyone comes late!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQN88XfYRiSJVypH6WWpkJRiYX8idqWvy2Ck19pahxmwK90QqY-c3aarOKVbmdZ3272NbPG-c9Da0YP0sPTEv4k_eMrc9x_Q5VJSaStpdqNbswoc8XDDsDZex-4Y1o1V-t8zGm-ugvF_8p/s1600/cocktail+table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQN88XfYRiSJVypH6WWpkJRiYX8idqWvy2Ck19pahxmwK90QqY-c3aarOKVbmdZ3272NbPG-c9Da0YP0sPTEv4k_eMrc9x_Q5VJSaStpdqNbswoc8XDDsDZex-4Y1o1V-t8zGm-ugvF_8p/s1600/cocktail+table.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64pxZUCp4qS-v6z728Vv0xesC-nhVOZN8OpLZ5DYOLZxtsqDhnvLHkKYmFwTkuLepIldV4ObXUkNCgPLCI3TU2Vv81cShs1Wap1uCT-c9H5WPD-Qe7N3VGK8O_pOhlYf2MWHNpF7R5AWp/s1600/henrique+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64pxZUCp4qS-v6z728Vv0xesC-nhVOZN8OpLZ5DYOLZxtsqDhnvLHkKYmFwTkuLepIldV4ObXUkNCgPLCI3TU2Vv81cShs1Wap1uCT-c9H5WPD-Qe7N3VGK8O_pOhlYf2MWHNpF7R5AWp/s1600/henrique+cake.jpg" /></a><br />
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The final event I must share with you today occurred on Saturday--my first wedding cake tasting session. I was contacted with a request for a wedding cake for a May wedding (will be nice and cool weather!) a few weeks ago by a bride looking for a "naked cake." Naked cake....this term applies to any cake that does not have an outer frosting or covering. Personally, I think small, single tier cakes can be beautifully "rustic" when naked. But when it comes to a three tiered mammoth size wedding cake, they can be a bit tricky. The majority of naked wedding cakes are covered in strawberries and powdered sugar dust: tacky as...... The biggest issue with naked cakes is that there is no possibility for blemish control. If a cake comes out of the oven with an odd pockmark or a slightly darker colored bottom, you will see it in a naked cake. Another issue is that they dry out in a very short time. Frosting both holds in and adds moisture to the cake as it hardens slightly to form a protective "shell." Naturally i told her i would do it and then gave her my website to show her ideas for using natural flowers. After she looked through my site she decided to chuck the idea of naked cakes and order a butter cream watercolor cake instead. Pretty flattered i must say. <br />
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I gave her many flavor combination options and told her to choose three for a cake tasting session. For the tasting i made three small two-layer cakes; honey cake with lemon filling, brown sugar cake with dark chocolate cream filling, and dark chocolate cake with Irish cream truffle filling and vanilla cream. The tasting was in the client's apartment and i took a bottle of complimentary champagne with me. A bit over the top? Perhaps, but i want to stand out in this business here in SP. I want people to have an experience worth talking to their friends about. Fondant is the number one style of wedding cakes in Sao Paulo, butter cream really isn't much of an option at most bakeries. So I want to stand out on flavor and service. My cakes are natural. I want people to know that I use raw honey, real butter, free range eggs and real chocolate. Luckily it worked. They chose all three flavors, so each tier will be different (and able to disassemble). Needless to say, very excited for our first tiered wedding cake. Thankfully we have until May to practice. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPKEjeU0CRPd-A8SE8p-HaKP8FLxcNz_Ot_dY00aXVUsIDZvSVNtqYrL3sIj0FKF8vzMSIqnFbA0YwNaYIO9d33PKZmQ9zNrXtfheXvT6q6vfHCnwIp1r2gYlQ9wGFP8AoApJxkIAXfA6/s1600/tasting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPKEjeU0CRPd-A8SE8p-HaKP8FLxcNz_Ot_dY00aXVUsIDZvSVNtqYrL3sIj0FKF8vzMSIqnFbA0YwNaYIO9d33PKZmQ9zNrXtfheXvT6q6vfHCnwIp1r2gYlQ9wGFP8AoApJxkIAXfA6/s1600/tasting.jpg" /></a>Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-35461104262119727782014-01-26T13:12:00.001+01:002014-01-26T13:13:56.692+01:00Portraiture<br />
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Hello Codets. We have a few catering and cake events coming up at the end of this week, but in the meantime we want to share with you some portrait projects. Food undoubtedly is and always will be my favorite subject to photograph. Unfortunately, food shots alone don't pay the photography bills. So I am trying to poke my nose into the portrait business as there is a much higher demand for this line of photography work. To be honest, portrait sessions are pretty fun. I enjoy it a lot, and believe it or not i have a pretty good bedside manner with model subjects which allows them to relax and enjoy the session as well. I loved the (one) wedding i shot way back in 2011, and am really going to push myself into photographing humans more frequently so that i can secure more clients. <br />
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I was lucky enough to get an amazing model subject for my first photo session back in Sao Paulo--a dear friend. We went to a (sort of) community center in Sao Paulo called SESC Pompeia, which is a government sponsored rec center with an amazing infrastructure. The center has a huge gym, pool, library, game room for children, restaurant that serves good cheap <br />
food, rotating art exhibits AND a boardwalk with misting spray poles complete with bikini clad sunbathers. At the beach with no beach. A little surreal. SESC has a very rustic industrial feel so it was a great alternative to the classic park bench shoot. It was about 100 degrees F during the shoot, but my model disguised the discomfort well. <br />
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Enjoy the shoot, one of my first with human subjects, so we'll hopefully be improving soon. See you all this weekend for a cake and catering update.<br />
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Happy new year codets. Sorry i have been MIA--i was on vacation. Yes, I actually was. Went home to Seattle to visit my family for the entire month of December. Took my dog, Sybil, along with me. Why didn't i post? I spent the greater part of one month playing with my baby niece, sweating at kickboxing classes and lounging about on the couch while watching all six seasons of Doc Martin. But alas, the fun and games are over with. Back to work. Not that making cakes isn't fun--it is. Well, for me at least. I'm usually a bit blue after a trip to the US. Mostly due to the fact that it marks the end of the holidays, i won't see my family for some time, and honestly and truly i miss the Pacific Northwest. Luckily this time i had a distraction the moment I landed in Sao Paulo--I had a cake to make that night. No time to be blue. This cake is a four layer gluten free carrot cake (no nuts or raisins, just carrot and spices) with three layers of brown sugar buttercream, three layers of cream cheese frosting with peach colored roses on top. I was informed by my client that most of the party goers, trying to keep to their New Year regime, all asked for half a slice to "share" with their partner. She also informed me that the half soon turned into a whole and the sharing concept was chucked out the window. Success.<br />
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I thought i would take a moment for the travelers out there who read this blog (are there any of you?) to mention how traveling internationally with a dog went. When i told friends and family that i would be taking Sybil with me on my vacation to the US I received a lot of shocked looks--most people can perceive traveling with a dog when you move to a new country, but not just for a vacation. I mean, i didn't have to take her. I could have sent her to a dog hotel. The total cost of her trip was probably the same as a hotel anyway. But, as a former street and shelter dog, i didn't want to put her through the thought that we abandoned her to a new shelter. So elected to go the hard route and take her along for the ride. It's stressful no matter what country you are flying into or out of. Vets have to be visited, paperwork signed and appointments made. That in itself is the most stressful part. The actual travel itself is variable. Flying from Brazil to the US with the pup required a visit to the vet to obtain a health certificate and an appointment at the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture within three days of departure. The ministry processes the paperwork for free. How nice of them. On the return, i had to do the same thing. Go to the vet, obtain a certificate of health and make an appointment with the USDA. The vet visit was twice the price in the US and there was a 38 dollar processing fee with the USDA. Not so bad.<br />
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I chose to fly Delta because they had a good pet policy and only charged 75 dollars each way for the pet to ride in the cabin. Even though the rules state that a dog or cat must stay in their carrier under the seat for the duration of the flight, i took Sybil out of her box on held her on my lap under a blanket during the flight from Sao Paulo to Detroit. None of the flight attendants cared or asked me to put her away. The same thing happened on my flight from Detroit to Seattle. No problem. She was silent, still and scared out of her mind. Customs in the US was practically non existent. They didn't even ask me to take her out of the box, and they handed me back the difficult to obtain paperwork after superficially glancing at it. Unfortunately my cabin crew on my return flights were not as keen on rule bending. My Seattle to New York flight went well until after an hour the first class attendant walked by and told me to put her box under the seat. Things got worse for poor Sybil on the flight from New York to Sao Paulo when the flight attendant told me that she must stay in the box under the seat for the full trip. About 12 hours total without getting out. I felt cruel for doing it, but i passed her food and water through the carrier. And she made it. In the end it really depends on the cabin crew. And a crowded 767 with screaming babies does not make for a cheery crew. I definitely recommend traveling with your pet if you are going for a significant period of time. Despite the stress of traveling, i know she had more fun passing her vacation in a big house with a big yard and cousin dogs to play with than scared in a dog hotel. And there you have it. Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-5971770767384613472013-11-26T18:51:00.002+01:002013-11-26T19:33:32.728+01:00Cakes and Thanksgiving<br />
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Hello Codets. Just got back from a few cake deliveries this morning. Our cakery is severely growing. I even handed out business cards in an elevator while on delivery this morning. These babies take a lot of work but their turnover is fantastic. Biggest issue cropping up is enough space to make multiple cakes at a time and of course....delivery. I'm a nightmare when delivering cakes. Delivering cakes in the midst of Sao Paulo morning traffic is hell. I have to hold the cakes on my lap to prevent annihilation during the common event of slamming on the breaks for a rogue motorcycle or not-so-stealth lane changer. Sao Paulo drivers remind me of big dogs who live with small dogs; the big dogs act like the small terriers and try to get into places they really shouldn't. Two foot gap? Of course my car fits. Perhaps who has it the worst during a delivery is H, whose every tweak of the wheal I curse at. I'm learning to relax, but cakes are precious cargo. For today at least, all our little cakes made it safely to their destinations.<br />
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Cakes aside, this Thursday is Thanksgiving. I won't be doing anything special. We celebrated an early Thanksgiving last Wednesday (a holiday here) with a large group of our gringo friends. Giant turkey, mashed sweet potatoes, apple crumble, wine, wine, wine and i made cornbread stuffing, roasted balsamic pears and a pumpkin torte. The best part about a hot (meaning weather) Thanksgiving is that you really can pile on the ice cream. I am thankful to have this large misfit group of friends in Sao Paulo to act as my surrogate family. To fill in the void of like-minded ideas, gestures, customs that come with your own culture. Then again only a few of us were actually from the US or Canada. Perhaps we share these things simply because we are all out of place. My friends here come from everywhere. From Malaysia, Spain, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Argentina--but we all feel at home at Thanksgiving knowing that we made one of the largest cities in the world feel a little bit smaller. Well, that and getting a giant group of international hard core foodies and wine-enthusiasts together usually results in a good time. Happy Thanksgiving!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLY10uKmldES942qfqVkjnIPAWRVptZ7EnfBCGIQ5foCEV9ky4tVKrEPzUy5jyZ73_ETbWhiZMNjlgqjRgpbdk8oxgs0ykHwjprqlZIToRGT0_xS4C-t5PapDEYk5h4v0_4q96Xs9CNdX8/s1600/tiffany+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLY10uKmldES942qfqVkjnIPAWRVptZ7EnfBCGIQ5foCEV9ky4tVKrEPzUy5jyZ73_ETbWhiZMNjlgqjRgpbdk8oxgs0ykHwjprqlZIToRGT0_xS4C-t5PapDEYk5h4v0_4q96Xs9CNdX8/s1600/tiffany+cake.jpg" /></a>My cakes this morning were both small; about 15 cm in diameter. The Tiffany blue textured cake comprised of brown sugar vanilla cake (and was gluten free) and had two layered fillings of Irish cream chocolate truffle and Swiss meringue butter cream. So overall ten distinct layers. The outer frosting was traditional butter cream. The pink cake was a vanilla angel cake with two layered fillings of vanilla Swiss meringue and strawberry cream, also a total of ten distinct layers, also finished in traditional butter cream. viva la cake. <br />
