Fun little editorial tip for the week. With so many homophones in the English language, it's hard to keep them straight sometimes, especially with the ones that have three or four different spellings/meanings. Here's one that I keep seeing done consistently wrong across the board: palette pallet palate And just remember, knowing is half the battle. (The other half is getting past how freaky the inside of a human mouth looks.)
A palate cleanser is a culinary delight. Sorbet works but there are now ozonated food sanitizers that provide an all natural purifier that works well for the taste buds. View a light of different palate cleansers and see a video of palate cleansing for the wine and cheese tastings.
Strong flavors overwhelm the palate, making it difficult to experience delicate flavors in the next course without a palate cleanser between. Your palate might have trouble enjoying the delicate flavors of angel food cake, for example, after you finish a spicy Thai dish because the palate adapts to ...
Find out which season you are in the twelve seasons colour analysis. This will help you determine the most harmonious colours for you.
Sometimes the best things happen when you're not trying so hard. These Watermelon Cubes with Balsamic Glaze came about from playing with my...
As I have already mentioned numerous times before, I like to keep my entertaining simple. I have always believed that there is an elegance inherent in simplicity. And yet, I'm starting to think that from time to time, an event could benefit from a dramatic flourish or two. I suppose that I can attribute this reconsideration to Peter Callahan's new book Bite By Bite: 100 Stylish Little Plates You Can Make for Any Party. Callahan is one of Manhattan's top caterers, counting Martha Stewart and Kate Spade as fans and clients. He is also the person responsible for the popularity of serving passed mini-hamburgers at parties, having been the first caterer to do so. In fact, Callahan is the king of bite-sized, comfort food hors d'oeuvres, having managed to craft Lilliputian versions of Spaghetti and Meatballs, Lobster Rolls, and Croque Monsieurs. Now, to those of you who are purists when it comes to food, miniature sized hot dogs might seem a little silly. I have to admit that I too was a little skeptical. But Callahan makes a good point throughout his book: these novel hors d'oeuvres not only taste good and are easy to eat, but they add to the festive atmosphere of an event. They help to set the tone for a fun party. Because of my travel schedule, I have not yet had the chance to test drive any of the book's recipes. There are some appetizers that I could see serving to guests at a small cocktail party like the mini Croque Monsieurs or Salmon Tarts. Other recipes require more time and effort, so I might save those for a large event or, better yet, I might have my caterer make them. What I like about this book is that it made me realize that perhaps it's time for me to kick up my style of entertaining a notch or two. If you're going to the trouble and effort of hosting a soiree, why not serve something that will get your guests talking...and talking in a good way. If you need a little more convincing, I asked Peter to share his thoughts on his signature style of catering. For those of you who might want to prepare a recipe or two for a small, casual cocktail get-together, Peter suggests trying the Caprese Tea Sandwiches as well as the Mac and Cheese. "You can make the tart shells ahead and they are so delicious." Peter also recommended rounding out the menu with cones of frites. Peter's favorite recipe in the book is that for his mini burgers. "We were the first to do this size, and it still never ceases to amaze guests who haven't seen them the size of a quarter before. With my tip of punching out the burger buns with a cookie cutter, you now can do this in a jiffy." Food presentation is important to Peter. After all, it needs to live up to the novelty of the hors d'oeuvres. Many of his serving pieces have been custom designed specifically for the hors d'oeuvres they hold. However, Peter does give the reader suggestions for ways that we can serve the tidbits at home. "If you are serving any of my lollipops, use a tray that has blocks of florists oasis in the bottom and then cover the top with m+m's in whatever color looks best; then stick the [lollipop] stick in the oasis. Perhaps use some dried green lentil beans for savory lollipops. A simpler tip is to always space hors d'oeuvres evenly on the tray and have one kind per tray- it makes them look dressier." For those of you who are still unsure about these tiny appetizers, I asked Peter to name the one recipe that will win you over. "Mini grilled cheese and be sure to put in aged gruyere. There is so much flavor in that one biteful and then it becomes addicting and you need more. Everyone will be begging for these again!" All images from Bite By Bite: 100 Stylish Little Plates You Can Make for Any Party by Peter Callahan. Con Poulos photographer; Clarkson Potter publishers.
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Looking for the perfect girly yet professional color palette to fit your brand's personality? Check out these 20 gorgeous palettes I made!
Welcome to my moods were I translate my current mood into color and inspiration for that next big project. I hope you too find inspiration for your next project. There are over 100 to choose from. …
Here's the ultimate guide for the True Autumn. From what makeup to wear, color combinations and how to build a wardrobe that works with your seasonal color.
Drool over this...
Aesthetic Color Palettes (codes included) to use on your next Art Project. Vintage, Cottagecore, Goth, Formalism, and more.
Not sure what a cleft palate is or what issues come along when a child is born with it. Check out these 5 things this twin mama wants you to know.
With colorwise.me, you become your own stylist. Explore your personal coloring and take your beautiful palette everywhere with our top-rated mobile app.
