this year's first breakfast in the garden

As the leaves on the trees and bushes in my garden are still very, very tiny (nearly invisible) I photographed this camellia stolen from E.'s garden instead.

weekend links

On the first Friday of each month Heidi from FoodieCrush shares her 5 favourite foodblogs.  Have a look at these amazing pictures and recipes.

This photo inspired me to go out with my camera searching for the most beautiful places to have a picnic.

Knolling?  Always. Be. Knolling.

Daily Routines. How writers, artists and other interesting people organize their days.

"The eight Chapters of Ramen". If you love ramen, you'll love this video about the noodle-obsessed chef Ivan Orkin.

taste and texture: #8 Menu in White

Last colour, last menu of the March challenge with All I love

Menu

Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Black Pepper and Brie

Meringue hiding the first Rhubarb of the Season

Goat Milk

Any ideas for a new challenge ??

Grandpa's kilt

taste and texture: #7 Men(u) in Black

March challenge with All I love

Join in! Here's how to play

Black seems to be difficult, but in comparison to Yellow, Black is a waltz.

Menu

Mussels in white wine

Black grapes 

Espresso

magnolia sunset

neighbour's garden, Heidelberg

taste and texture: #6 Menu in Brown

March Challenge with All I love

Join in! Here's how to play

Menu

Chicken Satay with spicy peanut sauce

Chocolate ice cream

Expresso macchiato

Bon appétit!

taste and texture: #5 Menu in Green

March Challenge with All I love

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Menu  

Very Green Fish Stew *

Kiwi

Matcha Tea

*  David Tanis' Very Green Fish Stew has been terrific. Here's the recipe for you:

For the green sauce:

1 cup cilantro leaves

1 cup basil leaves

1/2 cup mint leaves 

a 2 inch piece of fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves

2 small serrano or fresh Thai chiles

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut, fresh, dried or frozen

a 4 inch of lemongrass, the tender center only

2 teaspoons fish sauce

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Ice water (optional)

To make the green sauce put all the ingredients in a blender.  Quickly process to make a smooth, thick puree, adding a little ice water if necessary. Taste and adjust the seasoning; it should be quite spicy.

For the fish:

1 1/2 pound firm white-fleshed fish

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons coconut or vegetable oil

2 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth or water

3 or 4 thinly sliced scallions

Lime wedges

Season the fish chunks slightly with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a wide and deep pan over medium heat. Add the fish and fry lightly for one minute on one side. Flip the fish and raise the heat to medium-high. Add the broth and half of the green sauce, then put on the lid and cook for two minutes. Gently stir in the remaining green sauce.

Ladle the stew into bowls, sprinkle with the scallions and serve with lime wedges.

Bon Appétit!

frenzy in the chicken coop

iPhone photo at  "Blumenschnecke"

taste and texture: #4 Menu in Yellow

March Challenge with All I love

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Sunrise Breakfast Menu

Pancakes sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon

Lemony Apple Sauce

Teapigs' White Tea

taste and texture: #3 Menu in Orange

March Challenge with All I love

Join in! Here's how to play

Sunny orange! Holiday feeling, the smell of seafood and peppers in the air!

To be honest,  Nancy and I begin asking ourselves why the hell we  established the rule to shoot "colour on white on white".  It's extremely difficult to get a decent photo. All too often the result is bland and flat. By now we are thirsting for props, for contrasts and for perspective.
At least  our challenge will be a tremendous learning experience.

Menu

King Crabs , hot peppers, garlic and olive oil

Oven roasted kumquats with vodka and honey

Freshly squeezed orange juice

favourite

Germany Today- exhibition at Deutsches Hygiene-Museum Dresden from March 8 to October 12, 2014

Yesterday  I happened to be part of the first group who has been guided through the exhibition "Das Neue Deutschland - Von Migration und Vielfalt" at Deutsches Hygiene-Museum Dresden. So, of course, I have to report you on it!  First of all, in order to avoid misunderstandings: nowadays  Hygiene-Museum does not deal anymore with  subjects of "hygiene" or "health care" in the strict sense of the word as it did back in the time of its foundation in 1912. Back then, the museum was meant to promote and democratize  hygiene, diet, healthcare and sanitary improvement.
Today the museum has turned into an open forum for discussion covering the cultural, social and scientific revolutions taking place in our society at the beginning of the 21st century.
Usually, the exhibitions at  Hygiene-Museum are planned and set up  in a way that touches all your senses to make the experience as real as possible.


