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love-takes-work · 5 years ago

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I’ve recreated every food in Steven Universe

OKAY I THINK I FINALLY DID IT

I FINALLY RECREATED EVERY RECIPE FROM THE SHOW

Sooooo . . . what did I miss?

Now it’s your turn to help me be sure I got them all. Your mission, should you choose to accept it:

Reblog this post suggesting a food from the show (with or without screencap; just enough so I can recognize it). The weirder the better.

I will respond to you with my photo of when I made that food.

If I can’t deliver, I will like send you $10 or draw you a SU fanart or something. (We’ll negotiate.)

I will accept asks instead of reblogs if you prefer.

It’s fine if you have a fairly common or easy suggestion and you just wanna see it. ;)

I’m offering this incentive because I really want some help combing the show for foods I might have forgotten! Your help is appreciated!

Edit: Adding responses. :D

Dog-Nut (Pilot!)

Classic Hot Dog (Intro)

Fry Bits (2 - “Laser Light Cannon” & others)

Together Breakfast (4 - “Together Breakfast”)

Popcorn for Onion (7 - “Bubble Buddies”)

Giant Strawberry (8 - “Serious Steven” & others)

Large Pizza, Extra Fishy (10 - “Steven’s Lion”)

Cereal to stop the Foot (11 - “Arcade Mania”)

Aqua Mexican Burrito (13 - “So Many Birthdays”)

Movie Snacks (17 - “Lion 2: The Movie”)

Crystal Lizards (17 - “Lion 2: The Movie”)

Hot Dogs & Hamburgers (18 - “Beach Party”)

Lars’s Lunch (20 - “Coach Steven”)

Fire Salt & Fire Salt Donuts (21 - “Joking Victim”)

Big Fat Zucchini with Linguine (22 - “Steven and the Stevens”)

Chaaaaps (23 - “Monster Buddies”)

Mi Torta (23 - “Monster Buddies”)

Durian Juice (24 - “An Indirect Kiss”)

Fish Kebabs & Giant Fish (30 - “Island Adventure”)

Cheeseball Cake (32 - “Fusion Cuisine”)

Breadsticks (32 - “Fusion Cuisine”)

Shrimp Appetizer (32 - “Fusion Cuisine”)

Onion Rings (33 - “Garnet’s Universe”)

Baby Melon (34 - “Watermelon Steven”)

Nice Spicey Pretzels (35 - “Lion 3: Straight to Video”)

Mama Sadie Lunch (35 - “Lion 3: Straight to Video”)

Garnet’s Chocolate Chip Cookies (37 - “Warp Tour”)

Mayo Sandwich (39 - “Future Vision”)

Bindle Lunches (40 - “On the Run”)

Marshmallows (42 - “Winter Forecast”)

Waffle Egg Sandwich (42 - “Winter Forecast”)

Caprese Salad (47 - “Shirt Club”)

Three-Way Sub (55 - “Say Uncle”)

Pizza Steve (55 - “Say Uncle”)

Tea and Cookies (55 - “Say Uncle”)

Pile of Food (57 - “Reformed”)

Snack Sushi (Season 2 Short - “Cooking With Lion”)

Biscuits & Jam (58 - “Sworn to the Sword”)

Smoothie & Orange Slices (58 - “Sworn to the Sword”)

Best Breakfast in the World (64 - “Keystone Motel”)

Noodles and Butter (65 - “Onion Friend”)

Potato Steven (65 - “Onion Friend”)

Lion Lickers (68 - “Nightmare Hospital”)

Amethyst’s Hoagie (79 - “Super Watermelon Island”)

Fresh Big Donut Donuts (84 - “Steven Floats”)

Guacola (85 - “Drop Beat Dad”)

Pepe’s Burgers (86 - “Mr. Greg”)

The Finest Steak and Brie (86 - “Mr. Greg”)

Corndogs (87 - “Too Short to Ride”)

Pizza Bagel & Fantastic Fries (90 - “Restaurant Wars”)

Fancy Orange Juice (93 - “Alone at Sea”)

PROTES Protein Bars (95 - “Gem Hunt”)

Pine Needle Tea (95 - ”Gem Hunt”)

Sugar Shock Shut Down (109 - “Last One Out of Beach City”)

Apple Sidra (109 - “Last One Out of Beach City”)

Gem Harvest & Wedding Cake (111-112 “Gem Harvest”)

