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Table of contents 5
What’s Up, Sweet Paul?
7
Contributors
10
Recipe Monday
12
Keep Your Eye On
16
Gorg-Wanna Handmade
18
My Happy Dish
20
Yes We Can!
24
Crafty Friday
26
Gorg-Wanna Design
28
Make Your Own Paper
32
Make Them Eat Cookies
37
Cupcake
39
Will’s Picks
42
Wine
44
From Mormor’s Kitchen
46
Gorg-Wanna Kids
48
Woof
features 52
Natural Christmas
64
Jewelry
72
Big Cookies in a Small World
80
Winter Cooking
92
My Favorite Photographers
112
Pack It Up
118
Wreaths
126
Finger Food
134
Tartan
148
Greens
156
Holiday Treats
160
Divine Chocolate
166
Sweet Paul Workshop
170
Pantry Confections SWE E T PAUL WI NT E R 201 1 | 3
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What’s up sweet paul? The holidays are on us again, and once more we are supposed to follow old and new traditions. I’m all about making my own traditions and making them up as I go. Instead of a wreath on my door or a Christmas tree, there is just one tradition I have taken with me wherever I am in the world. I always set aside one night mid December. I send my man to the movies or something, so there is just me and the dog. My dining room table will be filled with paper, ribbons, labels, and everything I need to wrap gifts and write Christmas cards. Forties Christmas songs will be played, Charlie Brown will be on the telly, and some sort of cocktail will be made. As the night goes on the cocktail pitcher gets more and more empty and the pile of gifts and cards gets higher. I usually cry a little over the people in my life that are no longer here, and finally I will fall asleep on the couch in a pile of ribbons and paper. Thank God there is only the dog to witness my holiday shame. My dear friends, wherever in the world you are and whatever traditions you have, I wish you all a safe and happy holiday and a fab new year. Lots of love.
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Contributors
What gets you in the holiday spirit?
ALEXANDRA GRABLEWSKI Photographer, New York As soon as they start putting out the evergreens for sale on the streets, and the city smells like pine, my mind goes to Christmas. One of my favorite things about the season are the scents–the trees, the baking, spiced wine or cider simmering on the stove... it just puts me in a great mood.
MOLLY SHUSTER Food Stylist, New York Snow. Wooly hats and scarves. An open fire. Roasted chestnuts. A tree dressed in lights. Mariah Carey’s Christmas album. And some mistletoe, if I am lucky.
COLIN COOKE Photographer, New York Sitting in a comfortable chair, cat in my lap, in front of a fire with a wintery drink close by...
LAURA KATHLEEN MAIZE Copy Editor, Toronto Homemade chai lattes, ginger cookies, and the Charlie Brown Christmas album.
JIM HENSLEY Photographer and Writer, Oslo When I was a kid in Miami we would go buy a tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. We never found one already packed out, so the poor man would have unpack many trees for my indecisive family. One year a packed in tree... which probably came from the hills North Carolina... dropped a handful of snow on our sneakers when he cut the cord. It was the only time we saw real snow in Miami. My sister balled it up and threw it at me. Now, in Norway, snow and cold are really the first signs of the holiday season. It’s a good excuse for staying indoors as the first snow falls, and then being amazed the next morning at the sight of a new-born world.
DANA GALLAGHER Photographer, New York I love Christmas time. Pulling out Christmas decorations, preparing for our annual Christmas party (which now takes place on Christmas eve.) We always cut down our own tree with a group of friends in upstate NY. My daughter Imogen and I have a kid crafting party every holiday season for all her friends where we make ornaments for their parents and grandparents. It’s December mayhem–cooking and crafting for about a month around our house and then come Christmas day we just lay around and stuff ourselves!
STURLA BAKKEN Photographer, Oslo Time off from work, snow, Christmas carols, shopping for presents and preparing good food, all contribute to the wonderful feeling of Christmas. But the best part is when my two boys and I go up in the attic to get our old cardboard boxes of Christmas ornaments. The excitement is tangible, when we check the boxes in the dark to see if the mice have feasted on them since last year. “No, no mice this year either,” we call downstairs, and then we all decorate for Christmas
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CONTRIBUTORS
FRANCES JANISCH Photographer, New York When all the Christmas trees start appearing on the corners, and the weather has turned really cold, and the city begins to put on its Christmas sparkle... that’s when I really feel the Christmas spirit.
KEVIN NORRIS Photographer, New York I’m in the Christmas spirit once my nieces and nephews start asking about Santa Claus!
ANDREW PURCELL Photographer, New York A nice walk around NYC with a cool winter chill.
CARRIE PURCELL Food Stylist, New York Smells of baking coming from the kitchen, a fire in the fireplace, and a cozy blanket to cuddle on the couch while watching A Christmas Story gets me in the holiday spirit!
NELLIE WILLIAMS Graphic Designer, Chicago Watching my favorite Christmas movies. I start every year on Thanksgiving night with It’s a Wonderful life.
JOLINE RIVERA Art Director, Chicago I get in the holiday spirit the minute it starts to snow!
HECTOR SANCHEZ Photographer, New York The smell of spruce trees for sale all over the city really gets me in the mood for the holidays. I’ve been known to pull on a branch as I pass a tree vendor so that I have needles to sniff for a few blocks....
ELLEN SILVERMAN Photographer, New York Hearing the pop of a cork of a chilled bottle of champagne immediately fills me with the holiday spirit!