Germany Today- Migration and Diversity

Entering the first room we are immersed in warm light, wooden boxes are piled up in form of a skyline, some of the boxes are topped with the landmarks of the world's big capitals. The Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, the Sidney Opera House among others: we are in the hall of desire for a better life.

What struck me most of the exhibition have been the two paths of crossing a border: one for the owners of a problem-free passport, easy, the sparkling world of commerce at immediate reach, cheering people in the arrival area.
The other path for asylum seekers, uncertain, difficult, hopeless, often a dead end street.

If you have the possibility you definitely should come and visit. There's so much more to learn and to experiment. About reciprocal prejudices, racism (open or hidden in the subconscious), religion, Saxonian history of migration, migration covered by the media over the last 50 years, migration in the big business "football", testimonials of immigrants living here....

Moreover, if you are further interested in the subject, I strongly recommend you to read Doug Saunders' Arrival City.

The exhibition ends in a large aerial room, where you find plenty of space to sit down and reflect. Whoever you are and wherever you stand, the questions displayed on the walls might help you to clear up your mind.

weekend links

1. Preparing for our Menu in Orange I found these enticing images.

2. Ingenious Karl! I also want to shop in the Chanel Supermarket.

3. A little bit late, but nevertheless: 30 Oscar worthy recipes by Hayley Teater

4. I love noisli

5. A very helpful tool: the colourcode website

Have a happy weekend!

taste and texture: #2 Menu in Red

March Challenge with All I Love

Here's how to play, join in!

Menu

Pizza Arrabiata with Spicy Goat Cheese, Tomatoes and Bell Peppers

Sweet little apple

Campari Soda

my favourite

simple and tasty, red is my friend!

taste and texture: #1 Menu in Pink

March Challenge with All I love. Here's how to play.

Pink remains difficult. Visualization not always corresponds to reality. Raw beetroot dyes beautifully pink, cooked beetroot earthily red (I should have remembered this from the last try). Plus, there should be allowed a third picture  "my favourite" (I'm going to revise the rules...)  Looking forward to red!

Menu  

Persian Flavoured Rice

Radishes in Vinaigrette

Wild-berry Yoghurt

Champagne "Fragole e Violeta"

my favourite

taste and texture: the March challenge

Talking about photography lately, Nancy and I thought that it was high time for a new challenge. Something really interesting. And fun. A project. Actually something like the menu series inspired by Sophie Calle's Chromatic Diet  I shot in March 2012.       .......

Why not repeat the chromatic diet together?! It didn't even take a minute to get both of us enthusiastic about the idea.

Only, this time we fancied to play it as a game. And we'd love it, if you joined in, dear readers, bloggers and instagramers from all over the world. Each one of us would choose their own  ingredients, would prepare the menus in their own kitchen, shoot the pictures and share them afterwards.
Come on, it's so much fun and creativity !

Here's how to play 

1. Prepare each week two menus starting with pink (because I totally struggled with the pink during my last monochromatic experience)
     - week 1: pink and red
     - week 2: orange and yellow
     - week 3: green and brown
     - week 4: black and white
2. Publish two pictures ( a third picture "my favourite" is optional)
Picture 1 introduces the colour (totally open, let your creativity run wild, don't feel restricted at all)
Picture 2 is the monochromatic menu ( now feel restricted, but soooo puristic and sophisticated)
     - the menu consists in a main course, a dessert and a beverage
     - shoot on white
     - use white tableware
     - no cutlery or napkins
     - no props
     - use a glass for the beverage
3.  from a culinary point of view your menu should be edible enjoyable
4.  though: extravaganzas are always welcome!
5.  You may skip a colour or join in only for the colour you like
6.  Hashtag your pictures #monochromaticmenu and share them on tumblr or instagram, share them in your blog and link back to us, or send us an email.

Can't wait to start!
xoxo  B. and N.