photography by: Niel Herman

The sun is out, the weather warming up, so invite over some friends. Linger over a glass of wine or two, languish over some simple, rustic dishes, throw in some fresh seasonal salads and don’t forget something sweet to nourish the soul.

Settle in, enjoy the company, take your feasts outdoors whenever possible, clink your glasses to a toast, because summer has just begun!

Cheers!

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Heaven! If heaven had a taste, it would taste like Georgetown Cupcake, cupcakes. Light and feathery, yet delicately sweet and perfect.  From the first time you lay your eyes on these flawless beauties, to the first bite and through to the last crumb, these cupcakes are simply heavenly.

I must be late in discovering this gem, as many people have tasted and reviewed Georgetown Cupcake’s petite little cakes. I see myself as quite the cupcake expert, I have been in many cupcakeries, baked too many to keep count and often find it very disappointing when I sink my teeth into the most beautiful looking cupcake, only to find an overly sweet, most disappointing ordinary cakelet.

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It might be cold outside, but there is a plenty to warm things up between you and your sweetheart.

I am lucky enough to be married to a very sweet, hopelessly romantic Pisces man (score!). I know the anti-Valentine peeps love to bicker how you should show people you love them everyday and at every opportunity you get and I agree whole heartedly.  But just think about it, on Saint Valentines Day everyone has one thing on their minds, their significant other or the one that makes their hearts beat a little faster.

Everyone is wandering what to do, what to buy, make or bake. We are all thinking about L-O-V-E! Gooooosebumps!

Here are some irresistible ideas to woo your Valentine.

When it comes to Valentines Day, Williams Sonoma knows exactly what makes us tick. Create your own Valentine's Day message with these fun "Message-in-a-Cookie" cutters or seduce your honey's tastebuds with these charming, Heart macaroons and deep red-hued, intense chocolate flavor, Red velvet cake.

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photography by:Nicholette von Reiche

Yesterday, I woke up to a beautiful snowy morning in NYC. Clutching my warm coffee whilst looking out at the beautiful powder falling effortlessly to the ground I suddenly craved something sweet and comforting. Something that would fill my home with its aroma.

I raided my pantry and within seconds I knew exactly what I was going to make. By noon most of the snow had already melted away, as it usually does in NYC, but I was biting into these heavenly Oat, cranberry and walnut cookies relishing in the fact that they will last a least a little longer than the snow.

Try them, they are super easy to make and release all kinds of crazy flavors in your mouth but, be aware these heavenly morsels are highly addictive.

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photography by: Louis Hiemstra

… and I’m feeling good. I know you were singing along.

Happy New Year to all! Thank you for your support and visits in 2009.  I look forward to sharing another year packed with exciting new recipe ideas, the latest in food, health and more.

This year has so many fun surprises in-store for us.  I have noticed that most people have ditched the pressure of New Year’s resolutions, but seem to be dead keen on taking better care of themselves. Body, soul and mind! I always feel that New Year’s resolutions put so much pressure on us, however vowing to take better care of ourselves, seems much easier and is a good thing to keep striving for. Simply making one change a week in your daily life to improve your health is already a step in the right direction.

Best of all is that we have also kicked fad diets to the curb (thank goodness), carbs are back on our plates, there is no more calorie counting or food weighing (who has time for that anyway?). We are thinking balance, sensible eating and real good honest food. Love it, love it, love it!!!

And with so much wonderful inspiration, there is no excuse for not eating well throughout the whole year. Here are some recipes that are simple to make, taste great, are perfectly balanced and best of all it’s good for your body, soul and thighs.

Here is to a wonderful 2010, full of happy, delicious memories in the making.

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photography by: Nicholette von Reiche

Yeah! It’s December!

Christmas always inspires me to bake up a storm and this year is no acception.  So don your apron, get out your mixing bowls and let’s get baking. Beautifully presented food gifts are what we are giving loved ones and colleagues this year. Hand made, tied with a pretty ribbon, accompanied with a handwritten message and given from the heart. Can you think of a more special way to say Merry Christmas? Home-made gifts are also a lot of fun to prepare, especially with kids, they are cost effective and show that you have put a lot of thought, time and love into your gift.