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CONTRIBUTORS
WILL TAYLOR Writer, London Strolling London’s Southbank, with a mulled wine in hand, the twinkling white lights strung from the lamp posts above, and the distant sound of carols being sung–it doesn’t get more festive than that in the city!
MELINA HAMMER Photographer, New York The opportunity to spend time eating great food and sharing in my family’s traditions is the best. The aromas of a leg of lamb roasting away and my mother’s glögg simmering on the stove, and bringing out all the antique ornaments from my grandmother’s collection to display around the house. Definitely a cherished time!
SARAH OSTER SHASHA Writer, New York Nothing puts me in the holiday mood like snow! I’m pretty sure I was a polar bear in a former life, because I can never get enough of the stuff.
ABBY STOLFO Food Stylist, San Fransisco Nutcracker season at San Francisco Ballet, buying my plane ticket home to Idaho for Christmas, and holiday issues of my favorite magazines in my mailbox. The list goes on…
TARA BALLANTYNE Stylist, Toronto Baking a big, messy gingerbread house with lots of friends, family, and kids. Great music, good friends to sip rum and eggnog with, and lots of creative messy children…. It’s a perfect day and your house smells like sweet, spicy Christmas for days afterwards.
MEG SMITH Photographer, San Fransisco My son’s school has a winter festival where there’s an all day bonfire and a marionette performance of The Elves and the Shoemaker. The kids make beeswax candles, construct fairy houses with twigs and moss, and decorate homemade gingerbread cookies. It’s such a nice way to start the holiday season and chase Jack Frost away!
KRISTIN GLADNEY Photographer, New York Sipping peppermint hot chocolate and watching the movie Elf.
VIOLA SUTANTO Stylist, San Fransisco Long trail runs in the cold winter air.
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R E C I P E M O N D AY
We are all stars! Take your french toast to the next level with a star-shaped cookie cutter. Food+Styling by Paul Lowe Photography by Alexandra Grablewski
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Star French Toast butter, for greasing 20 slices of good quality white bread, day old 3 eggs 1 1⁄2 cup milk 2 tablespoon apricot jam 1 ⁄2 cup sugar 1 ⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon sugar
1. Grease a baking dish. 2. Cut out stars in the bread using a cookie cutter. 3. Place the stars in the pan. 4. Beat eggs, milk, jam, sugar, and cinnamon until you have a smooth batter. 5. Pour evenly over the bread. 6. Place in the fridge and let stand for at least 2 hours. This will make the mixture soak up into the bread. 7. Bake at 375ºF until golden. *Serve warm.
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KE E P YOUR EYE ON
Hat love!
Leigh Magar has always been an artist. She was a sculptor, but she’s changed her medium and has become a celebrated hat designer. She’s loved by celebrities, editors, and of course, savvy New Yorkers.
Text by Sarah Oster Shasha Photography by Kristin Gladney
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KEEP YOUR EYE ON
How did you get started? I started as a sculptor, creating hats out of velvet and found objects. Then I fled to Manhattan to follow my dream of studying millinery at F.I.T. I love making hats, I feel like hats are sculptures for the head, such a glorious way to express yourself! Is there an era in fashion that inspires you? I am inspired by the roaring 20’s–the first time women were expressing themselves through art, dance, and fashion! Why did you think people stop wearing hats? I think President Kennedy had a lot of influence in that department, he was really the first public figure to not wear hats, and I think it made a huge impact. Do you see a resurgence in hats? I do think people are acknowledging the value and quality of artisan crafts– appreciating the beauty of design and how objects are made. I think it’s about celebrating the uniqueness of hats.
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When people visit the studio for a first hat, I recommend trying every hat–they will eventually find a style that is becoming to their personality, proportion, and aura.” SWE E T PAUL WI NTE R 201 1 | 13
KEEP YOUR EYE ON
Do you think the recent royal wedding will revive a bit of the hat trend? I think the royal wedding has inspired dressing to the nines and donning the fancy cocktail hat.
For someone just trying hats, what’s a good first one? When people visit the studio for a first hat I recommend trying every hat–they will eventually find a style that is becoming to their personality, proportion, and aura.
Do you wear a lot of different hats, or do you generally stick to a certain kind? I mostly wear the small fanciful cocktail hats, decorated with feathers, birds, butterflies, etc. And of course, I wear a sun hat when I walk to the studio during the hot summer months here in Charleston, and felt hats on chilly days and while visiting Manhattan!
Is there a celebrity who you think should wear more hats? All of them!
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What’s your inspiration? Each collection has an inspiration! Now I am designing Spring 2012–the collection is inspired by Elvis Costello who visited my studio while on tour here! Fall 2011 was inspired by the late great Vic Chesnutt; it’s Southern, shabby, and disheveled.