Korean Lunch (114 - “Steven’s Dream”)

Zoo Fruit (117 - “The Zoo”)

Pumpkin-Shaped Pumpkin Bread (126 - “The Good Lars”)

Ube Roll (126 - “The Good Lars”)

Cool Kids Potluck (126 - “The Good Lars”)

Jungle Moon Alien Carcass (140 - “Jungle Moon”)

Meal for Stranded Humans (144 - “Lars’ Head”)

Everything Pizza (148 - “What’s Your Problem”)

Together Breakfast Wedding Cake (151-152- “Reunited”)

Bixbite’s Pizzas (SUF 2 - “Guidance”)

Snow Cones (SUF 2 - “Guidance”)

Crystal Drinks (SUF 3 - “Rose Buds”)

Carrot Bean Meal (SUF 3 - “Rose Buds”)

Tomato Soup on the Go (SUF 5 - “Bluebird”)

Clams, Peanut Butter, & a side of fresh-cut grass (SUF 5 - “Bluebird”)

Bluebird’s Cake (SUF 5 - “Bluebird”)

Fried Eggs (on Amethyst’s face) (SUF 7 - “Snow Day”)

Protein Shake (SUF 7 - “Snow Day”)

Spicy Chili (SUF 11 - “In Dreams”)

Together Forever Cake (SUF 13 - “Together Forever”)

Cookie Cat Ice Cream (SUF 14 - “Growing Pains”)

Cocoa (SUF 14 - “Growing Pains”)

Ice Cream a La Pie (SUF 15 - “Mr. Universe”)

Caveats and Rules (read if participating):

It counts as a recipe for the show only if it is eaten or to be eaten by a character (onscreen or implied to have been) or otherwise prominently featured. (e.g., Together Breakfast would count even though it was not eaten, but random food sitting around incidentally in a fridge or bake case does not count as a recipe.)

Food items that are only mentioned but not pictured don’t count.

Food items that are part of the background art don’t count unless they are significant or interacted with at some point. This includes mentioned or pictured items on restaurant menus.

Note: I HAVE actually made some things that have only been mentioned or pictured on menus! So feel free to suggest them if you really want to see if I made them! But for purposes of qualifying for a reward, I can’t commit to making the entire bake case, pizza joint menu, Spacetries display, or commercial cooler full of food if they’re more scenery than snacks.

If I have made an item once and it recurs, it doesn’t count as a different recipe if it appears in a different configuration in a later episode. (e.g., if I made an ube roll for “The Good Lars,” I don’t have to make a new one for Steven Universe: The Movie.)

Non-food items eaten by animals, monsters, and Amethyst do not count as recipes. (e.g., I do not consider it a recipe when the Big Bird from “Giant Woman” ate a goat and Steven. I do not consider it a recipe when Amethyst eats wrappers or garbage. Weird food she eats is OK. As long as it is food.)

YES, I count all qualifying food in Steven Universe, Steven Universe: The Movie, Steven Universe Future, and any official shorts as fair game.

NO, I do not count food in the comics, the video games, the official or tie-in books, Ronaldo’s blog, or the Crewniverse’s celebratory food as recipes I have to make.

There is a lot of generic popcorn, chips, and soda in this show. I don’t count it as a new recipe every time someone munches one of these as an incidental snack.

Very minor variations on common snacks don’t count as new recipes. (e.g., I don’t have to make every donut or flavor of Chaaaaps anyone was ever seen eating. Including variation options in my recipe is enough.)

Random messes made with food do not have to be recreated as recipes. (e.g., Onion smearing condiments all over the kitchen is not a recipe; pizzas that get destroyed or thrown around are not new recipes; Greg and Steven scattering food leavings around their Empire City hotel is not a recipe; a seagull with a banana peel on its head carrying pizza does not count; Steven scattering the contents of his kitchen on the floor while making Together Breakfast is not a recipe, etc.)

Yes, the foods will be prepared/arranged by me. In most cases they are homemade creations but in some cases store-bought elements will be used and that is also OK.

Food-shaped items that aren’t actually food are not recipes. (e.g., game controllers shaped like ham do not count. Crying Breakfast Friends are characters, not food.)

Things made out of food do not count unless they are eaten. (e.g., Fish Stew Pizza is required; Jenny made out out of pizza in Kiki’s dream is not.)