I’ve always loved color. I love the way it can make you feel, and the way it can set the tone for a room, a painting, a brand, an outfit… everything! I’ve been doing lots of fun things with bold colors, but have really come to appreciate the beauty of neutral colors this year, so I’ve gathered up al
I wanted to do a lineup of all of the top colors I used in my design projects this year so I made some fun pinables for you guys! Enjoy!!!!
I wanted to do a lineup of all of the top colors I used in my design projects this year so I made some fun pinables for you guys! Enjoy!!!!
I am planning to do some painting this weekend, revamp the kids toy room and repair a few holes in walls which means a…
It's a funny thing, returning to the place you grew up. Time brings inevitable change; separation tinges the familiar with a slightly foreign hue. You feel suspended in a strange limbo, being both out of place, and at home, at once. But inside that space dwells the opportunity for new appreciation, a chance to pause and refocus your perspective. You see things differently each time you come around, becoming aware that both you and this place are alive, evolving. Bonded by a shared root, growing in different directions, but vines forever tangled. Cleveland, OH: During a recent visit, I spent a lot of time downtown and felt a particularly heightened sense of things I had long taken for granted (or perhaps failed to ever notice in a meaningful way.) The patina of its bridges, a vestige of the city's steel-driven past. The way that massive barges still navigate the crooked Cuyahoga with a confounding nimbleness. The riverfront, lined with charming, history-studded buildings aching for a revival. The food market that I trolled as a kid, with its heckling fruit vendors, its rows of kielbasa, pig heads, Eastern European pastries. The urban growth (literally) sprouting by way of city farming initiatives. The neighborhood sidewalks littered with Midwestern autumn. There's an authenticity to the place. A loyalty. A forlorn beauty. A sense of community that's rooted in Rust Belt strength. And scorned sports teams. And lake effect.
Discover the Soft Summer color palette and how it elevates your natural beauty. Learn to choose the right shades, makeup, and build a capsule wardrobe.
Patience is a virtue with oven-cooked rice pudding. A caveat: you will spend several hours peeking in the oven at thirty-minute intervals, stirring, waiting, watching (and wishing) for any sign of rice plumping. All the while the scent of simmering sweet milk teases your nostrils. It takes some time for the rice and milk to warm up to each other, but when they finally do, the wait is rewarded with creamy comfort like no other. The foundation of rice pudding is incredibly simple -- rice, milk and sugar -- but from there, the possibilities are basically limitless. I tested three versions of Mark Bittman's recipe from The Basics using three different grains and three different milks: 1) Brown basmati rice and almond milk, with lemon zest, honey and crushed almonds (I particularly like the brightness of the zest here); 2) Arborio rice and rice milk, with coconut flakes and vanilla (exotic, rich, and very sweet); 3) Brown jasmine and regular cow's milk, with nutmeg, cinnamon, and pistachios (warmly spiced with a more subtle sweetness). The arborio version achieved the creamiest consistency, while the brown rice delivered a coarser-textured pudding with a nuttier fragrance. Brown rice takes longer to cook than white, but if you want to speed up the process and make the pudding creamier, pulse the brown grains in a food processor a few times before cooking. RICE PUDDING IN THE OVEN [Adapted from How to Cook Everything: The Basics] 1/3 cup any rice 1/3 cup sugar Pinch salt 4 cups milk (nut, rice, regular or coconut) *** Flavors 2 tsp lemon zest (add in Step 1) Honey (stir in to taste after cooking) Roasted almonds, chopped as garnish 1/2 cup coconut flakes (add in Step 1) 1 tsp vanilla (stir in after cooking) Ground nutmeg (add in Step 1) 1 cinnamon stick (add in Step 1) Toasted pistachios, chopped as garnish 1. Heat the oven to 300°F. Combine the rice, sugar, salt, and milk (along with any other flavoring add-ins) in a large gratin dish that holds at least 6 cups. Stir a couple of times and put it in the oven, uncovered. 2. Bake for 30 minutes, then stir. Bake for 30 minutes longer, then stir again; at this point the rice might be swelling up and the milk should begin to develop a bubbly skin (if so, stir it back into the mixture). 3. Cook until the rice plumps and starts to become a more noticeable part of the mixture and the skin becomes more visible and darker, about 30 minutes more. Now the pudding is getting close to done, so check on it every 10 minutes, stirring each time (it should reach the right texture in 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the kind of rice you used, but brown varieties may take longer). 4. The pudding will be done before you think it’s done. The rice should be really swollen and the milk thickened considerably but still pretty fluid (it will thicken more as it cools). Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold.
While Pantone’s colour of the year may be a vivid “living coral” we can see a softer sided emerging in fashion, interior and weddings. Call it terracotta, burnt sienna, clay or what you’d like, but there is no doubting these Eathy tones are the new white for weddings.
With colorwise.me, you become your own stylist. Explore your personal coloring and take your beautiful palette everywhere with our top-rated mobile app.
