Day 23 - April Fools' , Don't be Fooled

It's April Fools' Day! I have yet to be fooled but you never know as I still have half a day to go. I suppose this is the only day that warrants people to fool each other (not maliciously) and not be mad at each other. As we fool, we often use a lot of words and expressions. Hence, I decided it is best to launch the new "Word Game" series for Glitzer today.

The new "Word Game" series incorporates the use of words and alphabets alongside with charms to create a series filled with expressions. Common daily expressions, horoscopes, phrases are included.

The series is available in Sterling Silver and in Antiqued Brass. These necklaces are simple and great for layering with your other chains and necklaces.

All words and alphabet charms are unique, as they are designed in-house at Glitzer. It is a fully customizable range, want your boyfriend's, husband's, best friend's, first or last name initial to be part of the necklace? It can always be customized for you.

Newsletters are always sent on a monthly basis, this month's newsletter may be found here. Feel free to subscribe a copy via this link. I hope you like this series!

Day 22 - Ja! My new loves!

Ja! (German for Yes!) I have found 2 new loves in Germany!

1) Sleek Magazine

I was waiting in the train station the other day and was x-raying the book shelves in the station. Most magazines were in German. With my novice German understanding, I opt to scan for something that had an attractive cover over the content. Yes this time I did judge the book by the cover, literally! At one of the shelves, I found a magazine called "Sleek". It had an amazing cover, turquoise blue background, candied blonde girl decorated with meringue, pink ribbons, a hip, modern Marie Antoinette! I loved it! The extras touches that are included in the magazine that drove my purchase decision are as follows:

• It has a spread of beautiful articles and amazing photos which included incorporation of food and fashion to adhere to the quarterly magazine theme of "Eat Feed". A true magazine that is dedicated for art and fashion!
• Highly detailed magazine. I am a person that loves details. I was absolutely in awe that at the last page of the magazine they included a quote from Tyra Banks, "When I Am Full, I Stop Eating". To materialize this quote, as you bend the copy of magazine gently back and forth, page side facing up, you will see the phrase appearing at the edge of the pages!

Sleek Magazine Photo courtesy of www.sleek-mag.com

The magazine is published from Berlin and I was amazed to find out that the magazine has been in publish since 2004 and I have been missing it all these years! I loved the way that it has both english and german in the articles and it is covered with beautiful and mind inspiring pictures. Believe me, you would love to read the magazine over and over again. I have just purchased the latest issue and have been mulling it through! Check out the website to read more about the magazine as you can find excerpts of the magazine too.

2) COS

As I was strolling along Koenigsallee in Dusseldorf, I was intrigued by a chic children's wear display as I am in the midst of hunting some goodies for my to-be born nephew. In addition to the display of children's wear, adjacent you will find equally chic clothing lines for adults that are on display - elegant short cropped leather jackets, simple line black tops, skirts, trousers, simply anything that is trending in Sartorialist that is minimalist, versatile, elegant and simple. I simply love it, and still craving to make a purchase.

With my curiosity, I ended up investigating more about the clothing brand online, and found out that it is a new brand that is set up by H&M ! I am still browsing through the collection!

Photos courtesy of www.cosstores.com

Day 21 - White Asparagus + Poached Egg + Salmon on Muffin

It's officially Spring and I cannot wait for the white asparagus season to start in Germany! I believe the season should begin some time in April. Normally farmers here tend to sell white asparagus alongside strawberries. As I crave for white asparagus, I decided to go with a bunch of Greek White Asparagus. By quality they cannot beat the white asparagus found in Germany, however to plug the crave it does the job.

I paired the white asparagus with poach egg and salmon on a toasted muffin. Asparagus with a creamy poached egg is simply heavenly. The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:

White Asparagus + Poached Egg + Salmon on Muffin

8 stalks of white asparagus

2 slices of smoked salmon (I have chosen smoked salmon with dill for the extra herb zing)

1 english white muffin

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon of sugar

1/2 teaspoon of White Wine Vinegar for White Asparagus

1 tablespoon White Wine Vinegar for Poached Egg

Pepper to Taste

Lemon Wedge for Serving

Olive Oil to Drizzle for Serving

Instructions:

A) White Asparagus

1) Asparagus is a woody vegetable. The best way is to snap the asparagus spears. At the point it snaps it is the beginning of the woody end of the spear.

2) Using a sharp knife, trim the asparagus and peel off the outer layer of the asparagus.

3) Bring a shallow pan of water into a simmer with just enough water to cover the asparagus, add the asparagus, along with a dash of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of White Wine Vinegar and 1/2 a teaspoon of sugar. The reason of the sugar is to ease the bitterness of the asparagus. I did not have any sugar, I substituted it with 1/2 teaspoon of honey which works well too.

4) Asparagus can take any where between 5-12 minutes to cook, depending on the thickness of the spears. Use a sharp knife to test your asparagus, if you can pierce through the asparagus gently your asparagus are done.

5) Once done, drain the asparagus on folded paper towel and set aside.

B) Poached Eggs + Toasted Muffin

1) Boil a pan of water add salt and 1 tablespoon of White Wine Vinegar. Turn down the heat to a very low simmering point but yet remaining hot.

2) Break an egg into a bowl.

