Friday
Nov142008
Vosges Peanut Butter Bonbon Bar
November 14, 2008 Vosges Haut-Chocolat came out with some new fall/holiday goodies and as an extra treat you can get a discount from now through November 30. Just paste the code 2810WB1 and get 10% off all web purchases.
I'd get the tasty Organic Peanut Butter Bonbon bar if I were you. Or try the great Naga Mango Bombalinas (organic dried mango slices with sweet Indian Curry, then covered in dark chocolate). The new Red Fire Toffee looks very tempting to me right now. If only I had some right next to my desk...
www.vosgeschocolate.com
Sophisticated yet decidedly Japanese pop, it's Ninagawa's ode to beauty. Definitely kawaii. I adore the Secret Luscious Rose eye shadow palette. It comes with seven pressed eye shadows and a cream liner/shadow. For the more adventurous, try the Adorned Marguerite palette.
Thinking of holiday gifts for your beauty buddies? I'd get the Mini Gloss Trio set in Delicous Rose. Three mini-sized Gloss Unlimited lip glosses (Candy Orange, Candy Pink, and Red) come in a portable cosmetic pouch decorated with Mika Ninagawa's photograph.
As a lash lover, I'm putting these Slant Purple false lashes on my personal wish list.
On a related note, I got the rare opportunity to meet Artistic Director Gina Brooke at a recent master class in SF, and here are a few beauty tips from Madonna's makeup artist:
-There's a big emphasis on skin care, so Gina's all-time favorites for creating a clean facial canvas are their famous Cleansing Oils (she convinced Madonna to use it, and it's also great for shaving and moisturizing cuticles!) and the Depsea Water Facial Mist. She also loves the Depsea Moisture Replenishing Masks for blemishes and dry skin.
-Her favorite holiday lip color is a bright red (Rouge Unlimited in RD 165 and Drawing Lip Pencil in Red 192).
-For an ultra easy day to night look, apply the daytime colors in a stronger build up. Instant night drama!
-Lash application is totally fool-proof with the False Eyelash Applicator. Hold the lash on the outer edge with the applicator. Bring the inner edge of the lash down to your inner lash line with your finger. Using the applicator, bring it across the lash line to the outer edge. Voila! Perfectly applied lashes!
For additional tips by Gina, go to this 
The caramel notes of the milk chips remind me of their 32% milk bar. The white ones are just beautiful - the high vanilla aroma is gorgeous. The dark chips are a perfect 65% cacao blend with a balanced flavor. It's a guaranteed hit if you bake with these chips.
I can't wait to try the hot chocolate mix. You only have to add milk. It's supposed to melt so quickly that you don't have to spend the 3 extra long minutes whisking it.
The Crema Toscana is just plain amazing. Containing only Piedmont hazelnuts, milk, sugar, cocoa paste, and vanilla, it's a heavenly feel inside your mouth. It's such an intense hazelnut flavor! Bravo to the Tessieri duo for not using any vegetable fats or soy lecithin. Move over, Nutella. This might take the world by storm.
Here's a recipe to try with the white chocolate chips. It's in grams, so you need to do a bit of math to convert to ounces...
Amedei White Chocolate and Pistachio Tiramisu
Serves 8
100 grams shelled pistachios
125 grams AMEDEI FOR YOU white chocolate
500 grams mascarpone
150 grams sugar
5 egg yolks
3 egg whites
200 grams ladyfingers
250 grams milk
pinch of salt
finely chopped chocolate shavings
1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Toast the pistachios for approx. 7-8 minutes, then let them
cool.
2. Grind the pistachios to obtain a smooth, creamy paste. Set it aside.
3. Use an electric mixer to whisk egg yolks and 130 g of sugar until light and
frothy.
4. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff with 20 g of sugar and a pinch of salt. Delicately fold in the mascarpone and pistachio paste into the egg yolk mixture. Follow with beaten egg whites.
5. Soak the ladyfingers in milk. Spread a fine layer of the cream mixture on each individual mould/bowl and add a soaked sponge finger. Form another layer of cream mixture and sprinkle with the finely chopped chocolate. Continue forming layers in this way until the cream mixture is used up.
6. Dust the final layer of cream mixture with finely ground chocolate; leave in the fridge for at least three hours before serving.
Wednesday November 19, 2008
12:00-7:00p.m.
Atelier LeeQuen
7 Heron Street (off of 8th between Folsom and Harrison)
San Francisco, CA
RSVP through email: colleen@colleenquencouture.com
I also dig the Copper Woodcut note cards. The metallic foil woodcut patterns on kraft stock is very luxe and elegant. Great as personal or thank you notes.
The first section is a huge primer on baking ingredients and techniques, so beginners need not worry. I'm excited to try the Walnut Breton Cake recipe, as well as the Deluxe Lemon-Lavender Mail-a-Cake. It makes me want to bake everyday!
Try the recipe below...you will be addicted to Flo's warm and spirited baking advice.
Fresh Mint Brownies
This is truly an old favorite with a completely new dimension. Infusing the batter with fragrant fresh mint leaves is a simple technique that complements the chocolate with a depth and intensity of flavor that can’t be achieved with an oil or extract. Frosted mint leaves garnish the top of each brownie to provide a natural finish with a taste that is indisputably the real thing.
