The notion of spring cleaning is pretty simple, it’s more like packing up all the winter things into boxes and preparing for spring! There are some people who are so organized they can practically reorganize their home and their wardrobe for a change in season on a whim. I, of course, count myself as one of those people. Okay, don’t get me wrong, I am not so OCD that every guest who enters my home has to be totally disinfected.

I can say I am organized when it comes to my home and things. But… and I mean I do have my limitations, next time, we need to hire someone to do some major physical work around the house. It’s not worth bending over for hours on hours in a given week (or day) to get things spic and span for the summer months to come, and have blood rushing to my head to the point of feeling like I got stuck upside down on a roller coaster. Nor is it worth the pressure of fluid running into my ears and neck, plus the tension that hurts so bad from bending over for hours on hours.

I learned my lesson, I scrubbed the balcony (which is huge) not to mention the exterior walls, too! I toiled as well by cleaning and scrubbing both of my fur babies. I practically scoured the bathrooms until I could eat off the floor. All of which had me bending over and upside down for hours. Need I elaborate on what those hours meant to my poor ravaged hands and body, and back!

Well, we recently sold our dream home, yep, that’s right! I hate to say it out loud, I’m angry, but at who? Mother Nature? I would have never have fathomed a Tsunami happening of the magnitude in which we experienced… BUT, being so close to the ocean was enough to put me on edge, the logical practicality of that happening was not paranoia, but I couldn’t see living in a home where I had to constantly live in fear. Constantly jumping at every jolt or tremor. ( We spent a few years planning and building process all started before the devastating Tsunami happened here in Japan).

After coming back to our home in Japan, after what I would call a very, long vacation of emotional cleansing, our tenants in our Tower Condo’s lease was up. It was time to downsize, and remodel (but it’s only four years old) and start the search all over again, buy land, make plans, or move into a larger Condo? We lost a lot of our time, but it’s worth it for peace of mind. We didn’t lose much money, thank god!!! So I may bore you with the details every now and then with re-building our dream home, yet, AGAIN.

Where was I? Oh, yes! Spring Cleaning, In conclusion, I gave the mister a very generous option…“the next time spring cleaning comes up, it’s either we hire a company to do it or YOU do it yourself!” It’s a pretty simple choice if you ask me.

Smoked Salmon Crostini

1 Loaf of French Bread (We grab something from our favorite bakery shop, in Japan, there is a Bakery on every corner, (not every corner, but if you live in town, or on the outskirts, you’ll find a gem in your neighborhood which reminds me of home in NYC!) We normally pick up something made of spelt flour or (Genmai: Brown Rice)
1 package of Smoked Salmon
1/2 package of cream cheese (I use no more than a tablespoon which is approximately 60 calories)
1 container of ricotta cheese (optional)
1 small container of sour cream (full fat)

Note: We mix three cheeses, and top it off with a sprig of rosemary, but basil tastes quite lovely as well. This is quick, it’s a nice powerhouse snack that will fill you up with the right amount of carbs and protein.

Photography Data:
Dušan Zidar
ApertureFNumber: f/4.0
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D300
ExposureTime: 1/160
FNumber: 4/1
ExposureProgram: 1
ISOSpeedRatings: 200
MaxApertureValue: 10/10
MeteringMode: 5
LightSource: 0
Flash: 0
FocalLength: 500/10

I can say I am organized when it comes to my home and things. But… and I mean I do have my limitations, next time, we need to hire someone to do some major physical work around the house. It’s not worth bending over for hours on hours in a given week (or day) to get things spic and span for the summer months to come, and have blood rushing to my head to the point of feeling like I got stuck upside down on a roller coaster. Nor is it worth the pressure of fluid running into my ears and neck, plus the tension that hurts so bad from bending over for hours on hours.

I learned my lesson, I scrubbed the balcony (which is huge) not to mention the exterior walls, too! I toiled as well by cleaning and scrubbing both of my fur babies. I practically scoured the bathrooms until I could eat off the floor. All of which had me bending over and upside down for hours. Need I elaborate on what those hours meant to my poor ravaged hands and body, and back!

Well, we recently sold our dream home, yep, that’s right! I hate to say it out loud, I’m angry, but at who? Mother Nature? I would have never have fathomed a Tsunami happening of the magnitude in which we experienced… BUT, being so close to the ocean was enough to put me on edge, the logical practicality of that happening was not paranoia, but I couldn’t see living in a home where I had to constantly live in fear. Constantly jumping at every jolt or tremor. ( We spent a few years planning and building process all started before the devastating Tsunami happened here in Japan).

After coming back to our home in Japan, after what I would call a very, long vacation of emotional cleansing, our tenants in our Tower Condo’s lease was up. It was time to downsize, and remodel (but it’s only four years old) and start the search all over again, buy land, make plans, or move into a larger Condo? We lost a lot of our time, but it’s worth it for peace of mind. We didn’t lose much money, thank god!!! So I may bore you with the details every now and then with re-building our dream home, yet, AGAIN.

Where was I? Oh, yes! Spring Cleaning, In conclusion, I gave the mister a very generous option…“the next time spring cleaning comes up, it’s either we hire a company to do it or YOU do it yourself!” It’s a pretty simple choice if you ask me.

