Chic and Bubbly

Did you know that plural for "bruschetta" is "bruschette"? Thai Bruschette have a very light and refreshing taste. They make great appetizers on their own or as part of an antipasto platter.  Ingredients 1 long English cucumber, peeled 1 teaspoon sugar 2 dried chipotle chilies, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes to soften, seeded and chopped (I used fresh Jalapeño peppers instead of dried chipotle chilies.) 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded (squeeze tomatoes gently after seeding to discard the juice)  and chopped 1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce (In my opinion, 1 tbs made the "salsa" taste a bit too fishy. So I added 1 teaspoon  of red wine vinegar to ease the fishy taste.) 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro 24 1/4-inch-thick baguette slices, toasted 24 cilantro leaves Preparation (Makes 24 Bruschette) Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Pat dry the cucumber halves with paper towel. Slice and chop them in a...

  1. Cut off the greens and the hairy root end. Rinse with water. 2. Cut the white in half lengthwise. Rinse under running water. As you rinse, leaf through the membranes to release any sand. 3. Slice or julienne leeks. From "COOKING" book by James Peterson .

  Ingredients 1 small Yukon Gold potato, peeled and thinly sliced 3 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced. Tips on how to prepare leeks . 1 quart milk, water or chicken broth 1 1/2 pounds fresh crimini mushrooms, coarsely chopped or sliced 6 slices dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 1/2 cup warm water for 30 minutes 1/2 cup heavy cream Salt Pepper Soup Croutons Preparation (Makes 4 first-course servings) 1. Combine the potato, leeks, and milk in a pot, bring to a gentle simmer, and simmer about 25 minutes. 2. Add the fresh mushrooms to the soup. Lift the porcini out and squeeze them, releasing the liquid into the bowl. Pour the soaking liquid into the soup, leaving any grit behind in the bowl. Add the porcini to the pot and simmer for about 7 minutes. 3. Purée the soup with a blender and strain it into a clean pot. Add the heavy cream, bring to a simmer, and season with salt and pepper. 4. Ladle the soup into soup bowls. Garnish with the croutons. Bon appétit! Recipe b...

Ingredients 5 pounds of red Bermuda type onions, sliced as thinly as possible 3 tablespoons butter 1 cup dry sherry 1 cup water 1 quart brown chicken broth Salt Pepper 6 slices dense-crumb white bread, remove the crusts and cut into 3/4-inch cubes 2 cups grated hard cheese such as Gruyère, Gouda or Fontina Preparation (Makes 6 cups) 1. In a heavy-bottomed large pot, cook the onions in 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir for about 10 minutes, or until they release some of their liquid. 2. Raise the heat to high and cook the onions, stirring often, for about 30 minutes, or until the liquid runs dry and caramalizes on the bottom of the pot. 3. Add the sherry and water, and bring to a boil, and cook, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to dissolve the browned-on juices, until the liquid is reduced by about half. Add the chicken broth, season with salt and pepper to taste, and simmer. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 ° F. Spread the bread cubes on a ...

Two of my new year's resolutions for 2012: Cook More + Eat More Fruits and Vegetables! I will try to bring my own lunch to work as much as possible this year. 1. Celery sticks. 2. Sliced cheddar cheese. 3. Sourdough bread. 4. Tuna Salad with celery, red onions, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. I will try to have more healthy snacks. 5. Fresh strawberries. Have a wonderful 2012!

 Ingredients 6 pounds of drumsticks 1 large onion, root end trimmed and quartered without peeling 3 carrots, unpeeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced 1 stalk celery, sliced 3 quarts cold water or more as needed to cover Bouquet garni (Cradle sprigs of fresh thyme, parsley stems and bay leaves in a washed leek green. Tie with kitchen string to secure the bundle.) Preparation (Makes 2 1/2 quarts) 1. Place the chicken parts and all the vegetables in a heavy-bottomed roasting pan, just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Put the pan into the oven and turn the oven to 400 ° F. 2. Stir the chicken and vegetables a few times to brown them, for about 1 1/2 hours. 3. Transfer the chicken and vegetables into a tall pot. Pour about 2 cups of water into the roasting pan, bring to a boil and deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned-on juices with a wooden spoon. 4. Pour the liquid from the pan into the tall pot. Add enough water to the pot to co...

High-end fashion designers adore thinking outside the box when it comes to marketing their brands, which is tremendously reflected on their runway shows, fashion ads and websites. Sometimes they create jobs which make sense to everyone, and sometimes they go totally bananas and leave many questions in people’s minds. However, they all do this to stand out in the crowded fashion market, gain their signature and eventually create a great buzz. In this post, I will share my thoughts on the ever evolving fashion industry, how big brands stay on top of their games during difficult economic times, and the hidden message behind the Versace for H&M Commercial. Designer Collaboration Is the New Black! High-end designer collaborations with mass retailers are very popular and have become the new black in the fast evolving fashion industry. A capsule collection is a great example for these fashion collaborations, where retailers offer high fashion designs at lower prices to their customers...