Tag Archives: wine

“50 shades of grey” cooking

food is funCooking is one of those things that seems, at first, to be pretty black and white.  You either love to cook, or you don’t.  However…  After much deep thought, I have come to the conclusion that most of us are actually quite grey on this matter. On one extreme we have the “food network” gurus, restaurant chefs, food bloggers… At the other end we have the folks who still have the factory tape sealing their oven door, as well as telephone numbers for every local take out on their speed dial. Where does that leave the rest of us? Some shade of grey.  So –  where do you fall?

Personally – I really enjoy cooking; provided I am not rushed. Cooking, for me, is an act of love. I am focused on the person, or persons, for whom I am cooking. I want to be in the moment and enjoy the entire process.  A little music, a little wine… (RELAX!  I’m talking about dinner! Mimosas are for making breakfast, silly!!)

IMG_2610OK – CONFESSION: I do not clean up as I go. Yep. It’s true. I make a MESS!! None of this cooking show stuff where everything is premeasured in little bowls and things get cleaned up during the commercial break.  When I am done cooking, there isn’t an inch of (clean) counter space anywhere!! The good news? I have acquired quite a collection of happy little aprons.  (They keep the food from getting stuck in my sequin dress while I’m cooking – wink, wink)  Hey. What can I say.  Creativity is messy!

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I love to read cookbooks and try new recipes that intrigue me. I recently purged rather unsuccessfully, however – so I’m down from “a lot” to…say… something less than “a lot”? OK – Lies. I still have a lot.

IMG_2606Some are stacked decoratively, some are stashed inconspicuously… but they are all scattered about.  Here and there. To and fro. They are a part of me; they illicit memories and provide inspiration. One of the weird things that I really enjoy is the challenge of creating a meal with what I have on hand.  Lucky for me, my family LOVES (most) food, and they support my creative culinary experimentation.  They accept the fact that some dishes are going to be amazing, and others… well… not so much. 

birdie bread

So if you are feeling a little “light grey”… perhaps it’s time to just throw caution to the wind and experiment a bit. You DO have an inner creative self. Everyone does. Don’t be afraid to go there.  Baby steps. Fall in love with a beautiful new cookbook. Take a “hands on” cooking class. Watch (my fav show) “The Chew”. Peruse Pinterest boards for inspiration. There are NO RULES… Just. Have. Fun.

 

 

 

 

falling into fall

This past Sunday was a glorious fall day.  Perfection really.  Cool sunshine and the trees ablaze with color.  The rumor, this year, was that the drought was going to rob us of a beautiful autumn… but, oh my, I beg to differ.

I love fall.  Crunchy leaves, brilliant, glowing color, pumpkins and hot apple cider, sweaters and cozy blankets, soup and comfort food, sipping wine by an outdoor fire…  If there has to be a downfall to autumn, it is the fact that it is never, EVER long enough.  Winter just isn’t my thing. At all.  Let me say that again.  AT ALL.  I considered this on Sunday.  As beautiful as the trees were that day, I knew that it was only a matter of time, and a little wind, before our trees were naked and primed for (gulp!) the inevitable….  With that in mind, I grabbed my camera and started exploring, in a desperate attempt to somehow capture, and retain, the moment.

Today was a blustery “Winnie-the-Pooh” kinda day – and COLD!  The wind howled outside, blowing huge gusts of crunchy leaves in circles outside my windows.  Looking out, it was impossible NOT to think about Sunday.  Glorious Sunday; when the trees were lush and full and saturated in brilliant color.  No longer.  The grass was now a carpet of fresh fall foliage.

Lucky for me, today I had a stay-at-home “things to do list” that only seemed to multiply as the day went on!  You know the kind – Cross one thing off, add three more!  So I threw another load of laundry in, gathered my IPAD, laptop, phone and my “to-do pile” and parked myself on our glassed in porch.  Warmed up some apple cider and started the fire while the wind continued to howl outside.  Looking out at my half naked trees, I closed my eyes and hit the rewind button.  Yes.  I remember.  It was Sunday.  Glorious Sunday…

drink like a lady

Take the time to dive into this article; including the links.  It is a blog post from “Lauren Conrad“, a fresh, feminine and lighthearted site that I really enjoy following.  She covers absolutely everything from makeup and fashion to cocktails and entertaining.  Just give it a whirl if you’re a girlie girl… (Ha!  Sorry.  That was bad… teehee!!)  Happy Weekend!!  live happy… laugh, love, dream, create

Ladylike Laws: Holding Drinks

Sometimes I find that I just have to treat myself to a much-deserved glass of wine after a long day of work, or sip a flute of bubbly to celebrate a special occasion. But you would be surprised to learn that there are very specific rules when it comes to the way you hold your drink. Clutching your cocktail correctly might be a custom that we often overlook, but I’ve found that it is just as important as basic table manners. Whether you’re a guest at a summer dinner party or the happy hour host, these essential-yet-simple tips will remind you to grasp your glass the proper way the next time you wine and dine. Without further ado, here are my rules for holding drinks:

  • White wine & champagne. Always hold your glass or flute by the stem. Holding it by the “bowl” warms your drink, and both white wine and sparkling wine taste best when chilled. Instead of holding the bowl, pinch the stem between your index finger and thumb. Otherwise, you might get called a “bowl grabber.” No thank you!
  • Red wine. First of all, a bottle of red should always be uncorked or poured into a decanter for a while before serving so it has time to breathe. This improves the taste enormously! Like white wine and champagne, red wine should be held by the stem (contrary to popular belief). Not only does it keep your merlot or cabernet the right temperature (a little cooler than room temp), it also prevents your fingers from leaving smudgy prints on the glass too.

Now that you know how to hold your glass correctly, you might find these tips helpful too:

  • Proper placement. When setting your glass down on a dinner table, place it to the right of your water glass.
  • Eye contact. You may remember from my post on Cheers & Toasts that it is polite to hold eye contact when clinking someone’s glass. Otherwise, you risk seven years bad luck, according to the French superstition.
  • Keep glasses full. If you’re the host, make sure your guests’ drinks are never empty.
  • Direct your gaze. While sipping your drink, you should direct your stare into your glass. It is impolite to look at another person while drinking if you are in conversation.
  • Chill champagne flutes. When serving champagne place the flutes in the refrigerator beforehand to chill them. Like I said before, champagne tastes best chilled!
  • Filling facts. Know the appropriate measurements when pouring drinks. Red wine glasses should be 1/3 full, white wine should be ½, and sparkling wine or champagne should be ¾.  A glass that is too heavy might result in an unladylike spill.
  • The “twist pour.” To prevent dripping, when filling your glass, twist the bottle at the end of pouring. It also looks pretty fancy!

Ladylike Laws: Holding Drinks So there you have it. You now know how to hold, serve and drink wine and champagne like a true lady. Class dismissed! Now go ahead and celebrate with a glass or two (and for those of you who don’t drink, treat yourself to something sweet for reading this anyway)!
If anything, just remember: Always hold by the stem 🙂

the big day…

So it’s almost here; my Grand Re-opening at Trendz Market.  Can I just say that I am really excited…?!  I’ve been checking off all of the last minute”to-do stuff”… hanging my new sign, putting the crystals on the last chandelier, figuring out the food, stuffing the “indulgence” bags with goodies… The anticipation is just killing me!  So, if you are here in Kansas City, I do hope that you will be able to stop by – even for a minute.  I have taken the big leap to follow my true passion, and it will be so fun to show everyone what that really looks like!  Nibble on some munchies and have a glass of wine.

It will be so good to see you…!