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I have one final and quick announcement to any Sao Paulo residents reading this---please come to the SP Night Market in Jardins this Saturday, it is the final market of the year and is focused on Christmas shopping. I will be there selling Vietnamese pho (come at lunch time!) a few sweets and a few fun edible Christmas gifts that yes, will last until Christmas. see you there -and to the rest of you, have a lovely Thanksgiving. <br />
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<br />Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-35428833579585478772013-11-19T00:25:00.000+01:002013-11-20T00:38:22.563+01:00Indochine<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjukHNGPHX2CZ3JyyWsVyADvt-scVdVrYr7Lk6Yrd1gaTNcZtTXyvNcRQ_axhxTD12yOGyrkX_1_67ijoTOBXVak-GAtY8MhiGGu8Ej2hECyqKR2WENB5qz3APZRRy_SafSk-epEifooQxb/s1600/me+chef.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjukHNGPHX2CZ3JyyWsVyADvt-scVdVrYr7Lk6Yrd1gaTNcZtTXyvNcRQ_axhxTD12yOGyrkX_1_67ijoTOBXVak-GAtY8MhiGGu8Ej2hECyqKR2WENB5qz3APZRRy_SafSk-epEifooQxb/s1600/me+chef.jpg" /></a> Hello Codets. Don't be cross with me, i know it has been a while. But i have been swamped with work and had a nasty case of salmonella poisoning which left me feeble and whimpering on the floor in the corner of my bathroom. Not a pleasant time. In any case, i am sitting here today on a gray Sao Paulo monday with a sunburn on my legs for the first time in the four years i have lived in brazil to tell you about our adventures in the past week, particularly the Indochine dinner i kept going on and on about.... that was November 7th. I also need to report a few photo shoots, my cakery and how irksome cake pops are.<br />
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The Indochine dinner. Really there is nothing to say other than how stunned i was by the success. I am not trying to praise myself, but honestly there were no problems. Not one. The only hiccup was that one of the "guests of honor" arrived very late forcing my entrance to sit plated for longer than i had wanted. But that's it. No complaints, nothing broke, i didn't burn anything. It was like, magic. I went Gordon Ramsey on my crew maybe only once or twice, but everything went out quickly and the stew was served hot! 40 stews served hot! I even received a standing ovation at the end when i explained the meal with a impromptu speech. The whole event seems like a blur looking back, but luckily H was there to take a few phone photos. <br />
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What was the event. It's difficult to explain. I was hired by a social organization called SP Night run by a group of women in Sao Paulo. The organization holds various events including socials, markets and connection evenings. This was a connection event, meaning people with similar business interests were invited to "mingle" and treated to a three course dinner. The event was held at a private country club style house called Tofiq House located in undoubtedly one of the most glamorous and well-to-do neighborhoods in Sao Paulo. I chose the theme Indochine because i am most fascinated by Vietnamese cuisine, and to kick it up a notch for guests paying two hundred a seat we specified it to Indochine; meaning Vietnamese dishes influenced by French flavors or techniques. It was quite a challenge.<br />
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The menu took about a week to get straight. I have to thank, and give credit, to one particular blog that helped me beyond belief. I spent hours pouring over posts at <a href="http://www.theravenouscouple.com/" target="_blank">The Ravenous Couple</a>, a blog featuring beautiful Vietnamese and contemporary foods. Their recipes for bo kho beef stew, various banh mi sandwiches and instructions on glutinous rice balls gave me a concrete stepping stone to tweak into my own Indochine versions. So thank you Ravenous Couple!<br />
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The menu was as follows; a welcome cocktail featuring mint, tangerine juice and gin, a starter play of of the classic banh mi French baguette sandwich (i turned it into a bruschetta), main was a spicy beef stew featuring white yams and fresh herbs, and finally dessert included a pandan creme brulee and fried glutinous rice balls filled with banana and cinnamon served with a coconut cream.<br />
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I was nervous as hell going into it, but i got it done. and it was quite the thrill, a dream actually. I owe a lot of thanks to my team for helping, including my sous chef, two waitresses and two cleaners. Impossible without great help. I can't wait to do it again. <br />
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The day after the big event (i arrived home at about 2am) i had two large bakery orders to fill. When it rains it pours. I have been selling a lot of layer cakes lately....my kitchen is turning into a cakery. We had a baby's first birthday cake along with a cheesecake, cupcakes, cake pops, caramel apples and creme brulee to make the day after Indochine....i honestly felt like a zombie pushing my cart through the supermarket aisle. But the results were well worth the pain. We also got a quick photo shoot in of the cutie pie one year old. Making cakes is starting to be quite relaxing....i will take that back next week when i have two orders to deliver on the same morning but for now I still love looking at them. <br />
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This is my Sao Paulo life now. I have been waiting almost four years to be busy and now i am. And im loving it. I feel like i have my own purpose, my own space in this vast country whereas before i felt like a floating immigrant destined to teach for no merit other than birthright. The immigrant dream of being a "self made man" and turning nothing into something isn't the American dream; it's the dream of anyone starting from scratch in a terrifying and intimidating foreign land. Once you find your place you start living rather than floating. See you next week. Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-43581918650259928852013-10-31T21:09:00.000+01:002013-11-01T20:47:58.376+01:00Pandan Crème Brûlée<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbHwhycXkd6DQbPvHWuhuRdUi_9EowiELnsnSpAHxLkpEIykMr7YP2akmTSHqoCYCmUVr5n40sRj-wXtIrPIDGrURNTVu3ctqZvMoqD2mfDOsdKJx0QtwtiyHcEmRAKLvC4urFofoph4SM/s1600/pandan+creme+brulee+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbHwhycXkd6DQbPvHWuhuRdUi_9EowiELnsnSpAHxLkpEIykMr7YP2akmTSHqoCYCmUVr5n40sRj-wXtIrPIDGrURNTVu3ctqZvMoqD2mfDOsdKJx0QtwtiyHcEmRAKLvC4urFofoph4SM/s1600/pandan+creme+brulee+2.jpg" /></a>Hello Codets. Today we must celebrate. We must celebrate a Salty Cod victory. Today, the essence of this very post marks the first time since 2009 that we have managed to return to our once a week (four times a month) quota of posting. Indeed, three barren years of singular, double and triple appearances per month (not to mention the many months of absence all together). But today we break this barrier, today, on this loveliest of Halloweens, we sing a sweet song of victory. Codets! Sound the alarm! We be back yo. <br />
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Today is a bit grey in Sao Paulo city. I am glad though, feels more like Halloween. After a few English classes this morning in which we discussed the history of Halloween, i got to recipe testing flavored creme brulee. During my classes we stumbled upon a few articles breaking down Halloween costume popularity; among children the most common are princesses and super heroes. To this, my students questioned, why are there non-scary costumes? I never really thought about it. When i was a young child i was everything from a pumpkin to pooh bear, fairies to bumble bees. Kids don't think about being scary. Original Halloween costumes are intended to simply trick wandering spirits from recognizing you. I highly doubt many wandering spirits would mess with Tinkerbell. I much prefer cute Halloween to scary; reminiscing when my youngest sister at age one masqueraded as a purple Teletubby. I do think it is sad that Brazilian children don't get the fun and excitement of Halloween. Sure, people tell me it is "just like Carnival! dressing up in silly costumes!" but honestly, Carnival isn't much of a children's holiday...which in my opinion is a good thing. Halloween, for American children, is a liberating day. You smell Halloween in the air, you feel it coldly creeping through your too-thin fairy tights and leotard because you didn't listen to your mom telling you to wear a jacket, dinner? unlikely. It is the only day where you know you will have more candy than all other days of the year combined. I do feel lucky to have so many great memories from being a child; from being an American child. On that note i am pleased to announce that my baby niece on her first Halloween will be promenading around as a perky peacock!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFL3qhAYZ2jJuRou_O_gfsdz0y2hMeMcRFUfAr1Ozrv0lNU8dGMq3AYPLn7aebdomhyphenhyphenLQyGAJDYgkJCWPXZvSOViwBfJMiYI3IiQFcgiRJxdR8udrjwGR5mfLpyh6l-bGu-ErTzHmZAMKP/s1600/pandan+creme+brulee+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFL3qhAYZ2jJuRou_O_gfsdz0y2hMeMcRFUfAr1Ozrv0lNU8dGMq3AYPLn7aebdomhyphenhyphenLQyGAJDYgkJCWPXZvSOViwBfJMiYI3IiQFcgiRJxdR8udrjwGR5mfLpyh6l-bGu-ErTzHmZAMKP/s1600/pandan+creme+brulee+4.jpg" /></a>Now, being that i am not into making ghoulish pasta or hot dog witches if there are no children around (though I have a feeling H would probably like it) I decided to run through some recipe testing for pandan crème brulée that I am intending to serve with the dessert course for an event im working next week. The event is a connection social featuring a foie gras purveyor (apparently the lady makes her own foie, erm, in the backyard?) a live pianist, a breathtakingly beautiful venue, and a three course plated sit down dinner cooked by yours truly. The theme is Indochine, meaning Vietnamese dishes that reflect French influences. I won't divulge the full menu as i plan on doing that next week after i've either succeeded or failed miserably. The guest list is estimated at around forty. I have two waitresses and a sous chef to help plate in a timely manner. How the hell i am going to serve forty people simultaneously is going to be the biggest challenge of the event.<br />
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Returning; there is no frenchier dessert than crème brulée, so in order to twist its ankle out of cliché overuse at expensive sit downs, I decided to flavor it with something a little more Vietnamese. My first attempt was mixing shredded coconut directly into the cream mixture. The result was tasty but there was concern that "purists" might resent the change in texture (the shredded coconut turned creamy into fluffy) so i nixed the shredded idea. I had been concerned as well that coconut milk might not set as well as cream, so i combined cream and coconut milk together and the texture kept and set just fine. success. But then i kept reading about pandan waffles, pandan crepes, pandan this and that on Vietnamese food blogs. I'd never actually tasted pandan before, but now i wanted it. Pandan extract is very strong, very condensed. much more potent than vanilla. It smells like mossy almonds. very unique. i was worried mossy almond might not translate very well in a creme brulee, but the result was really refreshing and still very much a traditional crème brulée. I tried to mix coconut flakes in with the sugar for the burned cap, but it burned too quickly and tasted like carbonized coconut. so don't do that.<br />
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For the dinner event the crème pots will be served on a plate along side miniature banh cam, fried glutinous rice flour balls filled with a sweet and spicy paste and rolled in sesame seeds. Mine will be filled with bananas and cinnamon and be sitting on top of a puddle of coconut cream.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWoM77qszhTHazq6FmuwO8-gfaLrObIpzGy7ojF1rNbyN02HLROCUmzUz3pK_WzXFUtldrCDXMBQaeNRri6B1YSFAgk7llSx8WqCidTtLv4eTmcGyNPDQ51htkBAzv64FeeqFWkIjztFEF/s1600/pandan+creme+brulee+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWoM77qszhTHazq6FmuwO8-gfaLrObIpzGy7ojF1rNbyN02HLROCUmzUz3pK_WzXFUtldrCDXMBQaeNRri6B1YSFAgk7llSx8WqCidTtLv4eTmcGyNPDQ51htkBAzv64FeeqFWkIjztFEF/s1600/pandan+creme+brulee+3.jpg" /></a>Pandan Crème Brulée<br />
Yield: 10 miniature ramekins or 5 large ramekins<br />
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Ingredients: <br />
5 egg yolks<br />
300g cream <br />
100g coconut milk<br />
1/2 (American) cup sugar<br />
a small dash of pandan essence (i mean small)<br />