Delight and impress those shameless chocoholics in your life with cherry chocolate salami rolls. Quite a mouth-full to say but simply irresistible. These chocolate logs are the perfect Christmas gifts as they can be served as dessert to unexpected guests, as an after dinner treat or a teatime indulgence. Simply accompany these lovelies with a note to store in the fridge, cut into generous slices on serving and enjoy with good quality coffee. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

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photography and styling by: Kelly Cline

If you need some thanksgiving inspiration or you’re stuck with ample leftovers that you have no idea what to do with, you have come to the right place.

I have put together a super simple and elegant menu that will make your guests remember the scrumptious meal you put forward long after they have forgotten how much their stomachs ached from eating to much.

And if you are dreading having to eat turkey meat or any other leftovers for the next week then give your holiday leftovers a second life with these fun, light and delicious recipes. They are everything but dull.

While we are all gathering around the table, enjoying the scrumptious dishes and admiring the beautiful table settings, remember that the holiday is mainly about being grateful for what we have and for spending as much time as possible with the people who matters most to you.

I hope these recipes add a touch of special to your table.

Enjoy and happy thanksgiving.

I couldn’t help myself! I was busy editing an article for quick and easy desserts when this adorable email appeared in my inbox. The subject read  “how to make cupcakes” and per usual the word cupcake required my immediate attention. It was cute, adorable, messy and perfect. Right away I knew I would not be able to resist sharing it with you.  I am certain some of you will already have seen these pictures but still I thought it would fit perfectly with my dessert article and I had a feeling that all other fanatical cupcake followers will appreciate, adore and possibly get the exact same warm fuzzy feeling I got when I saw it.

photography by: Source unknown

And since I am in the sharing frame of mind and you are all probably wondering how the move went, I will share with you that I had my own cute mischievous helpers. They made bigger messes, had me running all over the place and stretched out the whole process, but they made me laugh hysterically through all of it. Here are some snaps of my four legged babies, aren’t they just adorable?  I am happy to say that all four of us are settled in nicely into our new home and I am even happier to report that I am back in the kitchen and into the swing of things. Yee-ha!

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My first experience of Manhattan was on a sub-zero day in mid January. It was so cold, I could feel the winter chill all the way through my ten layers of clothing, my pale frozen face grinning from ear to ear with excitement and anticipation. I even braved The Staten Island ferry, there I was standing and quivering outside in the cold, anxiously clutching my hot chocolate as the ferry glided past The Statue of Liberty.  I was in pure ecstasy and vowed that one day I would be back to experience more of this mesmerizing city. Seven years later, I found myself once again on JFK airport, only this time I would build a home in this fascinating city. As luck would have it, I arrived at the start of a heat wave.

For weeks the most significant question people ask me is, “ … so, how is Manhattan?!?!?!”. And it has taken me some time to formulate the perfect answer.  Manhattan is an unending erratic city of daily frustrations, occasional unpleasantness, daily tests of will and courage, filled with people from of all over the world. It is a mixture of old and new, past and present, crazy and sane, vintage, contemporary and pure beauty, nostalgia and myth, lore and history all bound together in an individual manner for each person. Everyday you exchange hello’s with people you may never see again, the 24 hour sirens that go off shortly become what helps you fall asleep at night, the taxi drivers anxiously honking their day away become the norm and everyday you find something new, strange and unusual that makes you stop and take another look, it leaves a lasting impression and changes how you perceive things. You can’t help but gaze at this city’s glories; it’s tremendous beauty and all the elements that make it so unique. Its strength and flaws, its irritations and its triumphs, it is so inspiring, so exhilarating and YES, I love every single crazy minute of it.

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Hello everyone! I hope you have all had time to explore my new site. I appreciate all the feedback and kind comments. 

A lot has been happening in my life since my last blog entry. I had the wonderful opportunity to assist décor stylist Kate Boswell. Kate and I spent the first part of our day working on a garden setting article, compiled by Mandy Allen and photographed by the very talented Sean Calitz. We had so much fun setting up and styling the beautiful courtyard setting that we almost lost track of time.  To duplicate Kate’s style at home in 5 easy steps turn to page 141 of the September 2009 issue of House and Leisure. However if you are already flipping through the October issue or have missed the article, I have included one of my own snaps below and a sample of the article in pdf format here (478.39 kb). Happy reading. 

Our afternoon proceeded with a dress rehearsal for hip hop dancers. The brief; styling hip hops dancers for a commercial to promote a new shoe brand in South Africa.  Keep your eyes open boys and girls …

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Hello everybody!

