adore: etch a menagerie

etch pendant | tom dixon

etch candle holder | tom dixon

menagerie_fox | jonathan adler

menagerie_rat butter dish | jonathan adler

[images via tom dixon | jonathan adler]

savor: thanksgiving leftovers

 

my thanksgiving table had a roast duck on it instead of the traditional turkey, and i'm planning to try out this heavenly recipe on the leftovers...

duck mac and cheese

serves 4

1/2 pound dry elbow macaroni (about 4-1/2 cups cooked)

olive oil

1-1/2 strips thick-cut bacon, unsmoked or lightly smoked
1/4 stick unsalted butter
1/8 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 quart whipping cream at room temperature + 1/8 cup more, or as needed to finish the dish

1-1/2 cups grated white cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)

1 tablespoon crumbled blue cheese (about 1/2 ounce) 

1 cup grated gouda cheese (about 3 ounces)

kosher salt and white pepper to taste
1/8 cup freshly grated parmesan, or to taste, for garnish
1/2 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, for garnish

shredded duck meat from your leftover roast duck

Cook pasta in boiling salted water until a little past al dente, about 10 to 11 minutes. Drain, plunge into cold water, drain again and toss with a little olive oil to prevent clumping; set aside.

Finely chop the bacon and cook over low heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon, drain on paper towels and reserve. Strain the bacon fat and reserve it to finish the pasta.

Melt the butter in a medium-size sauce pan over medium heat; when the bubbles in the butter dissipate, add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon, cooking a minute or two, until just blond. Add the 1 quart cream, whisking vigorously to quickly incorporate the liquid and to prevent flour from clumping. Bring to a low simmer for a minute before adding the cheddar, blue and gouda cheeses; stir constantly until melted and smooth. (Be careful - a burned sauce will ruin the batch.) Season with salt and white pepper to taste. The sauce can be made ahead, cooled and refrigerated for up to 2 days, or frozen. Makes about 3 cups sauce. 

When ready to finish the dish, combine the 1/8 cup cream, the reserved bacon fat, and 2 cups of the cheese sauce in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until combined and warmed through. Add the reserved bacon bits and fold in the cooked pasta. Reduce the heat slightly, and stir until the pasta is warmed through and thoroughly coated with sauce. Top with freshly grated Parmesan, a sprinkle of parsley, and a heap of shredded duck. Serve immediately.

[image lady gaga via facebook, recipe via tipsy pig | three squabbling asians]

adore: from russia with love

st. petersburg_catherine the great

st. petersburg_varushka

st. petersburg_aleksandra

my dear sola at onyx feather just introduced her latest line of stunning jewelry inspired by st. petersburg. she turns fantastic vintage pieces into perfectly modern creations (which i would covet even if she wasn't my friend!). each line is meticulously crafted and is inspired by a different city, and 15% of each sale goes toward invisible children. love love love!

cyprus_phillipa

paris_samuelle

cairo_nefertiti

[images via onyx feather]

view: gatsby + baz + carey

so excited for baz luhrmann's take on the great gatsby...starring carey mulligan!

[image via jezebel]

capture: mount vernon

eavesdrop: loud

kind of makes me wish I had red hair...

[images rihanna | loud via itunes digital booklet]

recite: true currency

"The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool" 

almost famous

[image via flickr]

adore: affordable art

balloons (midtown manhattan)_youngna park

cake_clare grille

filter samples_jessica eaton

frozen_katie baum

prettymaps (paris)_aaron straup cope

sugarcoat_michelle hinebrook

195 yachts, barges, cargo lines, tankers, and other ships_jenny odell

[images via 20x200]

create: toto

adore: digital supergraphics

maharam digital projects commissions artists to create high-res wall coverings meant to be seen from near and far

dutch clouds by karel martens, detail

dutch clouds by karel martens, installation

echo, wow and flutter; sideways,
flopped and mirrored by fred tomaselli, detail

echo, wow and flutter; sideways,
flopped and mirrored by fred tomaselli, installation

process 18 by casey reas, detail

process 18 by casey reas, installation

slow exposure stripe by paul smith, detail

slow exposure stripe by paul smith, installation

ikebana by jon kessler, detail

ikebana by jon kessler, installation

new york times headlines (1990-2005) by a.j. bocchino, detail

new york times headlines (1990-2005) by a.j. bocchino, installation

[images via maharam]

savor: millionaire's shortbread

a yummy sweet treat that has become one of my holiday-time go-to's...especially since it only has 5 ingredients!

2 sticks butter (shortbread), 2 tablespoons butter (caramel layer)
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for preparing pans
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 14-oz cans sweetened condensed milk
3/4 lb good-quality milk chocolate

Shortbread: 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter 2 (8-inch) square nonstick pans and coat with flour, tapping off excess. Place the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse once. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles peas. Press the shortbread mixture into prepared pans and bake until golden brown around the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. 

Caramel Layer: 
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the condensed milk and 2 tablespoons of butter. Slowly bring the mixture to a boil, stirring continuously. Continue stirring over the heat until mixture becomes thick and amber in color, about 15 minutes. Pour the caramel over the cooked shortbread and spread evenly using an offset spatula. Cool to room temperature. 

Chocolate Topping: 
In a glass bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate. Once chocolate has melted, pour it over the cooled caramel layer. Cool at room temperature for about 10 minutes, and then place in the refrigerator to cool completely, allowing chocolate to slightly harden but not get hard. Cut into 2-inch squares and enjoy, or store in an airtight container, at room temperature, or my favorite - keep in the refrigerator for a yummy sweet and cool treat!

[photo and recipe via food network]

eavesdrop: you called me after midnight

i can't stop listening to you called me after midnight - a fantastic mix that's perfect for the changing seasons by miss moss. it kind of makes me wish i still had a cassette player to make mixtapes with...

[image via miss moss]

adore: architectural footwear

my new favorite collection of shoes, united nude by dutch architect rem koolhaas and british shoemaker galahad clark

 

[images via united nude]

sojourn: paris vs nyc

 

[images via paris vs nyc]