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Smoke Fairies
|Smoke Fairies
Jessica Davies (left) Katherine Blamire (right)
|Background information
|Chichester, England
|Alternative, indie rock, folk rock
|Vocals, guitar, piano, organ, keyboards, percussion
|Years active
|Associated acts
|Jack White, Laura Marling, Mark Lanegan, Richard Hawley, Brian Ferry, PJ Harvey, Dawes, Blitzen Trapper, Rasputina. Public Service Broadcasting (band)
|Katherine Blamire
Jessica Davies
Smoke Fairies is a British dream pop duo comprising Katherine Blamire and Jessica Davies.[1]
Blamire and Davies met at school in Sussex during the late 1990s. They spent 2002 in New Orleans, where they absorbed American blues music.[2] When they returned to England they discovered British folk music at the Sidmouth Folk Week Festival while working as car park attendants.[3] They later settled in Vancouver, Canada, for a year before returning to London to start performing.[4]
In 2007, Smoke Fairies toured the UK in support of Bryan Ferry and the following year they released their debut single, "Living with Ghosts", on Music for Heroes.[5] Richard Hawley was an early supporter of the act, saying they were "frankly the best thing I have heard in years".[6] They supported Hawley on his True Love's Gutter Tour of the UK in October 2009.[7]
In December 2009, Smoke Fairies became the first UK act to release a single on Jack White's label Third Man Records.[8] The double A-side single, "Gastown" / "River Song", was produced by Jack White who also played guitar and drums. Smoke Fairies performed at the 2010 South by South West (SXSW) festival in Texas[9] and supported Laura Marling on a month-long tour of the United States.[10]
They signed to V2 Records/Cooperative Music and released their debut album Through Low Light and Trees in September 2010,[11] latterly self-released in the United States in June 2011 via Year Seven Records.[12] The album was produced by long-term PJ Harvey collaborator Head and recorded at Sawmills Studio in Cornwall, United Kingdom.[12]
To promote the album the band was invited to record a live session for Marc Riley on BBC Radio 6.[13] And invited back for another session a few months later.[14] The duo also recorded a live session with their band for John Kennedy's "X-Posure" on XFM.[15] In November 2010, Smoke Fairies' recording of Neil Young's "Alabama" appeared on a special Mojo album to mark the approaching fortieth anniversary of Young's Harvest LP.[16]
The band embarked on its first headline tour of the UK – a sell-out – in January–February 2011[17] and performed at several festivals that summer, including Primavera Sound in Barcelona.[18] Before heading to the United States in June 2011 to perform at North by Northeast Festival and their own headline shows, returning again in August 2011 Jessica & Katherine toured the U.S. with Rasputina.[19] Smoke Fairies again returned to the US in October to play support for Blitzen Trapper and Dawes making their second coast-to-coast tour of the year.[20]
Smoke Fairies' follow-up album, Blood Speaks, was released on 21 May 2012,[21] again with a delayed release in the US of 23 April 2013.[22] Again produced by Head Blood Speaks was this time recorded in West London's Eastcote Studio and is inspired by London and by travelling.[23]
They also contributed vocals to the track Valentina, a tribute to Valentina Tereshkova - the first woman and the first civilian into space - on "The Race For Space", the second album by Public Service Broadcasting (band).
- Strange the Things (Concentrated / Concentrated People, 6 August 2007)[24]
- Through Low Light and Trees (UK: V2 / Cooperative Music, 6 September 2010. U.S.: Year Seven Records, June 2011)
- Also pressed as a limited edition on clear vinyl, available on the bands' US tour and via website. Initial edition of 250 followed by subsequent repress.
- Blood Speaks (V2 records, 21 May 2012)[21]
- Smoke Fairies (Full Time Hobby, 14 April 2014)[25]
- Wild Winter (Full Time Hobby, 12 December 2014)
- Ghosts: A Compilation of A Sides, B Sides and an EP from the Recent Past – marbled-vinyl and CD (UK, 453 Music, 2010); 12" marbled-vinyl special edition of 500 (U.S., 453 Music, March 2010) colour special addition Record Store Day pressing copies.
Singles and EPs[edit]
- "Living with Ghosts" / "Troubles" – 7" (Music for Heros, August 2008)
- Frozen Heart – 7" EP ("Frozen Heart", "Fences", "Morning Light", "We Had Lost Our Minds", "He's Moving On") (Music for Heros, July 2009)
- "Sunshine" / "When you Grow Old" – 7" (October 2009)
- "Gastown" / "River Song" – 7" limited edition of 150 on tri-colored vinyl; Texas-sized 8" limited edition (Third Man Records, September 2009)
- "Hotel Room" / "Human Concerns" – 7" limited edition of 300 (V2 / Cooperative Music) (2010)
- "Strange Moon Rising" / "Requiem" – 7" limited edition of 500 (V2 / Cooperative Music, 24 January 2011)
- "Strange Moon Rising" / "Alabama" – 7" limited UK tour edition (V2 / Cooperative Music) (24 Jan 2011)
- "Hotel Room" / "Strange Moon Rising" – 7" limited edition of 500 on blue-marbled vinyl (453 Music, 16 April 2011, World Record Store Day)
- "Storm Song" / "Storm Song Demo" – 7" limited edition of 500 (V2 / Cooperative Music, 16 May 2011)
Contributions to anthologies[edit]
- "Good Man" on Live at the Electroacoustic Club, Vol. 2 (Running Jump Records, 13 November 2006)
- "Troubles" on What's Kickin'?, Vol. 2 (Stove Pony, 14 May 2007)
- "Troubles" on Shivering Sands and Scavenging Birds (Thames Delta Recording Co., 14 October 2009)
- "Alabama" on Harvest Revisited (Promotional CD issued with Mojo Magazine, February 2011)
Guest appearances[edit]
- Backing vocals on Richard Hawley's False Lights from the Land EP (Mute Records, 7 June 2010)
- Backing vocals on Public Service Broadcasting's track Valentina off their "The Race for Space" album (2015)
- ^ Charlotte Cripps (2014-04-18). "Smoke fairies rekindle their fire: Listen exclusively to their new album - Features - Music". The Independent. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
- ^ Helen Martin, "Interview with the Smoke Fairies", Amelia's Magazine, 15 March 2011.
- ^ Phil Udell, "The Smoke Fairies in Conversation", Heineken.
- ^ Ben Umstead, "Interview with the Smoke Fairies", Slant Magazine, 18 July 2011.
- ^ Moff Gimmers "Review: Smoke Fairies", Electric Roulette, 23 June 2008.
- ^ Valerio Berdini, "Smoke Fairies", Live on 35mm. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
- ^ Matt Hopkinson, "Hawley and Smoke Fairies at the Lyceum, Sheffield", SoundsXP, 10 October 2009.
- ^ Chris Mugan, "Folk Heroines' Long Odyssey". The Independent, 20 August 2010.
- ^ "What SXSW did for us - Smoke Fairies | M Magazine M magazine: PRS for Music online magazine - PRS for Music Online Magazine". M-magazine.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
- ^ "US Tour Starts Today…". Laura Marling. 2010-05-04. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
- ^ David Sheppard, "Review: Through Low Light and Trees", BBC, 8 September 2010
- ^ a b Kevin O'Donnell, " Jack White Faves Smoke Fairies" Spin, 14 June 2011.
- ^ "BBC Radio 6 Music - Marc Riley, 07/10/2010". Bbc.co.uk. 2010-10-07. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
- ^ "BBC Radio 6 Music - Marc Riley, Smoke Fairies". Bbc.co.uk. 2011-01-25. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
- ^ "Xposure with John Kennedy | Monday to Thursday 10pm to 1am | Radio". XFM. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
- ^ "MOJO Issue 207 / February 2011". Mojo Magazine. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ^ Peter Robinson "This Week's New Live Music", The Guardian, 15 January 2011.
- ^ [1] Archived 24 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Brooklyn Vegan, " Smoke Fairies released an LP in the US, playing NXNE, NYC & shows w/ Rasputina (dates)" Brooklyn Vegan, 14 June 2011.
- ^ Riley Ubben,Blitzen Trapper and Dawes Announce Tour, Paste (magazine), August 2011.
- ^ a b James Christopher Monger (2012-05-21). "Blood Speaks - Smoke Fairies | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
- ^ "Reviews for Blood Speaks by Smoke Fairies". Metacritic. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
- ^ Piccadilly Records, " Blood Speaks - Smoke Fairies" Piccadilly Records, 21 May 2012.
- ^ "Strange the Things - Smoke Fairies | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. 2007-08-13. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
- ^ James Christopher Monger (2014-04-14). "Smoke Fairies - Smoke Fairies | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
External links[edit]


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Mets Sign Ex-Yankee Farnsworth to Minor League Deal
Around this time last year, the Mets took a chance on 40-year-old relief pitcher LaTroy Hawkins, hoping their small investment would net a large return. Hawkins emerged as perhaps the team's best setup man.