green food coloring <br />
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Method:<br />
Mix absolutely everything together in a bowl. <br />
Divide mixture evenly among ramekins<br />
Place in a ban marie (casserole dish filled with a few cm or water)<br />
Bake on medium low for roughly 45 minutes<br />
Let cool in fridge until set <br />
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Yes, you are right. Pandan cremes have absolutely nothing to do with Halloween. They're green, mysterious and sweet. So maybe...just maybe. I don't want to ruin the mood, but you could tell your kids that they are slime pots if you really want to get into spirit. These might be a big hit at next year's St. Patrick's Day party though, so keep that in mind. <br />
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I will close off this delightful victory post by thanking you, all of you, who are reading this. Salty has been through so much, the world of blogging and particularly food blogging has changed so much since 2007, but it's nice that you are still here. Happy Halloween.<br />
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<br />Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-65354475461788475992013-10-19T21:24:00.002+02:002013-10-19T21:42:02.881+02:00A Wedding Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyS4CLX4AaR1Kszzx_P_na8pTF3vWj9ebWybpV8-VrBAFx1bpq4lJvhH-kBOQ0t8unwa3Dx4VObaq7wVasstWGyPvPrmldKwX3oMsrgmDe5jTHnBZrwpcM5h0D6l5rfd5WWA3ww0p6C6pM/s1600/wedding+cake+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyS4CLX4AaR1Kszzx_P_na8pTF3vWj9ebWybpV8-VrBAFx1bpq4lJvhH-kBOQ0t8unwa3Dx4VObaq7wVasstWGyPvPrmldKwX3oMsrgmDe5jTHnBZrwpcM5h0D6l5rfd5WWA3ww0p6C6pM/s1600/wedding+cake+shot.jpg" /></a>Hello Codets. It's a hot October day--perfect for a rooftop wedding party. We delivered this 25 pound cake this morning to a rooftop wedding party in Jardins -- I know very little of the clients other than that they are a Dutch woman and French man and are modern enough to choose flavor over cliché fondant. A wedding cake can be anything you want it to be. White, tiered fondant is not the only "cake" you can have at a wedding. A wedding cake should be more personal than that; it should show off a bit of your personality. Or, it should probably just taste good. Yeah. If you are going to be spending the kind of bling most people do on a wedding cake, you should at least get the best damn tasting product out there. </div>
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This cake is comprised of four layers of (real) strawberry cake, three layers of dark Irish cream truffle, three layers of a strawberry cream and is covered in a vanilla butter cream. Yeah, it tastes good. The decor atop the behemoth, as always, includes fresh flowers. No one eats sugar paste or fondant flowers anyway, so why not just use real ones? They can last in the fridge for days. The bride requested the cape gooseberries specifically as she had seen them on my display cake at the last Night Market i participated in. They taste like unripe cherries, but are beautifully unique as they come in their own crispy, slightly rustic foliage. Where the wild flowers are.</div>
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We haven't posted a recipe here are the Salty Cod in months, so since we are talking about cake, let's discuss our recipe for our Irish cream chocolate truffle. I have made over 10 batches of this in the last month alone, it's pretty damn popular. Usually i serve them on the dessert table at catering events, but the same recipe is versatile enough to be converted into a cake layer. If you intend to use this truffle recipe for a cake layer, please note that i use a form (such as acetate plastic used in the Momofuku cake method) secured around the cake in order to make the truffle set evenly.</div>
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Irish Cream Chocolate Truffles<br />
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Ingredients: </div>
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200 grams dark chocolate<br />
1/3 cup cream<br />
3 tablespoons Irish cream liquor (like Bailey's)<br />
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Method: <br />
1) Chop chocolate into manageable pieces (unless using chips) and melt in a double boiler set up (or place a pan inside of a larger pan with water).<br />
2) Add the cream and liqueur and whisk really well until all chunks are melted.</div>
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3) For truffles: pour chocolate mixture into a dish and refrigerate until solid to the touch. Roll Tbs size balls in dark cocoa powder. </div>
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The watercolor effect is quickly becoming our signature style. I feel it to be the most refreshing and easy on the eye. For information on how to order a cake in Sao Paulo, please contact me through my <a href="http://www.malloryferland.com/" target="_blank">professional website</a>.<br />
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For the rest of you, as always, thanks for stopping by. Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-78075928022103578452013-10-14T17:10:00.002+02:002013-10-19T21:42:30.846+02:00A Sunday Lunch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello Codets. I am trying to think of something very witty to tell you. but i feel very dull at the moment. It's Monday, nearly noon, I have an appointment to get to soon in Liberdade, the Japanese district of Sao Paulo. It's pleasantly warm outside. Cotton candy clouds, wispy breeze. my dog is sleeping on the couch. There are some very noisy birds attacking the amora tree outside my window. People think amora berries are blackberries, but they aren't because they grow on trees. and blackberries grow on bushes. obviously. The stuffed birds then fly to the foyer of the apartment building where, to the dismay of the building manager, they drop violet colored bombs on the stone tiles.Other than that it is fairly quiet.<br />
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I came by to share with you yesterday's luncheon. It was a great success. Less stressful as it was only for 15 people, but still around three days work. Our strawberry lemonade cake ended up looking like a giant candy corn, unintentional i should add. But it was very delicious. The appetizers were well received, though they ran out faster than i had expected. Vietnamese spring rolls are always the hit of the party here. The main dish was pad Thai, shrimp pad Thai. I have to admit that i think pad Thai is an very easy dish to prepare-- what is difficult about it is serving it. You can't let pad Thai sit around. after a few minutes it gets gummy. So i made two batches--two full wok loads. One mistake--i hadn't planned on plating (i was going to serve it family style) so when the party host asked me to plate it i went too fast and handed out larger than expected portion sizes so that i could quickly get the next round started in the wok. Not the best idea. Instead of reaching 15 plates i only reached about 10. People shouldn't have to wait around while others are eating. Thinking toward the future, pho is much more practical noodle dish for large groups as you can make it large enough to serve twenty plus without having to make a second batch of anything. Waiting time aside, the whole event went extremely well. I even managed to clean <i>my</i> kitchen before leaving for the party. That is a definite first. I think im starting to get into a rhythm which is making the whole process easier. as is the case, with almost everything in life.<br />
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This week we are working on a wedding cake and next week we are presenting a tasting menu for a large sit down dinner themed <i>Indochine</i>. Pretty damn nervous about that one.<br />
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It doesn't feel like October anymore. I think i am starting to forget what October was like. I always loved autumn. Leaf rot. End of summer. Dark evenings. Changing seasons allow you to feel and see the progression of the year. Climate wise that is what i miss the most about the northern hemisphere; the dramatic change between all seasons. We are slipping into summer in the south. Hot days are ahead. Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-25825182809571233972013-10-08T20:55:00.000+02:002013-10-19T21:42:45.672+02:00For The Love of Cake<br />
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Hello Codets. I thought I would stop by to show off a bit of last weekend's October photo session with our friends over at <a href="http://saopaulocupcakes.com.br/" target="_blank">Sophie & Theo's Cupcakes</a>. They are offering quite a few new products this month for Children's Day (October 12th) and of course Halloween, which isn't really celebrated in Brazil (at all) but is celebrated by many in the expat community (and in the ceramics department at pao de acucar, an upscale grocery chain). Anyway, we also focused the shoot on their wedding options. There are many ways to have cupcakes at your wedding! In jars, little glass domes and inside cute wooden boxes (made by the fabulous Photographer, Fabi, over at <a href="http://www.caixaflorida.blogspot.com.br/" target="_blank">Caixa Florida</a>).<br />
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I had a lot of fun with this shoot. How can you not have fun photographing a cupcake? Is there such a thing as a sad cupcake? Well, i think a bright blue tall hat frosted nightmare with rainbow sprinkles might be a bit sad. Anyway, IF you are in Sao Paulo, everything you see here is available upon order at their online shop.<br />
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Aside from photos this week, we are working on a big lunch event for next Sunday. The menu is a bit across the board, featuring risotto balls, salmon lollipops, spring rolls, pork filled puff pastry, phad thai, creme brulee, chocolate truffles and a four layer cake. That's a lot you might say for a party of fifteen! But, according to my client, the lunch is for her mother celebrating a big birthday and she really wants to be a greedy piggy. Her words not mine. Since it will be a lunch i am counting on some nice sunlight...so hopefully, hopefully some event shots for a change. The cake will be a small 4-layered strawberry and vanilla cake with peach-colored ombre frosting on the outside. It's good practice because i have the same cake (on a much bigger scale) due in two weeks for a wedding. Lot's of cake. I'm really glad people are starting to turn away from fondant back toward flavor. Buttercream is way more attractive and appetizing (i think) than fondant. Well, we can talk more about that later. Until then --<br />
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Oh by the way, if you haven't done so yet, feel free to "like" of our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MalloryFerlandPhotographyGastronomy" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a>. Yeah, i know, sorry sorry. But who doesn't use Facebook? <br />
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<br />Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-79288589752154350382013-09-30T23:35:00.000+02:002013-10-19T21:42:57.950+02:00The Real ThingHello friends, I thought I would stop by and report how the catering event went last weekend. What event? I mentioned it in the last post. Didn't read it? well, fine. The event was a lovely in-apartment 40th birthday party for over fifty people. The menu included hot and cold appetizers and overwhelmingly large bread plates. How did it go? Well, it was fantastic.<br />
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Unfortunately I didn't get any photos, i didn't even take my camera. I had my friend, Rita, who i hired as my waitress get this shot with my phone. It shows a few of the cold appetizers set out on the table. The food was really well received--especially the hot appetizers i served throughout the five hour party. The sesame salmon lollipops and the fried spinach and gouda arancini di riso balls were a big hit. I did all of the prep work at home; made all the spreads, cheeses, bruschetta mixes, rolled a billion shrimp and pork spring rolls, mixed a Vietnamese green papaya salad in a large plastic tub (party size!) and rolled and breaded all the risotto balls. Literally it took the entire day Saturday morning and most of Friday. I was in a bit of a freak out thinking that i hadn't gotten enough done by the time i left for the event at 6h30pm. I was nervous. I admit. Extremely nervous to the point where i hadn't eaten anything since my breakfast egg. But once i got there, set up the plates, met my kitchen helper and started prepping for the hot items I finally started to relax. I arrived at seven and the first guests didn't arrive until after nine. I staged the hot food so that there would be something served at about 20 or 30 minute intervals. The apartment was a gorgeous venue--multimillion dollar open floor plan which allowed me to watch (and be watched) the party and see what was getting low on my table trays. I hired a good friend to be my waitress and offer the hot appetizers around the room, but in reality she turned into the wine-wench--my client took cake of the wine but fully expected my waitress to keep the guest's glasses full at all times. And jesus christ did she. She scurried into the kitchen to open a new bottle of white every five minutes. The crowd was drunk off their asses after the first half-hour (crowd age-range was a respectable and classy middle-age). It was a real bacchanal. Most of the guests were very pleasant, courteous and had very nice things to say about my food. The crowd, I knew, would be welcoming of non-Brazilian food, which was in fact the case. My favorite critique of the night came stumbling off a whiskey soaked tongue complimenting the food as "telling a connected story, and, and, and so spicy!!" <br />
