Quite Continental Bakes: Sugar Cookies
25/12/2010 § Leave a comment
Admittedly, I am not much of a domestic goddess. C’est la vie! While I am definitely not a cook, there are a few recipes that I have quite an attachment to. With a little bit of convincing, my mom will break them out — she always prints out stacks of new recipes she wants to use, but the rest of us will hear none of it — and make our favorites.
Every Christmas, she makes sugar cookies that we leave out for Santa. She wants me to say the recipe is an old family secret, but the truth is, she isn’t quite sure where she got it from. No matter. As long as I have these on Christmas Eve, I know all is right with the world. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 1 C. butter
- 1 C. granulated sugar
- 1 C. powdered sugar
- 1 C. oil
- 2 eggs
- 4 1/2 C. flour
- 1 t. cream of tartar
- 1 t. baking soda
- 1 t. vanilla
- 1 t. almond extract
While the recipe may not be a old family secret, the mixing bowl is from 1940s!
Cream butter and sugars in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in oil and eggs. Beat well.
Add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, vanilla and almond extract.
Transfer dough, then chill for a few hours. The longer the dough is chilled, the longer it will take to bake.
Roll chilled dough into golf ball-sized balls, and flatten with a glass dipped in granulated sugar.
Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 9 to 12 minutes on 350° F. Remove immediately from cookie sheet and transfer to wire cooling rack.
Happy Hols!
Dior Illustrated: René Gruau and the Line of Beauty
23/12/2010 § 1 Comment
While I was in London, I had the good fortune to catch the René Gruau exhibition at the Somerset House. If you are able to make it there before it closes, you must go! Gruau was a renowned fashion illustrator who was a creative collaborator and close friend of Christian Dior. Gruau’s campaigns for the Dior perfumes are among his most notable work as an artist. Gruau’s style was modern, elegant and frequently a bit mischievous. His haute couture illustrations for the pages of magazines like Marie Claire, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar changed the way that fashion designers and their designs were publicized. Today’s fashion editorials owe a deep debt to illustrators like Gruau.
Unfortunately photography was forbidden inside, but the Somerset House has posted a brief film about the exhibition, which is the first showing of Gruau’s work in London.
Runs through Jan 9.
Somerset House – Strand London WC2R 1LA – Tel: +44 (0)20 7845 4600
Louis Vuitton Men’s S/S 2011 featuring Scott Campbell
02/12/2010 § Leave a comment
Louis Vuitton hits the high notes with the first installment in a “video diptyque” (aka two part series) that introduces their men’s spring/summer 2011 collections. Vuitton has seized upon visual and tattoo artist Scott Campbell as the embodiment of the upcoming season — with good reason, as he collaborated on the collection — and we are treated to view a day in his life. It’s got a little bit of everything: a run across what looks like the Manhattan Bridge, his creative studio space, paper cut art and printmaking, the beautiful artwork on his body, an adorable dog, an abundance of the Damier Graphite Canvas collection (Sidenote: I really, really, REALLY think there ought to be a choice selection of women’s pieces in Damier Graphite Canvas. It isn’t fair for the men to have it all to themselves. Are you listening, LV?), a sweet motorcycle, bookstore meandering, a voyage to a mysterious location via CDG, lots of beautiful luggage and amazing clothes.
Stay tuned. We’ll catch up with Scott later.
Quite Continental 