Vegetarian alternatives, facsimiles designed to look but not taste like certain foods, and ingredient substitutes are permissible. (e.g., vegetarian pepperoni on a pizza that was REAL pepperoni in the show is allowed; a non-fish substitute for a real dead fish is OK; dishes representing disgusting food that are secretly delicious are all right, etc.)

Thanks for your help. :)

#steven universe #steven universe food #su food #food #long post #myblog

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vitabenedetta-blog · 6 years ago

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Travel Eats

Good news! Traveling has been scientifically proven to increase happiness, decrease depression, and chill you the F out. While it is important to be grounded, traveling is a big part of finding out who you are and what environment fuels your inner fire. Plus, experiencing different cultures is invigorating AF. So for all of you that want to get out and explore the borders of this world, I have put together a travel eats guide to all the fabulous food from your home base and beyond. Enjoy!

The Guide

$: least expensive

$$$: most expensive

Apothik Food Truck $

La Crosse, WI

Calling all Lax residents! Apothik Food Truck is a must try during the summer and fall seasons. The lovely humans behind the truck value: supporting local businesses and farmers while serving up delicious food! The menu changes each week to reflect seasonality and availability of different ingredients, so if you see something you like on the menu, make sure to get it while you can. You can find them at the Cameron’s Park farmer’s market, affordable and in walking distance for all you fellow college students.☺

My go-to: CHEESY MAC!

5 Cheese Sauce, Diced Tasso Ham, Fresh Herbs, Crispy Crumble, Diced Bacon

CINCO DE TACO

Chipotle Chicken, Chopped Kale, Roasted Hot Sauce, Lime Cilantro Crème, Pineapple Pico De Gallo, Melted Pepper Jack, Corn Tortilla

The Mint $$

La Crosse, WI

Oh you fancy huh? The aesthetics at The Mint are on point. Everything from the furniture, to the glassware, and to the food is practically flawless. Toto, I don’t think we are in La Crosse, WI anymore. This is truly an experience you do not want to miss out on. Teaming with The Root Note, The Mint is a farm to table restaurant serving up all the local goods right to your plate. If you are on a budget, I highly recommend taking advantage of Sunday Craft Cocktail night. The craft cocktails are only $5 and appetizers are on sale.

My go-to: CHARCUTERIE/CHEESE

Chef’s Daily Selections, Pickles, Mustard, Bread

A LITTLE ROSY

Letherbee Gin, Grapefruit Crema, Grapefruit, Rosemary Syrup, Peychaud’s Bitters

NAKED AND FAMOUS

Vida Mezcal, Yellow Chartreuse, Aperitivo Select, Lime

Howie’s On La Crosse $

La Crosse, WI

A La Crosse classic (most likely right outside your door step). Howie’s has great grub, drinks, games, staff, and an awesome patio. If you have not been I am honestly concerned. Oh, and do I even need to mention the bloody mary bar. YUM! Happy Hour is the perfect time to put down your schoolwork and head over for some student deals. I mean we are only students for four years, so we might as well soak up the discounts while we can. You are bound to run into some of your classmates working at Howie’s and most likely some of your professors throwing one back at the bar. There are enough TV’s at Howie’s that you will never miss a second of your favorite games.

My go-to: THE ALL AMERICAN

Cheddar Cheese, Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion, Garlic Mayo, Sweet Potato Fries

STRAWBERRY MARGARITA

Ecker’s Apple Farm $

La Crosse, WI

Because what is better than a caramel apple tossed in M&M’s? Ecker’s Apple Farm is stunning to say the least. Plan on spending the afternoon. With a beer garden, live music, apple picking, yard games, and plenty of grub you are not going to want to leave. Their mission is to bring you unique, quality craft beers from around the country and serve them up cold while you take in the view of the beautiful farm. I’M DOWN. It is a fall destination in La Crosse.

My go-to: M&M CARAMEL APPLE

APPLE PIE AND ICE CREAM

Black Coffee and Waffle Bar $$

Minneapolis, MN

Did someone say waffles? These waffles are like no other. They are seriously FUNKY and out of this world. The interior of Black Coffee and Waffle Bar provides an awesome space for students to chillax and enjoy a drink and a waffle. I mean, what could be finer? Every month they introduce a new specialty waffle. I promise, the drive is worth the overpriced waffle and the Instagram picture that comes with it!