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Honestly though, no one even considered talking to me until my client pointed out that the chef tonight was American. Then i had everyone cosying up to the breakfast bar stools to watch me cook and ask me questions. A truthful side note: all non-native English speakers love to practice speaking English at any possible moment, especially when tipsy. Though, Sao Paulo being the international city it is, many among my kitchen company were foreigners from far off distant lands such as Montreal, Portugal, Rio de Janeiro (awk awk) and the East Coast. A person cooking at a party in Brazil isn't so exciting. But an <i>American</i> cooking at a party in Brazil is pretty exciting. As stupid as that may sound to you, it is an advantage I tend to run with.<br />
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The biggest part of the night was that I learned that there is no way i could do a cocktail party this size alone. Meaning, without my waitress or kitchen helper it would have been impossible. My client had her maid stay throughout the party in order to keep the kitchen clean--and she did. The second i dirtied a spoon it was clean and put back on my station. She was a machine. She also helped me assemble plates, assemble tartines and bruschetta--literally she did anything i needed an extra hand with. It would have been hell without her. I really regret not getting her telephone number so that I could hire her for my future events. Rita, my waitress, was also indispensable. Large parties like this definitely require a competent team. So i'm building my team. Oh, and not to forget-- also on the team was dear H who helped with the prep (i don't think he will ever want to de-pit and chop olives again), delivery, and stayed up until 2am eating crappy order-in pizza waiting to collect us from the event at our beck and call. So, go team! <br />
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Our next event isn't for two weeks, it will be smaller, a fifteen person lunch. The menu isn't set yet but when it is, hopefully i will finally get some bloody photos!Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-25204306247777606382013-09-24T23:14:00.002+02:002013-10-19T21:43:18.670+02:00Tasting & a Market<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2glOw342KNa2Pgygx_G2DjT6SV7i4gUHI9cW-ysFVSkSlfRfC4w34OhTpuTTxqDFdXMuORfbSAmWkIPQtJKX_cOVHLg9M5zgruEsUT7evhvkybIPnqRfqyMiXpfoOK_K8ChnJfarQy-LK/s1600/irish+cream+truffles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2glOw342KNa2Pgygx_G2DjT6SV7i4gUHI9cW-ysFVSkSlfRfC4w34OhTpuTTxqDFdXMuORfbSAmWkIPQtJKX_cOVHLg9M5zgruEsUT7evhvkybIPnqRfqyMiXpfoOK_K8ChnJfarQy-LK/s1600/irish+cream+truffles.jpg" /></a> Tasting. Early last week i was contacted by a client, actually a former boss here in Brazil. She knew i was into<i> different</i> food and asked if had any gigs yet for exactly two weeks out. I didn't. Great! Her cousin needed a caterer for her 40th birthday party for seventy people. Luckily, standing room cocktail. I cannot cook dinner for seventy people, but i can do appetizers. The only requirement was that I offer a tasting of all the possible choices. Tastings make perfect sense, especially when you are going to be spending a lot of money on large quantities. I know tastings are common place, but for a cocktail party--less usual. But i saw it as a perfect way to try and really impress. Dinner-time cocktail parties should offer at least ten appetizers per person along with non-numerical snacks. So, projecting ten different appetizers, i decided to offer fourteen during the tasting. It will be easy I thought, i only need to make two of everything. My appetizer ark, however, turned out to be quite the task. </div>
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The tasting was last Thursday at 9pm. I started prepping my menu items that morning around 9:00. My tasting menu was split down the middle between Asian flavors and more classic Italian. To bore you with a list I presented: green papaya salad with fried plantain, tandoori chicken in mint sauce, curry tea sandwiches, Vietnamese pork spring rolls, tomato bruschetta, tartines with homemade ricotta, honey and bacon; spinach and gouda arancini di riso (fried risotto balls), sesame salmon lollipops, zucchini panzanella, fresh pea salad with apple and mint, creme brulee, dark chocolate truffles and a few other things that are slipping my mind. Damn it is a lot harder to create two of each in one day than i had thought it would be. I am continually underestimating how difficult it is to prepare such a variety. The greatest thing about this tasting was that literally it was a "run through" for the event, which give me more of an idea the time needed for each component. </div>
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I admit, I was extremely nervous when i arrived at the tasting (the venue of the party - a gorgeous apartment in one of the fancier districts of Sao Paulo). Luckily, my lovely clients offered me a glass (or two) of wine. Getting two women to eat fourteen small dishes in a timely manner after 9pm proved to be somewhat a difficult task. I felt like an Italian grandmother shoving pasta down their throats. <i>Eat this one now, it's hot, stop looking at it, eat it!</i> I jest, we took our time. The tasting lasted two hours and though i was exhausted, i was thrilled. They loved each and every dish. We decided they would look over their notes and decide which dishes to put on the party menu by Monday. Fabulous. They chose seven of the fourteen and I will be serving them this Saturday night. I also took charge of the party rentals - no paper or plastic forks at this gig. Ceramic plates, forks, wine glasses and serving trays. I will be hiring one waitress to serve the hot appetizers throughout the party - yes things are getting serious! Let's hope it all goes as planned.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3VSLmGtKL3yGSpQrHSE9QJvnR_xLyfl8XIJDYyqjYMaVfQAubkjRTCRhlAht3Ks1Xa5s8GWfWPUFlw3B6FYO1ORa7Hl94LTLtmWt5PYhefn79WbGqmDf4xE-2O-1YINynGUG3m8qqynx/s1600/cakey1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3VSLmGtKL3yGSpQrHSE9QJvnR_xLyfl8XIJDYyqjYMaVfQAubkjRTCRhlAht3Ks1Xa5s8GWfWPUFlw3B6FYO1ORa7Hl94LTLtmWt5PYhefn79WbGqmDf4xE-2O-1YINynGUG3m8qqynx/s1600/cakey1.jpg" /></a>The day after the tasting I had to start preparing for my third run at the Sao Paulo Night Market which was held on Saturday from noon until 9pm. I usually make savory food for the market as i honestly believe it sells better than sweets, however, this time around the market organizers asked me to do sweets since there were already three other food vendors and only one dessert vendor. I took it as an opportunity to advertise <i>dessert tables</i> for parties, so i set my display as top priority. I made a 4 layer ombre cake, creme brulees, cheesecake squares, brownie cake pops, Irish cream chocolate truffles, sandwich cookies and chocolate chip cookies. All of this in one day? Let's just say my kitchen was a sticky, sugary disaster by the time i left for the market. </div>
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I didn't sell out. The creme brulees did sell out though -- torches usually draw a crowd. Usually not selling out isn't a problem as i view the market as more of a publicity event than anything else, so i usually just aim to cover my costs. Unfortunately this time the registration fee to sell at the Market was more than double the usual price since the event was celebrating it's one year anniversary and offered free admission to market goers. Was a bit more of a stretch to cover the costs. But on the bright side i've already been contacted by two possible clients i met at the market, so definitely worth the investment. And! i won a giant basket of New Zealand kiwis! Random? Yes. But so is a Sao Paulo market organized by gringos. My caipirinhas are set for the week. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWaDS2sxQNvtEJtpAE8HNEWWc81QqplPNKWvuiopKlqsjzrReu5Hntmi65EKG0tCZeDwq7eCzKfRVu2lFecvWBQozUWedCozd-3uBr3lzESd_8SHvtJFLfF31L0HFcLT1m-WCNs5KNmfu/s1600/cookies33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWaDS2sxQNvtEJtpAE8HNEWWc81QqplPNKWvuiopKlqsjzrReu5Hntmi65EKG0tCZeDwq7eCzKfRVu2lFecvWBQozUWedCozd-3uBr3lzESd_8SHvtJFLfF31L0HFcLT1m-WCNs5KNmfu/s1600/cookies33.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOptaTgc2TEN2CthSZfMpp9oC0XfLE_PcdAl_kLfzEtM6dxhGM04U5gOKnfXmiBRbRKvAGv13e31CtL_hv6RujFmoYIvB9S0E7B9nbPaUAUuQDlSTKiqeBZUWqxx-uNLfFbvyXYu7ZWWB3/s1600/night+market.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOptaTgc2TEN2CthSZfMpp9oC0XfLE_PcdAl_kLfzEtM6dxhGM04U5gOKnfXmiBRbRKvAGv13e31CtL_hv6RujFmoYIvB9S0E7B9nbPaUAUuQDlSTKiqeBZUWqxx-uNLfFbvyXYu7ZWWB3/s1600/night+market.jpg" /></a>That's all we have for now, I must be off to bake white fish for dinner (St. Peter to be exact, which is in the tilapia family. Did you know there are more than three hundred types of tilapia? Now you do.) We hope to be back here promptly with the results from the cocktail event this Saturday -- hopefully good results. Until then, wish us luck. à bient<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">ô</span>t.</div>
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<br />Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-1348271111217159152013-09-13T00:16:00.003+02:002013-10-19T21:43:31.184+02:00Professionalism <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey guys. Yeah, I did it again. What can i say. One month. But i really tried this time. My post was ready last week. Two weeks ago actually. But unfortunately the subject matter sat in my mouth like a stale dirty peanut. My catering business finally had a big event a few weeks ago, an event for someone we didn't know (for a change!) a baby birthday party with nearly three hundred little tea sandwiches (more difficult than that sounds!) and a ton of cupcakes! Sounds like the perfect subject for a blog post, no? A triumph finally for our new company here in Sao Paulo. The problem was not the food, my food was well received both in flavor and presentation. Great feedback on that front. The problems arose from the fact that i offered both of our services at once--meaning both catering and photography. Yeah, i shot the party as well. Sounds a bit odd but really the catering was make and deliver only--no presence during the party. When consulting with my client she mentioned that she really liked my photography and asked if i would shoot the party as well. Now, let me say that i really wanted this catering gig. So i offered to photograph for less than a quarter of the market price as a way to entice her to go with me for catering. She accepted. Big. Dumb. Move. on my part.<br />
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We had a thorough catering consultation with dozens of emails back and forth. The party was for a one year old baby and there would be no other children at the party, only around fifty adult guests. easy. After prepping the sandwiches and cupcakes for an entire day, i woke up very early on the morning of the party to assemble everything. As per usual i went through the "im not going to finish!!" crazy freak out, but of course everything was packaged two hours ahead of schedule (thank you husband sous chef). The party was a big hit. It was beautiful, the decorations were stunning for a Brazilian party and the baby was awfully adorable. The entire family was beautiful, and my food was very well received. It was a hit. So I relaxed and started photographing; the job that i'm used to.<br />
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That night H and I went out to dinner where i beamed over a steaming plate of ribs how i pulled off a big catering event, and how i took some pretty good photos with flash (i usually am terrible with flash). Overall, i was beyond happy. Then the next day happened.<br />
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My client emailed me early the next morning asking for the photographs. I thought it was a little funny, as in, oh it's cute, she has never hired a photographer before. I sent an apologetic email explaining how it wouldn't be possible to send her the photos right away, nor within the next few days. Professional photographers almost never deliver within the week because photo processing and editing requires a lot of work etc. She explained how she was so anxious to see the photos so i gave in and spent nearly the entire day monday selecting and editing photos for her. I had them uploaded by 5:30pm. Success?<br />
