Monday-Yumday: Tomato and Avocado overdose

I think I already mentioned in a previous food post how much I liked avocado, didn't I? Because if I didn't then let me tell you now: I'm an avocado freak!

I can actually remember the first time I found avocado on my plate. This was at my best friend's place and we were having dinner. As a starter they served us plain avocado slices with a lemon and pepper mayonnaise. Believe it or not, that night I didn't even touch the plate because I was convinced I wouldn't like it. I gave the entire plate to my friend who devoured it (now I know why). If I could only take it back...I still regret that decision.

So now, after discovering that I actually like it (a LOT) I'm always adding a few slices here and there or make a delicious guacamole to snack while watching a movie.

A few weeks ago, I thought I would add something else and decided to make tomato bruschetta. I'm not going to copy the guacamole recipe, because the one I do is extremely simple and plain and you probably have your own version. But for the bruschetta I used the following version:

Tomato Bruschetta
(by Williams-Sonoma)

#chefK comments:

+ extremely easy to prepare
+ ideal when you're having guests

(-) make sure that the crust of the bread you use isn't very hard already, because after putting it in the oven it will get too hard (not good for the teeth!)
(-) I will definitely do this one again, but next time I will use large tomatoes and cut them into small pieces. The cherry tomatoes ended up being to big for the bruschetta.

Perfect snacks for a movie night

An extra pinch of avocado for aficionados: did you say avocado beer??

Weekly RoundUp - #workworkwork

Via Explore Fashion from NatGeo

Tonight I will be leaving again but this time for work. It's been hectic and I probably won't be able to post during next week, but I will do my best. You know...work is work.

And no, I'm not flying to NYC for FW. My destination is Europe, again!

Have a great weekend!! See you soon :)


There's something about macro photography that I admire.

Truffle hunting has gone to the dogs.

We have grumpy car, lil bub and now apparently we also have the disappointed cat.

Best booth idea I've seen so far.

Mustache facts.

Tiny hats for cats.

Top 10 dishes in Seoul (via VSL).

Still smiling.

Men do Makeup: hilarious.

How to be a New Yorker tips.

What do flowers symbolise.


An extra pinch of nasty food: beware of the top 30 worst foods in the US.

Lost in thought: Analog Photography

So this is what happened:
Two days ago as I was making my daily blog rounds, when I suddenly came across this one post with pictures that had been taken with an analog camera. It then hit me for the first time in years. We are so immersed in this world that's becoming more digital by the hour, that we forget that old things also have their beauty.
I was amazed by the quality of these film pictures. Both the digital and analog where extraordinary, but after so many years of only seeing digital (mostly on a screen, because let's face it...how many pictures have you printed out and put in albums in the last few years? yes, I thought so too) I was blown away by the quality, the retro-flair and the fact of having a hard copy on my hand.

Since then (that means, these past two days and probably today as well) I've been reading and reading about the pros and cons, the costs, the best cameras, etc. You know, the thorough investigation you make when you want to buy electronic devices.

My mother is an amateur gone semi-pro photographer that has been shooting B&W with her analog camera and developing her own pictures. As almost everyone nowadays, she also owns a digital camera (DSLR) and goes crazy while traveling or on holidays. Like the rest of us, she then comes home with thousands of pictures that have to be filtered, deleted or slightly improved. Of course it's very easy to share them with the world and you have a big list of other benefits that have come with digital cameras.
But then you always have to make sure to have a back-up, because we've all already experienced that moment where our computer all of a sudden decides it's a good moment to stop working. Wonderful times!!

I have a digital camera, that at first accompanied me everywhere. But now, my iPhone has become my best friend when it comes to taking pictures. The other one is too heavy to carry around every time (and it's not even a DSLR).
What to do...I'm really tempted. I would have to take out all of my notes from the photography seminar I took a while ago, because analog means manual. But this means taking photography more as an art and in another pace, instead of shooting 300 pictures a day. And I would only use it for special occasions that I consider worth of having on paper and with that quality (so that I won't end up broke after a few months).

What do you think? Do you have one? Do you know someone who shoots analog?

(via devianART)

Thoughts swirling around in my head...

Monday-Yumday: Pecorino-crusted chicken + Mushroom salad

From my first couple of recipes I tried out here you can tell that I went crazy on Bon Appetit's website.

I remember when downloading this particular recipe and deciding that I wanted to try it out, I wasn't too convinced about it. Not because it was too complicated (because it's completely the opposite), but the chicken with mayonnaise and cheese? I had my doubts. 

The pictures are from the 2nd time I made this dish, because my husband loved it so much that I came back to it the last time I wasn't feeling very creative in the kitchen. This time I made some changes though and adapted it to use some ingredients I had at home.

I hope you enjoy it!!

Pecorino-crusted Chicken and Mushroom Salad
(by Bon Appetit)

#chefK comments:

+ another easy and quick dish
+ the first time I strictly followed all the ingredients, but this time I decided I would replace the parsley for coriander. For someone that isn't a parsley fan, great alternative!
+ if you're not sure about eating raw mushrooms, let me tell you that after 30'+ marinating you wouldn't believe that they're raw
+ despite of doubting the mayo+chicken+cheese mix, when ready there's no trace of the mayonnaise

(-) the first time I prepared the chicken, I had sliced it too thin so that the more I waited for the cheese to get brown, the drier the chicken got
(-) if you have hungry men at home, make more mushrooms. Dry mushroom portions look enough, but once they're humid (=after marinating in liquids) you'll see only half of the portion

Result: Pecorino-crusted chicken with mushroom salad

Enjoy!!

Happy September!

I'm already sitting in the office and I know you are still enjoying your lovely weekend (ugh...so not fair)!!

Today a new month starts. Can you believe we're already in September? SEPTEMBER?? The 9th month of the year??
The older I get, the faster the days, months, years pass by. We better enjoy every second we get, right?

Enjoy this funny remake of "Blurred Lines" with Jimmy Fallon and The Roots with classroom instruments. And it sounds amazing!!