This season, with Hawkins having decamped to the Colorado Rockies, the Mets hope the strategy will work again. On Monday, the team signed right-hander Kyle Farnsworth to a minor-league contract, with an invitation to major-league spring training. Farnsworth will compete for a spot in a bullpen that ranked 22nd in baseball in 2013 with a 3.98 ERA.
Farnsworth, who will turn 38 in April, appeared in 48 games last season for the Tampa Bay Rays and Pittsburgh Pirates, compiling a 4.70 ERA. He underachieved in parts of three years with the Yankees from 2006-08, posting a 4.33 ERA after signing a $17 million deal. Farnsworth's best season came in 2011, when he saved a career-high 25 games for the Rays.
The question now becomes whether the Mets will look to further improve their perpetually beleaguered bullpen. Closer Bobby Parnell underwent neck surgery in September; his status for opening day remains unknown. The rest of the relief corps comprises mostly unproven commodities like Vic Black and Jeurys Familia.
The Mets could still pursue former Rays closer Fernando Rodney, who remains unsigned with the start of spring training less than two weeks away.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Day 14: We take care of our own Jun 20, 2015 | Uncategorized Friday night my 17-year-old twin son Mickael Josef wasn't feeling good after we went to see Jurassic World. I wasn't feeling great either. My 12-year-old son had talked us into purchasing the D-box seats for this particular showing of the new dinosaur hit movie; D-box... read more Day 13: Teach them to work Jun 19, 2015 | Uncategorized When I was growing up, we had a family friend named Brent and he used to say about my very German family: "In your house, you are only worth what you work." For me, that would not have made me worth very much since, compared with my sister, I was not the... read more Day 12: Go on outdoor adventures with your kids Jun 18, 2015 | Uncategorized Today is the fourth full day of summer vacation with our kids home from school. It is always a juggle to get into a rhythm with our summer days. Following in the footsteps of my friend Andee, I am giving my kids a week to just "chill" (as my twins call... read more Day 11: Talk about God Jun 17, 2015 | Uncategorized We were glued to the TV during the NBA finals these last weeks. I am a basketball fan and loved the adrenaline rush of this NBA finals series where Golden State and Cleveland duked it out. Then, after the heart racing series, it was of course the Golden State... read more Day 10: Show hospitality Jun 16, 2015 | Uncategorized The Other day, I came home too late from a meeting and my teenage twins were still up and one of their friends was over and they were playing x-box in our living room and it was really late and I was really tired and after my standard greeting of "Hello, how are you... read more Day 9: Say, "I am sorry" Jun 15, 2015 | Uncategorized "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."- 1 Peter 5:5 I messed up. Again. I overreacted toward my 17–year-old son the other day. I raised my voice. I made something a bigger deal than it was. After I did this, I felt so badly. I am a... read more Day 8: Support your family Jun 14, 2015 | Uncategorized Yesterday my husband and I drove an hour and a half away to attend the graduation ceremony of our niece Colette who was graduating from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business. We wanted to be there for family. It was so nice to be able to see... read more "If it's not on Facebook. . ." and other reasons I'm cutting back this summer Jun 14, 2015 | Social Media Did you know that on average (according to one study I found); women spend 81 minutes per day on Facebook? Mashable Facebook story And, men about 64 minutes. For women, that's 567 minutes a week, which is about 9 and a half hours a week. Originally I signed... read more Day 7: Be present with your kids Jun 13, 2015 | Uncategorized When I was a youth director at the church my husband were married in, I would visit different members of the youth group when they were hurt or had surgery. Pretty typical church-leadership-pastoral type of ministry. At the time, I was a newly married, 20-something... read more Day 6: Find reasons to Celebrate with your Children Jun 12, 2015 | Uncategorized It's the last day of school, time to celebrate. I took my 17–year-old twin sons out to Starbucks to celebrate this morning. At first one of my twins said, "No, it's okay, we don't have to go." But I countered, "Oh, Wes, I'd really like to take you and Micki... read more « Older Entries Next Entries » Search for: Connect with Cornelia Join the mailing list to receive the writings directly in your inbox! SUBSCRIBE! You have Successfully Subscribed! Find me also at: Recent Posts On the One-Year Anniversary of the Accident Cease Striving and know God is God We are so desperate for God Protected: Day 19: Tell your kids when others say nice things about them Protected: Day 18: Feed them Archives Archives Select Month January 2016 November 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009


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Engine Mechanical problem
1988 Ford Bronco 6 cyl Four Wheel Drive Automatic
I have a 1988 ford Bronco II 2.9 Fuel Injected.
It runs good until you hit between 3-4000 rpm's. Then it acts like it's not getting enough gas. I have replaced the fuel pump and the filter. Thanks for any advice you have. We are trying to fix this for our daughter to drive.
Friday, July 16th, 2010 AT 2:02 PM


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H.R.3683: To amend the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to improve United States-Israel energy cooperation, and for other purposes.
|Fred Upton, R-MI
|7 (4 Democrats, 3 Republicans)
|Dec. 10, 2013
|House Energy and Commerce; House Science, Space, and Technology; House Foreign Affairs
Research and development
Water quality
Energy research
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
International organizations and cooperation
Alternative and renewable resources
Energy efficiency and conservation
Middle East
Public-private cooperation
Water use and supply
Oil and gas
Advanced technology and technological innovations
Motor fuels
Research administration and funding
Technology transfer and commercialization
Computer security and identity theft
Bill Progress
- Bill introduced in the House
- Bill passed in the House
- Bill passed in the Senate
- Bill signed into law
Bill Actions
Last Action
|Feb. 5, 2014
|Reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 113-341, Part I.
|Dec. 9, 2013
|Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
|Dec. 9, 2013
|Referred to House Science, Space, and Technology
|Dec. 9, 2013
|Referred to House Energy and Commerce
|Dec. 9, 2013
|Referred to House Foreign Affairs
|Dec. 9, 2013
|Referred to House Foreign Affairs
|Dec. 9, 2013
|Referred to House Foreign Affairs


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Results 1 to 3 of 3
Thread: Brace yourselves...Ollabelle!
July 28th, 2011 08:57 AM #1Member
- Join Date
- Jul 2011
- Posts
- 47
Brace yourselves...Ollabelle!
My husband HATES it, but this has always been one of my most favorite names since I was little. It was the name of my Grandpa's sister. Just thought I'd throw it out there....anyone else like it? Unfortunately, I probably won't ever get the chance to use it! I also went on a historical tour and the 90 year old woman working there was called 'Johnnybelle'. Way too cute.
July 28th, 2011 09:02 AM #3
Re: Brace yourselves...Ollabelle!
Absolutely gorgeous - but way too cute! Maybe as a middle name? It's a shame you can't use it! I may even steal it for my guilty pleasure list!
Johnnybelle... hmm. I don't even know what to say!see my extensive name lists here & see my short film here
alba honey / wilfred leander
annabel briar / emmett cador
billie fenella / wilbur jack
rosemary iseabail / alec emmanuel
thomasin faye / baez casper
olivia, eighteen, future filmmaker and mama.
i live in england with a fluffy black cat, shura
July 28th, 2011 09:57 AM #5Senior Member
- Join Date
- Oct 2010
- Posts
- 1,276
Re: Brace yourselves...Ollabelle!
Ollabelle...goodness me, that's quite a name! I think it would be wonderful in the middle, I love wacky middle names, and as its a family name that certainly helps any raised eyebrows.


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For folks who have pianos for sale, what exactly do they offer to end users? This article is written to express some of the things you should expect from pianos on sales.
Playing a piano puts you in touch with tune, harmony and rhythm, and with the human note of emotions.
Pianos on sale should be able to look sturdy and be able to last a long time as typically the average lifetime of a piano is around forty years.
Pianos on sale should be affordable and though shouldn't be compromised for even a kid who's just starting out lessons.
Pianos on sales must be made with high quality materials.
They must be highly responsive and powerful. A top quality grand piano is always the best investment if the owner is targeting concert performances, or if space and budget are unlimited.
Pianos for sales can be between a grand one and a vertical one, leaving options to an end user to decide.
They can come in the size ranges of 36 to 51 inches in elevation and about 5 feet by 2 feet floor space. Some of the biggest of the verticals is the studio piano which are around 44 inches or much taller.
Sizes vary though; it's your choice that matters!


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Articles in Baking w/recipe
Apricots — the gorgeous, golden fruit that is blushed with pink by the early summer sun — arrived in Europe from the East, China, perhaps, or India. Later they made their way across the Atlantic to the New World in the pockets of 17th-century English settlers.
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» Expert advice for late-summer jam making
Apricots are now firmly established in continental climates on both sides of the pond — Mediterranean regions and California are noted producers — that offer the right combination of cold winters and intensely hot summers. Right now, in central Europe, my favorites are coming in from Switzerland's Valais region, where they bask in the sunbaked foothills of the Alps on the southern side of the River Rhone.
Sometimes — though not reliably — apricots are fine to eat raw, with the advantage that the pit or stone comes away cleanly from the flesh. You don't even need a knife: Just pull apart the two halves with a gentle tug, and the pit will come free.