Smoked Salmon Crostini

• 1 Loaf of French Bread (We grab something from our favorite bakery shop, in Japan, there is a Bakery on every corner, (not every corner, but if you live in town, or on the outskirts, you’ll find a gem in your neighborhood which reminds me of home in NYC!) We normally pick up something made of spelt flour or (Genmai: Brown Rice)
• 1 package of Smoked Salmon
• 1/2 package of cream cheese (I use no more than a tablespoon which is approximately 60 calories)
• 1 container of ricotta cheese (optional)
• 1 small container of sour cream (full fat)

Note: We mix three cheeses, and top it off with a sprig of rosemary, but basil tastes quite lovely as well. This is quick, it’s a nice powerhouse snack that will fill you up with the right amount of carbs and protein.

Photography Data:
Dušan Zidar
ApertureFNumber: f/4.0
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D300
ExposureTime: 1/160
FNumber: 4/1
ExposureProgram: 1
ISOSpeedRatings: 200
MaxApertureValue: 10/10
MeteringMode: 5
LightSource: 0
Flash: 0
FocalLength: 500/10

Remember the days before we had hundreds of TV channels? Do you recall the days before video games, before everyone had a computer, before iPads? Remember when you were a child and you would find a large box? That box became a castle, a robot, a space ship or a lemonade stand?

If you had more than one box they became a town in the Wild West or all the departments in a department store. Do you remember that kind of creativity? A few cardboard boxes, some markers or crayons and a lot of imagination could provide hours of entertainment.

We could not pass the opportunity to dedicate a post to a young man who is creative, ingenious and enterprising. We would like to introduce you to Caine of Caine’s Arcade. Please take a moment to watch the video about Caine. He will surely make you smile as you pine for the days of your youth when life seemed less complex and more magical. It reminds us of a time when we felt like we could do anything we wanted, be whoever we wanted to be and while reaching for the moon, we could touch the stars.

Inspired by Caine’s Arcade we have chosen the perfect arcade food: Corn Dogs! And, inspired by his entrepreneurial spirit we have included a lemonade recipe, too.

Corn Dogs (Alton Brown)

Ingredients

1 gallon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons (approximately 1 large) jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced (optional)
1 (8.5-ounce) can cream-style corn
1/3 cup finely grated onion
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons cornstarch, for dredging
8 beef hot dogs

Directions

1. Special equipment: 8 sets chopsticks not separated or popsicle sticks.

2. Pour oil into a deep fryer or large heavy pot and heat to 375 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cayenne pepper. In a separate bowl, combine the jalapeno, corn, onion, and buttermilk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients all at once, and stir only enough times to bring the batter together; there should be lumps. Set batter aside and allow them to rest for 10 minutes.

3. Scatter the cornstarch into a dry pie pan. Roll each hot dog in the cornstarch and tap well to remove any excess.

4. Transfer enough batter to almost fill a large drinking glass. Refill the glass as needed. Place each hot dog on chopsticks, and quickly dip in and out of the batter. Immediately and carefully place each hot dog into the oil, and cook until coating is golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. With tongs, remove to cooling rack, and allow them to drain for 3 to 5 minutes.

Lemonade
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1 cup hot water
2 cups fresh lemon juice
1 gallon cold water
1 lemon, sliced

Directions

1. Place sugar and hot water into a large pitcher. Mix until sugar dissolves.
2. Add lemon juice and cold water. Stir until well mixed.
3. Pour lemonade over glasses off filled with ice.

Remember the days before we had hundreds of TV channels? Do you recall the days before video games, before everyone had a computer, before iPads? Remember when you were a child and you would find a large box? That box became a castle, a robot, a space ship or a lemonade stand?

If you had more than one box they became a town in the Wild West or all the departments in a department store. Do you remember that kind of creativity? A few cardboard boxes, some markers or crayons and a lot of imagination could provide hours of entertainment.

We could not pass the opportunity to dedicate a post to a young man who is creative, ingenious and enterprising. We would like to introduce you to Caine of Caine’s Arcade. Please take a moment to watch the video about Caine. He will surely make you smile as you pine for the days of your youth when life seemed less complex and more magical. It reminds us of a time when we felt like we could do anything we wanted, be whoever we wanted to be and while reaching for the moon, we could touch the stars.

Inspired by Caine’s Arcade we have chosen the perfect arcade food: Corn Dogs! And, inspired by his entrepreneurial spirit we have included a lemonade recipe, too.

Corn Dogs (Alton Brown)

Ingredients

1 gallon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons (approximately 1 large) jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced (optional)
1 (8.5-ounce) can cream-style corn
1/3 cup finely grated onion
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons cornstarch, for dredging
8 beef hot dogs

Directions

1. Special equipment: 8 sets chopsticks not separated or popsicle sticks.

2. Pour oil into a deep fryer or large heavy pot and heat to 375 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cayenne pepper. In a separate bowl, combine the jalapeno, corn, onion, and buttermilk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients all at once, and stir only enough times to bring the batter together; there should be lumps. Set batter aside and allow them to rest for 10 minutes.

3. Scatter the cornstarch into a dry pie pan. Roll each hot dog in the cornstarch and tap well to remove any excess.

4. Transfer enough batter to almost fill a large drinking glass. Refill the glass as needed. Place each hot dog on chopsticks, and quickly dip in and out of the batter. Immediately and carefully place each hot dog into the oil, and cook until coating is golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. With tongs, remove to cooling rack, and allow them to drain for 3 to 5 minutes.