18 Commonly Confused Words and Definitions accept: Receive except: Leave out advice: Guidance or recommendations advise: To offer suggestions about best bough: Branch of a tree bow: front of a ship or to bend the head by: Preposition buy: Purchase coarse: Rough course: Way or path dual: Having two parts duel: Contest between two participants for: Preposition four: The number loathe: to hate someone or something loath: reluctant or unwilling palate: Roof of the mouth palette: Board for mixing colours plain: Simple plane: Flat surface pole: Long, slender piece of wood poll: Vote in an election quiet: silent quite: Really,
Depending on the rest of the menu, this hearty stew can seem Latin or Mediterranean because it is intriguingly seasoned with cumin, a spice that has become a staple in our kitchen.
This decadent Primal treat is both delicious and fun to make. Please note that this recipe relies on three other recipes (Lady Fingers, Coffee and Amaretto Syrup, and Cream Cheese Filling) - which are all listed below as ingredients. However, with a bit of patience, this dish is a breeze and will surely impress any dinner guest.
Looking for the perfect girly yet professional color palette to fit your brand's personality? Check out these 20 gorgeous palettes I made!
I absolutely LOVE a great dinner party! The idea of planning a dinner party exhilarates me beyond my imagination. Making people happy through my food and entertaining prowess, is one of the great pleasures I have to share. The idea of great friends gathering around the table to break bread, savor wine, share stories, laugh a lot and leave feeling better than when they arrived through our front door simply makes me blissful. Click "read more" below to continue post Back in December, I know, it was a while ago – I threw a wine pairing dinner party for a long time friend Helen. Helen had a milestone birthday and I wanted to give her a gift that was an event rather than an object. An event would provide lifetime memories and I believe means so much more than an expensive candle or keep sake. Don’t hear me wrong, those things are nice but an event of sorts is just something out of the ordinary and bordering on the extraordinary in my mind. I shared in my dinner certificate gift with Helen that she could invite two other couples and we would make it a dinner party. She invited Meg and Alex from our book club along with their hubbies and hers. It made for a fun night with many laughs. Alex’s hubby brought a game that he had created. It was on a large white board with photos of famous people and our job was to guess who they all were. We laughed and laughed and thought it was so cleaver for him to create and share with all of us. We then played table topics – the dinner party version and it created great conversation and more laughs. For the menu I relied on classic recipes that I have made over and over again. I will often try new things, but this time I wanted it to be perfect and share dishes that are proven winners. We pulled a 2002 Vine Cliff Magnum of Cabernet Sauvignon from our wine cellar to get the festivities started. This wine was simply divine. To accompany the wine, we had Roasted Grapes with Thyme, Fresh Ricotta and Grilled Bread, Shaved Brussels Sprout Crostini with Parmesan and Truffle Oil and a cheese platter with Gruyere, Le Tur and Dry Aged Jack with homemade Balsamic Fig Jam. The starter course was Roasted Carrot Soup Shooter with Sage Gruyere Biscuit and served with Acacia 2012 Chardonnay from the Carneros region. We then enjoyed a Baby Kale Salad with Port Plumped Cranberries, Persimmon, Pumpkin Seeds and Maple Vinaigrette and was served with Helen’s favorite wine from Peju called Provence. Since Helen and her hubby Phil have been long time friends, I wanted to also incorporate one of Phil’s favorites – The Salty Dog! Instead of a cocktail, I made a palate cleanser from a handmade Grapefruit Sorbet. Let’s just say, this was the star of the dinner party. We then moved into the main course with my infamous Asian Braised Short ribs with Orange Hoisin Glaze with Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes and Haricot Verts. This course we enjoyed a 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon from Faust. It was simply perfect with this dish. Instead of a fancy dessert, I wanted to go classic and make a handmade chocolate cake that would be the final touch to this brilliant dinner. The key to this cake is the coffee that is added to the cake and espresso powder to the chocolate frosting. Happy, Happy Birthday my dear friend Helen – may you have a fantastic year ahead! Salty Dog Palate Cleanser Himalayan Salt Favorite Vodka Grapefruit Sorbet To make the Salty Dog Sorbet Palate Cleansers, take a shot glass and dip a bit into water and then into a bowl of Himalayan pink salt. Use a very small ice cream scooper to pop two scoops into the shot glass and drizzle a touch of your favorite vodka on top. Repeat until you have made as many as you need for your dinner party guests. Serve immediately with a small spoon to cleanse the palate before your next course. It is best to be served right before the main course. Grapefruit Sorbet 3 Cups Pink Grapefruit Juice 3 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice ½ Cup Light Corn Syrup 2/3 Cup Sugar Combine the grapefruit juice, lemon juice, corn syrup and sugar in a 4 quart saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heart, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Place the sorbet base in the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours and overnight is best. Remove the sorbet base from the refrigerator. Next, process in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers directions. It should be the consistency of very softly whipped cream. Transfer to an airtight storage container and chill in the freezer for at least 4 hours until firm. Makes about 1 quart.