All too often, though, they are either unripe or woolly. These are the ones to use in jam, or baked in a tart or baked in the oven with sugar and spice. You can compensate for their lack of ripeness by judicious sweetening, while woolliness works just fine in jam.
If your visit to the farmers market this week yielded an abundance of apricots, or you've been the lucky recipient of a tray of ripe fruit from a neighbor whose tree has fruited bountifully this month, turn them into jam, or bake them in a fragile pastry shell or poach them in juice with a scattering of fragrant cardamom seeds and serve them cold with ice cream.
Apricot Jam With Lavender
This lightly set jam sings of summer. Apricots, especially if fully ripe, have little pectin of their own. For this reason, it's best to use quick-setting jam sugar with added pectin, which ensures a good set in a shorter cooking time, thus preserving all the jam's fresh fruitiness.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes to bring up to a boil plus 5 to 10 minutes fast boiling
Total time: 30 to 35 minutes
Yield: Makes eight 1-pound (450 gram) jars.
4 1/2 pounds (2 kilograms) apricots
3 pounds, 5 ounces (1.5 kilograms) quick-setting jam sugar with added pectin
Juice of 1 lemon
8 fresh lavender sprigs
Put a saucer in the freezer for testing the jam later.
Cut apricots in half and remove the pits (stones). Cut in half again if very large.
Place apricots in a large preserving pan with the sugar, lemon juice and lavender sprigs. Stir to mix well and leave for a few hours or overnight until the juices run and the sugar is dissolved.
Bring the mixture up to a boil, stirring. From the moment it reaches a vigorous boil, count 5 minutes (be careful it doesn't boil over — reduce the heat a little if necessary). Then start testing for a set: Remove the saucer from the freezer, pour a little into the saucer, let it cool slightly and then draw your finger through the jam: A distinct channel should form, and remain formed. If it does, setting point has been reached; if not, give the jam a little longer — up to 5 minutes more — and test again.
Once the jam has reached setting point, transfer it into warm jam jars, cover tightly and label.
Apricot Tart With Redcurrants or Alpine Strawberries
Apricots make plenty of juice when baked, so take a page out of the Swiss bakers' books: Sprinkle a layer of ground nuts in the bottom of the pastry to give a waterproof layer, as well as great flavor and texture.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Yield: Makes 6 servings.
2 pounds (1 kilogram) apricots
1 8-ounce (225 grams) ready-rolled round of puff pastry or pie crust, or 8 ounces (225 grams) puff pastry or pie crust
A little butter for the pan
3 tablespoons ground almonds or hazelnuts
3 tablespoons granulated or light brown sugar or to taste
5 to 6 spays of redcurrants or a handful alpine strawberries for garnish
Icing sugar to dust the tart
Cut the apricots in half, remove the pits (stones), then cut in half again if very large.
Lightly butter a 12-inch (30-centimeter) quiche pan with removable base
Unwrap the round of puff or pie crust (or roll out the puff pastry or pie crust to a circle slightly larger than the quiche pan) and lay it in the buttered pan, pressing it gently into the corners with lightly floured knuckles.
Prick the pastry bottom with a fork and sprinkle with the ground nuts.
Arrange the apricots tightly in the pan in concentric circles, facing upwards, setting them up pertly like little cocked ears.
Sprinkle the fruit with sugar.
Heat the oven to 400 F (200 C) and bake the tart for 30 to 35 minutes or until the fruit is tinged with gold and the pastry golden-brown.
Remove tart from the oven and set it on a rack. Let it cool.
To serve, remove the outer ring from the pan, leaving the tart on its base, and place the tart on a serving plate. Garnish with redcurrant sprays or alpine strawberries and shake some icing sugar on top through a sieve or tea strainer.
Baked Apricots With Orange Juice and Cardamom Seeds
If you find the apricots scored at the farmers market are a little tart or not especially well-flavored, here's the way to go: Cut the fruit in half, bake them in orange juice with a sprinkling of sugar and some cardamom seeds, and serve well chilled with a sprinkling of chopped pistachios and lightly sweetened crème fraiche or vanilla ice cream.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 to 20 minutes
Total time: 20 to 25 minutes
Yield: Makes 6 servings.
2 pounds (1 kilogram) apricots
1 cup (250 milliliters) orange, grapefruit or pink grapefruit juice
6 to 8 cardamom pods, split, seeds only
4 to 5 tablespoons brown sugar
Vanilla ice cream or crème fraiche for serving
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped green pistachios (optional, for garnish)
Cut the apricots in half and discard the pits (stones).
Arrange them in one layer in a large ovenproof dish, cut sides down.
Pour on orange juice and sprinkle with cardamom seeds and sugar.
Heat oven to 425 F (220 C).
Bake the apricots until soft but not collapsed — 15 to 20 minutes depending on ripeness.
Remove from the oven.
Tip the juice into a shallow pan and boil down hard to reduce by half.
Pour reduced juice back over the apricots, let cool and then refrigerate.
To serve, arrange 3 to 5 apricot halves (depending on size) facedown in small bowls and spoon some juice over. Place a blob of crème fraiche or a scoop of ice cream in the middle and sprinkle with chopped pistachios if wished.
Main photo: Apricot Tart With Redcurrants or Alpine Strawberries. Credit: Copyright 2016 Sue Style
"My girls are laying so fast I can't keep up with them," Martha says. She has arrived at my door with another dozen eggs, fresh from her henhouse, no doubt laid within the past 24 hours.
In Italy an egg that fresh is a treasure. It's called a "uova da bere," a drinkable egg, and it's often turned into something called zabaglione, which is not perhaps what you think it is because it is not cooked at all. For this kind of zabaglione you use the freshest egg, preferably one still a little warm from the hen's body, and a good heaping teaspoonful of sugar. You beat the egg and the sugar together in a small bowl, using a fork or mini whisk, beating it steadily for about 10 or 15 minutes until the mixture is thick and syrupy. Sometimes a few drops of Marsala wine get beaten in as well. And then at breakfast you simply sip the lush, gooey mixture with a spoon, emitting little sighs of pleasure as you do so. (The egg-and-sugar sauce called zabaglione goes one step further and beats the mixture over — but not in — boiling water until it is thicker, almost like a runny pudding. It's delicious served with fresh seasonal berries, so keep it in mind for strawberry season, not many weeks away.)
Martha, however, is a down-to-earth Maine girl like me, and the very idea of a breakfast of sugar and raw eggs is not on her cultural horizon. Nor on mine. Leave that to the Italians.
A Mediterranean-inspired egg dish
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Instead, I decided to use the spring bounty of eggs to make a seasonal favorite from another part of the Mediterranean, the island of Crete.
Quick timeout for a food iconography lesson: Do you ever wonder at the association between Easter and eggs? When you think about hens and their lifestyle, it's pretty obvious. Hens stop laying in winter, when the daylight hours grow short, then start up again in spring. In the natural rhythm of things, eggs become plentiful precisely at this time of year, when the light is growing stronger day by day. So Easter, whether Catholic or Orthodox, is symbolized all over the Mediterranean by eggs as icons of rebirth. So why in our modern supermarkets do we have eggs all year round? Because our hens are exposed to artificial light, often 24 hours a day, and that keeps them going strong. Or not so strong, because they must usually be replaced after 18 to 24 months.
Make this recipe your own
Back to Crete, where sfougata, a combination of eggs, cheese and vegetables, somewhere between a soufflé and a frittata, is popular for all those times when household cooks are strapped to come up with something cheap, filling and delicious. In spring, that combination usually includes greens, but I could equally imagine doing this in the autumn with mushrooms or slivers of winter squash toasted in olive oil, and at the height of summer it would be delicious with fresh roasted peppers and little chunks of eggplant. But for spring, I did it with some delicate new spinach I picked up at the farmers market along with sliced zucchini. Quintessential to the flavor, it seems to me, is a handful of finely minced dill added at the very end, so the taste stays forward.
My advice? Make this once the way I've detailed below, then start to experiment, using leeks instead of spring onions, or a mixture of foraged and cultivated greens (dandelion greens, beet greens, chard, maybe even a little Chinese broccoli), or adding a couple of small diced potatoes to the skillet with the other vegetables. Another great spring vegetable combination, and very much in the Mediterranean spirit, would be asparagus and fava beans, if available, or fresh peas if not.
Let your imagination play with the recipe, and you'll find all sorts of uses for what could become fundamental to your repertoire — and a savior for all those times when you simply have run out of time and inspiration.
Although the total time listed is 1 1/2 hours, this can be broken down into manageable chunks. Make the vegetables ahead of time (even a day ahead), taking about 45 minutes, then mix up the eggs and cheese just before the meal, stir in the prepared vegetables, and bake for 25 minutes.
Sfougato of Zucchini and Spinach
Prep time: About 30 minutes.
Cook time: About 1 hour.
Total time: About 1 1/2 hours.
Yield: 4 servings as a main course, 6 as a starter.