Where do you go to be inspired? I don’t have to go anywhere to be inspired, but I love to travel and traveling is always an inspiration! What’s your background? I grew up in a small textile town. There was really nothing to do there, which was actually was good for me because it taught me how to be creative within! Where can we find and buy your hats? All my hats are available at Barneys NY, Magar Hatworks by appointment, and magarhatworks.com
G O R G -WA N N A HANDMADE
Our fave handmade Etsy finds! Build your own cityscape with these 12 white ceramic wheel-thrown bottles. $1450.00, Sarah Paloma, etsy.com/shop/sarapaloma Photo by Sara Paloma
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1. Fantastic Mr.Fox Knitted Hat, $25.00, etsy.com/shop/awberry 2. Artichoke lamp made of old books, $65.00, etsy.com/shop/ Zipper8Lighting 3. Dots Linen Tea Towel, $26.00, etsy.com/shop/leahduncan 4. Laser Cut Wall Clock, $101.00, etsy.com/ shop/bonni1982 5. Fast Men Nesting Dolls, $100.00, etsy.com/shop/belleslettres 6. Superhero’s wooden ice cream Spoons, $5.60 for 16, etsy.com/shop/SucreandSpice 7. Custom Wedding Topper, $170.00, etsy.com/shop/lacerubbish
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M Y HAPPY DISH
Divine nuts Recipe by Kate LeSueur Styling by Paul Lowe Photography by Alexandra Grablewski
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MY HAPPY DISH
MY HAPPY DISH recipe winner! Kate LeSueur with her addictive pecans. (I made then 3 times already!)
Rosemary & Honey Pecans 2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt 1 ⁄3 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 2 cup pecan halves 3 stems rosemary 4 tablespoons honey 1. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add salt and pepper. 2. Place the nuts in a large bowl and add butter, rosemary, and honey. 3. Mix well and place the nuts in an ovenproof dish. 4. Bake at 325ºF until toasty.
THIS DISH MAKES ME HAPPY because it’s pecan season, which means roaming pecan groves with my grandmother to haul home sacks to shell. THESE ARE DELICIOUS ON THEIR OWN at cocktail hour (“winethirty” as my grandmother says) and make for a fantastic “suss” to give away in an old tin or jar during the holidays. THEY ARE FANTASTIC served with baked brie or in a winter salad.
Kate LeSueur Rosemary & Honey Pecans
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Yes we can! We’ll never look at the jar half empty again!
Text by Sarah Oster Shasha Photography by Melina Hammer
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“I’ll have spicy kraut with my eggs for breakfast, pickled kraut in tuna salad for lunch, and then mix it up with another flavor with dinner.”
Pickling and canning expert Michaela Hayes has got us all excited. Our favorite locavore took some time to sit down and share some of her secrets, tips, and even a recipe. You may have heard or read about Michaela in the New York Times or more recently on the Leonard Lopate show on NPR. She’s kind of a big deal. For Hayes it’s not just about creating tasty food—she’s committed to creating a company that will help the community. She buys from local farmers, teaches classes, and donates products to help the causes she believes in. Drawn to the science, artfulness, and flavors created from the process of canning and fermenting, she’s created some incredibly delicious flavor combinations (and recipes). Known mostly for her amazing kraut (which she eats with almost every meal), she developed a special recipe just for Sweet Paul readers that works on its own or can be the perfect little something to brighten up the holiday table, “With a
little kick from the pink peppercorns and a lot of tang from the natural fermentation process, this kraut has it all—sweet, sour, salt, and a little spice.” Unsure of when or with what you should eat this kraut? Hayes insists you can pair it with almost any meal. “I’ll have spicy kraut with my eggs for breakfast, pickled kraut in tuna salad for lunch, and then mix it up with another flavor with dinner.” One of her favorite combinations is spicy kraut and peanut butter—we’re totally trying that one! Check out her site crockandjar.com for more recipes and information, and inspiration.
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“With a little kick from the pink peppercorns and a lot of tang from the natural fermentation process, this kraut has it all— sweet, sour, salt, and a little spice.”
Sweet Paul Holiday Sauerkraut Enjoy this Sweet Paul kraut as a colorful and tangy addition to your holiday table! Yield 1 Quart 1 1⁄2 pounds red cabbage, shredded 1 1⁄2 cups red beet, shredded 1 ⁄4 cup water 21⁄2 teaspoons coarse sea salt 1 tablespoon pink peppercorns 2 teaspoons dill seed 1 1⁄2 teaspoons caraway seed 1. As you are cutting the cabbage, add in spices and salt so the cabbage begins to release its liquid. 2. Once all the cabbage is cut, massage to help the salt penetrate. 3. Mix in shredded beets and water and then put the mixture into a tall container. 4. Press the cabbage mixture down until the released liquid covers it. This will take some effort. Press hard! 5. Place a weight on top of the cabbage (you could use a doubled plastic bag filled with water or salt water, or a plate with a jar of water on top) so that all the cabbage is submerged in liquid. Any cabbage that is not submerged in the liquid will rot. 6. If cabbage is not readily releasing enough liquid, weigh cabbage down and check back within 24 hours to make sure cabbage is covered with liquid. If not, add heavier weight. 7. Cover the top of the container with a towel fastened tightly with a rubber band. This is to keep critters out of your kraut. The kraut needs to breathe while it’s fermenting. Don’t close it up tight. 8. Place in a cool place to ferment and check it in one week. 9. Remove the weight and wash off any mold. Remove any rotten spots that may have developed in the kraut. The cabbage below these spots is totally fine. Taste your kraut to check its progress. 10. Press cabbage down again to submerge in liquid. Replace clean weight, cover again with towel and return to the cool spot. 11. Check the cabbage once a week. Depending on your preference for sour, the cabbage will be ready in 2 to 4 weeks. 12. Once cabbage has reached a sufficient level of fermentation, put it in a clean container and store it in the refrigerator.