My go-to: STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE

Cheesecake, Strawberries, Graham Crackers, Whipped Cream

Hola Arepa $$

Saint Paul, MN

Started from a food truck now we here. The vibes up in this joint will take you away on a Latin destination vacation. The specialty here: Venezuelan stuffed arepas! Arepas are made from cornmeal dough, formed into patties and cooked on a griddle. Then, they are stuffed with meats, veggies, cheeses, and topped with homemade salsas! Their mission is to make food from scratch with a whole lot of love. I recommend sitting on the patio in the sunshine!

My go-to: FRIED BRUSSEL SPROUTS

Tamarind Vinaigrette, Housemade Chorizo Sausage, Pepitas, Caramelized Onion Jam, Manchego, Radish

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN AREPA

Tomato, Sweet Corn Salsa, Citrus Onion, Radish, Arugula, Chipotle Aioli, Yuca Fries

Pig Ate My Pizza $$

Robbinsdale, MN

Besides like the cutest name for a pizza place ever, Pig Ate My Pizza was named one of the best pizza places in the US by Time and Food & Wine magazines! They are serving up rotating craft pizzas and over 16 local tap brews! The atmosphere is unexplainably awesome, so you will have to go check this one out yourself. Checkout their website for a little sneak peak (the marketing is phenomenal).

My go-to: PIGGY PIE

Deep Dish Meat Lovers! Brioche Crust, Pork Lovers Sausage, Pepperoni, Bacon Emulsion, Toasted Black Pepper Fennel, Oregano

Velvet Taco $

Chicago, IL

Let’s taco bout it people! In the heart of the windy city, Velvet Taco is a counter service setting, whipping up some of the most BOMB margaritas and tacos on this planet. With over twenty varieties of tacos, they will assure that you have never had a taco like this. At Velvet Taco, food is art. Let’s go, the flavors await.

My go-to: FISH N’ CHIPS

Curry Mayo, Malted French Fires, House Shred, Beer Battered Atlantic Cod, Pea Tendrils, Flour Tortilla

BUFFALO CHICKEN

Crisp Tenders, House Buffalo Sauce, Danish Bleu Cheese, Ranch Crema, Carrots, Micro Celery, Flour Tortilla

Real Good Juice Co. $$$

Chicago, IL

Itching for something a little healthier to cure your Sunday scaries? You have found the place. Real Good Juice Co. serves up good juices and smoothies that are organic and locally sourced. The juices are cold pressed which means they retain 100% of the enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. The company is a huge supporter of Chicago’s Old Town community and contributes a percentage of juice sales to local charities! They don’t stop at serving juice. They also sell bowls, a variety of toasts, salads, and shots. It’s a Win Win.

My go-to: YUM YUM IN MY TUM TUM

Banana, Cacao, Almond Butter, Almond Milk, Honey

Firecakes Donuts $$

Chicago, IL

Hellzzz to the yeah! These donuts are on fire! Firecakes believes that everyone can use a sweet treat to get them through the day. With the craziest flavors, your taste buds will be wanting more. These donuts are fried in a large cast iron pot of oil over an open fire and sprinkled with all the sugar and goods one could ask for. They even have gluten free and vegan donuts!

My go-to: DONUT ICE CREAM SANDWICH

Summer House Santa Monica $$$

Chicago, IL

An escape to the warmth and laid-back vibes of the West Coast. The atmosphere is beachy AF. They promise that no matter the season, no matter the weather, you will be transported to the warmth of California at Summer House. I felt like I was Serena van der Woodsen from Gossip Girl, no lie. If you have ever dreamed of your bridal shower, this is that dream. To be honest I barely paid attention to my meal, I was too caught up looking around at all the VIBES.

My go-to: RICKY BOBBY

Hank’s Vodka, Fresh Grapefruit Juice, Lime, Strawberry Air

San Giorgio Pizzeria $$

Milwaukee, WI

Neapolitan pizza dough, made fresh in seconds, right before your eyes in a wood-fired oven! I have had a lot of pizza in my life, and this is by far my favorite. That is saying something people, you must go. The chef sits five feet in front of your table while throwing dough and firing up some incredible ZAA. Head Chef Gino Fazzari made this an unforgettable experience (he even bought my boyfriend and I special shots on the house). I would go back a million times.