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
5 or 6 spring onions, about 1/2 pound, including green tops, chopped to make 1 1/2 cups
1 pound zucchini (2 medium zucchini), thinly sliced, to make about 2 to 3 cups
6 ounces to 8 ounces fresh spinach, slivered (about 4 cups)
1 cup finely chopped fresh dill or finely chopped fresh mint, leaves only
6 eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
About 1 cup coarsely grated Cretan graviera cheese or Swiss gruyere (or use a mixture of gruyere and parmigiano reggiano)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of Middle Eastern red chili pepper
Heat half the olive oil in a big, heavy skillet over medium-low heat and gently sauté the onions until translucent, about 5 or 6 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook briefly. As soon as the zucchini slices start to soften, stir in the spinach, mixing thoroughly. If the pan seems a little dry, add 1/2 cup of water, cover the pan and cook gently until the spinach is softened and the zucchini slices are tender. If there are excess juices, raise the heat and cook rapidly to evaporate the extra liquid. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the dill, mixing well.
Use the remaining oil to grease the bottom of a rectangular oven dish that is approximately 11 inches by 8 inches. Heat the oven to 375 F.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the milk. Add the grated cheese and fold in the vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with a pinch of Middle Eastern red pepper flakes.
Pour the mixture into the oven dish and transfer to the hot oven. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the eggs are set and the top is nicely browned.
Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 or 15 minutes before serving. This dish can also be served at room temperature — a nice suggestion for lunch on a hot day.
Main image: Fresh eggs. Credit: Copyright 2016 Nancy Harmon Jenkins
Two hundred and one years ago today, Europe's glitterati were assembled in Vienna to dance, eat doughnuts and decide the fate of the world, not necessarily in that order.
The Congress of Vienna, as it was known, would make Davos seem like a convention of disheveled accountants. The 1815 Congress was attended by two matched sets of emperors and empresses, four kings, one queen, two crown princes, three princesses and armies of hangers-on.
Celebration of excess
Technically, the conference was political, meant to reestablish the Old World order, but most of the gossip was about who danced with whom, and who threw the swankiest Mardi Gras do. And during Carnival, no party was a party without great piles of jelly doughnuts or Faschingkrapfen, as the locals still call them. According to news reports, 8 to 10 million of Vienna's beloved doughnuts were eaten during the 1815 carnival season.
Fried dough is traditional in many Catholic countries during the topsy-turvy period of Carnival, when men dressed as women and sweet doughnuts replaced plain bread. There used to be at least some practical dimension to cooking your yeast dough in fat, since the lard used in most frying was to be off limits for the duration of Lent. It's one reason Shrove Tuesday is known is as Mardi Gras, or "Fat Tuesday."
The sin of gluttony
But there is also a theological dimension to indulging in the sin of gluttony. One of the undeniable charms of the Catholic faith is the ability to sin Friday night and repent the following day. With Carnival, that idea is writ large: There's no point in having six weeks of Lenten penitence if there's nothing to be penitent about — which is why the whole point of the Mardi Gras is excess, transgression or, to give it a theological dimension, sin.
And what could be more indulgent and sinful than a giant platter of fried, sugary dough balls? If you can include a little booze, as in the recipe that follows, so much the better.
Today's Austrians are still at it, celebrating the prelude to Lent by consuming vast amounts of fried dough, typically filled with jam, chocolate custard — or my favorite, a boozy custard variation flavored with an eggnog-like tipple called Eierlikör. Elsewhere in Europe, Carnival fritters take on myriad shapes and flavors, whether it's a twisted pastry, as they are in Lyons, France, or a boozy and fruit-filled fritter in Venice.
The habit was even imported to America. In Pennsylvania Dutch country, they make a doughnut called a fastnacht, the name deriving from a German word for Shrove Tuesday.
But few are as obsessed with the tradition as the Austrians. Viennese records attest to professional doughnut bakers existing in the 15th century. By the 1700s, we hear of Carnival doughnut shooting competitions, where the dough balls were catapulted into sky like clay pigeons. Apparently, the winner got to go home with a set of silver pistols.
(For more on doughnuts, see my book The Donut: History, Recipes, and Lore from Boston to Berlin.)
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When jam was a luxury item
It's hard to imagine today, but the likes of Smucker's used to be a luxury food — sugar-sweetened jam was the province of fancy confectioners. Accordingly, many "jelly" doughnuts were plain, or filled with some apple-sweetened concoction (fish guts was one favorite during the Middle Ages). In the decade before the famed doughnut congress, a really fine jelly-filled doughnut could cost as much as a multi-course dinner in a restaurant.
These days, the fried, jam-filled dough cushions are cheap and ubiquitous throughout Central Europe. Across Germany the recipe tends to be the same, but the names vary. In Bavaria, you will probably hear Krapfen (as in Austria), in Berlin Pfannkuchen is more common (elsewhere this might refer to a pancake) whereas to the west (though not in Berlin) they use the word Berliner.
President Doughnut?
The naming confusion led to the delightfully off-base urban legend about how in 1963, at the height of the cold war, John F. Kennedy stood before an adulatory crowd of 150,000 West Berliners and declared himself "ein Berliner." Or a jelly doughnut, according self-declared German grammar experts in the United States, who claimed that by including the article "ein" the President identified himself as a thing rather than a person.
Oddly, the story only first seems to crop up almost two decades after the fact, and would be repeated with ever more embellishment. As a quick troll through youtube.com will confirm, the president did, in fact, declare "Ich bin ein Berliner." But, as noted German linguist, Jürgen Eichhoff, points out, the speech was vetted by the president's German hosts, and it is perfectly fine German to declare your self in solidarity with the citizens of Berlin by declaring yourself, "ein Berliner."
It's a pity the speech took place in June. If the president had visited Southern Germany or Austria during Carnival and tasted even a tiny percentage of the cream and jelly doughnuts on offer, he may well have begun to resemble a jelly doughnut.
Carnival doughnuts with boozy cream filling (Eierlikör Krapfen)
You can fill these doughnuts with jam, chocolate custard, prune butter or even Nutella, all of which are commonplace in Austria. Lemon curd is delicious too, if not exactly traditional. Like all doughnuts, these are best served as fresh as possible.
Prep time: 40 minutes including custard
Rising time: About 1 hour, 15 minutes
Yield: About 2 dozen doughnuts
2 envelopes active dry yeast
1 ¾ ounce (about 3 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon) (divided) sugar
2 cups and 2 tablespoons (divided) lukewarm milk (about 105° F)
2 pounds 3 ounces (about 8 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
6 large egg yolks
3 ½ ounces (7 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
Large pinch of salt
Flour for the work surface
About 1 1/2 cup Eierlikör cream (see following recipe)
Oil or shortening for frying
Confectioners' sugar for dusting
- In a small bowl, stir together the yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/4 cup milk. Stir to dissolve. Stir in 2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) flour. Cover this "sponge" with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 20 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the yolks until frothy. Gradually, whisk in the melted butter. Stir in the zest.
- Transfer the risen sponge to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. On medium-low speed, beat in the egg mixture, the remainder of the milk and sugar then about half the flour. Switch to a dough hook attachment, gradually add the remaining flour and finally salt. Beat on medium-low speed until the dough is smooth, shiny and elastic. About 5 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and set on a floured surface. Knead very briefly to turn it into a ball. Set in a buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.
- On a floured surface roll the dough about 3/8 inch thick and using a 2 1/2-inch diameter cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out as many circles as you can. Gather up the scraps and roll out the dough one more time cutting out more circles. This is easier if you let gathered up scraps rest for 5 minutes before rerolling.
- Brush the edge of each round with water and mound a scant tablespoon of the cream in the middle of every other circle. Top each with the plain circle making sure the moistened edges touch. Press down on the edges spreading each doughnut slightly. Using the same 2 1/2-inch cookie or biscuit cutter dipped in flour, cut out each doughnut discarding the trimmings.
7. Brush doughnuts lightly with melted butter on each side. Set on a baking sheet lined with parchment and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise until they are about fifty percent larger, any more than that and they will expand too much during frying.
8. Heat at least 2 inches of oil in a deep pan to 350° F. Slide the doughnuts in one by one making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry until the underside is light brown, about 1 ½ minutes. Turn the doughnut and cook until the other side is brown, about 1 minute. There should be a pale "collar" around the middle of the doughnut where it floated above the fat. With a slotted spoon, lift out the cooked doughnuts and drain on a cooling rack set above a baking pan or on paper towels.
9. Dust with confectioner's sugar just before serving.
Eierlikör cream
Eierlikör is a liqueur somewhat similar to bottled eggnog, though boozier and noticeably absent of nutmeg. If you have some, omit the rum. Combine ¼ cup of the liqueur with 1 cup of milk and proceed with the recipe as written. Since the liqueur is sometimes hard to find, I have used rum instead though brandy or even a nice bourbon would work. If using rum, make sure it's aged and of a quality that's referred to as sipping rum, in other words complex enough to drink neat.
Yield: About 1 1/2 cup
1 cup whole milk
3 large egg yolks
4 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons good-quality rum
2 tablespoons corn starch
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a small, non-reactive saucepan, bring the milk to a bare simmer.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, rum, corn starch and vanilla until very smooth. Pour the milk into the egg yolks whisking continually.