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Want to see your ad in Sweet Paul Magazine? Email us at advertising @sweetpaulmag.com
C R A F T Y F R I D AY
Holiday brush I guess this was the start of the holiday brush tree? I’m taking it back to where it came from. Styling by Paul Lowe Photography by Alexandra Grablewski
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Styling by Photography by
You will need: bottle brush cutter flower pot flower foam hot glue gun paper star 1. Start by cutting off some of the handle of the brush. 2. Cut the flower foam to size and hot glue it into the bottom of the pot. 3. Stick the brush in and secure by using some hot glue. 4. Glue a star on top. 5. You can cover the flower foam with moss or sugar to hide the foam.
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G O R G - WA N N A D E S I G N
Robot mania
Robot Wallpaper, $186.00 a roll, studioditte.com
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Photo by Studio Ditte
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1. Calendar Wall Sticker from firm living, $ 108.00, bodieandfou.com 2. Pipe lamp from House Doctor, $216.00, bodieandfou.com 3. Signal Desk Lamp from Jielde, $440.00, shophorne.com 4. Peace Cashmere Hot Water Bottle, $98.00, jonathanadler.com 5. Real Men Tote Bag, $20.00, fashionablenotes. com 6. Backgammon set in needlepoint and acrylic, $295.00, jonathanadler. com 7. Bright Side Print, $15.00, etsy.com/shop/vaporqualquer
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Turn a roll of white paper into fun and unique homemade wrapping paper.
Styling by Paul Lowe Photography by Frances Janisch
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Paint it!
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Glue it!
Stamp it!
Paint it! This paper is painted with watercolors. I wanted to create something a bit Kelly Wearsler-ish. Again, this is a great project to involve kids. You will get some quite unique papers.
Stamp it! There are so many cute stamps out there. Whatever you are into, there is a stamp. And if you don’t have a stamp? Well, use your fingers. Birds are a simple stamp that are great to make patterns with. The tree stamp is perfect for small gifts.
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The dotted paper is made by sticking a finger in the ink and onto the paper. These are all great for kids.
Glue it! I just bought a huge bag of old stamps, love them. These stamps are glued on with regular paper craft glue. The bunting is made of cut stamps glued to a string thats glued to the back of the gift.
Face it! These faces are made of craft paper and comes as a set with glasses, mouths, moustaches and bow-ties. Great for making some quite fun gifts. Find them at paperpresentation.com
Draw it! Cover the paper with lines made of masking tape. Then go to work with crayons. Gently pull away the tape and you have a really cool striped paper.
Tape it! There are some really great tapes these days, from washi to fabric tape. Here I used wash, lace tape and patterned post it’s.
Draw it!
Face it! Tape it!
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Let them eat cookies Paige McCurdy-Flynn had me at cookie. Her company, Cookie Fairy Sweets’ slogan is Life tastes better with a cookie. That’s been my motto since I was a little girl, so I was pretty excited to get the chance to sit down with her and learn more about how it all began. Text by Sarah Oster Shasha Photography by Alexandra Grablewski
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After graduating from the French Culinary Institute, McCurdy-Flynn chose to pursue a career as a food stylist. She took on new challenges cooking a variety of foods. After a while she realized that the jobs she enjoyed most were those that required baking. Attention to detail, precise measurements, and the anticipation of the end result sparked her passion for the world of culinary delights. One afternoon she dug up her Mom’s famous recipe for My Man Cookies to bake for her husband, James. “He took one bite and said ‘You can make these even better,’” and so she did. McCurdy-Flynn reworked the recipe by adding more chocolate, natural coconut, and organic sweet-cream butter in place of vegetable shortening. “The cookies were a success, and James crowned me the Cookie Fairy!” Today, Cookie Fairy Sweets is on a mission to save the world from preservatives. Paige’s cookies are baked in small batches, using superior ingredients that give people a convenient, healthier option for dessert. Hers is the very first, fresh-baked, frozen-cookie company. You can find her amazing, fresh-baked cookies in your grocer’s freezer section. Enjoy these flavors, in stores now: • My Man Cookie: Chocolate Chip, Coconut, Pecan & Oatmeal • Lil Devils: Fully Loaded Chocolate Cookies with a Hint of Spice • Oats & Raisins: Hearty Oatmeal with Rum Soaked, California Raisins Current plans are underway to launch a Gluten Free and Dairy Free Cookie.
www.cookiefairysweets.com
“The cookies were a success, and James crowned me the Cookie Fairy!”
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Divinity
Adapted from my grandmother, Norma For the Sweetest Norwegian on Earth Some of my fondest memories include visiting my grandparents’ farm in Missouri at Christmastime. My grandma would have her collection of cookie jars lined on her kitchen counter. They were filled to the brim with delicious, homemade Divinity chocolate fudge, and chewy molasses cookies. She would stock the freezer with mini Snicker bars for my dad and on the kitchen table, to this day sits a plastic container filled with oatmeal cookies. My grandpa still eats an oatmeal cookie every morning with a smear of butter. I’m thrilled to bring this Southern, Christmastime candy to the readers of Sweet Paul. Divinity has always been my favorite candy; it’s super sweet and a little chewy–think of an outstanding marshmallow. This sweet-treat makes the perfect gift for anyone on your list. Wrap them up in waxed paper, tied with a bow, or reuse a vintage Christmas tin for a decorative, holiday package. I hope this recipe brings you sweet memories that you can pass down to your family!