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No.<br />
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Later that night i received an email from client telling me how much she loved the photos, how the lighting and style were exactly what she was hoping for. Then came the line---the line i have heard other photographers complain about and dread---the line that goes---- "can i have the rest of the photos now?" boom. Finally happened to me and i kicked myself at that moment for not having had "you will not receive all photos shot" signed in a contract. I explained, as professionally as i could that i do not give all shots to the client, that i select the best that are non repetitive. She wasn't having it. Long story short i received a series of very angry emails telling me how she expected (because it is common in Brazil) to receive all photos, because everyone has a different eye for things. At that moment i began to feel professionally insulted. To tell your hired photographer that you would like to view the raw images because you have a different "eye" is an insult to the artist. in any country. I then wrote an apologetic email explaining my reasons and that i would not change my policy. I told her i would go through the photos and send her more photos that i deemed acceptable. Which is a big concession i might add. So two days later i went through and edited another one hundred photos (mostly repeat scenes) and uploaded them. Job done. Closed. Bad experience over. Was happy I handled it well.<br />
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Wrong.<br />
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Late afternoon, middle of a cupcake shoot for another client, hands covered in buttercream--i receive a call. It's the client. What on earth could she possibly want now. What happened was the most disgusting, utterly rude and inappropriate interaction that i have ever had to go through in my professional life. My client called for no reason other than to lecture me. To lecture me literally by telling me how i "just got off the boat" and do not know how things are done in Brazil. How, while my photos were good, i did not deliver the amount she expected. How i didn't hand over all raw, unedited photos, how i took too many photos of the baby and didn't get candid photos of every guest drinking a beer and a shot of the front door. I'm not a mind reader. I was told that in Brazil, photographer are expected to hand over all photos for the client to take and get edited. I will tell you, after living here four years, working and conversing with other photographers this is a complete and utter lie. It is absurd to even think any photographer in any country would do this. I was beyond insulted. I was insulted as a photographer and as an immigrant. The treatment was that of a bourgeois speaking to their maid about a subject they clearly were completely oblivious to. It was disturbing behavior and honestly it shocked me. Who would treat someone they don't know in this manner? It was very puzzling and disappointing.<br />
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I listened to her ten minute lecture while saying very little. When she finished i told her that unfortunately i would still not change my policy and to have a nice day. I then hung up. Obviously it hit me. I was very upset. I was so proud of the event, so proud of the service. I couldn't wait to post all the photos here on the blog. But afterward the sour taste wouldn't leave my mouth. I decided not to post any pictures on the blog nor to even talk about it. I just wanted to move on with my next projects.<br />
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Now don't get me wrong, i'm not a photography saint. Not everyone has to be pleased with my work and I am not perfect. Yes I should have taken a photo of the door, yes more photos of guests drinking beer. but I didn't. and I can't go back in time. At that point the only thing to do is to apologize for disappointing them and move on. That's exactly what I did - I apologized and it should have ended there. but it didn't. <br />
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After speaking to three different Brazilian party photographers (born, raised and schooled in Brasil) i was reassured that this client was out of control and wrong and severely misrepresenting Brasil. Looking back i feel a lot better, calmer and am actually quite happy with how i handled the situation in a professional manner even though i was insulted in every aspect possible. Talking with fellow photographers here, i know it is imperative to have the clause of not receiving all photos and of accepting what the photographer gives in the contract. My big error here was thinking that this party was a small, inexpensive event that wouldn't require the precautions as say a wedding shoot would require.<br />
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Lesson learned.<br />
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Moving on, we had a huge photo shoot last week with one of our favorite clients, Sophie & Theo's Cupcakes and are currently working on a big cocktail party two weeks out! Do you think we can manage over 700 individual cocktail appetizers? At the moment i have no idea...but we think we can. And what after? Already booked for a luncheon! So we had a bad experience, but it taught us a lot. And we are prepared for the next event. Hopefully you will stick around to hear about our next adventures! Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-61699798505798195072013-08-14T00:54:00.001+02:002013-10-19T21:43:42.639+02:00Bakery Shoot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So a week ago i shot photos for a bakery feature in an English travel website My Destination Sao Paulo. The bakery was beautiful--classic and quaint. I shot all of the sweeties on a table next to the front door with a curtain pulled around my back. I loved it. It was so nice getting back to on-site shooting for publications. Something i really missed (remember, no you don't, but pretend you remember when i worked for those magazines back in 2009). I felt alive again. And the hot chocolate you see in the photo---damn! it tasted like a s'more. I doubt any Paulistas read this blog, but if there are any of you out there, go get some of this hot chocolate.<br />
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Sorry to watermark the photos (i hate watermarking the photos) but they were shot for the travel website, not the bakery, so unfortunately i have to protect them. But you can still get the vibe of the photos.<br />
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You can see the rest of the photos and read the article about the bakery over at <a href="http://www.mydestination.com/saopaulo/restaurants/191895/ale-tedesco-bakery" target="_blank">My Destination</a>. And if you haven't yet (shame) visit my <a href="http://www.malloryferland.com/" target="_blank">photography website</a> already. Sheesh! <br />
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<br />Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-36211512798443180142013-08-06T02:14:00.002+02:002013-10-19T21:43:54.758+02:00An Odd Ice Cream<br />
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Some people find photographing ice cream to be unpleasant. You set up your scene, you get your little camera all ready, and then your model starts moving...rather starts melting. You must be very quick about it. Personally, i like it. I usually spend way too much time photographing a single subject. I remember older posts here at Salty (way back when, we're over six years old now...that's geriatric in blog years) that would require me to set aside the entire day to do a post from start to finish. Yes, an entire day. I can not so fondly remember waiting until well past midnight to begin a paper on King Philip II for an archeology class. Well, i suppose sacrifices have to be made. But in professional photography you cannot spend an entire day shooting a cupcake while everyone else involved stands around twiddling their thumbs. Set up your shot and get in and out. Just like with ice cream. So photographing ice cream is a superb way to practice for on-site photography (or a wedding. blink and you miss it.) You have to act fast.<br />
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I'm only drawing such a connection because yesterday (yay!) i had an on-site shoot at a bakery. Usually i photograph inside my studio. Studio being my shanty-set up of living room curtains. Either way, the bakery was uncommonly cute for Brazilian standards. To be blunt, traditional bakeries in Brazil are similar to traditional bakeries in Portugal-- they're kinda ugly. The purpose is to get in, get your bread and get out. Not to sit on an antique piece of furniture covered in hand made cushions while sipping nouveau coffee with house made marshmallows. This bakery, on the other hand, claims to be an American style bakery and suffice to say, definitely hit the "Starbucks Standard" of ambiance. I shot as quickly as i could. With three servers behind the counter and both shop owners staring at you, taking your sweet time isn't exactly a professional option. The trick: pretend the scone is melting... like ice cream. We still took almost two hours to shoot all of the items, but in my defense i had to wait for a few things to cook. I love bakery shoots...particularly because i am quite familiar with nearly all the models. Madam cookie, i know which side of you photographs best--please turn your cheek. Also, bakery owners seem to be genuinely happy people. And how could you not be; perpetual sugar-high bliss. <br />
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I made ice cream Sunday morning before going to the gym. The gym doesn't open until ten on sundays so i had time to do such a thing. It's an odd style of ice cream i had seen on tv--made by whipping cream and condensed milk together. Not exactly ice cream but well, i don't have an ice cream machine (yet). The recipe literally contains only cream and condensed milk. I added amarula liqueur to add a bit of flavor. As usual, i added a bit too much liqueur so the cream wasn't able to whip to fully whipped status (stiff peaks). It was a little soupy. So i whipped another quarter cup of plain cream until practically crunchy, then folded it in. To be honest, it kinda tastes like frozen whip cream covered in amarula. Which, i suppose, isn't bad at all. It's an alright option for people without ice cream machines. Next time i will add a stronger flavor to try and mask the whip cream flavor.<br />
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An odd ice cream is always better than no ice cream. <br />
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The ironic thing about photographing ice cream is that usually the most enticing shots arrive just at the melting point. You spend the first ten minutes frantically shooting the perfectly balled scoop--racing against the clock.hen, when you're about to give in, you realize how all of a sudden you really want to eat it. oh yeah. luckily that pot is quite small. </div>
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So far this month i already have both a catering event and photography event lined up. Sao Paulo city is definitely treating me better than Indaiatuba ever did. Wish me luck. </div>
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ps. i know i've been posting a lot of photos of flowers lately, but these coral roses are just too fluffy to not share. I received them last Friday as a surprise gift from H. C'est tres chouette, non? </div>
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<br />Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-54315638550426290112013-07-19T21:39:00.001+02:002013-10-19T21:44:15.744+02:00Chocolate Olive Oil Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last night I sat on the couch feeling a bit flu-ish. Just those achy tingling feelings accompanied by a pounding headache. So naturally i decided to watch cooking shows to cheer myself up. Unfortunately Brazilian cooking shows aren't very interesting. No, i take that back. There are only two Brazilian cooking shows worth watching and they are both hosted by Frenchies speaking odd Portuguese; Claude Troisgros from <i>Que Maravilha</i> and Olivier Anquier from <i>Diario do Olivier</i>. These two are worthwhile and present updated/internationalized Brasilian cuisine. Anyway, neither of these shows were on. On the American front the only cooking shows my cable channels air are that Cake Boss clown making spaghetti in a studio kitchen and Man versus Food. Not the best way to represent American cuisine i'm afraid. At least our British culinary friends are well represented. The channel <i>GNT</i> loves hosting marathons of Jamie Oliver, Gordon the asshole and very recently Nigella Lawson. Poor Nigella has unfortunately been in the news lately highlighted under terrible circumstances, but I find her to be a very creative cook, and the show now playing, <i>Nigellissima</i>, is quite relaxing to watch. So indeed that is what i ended up watching last night and yes of course she made a lovely grain-free olive oil tart which i decided to try out today. In preparation i sent an email to my best Brazilian foodie friend, Rafael, asking if he had started watching the new series on tv. His answer: <i>I just watched Nigella and at first thought she was another terrible Donna Hay...but not! She is very good. Today I made her Ice cream.</i> Did you laugh? I couldn't stop. Yes, they show Donna Hay's godforsaken <i>Fast, Fresh and Simple</i> here, which is the Australian version of Sandra Lee's <i>Semi Homemade</i>. Don't even get me started. <i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></i><br />