Lemonade
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1 cup hot water
2 cups fresh lemon juice
1 gallon cold water
1 lemon, sliced

Directions

1. Place sugar and hot water into a large pitcher. Mix until sugar dissolves.
2. Add lemon juice and cold water. Stir until well mixed.
3. Pour lemonade over glasses off filled with ice.

We continue our dedication to the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. We have chosen to focus on the survivors of the tragedy, particularly women, as very few men survived. The survival demographics of the passengers (this does not include the staff and crew), in brief, looks something like this: Female/ Total: 416 Survived: 304 Died: 112 Children/Total: 112 Survived: 56 Died: 56 Male/Total: 768 Survived: 130 Died: 638

Male passengers (no matter what class passenger) had the lowest survival rate. Male staff and crew members even fared a bit better, with 195 surviving of the 896 who served aboard the Titanic. Female staff members had the highest survival rate with 20 out of 22 surviving.

When all numbers are tallied there were 2214 people aboard the Titanic and only 705 survived, women whether passenger or staff member had the highest survival rate.

One of the lucky ones, Edith Louise Rosenbaum, a first class passenger, survived the Titanic because of a pig. Having watched Edith in an interview (British Pathe) it was clear she was good company for our focus on Margaret Brown.

Edith Louise Rosenbaum had quite a bit of pluck, which is quite evident in the interview, which we highly recommend watching by clicking here. (The footage also includes an interview with a gentleman who survived despite being in the steerage class. Ironically, his name isn’t given in the interview. )

Like Margaret Brown, Edith Louise Rosenbaum lived an unconventional life for her time. She was born into a wealthy Jewish family in Cincinnati, Ohio on June 12, 1879 and at an early age demonstrated a love for fashion and journalism. She was a fashion writer, consultant, importer, buyer and stylist, but began her career in 1908 as a saleswoman for Maison Cheruit in Paris.

She became the chief foreign correspondent to “Women’s Wear Daily” (A trade magazine that still exists today). In 1912 Edith Rosenbaum was running a buying and consulting service based in Paris while also designing her own line of clothing for Lord and Taylor.

Tragedy struck Rosenbaum’s life a year before she boarded the Titanic. In 1911 she survived a serious car accident in France. Unfortunately, her fiancé did not. German gun manufacturer, Ludwig Loewe was killed in the accident.

In the spring of 1912 Rosenbaum made the fateful decision to change her travel plans, landing her on the Titanic:

“Returning to Paris, I booked on the George Washington, which was to have left on April 7th, but when I found that this wonderful new boat, the Titanic, leaving on the 10th, would give me the opportunity of reporting (as I was the correspondent of “Women’s Wear”) the Easter fashions at the Races, and arrive at New York the same time, I naturally cancelled my passage and decided to sail on the largest, most wonderful unsinkable boat!!!”

Rosenbaum was able to book passage. She stayed in cabin A-11 on the Promenade Deck and also paid for cabin E-63 for all 19 of her wardrobe trunks. In the interview video (mentioned above) she states that before going to the deck she locked all 19 trunks and took all 19 keys with her.

Rosenbaum also made sure that she took her Maxixe (named for a dance) the pig. Her pig music box was the right size to be mistaken for a baby and that fact saved Rosenbaum’s life. She refused to get into a lifeboat until other women and children were first put into the boats. Someone noticed her refusal, but in the confusion thought that Maxixe is a baby and grabbed the pig, putting it into a lifeboat. At that point Rosenbaum had no choice, but to join her prized possession and she jumped into the boat.

Once in lifeboat #11 Maxixe was able to be of use as Rosenbaum would wind the piggy’s tail, entertaining the children in the lifeboat while they awaited rescue on that freezing night. Maxixe became a hero.

Her life was lived to the fullest before and after the Titanic tragedy. Rosenbaum never married. She became one of the first female war correspondents during WWl, using the pen name Edith Russell as she felt “Rosenbaum” sounded too German. She became friends with the actor Peter Lawford who was married to Patricia Kennedy. Rosenbaum became godmother to their children. She was a technical advisor on the set of “A Night to Remember”, a movie about the sinking of the Titanic. And, she bred dogs for the famous French performer Maurice Chevalier.

Edith Louise Rosenbaum passed away on April 4, 1975 at the age of 98. Survivor of the Titanic, Fashion and War journalist, socialite and celebrity, Rosenbaum, like Margaret Brown was a woman who paved the way for the “modern” woman and both Rosenbaum and Brown were able to do so because of old fashioned chivalry; women and children first. The irony is not lost on us!

Let us proceed with the first course of the last dinner on the Titanic. The menu simply says “Hors D’Oeuvres: Oysters” so we will serve, oysters, simply. They are elegant, and I imagine because they were easy to serve one reason why they were chosen for the beginning of a 10 course meal.

How to Serve Oysters

Ingredients

Fresh oysters (as many as you’d like to serve)

Directions

1. Scrub oysters with a brush, under cold water.

2. Using an oyster knife (do not use a common knife) and with a very thick kitchen towel in your hand place the cleaned oyster into the towel, palming the oyster as it rests in the towel. The towel will keep the oyster from slipping while protecting your hand to an extent, but don’t rely on it to be foolproof. Be very careful!

3. Pry open the hinges of the oyster shell with the oyster knife. The shell will open wider by twisting the knife once it has pried open the shell a bit.