You will need to have your workstation fully set up before making the divinity. • 3 qt heavy saucepan • rubber spatula • paper towels • candy thermometer • mixer with whisk attachment • two cookie sheets, lined with waxed paper or parchment paper • two small spoons, about a teaspoon
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cups granulated sugar cup light corn syrup teaspoon salt cup hot water egg whites teaspoon pure vanilla extract cup chopped pecans
1.In a heavy saucepan, over medium heat, stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and water with a rubber spatula. 2. Stir only until sugar has dissolved. Do not stir after this point. 3. Using a damp paper towel wipe down any crystals that form on the pan. 4. Cook syrup mixture until it reaches 250°F on a candy thermometer bringing syrup it to a hard-ball stage.* *Hard-Ball stage refers to a specific temperature range when cooking sugar syrups. Hard-ball stage occurs between 250266°. This stage can be determined by dropping a spoonful of hot syrup into a bowl of ice water, use your fingers to gather the cooled syrup into a ball. If hard-ball stage has been reached, the syrup will hold its ball shape and deform only slightly with very firm pressure. The ball will be quite sticky to the touch. 5. While the sugar syrup is cooking, beat egg whites in an electric mixer, fitted with wire attachment, until eggs have reached a stiff peak. 6. Once the sugar syrup has reached the hard-ball stage, carefully remove the pan from the stove and gradually pour over stiff egg whites beating constantly, add vanilla and beat for about 8 minutes on high until stiff. The mixture should be very stiff. If the mixture is too loose beat longer until stiff. 7. Add in the chopped pecans the last 30 seconds of beating. 8. Using two small spoons drop the divinity onto waxed paper, using one spoon to push the candy off the other. If the candy becomes too stiff, add a few drops of hot water. You will need to work fast when making this type of candy. After you spoon the divinity onto the paper, you’re done. Cool the candies on racks completely for about one hour. Divinity can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
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CUPCAKE
Christmas pudding cupcake Food+Styling by Paul Lowe Photography by Frances Janisch
These mini christmas puddings are not only tasty but a feast for your eyes. Makes 12 2 oz dark chocolate, chopped 1 1⁄3 stick butter 1 ⁄3 cup sour cream 3 eggs 1 3⁄4 plain flour 1 1⁄3 cup sugar 1 ⁄2 cup ground almonds 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa 1 teaspoon baking powder confectioners sugar water red marzipan, rolled to small balls fresh bay leaves, dipped in water and then sugar
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. 2. Place chocolate and butter in a saucepan and turn up the heat. 3. Stir until everything is melted. 4. Add sour cream and eggs and stir well. 5. Cool slightly. 6. In a large bowl place flour, sugar, cocoa, almonds, and baking powder. 7. Add the butter and mix well. 8. Pour batter into a greased cupcake tin. 9. Bake until firm to the touch, about 20 minutes. 10. Cool on a wire rack. 11. Combine confectioners sugar and water in a bowl and stir until you have a thick frosting. 12. Frost the cupcakes upside down, add a few marzipan balls and a sugared bay leaf.
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W I L L’ S P I C K S
An antique Christmas This holiday season, decking the halls with antique heirlooms, newly treasured finds, and fresh foliage is key in creating a welcoming and graceful theme for your festive decor. Join Sweet Paul as we guide you through the best buys on the market for curating an antique Christmas with a modern twist.
PHOTO BY : DUNELM HILL
Text by Will Taylor
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Creating your Christmas tabletop With the turkey to stuff, presents to open, and guests to look after, creating your Christmas tabletop should be as stress free as possible. If you can, be sure to schedule time to set the table before the festivities begin, giving yourself plenty of time to craft your look. Start by thinking about the table’s theme, remembering that it needs a focal point to tie the scheme together. Don’t create anything too tall or big that will block guests’ view from one side of the table to the other. Hanging a horizontal wreath decorated with glass bubbles from the ceiling is the perfect statement piece for this scheme. However, if such a grand piece isn’t possible in the space available, two tall and narrow candlesticks decorated with ivy are also a simple and elegant option that will add visual height and interest. With the focal point complete, lay gemstoned garlands along the length of the table and weave amongst ivy–this echoes the candlestick centerpiece and will give the romantic white, silver, and gold theme a more organic feel. Then place an assortment of votives amongst the gaps, using ones with a cracked-glazed finish for a nod to the subtle vintage theme. Keep the place settings simple–a white ceramic will works best, but use with a set of vintage flatware and tactile napkins to soften the modernity. Finally, add in a few gold accents to break up the silver and white tones–the votives are a perfect way to introduce the brass hues, as they shimmer beautifully by candlelight. PHOTO BY : THE WHITE COMPANY
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Will’s tip! A white dinnerware set works best in this elegant tabletop; these delicately patterned doily plates bring enough vintage edge without being twee.
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5, 1. Doily plate; anthropologie.eu; 2. Vintage silverware; jaysonhome.com; $12.00 each 3. Jingle bell garland; crateandbarrel.com; $19.95 4. Candle stick holders; potterybarn.com; $49.00 5. Sommelier Wine Glasses; marksandspencer.com; £25.00 for 4 6. Three crown tea-lights; marksandspencer.com; £9.50 40 | S W E E T P A U L W I N T E R 2 0 1 1
Will’s craft idea! Snow globes are a great way to add festive cheer. Buy these from Anthropologie–or make or own. Use a glue gun to stick seasonal ornaments to the lid of an old jar; then dry and fill with distilled water, a dash of glycerin and a tablespoon of glitter. Why not make one as a favour gift for each of your guests?