My go-to: MARIA CARMELLA

San Marzano Tomato, Fresh Fior Di Latte Mozzarella, Prosciutto, Fresh Basil, Arugula, Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Logan House Coffee Co. $

Denver, CO

The vibes are too real people. This place is like an indoor farmer’s market. Make sure you give yourself enough time to really explore. The staff members are super DOPE and are jazzed about talking coffee with customers.

My go-to: NUTELLA LATTE WITH ALMOND MILK

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory $

Vail, CO

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! You will never want to get ice cream elsewhere after trying Rocky Mountain. This is mainly because of the cones. Have you ever seen something so beautiful? In the heart of Vail Village you will feel like the cutest snow bunny with one of these cones in hand and the mountains right above your head. If you are a chocoholic you NEED to check this out.

Blue Moose Pizza $$

Vail, CO

Want to eat pizza while looking out at the Vail Village Slopes? Yeah, me too. This was some of the most exotic pizza I have ever had. Flavor overload in the best way possible. If you go during off-season you won’t even have to wait for a table.

My go-to: AUTUMN PIZZA

Sautéed Mushrooms, Truffle Oil, Parsley, Parmesan, Garlic, Olive Oil, Mozzarella, Goat Cheese

Finale

Now that your taste buds are basically exploding, it is time to get out and explore. Gas up your vehicle, book that plane ticket and Airbnb and be on your way. The flavors await! If you try any of my suggestions make sure to tag #vitabenedetta and let me know about the fabulous foods.

Until next time. What are some of your favorite travel eats? Comment below.

#mkt400uwl

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juniorformulamotorsport · 7 years ago

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Saturday September 23rd – Day 1, Victor’s Fine Dining by Christian Bau

And so to dinner on the very first day of the holiday. I’m not sure why but I was a bit surprised on looking at dining options for the hotel to discover that in addition to a hotel restaurant, and a bistro-type establishment, there was also a 3-Michelin starred restaurant in the original Renaissance castle, Schloss Berg, and that when I made the hotel booking I was also able to get a table for our stay. It’s rare that one finds oneself in a position to be able to afford 3-star dining AND be able to get a table so it would have been extremely churlish not to put ourselves in the hands of chef Christian Baumann for the night…

A bit of prior research enabled me to learn that Herr Baumann has in recent years developed a style of cooking much influenced by a trip to Japan and an apparent obsession thereafter with Japanese ingredients fused with local specialities. As we walked across to the rather imposing entrance, it looked like we were in for a treat for both the eyes and the tastebuds.

The space itself is quite subdued, with dark wood, white walls and some tastefully restrained oriental ornaments. We were quickly seated, given a glass of sekt, and handed the menus to decide where we wanted to go with our evening.

We quite quickly decided that the “Japan Meets Mosel” tasting menu, with matching wines from the renowned Markus Molitor vineyards was the only sensible thing to do if we wanted to get the most out of the experience.

The ensuing Prolog was surprising in its range, and almost felt like a menu in its own right. It was certainly far more food than we were expecting to be served prior to the actual menu. The first three of a series of elaborate small dishes were duck liver with smoked eel and green apple, “Fjörd” which was shrimps with algae, tapioca and grapefruit, and carrot, calpico (a Japanese soft drink) and mild Madras curry. They were delicate, beautifully presented hits of distinct flavours, classily set and a glorious start.

Even better was the ‘cornet’ of organic beef tartar, with smoked fish crème and caviar, like a tiny meaty ice cream cone, cute, tasty, and almost absurdly cute.

The skill on display continued to amaze with a glorious, minute tian of brown crab with dashi melon, kimizu (a Japanese egg and rice vinegar dressing) and bonito vinegar, the rich seafood flavour making me wish for a much bigger portion. It’s fair to say I could have quite happily eaten a main course sized portion of that.

And there was yet more to come before we got as far as the actual menu. The penultimate prolog dish was a stunningly good piece of salmon, the fish sourced from the Färöe Islands, and served with a shiso marinade and a cucumber sorbet with rice vinegar.

And just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, a rich creamy little bowlful of pleasure arrived in the shape of a lukewarm quail’s egg yolk with truffled cream spinach and Jabugo Bellota ham scattered over it.

Oh and just in case we were feeling a bit peckish still, a small. crunchy crusted loaf arrived with plenty of butter.

Throughout the prolog we drank a dry, slaty, full-bodied 2011 Markus Molitor Graacher Domprobst, Riesling Kabinett Trocken.