4. Loosen the meat from the shell by sliding the knife under it. Let the meat remain in the shell once it is loose.

5. Place oysters on a chilled platter and serve immediately with lemon.

Photography Data:
Featured Photographer
Maxim
ApertureFNumber: f/3.5
Make: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 5D
ExposureTime: 1/125
FNumber: 35/10
ExposureProgram: 1
ISOSpeedRatings: 100
MaxApertureValue: 3/1
MeteringMode: 5
Flash: 16
FocalLength: 200/1

We continue our dedication to the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. We have chosen to focus on the survivors of the tragedy, particularly women, as very few men survived. The survival demographics of the passengers (this does not include the staff and crew), in brief, looks something like this: Female/ Total: 416 Survived: 304 Died: 112 Children/Total: 112 Survived: 56 Died: 56 Male/Total: 768 Survived: 130 Died: 638

Male passengers (no matter what class passenger) had the lowest survival rate. Male staff and crew members even fared a bit better, with 195 surviving of the 896 who served aboard the Titanic. Female staff members had the highest survival rate with 20 out of 22 surviving.

When all numbers are tallied there were 2214 people aboard the Titanic and only 705 survived, women whether passenger or staff member had the highest survival rate.

One of the lucky ones, Edith Louise Rosenbaum, a first class passenger, survived the Titanic because of a pig. Having watched Edith in an interview (British Pathe) it was clear she was good company for our focus on Margaret Brown.

Edith Louise Rosenbaum had quite a bit of pluck, which is quite evident in the interview, which we highly recommend watching by clicking here. (The footage also includes an interview with a gentleman who survived despite being in the steerage class. Ironically, his name isn’t given in the interview. )

Like Margaret Brown, Edith Louise Rosenbaum lived an unconventional life for her time. She was born into a wealthy Jewish family in Cincinnati, Ohio on June 12, 1879 and at an early age demonstrated a love for fashion and journalism. She was a fashion writer, consultant, importer, buyer and stylist, but began her career in 1908 as a saleswoman for Maison Cheruit in Paris.

She became the chief foreign correspondent to “Women’s Wear Daily” (A trade magazine that still exists today). In 1912 Edith Rosenbaum was running a buying and consulting service based in Paris while also designing her own line of clothing for Lord and Taylor.

Tragedy struck Rosenbaum’s life a year before she boarded the Titanic. In 1911 she survived a serious car accident in France. Unfortunately, her fiancé did not. German gun manufacturer, Ludwig Loewe was killed in the accident.

In the spring of 1912 Rosenbaum made the fateful decision to change her travel plans, landing her on the Titanic:

“Returning to Paris, I booked on the George Washington, which was to have left on April 7th, but when I found that this wonderful new boat, the Titanic, leaving on the 10th, would give me the opportunity of reporting (as I was the correspondent of “Women’s Wear”) the Easter fashions at the Races, and arrive at New York the same time, I naturally cancelled my passage and decided to sail on the largest, most wonderful unsinkable boat!!!”

Rosenbaum was able to book passage. She stayed in cabin A-11 on the Promenade Deck and also paid for cabin E-63 for all 19 of her wardrobe trunks. In the interview video (mentioned above) she states that before going to the deck she locked all 19 trunks and took all 19 keys with her.

Rosenbaum also made sure that she took her Maxixe (named for a dance) the pig. Her pig music box was the right size to be mistaken for a baby and that fact saved Rosenbaum’s life. She refused to get into a lifeboat until other women and children were first put into the boats. Someone noticed her refusal, but in the confusion thought that Maxixe is a baby and grabbed the pig, putting it into a lifeboat. At that point Rosenbaum had no choice, but to join her prized possession and she jumped into the boat.

Once in lifeboat #11 Maxixe was able to be of use as Rosenbaum would wind the piggy’s tail, entertaining the children in the lifeboat while they awaited rescue on that freezing night. Maxixe became a hero.

Her life was lived to the fullest before and after the Titanic tragedy. Rosenbaum never married. She became one of the first female war correspondents during WWl, using the pen name Edith Russell as she felt “Rosenbaum” sounded too German. She became friends with the actor Peter Lawford who was married to Patricia Kennedy. Rosenbaum became godmother to their children. She was a technical advisor on the set of “A Night to Remember”, a movie about the sinking of the Titanic. And, she bred dogs for the famous French performer Maurice Chevalier.

Edith Louise Rosenbaum passed away on April 4, 1975 at the age of 98. Survivor of the Titanic, Fashion and War journalist, socialite and celebrity, Rosenbaum, like Margaret Brown was a woman who paved the way for the “modern” woman and both Rosenbaum and Brown were able to do so because of old fashioned chivalry; women and children first. The irony is not lost on us!

Let us proceed with the first course of the last dinner on the Titanic. The menu simply says “Hors D’Oeuvres: Oysters” so we will serve, oysters, simply. They are elegant, and I imagine because they were easy to serve one reason why they were chosen for the beginning of a 10 course meal.

How to Serve Oysters

Ingredients

Fresh oysters (as many as you’d like to serve)

Directions

1. Scrub oysters with a brush, under cold water.

2. Using an oyster knife (do not use a common knife) and with a very thick kitchen towel in your hand place the cleaned oyster into the towel, palming the oyster as it rests in the towel. The towel will keep the oyster from slipping while protecting your hand to an extent, but don’t rely on it to be foolproof. Be very careful!