- Pour the milk mixture into a small saucepan over low-ish heat. Stir continually until it just begins to bubble. Remove from heat and whisk until smooth. If necessary, press through a fine sieve. Transfer to a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard and refrigerate until firm. If the custard is too thick, whisk in a tablespoon or two of milk. At room temperature, it should be the consistency of pudding.
Main photo: These carnival doughnuts with boozy cream filling are dusted with confectioners' sugar and ready to eat. Credit: Copyright 2016 Michael Krondl
Having been married for more than two decades, I realize many factors contribute to the longevity of my marriage. Perhaps the most important is how my husband and I blend.
People often ask how we've done it, as if there is a secret. But there really is no secret. Just like the pairing of raspberry and chocolate, my husband and I are together despite our differences. We know how to compromise and work together, which we actually do most of the time.
Love is not "never having to say you're sorry." Chocolate is temperamental, so if you add the wrong amount of moisture from, say, fresh raspberries, you will have something to apologize about. But you get another chance. As in longtime relationships, you learn and grow.
Better together than apart
I love offering up treats that focus the partnership of raspberries and dark chocolate because of the magical synergy that makes them better together than individually.
In the past, dark chocolate was relegated to the lowest shelves in grocery stores. Over the last two decades, though, it has become very au courant. I would like to say that the only reason I give myself permission to eat dark chocolate is because of possible health benefits. But in truth, I like the taste. I find its bitterness to be complex and appealing.
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What makes dark chocolate dark?
Dark is only defined relative to all other chocolates. It's darker in comparison with milk or sweet chocolate candy bars. It has a higher percentage of cocoa, less milk fat and less sugar. The higher the cocoa percentage, the deeper and more intense the chocolate flavor. My favorite for baking and cooking is around 72%.
When choosing your dark chocolate, like choosing a mate, there are two more issues to consider: Where it was born and where (and how) it was processed. Dark chocolate is often labeled with the place of origin, the cocoa percentages and where it was processed. Climate and soil give chocolate its inherent nature, and that's part of its heritage. The style of preparation is also key. To many, Switzerland's chocolate production is the gold standard. In my book, it's equaled or even bettered by Belgian chocolate.
Equal partners
Lest you think that chocolate is the alpha dog of this relationship, raspberries are an equal partner. They are more than just juicy and lovely to behold. They are rich in cancer-fighting compounds and vitamin C, and full of fiber. They taste sweet — with a uniquely tart undertone and a deep complexity. Just like chocolate. Raspberries aren't mild-manned, singular sweetness, like the ever-affable strawberry or cherry. They are an assertive flavor in their own right.
Like any paramour partnership, each ingredient brings something unique and yet retains its distinctive character even as it blends with the other ingredients. Raspberries are juicy, but chocolate is silky. Both have a little sexy undertone that makes them interesting. Together they make a wondrous bite.
May they live happily ever after.
Chocolate and Raspberry Swirl Cookies
These charming swirl cookies, tucked, wrapped and snuggled like the spiral of a snail or a conch shell, are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The dough is oh-so-gently sweet, and the filling bursts with both the tartness of raspberry and a cacophony of rich chocolates. Like a good relationship, they contrast but support each other and together they create an enticing synergy. These cookies have one more touch of meaning: I developed them for my fantasy meal for Rashida Jones, an actress and writer I admire greatly. She is the co-author, co-producer and star of one of my favorite sad but sweetly tender and real films — "Celeste and Jesse Forever." I wanted to make a cookie that hinted at the Jewish facet of her identity, so these cookies are a bit rugelach-ish. These are simply a joy to eat and fun to make.
Yield: About 28 to 30 cookies
Prep and baking time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
1/2 cup (116 grams/4 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 sticks (¾ cup/170 grams/6 ounces/12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup (54 grams) dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon (1.5 grams) salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste (see Notes)
1 3/4 cups (228 grams) unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, very finely chopped
3 ounces milk chocolate, very finely chopped
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons water
1/4 cup brown turbinado sugar
1/2 teaspoon any large-crystal salt
1. Prepare the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or if you are using a hand-held mixer, in a large mixing bowl), combine the cream cheese and butter and mix until completely blended. Add the brown sugar and salt, and mix for 3 to 4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
2. Add the egg and mix well. Add the vanilla bean paste and mix well. Add the flour and mix just until fully combined. Prepare a large piece of plastic wrap and scrape the mixture onto it, wrap, shape into a rough square or rectangle and seal well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until fully chilled.
3. Wet a work surface with a few drops of water or a swipe of a wet paper towel. Quickly place a large piece (11 x 14 inches or larger) of parchment paper on top. It should stick. Dust the parchment paper very lightly with flour. Roll a rolling pin in the flour to coat it lightly. Place half of the dough on the floured parchment and roll it into a 6-by-9-inch rectangle that is 1/8 to 1/16 inch thick.
4. Using a pastry brush, coat the rectangle with raspberry jam, leaving a 1/2-inch border bare around the edges. Sprinkle the chocolates over the raspberry jam, distributing the pieces evenly. Position the parchment and dough so that the short side of the parchment is in front of you. Using the parchment, lift the short side of the dough up and over the filling, covering it by about 1/2 inch. Continue rolling to make a cylinder, rolling as tightly as you can. Place the roll on a large piece of plastic wrap and wrap well. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until fully chilled.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats and set aside.
6. Remove the rolled dough from the plastic wrap and, with a very sharp, long knife, cut it crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide slices. Place the cookies onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between the cookies.
7. Prepare an egg wash by beating the egg yolk and water gently in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, liberally brush the egg wash over the cookies, making sure to cover both the dough and filling. Sprinkle with the sugar and salt and bake (both sheets at once) for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheets before removing them, as the raspberry jelly will be very hot. They will crisp as they cool off.
1. Vanilla bean paste is a form of vanilla flavoring that is made from vanilla extract and vanilla bean powder (sometimes it's what's left over from producing the extract and sometimes fresh vanilla bean seeds), mixed with a binder such as sugar syrup, corn syrup or, in commercial preparations, xanthan gum. It has the consistency of a paste and an intense, distinctly vanilla flavor. It's available in well-stocked markets and online, but if you can't find it, use pure vanilla extract.
2. Turbinado sugar is a minimally processed, minimally refined sweetener made from cane sugar. Brown in color, it is often confused with brown sugar. Turbinado sugar, however, has a higher moisture content, which will make a difference in baking, so it's best to use the sugar that is called for in the recipe unless you are skilled enough to reduce another liquid in the ingredient list. With its large crystals, it's great for sugar toppings on cookies and other baked goods. Like demerara sugar, it is made by drying the juice of the sugar cane and then spinning it in a centrifuge to purify it. Store in a cool, dry place.
Main photo: These Chocolate and Raspberry Swirl cookies are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
The new year of 2016 is fast approaching. I am now trying to complete the tasks planned for this year but left unfinished, both business and personal. By doing so, I can welcome a new year as a fresh start.
This is what we do in Japan at the end of each year. But something has bothered me for long time, and I have let the years pass without fixing it in my kitchen. It is the croissant. In Japan, croissants are deeply rooted in our culinary culture and have been a part of my life, long before coming to America. So, this October I attended a class at the International Culinary Center in New York City on making authentic croissants. I can now start the new year with the proper croissant that I have dreamed of.
Falling in love with croissants
It was 30-some years ago when I first visited Paris and instantly fell in love with croissants. Flaky, crumbling, buttery croissants at small cafés in the city became my breakfast. I can still picture myself in the mornings, standing at a long counter bar in these cafés, staring at bottles of liquor and wine on the shelves behind the counter, and then biting into shattering layers of a crispy croissant. With small sips of strong coffee, I always reached for a second croissant in the always-full basket on the counter.
The richness of the butter stayed long in my stomach, but never enough to spoil my lunch. The real croissants back then were rather small (about 6 inches long), narrow, extremely brittle on the outside and airy inside. But today, this gem seems to have disappeared from the streets of Paris.
A bit of Paris in Tokyo
Now, let me take you to a very special place in Japan. There is a little patisserie called Aux Bon Vieux Temps near Oyamadai station southeast of central Tokyo. I lived near this station for about three years with my husband, Buzz. On one of our weekend walks, we happened to pass by a small, very French-looking pastry store. We entered and found that it was full of the highest quality authentic French breads, pastries and chocolates. The store became our Sunday breakfast pilgrimage destination — especially for very crisp, buttery, authentic croissants and a cup of very good coffee. Because of Aux Bon Vieux Temps, I no longer had to dream about the old croissants of Paris.
No shortcuts allowed
Chef Katsuhiko Kawata, the owner and pastry chef of Aux Bon Vieux Temps, has been making authentic croissants for years in Tokyo, while the super-sized, bread-like croissants have invaded France and America. Chef Kawata apprenticed and learned the art of baking croissants in his 20s in Paris. He is 70 years old today and still working in his kitchen. His approach to producing quality, artisan croissants and pastries is the same as that of classical music player. During every available minute, he practices his art and polishes his skills. Laziness and shortcuts are out.