Suitably softened up, and feeling very well disposed towards the kitchen, we now launched into the first dish on the actual menu, Japanese yellow fin mackerel (served with daikon, jalapeno, and a granitée of green vegetables). The fish was wonderful, meltingly soft, its oily nature offset by the heat of the jalapeño.

This was accompanied by a more recent wine, the off dry 2015 Markus Molitor Bernkasteler Badstube, Riesling Kabinett Feinherb, another lovely wine from just slightly along the river from Graach, and another place we would be spending time over the next 12 days.

From here we moved on to another seafood dish, this time blue lobster (or obster as the English menu we were presented with later to take home had it) with carrot with ginger, calamondin, and a coriander bisque. It was as pretty as a picture, and much more delicious than it had any right to be, the lobster plump and juicy and tasting of the sea, with heat from the ginger and a lovely citrussy edge to it provided by the calamondin gel wrapped in sweet carrot slices. It’s got me looking at the calamondin plant in our conservatory (rescued from the throw out section of a hardware store several years ago at the cost of 99p) in a new light as the latest crop of tiny fruits begin to set.

This was served alongside a 2009 Markus Molitor Bernkasteler Lay, Riesling Auslese Trocken**, a perfect foil to the glorious meaty lobster.

We stayed with fish for the Bar de Ligne (Version 2017), a piece of sea bass served with barbecued eel, aubergine, okra, and a kojyu vinaigrette. I’m a sucker for anything with eel to be honest, and I love sea bass so this was in many ways the perfect dish for me, and managed the unexpected feat of making okra not just palatable, but actually tasty.

The sea bass was served with a 2012 Markus Molitor Wehlener Klosterberg, Pinot Blanc***. I’m not going to attempt to describe it apart from to say I’ve drunk Burgundys that were nowhere near as good or as complex.

And now it was time for Luma-Beef, a dry aged piece of sirloin barbecued, along with oxtail, corn-structures and black garlic. The meat, oh gods, the meat! The piece of sirloin was wonderful, tender, rich, melting in the mouth. If that’s what dry-aged beef tastes like I’m all in favour of it. The dish was stunningly simple in many ways, but the complexity of flavour suggested an awful lot of prep had gone into the accompaniments, particularly the rich, gelatinous oxtail.

The wine choice was again perfect, a 2007 Markus Molitor Brauneberger Mandelgraben, Pinot Noir** Selection Anniversaire, fruity, rich, just the right wine for the meat.

We were now out of the savoury courses and into another area where the kitchen clearly excels (and seems to have fun too) with a pre-dessert called simply a Japanese Moment on the menu, but which more informatively turned out to be a dish of jasmine, mangosteen, matcha and shiso, a pretty little confection that could still make you want to dive in with a spoon, despite the amount of food we had already consumed.

This is clearly the work of a brigade operating at the highest level, and the love for food shines through with every mouthful. The wines now were trending towards the more traditional style of Riesling, with a fabulous example of the type in the shape of a 2009 Markus Molitor Bernkasteler Lay, Riesling Auslese**. We continued with this wine for the next course too.

We now found ourselves at the final item on the menu, the Banana Split (Reloaded). described as a dessert of banana, cream, Tahiti vanilla and Valrhona Grand Cru chocolate. It’s fair to say the description utterly fails to do it justice. It’s a riot of a dessert, a completely deranged take on a frankly rather dull original. This is a banana split made sexy. The sheer look of the plate is a reproach to any other banana split anywhere on the planet. Just look at the beauty of the chocolate here! The glossy spheres! The caramelised banana! Seriously, this really is the best dessert I think I’ve ever encountered.

And that, we figured, would be that. We turned down coffee, opting instead for fruit tea (it was now gone 11pm and we did need to sleep) so didn’t expect to be faced with more food. However, the kitchen was not done showing off yet! And so we were presented with a selection of “Sweet Playthings”, a huge selection of them…

There were, in no particular order, Black Forest cherries, a praline of Japanese cherry blossom [Sakura] which was apparently produced in cooperation with Dominique Persoone, who is considered by many to be the best chocolatier in the world, a yuzu-foam kiss, a pistachio financier, a raspberry fruit jelly with aged balsamic, spiced coffee ganache with calamondin, nougat de Montelimar and a new style “joghurette”. Despite having been at dinner for over four hours we valiantly set about the treats in front of us because they were simply too amazing to resist!

