A June BBQ
June 6, 2012
Summer is practically here which means so are the weekends spent grilling, swimming and soaking up the sun. This past weekend my friend’s parents were kind enough to host a fun little Sunday BBQ gathering. After stocking up on everything we could possibly carry from Tarry Market, salads, grilled pineapple, corn, burgers and salmon were prepped for the feast. Such a refreshing feeling to know this is just the start of the season, so better get the calendars out to start planning all the beach parties and backyard dinners– Labor Day will be here before you know it!
Fresh salad
Grilled pineapple
Fava beans
Salads
Grilled corn
Caprese salad
Cheeseburgers
Salmon
Land & Flowers
January 8, 2012
My friends and I took advantage of the unseasonably 60 degree sunny January day, and threw a little afternoon roof gathering with some of my favorite Thai food from Land and beautiful floral arrangements done by my friend, Jess. Using an old Pantone book and library books as inspiration, we shot Atlantic baked salmon with bean paste, napa cabbage, snow pea, carrot and caramel soy sauce, caramelized chicken curry puffs, root vegetable egg rolls and satay beef and chicken skewers before chowing down and catching those summer-like sun rays.
Chicken Satay Skewer and Baked Salmon
Baked Salmon
Vegetable Egg roll
Vegetable Egg Rolls
Floral Arrangements
Salmon & Chicken Curry Puffs
Chicken Curry Puffs
Beef & Chicken satay skewers and Vegetable egg roll
A Taste of Luxury in Southern Iceland
September 20, 2011
Hotel Ranga, one of the world’s top destinations for viewing the Aurora Borealis and Southern Iceland’s only 4 star resort, has everything you could possibly want for a relaxing stay in the countryside, not to mention an outstanding dining room and extremely friendly service from everyone. The hotel’s rustic luxury accomodations sit on wide open land overlooking the East Ranga River. Their chef prepared his modern Nordic cuisine with local ingredients of only the freshest quality, and brought out a beautiful array of dishes. Â Although the weather conditions weren’t conducive to check out the Northern Lights, on the positive side, it’s just one more reason for me to start planning my return trip.
East Ranga River at the hotel
Dining room at Hotel Ranga
Smoked Puffin served with beerbread crumble and "cumberland" sauce
Hotel Ranga's Wine bar
Icelandic Cod served on a bed of nuts and local barley with whitewine sauce
Local wild salmon with sweet potato and white chocolate puree, lobster foam and local strawberries
Local wild salmon with sweet potato and white chocolate puree, lobster foam and local strawberries
The hotel's porch
The best chocolate cake dessert
Icelandic Mountain lamb and lobster combo with potato terrine and blueberry demiglaze
Icelandic mountain lamb and lobster combo with potato terrine and blueberry demiglaze
International Suites
Blue Lagoon
September 6, 2011
Our first stop in Iceland was to the famous Blue Lagoon for a spa day. In a dream-like setting, you can’t get more relaxing than bathing in their natural geothermal pools, getting in-water massages and putting on mud masks from scooping up the natural minerals. For lunch, my friend and I tried out their restaurant’s buffet. Being in a country known for their seafood, we sampled a variety of dishes ranging from minke whale sashimi to herring and dill cured salmon before heading back to the pools for more relaxation.
Minke whale sashimi and the spa's natural geothermal seawater pools
Dill cured salmon
Skyr, an Icelandic-style yogurt
Salad
White pasta with chicken and carrots
Sushi of the day
Braised Cod
Herring
a camera in the kitchen 