3. Pry open the hinges of the oyster shell with the oyster knife. The shell will open wider by twisting the knife once it has pried open the shell a bit.

4. Loosen the meat from the shell by sliding the knife under it. Let the meat remain in the shell once it is loose.

5. Place oysters on a chilled platter and serve immediately with lemon.

Photography Data:
Featured Photographer
Maxim
ApertureFNumber: f/3.5
Make: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 5D
ExposureTime: 1/125
FNumber: 35/10
ExposureProgram: 1
ISOSpeedRatings: 100
MaxApertureValue: 3/1
MeteringMode: 5
Flash: 16
FocalLength: 200/1

There are times when we take photos and look at them after only to realize that they appear a little too dark or underexposed. An afternoon scene could look like an impromptu eclipse occurred and everyone’s smiling faces are in shadow. We can do a reshoot but sometimes it just isn’t possible. The moment may have passed, or it might be expensive to do a retake, or the subject is not available, or we’re just too lazy to get up, drag all our camera equipment to the location and shoot again with the right exposure settings this time around.

{Dark Photo}

Don’t worry, post-processing to the rescue! Fixing dark photos with an image editing program might just be our next best and probably most convenient option. Keep in mind that not all dark photos can be saved and brightened up, whether you are using Photoshop or Lightroom. Sometimes, the dark patches in the shot are just too black that there are no details to bring out to the light. But for those that are not too far gone into the Dark Side, a few basic brightening techniques can work wonders for your gloomy photos. The tools in Photoshop and Lightroom might look and be labeled differently but the principles are the same. Also, there are various ways to brighten up photos in both programs and I’ll list a few here:

Lightroom:

Exposure– drag the exposure slider to +1.00 stop or higher to brighten up the photo.{Screen Shot Here} The more you drag it, the brighter it goes to the point where light areas (highlights) can become blown out and lose their details. Also, the dark areas can start losing contrast and the entire photo can appear overexposed. We wouldn’t want that to happen so just drag it back down until you are satisfied with the outcome. {Video here}

Brightness (Lightroom 3) – Unlike the Exposure, the Brightness tool can make your lighter areas appear brighter while the dark areas remain in shadow. In the new released Lightroom 4, you have whites, increase, you increase the white space, decrease, the whites become darker. While I like this new tool in Lightroom 4, I’d like them to bring back “Brightness” and “Fill Light”.

Fill Light (Lightroom 3)– this tool acts like a real fill light by brightening very dark areas and showing more detail without blowing out the light areas. Just be careful because too much will create noise plus the photo will lose some contrast. If you have upgraded to Lightroom, you can use the “Whites” to decrease or increase the white space, but I’ll talk more in depth about that later.

I’m no expert and I’m sure there are more ways to brighten photos in Photoshop and Lightroom. After practicing your editing skills and getting used to your software, whichever you’re using, you’ll soon get the hang of it. Remember to save your edits once in a while!

{ Adding more Shadowing}

So now the next question is what photo editing program to use: Photoshop or Lightroom? I can’t really decide that for you, can I? I do have my preference (Adobe Lightroom 4). I guess the very simple answer would be to use what you’ve got. If you have both, use the one you’re most comfortable with, the one with results that satisfy you the most. They’re both fantastic and powerful image editing software, and either one can make your photos look brighter and more attractive.

{Shooting at 100 ISO and a Tripod for Sharp Images}

Photoshop:

Levels adjustment – you can brighten up a photo by dragging the gray slider a little to the left of the histogram in the Levels adjustment screen. To add contrast, drag the white slider to the left. This will also brighten the image but with less of the washed out look. Photoshop Elements go to Enhance, Brightness/Contrast and adjust accordingly.

{Adjusted by 80%}

Brightness/Contrast adjustment – this is a very simple tool where you can see quick results. Simply drag the brightness slider to the right to lighten up the shot, do the same with the contrast slider it doesn’t look overexposed. Just a little movement of the sliders can go a long way in making your photos nice and bright.
Auto Levels – if you want to brighten up your photo in a jiffy, you might want to try clicking on auto levels first to see if it’ll fix your shot the way you like. You’d be surprised! As you can see, in my not so humble opinion, Lightroom is far better for post processing.

{Auto Levels in Photoshop Elements 10}

Homemade Curry Spice

If you don’t have your favorite on hand (ours is S&B Curry Spice Mix which comes with and without salt added) This recipe is adapted from Chef Dancer on Food.com.

Ingredients

4 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns ( 1/2 to 1)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes ( 1/2 to 1)
1/2 teaspoon cardamom, whole,without pods
1/2 inch cinnamon sticks
1/4 teaspoon whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

In a blender container, place all. Cover and grind for 1 to 2 minutes or till mixture is a fine powder.
Store spice mixture in airtight container in cool dry place.

Spring is one of my favorite times of the year where all the flowers start to bloom in all their glory. Usually, spring in Japan means cherry blossoms!

A cherry blossom is actually the flower of several varieties of trees from the Japanese Cherry, also known as “sakura”. The most popular cherry blossom in Japan is the Somei Yoshino. Its flowers are almost all white with a tinge of pink, like blushing cheeks. The flowers are in full bloom for only about a week and many people, locals and tourists alike, flock to ogle the majestic beauty of these wonderful trees. They are truly one of nature’s grandest spectacles.

