Never mind we asked for, and granted, two thirty-day extensions (thank you, Rouxbe) for professional cook certification, we’re finally #graduated. Eighteenth out of a class of 60+, and a grade of 95%. Second daughter said I underestimated: oh, well; finished, and checked off the list. All good things take time, and usually more time than planned for, or expected.

spatchcock your chicken for even grilling results

hold your potato puree over a Bain Marie

Lifelong learning, we’re a fan. A few simple notes, that kind of tie in with what we do professionally, sell luxury clothing and dress beautiful women.

• search out the absolute best ingredients, whatever that may be, a black v-neck cashmere sweater, classic white blouse, happy hen organic eggs, the very best carrots, celery, and onions.
• pay careful attention to the set-up, making sure everything is fresh, sourced well, measured, and in tune with the present season.
• use, (or wear), everything until it’s done, finished, and worn out.

late summer grilled chicken, potato puree, and tomato salad

We’re working on reducing food waste, and clothing waste, and loving good, enduring style.

ps. all best practices tell us to get on a regular, scheduled posting schedule, yikes, is life really like that

We’ve been cooking, and eating and drinking for sure, one of life’s great pleasures, and reading and studying. So, what are we supposed to really eat? Low carb, gluten-free, no sugar, Paleo, whole grains, vegan, plant-based, wtf. Add to that and we’ve moved for decades, in all kinds of ways.

Now we’re interested in more than simply the jean size, we want to keep the brain strong, and the joints fluid.

Confused by the research, and the marketing.

Last night did some gasp, pasta! Tonight we did coho salmon, with cauliflower ‘couscous’.

Both nights, tomatoes in the mix, canned San Marzano in the sauce and local homegrown with the fish.  Are they inflammatory? Do we simply want to add color to our plate and not eat those things?

The quest continues. In the meantime we topped off one of the best local berry pies of the summer with vanilla ice cream and scratch full fat whipped cream. Double trouble, I guess.

no makeup, happy at work on Labor Day 

best pants of the season, faux leather joggers

We’re also in the office, working on mindful luxury in the wardrobe for all our women.

Every day dress, every day cook.

what we do with our spare time, load the SUV with white chrysanthemums

doing the work, in a Dolce and Gabbana bikini

yeah, this is 52 and 20 or so extra pounds, why we are confused, now more than ever

switched out the planters for fall 17

xoxo

ps. no Photoshop, ever, way too much computer work for us.

 

 

Husband says I start stuff and leave it at 90%, yikes, so not cool. Is he talking about the laundry? Surely not dinner, haha.

This professional cooking school thing has me; it’s good, and it’s hard. We’re clocked in at 96% done with 96% average, and need to finish. Most things in life take longer than anticipated, this I know.

all this dairy free, gluten-free, raw stuff…

turns into this chocolate ganache torte

again, gluten-free, dairy free

penne Carbonaro (it’s tofu)…

So, we need to finish. Shown here are some blissed out time away photos, and the rest is time alone in the kitchen.

Wishing everyone reading the perseverance and discipline to get things done.

beautiful women we love to feed, and help dress

Every day dress, every day cook.

xoxo

oh, fried green tomatoes, you are sublime

Okay, so if you’re stopping by here for fashion or style, sorry, we’ve been on holiday. In reality we’ve been out of touch, and in the kitchen, and it’s taking us a bit longer than planned, like everything else in life that goes down.

driving to market in off shoulder top for food stuff 

We’re on month seven of this professional chef thing, one month extension, granted, and have three days to finish, yikes. Here’s what’s on deck: plant-based manicotti with egg and dairy free fresh pasta dough, scratch tomato sauce, tofu ricotta and cashew béchamel, fresh udon noodles with shiitake broth, almond sole, another Alsatian onion tart, two ways to use legumes, penne Carbonaro, veloute sauce, baked tofu, a chocolate ganache torte, a written description on what you should/could do if you find a pot of boiling stock on a stove top, a black box assignment, (don’t ask me, haha), and a four-hour multiple choice exam, yikes. Interested? Check out www.rouxbe.com. Highly and totally recommend.

Instead of totally concentrating at the task at hand, I get a little side-tracked, and go college dorm shopping with my daughter and decide to make something we’ve never had before: Fried Green Tomatoes with Buttermilk & Chives, from the beautiful new cookbook The Lost Kitchen: Recipes and a Good Life Found in Freedom, Maine, by Erin French. Absolutely delicious, and the book, absolutely divine.

the plate is hot 

what the end of the day looks like…

Yes, we’ve also made Wild Mushroom & Truffle Oil Pasta, twice now, in the last three days.

Fall fashion coming soon, can’t wait.

xoxo

 

 

 

 

 

After being gone girl for darn close to three straight weeks the only outing we’re doing is the grocery run.

Our idea of a dream Friday night is a good dinner, a glass of Cava, (or two), and very early to bed. Friday night shenanigans’, indeed.

Spent the day in the kitchen, doing a nice pan-fried chicken garnished with fresh, local pea shoots for lunch, a big side dish of sautéed haricots verts with shallots for the fridge, and a little riff on a Nicoise Salad for dinner: pan-fried halibut topped with a slightly overdone poached egg. Yolk was still a bit runny, thankfully; must have been first out of four to hit the barely simmering water.

We’re 91% through with our professional cook certification and currently posting a 96.3 grade, whew. Hope to wrap this up in the next few days, we’re really missing our style fix. 🙂

Wishing everyone a restful, soulful, mid-summer weekend. xoxo