And so, full of good food, and delighted with the service (Yildiz Bau, the restaurant manager and coincidentally Christian’s wife is lovely, friendly, warm and full of good humour, and the sommelier, Nina Mann, is a treasure in her own right, informed and informative, and also prepared to go out of her way, providing us with a list of her favourite vineyards in the area, complete with contact details) we staggered back to the hotel for the night, heavier of waistline by several pounds it felt, and lighter of wallet by several hundred Euros. Was it worth it? My god, yes!

Before we left we were handed personalised copies of the menu each, which is always a nice touch. Anyway, for those of you who are interested, this is what three star dining looks like! I don’t suppose we’ll do it again in the near future, but at least we got to do it.

Food 2017 – Victor’s Fine Dining by Christian Bau, Moselle Road Trip, Day 1 Saturday September 23rd - Day 1, Victor's Fine Dining by Christian Bau And so to dinner on the very first day of the holiday.

#Cooking #Dinners #Food #Germany #Michelin Guide #Michelin Stars #Nennig #Restaurants #Rheinland-Pfalz #Travel #Wine

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statusreview · 6 years ago

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Fourth of July Party Recipes, Ideas, & General Insanity

Every year on Instagram Stories I share photos from our friend’s insanely over-the-top party for the Fourth of July. And each year we gets tons of requests for a post with all the photos and links to the recipes she uses, so we’re finally giving the people what they want. Our friend Justine has been hosting these backyard soirees for years – and the only way to describe them would be: EXTRA. And we love her for it. She and her husband John basically just throw this huge party every year for all of us to gather and hang out with our kids and each other. It’s such a great time of year to get together (not as hard with schedules as things around the holidays for example) and when the party ends, her prep for the following year begins. Just kidding. But maybe not…

Let’s dive right in. Each year she sets up a sun tent and decorates it to create a makeshift photo booth with some fabric, sparkly red tulle, and a banner along the back.

Now lean into your screen and really soak up this next sentence, because the success of a DIY photobooth hinges on this single solitary tip: SHE HAS THE BEST PROPS. Every July there are more of them on the little table off to the side for us to choose from. This year there were wigs and beards in addition to all of the oversized glasses and hats and giant inflatable gloves. She says whenever she sees something on sale after the 4th she grabs it for next year, so that’s how the collection keeps growing.

It should come as no surprise to longtime readers that Justine is the one who, instead of a traditional baby gift, offered to make the cupcakes for our daughter’s 4th birthday party (just a few weeks after our son was born). She turned out the most amazing stack of custom decorated treats. BECAUSE SHE ONLY HAS ONE PARTY MODE AND IT’S BEAST MODE. Which explains why she can’t resist large inflatable presidents to greet guests on the hanging daybed on her back porch, for example.

Yes, all of the kids tackled them and smacked each other with them in the yard. And yes it was hilarious.

She also made this cute wooden sign a few years ago that comes out each July. It says things like “food”, “waterslide”, “drinks”, “photobooth”, etc. Are you thinking “this party is almost like a wedding!” – because if so, you are starting to get it. It has snowballed, so every year she has so many things to break out that feel festive and hilarious and even more over the top than the year before. At this point the party momentum cannot be stopped and can only be appreciated with an Abraham-Lincoln hat-tip, which of course is on the prop table.

Speaking of fun, she always rents a two story waterslide for the kids (and the adults, once we have enough jello shooters) because… well, SHE IS THAT DEDICATED TO FUN. The waterslide really takes things to the next level when you record slow-mo videos of other adults attempting tricks like barrel rolls and flips. Five stars, would recommend.

As for other things to do, there are epic cornhole tournaments – and in case it wasn’t obvious, much like Puffy demands that everyone wear white to his parties, Justine demands that we wear red, white, and blue to her gathering each year. There’s even a series of prizes for certain costume categories (we had a big winner in our family this year when it came to an extremely patriotic swimsuit & towel combo).

This is Justine-the-host’s outfit. THAT’S AT LEAST FIVE HUNDRED FLAIR POINTS, GUYS. She decorated those flip-flips herself with ribbon. I know. Commitment level: 1000.

There’s also a leather sofa in the middle of the grass. Obviously for photo ops and general hanging out. It’s pretty much full of people the entire night long. It also makes for a great place to spectate/heckle the cornhole players.