PHOTO BY : THE WHITE COMPANY
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Will’s tip! Don’t shy away from nontraditional decor; quirky pieces like this vintage horse from Jayson Home & Garden will add whimsical interest to your scheme.
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1. Snow globes; anthropologie.eu; 2. Silver jingle bell wreath; paperchase.co.uk; £12.00 3. Antique glass heart bauble; johnlewis.com; £3.50 4. Box of reindeer ornaments; tch.net; £11.99 5. Vintage horse decoration; jaysonhome.com; $2,495.00 6. Woodland Christmas tree; johnlewis.com; £95.00 7. Pressed glass candle; shopterrain.com; $20.00
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WINE
Singing dirt I’m not the toughest guy on the block. I can’t remember who won the Super Bowl, I don’t start chili pepper–eating contests, and I let other more macho types work on my car. But when it comes to wine I like ‘em big and dangerous. I like wine that sticks to my teeth and stains the inside of the glass as I swirl it up and down. I like wine that fights back and challenges me.
Manly wine.
Text+Photography by Jim Hensley
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WINE
For some strange reason I chose Pinot Noir to come to grips with this time. I thought I might get in touch with my softer side. Whenever anybody writes about Pinot Noir, words like “supple”, “feminine”, and “sublime” start flying about. Definitely not tough-guy words. The research invariably leads to stories about the delicate nature of this just-barely-red grape; how it demands cool nights and not overly warm afternoons. It exists in the most narrow of climates, tended by winemakers with silk gloves who pray quietly as they tiptoe through the vineyards. Whenever Pinot Noir is mentioned, the French wine making region of Burgundy is sure to be a topic. Burgundy is Pinot’s proper home. It is one of France’s oldest and most northerly wine-growing areas. The best wines from Burgundy command the kind of prices that are normally associated with Parisian haute couture. Legend has it Napoleon demanded his officers and soldiers salute the ground of Chambertin as they marched past. I wonder how they felt about that, seeing as the general keep most of the good stuff for himself, and was not famous for sharing. Burgundy is rather unique in French wine history for not developing many huge estates, called domaines, as in places like Bordeaux. Here, the complicated French inheritance laws tended to divide the vines through the generations. Now it is a patchwork of owners and appellations each with its own unique character. Burgundy is always pure, Pinot Noir is almost always pure—it is not blended with the wine of other grapes. That makes it one of the best ways to taste the effect the ground has on a wine. Often it picks up mineral, flinty flavors from certain soil. Other roots in different soils give it a kind of forest floor earthiness with a red-berry kick at the end. Those are the ones that I like best. When I open that type of Pinot Noir I don’t let its light color and delicate aroma underwhelm me. I get myself ready for something smooth and slim. I take in the perfume slowly. I get really quiet and listen to the earth’s music. Seduction doesn’t always have to be a sucker punch…but it is awful nice when it sneaks up on you. Pinot Noir is no longer the sole pride of Burgundy. California, Italy, Chile, and even Switzerland now grow it. Great Pinot nowadays comes from places as far from each other as Oregon and New Zealand.
Once in a Lifetime Burgundy. Get to know it, find it on a map. Take a week off and bicycle through the vineyards—the best and most expensive are the Grand Crus. These are the vineyards that have the best soil and the best climates; only 2 percent of the land qualifies. Some legendary patches of dirt are Chambertin, Bonnes Mares, Clos de Vougeot, and the father of them all Romanée-Conti. Whenever You Can Burgundy. Best to take another couple of days off and check out the Premier Crus. They make up the next quality group. There are about 600 of them, so you will need a good, sturdy bike. Of course Pinots in California and Oregon are without a doubt up to at least this level in many cases. Try Gary Farrell’s from the Russian River Valley. Oregon’s Brick House is one of the regions first and best. So is Bethel Heights. Whenever You Want Stay in Oregon and find some Erath. It’s always a bargain that won’t disappoint. Conch y Toro Casillero del Diablo from Chile is good for the price… even if nobody is likely to salute it as they march past.
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FROM
MORMOR’S KITCHEN
The day before the day Text+styling by Photography by
Intro paragraph here
Text+Food by Paul Lowe Photography by Melina Hammer
In my family we would always wait until the 23rd of December to decorate the tree. My grandmother always reffered to that day as “the day before the day.” Ever since I was a kid that day has been special to me. Dad would get the tree from the garage and get all the boxes with ornaments from the attic. The radio would be on with Christmas carols, there would be plenty of cookies, and marzipan, and Mormor’s lamb pies. The filling to the pies had been cooking all day and driving us crazy with its amazing smells. We would ask all day when they where ready and the answer was always the
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same: “When the tree is decorated and lit.” I forgot to mention one thing, we were all in our pyjamas and robes. I don’t know how that tradition started, but that was the rule. The tree got decorated more or less the same way every year. Red apples, silver ornaments, red ribbons, and my collection of old ornaments that I bought at local flea markets. The year 4 of them fell of the tree and broke is still called the Annus Horribilis. When all was done and the tree was lit, the door to the kitchen would open and Mormor would carry out the pies. Then we all knew that christmas was here!