On our most recent trip back to Paris, I was saddened by my encounters with ugly, fatty, dense and bread-like croissants at local cafés — the Americanization of the croissant in every aspect of quality had come to France. The use of industrial dough and shortcut baking processes may be among the reasons for this demise. However, last year in March, a very welcoming article appeared in the Wall Street Journal, "Welcome Back to Authentic Croissants in Paris," by Alexander Lobrano. That article inspired me. I should stop complaining about fake, fat croissants in the city and learn how much labor, time and care is necessary to bake a good croissant by myself.
Dough techniques
The croissant class taught by chef Mark Gerlach at the International Culinary Center was only a scant five hours in duration. The correct way to make croissants requires at least a full 48 hours, the chef said. In order for the students to engage in all processes of the preparation, we used dough that had been kneaded and rested in advance.
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Real croissants: It's in the dough
Here, from the class, are seven tips on how to make real croissants:
- Use quality ingredients.
- Dehydrate flour properly.
- Use butter with 83% fat.
- Proof the dough at a temperature of 68 F and humidity of 65-70%.
- Apply proper lamination technique (folding butter into dough multiple times to create very thin alternating layers of butter and dough).
- Roll out the dough into correct thickness and into the proper size and shape.
- And finally, bake it just to the state where crumbling and fluffiness meet.
Now I am committed to baking fabulous croissants in my kitchen to celebrate the start of an exciting new year. I shall start the project two days before I enjoy the end of this year properly with a bowl of traditional soba noodles on New Year's Eve. Maybe you will, too.
Croissant Dough
Instructions on creating the croissant can be found in many places, but here is how to make the dough.
Yield: About 1700g (18-21 croissants)
Prep and resting time: 3 1/2 hours
This recipe uses international measurements, because they are more precise — and precision is very important in this recipe. (Equivalents are 1 ounce = 28 grams and 1 pound = 453 grams.)
750 grams bread flour
15 grams salt
100 grams sugar
30 grams softened butter
38 grams fresh yeast
150 grams milk
285 grams water
345 grams butter
1. Mix the flour, salt, sugar, softened butter, yeast, milk and water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix them on low speed just to combine. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 5 minutes or until a smooth sticky dough comes together.
2. Oil the inside of a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 1 hour.
3. Remove the dough from the bowl and flatten it. Using a rolling pin, roll it out into a 12-inch square. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until it is between 50 and 60 degrees F.
4. Place a block of butter between sheets of parchment paper and, using a rolling pin, shape it into a 6-inch by 12-inch shape.
5. Place the butter in the center of the dough. Pull the parchment paper away from the butter. Wrap the dough around the butter, making sure that the dough completely covers the butter but does not overlap at the seam. Lightly pound the dough with a rolling pin to make the butter more extendable.
6. Roll the dough into about a 30-inch by 8-inch rectangle. Perform a double turn.
7. Rotate the dough and roll it again into 30-inch by 8-inch rectangle. Perform 1 single turn. Roll the dough into a 12-inch by 8-inch rectangle.
8. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 1 hour or overnight.
Main photo: The proper proofing of the croissant dough leads to a perfect result: fluffy and airy on the inside with brittle, crisp, butter-infused layers on the outside. Delicious! Credit: Copyright 2015 Hiroko Shimbo
Sugar cookies are as essential to the Christmas season as lighted trees, wrapping paper and "Jingle Bells." While there are as many varieties of holiday cookies as there are Christmas carols — from Linzer cookies to Mexican wedding cookies — I am talking here strictly about decorated sugar cookies.
I grew up with one grandmother in Boston and the other in Buffalo, New York. Their sugar cookies were as different as those two cities. My New England grandmother's were extra buttery and lightly baked, almost shortbread-like; my New York state grandmother's version was chewier and baked to a golden brown. Both were washed with egg white and showered with colored sprinkles before baking. I devoured both kinds with equal abandon.
How can there be so much variation in something as simple as a sugar cookie? This question hit me at a holiday party last year, when several friends brought their families' versions of this holiday classic. As I tasted each one, the cookies were as distinct as snowflakes.
Sugar cookie dough basics
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When it comes to sugar cookie recipes, the ingredients are universal: flour, baking powder or baking soda, butter, sugar, egg and vanilla (and sometimes milk). So, what causes all the variability?
I gathered a collection of five time-tested recipes and analyzed them. The biggest difference? Ratios, in baker's terms, or the proportions of the three main ingredients: flour, butter and sugar. These ingredients are the "structural" elements of the cookies, and the ratio of each building block is what makes each cookie unique.
The biggest determinant of taste and texture is the ratio of butter to flour. Among the five recipes, the highest butter percentage was more than 50% of the flour and the lowest came in at just more than 30%. The quantity of sugar also varied wildly from recipe to recipe; the most astonishing example was two recipes that each contained three cups of flour, but one of the recipes called for three times as much sugar as the other (1 1/2 cups compared with 1/2 cup). Any of these ratios largely affect whether cookies turn out cakier, chewier or more crumbly. Interestingly, all the other ingredient ratios, from eggs to baking powder, were more consistent across the board. But each minor change can result in such subtle differences as the flavor of salt or vanilla in the baked cookie. You can't know it until you taste it.
Baking know-how
The baker, too, introduces variability in such simple recipes as this, especially through measuring and mixing techniques. For example, there are two methods for measuring flour: scoop and sweep or dip. The scoop-and-sweep method has become a standard for recipe writers because it is more consistent. The "dip" method can often pack down the flour too much. Nowadays, more recipes include weights, encouraging bakers to use digital scales, which are more precise and eliminate the need for measuring cups altogether.
Similarly, during the mixing, many bakers falter in the first step of creaming the butter with the sugar. When mixed long enough — about 3 minutes at medium speed in a stand mixer — the butter aerates while the sugar creates the air pockets that the action of the baking powder or soda enlarge to produce the lightest baked treats.
Butter temperature is a third potential pitfall in sugar cookie production. The ideal is room temperature butter — spreadable but still solid, preserving the emulsion of water with butterfat. When it is too cold or too warm, the butter cannot aerate properly to give the dough good structure. The right temperature is also important for shaping and baking, so chilling the dough both after mixing and after cutting shapes makes the best-looking cookies.
All-around cookie dough
After I tested the five recipes and sampled them side by side with an open mind, I discovered that there is no such thing as a dud sugar cookie. The truth is, the ultimate sugar cookie is the one you like best, whether the recipe is from your grandmother, the local paper or Food52.
What truly makes the sugar cookie a standout — apart from its wonderful simplicity — is the fact that it is the most multitasking cookie of all. With one dough in your repertoire, it's possible to craft a whole dessert tray worth of distinct Christmas cookies.
Other than using sugar cookie dough for rolled and cut cookies, you can also shape it into sandwich cookies, thumbprints, bars or even slice-and-bake cookies from your freezer. You can flavor the dough with lemon or orange zest, spices like cardamom or nutmeg or almond flavoring — all to your taste. Or, mix in chopped nuts, dark chocolate or crystallized ginger.
When it comes to decorating cut-out sugar cookies, there are two camps: the sprinklers and the frosters. I am firmly in the colored sprinkles camp, both because of my Christmas cookie heritage and because I find most frostings make the whole endeavor too sweet.
No matter the recipe, the true goal is to celebrate the stellar pleasures of the sugar cookie that come but once a year.
Main photo: Cut-out sugar cookies decorated with sprinkles and frosting. Credit: Copyright 2015 Lynne Curry
Finally, there's an easy macaron that is as enticing as the French classic but can be made in less than half the time. French macarons can be intimidating. The method involves an Italian meringue that requires slow streaming of very hot syrup into egg whites while they're being whipped, a task that is always a little scary.
These cinnamon pecan macarons, which come from pastry chef Genevieve Gergis, co-owner and pastry chef at Bestia in downtown Los Angeles, don't call for the Italian meringue. Just fold a mix of ground pecans, powdered sugar, vanilla seeds and cinnamon into beaten egg whites and you're ready to pipe. The egg whites require an overnight rest, but that's nothing compared to the 48 hours that many traditional macaron recipes call for.
Gluten-free for the holidays
These are gluten-free cookies you can add to your usual Christmas repertoire. Macarons are a natural choice because they don't require any substitutions.
"Flour substitutes take away from the integrity of the original dessert. There are plenty of desserts out there that don't have gluten and never have," says Gergis, whose gluten-free desserts fall into that category.
The mix of ground pecans, sugar and cinnamon gives the almost-decadent cookies a texture and praline-like flavor that are unique. "They're like nutty, super chewy snickerdoodles," Gergis says. A creamy, unsweetened filling of mascarpone mixed with crème fraiche creates a perfect balance inside the sweet, moist, chewy masterpieces.