Cherry blossoms are very much sought after, not just because of their beauty, but because of their edible blossoms and leaves. They are not to be mistaken for the trees that bear edible cherry fruits which belong to a completely different species. Cherry blossoms and leaves are used as a popular ingredient in Japan’s culinary world. The sakura leaves are called (sakura no ha) and they have a distinctive flavor that gives every dish an added depth.

My affinity to spring and cherry blossoms inspired me to share a simple but delicious recipe for cherry blossom petit fours (petit four is pronounced as peh-TEE foo-RH), if you’re going to make it, might as well get the pronunciation right. One of my pet peeves is not getting the pronunciation correct. For instance, “Hermès”, the brand associated with the luxury designer, should be pronounced “Air-Mehy” (the S is silent)” ” [ɛʁmɛs]” but some people pronounce it as Hermezzz “cringe” or some argue that it’s “ermèz”. But if one was referring to the Greek god Hermes, then the pronunciation should be HUR-meez. It makes me wonder why don’t people don’t just pronounce all words the way they are written. Rayt?! :)

So back to cherry blossom peh-TEE foo-RH! These are small sugary confections that are eaten after a meal. In Japan, most pastry shops serve (just a tad over bite sized desserts) called Petits fours secs. Petit four means “small oven” in French. The French thought the heat from the cooling ovens would go to waste, hence, they thought of baking small confections that would cook faster.

For the recipe, we used pourable fondant flavored with Cherry Blossom Extract, and a vegetable base shortening, (optional full fat), no artificial colors. We also made a batter with a natural cake recipe that was flavored with cherry blossom extract. We adjusted all the recipes to be as natural as possible. Using Ateco cutters is a wonderful technique to create perfect shapes for the petit fours cake or you can buy them, for example here are some sugar flowers from Wilton. For the fondant decorations, We used a Wilton flower cutout to top off our sweet and tempting creations.

As a special treat for all our subscribers, we are going to give away Cherry Blossom Extract! Just simply sign up for our regular newsletter e-mails and subscribe to our rss feeds via google reader.

Rules

{CONTEST CLOSED} Winner for this give away is “D” from East Of Eden Cooking. Choose by Random.org

1. Please sign up for our newsletter.
2. Subscribe to our feed via google reader.
3. Giveaway Closes on Monday 26th.
{Useful Products}

1. Green Leaf Powder (Sakura no Ha)
2. Ateco 9 Piece Petit Four Cutters
3. Nordic Ware Petit Four Pan
4. Petit Four Mould Assortment by Gobel

{Useful Tips}

1. If you like to buy products from Japan, Rakuten Ships internationally, however, some shops don’t, however Tenso will forward your packages to you.

Recipe Adapted from Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes Cake Recipe Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

For the cake

3/4 cup skinned pistachio nuts (optional, we used almonds instead)
1 2/3 cups sugar
2 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon Cherry Blossom Extract
1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

Make the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter three receptacle baking tins. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.

2. Put the almonds in a food processor. Add the sugar and pulse just enough to grind them finely.

3. Pour into a large mixing bowl and add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Blend with the mixer on low for 30 seconds. Add the butter, milk, and vanilla and, with the mixer on low, beat until completely incorporated.

4. Raise the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the beaten eggs in 2 or 3 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl well and mixing only long enough to blend after each addition. Divide the batter among the 3 prepared pans.

5. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the layers to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely.

You can use your cake cutters for different shapes or use a squared petit four. We found that freezing the cake makes it easy to work with when using pourable fondant.

Marshmallow Fondant
Adapted from Cake Journal

Makes about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds

White marshmallows (16 oz)
Water (2 tbsp)
Icing sugar sifted (1 to 2 pounds)
Crisco (or natural vegetable shortening)
Heatproof bowl
Spoon
Sift
Food colors (natural) or cocoa powder
Flavouring optional

Note: you can of course use your kitchen mixer when mixing in the icing sugar. Just remember to grease the bowl and paddle attachment well with Crisco.

Pourable Fondant (optional)

White fondant
Abricot jam
Hot boiled water
Pastry brush
Tea spoon
Heatproff bowls
Optional: Flavourings and food colors.

Step 1: Brush the cakes with a thin coat of hot abricot jam. Let it dry.

Step 2: Place the fondant in a heatproff bowl and heat it gently in the microway oven for approx 1 min. It needs to be warm but dont let it boil. Give it a stir to get it smooth. It is important that you get the right consistency. If it gets too thick you will have difficulty and if it is too thin it will look transparent on the cake. Give it a few tries and you will find the right consistency. You can use boiled water, a tsp at a time, to thin it down. If it gets too cold gently reheat it in the microway oven a few sec.

Note: Store the cakes in cake boxes. NOT in the refrigerator because that will dissolve the poured fondant. Also air thight containers can make the fondant melting.

Recipe Tutorial Adapted from “Cake Journal“

Video Steps

1. Part One
2. Video Step Two (Poured Fondant Icing)
3. Step Three, dipping the petit four into fondant.

Photography Data:
Featured Photographer
Elisabeth Coelfen
ApertureFNumber: f/5.0
Make: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
ExposureTime: 1/125
FNumber: 5/1
ExposureProgram: 3
ISOSpeedRatings: 100
MeteringMode: 5
Flash: 16
FocalLength: 50/1

Spring is one of my favorite times of the year where all the flowers start to bloom in all their glory. Usually, spring in Japan means cherry blossoms!