Justine also does things like rolling silverware in bandanas and tying them with twine BECAUSE THAT’S WHO SHE IS AS A PERSON. She actually confessed to me that each year she has a ton of these left over, so they’re not that high maintenance. Note: her definition of high maintenance might be slightly different than other people’s based on her ALL IN level of party-throwing.

The food is always fun and we actually do a pot luck thing so it’s not too much on Justine & John’s shoulders. We each bring a side dish for everyone to share and meat for our own family for the grill. Also, note the sock and shoe combination here. Just saying. We do not mess around when it comes to our costumes.

Since around 20-30 people come each year, there’s always a giant amount of food – and a lot of it ends up being themed. Blue corn chips with red salsa for example, or this bean dip with little olives and tomatoes to make a flag (it’s just a layer of refried beans, a layer of guacamole, a layer of cheese, and a layer of sour cream with the tomatoes and olives on top).

These mozzarella, basil, and tomato skewers are another example of the good eats that feel sort of themed (the blueberries add some blue, right?). Add some salt and pepper, drizzle them with balsamic glaze, and thank me later ;)

We always bring what I affectionately call “pigs in a blanket,” which I’ve learned are called “Lil’ Smokies” here in Virginia. Still getting used to that name. The kids love them though – they’re always completely gone by the end of the night.

The drinks are also, to borrow a term from Lil’ Wayne: “off the chain.” These are jello shooters, for example – and the cherry is so clever because if you pull the stem it lifts the shooter out of the cup so you can suck it down and remark how amazing the hostess is. Here is a kid-friendly recipe without any alcohol (just add vodka if you want them to be true jello shots).

Justine also made these awesome red, white, and blue smoothies for the kids – all of whom raved about them except for one non-fruit-loving child. Let the record state that cute straws and the little jelly jars are the key to a ridiculous amount of serving flare, so do with that information what you will.

And you can’t have a big ol’ gathering without red, white, and blue margaritas for the grown ups. It should be noted that because I helped in the kitchen, these weren’t as beautiful as they should have been. We think if we added more ice to thicken them that the red, white, and blue layers would have been more distinct. But as Justine’s husband John so eloquently stated, “we were going for margarita speed over margarita perfection.” Here’s the recipe for ya.

One of the biggest reveals of the night (there are usually 3-5 of these surprises because JUSTINE DOES NOT MESS AROUND) were these waffle cones that she had individually decorated with red white and blue melted chocolate and sprinkles. THE KIDS WENT HAM FOR THESE.

Also, I thought her use of the teal blue milk crates was so adorable and asked if she saw that on Pinterest and she said she had been standing in her daughter’s room and looked at them and thought “those would be perfect for my cones!” which floored me. I mean this woman clearly has her own version of Pinterest running in her brain 24/7.

One other thing on the menu that I would definitely highly recommend was this amazing dessert called “Berry Lasagne” that Justine whipped up:

Yes, that’s a white chocolate drizzle that she added right before bringing it out. And let the record state that any party that required me to drizzle white chocolate during the actual party would lead to me breathing into a paper bag in the kitchen, but Justine just has that party expert gene. Here’s the recipe for the berry lasagne, and here’s a shot of it all sliced and served on a patriotic plate:

After all the food and drinks (and competitive watersliding), we gather on the back porch and the patio to watch the fireworks that Justine’s husband John takes a ton of pride in.

Every year they get bigger and more insane (they’re legal here in Virginia for all of the Northerners wondering – I had to get used to that when I moved to VA). There’s always a fire extinguisher nearby and it only had to be used one epic time when the table very slowly caught fire after the fireworks ended.

So that’s Justin & John’s completely over-the-top and SO MUCH FUN annual party. Hope the recipes and photos come in handy for anyone else who is walking around with their own personal Pinterest running through their brain. I always get a little mushy during the fireworks because it’s so rare to get together with friends and family that you love – so it’s such a treat to have these awesomely festive and completely committed friends to get us all in one place to enjoy each other’s company every year. WE LOVE YOU J&J! Thanks for ALL THE MEMORIES (and all the photobooth props).

P.S. Wanna see the most extra thing I’ve ever done for a patriotic party? Here’s a watermelon trick I learned years ago (John looks like a baby in that first picture).

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endlessarchite · 6 years ago