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So this little cake isn't exactly the recipe Nigella made, i used rice and cassava flour instead of almonds as i never have nuts "on hand." I haven't tried it yet.....but im expecting a very strong punch from it because i used extra virgin olive oil instead of regular olive oil. damn! Hey, i told you i was feeling a bit flu-ish. Minor mistake? We'll see. Extra virgin olive oil has a much deeper darker flavor than regular olive oil. I think i will be able to handle it, but just in case i plan on whipping some fresh cream on the side to try and mellow it out a bit if needed. <br />
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As usual it has been a few months since my last blog post. But i've not been lazy. I hope to pick things up for real this time. You see, i finally made a real/proper/legitimate website for my "business" here in Brasil. I invite you all to check it out even though the information is written in Portuguese. <a href="http://malloryferland.com/" target="_blank"><i>Mallory Ferland Fotografia & Gastronomia</i></a> is up and running and waiting (hoping) for a few clients. The Salty Cod will still be the Salty Cod, and hopefully now that i feel i have a purpose it will translate back into that passion which went by the wayside.<br />
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If you are interested in making Nigella's Cake, you can find the recipe <i><a href="http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/CHOCOLATE-OLIVE-OIL-CAKE-5551" target="_blank">here</a></i> or at a thousand other online blogs. If you do use the recipe from her site, i might warn to not use a full 125 ml of water. It's way too much and will give you a chocolate soup and a baking time of over one and a half hours. Another tip is to use any style cake pan you like. The cake shrinks in from the edges so a spring form isn't necessary, an attractive ceramic dish works well and can be used straight to serve from.<br />
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Well that's it, talk to you later. <br />
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UPDATE: So we ate (half the tart) after dinner and holy cow! it's so good! the most simple usually are. The extra virgin didn't do any harm at all, neither of us could taste any olive--it translates into a nutty flavor. The texture is fabulous--like a dairy free chocolate cheesecake. So there you have it, the review.<br />
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<br />Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-80076924682102612412013-05-16T16:47:00.001+02:002013-05-16T17:15:07.843+02:00Damn It. I Missed April<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ztiCnuybQ4RpmaSzaZlxBKP8EPu1QGp1ovSAtQ9SCWEtlMDnQlDnGJ8N4fZP45PNNVR4Z_ZtptYJ8MR9RF4kvJovOTDsZe3sOpuxjUPEpZmqE4LdVjNaxDxKsgU_0v9vudF5p6BjTZoc/s1600/flower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ztiCnuybQ4RpmaSzaZlxBKP8EPu1QGp1ovSAtQ9SCWEtlMDnQlDnGJ8N4fZP45PNNVR4Z_ZtptYJ8MR9RF4kvJovOTDsZe3sOpuxjUPEpZmqE4LdVjNaxDxKsgU_0v9vudF5p6BjTZoc/s1600/flower.jpg" /></a>Good morning to you all, or to you few. It is now winter/autumn in Brazil, which means about twenty degrees warmer than an average Seattle summer day. The nights are slightly cooler, but standing under the sun is as prickly as ever. Lately my days have been as such: I've collected a few more students and have ditched working with the school, been frequenting the lovely Vila Lobos park on the weekends with miss Sybil and our fellow dog-enthusiast friends, have passed through a cookie and cupcake photo shoot and have signed on for a new one, catered for an event at a fancy night club, and ----- I've finally made the perfect gluten free bread loaf. Saving the best for last, i know. I might give away the recipe in a few weeks. Or not. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZT1OLBFqXD6jTCvXtfS6XGycvacuUVBtXoWFcTalo1DiySc376ORNOBjLzXGPCwumQLqnZN4ERHzkzcWCrlAwz_MlnZF7ZktVRF5c2LSUQNJnf8eZcDQcDCMZxwEVJJl5bGwnrG2YF-w/s1600/cup+cake+tower+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZT1OLBFqXD6jTCvXtfS6XGycvacuUVBtXoWFcTalo1DiySc376ORNOBjLzXGPCwumQLqnZN4ERHzkzcWCrlAwz_MlnZF7ZktVRF5c2LSUQNJnf8eZcDQcDCMZxwEVJJl5bGwnrG2YF-w/s1600/cup+cake+tower+2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cupcake tower by Sophie and Theo's Cupcakes</td></tr>
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I had hopped that two months from now i would be on a jet plane to Seattle to visit my family and baby niece who i have never seen (well, she is only two months old), but unfortunately that won't be happening until December. At three thousand reais a ticket, it's impossible to go to Seattle more than once a year, times two people. I prefer going in December because I've always found December to be the happiest month in the US. Yes it's cold, but no one has school, most people are blowing off their jobs early and damn it i like holiday spirit. I do miss holidays living here. Now don't get me wrong, we have tons of holidays in Brazil. But 'holiday' here usually means a day off work, a barbecue or a quick trip to the beach (or as i like to say, a QTB. no not really). I miss the decorations and enthusiasm that comes with the holiday spirit in the US. I like it when store fronts paint pumpkins and turkeys in the window, when Starbucks serves seasonal beverages and draws whimsical holiday chalk drawings on their menu boards, when in December you seemingly can't walk into any commercial (or residential building) without hearing Christmas music. Will i ever have red, white and blue jello salad again? or use holiday-coordinated paper plates and napkins? <br />
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I think it's the weather. It's definitely not the argument of, "well Americans like to waste money on more crap" because if anything Brazilians spend a lot of money. So here we are shuffling on into Autumn like i mentioned before, and i can't help but think of Halloween. in June. yes. Brazilian culture doesn't celebrate Halloween. For obvious reasons, however. Halloween has its roots in Irish culture, an immigrant population that did not make its way as fully to Brazil as it did to the US. So i blame not! Usually when i comment on the lack of Halloween here to family and friends the response is, well isn't there Day of the Dead in November? Yes, technically there is. But it's not called Day of the Dead, it's called Finados (literally "souls") and is pretty unexciting. I mean, nothing happens. Observing Catholics might visit a deceased loved one's grave with a bouquet of flowers, but there's no parades or colorful costumes like Dia de los Muertos in Mexico. So Halloween-time festivities are out.<br />
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The closest Brazil gets to an Autumnal festival takes place in June, the Festa Junina. Festa is the only holiday i am aware of in Brazil (aside from Carnival) where costumes are involved. The theme of the Festa is "over exaggerated farmer" or drunk hick. Men wear plaid shirts, overalls and straw hats while the females wear raggedy-Anne doll dresses, straw hats with pigtails and painted on freckles. Costumes! One lucky gal at each party even gets to shove a pillow under her dress and act out the scene of the pregnant bride. The wedding ceremony usually happens around a bonfire and sometimes there's a conga line. Festive food includes corn, hot dogs, popcorn, corn pudding, peanuts, hot wine and hot cachaça. Personally i only go every year for the peanut candies. This year a friend of mine has invited me to a new one hosted by a brand new hostel here in Sampa, we will both be selling food stuff out of the kitchen and we are hoping to make the selection nouveau-festa-junina by making a fusion of American autumnal flavors with the classic Festa Junina flavors. So if any of you have any ideas and would like to share, please leave a remark in the comments section. We have until mid-June to get the menu spot on. The crowd will be young and intoxicated, keep that in mind. I leave you with a few random photos until next time, à bientot.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pJSzD_Z7azuOpt6B6vKcNAATXroMulDs9nq_2ZG4ureDmAjObLsz4A8x3dWcgotZXTqVJ7Uqrn1SMDoqPLwemqOZ6wBiRgbihatVsxn_hszYd7CZaeNjvc2DN3ylrDF_0CM7UQLAmTAN/s1600/mothers+day+cupcakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pJSzD_Z7azuOpt6B6vKcNAATXroMulDs9nq_2ZG4ureDmAjObLsz4A8x3dWcgotZXTqVJ7Uqrn1SMDoqPLwemqOZ6wBiRgbihatVsxn_hszYd7CZaeNjvc2DN3ylrDF_0CM7UQLAmTAN/s1600/mothers+day+cupcakes.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dia das Maes Cupcake made by Sophie and Theo's Cupcakes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZ_CJmU_RgDGmUaiwQZ9L-rKcGdtp1FIyBz9ggygiydmueLluHimPyw9V52S3YH-1ayE6jgIAaAD47oOCxIz5BubbWmDI8TvK3gtQcai1Wfz6X8t_nBU2tujg10xeWjz63jrQo6TVURAC/s1600/picnic+sandwiches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZ_CJmU_RgDGmUaiwQZ9L-rKcGdtp1FIyBz9ggygiydmueLluHimPyw9V52S3YH-1ayE6jgIAaAD47oOCxIz5BubbWmDI8TvK3gtQcai1Wfz6X8t_nBU2tujg10xeWjz63jrQo6TVURAC/s1600/picnic+sandwiches.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">picnic sandwiches at Parque Vila Lobos</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPK505e-TjhHuSgL1MfKDrKlvpTy3MO5jiMBQmkuZQQpRt5RD9MK1OoONIpOAbPloi7B6zdhzu6wfGS_ZcJcGScMmB6cgLarLLuNiaGXqq8RO1svYvIVbfHFmUlZPUt4XwN_pHSOvzjP2/s1600/mothers+day+brownies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPK505e-TjhHuSgL1MfKDrKlvpTy3MO5jiMBQmkuZQQpRt5RD9MK1OoONIpOAbPloi7B6zdhzu6wfGS_ZcJcGScMmB6cgLarLLuNiaGXqq8RO1svYvIVbfHFmUlZPUt4XwN_pHSOvzjP2/s1600/mothers+day+brownies.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dia das Maes brownies made by The Kitchen</td></tr>
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<br />Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-25517088463219595222013-03-26T20:53:00.001+01:002013-10-19T21:44:39.901+02:00Pumpkin Biscuits<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnAZyhTiDyoA1T52jrNHXZAptowsyaRvX-_EJYlOTNRgilrCcYHVXmN99H60E_5FdkrwoC_q3pCMN9ib5sJIHMnSrtBkcOiBPCl96YGdxJxYw3rYwzG6tYbPzu3xMaZqM2H5Vg9eI416k7/s1600/cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnAZyhTiDyoA1T52jrNHXZAptowsyaRvX-_EJYlOTNRgilrCcYHVXmN99H60E_5FdkrwoC_q3pCMN9ib5sJIHMnSrtBkcOiBPCl96YGdxJxYw3rYwzG6tYbPzu3xMaZqM2H5Vg9eI416k7/s1600/cookies.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Lately I have been on
an Asian food kick. Primarily because a week or so ago I visited Sao Paulo’s
Liberdade district for the first time. Let me just say that this place has been
here the entire time I’ve lived in Brazil (and apparently before that too). It’s
been here and I, being but an hour and a half away, never visited. Stupid.
Liberdade is market town. Consisting of ninety percent Japanese products (or
perhaps just vendors, the products are from all over) with a bit of Chinese and
a very scarce pinch of Vietnamese and Thai products. So sadly I really <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can’t </i>call it China Town. I will let you
know one fact that every Brazilian tour guide/website will point out to you –
Brazil has the greatest population of Japanese (descendants) living outside of
Japan, and yes it is for the exact reason you are thinking of; agricultural
work boom at the turn of the (20<sup>th</sup>) century. The point I am trying
to make here is that Thai curry paste, spring roll wrappers, glutinous rice
flour and every possible jarred sauce condiment ever created by man is now at
my disposition. Expect some spring roll photos soon. But not today.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Lately I’ve been distracted. I received
a catering request for a large business breakfast last week; I collaborated
with a friend in the business and we sent our proposal. Never heard from the
lady again. Not even a rejection letter, nothing. Even after sending a follow
up letter. First rejection and we don’t even know why. Oh well. There will be a
next time. </span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
Now to the distraction. Nearly two weeks ago my family dog [in Seattle] died
unexpectedly before her time. The sadness over losing her hit me greater than I
thought the passing of a non-human creature could ever throw at me. I’ve been
around dogs my whole life. Since consciousness, there has always been a dog in
my family. My husband, on the other hand, had never had a dog in his life, and
since getting married had made it clear that he was not a dog (or any creature)
person. So I never thought about dogs. I still have dogs, I would think, they
just live at my parents’ house. When Olivia died I unreservedly cried for days.
