Tag Archives: strawberries

Summer Salad with an Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette

Posted in Mains, Starters by

Currently, being the lucky one to have 7 night shifts in a row, *yay*, I have a dilemma (major first world problem) – when do I sleep? Summer has finally arrived, temperatures are rising, skirts and dresses are out on the town, tanning is part of the daily routine and afterwork drinks on a roof terasse are also a must. How am I meant to work at night, get enough sleep and still manage to soak up all of the sun needed to restore my probably depleted Vitamin D levels?? Let alone take part in exciting summer activities such as swimming, cycling, (golfing – don’t judge), BBQ-ing, ice-cream eating and day drinking. Red Bull has helped a bit, but if you have any tips on staying awake 24/7, 7 days in a row, let me know. And no, drugs are not an option.
Lucky for me it is possibly the last set of nights in 2016 as I am starting a new job in October – exciting, but also terrifying.
Anyways, the heat always manages to rob my appetit for warm food. Summer is a time for salads and fruits – so why not combine the two? The other evening I decided to use up some random fruity citrussy ingredients lying about in my fridge and came up with this. Satisfying, refreshing, delish. Perfect as a starter or main (if you add some oven baked/grilled salmon).

Summer Salad with an Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Citrus and Berries

Posted in Breakfast, Dessert by

Happy Summer to you all!!! I hope you are all soaking up some sun and working on the tan;-) And so sorry for not posting….. this seems to follow my last years trend of not posting during this time of year either…. work and life just seem to have sucked me in and kept me farfar away from WordPress. Slowly I am having withdrawal symptoms -.-. Time to catch up. And what better way to begin the new recipe season than with a delicious french citrusy inspired dessert? Yes, I know my last post was about the Champagne Region and now I’m talking about France again… you must think I am french crazy. So. Not. True. But, quite frankly, they do know how to enjoy life with excellent cuisine – the wine, the ham, the endless fruit markets, not to forget the daily fresh baguette, the seafood and of course all the pâtisserie mmhhhmmmmm. My current favourite français dessert: Tarte au citron +/- meringuée. NOM. I cannot get enough of that goodness!

When recently invited to an Apéro Riche in the Basque Region, I, being me, immediately offered to bring a dessert, with Tarte au citron on the back of my mind. Admittedly, a Tarte is not the best for a standing dinner, but, nevertheless, I was determined to make lemon curd play the lead role. What did I end up with? A sharp lemon curd topped with a refreshing berry coulis and wild berries. The guests loved it. Let me know what you think:-)

 Lemon Curd with Berry Coulis

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Strawberry Hazelnut Tart

Posted in Dessert by

HAPPY WEDNESDAY! And happy beginning of spring. It has finally arrived here; the riverbanks are full of very very white people enjoying the first few warm beams of sun.

In Switzerland, spring brings about the same discussion year after year: Strawberries. Suddenly supermarkets start selling them in the craziest amounts, as though they grow around the corner. The same questions arise every year: Where do they come from? Should we be supporting this terrible berry import business? Should we be buying fruits when they aren’t “in season”? Yes, this discussion even manages to steal the local newspaper’s headlines, year after year….. What I don’t understand is why we don’t object to having, let’s say, mango or papaya all year round. Now those fruits definitely don’t grow around the corner. Ever. Not even when they are “in season”. Having passion fruits all year round is fine as well, but dear god – importing strawberries – how dare we!!

Personally, I love strawberries. If the supermarket sells them and they taste of more than water, I will buy them. ALL OF THEM. With the following result: A tasty, light, spring-summer dessert or teatime treat. NOM.

Strawberry Hazelnut Tart

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adapted from bbcgoodfood

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Eton Mess

Posted in Dessert by

20 Things you do in your 20s:

  1. learn to apply liquid eyeliner
  2. plan a diet and gracefully break it at your next meal
  3. master the art of napping
  4. get your first (and possibly last) Brazilian wax
  5. avoid any sort of real responsibility
  6. grow your hair long enough so that it covers your boobies and practice being a mermaid in front of your mirror
  7. watch every single TV show in existence
  8. dabble in periodic self-hatred
  9. start going to aerobics classes
  10. become friends with people you would have never even spoken to in the past
  11. join a book club… for the brunches
  12. realize all adults are just making shit up as they go along
  13. start a blog
  14. count how many guys you made out with in just one night, and think its okay because you’re in your 20s (insider tip: dressing up as a slutty nurse helps increase the count)
  15. finally embrace your inner-nerd
  16. fail to accomplish menial tasks for days because no one can tell you what to do, dammit
  17. realize that dirty talk is okay – maybe more than okay
  18. start thinking cosmetic surgery is not that outrageous
  19. become a nihilist
  20. dance BECAUSE everyone is watching

BONUS

21. write lists about things you do in your 20s

Eton Twenties Mess

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