A cherry blossom is actually the flower of several varieties of trees from the Japanese Cherry, also known as “sakura”. The most popular cherry blossom in Japan is the Somei Yoshino. Its flowers are almost all white with a tinge of pink, like blushing cheeks. The flowers are in full bloom for only about a week and many people, locals and tourists alike, flock to ogle the majestic beauty of these wonderful trees. They are truly one of nature’s grandest spectacles.

Cherry blossoms are very much sought after, not just because of their beauty, but because of their edible blossoms and leaves. They are not to be mistaken for the trees that bear edible cherry fruits which belong to a completely different species. Cherry blossoms and leaves are used as a popular ingredient in Japan’s culinary world. The sakura leaves are called (sakura no ha) and they have a distinctive flavor that gives every dish an added depth.

My affinity to spring and cherry blossoms inspired me to share a simple but delicious recipe for cherry blossom petit fours (petit four is pronounced as peh-TEE foo-RH), if you’re going to make it, might as well get the pronunciation right. One of my pet peeves is not getting the pronunciation correct. For instance, “Hermès”, the brand associated with the luxury designer, should be pronounced “Air-Mehy” (the S is silent)” ” [ɛʁmɛs]” but some people pronounce it as Hermezzz “cringe” or some argue that it’s “ermèz”. But if one was referring to the Greek god Hermes, then the pronunciation should be HUR-meez. It makes me wonder why don’t people don’t just pronounce all words the way they are written. Rayt?! :)

So back to cherry blossom peh-TEE foo-RH! These are small sugary confections that are eaten after a meal. In Japan, most pastry shops serve (just a tad over bite sized desserts) called Petits fours secs. Petit four means “small oven” in French. The French thought the heat from the cooling ovens would go to waste, hence, they thought of baking small confections that would cook faster.

For the recipe, we used pourable fondant flavored with Cherry Blossom Extract, and a vegetable base shortening, (optional full fat), no artificial colors. We also made a batter with a natural cake recipe that was flavored with cherry blossom extract. We adjusted all the recipes to be as natural as possible. Using Ateco cutters is a wonderful technique to create perfect shapes for the petit fours cake or you can buy them, for example here are some sugar flowers from Wilton. For the fondant decorations, We used a Wilton flower cutout to top off our sweet and tempting creations.

As a special treat for all our subscribers, we are going to give away Cherry Blossom Extract! Just simply sign up for our regular newsletter e-mails and subscribe to our rss feeds via google reader.

Rules

{CONTEST CLOSED} Winner for this give away is “D” from East Of Eden Cooking. Choose by Random.org

1. Please sign up for our newsletter.
2. Subscribe to our feed via google reader.
3. Giveaway Closes on Monday 26th.
{Useful Products}

1. Green Leaf Powder (Sakura no Ha)
2. Ateco 9 Piece Petit Four Cutters
3. Nordic Ware Petit Four Pan
4. Petit Four Mould Assortment by Gobel

{Useful Tips}

1. If you like to buy products from Japan, Rakuten Ships internationally, however, some shops don’t, however Tenso will forward your packages to you.

Recipe Adapted from Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes Cake Recipe Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

For the cake

3/4 cup skinned pistachio nuts (optional, we used almonds instead)
1 2/3 cups sugar
2 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon Cherry Blossom Extract
1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

Make the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter three receptacle baking tins. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.

2. Put the almonds in a food processor. Add the sugar and pulse just enough to grind them finely.

3. Pour into a large mixing bowl and add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Blend with the mixer on low for 30 seconds. Add the butter, milk, and vanilla and, with the mixer on low, beat until completely incorporated.

4. Raise the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the beaten eggs in 2 or 3 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl well and mixing only long enough to blend after each addition. Divide the batter among the 3 prepared pans.

5. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the layers to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely.

You can use your cake cutters for different shapes or use a squared petit four. We found that freezing the cake makes it easy to work with when using pourable fondant.

Marshmallow Fondant
Adapted from Cake Journal

Makes about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds

White marshmallows (16 oz)
Water (2 tbsp)
Icing sugar sifted (1 to 2 pounds)
Crisco (or natural vegetable shortening)
Heatproof bowl
Spoon
Sift
Food colors (natural) or cocoa powder
Flavouring optional

Note: you can of course use your kitchen mixer when mixing in the icing sugar. Just remember to grease the bowl and paddle attachment well with Crisco.

Pourable Fondant (optional)

White fondant
Abricot jam
Hot boiled water
Pastry brush
Tea spoon
Heatproff bowls
Optional: Flavourings and food colors.

Step 1: Brush the cakes with a thin coat of hot abricot jam. Let it dry.

Step 2: Place the fondant in a heatproff bowl and heat it gently in the microway oven for approx 1 min. It needs to be warm but dont let it boil. Give it a stir to get it smooth. It is important that you get the right consistency. If it gets too thick you will have difficulty and if it is too thin it will look transparent on the cake. Give it a few tries and you will find the right consistency. You can use boiled water, a tsp at a time, to thin it down. If it gets too cold gently reheat it in the microway oven a few sec.

Note: Store the cakes in cake boxes. NOT in the refrigerator because that will dissolve the poured fondant. Also air thight containers can make the fondant melting.

