Champagne is ALWAYS the answer

What better way is there to enjoy a warm Summer’s evening than with a delicious salad and a refreshing glass of Champagne? Transfer this scenario to the actual Champagne region in France. Now we are talking! This past weekend I was lucky enough to take part in such a road trip to this specific region and oh my was it amazing. Cycling through vineyards around Épernay with the most beautiful views, beginning the day with bubblies, exploring Champagne cellars, ending the day with bubblies, what more does one need for a Saturday? For all of you haven’t managed to make a brief escape in this direction: plan it and add it to your bucket list. Once you do go, don’t fill your car with too much of the golden bubbly goodness, as it’s cellar life is only 3 years after sale. So, if you have a lonely bottle at home sitting in the corner waiting for that special occasion, which you bought just under 3 years ago, it’s high time to invent that special occasion and indulge! And if I live in your proximity, don’t forget to invite me.

Below you will find a salad which, in my eyes, is a perfect accompaniment for a glass of your favourite Champagne. Apologies for the picture, it does not do the dish justice at all.

Proscuitto, Basil, Mozzarella and Fig Salad

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La Dolce Vita

Have you ever studied for finals for half a year (for your sake I hope not)? Towards the end, all you’re looking forward to is that one day, the first day of freedom in which your brain can just turn into a sponge. And then once it’s arrived, within a few hours after having cleaned up all of the papers, books, empty bowls and coffee mugs that accumulated around your desk and in the whole apartment over the past months, you can finally sit down and relax. Well, that would be the idea. But seriously, who can go from 110% to 0% within a day? I can’t. I start getting fidgety and feel like you should be doing something.

Because my brain wasn’t quite at the “let’s go read yet another book, but this time for fun” stage yet and also wasn’t in the mood to drink my state of agitation away (although a few days later my brain came to it’s senses and decided to excessively drink itself into a relaxed/somnolent state…. man 6 months of almost complete abstinence kills your tolerance :-P), I channeled my energy into the kitchen (where else…?). Based upon a tub of mascarpone left in the fridge, I decided to attempt a classic italian dinner. Bruschetta, risotto, saltimbocca and a lemony tiramisu. Buon appetito!

Bruschetta

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