My name is Nicholette. Like other passionate foodies, I eat, sleep, live, dream and breathe anything related to food, food writing, décor, styling, recipe development, food photography and testing and tasting new food. I work as a recipe developer, food writer, food stylist and consultant. A list of my services and examples of my work can be viewed on website at www.nicholette.biz.

I am thrilled to share my blog site with you and hope that my passion for food shows on these pages. I see my blog as my canvas, my personal mood board, filled with ideas, food discoveries, recipes, menu ideas, styling secrets and maybe even reviews about new books, restaurants or foodie finds.

Please note that all the material on my website and blog is copyrighted. I have high resolution versions of most of these images and, if you are interested in purchasing any of the images (including the recipes) please contact me.

I do like to hear from people with similar interests and passions as my own, so please drop me a line and do come visit often ;) !

I noticed that the recipe most searched for on my website is cupcakes. These diminutive cakes may be small but they are still taking the world by storm. It is no wonder why, whether you find them utterly irresistible, practical and easy to eat, adore their pretty frosting, like their diversity or that they evoke a childhood memory, everybody loves cupcakes. What is more, cupcakes are just as fun to make as they are to eat.

photography by: Louis Hiemstra

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Fondant

Fondant is a soft icing made from powdered sugar, gelatin, glucose and glycerin.

photography by: Louis Hiemstra

Types
Prepared fondant (also known as ready-to-roll icing) is used as a quick way to achieve a perfectly smooth textured finish to your cupcakes. Prepared fondant must be kneaded on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar until soft and pliable before rolling out to your desired thickness. Also lightly dust your rolling pin for better results.

Modeling fondant is used for making icing shapes like flowers , leaves or other preferred shapes. Both types can be bought ready-made from specialty bakery shops and some gourmet grocery stores.

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Easy hints and tips on how to make and beautify your own cupcakes.

Cupcakes do’s and don’ts:

• Bring ingredients such as butter, eggs and milk to room temperature before you start, for ease of incorporation.
• Prepare your cupcake moulds by lining with cupcake papers or buttering and lightly flouring the moulds.
• Make sure your butter is soft but not melted. Coarsely chop the butter while it is cold and set aside minutes before you start.
• Scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl regularly to prevent lumps in the batter.
• Beat the butter, sugar and eggs with an electric mixer, but stir in the dry ingredients and milk by hand to avoid overworking the batter.
• Fill moulds to ¾ full or 5-8mm (¼ inch) below tops, unless otherwise specified to leave room for rising.
• Place the Baking tray or muffin tins in the centre of oven.  The muffin tin can also be turned halfway through the cooking time to ensure even bakin.
• Remove cupcakes baked in paper cases from the moulds and place on a wire rack to cool. This will avoid sweating.
• Be patient with your cupcaks and let them cool before icing or decorating them.
• A palette knife is one of the best tools when icing cupcakes with soft icings. It has a flexible, long flat blade which ensures even spreading and a smooth surface. Palette knives are available from kitchenware and specialty bake stores.
• Use a piping bag with either a star or plain nozzle to pipe various shapes onto your cupcakes.
• Remember to always have fun when baking and decorating your baby cakes!

photography by: Louis Hiemstra

 
photography by: Louis Hiemstra

I've found it!!!!!

The messiest, gooeyiest, stickiest and most decadent chocolate pudding ever! Well at least for now.

A self confessed chocoholic there is no chocolate pudding that has not crossed my lips, no recipe left untested. When the skies turn grey and fluffy blankets reappear in my daily life, it’s most certain that my ill-disciplined craving for chocolate pudding will resurface. My journey to discover this perfect chocolate ecstasy starts every year around winter time and includes recollections of dried out wanabe’s landing in the bin, ending its short life on the floor or thrown against the wall. Every winter I see these heavenly chocolate treasures strutting their stuff in glossies, newsletters or online food publications promising to take over your taste buds and leaving you hooked on its gooey sauce.