3) Using a spoon, swirl the water until you have a gentle whirlpool.

4) Slide the egg into the water.

5) It will take roughly 5 minutes for the egg to cook with a creamy yolk with a slight run. Do one egg at a time.

6) Meanwhile slice the muffin in half and toast the muffins.

7) After 5 minutes, using a slotted spoon, scoop up the poach egg and drain it on folded kitchen paper.

C) Assembly + Tuck In

1) Place one half of the toasted muffin to the center of the plate.

2) Add a slice of smoked salmon. I drape the salmon over the muffin to make it look neat.

3) Add the Poach egg.

4) Lay the asparagus spears on top of the egg.

5) Crack fresh pepper and drizzle with olive oil.

6) Accompany it with a slice of lemon wedge and tuck in!

Creamy runny yolk with White Asparagus, Smoked Salmon on Toasted White Muffin

Normally with asparagus, hollandaise sauce is the perfect accompaniment. I have done away with the sauce and substituted with a drizzle of olive oil instead, for a lighter meal (less calories yay!) and to capture the sweetness of the asparagus as sometimes hollandaise sauce and be too over powering.

Day 20 - Conforming to Standards

This is a reflective note based on what have been running through my head over the last couple of months. I suppose the trigger to write this blog post came from the Steinway and Sons case that I had to do for my exam. My ears kept on ringing with bright tones of piano playing whilst working through the paper.

The tune that was running through my head was Mika's Grace Kelly. The lyrics of the song kept stuck in my head along with the piano accompaniment. From what I have read, the Grace Kelly lyrics were written to reflect Mika's anger after being rejected by a record label. The label wanted him to conform what they wanted him to do as an artist in order to be marketable.

In life I believe we conform to a lot of standards, but should we? My take is as follows:

• Respect Individuality and Style
• Love in the way you want
• Be Yourself and Enjoy being You!

I believe is only "You" that brings enrichment to life and not standards! Standards are for guidance (and to stay legal) but it is up to you to make a difference! Afterall, I am not mass manufactured from a factory, I am geared for uniqueness.

Lastly, the best line out of the song's lyrics which I always seem to forget and wind myself up in great frustration is "Getting Angry Doesn't Solve Anything"!

Enjoy the song as much as I do!

Day 19 - Fish Cake + Salt and Vinegar Salad

After completing 2 papers this morning, I decide to reward myself with some good brain food - Fish Cakes. I have been craving to make them since last week. After a week long of book reading, traveling to Nuremberg for trade fairs, I finally have a bit of time to blog and cook.

Fish Cakes came to my mind since last week. I guess it is driven from my excitement to travel to London next week. All the British foods suddenly come swelling in my head. Fish and Chips, Salt and Vinegar Crisps are the main culprits. However, I am steering away from the unhealthy fats and transforming my crave into these Fish cakes and a sharp tangy Salt and Vinegar Lamb's Lettuce Salad.

The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:

Fish Cake (4 pieces)

4-5 medium sized potatoes

125g of Fish (I use sea bass. Salmon, haddock will equally be fine)

2 good sprigs of flat leaf parsley

1 egg beaten

8 tablespoons of Whole Oats

Lemon Zest of Half a Lemon

Juice of Half a Lemon

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Lemon Wedge for Serving

Salt and Vinegar Lamb's Lettuce Salad

Lamb's Lettuce (one of my favorite salad leaves)

1/2 teaspoon of salt

2 tablespoon of White Balsamic Vinegar

1 tablespoon of Olive Oil

Pepper to Taste

Instructions:

1) Peel and cut potatoes into chunks. Boil potatoes for about 8-12 minutes till they are cooked. Once cooked, drain potatoes through a colander.

2) Heat a non-stick pan with a tablespoon of olive oil, pan fry the fish until just cooked.

3) Mash potatoes in a bowl. Flake fish into the potatoes. I used a skinless fish, if you pan fried a piece of fish with skin on, remove the skin prior to flaking.

4) Zest the skin of half a lemon and chop finely. Similarly, chop up flat leaf parsley.

5) Add the lemon zest and flat leaf parsley to potato and fish mixture.

6) Add in juice of half a lemon, season with salt and pepper and mix well.

7) Beat an egg in a separate bowl.

8) Add whole oats to a separate plate.

9) Mould potato mixture into 4 cakes.

10) Individually, dip each cake into the beaten egg, then coat it with whole oats.

11) Chill cakes for about 20 minutes.

12) Wash and drain the lamb's lettuce. Mix the salad dressing and toss the salad with the dressing.

13) Pan fry the cakes on a heated pan with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Serve up the fish cakes when they are browned on both sides.

14) Serve the fish cakes with the salad and a lemon wedge.

Nothing beats having good fish and chips with a good dash of salt and vinegar and a fresh lemon wedge, in a healthy way!

I have been using lemon zest a lot in my cooking lately. I have been adding them to pasta and risotto. The beautiful aroma from the lemon oils add great subtle essence to the food - simply flavorful! I highly recommend you to try it out. As spring is here, the taste buds are changing to crave for lighter and more delicate flavors.

Nonetheless, in an hour's time, it will be the start of summer time, as the clocks advances an hour ahead! Welcome Spring! 1 less hour to sleep tonight, but 1 more hour of day light tomorrow!