Brownies
1 1/3 cups (6 1/4 ounces/175 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks/170 grams) unsalted butter
4 ounces (115 grams) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint
2 cups (14 ounces/400 grams) granulated sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Candied Mint Leaves
Organic fresh mint leaves, at least 1 leaf per brownie
1 egg white, lightly beaten until foamy
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces/150 grams) granulated sugar
Before baking: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Press a sheet of aluminum foil to cover the outside bottom and sides of a 9 x 2-inch square pan. Lift off the foil, invert the pan, and gently press the foil into the pan to fit the contours.
To make the brownies: Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda onto a piece of waxed paper; set aside. In a small, heavy saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate over very low heat, stirring with a silicone spatula until smooth. Or, combine in a medium microwave-safe bowl and melt in a microwave oven at 50 percent power (medium) for 30-second bursts, stirring after each burst, until melted, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the water, and then stir in the mint. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
Press the chocolate mixture through a medium-mesh sieve into a large bowl; discard the mint. Stir in the sugar and then the eggs just until thoroughly blended. Add the flour mixture, stirring until well blended.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly with the spatula. Bake the brownie until the top is no longer shiny and a thin crust appears, 42 to 45 minutes. Don’t overbake; the brownie will firm as it cools. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely in the pan, at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
To make the Candied Mint Leaves: Gently rinse the leaves and pat thoroughly dry with paper toweling. Select a baking sheet that will fit in your refrigerator and line it with aluminum foil; set aside. Have the egg white and sugar ready in separate small bowls. Using a small paint or pastry brush, and working with 1 leaf at a time, lightly coat the leaf with the egg white. Immediately sprinkle the leaf lightly on both sides with the sugar, or dip both sides into the bowl of sugar to coat lightly. As the leaves are coated, place them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Let dry in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
To serve, using the edges of the foil as handles, lift the brownie slab onto a cutting board. Using a santoku (page 00[X-ref to knives in Equip]) or other sharp knife, cut the slab into 2-inch squares. Top each brownie with a candied leaf. To store after cutting, return the bars to the pan, cover with aluminum foil, sealing the foil around the edges of the pan, and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Yield: sixteen 2-inch square brownies
Recipe and Image Credit: Baking for All Occasions by Flo Braker, Chronicle Books (2008)
Their beautiful shimmering particles remind me of Night Snow and Night Rider from last year's holiday collection. I can't wait to try these at the next holiday soirée. They totally turn your eyes into starry jewels.
For purple lovers, the bold Jolie Poupee eye shadow duo is a bright violet and a deep pearly purple. Cult fans of the Orgasm blush will love the Super Orgasm. It is a darker pigment with a golden iridescent finish. It's very buildable and has a better color payoff over the original, in my humble opinion.
To let the eyes shine, the lips are more neutral. The Canaille lipstick is a shimmery mahogany, and the super glossy All Night Long lip gloss is a nice sheer berry. To top it all off, the Orgasm nail polish is a feminine peachy pink with a gold shimmer.
Call the Lancôme Boutiques for appointments. ($75 reservation fee is required and fully redeemable in product.)
November 15:
VALLEY FAIR – 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd. Santa Clara, CA 95050; 408-244-8334
NORTHPARK – 8687 North Central Expressway Dallas, TX 75225; 214-750-9364
November 20:
SHORT HILLS – 1200 Morris Turnpike Short Hills, NJ 07078; 973-258-0790
November 22:
UPPER WEST SIDE – 201 Columbus Ave., New York, NY 10023; 212-362-4858
BREA – 1102-a Brea Mall Brea, CA 92821; 714-671-0267
Should you go with the regular menu, the big winners are the Miso Marinated Wagyu Beef wrapped around upland cress, green apple, and fennel - it's simply amazing. Who knew miso could go with blue cheese? Their wildly popular Foie Gras with Kabocha pot de crème is so decadently blissful. It's no surprise to see why executive chef Seiji Wakabayashi earned a Michelin star. His creative thought process and artistry is evident in his French-California cuisine.
For dessert, the Epice Chiffon Cake came with a refreshingly zesty Yuzu Mascarpone Mousse. I absolutely loved the Black Sesame Blancmange with coconut milk reduction. I can eat that every night!
Lunch is another great option. The Croque Washugyu looks very, very tempting, along with the Eden Farms Pork Cutlet. The $25 Sunday brunch features a French Brioche Toast and the Red Crab Cake and Poached Egg (a refined twist on Eggs Benedict). For an epicurean splurge, definitely reserve the Omakase dinner or the monthly wine pairing. This month they're doing it with Tulocay and Trueblood wineries.
They're also opening a new bistro this winter in Japantown. At reduced prices, the casual menu will incorporate a broader range of Asian influences. Also check out the Open Table promo for 11/17 - 11/21. They will offer a three-course lunch menu for $24.
Bushi-tei
1638 Post Street
415.440.4959
To celebrate this launch, there will be a free tasting of these great bars, along with an ice cream sampling of matching flavors:
Bi-Rite Creamery Chocolate Bar Launch Party
Cost: FREE
Saturday, November 15th, 1-5 pm
RSVP at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/45520
Charles Chocolates
6529 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA
510-652-4412 ext. 311
For newbies, definitely buy the Triple (coated) Chocolate Hazelnuts and Almonds (soooo good!), and the Wine Infused Pate de Fruit. The Mocha Java Bar is great for a buzz...it has a freshly-ground coffee bean taste.