My tears were for the pangs of saudades, for the fear that she might have
suffered, and for the pain I knew my sisters and parents were feeling. The gravity
was due to the unexpectedness of it all. She was young, healthy, the apple in
our eyes. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A few days later my husband
suggested we adopt a dog. Say what? His change of heart, so he claims, came
from pity for me. But I like to think that he subconsciously wished he could
know what that feeling is…to cry out of love for a dog. Whatever the reason, we
now have a dog. A dog, not a puppy. Last weekend we visited the <a href="http://www.uipa.org.br/" target="_blank">UniãoInternacional Protetora Dos Animais (UIPA)</a>. The organization is actually
extremely well run, which, if you are familiar with anything in Brazil, will
surprise you. The organization is similar to American humane societies; they
focus on rescuing mainly cats and dogs from the street, from abusive households
and from abandonment. The UIPA in Sao Paulo city alone has over twelve hundred
dogs at any given time. They survive on donations and a volunteer staff. Every
dog or cat on site is vaccinated, spayed or neutered and de-wormed. They also
require an on-site veterinary consultation with every adoption. The place is
overrun with adult dogs. Only the puppies seem to draw attention. I find
puppies too messy. We went in looking for an adult and found a quiet girl
sitting in a corner pen with three one-month old puppies bouncing around. She
didn’t bark. She didn’t move. She looked miserable. Yep, that’s the one. We
picked her up and took her right then and there. One of the volunteer staff
informed us that she was about one year old, was found pregnant on the highway
about two months ago and had given birth to five puppies that were all already
adopted or reserved for adoption. Only she was left. We named her Sybil.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sybil is a true Sao Paulo street
rat. But she is the sweetest thing we have ever seen. She has never barked and
is afraid of everything. Doorways, staircases, pillows, blankets, ironing
boards. Just being inside a building is frightening for her. But she is
adjusting. Today is her fourth day and she is relaxing. Well, relaxing as much
as anyone on antibiotics, flee medication, worm-pills and a new diet can. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
So, being the food snob that I am, I had to make healthy dog treats for my new
family member. The mini milk bone treats and what have you at the store are
full of too many ingredients…primarily wheat flour. Nearly all veterinarians
point out that wheat is not particularly good for dogs. While she does eat a
pricy bagged dog food, I wanted to make whole food biscuits for her so I don’t
feel guilty about filling her with msg. If you google “dog biscuit” recipes you
will find that there seems to be a consensus that pumpkin is not only healthy
but tasty for dogs. Pumpkin it is. All I did was mix two eggs with one cup
cooked and smashed pumpkin, two and a half cups rice flour, a pinch of salt, a
quarter cup of grated cheese and pureed meat from two chicken legs. Sybil is small
(about 10 lbs) so I cut the biscuits into small half inch squares. She isn’t
crazy for them, but she eats them. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I live in a really nice
neighborhood in Sao Paulo, so when we go for walks most of the dogs we meet on
the street are pure breeds. “oh what is her race?” I am constantly asked. My
reply – she is a dog, she used to be a street dog. Love the looks.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We’ll share photos once she is more
relaxed. Tomorrow is my three year wedding anniversary, and spring rolls on
Friday. See you then. </span></div>
Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-28981320134866792152013-03-08T21:09:00.001+01:002013-03-08T21:16:53.708+01:00Extreme RecapWe’re so far behind, where do we start?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VL036JLX33hhCOLq1wvMm2ETcBbUnjElyHxu4PL_cxBzXFrek2ced3IhSIBbvo4LvpLNuHIUMNcHzKqaSafnBz7eVFSmzDUjjdIAm2ujaKvcAndvFuYJei_qTUC0Gpu3YAwm5JgF71gm/s1600/window+view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VL036JLX33hhCOLq1wvMm2ETcBbUnjElyHxu4PL_cxBzXFrek2ced3IhSIBbvo4LvpLNuHIUMNcHzKqaSafnBz7eVFSmzDUjjdIAm2ujaKvcAndvFuYJei_qTUC0Gpu3YAwm5JgF71gm/s1600/window+view.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view from my living room window</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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Since the last post we’ve: moved into our new apartment in
Sao Paulo, started part time (really part time) work with an English school, collected
a few new private students, started figuring out how to navigate through one
of the biggest cities in the world, started trying to work as a private chef,
sold my food for the first time at a market, AND my very first niece was born
last weekend. Life is wonderfully full at the moment. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope I will be that cool aunt in the foreign
country who sends sweets and toys in the mail. I represent a beach vacation, I should
be the cool aunt! </div>
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<br /></div>
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So backup. Working with food? Since when did I become a chef
right? I don’t have a job in a restaurant, I don’t hold a culinary degree, but I’m
trying to get into working with something I actually like and am actually good
at. Not that I don’t enjoy English teaching, I do. But im not proud of it, i teach simply because I'm an American living in Brazil. Anyone can do that. But I am a good cook, I am not modest
about that. I can cook. Well, anyone can cook, but I actually cook really well,
and people like what i make. For now let’s call it an
experiment, shall we?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Du42Ltpdqgq2ODoSfQV6EzSjAX_rft0kKz3wFA0QLnk528IUtNZXqz3am80nBwmn853jV-KLwxZpdOsh-3xi4S-vbRcCGeu5XTSbkPHj_spze9FJQB3PehK3u7Y3Hw6k_GaI_sJXjeET/s1600/herbed+goat+cheese,+bacon+and+apple+tart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Du42Ltpdqgq2ODoSfQV6EzSjAX_rft0kKz3wFA0QLnk528IUtNZXqz3am80nBwmn853jV-KLwxZpdOsh-3xi4S-vbRcCGeu5XTSbkPHj_spze9FJQB3PehK3u7Y3Hw6k_GaI_sJXjeET/s1600/herbed+goat+cheese,+bacon+and+apple+tart.jpg" /></a>Two weeks ago I was invited to cook a four course sit down
dinner for nine. Literally it was three day after moving into my new place,
didn’t even have a fridge yet. The party was co-hosted by the owner of a Sao
Paulo City travel website (<a href="http://www.mydestination.com/" target="_blank">My Destination Sao Paulo</a>) and the owner of a wine and
imports shop (<a href="http://www.sonoma.com.br/" target="_blank">Sonoma</a> - they import gourmet items such as olive oils, cheeses,
salts and spices). The amazing part of the event was that I sent my menu to the
host early so that he could pair the right wine with each course. Let me just
say the guests were quite spoiled. The event took place on the rooftop terrace
of a penthouse in the south of Sao Paulo. The view was incredible. The dinner
was started with one of my favorite entrances, potted crab, which is an
original dish created by my Brazilian culinary double, Rafael. If I can
remember correctly the crab was paired with Chablis. The entrance was followed
by a raw salad of green (not actually green, just unripe and hard) papaya,
carrot and cucumbers with a spicy Thai dressing (I actually julienned it all by
hand, and it looked pretty uniform!) The main course was a spicy coconut curry
with chicken thighs and was paired with Pinot Noir. For dessert I went with my
safety net—the chocolate truffle tart that has NEVER disappointed. I finished
it with freshly whipped cream and blueberries which, yes, you can find here. It
was an amazing experience. My last thrilling experience on this level was when i successfully "catered" my sister's wedding in December.</div>
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Following said dinner (described above) I was invited by one
of the dinner guests to sell food at a night market that she helps to organize.
The event is mostly attended by gringos and hosts a variety of vendors selling
everything from cupcakes to paper lamps. I was a little too nervous to accept
right away. Who would pay actual money for my food? A week later I received a
final call email about the event and impulsively decided to go for it without
having any idea of what I would sell. I originally thought to do a cold
bruschetta or tapas because it would be simple to assemble and wouldn’t require
the grill and hotplate that I don’t possess. Unfortunately one of the other
vendors wrote in that they were selling something called “toastex” so we
decided I should go with something else. So I decided to do the same thing but
inside of individual tart shells. Big mistake. It’s hard enough to make a few
tart shells much less fifty of them. And to top it off, I made them gluten
free. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1l9JgIRvyGj2zaItP8nyw8uVePMVKNXUZbA2qQZZP9KjAIM3jqu87ehbkKOgOZMzJFmzE7KLdvGbZTUoBj0hPUOXMhMOUq1tuJQWxEmEU4AJU27iB_1HZ8KTLr_tl8iUztbKeSQJSWtM/s1600/wasabe+salmond,+watercress+and+amora+tart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1l9JgIRvyGj2zaItP8nyw8uVePMVKNXUZbA2qQZZP9KjAIM3jqu87ehbkKOgOZMzJFmzE7KLdvGbZTUoBj0hPUOXMhMOUq1tuJQWxEmEU4AJU27iB_1HZ8KTLr_tl8iUztbKeSQJSWtM/s1600/wasabe+salmond,+watercress+and+amora+tart.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOIESYQ5FGkP6EW3KBMRBB7l3uRXl0APUe8BbmB2jpOHks_5KWVMX1Xj65d1GRbVcBH8r6FcNmDPACfCegdlDxCXY9zDpzDy79MiRL9MxF6hMQQbyCrJAHX2UfP0u_vScNdils_O4Ppuc/s1600/mini+creme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOIESYQ5FGkP6EW3KBMRBB7l3uRXl0APUe8BbmB2jpOHks_5KWVMX1Xj65d1GRbVcBH8r6FcNmDPACfCegdlDxCXY9zDpzDy79MiRL9MxF6hMQQbyCrJAHX2UfP0u_vScNdils_O4Ppuc/s1600/mini+creme.jpg" /></a>I filled the shells with two different mixtures: the first
was a blackberry (amora) red onion sauce topped with watercress and salmon
grilled in wasabi and sesame seeds (the wasabi wasn’t strong) and the second
was filled with herbed goat cheese ricotta (homemade), apple, crispy bacon and
sprouts. I planned on selling crème brulle in edible shells but after making
fifty tart shells I gave up. The public was a little hesitant to try them, but
those who actually did gave great feedback on the flavors. One woman actually bought
six to take home. I didn’t make any actual money (just slightly over three
hundred reais, which was my break even mark) but the experience was incredible.
Not only did I actually get to talk to strangers enjoying my food, but I received
a few contacts requesting my service as a caterer. What I really got out of the
market was confidence. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></div>
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That was two days ago.<br />
<br />
Sao Paulo is a crazy city. For one, it’s the largest city in all of the
Americas. Living among eleven million people seems like it could be a bit
overwhelming…but luckily Sao Paulo, like most large cities, is divided into
neighborhoods that honestly form their own cities. You feel as if you are in a
small community with your own groceries, banks, butchers, street markets,
schools, sports centers, and restaurants—technically you never actually need to
leave your own neighborhood in this city. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all do of course. I am very lucky to be in
a very quiet, relatively safe and clean neighborhood known as Perdizes/Pompeia.