Recipe Tutorial Adapted from “Cake Journal“

Video Steps

1. Part One
2. Video Step Two (Poured Fondant Icing)
3. Step Three, dipping the petit four into fondant.

Photography Data:
Featured Photographer
Elisabeth Coelfen
ApertureFNumber: f/5.0
Make: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
ExposureTime: 1/125
FNumber: 5/1
ExposureProgram: 3
ISOSpeedRatings: 100
MeteringMode: 5
Flash: 16
FocalLength: 50/1

Huguette Clark, the youngest daughter of former United States Montana Senator, mining and railroad industrialist William A. Clark and his second wife, Anna Eugenia La Chapelle, was born in Paris, France on June 9, 1906. Huguette had an older sister, Louse Amelia Andree Clark, who died in 1919, as well as five half siblings from her father’s first marriage.

Huguette’s father died in 1925. It wasn’t long before the heiress began slipping away from the public eye. She was briefly married to William MacDonald Gower from 1928-1930. A photograph taken of her the day her divorce became final was the last image ever made public.

In this last public photo Huguette Clark is wearing two magnificent bracelets, which were recently shown on the Today Show. Clark died, after leading a reclusive life, on May 24, 2011 and only recently has a bank vault been opened that hadn’t according to reports, been opened for 70 years.

Among the many items discovered in the vault were signed Art Deco jewels by Cartier, Dreicer & Co., and Tiffany & Co. The pièce de résistance is a 9 carat pink diamond ring that is thought to have belonged to Huguette Clark’s mother. There is a colorless 19.86 carat diamond ring by Cartier. Two Art Deco bracelets by Cartier are seen on Clark’s wrist in her last public photo. One bracelet is comprised of all colorless diamonds while the other is a diamond and emerald piece. To wear one of these bracelets would make most of us feel like a queen, but to wear two is unimaginable.

These pieces will be auctioned at Christie’s on April 17, 2012. The pink diamond ring is reportedly worth 6-8 million dollars! The colorless, and much larger, diamond ring is estimated to be worth between 2 and 3 million dollars.

If you are unfamiliar with diamonds you might know that colored diamonds are considered more valuable than colorless. Colored or fancy-colored diamonds have been a small part of the diamond industry, but have increased in popularity over time.

To be classified as a fancy-colored diamond certain industry criteria must be met. These diamonds are graded differently than colorless diamonds. While you’ll notice that colorless diamonds decrease in value if they exhibit more color, fancy colored diamonds usually increase in value as the color deepens.

The world’s diamond trade is dominated by the De Beers controlled Central Selling Organization (CSO) which is one of the world’s most successful cartels and is responsible for maintaining stable markets and controlling prices. De Beer’s along with N.W. Ayer (a leading marketing agency in the 1930’s) created the perception that diamonds were of value as they were not a popular or valued gemstone. Colorless diamonds became valued as a result of a long term marketing campaign. And, now in the past 20-30 years fancy-colored diamonds have been making their mark, becoming more valued.

The Argyle Diamond Mine in Australia produces most of the world’s pink diamonds as well as other colored diamonds such as cognac, blue and champagne. There are still a few other mines from which pink diamonds are found. From where Huguette Clark’s pink diamond was mined is of little significance for those who can afford to bid on the stunning ring, with the Dreicer and Co. pedigree and the interesting history.

Author’s Note: For those of you who would like to comment on the ethics of diamond mining, sales, etc. we request that you please hold your thoughts for the time being. This article is not a political article. In the future we may choose to address the diamond industry. However, we are and will always be a food related blog that does like to discuss current events. We are simply making note, as did the Today Show, of a current event, the sale of heiress Huguette Clark’s bank vault contents, in particular the pink diamond ring.

Diamonds and Champagne are the hallmarks of luxury. While we cannot offer a recipe that includes diamonds, we can offer one that includes Champagne. Please go back to our post about canning to learn about preserving. However, this jelly is so delicious we don’t think it will be around for very long!

Pomegranate Champagne Jelly

This recipe is from Shae at Hitchhiking to Heaven. Please take a peek at her fantastic blog for many other tremendously yummy jam and jelly recipes that you will not want to miss once you catch the canning bug.

Ingredients

3 cups pomegranate juice
1 1/2 cups champagne
strained juice of 1 small lemon
3 cups sugar
1 package Sure Jell Low-Sugar pectin

Directions

1. Sterilize your jars.

2. Measure out the sugar. Place 1/4 cup of sugar in a separate bowl and thoroughly mix in the pectin powder, then set aside. (“Thoroughly” is the key. If you don’t mix it well, you’ll be chasing little lumps of pectin all around your pot. Also, make sure to keep both the sugar and pectin very dry. Moisture, too, will lead to lumps.)

3. Combine the pomegranate juice, champagne, and lemon juice in a large, nonreactive pot. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-low heat, and then turn up the heat until the mixture reaches a hard boil. Add the sugar (that is, the portion without the pectin) and bring the mixture back to a hard rolling boil, stirring constantly.

4. Stir in the pectin sugar and bring the mixture back to a hard roiling boil for exactly one minute, continuing to stir slowly and gently. (The jelly will foam up at this point, but it will settle right down when it comes off the heat.)

5. Remove the jelly from the heat. If you notice any pectin lumps, very quickly pour the piping hot jelly through a fine mesh strainer. (Can you tell I had a few little lumps? I’m not sure why they were there, but I knew I didn’t want them in my jars.) Ladle or pour the jelly into your sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space.

6. Process in a water-bath canner, using the correct time for your altitude: 5 minutes for 0-1,000 feet above sea level, plus 1 minute for every additional 1,000 feet.