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I love Easter! Childhood memories come to mind of waking up to the smell of Hot-cross buns and Easter treasure hunts. I remember my brother not particularly fond of this game, but my sister and I loved it! Even as teenagers, and way too grown up for any kind of game with our parents, our yearly Easter hunt was a tradition. We looked forward to it, made sure our parents never forgot this special day and urged them every year to make it harder for us to find. We worked hard and as a team, looking in trees, behind rocks, tucked away in the herb garden, in the post box and if it was raining inside behind or under the couch, in cupboards, hanging from the lamp shades or on window sills. At age 19 (myself) and 23 (my sister) our Easter hunts had came to a standstill. The Hot-cross buns were still there, the Easter eggs made up in pretty little bags or left on our beds but the memory of Easter and the fun we had never escaping our memories.

photography by: Louis Hiemstra

This year, I have started a little tradition of my own. My husband gets to wake up to the smell of freshly made Hot-cross buns every “Easter Friday”. If you are not particularly fond of baking or need a quick solution, Woolworths stocks a super easy Hot Cross bun Kit (see pictures above) which also makes for a perfect gift if you are going away to visit friends or family over Easter. Woolworths also offers a range of other beautiful Easter gifts for kids and adults alike.

Happy Easter! If you are on the roads be safe!

My beautiful sister tied the knot with her soul mate at Zevenwacht wine estate this March. Their fairytale wedding and evident love for each other inspired me to write about weddings this month. No longer a one day affair, the occasion started the Friday before the big day when my mother, sister and I spent a luxurious day at Mangwanani Spa (situated on the grounds of Zevenwacht, overlooking the city). What better way for a bride to spend the day before her wedding sipping champagne in a jacuzzi and being pampered. As the sun rose on a perfect and wind free day in Cape Town, the preparations for the big day started. Brothers, sisters, family, friends, caterers, event organisers, all ready to play their role. Of course a wedding would not be a wedding without the crazy, chaotic, happy blend of all these people. Before we knew it, the beautiful bride was gliding (father by side) down the aisle, bringing tears to eyes of the special group invited to share in their extraordinary day.

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I spoiled my significant other this Valentine’s day by chopping up some vegetables, washing off some fruit, grabbing a bottle of bubbles and making a beeline for the beach.

Besides what evokes thoughts of romance, leisure and enjoyment of the outdoors more than a picnic for two.

On the menu: mini lamb koftas, ham and cheese balls (courtesy of Woolies), grapes, strawberries, crudités and hummus. Not your average store cupboard ingredients, but super easy to shop for, assemble and pack into a pretty box tied with a red ribbon. Even simpler would be to throw everything into a basket or tote, along with napkins and a blanket.

Admittedly, my honey was not very keen at the idea at first. How romantic can a picnic on a beach be compared to a candle lit dinner at a classy restaurant? But this is Cape Town and I could think of no better or romantic way than spending it with my love on a beautiful beach, enjoying the scenery, tasty nibbles and each other’s company.

We snuggled on a cozy blanket watching the ski turn pink and orange as the sun set. I later added to the ambience by filling white paper bags with sand and putting candles inside.

I am thrilled to say my skeptical hubby has now become the instigator of more easy and care-free romantic picnics ...

Happy Valentine's Day!

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Ever notice how the words "Let's go on a picnic" light up faces and bring a sparkle to people's eyes. A picnic evokes feelings of excitement, its shrieks "let's have fun"!

Why not break the routine of daily life and spoil that special person in your life. It needn't be Valentine's day, an anniversary or a birthday, it can be any day, anywhere. Best of all picnic foods are simple to prepare and can be prepared in advance.

Picnic essentials:

• Picnic blanket or beach carpet
• Umbrella (daytime)
• Eating utensils (if applicable) and paper cups
• Can opener, bottle opener, corkscrew, matches, candles, paper bags (as necessary)
• Garbage bags and Ziploc bags for left over’s
• Paper towels, napkins or wet wipes
• Camera to capture special moments
• Toothpicks

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End of the month salticracks

The first month of the New Year is almost over. All across the globe people are back into their busy schedules, striving for balance and more time, ticking off to do lists and setting goals. Not only are we all back into routine, but we are all more conscious about what we spend our hard-earned money on.

Not one of us is unaffected by the global economic crisis. We all have to take careful stock of our finances and make hard to swallow compromises, but there is a silver lining. Our financial challenges are a frustration we all share. Friends, family, colleagues and even the stranger you greet every morning, every one of us have the same common goals and we are all forced to live our lives more creatively.

Our goals now include getting together with loved ones more often. We value entertaining at home, enjoy sharing meals and dishes and food still takes centre stage in our lives.

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