FROM MORMOR’S KITCHEN
Mormor’s Lamb-Shank Pies Makes 6 small pies 2 1 4 1 4 1 1 ⁄2 1 3 1 1 ⁄2
tablespoons olive oil tablespoon butter lamb shanks salt and pepper onion, chopped cloves garlic, chopped bay leaf teaspoon cumin cup red wine cups beef stock tablespoon tomato purée teaspoon sugar puff pastry
1. Heat oven to 375ºF. 2. Melt oil and butter in a large pan. 3. Rub the shanks well with salt and pepper. 4. Brown on all sides in the pan. 5. Take out the chops and add onion and garlic to the pan. 6. Sauté until the garlic is soft. 7. Add bay leaf, cumin, red wine, stock, tomato purée, and sugar. 8. Stir well and add the shanks. 9. Put on a lid and place in the oven for 21⁄2 hours. 10. Take them out and let it cool. 11. Pull the meat off the bone and add the meat to the sauce. 12. Put the mixture into small pie pans. 13. Roll out the puff pastry and top each pie with it. 14. Cut out hears and place on top. 15. Bake at 375ºF until golden. *Serve warm.
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G O R G -WA N N A KIDS
Photos by Coco Amardeil
Dear Santa
I have been really good this year, like really good. That whole cake in the face incident was not my fault, it was my sister’s! OK? Kids Printed Apron, $ 26.00 Printed Security Blankets, $ 49.00 www.lacerisesurlegateau.fr
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G O R G E -WA N NA KIDS
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1. Grow Chart Vinyl Decal, $49.00, etsy.com/shop/HouseHoldWords 2. Dream Ring in knitted cotton, $52.00, blablakids.com 3. Le Chat print, $67.00, bodieandfou.com 4. Clock in printed plywood, $48.00, kalmayvioleta.com 5. Cotton Backpack, $38.00, blablakids.com 6. Boogaloo knitted dolls in cotton, $34.00, blablakids.com 7. Felt campfire toy with marshmallows, $85.00, etsy.com/shop/ HopewellCreek
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WOOF
Holiday snacks for the 4 legged! Parsley & Carrot Dog Cookies Lestat, my French Bulldog goes crazy over these. Great training treats.Also a great gift to your friends with dogs. Makes 60 21⁄2 cup whole-wheat flour 4 tablespoons heat germs 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 ⁄4 cup shredded carrot 5 tablespoons chopped parsley 1 ⁄4 cup shredded mozzarella 1 ⁄2 cup water
Food+Styling by Paul Lowe Photography by Colin Cooke
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1. Place the flour, germs, and baking powder in a large bowl and add carrot, parsley, mozzarella, and water. 2. Mix the dough well together, if its to dry just add a little more water. 3. Roll it out on a floured surface until thin and cut into squares. 4. Place on a baking tray covered with parchment paper. 5. Bake at 350°F until golden. 6. Cool on a wire rack. *Store in an airtight container.
1. Doxie, the dog toy, $10.99, etsy.com/shop/wagsandwiggles 2. Original watercolor by Deidre Wicks, $40.00, etsy.com/shop/WaterInMyPaint 3.Pugsy Malone Mug Shot Print, $15.00, etsy.com/shop/MandasArtStudio 4. Lab toys for your kids, comes in a tote bag, $36.00, etsy.com/shop/thelab 5.Teachers Pet, altered antique print, $25.00, etsy. com/shop/frighten 6.Fine art print of Fifi and Pierre by Lucy Snowe, $20.00, etsy.com/shop/lucysnowephotography
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features
W I N T E R 20 1 1 • I SSU E N O. 7
natural christmas • jewelry • big cookies in a small world • winter cooking • my favorite photographers • pack it up • wreaths • finger food • tartan holiday • greens • holiday treats • divine chocolate • sweet paul workshop
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Natural christmas
This christmas is inspired by driftwood, silver, and stars.
Styling+Food by Paul Lowe | Photography by Ellen Silverman 52 | S W E E T P A U L W I N T E R 2 0 1 1
Vanilla Cake (opposite page) Star Cookies SWE E T PAUL WI NTE R 201 1 | 53
JEWELRY
Make your own jewelry, inspired by this winter’s fashion trends. They make great holiday gifts.
Styling by Paul Lowe | Photography by Hector Sanchez
WOODEN NECKLACE (opposite page) METAL & SILK NECKLACE
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BIG cookies in a small world
ally r e t li We
s son a e s this o t p ku o o l
Pepper Cookies
Food+Styling by Paul Lowe | Photography by Hector Sanchez 72 | S W E E T P A U L W I N T E R 2 0 1 1
. ies k o co
German Slices
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Winter Cooking WINTER IS THE PERFECT SEASON TO STAY IN, POUR A GLASS OF RED WINE, & ENJOY SOME GOOD HEARTY HOME-COOKED MEALS. THESE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITES. Food+Styling by Paul Lowe | Photography by Melina Hammer
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Photography+Styling by the photographers themselves 92 | S W E E T P A U L W I N T E R 2 0 1 1
Gravlax SWE E T PAUL WI NTE R 201 1 | 93
PACK IT UP
Pack up all of falls amazing flavors in jars and bottles. Food+Styling by Tara Ballantyne Photography by Sturla Bakken
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Candied Orange Rind SWE E T PAUL WI NTER 201 1 | 113
1.