Genevieve Gergis' Cinnamon Pecan Macarons
Genevieve Gergis' Cinnamon Pecan Macarons
Prep time: 15 minutes plus overnight rest at room temperature for egg whites
Batter and baking time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 3 dozen 2-inch cookies
For the macarons:
A little under 7 large egg whites
2 3/4 cups pecans
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 vanilla bean, scraped
For the filling:
7 ounces mascarpone
1 ounce crème fraiche
To facilitate working with this batter, divide the ingredients in half and make two batches. Even if you don't choose to make two batches, grind the pecans and powdered sugar in two batches to avoid making pecan butter.
1. Put egg whites in a container, a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Cover with plastic wrap, pierce plastic wrap in several places and let stand at room temperature overnight.
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» Gluten-free Christmas cookies
» Gluten-free crusts for your holiday pies
2. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine half the pecans and half the powdered sugar. Pulse until pecans are finely ground, taking care not to turn them into butter (this is why you should pulse, rather than turn on the machine full tilt). Transfer to a bowl and repeat with remaining pecans and powdered sugar. Stir in cinnamon and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine granulated sugar, salt and vanilla seeds.
4. In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk or using electric beaters, beat egg whites on medium low speed until soft peaks form. Turn speed to medium and gradually add granulated sugar mixture, a tablespoon at a time. Beat to stiff but not dry peaks.
5. Carefully transfer egg whites to a very large bowl. A cup at a time, slowly fold in pecan/powdered sugar mix, taking care not to deflate egg whites (they will deflate a little no matter what). Resulting mixture will be thick.
6. Preheat oven to 225 F (200 F for convection) with rack positioned in middle. Fit a pastry bag with a 3/4 inch round tip. Line sheet pans with parchment and use a 2-inch cookie cutter and pencil to trace 2-inch circles on the parchment, leaving 1 inch between circles and staggering rows. Flip parchment over so macarons don't absorb pencil marks.
7. Holding pastry bag with tip pointed straight down, pipe 2-inch circles. Bake 10 minutes in a regular oven, 7 minutes in convection. Cookies should have a skin on surface. Remove from oven and turn heat up to 325 F for regular oven, 315 F for convection. Return to oven and bake 15 minutes. Cookies should be crisp on outside and soft on inside. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before removing from parchment.
8. Whip together the mascarpone and crème fraiche until smooth. Turn over half the macarons and place a teaspoonful of cream mixture on each bottom half, then top with another half and gently press together. For best results refrigerate overnight (but the macarons are also good right away). They will keep for a few days in the refrigerator. Don't stack them, but stand them side by side in a container or box.
Main photo: These pecan cinnamon macarons are easy to make for the holidays. Credit: Copyright 2015 Martha Rose Shulman
Recently, master baker Uri Scheft of Breads Bakery in New York and Lehamim Bakery in Tel Aviv shared this recipe for his pistachio financiers. Baked in small pyramid-shaped silicon molds, they are delicious.
What I liked best about the little cakes were their crispy edges. This made me think the batter would make delicious tuiles, those delicate, crisp buttery cookies that are draped over a rolling pin when they come out of the oven so that when they cool they're shaped like a roof tile.
I remembered that another great pastry chef, Sherry Yard, also uses cake batter for her tuiles; her recipe is in the pound cake chapter of her cookbook "The Secrets of Baking."
My instincts were right! The nutty, crisp, rich-tasting tuiles are fabulous and have great staying power.
You will need pistachio paste, which is available in baking supply stores, Middle Eastern markets and online. If you can't decide which to make, use half the batter for the financiers, refrigerate the other half overnight and the next day make tuiles.
Uri Scheft's Pistachio Financiers or Tuiles
Prep Time: 1 hour (add overnight rest for batter for tuiles)
Baking Time: 20 to 25 minutes for financiers; 1 hour 20 minutes for tuiles
Yield: 50 tuiles or petits fours
6 ounces butter, preferably French style, such as Plugrà
5 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup less 1 tablespoon almond flour (without skins)
1/3 cup potato flour (or potato starch), sifted
1 teaspoon dark rum
2 scant tablespoons pistachio paste
2 tablespoons chopped pistachios (optional)
1. Place butter in a small saucepan and melt over medium heat until solids have settled and butter is golden brown with a nutty aroma (the solids on bottom of pan will be a darker brown), 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a heat-proof measuring cup. You should have 2/3 cup melted butter. Allow to cool to lukewarm, 90 to 105 degrees F. This will take more than 30 minutes, but best not to chill in the refrigerator, as butter should be liquid when you add it to the batter. Meanwhile, weigh out remaining ingredients.
2. Combine egg whites and sugar in bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle and beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Stop and scrape down sides of bowl and beaters. Add almond flour and beat for 2 minutes at medium speed. Scrape down bowl and beaters.
3. Add cooled butter, including browned bits at bottom of pan, and beat at low speed for 1 minute. Add potato flour and beat at low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute. Scrape down bowl and beaters.
4. Add rum and pistachio paste and beat at medium-low until well combined.
Baking differences
For Financiers:
5. Preheat oven to 350 F, with rack in the middle. Line baking sheets with 1 1/2- x 1 1/2-inch pyramid-shaped silicon molds. Pipe or scoop batter into molds (I use a 1 1/4-inch scoop). Bake 20 to 25 minutes, switching sheets front to back halfway through, until cakes are dark brown on the edges and a tester comes out clean when inserted. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in molds for one hour. They will detach from molds easily once cool.
More from Zester Daily:
» Savor European-spiced cookies
» Making the most of yolks and egg whites in cookies
For Tuiles:
5. Cover batter tightly and refrigerate overnight for best results.
6. Remove batter from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 F with rack positioned in middle. Line sheet pans with silicone mats or with parchment. (Silicone mats are easiest to work with).
7. Using a 1 1/4-inch scoop or by tablespoons, scoop batter onto baking sheets leaving a good 2 1/2 inches between each one and staggering rows. If desired, sprinkle chopped pistachios on top. You will only be able to get about 8 to a sheet. For super thin tuiles, use a small offset spatula to spread batter. (It will spread anyway when you bake, but spreading it before results in very thin, lacy tuiles). Place in the oven and bake 10 minutes, or until golden brown on edges and beginning to color on top. Cookies will spread on baking sheets.
8. Meanwhile, place a rolling pin on your work surface propped against something so that it won't roll, or on a sheet pan, propped against edges. When cookies are ready, remove from oven and let sit on pan for 30 seconds to a minute, then slide an offset spatula under and drape each cookie while still pliable over rolling pin. They will curve and cool quickly. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. If cookies cool too much and are not pliable by the time you get the last ones off the baking sheet, place back in oven for 1 minute and they will soften up again. Repeat with remaining batter until all of it is used up.
Main photo: Uri Scheft's pistachio financiers are baked in small pyramid-shaped molds. Credit: Copyright 2015 Martha Rose Shulman


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DescriptionNew York, NY - $5 1902 Plain Back Fr. 606 Chatham Phenix NB & TC Ch. # 10778
The paper is still snappy on this Fine $5.
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Ryan Kwanten Shirtless in GQ
Regan Stephens
| August 18, 2009 - 2:04 am
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Ryan Kwanten
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Bovespa Gains as Homebuilders Advance on Interest-Rate Outlook
The Bovespa index rebounded from the biggest decline in a week as speculation that policy makers may further reduce borrowing costs in Brazil boosted companies that sell on credit.
Homebuilder Rossi Residencial SA was the best performer on the gauge as Brazilian swap rates declined after a report showed industrial output increased less than forecast in June. Oi SA plunged after the phone company's second-quarter earnings trailed analysts' estimates.
Brazil's benchmark equity gauge advanced 0.3 percent to 56,291.93 at the close in Sao Paulo. Thirty-eight stocks rose on the index while 29 fell. The real appreciated 0.6 percent to 2.0438 per U.S. dollar at 5:32 p.m. local time.
"The second quarter was a weak one when it comes to economic growth," Luis Gustavo Pereira, an analyst at Futura Corretora, said by phone from Sao Paulo. "Figures seem to support the central bank's strategy to lower interest rates to shore up growth."
Brazilian swap rates dropped after the national statistics agency said industrial production rose 0.2 percent in June. Economists had expected output to increase 0.8 percent from the previous month, according to the median of 41 estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Output fell 5.5 percent from a year ago.
Rossi added 8.6 percent to 5.05 reais. Competitor Cyrela Brazil Realty SA gained 4.9 percent to 15.53 reais. The BM&FBovespa Real Estate Index advanced 0.9 percent.
Fed 'Disappointed'
The Bovespa earlier gained as much as 1.1 percent and pared its advance after the Federal Reserve refrained from committing to further stimulus to boost growth in the U.S.
The Federal Open Market Committee said in a statement today that it will "closely monitor incoming information on economic and financial developments and will provide additional accommodation as needed to promote a stronger economic recovery and sustained improvement in labor market conditions in a context of price stability."
The statement "disappointed those who were expecting a stronger commitment to further stimulus measures," Joao Pedro Brugger, a portfolio manager at Leme Investimentos in Florianopolis, Brazil, said in a phone interview. "In the end, all the Fed said is that it's aware that the U.S. economy is slowing. It pledged to do something in the future if needed, but, for now, nothing."
Steelmakers dropped after an unexpected slowdown in Chinese manufacturing pushed metals lower, dimming the outlook for Brazilian producers.