I’d always been nervous about moving to Sao Paulo, but I’m actually in love
with the area. I get to see my friends more often and I’ve even made a few new
friends already. If the metro covered more areas I would be in heaven. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But one of the greatest assets of the city is
the diversity of the population here. There is a demand for everything. My
style of cooking actually has a chance here whereas in the countryside it had
little to none. </div>
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Now we are caught up. There is a carrot cake cooling in the
kitchen for a birthday party tomorrow and im planning the menu for a luncheon on
Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ninety degree weather was
just interrupted by a hail storm. Such is life in Sao Paulo where you can
experience every season in one day. We’ll talk about this carrot cake next
time. </div>
Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-55155723845220270762013-02-07T14:46:00.000+01:002013-10-19T21:44:59.513+02:00Creme.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
I can't begin to describe how difficult it's been for us to rent an apartment in Sao Paulo. It, as with almost all other endeavors that involve "a paper to be signed" is as or more complicated than donating your kidney. It has been over one week since our offer on a place was accepted and no contracts have been issued. The only things that have been moving are the mountains of personal documents being schlepped into the realtor's office. At this time well over fifty documents have been sent to the realtor. personal documents. From both the renter and the renter's "financial guarantor." In this city you either get a guarantor, pay an insurance or (very seldom) are allowed to make a down payment deposit (oh how i wish). All the apartments we've been after require either the guarantor or the insurance. A guarantor must be a property owner, and my mother in law agreed to be ours. What makes me uncomfortable is how much they require from both us and the guarantors. At this moment, for all parties involved, the real estate agency now has our bank records, tax returns, property deeds, receipts from property purchases, national ID cards, social security cards, copies of everyone's national worker's records, salary statements and the list goes on and on. I wonder if i should send them our vaccination records and diplomas as well. Once again, oh "process in Brazil" you spleen me for unnecessity. Our first guarantor (a <i>Brazilian</i> I might add) actually backed out of the deal after <i>criticizing</i> that the agencies asked too much of him in exposure. Which, i fully agree with. It is a bit excessive for simply renting. So there you have it. I know that some transactions go smoother and quicker and that perhaps we just got the unlucky stick, but one day i would just love it if some transaction/action/endeavor in Brazil actually went down without gagging us on the way!<br />
<br />
Why are we bothering to leave the interior for Sampa anyway you may ask? Well, aside from this real estate trouble and high prices of everything, I am so eager to get my butt into Sao Paulo i can barely handle it. The place may be big, dirty and overwhelming - my favorite description of the city will always be that of Tony Bourdain; "Sao Paulo is as if Los Angeles threw up on New York." But there are so many interesting people, new foods, new opportunities, new shops, new restaurants and more museums and cultural events than i will ever have time to attend. This city is without a doubt among the most interesting in the world. I am more than ready to try and start a new entrepreneurial direction with my life and I know that Sao Paulo is the only place for me right now. That being said, nothing in Brazil comes without a good dose of frustration...<br />
<br />
In the meantime my house is packed up (sort of), i'm out of work (should already have moved) and i am without a car (H takes my car to SP everyday now to work, we already sold his car. and we should already be living in an apartment in SP). I don't know why we thought our timeline would go smoothly in Brazil as it never does. We should know better.<br />
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Midst all the fretting, however, there have been a few milestones that i've neglected. Two days ago (February 5th) was my three year anniversary for arriving in Brazil (as a resident). That's an achievement I dare say. If i can last three years here maybe i can last four, or even five. And then of course a real call for celebration yesterday as it was H's 29th birthday. Instead of cake I made his favorite dessert-creme brulee. To make it a little fancier (not that there's anything wrong with it au-naturel) i lined the bottom of the cups with a chocolate truffle...filling. well actually it's what you would make a truffle out of so i suppose it is simply chocolate truffled creme brulee.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9fSf__2xt5od6abcsGmVTliY4xaYSqDYnsKlnzfgbwjyQr2aCnQ8eJIlr4YED5q2poAPW-no7oH_p1BH0G_03BlUbvrmwEkRKUsdHEeY2KOR4Pp5dyNJSEBz1u_XYn__cWwWrouOHRSu9/s1600/spoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9fSf__2xt5od6abcsGmVTliY4xaYSqDYnsKlnzfgbwjyQr2aCnQ8eJIlr4YED5q2poAPW-no7oH_p1BH0G_03BlUbvrmwEkRKUsdHEeY2KOR4Pp5dyNJSEBz1u_XYn__cWwWrouOHRSu9/s1600/spoon.jpg" /></a>My recipe for creme brulee in Brazil is very simple; two boxes of creme de leite, 1/2 cup of sugar, 5 egg yolks and a dash of vanilla. I use farm eggs so my creme is a bit on the orangey side. But trust me you can tell the difference between a factory and farm egg especially in a creme brulee. As for the truffle; make your favorite truffle recipe and pour straight into the ramekins while it's still liquid. Allow the truffle to set and cool before pouring the creme mixture on top. Then just bake as usual in a bain marie in the oven. I usually cook them for 45 minutes. Refrigerate the custards for at least two hours before serving. You can broil them, but they are much better torched because then the custard and truffle remains cold. Not a big fan of hot creme.<br />
<br />
While creme brulee is definitely one of the more simple dessert recipes of the French genre, i don't think there's anything (on my list) that tops it. While living in Paris i must have had it once or twice a week at my familiar bar à vin. The thing i loved the most was that chef would change it up every time. Sometimes it would come to me with pistachios crusting the bottom or baby blueberries (myrtilles) strewn throughout. Hazelnuts, raspberries, chestnuts, chocolate -- he would add anything. So for this i know that creme brulee is a dessert as versatile as a sandwich. It is extremely fun (and easy) to play around with to match any occasion or season your're in.<br />
<br />
So we may be in a semi-packed up house anxious about our future, but we still managed to forget it and enjoy salmon and shitake risotto followed by a rich (maybe too rich) dessert. The real surprise of the day, however, was the half dozen roses H brought home for me, on <i>his</i> birthday. A very sweet surprise that I know was to encourage me to relax and deal with the real estate frustration with a grain of salt. I really want to get this apartment...and i guess at this point i am supposed to say that home is where the heart is. I know I can't complain about life. But i just think that these flowers would look so lovely in the new place! à bientot.<br />
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<br />Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008463968111291625.post-78644928013381591232013-01-18T19:26:00.000+01:002013-01-18T23:15:55.590+01:00January<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
I think I’ll start writing as if I never left. The reality
is that I have been gone for this blog for three years. Well, a few spotty appearances over the past
three don’t count, so let’s just say that since moving to Brazil I quit. That’s
right, I quit my blog. Why did I have it anyway? Not even sure anymore. I think
that’s why I quit it.<br />
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Last week I returned from a one month stay at my parents’ in
Seattle. While there, a few (as in more than one) people inquired as to what
happened to the Salty Cod. My response – oh, that. It died. Died? Well why did
you kill it? I’m not sure. I think I lost inspiration. Confidence with
photography, and really, was my life so damned interesting that people actually
wanted to read about it? Exactly three years ago the stigma of foodie blogs
started to get to me. There were just too many, and everyone was doing the same
thing. So I sneaked out the back door. I got tired of seeing that same bloody
wooden spoon tied with twine to a mason jar full of pudding. Who ties spoons to
their puddings before eating it? So you see, I felt like this foodie blog thing
(which was literally nothing in 2006/2007) had turned into like a diaper party
of bored housewives. Not that there’s
anything wrong with bored housewife diaper parties, but as a 26 year old expat
constantly trying to break into some “entrepreneurial” gig, my biggest fear
lurking in the shadow is me becoming a bored diaper partying housewife. So I distanced
myself from it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My second reason for leaving, I think, is that I just got
sick of negative comments left on my blog. I never understood why anyone would
bother reading my crap if they hated it so much. I didn’t experience much
negativity while living and writing in Europe, but once I started writing in
Brazil, I started to get punched in the face by Brazilians. I couldn’t mention
how I missed picking blackberries in Washington without some anonymous troll scolding me for being spoiled and ungrateful for living in a
country with such horticultural abundance and still wishing I had my dumb American
berries. Well the problem is that I happen to like my dumb American berries.
Yeah, yeah, yeah; ignore. Easier said than done. <o:p></o:p></div>
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My third reason is that I think I started to get bored with
the city I live in. When I lived in Paris there was always something to write
about. Living in the countryside city where I am now isn’t exactly chock full
of things to do. So after a while my stories started to run out. Who wants to read about food only?<o:p></o:p></div>
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So why am I deciding to come back? Because I’ve gotten over
most of the things that pushed me away. Food blog? I’m not going to call this a
food blog, I think it can just be called blog. I will still talk about food
(mostly my food). But don’t call me a food blogger. Does that make any sense? No. And to the Sensitive trolls? Well, I think I’ve
lived here long enough that I’ve realized they are omnipresent, both online and
out there…in the street…in the bar, lurking. So luckily on the eve of my 3<sup>rd</sup>
year anniversary in Brazil, I don’t really give a damn if someone gets offended
by something I have to say about my own perception of Brazil. And lastly, we’re
leaving our little city after three years and moving into Sao Paulo, one of the
biggest cities in the world. Life in the concrete jungle, I assume, will
produce a few more stories than here in my sleepy suburb.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We’ll see how this goes. What I miss the most is sharing my
life with people who actually care—the friends, family and strangers who
actually enjoy reading (and sometimes talking) to me. So let’s give it another
try.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As you can see by the not so creative photos, I recently
made a cake. Yesterday to be exact. The cake is for my best friends’ new baby
who will be born in a few days. A zero years old birthday cake. She’ll love it. </div>
<br />
The real reason to talk about this cake is the frosting. You see, I have been
wanting a Kitchenaid mixer since I started cooking/baking (secretly in my dorm
room) in 2005. The problem is that I could never really afford one. After
moving to Brazil, I could afford, but the logistics of getting one here were
ugly. So For the past seven years I have been griping and grumbling over every
god damn facebook post from friends showing off their new mixers, with titles
such as “I will make cookies first!” god damn it…cookies in a mixer? I deserve
that not you!!! I am a very jealous
person apparently. Long story short, I finally sucked it up and sacrificed 25
pounds of luggage space for the beast and brought one home with me. The years
of whipping meringues, frostings and whipped cream by hand are over. Though I am
sure I have a much stronger tennis arm than all of you because of it. The first
thing I wanted to make was Swiss meringue buttercream. I have been wanting to
do it for a while…….but the descriptions of “mix at medium speed for 15-20
minutes” turned me off…that’s like 40 minutes in arm whipping time…yeah no. <o:p></o:p><br />
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So I made it. Very simple. And can I just add—it tastes at
least ten times better than powdered sugar buttercream, who the hell ever
invented powdered sugar buttercream and why is it still in existence? Good
grief. It has an amazingly smooth flavor and the texture is much better for
stacking layers and covering cakes. Oh man I’ve been missing out. I am fairly certain that at this point I will
never make chalk buttercream again.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Want a recipe? Google it. There are a billion out there. One
tip though I would add—after adding the butter to the glossy meringue, make
sure to switch to the paddle attachment on the mixer. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />Mallory Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03901050934484369605noreply@blogger.com9