Piewacket

Kawaii in Austin

Piewacket — Fri, 25 May 2012 13:00:21 +0000

Last weekend I visited my good friends Al and Heather in Austin and they treated me to a little of the local fare. Including some do-nuts from Shipleys, a Texas original.

From the awesome basic cake to sprinkles and coconut covered to cream filled... they offer up plenty of tasty, doughy goodness. And just like Texas, these puppies are big. They also offer "Kolaches" a rolled up bread thingy filled with yummy things like sausage or ham and cheese. Yee haw!

model:Maxfield all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Little Splurges

Piewacket — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:00:29 +0000

Wonderful 'lette macarons in salted caramel, raspberry and lemon... love these! They are as tasty as they are pretty. The store is located in Pasadena's thriving "Old Town" shopping area.

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Sweet Inspiration

Piewacket — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:00:59 +0000

You know the old saying: When God hands you blueberries... make pie! Spying these below on a recent trip to my local farmer's market gave me the ideal to make some rustic mini pies.

After washing them and removing any stems, I tossed them in some lemon curd and added a 1/2 cup of sugar. I used a store bought crust and a large round lid to cut out circles of dough and then pressed them into a lightly greased muffin tin. Then I just pricked the bottom of each with a fork before spooning in the filling.

I baked them in a pre-heated, 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes, until the crust was golden brown. Let cool before trying to remove them from the pan. It is ok if they crumble up a bit, it just adds to the "rustic" charm.

Tea Towel via the wondrous Skinny Laminx!

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Savory Inspiration

Piewacket — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:01:12 +0000

Be inspired by what you find when you shop for fresh produce. When I saw this package of mini heirloom tomatoes at my local Trader Joe's, I was inspired by the colors to make a fresh spring salad as a main course for a special lunch.

Letting the tomatoes be the star, I just added some thinly sliced red onion, mache lettuce, avocado and just a bit crumbled goat cheese.

I used the same simple vinaigrette I described in this post which I like to assemble in a glass storage jar with a tight lid. It makes mixing it easy as well as storing any leftovers.

My very favorite way to eat salad is to add a cup of warm steamed rice just before serving. Not only does it make a more complete meal, but it is so delicious. I use jasmine rice, but you can use any rice you like. It's an especially great way to use leftover rice. To re-steam cold rice, just place in a microwave safe bowl with a damp paper towel covering it and heat for 1 to 2 minutes.

I am not a big kitchen gadget person, I still use a hand mixer (!) but I'm really glad I invested in a rice cooker. I use and highly recommend this low tech and fairly inexpensive Panasonic version.

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

An extra-Kawaii Mothers Day

Piewacket — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:00:23 +0000

For the first time in over 20 years I will be able to actually spend Mother's Day with my Mother. I am making her lunch today and then attending a family party Sunday. I hope all the Mothers I know and also those I don't have a wonderful weekend.

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Porch Party

Piewacket — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:00:41 +0000

How I love my new porch and this pretty patio set I scored at the Rosebowl Flea. It was a "worse for the wear" white but I had it made over by the amazing guys at Sundial Powder Coating who you may remember also transformed this iKea cart. Now I have the perfect place to entertain on a lovely spring or summer day.

A salad is a great choice for a small or large group. Easy to make ahead (just do not add dressing till right before serving) and you don't have the worry of timing a complicated entree.

For my "cobb-ish" I started with a mix of baby spinach and butter lettuce, then added red onion, avocado, bacon, chicken and goat cheese instead of blue. Then dressing was made with aioli mustard (from Trader Joe's, love this stuff), red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, a dash of Worcestershire Sauce and salt & pepper.

I've mentioned fried green tomatoes before, they are a southern favorite and easy to make. Green tomatoes are just red tomatoes that have not yet ripened. I was able to find some at my local Sprouts.

I mix corn meal and flour, some bay seasoning and garlic powder and then dip the sliced tomatoes into a mixture of egg and low fat buttermilk, then dredge in your dry mix, then put into a hot pan. I used the left over bacon fat (from the salad) to fry them. This is really the key for a true southern style taste. On top, a cilantro dressing with a touch of sriracha mixed in.

I made my life easy by picking up a ready made "mini" cherry pie, also from Sprouts. Everything else I picked up at Trader Joe's, naturally. Check out this book, it had the best reviews of the many TJ's cookbooks I discovered.

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Rules for a Kawaii Life

Piewacket — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:00:28 +0000

I remember a wise woman once told me that her only rule about working out was she had to go to the gym and touch the wall. Knowing that getting herself there was 99% of the battle. I am not a gym person, I do better if I find a home routine that works for me. So my equivalent of "touching the wall" is simply to "suit up". Putting on work out cloths and shoes is often all it takes to get me going and so far so good.

A new rule I'm implementing is no more buying bread. I can have it if I'm eating out, but I am not bringing it into my home. I did find some excellent lowfat tortillas at TJ's that combine corn & flour, making for a healthy substitute. I used one here to make a tasty quesdilla with sliced rotisserie chicken, avocado hummus and salsa. Goes great with some mango greek yogurt.

Even a simple geranium bloom can brighten your space. I promised myself to bring more flowers into my home and you don't have to be Martha Stewart to afford it either. If you don't have them growing in your garden, you can pick up fresh blooms fairly cheaply at your local farmer's market or even Trader Joe's.

Once a week, usually on the weekend, I like to band the computer and TV for most of the day. For as long as possible I keep the world at bay, curling up with Mr. Finch, a good book and plenty of Joe.

Finally, don't forget to stop and smell the cactus. I truly believe gardening is good for the soul and whether you have just a window sill garden or a full back yard. There is a special kind of beauty in the process and having growing things around you.

Light Play

Piewacket — Wed, 02 May 2012 14:30:37 +0000

One of my last shoots before leaving Atlanta was with the wickedly handsome musician Paul Warner. We shot these at the beautiful and historic Oakland Cemetery.

Here I did a little freelensing, a tricky technique that can yield great results but if not careful can damage your equipment. The nice thing about working with creative people is they are usually open to experimentation.

We also shot at this house but we had to abort when it turned out an actual human being was in residence and not thrilled about us on her property.

Still, I think it was worth it, what an amazing backdrop.

Check out Paul's music, which I listened to almost non-stop as I drove my truck cross country. You can download his latest, Deadly Waterparks on itunes.

relax it's

Piewacket — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:00:30 +0000

Big shoot this weekend and editing a few others so Pie will take a little hiatus. Congrats to Monica who won the Lesley Evers giveaway. Back next week with plenty of fresh Pie!

Upper Crush

Piewacket — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:00:15 +0000

Uppercase Magazine is one of those little miracles that can only spring from a deep passion for design. In an age when just about anyone can whip together a "magazine" (including Pie) online. It is more than admirable to see someone take the much tougher route and create something so beautifully tangible. Which is why despite the high price of the ticket, many have clamoured on to enjoy the ride, that is Uppercase.

I have been fortunate to contribute to the newest issue, just released. I shot a behind the scenes piece, at my last shoot for Lesley Evers. An ideal I proposed to editor Janine Vangool, who is ever open to creative input.

Each issue is rich with ideas and luscious imagery, all printed on a thick paper stock.

A quick search on eBay yielded no back issues, which does not surprise me, these are keepers.

Speaking of Lesley Evers, today is the last day to get in on the silk poncho giveaway. Just LIKE her Facebook page and comment on the Poncho Pie post!