Gerdau, CSN
Gerdau SA, Latin America's largest steelmaker, fell 3.2 percent to 18.03 reais. Smaller competitor Cia. Siderurgica Nacional SA dropped 3.3 percent to 10.18 reais. The Bloomberg Base Metals 3-Month Price Commodity Index slid 1.4 percent.
"China's numbers were slightly weak, which is especially bad for steelmakers and mining companies as it affects metals prices," Pedro Galdi, the chief strategist at Sao Paulo-based brokerage SLW Corretora, said in a phone interview.
China's purchasing manager's index dropped to 50.1 in July, the country's National Bureau of Statistics said in a statement, compared with a median forecast for a gain to 50.5 among 24 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News.
The Bovespa has dropped 18 percent from this year's high on March 13 as the debt crisis in Europe worsened and growth in Brazil faltered. The index trades at 10.6 times analysts' earnings estimates for the next four quarters, which compares with 10.5 for MSCI Inc.'s measure of 21 developing nations' equities, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
Trading volume was 6.05 billion reais ($2.96 billion) in stocks in Sao Paulo today, data compiled by Bloomberg show. That compares with a daily average of 7.2 billion reais this year through July 31, according to data compiled by the exchange.


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The How To Market a Restaurant eBook
7 Steps to Effective Restaurant Marketing
in Only 25 Minutes a Day
Inside How to Market a Restaurant:
■How to use a small advertising budget to have highly qualified customers walking through your doors. We'll use the same tactics and tools the Big Chains use without the Big Chain Expense.
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■How to use Social Media sites to create a Word-of-Mouth Machine that introduces new customers to your restaurant and helps convert existing customers in to Brand Ambassadors.
■From Guest Contributor, Micah Moore, a 20 year Restaurant Professional and Consultant, the simple steps you should take to lower your food costs for higher average profit per order.
Big Promises, Right?
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About Terri Hendrix
Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Terri Hendrix specializes in a contemporary folk that embraces country, pop, blues, and other influences. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, she left home to attend Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene on a vocal scholarship before transferring to Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos. While there she came under the influence of a local philanthropist, Marion Williamson, who owned a property in Hye, Texas called Wilory Farm. In exchange for working on the farm, Hendrix received voice and guitar lessons from Williamson and developed a friendship with her that lasted until Williamson's death from cancer in 1997. To honor her, Hendrix changed the name of her record label from Tycoon Cowgirl Records to Wilory Records and issued an album entitled Wilory Farm in 1998. Hendrix's previous album, Two Dollar Shoes, had received critical acclaim by that time, making her a local hit. Her versatile, folksy style was also featured on a 1999 live recording and 2000's Places in Between. The Ring followed in 2002, a year that also saw the artist performing at top festivals around the country, while the Dixie Chicks won a Grammy for "Lil' Jack Slade," a song she had co-written with them for their Home album. Hendrix's next album, The Art of Removing Wallpaper, arrived in the summer of 2004, with Celebrate the Difference arriving a year later. Still releasing music with her own Wilory Records, 2007's Spiritual Kind and Spiritual Kind on the Road, 2009's Left Over Alls, and 2010's Cry 'til You Laugh all demonstrated her savvy lyrics and often playful delivery.
She spent the next few years preparing what would be called "Project 5," a series of four new albums and a book, all thematically connected and scheduled for release throughout 2016. The first LP, Love You Strong, arrived in February, to be followed by Slaughterhouse Sessions, Who Is Ann?, Talk to a Human, and an autobiography that's been in the works since 2003. ~ Marcy Donelson & Stacia Proefrock, Rovi
Tour Dates
Jul 28 ThursdaySan Marcos, TX, US San Marcos Park
Jul 29 FridayDallas, TX, US Uncle Calvin's Coffeehouse
Jul 30 SaturdayOklahoma City, OK, US The Blue Door
Aug 05 FridayDallas, TX, US Uncle Calvin's Coffeehouse
Aug 07 SundayShreveport, LA, US Fairfield Studios
Aug 19 FridayLongview, TX, US Longview Museum of Fine Arts
Aug 20 SaturdayParis, TX, US That Guy's Coffee
Aug 21 SundayShreveport, LA, US Fairfield Studios
Aug 26 FridayGalveston, TX, US Old Quarter Acoustic Café
Sep 02 FridaySan Antonio, TX, US Unknown venue
Sep 02 FridaySan Antonio, TX, US Japanese Tea Gardens
Sep 09 FridayTaos, NM, US Kit Carson State Park
Sep 16 FridayCorpus Christi, TX, US The Churchyard
Sep 17 SaturdayMason, TX, US The Odeon Theater
Sep 30 FridayKerrville, TX, US Cailloux Activity Center Ballroom, Schreiner University
Oct 01 SaturdayPlantersville, TX, US Bernhardt Winery
Oct 08 SaturdayFort Worth, TX, US Live Oak Music Hall & Lounge
Oct 14 FridayAustin, TX, US Cactus Café, University of Texas
Oct 29 SaturdayBaton Rouge, LA, US Red Dragon Listening Room
Oct 30 SundayBaton Rouge, LA, US Unknown venue
Nov 06 SundayAustin, TX, US Catfish Concerts
Dec 17 SaturdayAustin, TX, US Armadillo Christmas Bazaar
Dec 18 SundayConroe, TX, US The Red Brick Tavern
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Steve has practiced law since 1994. He graduated from University of Oregon Law School where he served on the Managerial Board of the Oregon Law Review for two years.
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Sugar Cane 1953 Type II Modified Length Unsanforized Raw Denim Jacket
Back in the olden days, people wore their pants higher and their jackets shorter. As fashions have changed and waistlines…Read More
Our weekly exhaustive list of all the best menswear sales on the web.
We find the opposite of the best denim on the web.
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Electrical problem
1995 Land Rover Series 3 V8 Four Wheel Drive Automatic 53,000 miles
Key fob door entry system does not operate the door locks. The electric door locks work from inserting the key and turning it. Battery store said key fob battery was bad and replaced the battery. The door locks do not work from the remote control. Checked/tested fuses in fusebox underhood. All OK. Please advise where to go from here.
Thank you,
Lee Jones
Metrorail_Lee@msn. Com
Tuesday, April 28th, 2009 AT 1:59 PM


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This promo BIC custom pen will triple your exposure with this three-sided imprinted barrel.
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They go out of their way to make sure you enjoy your stay.The room are large well furnished and
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Photoshop CS5 Extended One-on-One: 3D Fundamentals
In the first installment of his new Photoshop Extended One-on-One series, Deke McClelland covers the basic techniques for working with 3D in Photoshop, showing how to create textured type and drawing objects that can be manipulated in 3D space. The course covers creating 3D type with Repoussé; moving, scaling, and rotating objects along the X, Y, and Z axes; applying materials to create believable textures; adding realism with lighting, shadows, and contrast; and more. Exercise files are included with the course.
- Creating basic 3D shapes
- Converting 2D art to 3D
- Using the Camera Rotate tool
- Cutting holes from shapes
- Rotating and positioning by the numbers
- Importing a model from Google SketchUp
- Assigning materials and lights
- Setting orientation and position
- Designing a custom bump map
- Modifying the attributes of a material
- Adding a person to a 3D scene
- Subjects:
- 3D + Animation Photography
- Software:
- Photoshop
- Author:
- Deke McClelland
Welcome to One-on-One
- Hi, I'm Deke McClelland. Hello, and welcome to Photoshop CS5 Extended One-on-One: 3D Fundamentals. The first installment in my four-part series on 3D in Photoshop. My purpose is to walk you through Photoshop's 3D features as if I were teaching them to you in a classroom, or corporate consulting environment. Except that instead of either of us getting lost in a sea of students, it's just you and me one on one.
Adobe sells two varieties of Photoshop CS5. The standard version, which offers no 3D features whatsoever, and the more expensive Extended version, which includes and astonishing wealth of 3D. You will need Photoshop CS5 Extended to follow along with this course. In this course, I'll show you how to assemble and create 3D objects, light those objects, and wrap them in materials, combine objects into scenes, and ray trace the scenes to create shadows and reflections.
I'll also show you how you can blend and mask your 3D scenes against photographic environments to create exquisitely realistic effects. In the mean time, the following introductory exercises are all about setting up Photoshop so that you and I achieve the same results. If you haven't yet worked your way through one of my standard Photoshop CS5 One-on-One series, please follow along with these movies. If you're a One-on-One veteran, you can skip these movies and make your way to chapter one which is called "What Photoshop CS5 Extended Can Do".
And that, frankly, is where the real fun begins. In either case, prepare yourself for a whole new world of opportunity in Photoshop.
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In October 2004 Chris Moyles and The Chris Moyles Show team went to Number One of the UK Official Download Chart with their charity single "Dogz Don't Kill People (Wabbitz Do)", a spoof of Goldie Lookin Chain's "Guns Don't Kill People, Rappers Do." The team went under the name of Mouldy Looking Stain and all proceeds from the single went to Comic Relief.
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