Wreaths I always loved making wreaths. Here I have tried to spice up a few old classics in typical Sweet Paul style.
Styling by Paul Lowe | Photography by Alexandra Grablewski 118 | S W E E T P A U L W I N T E R 2 0 1 1
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F o
r ails t k e coc d g an fab. s d o a
n ger fo meg i fin rab to F t a d gre se y from by Carr e h T rt li n g a Sty p + d Foo any
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tog Ph o | e ll urc ie P
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A p p l e P a r s n i p S o u p Makes about 41⁄2 cups 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 4 small parsnips (12 oz), peeled and diced 1 medium apple, peeled, cored and diced 1 medium onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth 1 ⁄2 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1⁄4 cup shelled pepitas 1 ⁄2 teaspoon curry powder
1. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat. 2. Add parsnips, apple, and onion and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes or until slightly softened. 3. Add garlic and cook 5 minutes more. 4. Add broth and bring to a boil. 5. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until everything is tender. 6. Transfer to a blender or food processor, add cream and salt, and purée until smooth. Return to clean pot and keep warm. 7. Preheat oven to 400°F. 8. Stir together pepitas, curry powder, and remaining olive oil to coat. 9. Spread out on a sheet pan and toast for 6 to 10 minutes or until fragrant. 10. Drain briefly on a paper towel and sprinkle over soup to garnish.
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Tartan Holiday I have loved tartan fabrics ever since I was a kid. I always take them out during the holidays, there is something very festive about them. They inspired this menu and these craft ideas.
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Wreath opposite page Table Setting
Food+Styling by Paul Lowe | Photography by Dana Gallagher SWE E T PAUL WI NTER 201 1 | 135
Por t ug ues e K a le S oup
E N E R S G
Fo od by M
olly S
by hus ter | phy a r g o t Props b y Anson Call | Pho
s rri No n vi Ke
These greens ARE NOT ONLY versatile, BUT WILL BRING flavor & joy TO YOUR winter cooking. 148 | S W E E T P A U L W I N T E R 2 0 1 1
D an delion
Th ai
Kale
Mu stard SWE E T PAUL WI NTER 201 1 | 149
A lmond Torte
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Food by Abby Stolfo | Styling by Viola Sutanto | Photography by Meg Smith
Holiday Treats If you are in the mood for a cocktail, cookie, or a cake don’t look any further. These are some of our best holiday treats… ever!
Cacao Nib Truffles
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Food by Mariana Velasquez | Styling by Pamela Duncan Silver | Photography by Hector Sanchez 160 | S W E E T P A U L W I N T E R 2 0 1 1
Divine Chocolate Let your taste buds take you to a new place with these sinful & wonderful chocolate recipes.
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Pantry Confections Photography by Colin Cooke
We ask the queen of Latin food, Daisy Martinez, to share her ups and downs in the kitchen.
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Do you have any secret tools in the kitchen, anything that you could never live with out? Aside from my two “must have” knives, an 8-inch chef’s knife, and a paring knife, I cannot live without my kitchen tongs and my peppercorn grinders (I have one for black peppercorns, and one for white peppercorns). Give me those few essentials and I am good to go! If you could change anything about your kitchen, what would it be? I would have more storage space and more counter space. It seems that I can never get enough of either one of those things. What do you always have stocked in your kitchen? Any specific products you always want to have on hand? You will always find an assortment of olive oils, vinegar, and salts in my kitchen. I always keep a large bowl of citrus (lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruit) on my counter which can instantly transform a dish from good to great, and if you peek into my cabinets, you will always find jarred, marinated vegetables like artichoke hearts, fire-roasted peppers, and a variety of olives. It’s starting to sound like a party already! What’s your go-to dish to make at home? I love soup as a comfort food, but it really depends on the mood, I guess. Steamy broth soups are wonderful, but I have to admit, I love a perfectly roasted, highly seasoned Puerto Rican–style roasted chicken. In a word, amazing. What was your most nightmarish kitchen situation? I catered a wedding once and had to make 100 pounds of peril (Puerto Rican roast pork) at home. I left to get a rental truck to move all of the food and supplies to the location, and while standing on line, I received a phone call from my daughter, telling me the oven was on fire! I can tell you that I had to dance pretty fast that day to meet my obligation of feeding 120 hungry guests by 5:00 p.m!
The way that I define “home cooking” is that it is food that
nourishes not just the body, but the soul as well.
Any major catastrophes? Other than the story I’ve just related, I’ve been pretty lucky, so far… did I just jinx myself? If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? Oh boy, I cringe everytime I get asked this question. I am so moody when it comes to what I want to eat. I think my knee-jerk answer would be soup, chicken soup in particular, but I know within a couple of days, I would be dying for some crunch, so I’m going to say a perfectly executed bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich on thick sour dough toast, slathered with a lime mayonnaise. That would satisfy me on several different levels, I am sure. Are there any foods you can’t stand? I cannot stand processed, packaged food that have colors in it that don’t normally occur in nature, and has ingredients listed that have 27 letters and 3 numbers. I love ethnic foods from all over the world, but it has to be real. What does home-cooking mean to you? The way that I define “home cooking” is that it is food that nourishes not just the body, but the soul as well. It is cooking that evokes wonderful memories, or in fact, creates those memories; it is food that is made and shared with love, with those you love. I consider it one of the most intimate things you can do for people you love.
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