The Mixing Bowl: Iced White Chocolate with Warm Blueberry and Thyme Soup by Emma van Leest

Australian Emma van Leest is one of my favorite paper cut artists. In general, I have a soft spot in my heart for anyone that can create something so delicately beautiful out of a sheet of paper, but Emma’s work goes a step beyond the average paper cutter. Inspired by her travels and studies in the East, specifically China, Indonesia, and India, as well as her interests in Medieval saints, fairy tales, and folk art, Emma creates a unique and fascinating world that is simply awe inspiring. Her work is so breathtaking in its intricacies and subject matter that it’s nearly impossible to resist. I can’t even imagine the work that goes into one of her pieces!

For her Mixing Bowl recipe, Emma has chosen a recipe that is as interesting and creative as her work. She first tasted this sweet concoction at the Queenscliff Hotel and, even though she isn’t a huge fan of desserts, she loved this one so much that she asked the chef for the recipe. It seemed so simple, but, like so many of us know, not all desserts come out exactly as we envisioned! But that’s what I love about Emma’s write up. There is so much story to it! I really enjoyed reading about her struggles with this recipe, and, how, in the end, it was still delicious, although maybe not perfect. I hope you find a special occasion, or just a plain ol’ ordinary occasion, to be a bit adventurous like Emma and try this dessert! It sounds amazing!

You can find the complete recipe and story, along with additional photos, after the jump. You can view more of Emma’s lovely work on her Web site, right here. Thanks, Emma!

Edible Art: Martí Guixé, Food Designing

There is a quote from photographer Inga Knölke that appears on Martí Guixé’s home page that reads “A food designer is somebody working with food, with no idea of cooking.” It is the perfect way to introduce the viewer to Guixe’s work, which is all about enhancing the modern idea of food as a product, as opposed to a necessity. By creating objects like a hands-free lollipop, a pie chart which shows the percentage of ingredients in a cake, or a hot chocolate mug that “never gets dirty” he brings whimsy and imagination to objects that we all so often take for granted. Guixe was also the creator of the Candy Restaurant (a place for eating candies) in Tokyo, which was a unique food space where a chef served sweets to diners along with eating instructions. The childlike act of eating candy therefore transformed into a much more formal dining experience. What fun!

photo by asobi tsuchiya

You can find a collection of Guixe’s work in his book Food Designing. You can also check out some of his food-related pieces via his Web site, right here. Be sure to click on both the “food” and “tool” links.

Sweet Testing: Almond Green Tea Cupcakes

I have come to realize something about myself. I love almond flavoring! I only came to this realization recently, after eating these green tea and almond cupcakes from Baked, but, from now on, I am all about eating anything flavored with almond! Actually, this new found epiphany is not really surprising, given the fact that I eat almonds every day, but as much as I love real live almonds, I don’t know if they can take credit for the yumminess of these cupcakes. I think it’s the more intense almond extract that does the trick. Whatever it is, I think these may be the best cupcakes I’ve ever made! They were definitely a nice change over more traditional chocolate/vanilla cupcakes. Oh, and the green tea taste is very subtle, so if you’re not a tea lover, I wouldn’t let that stop you from trying these! So good!

You can find the complete recipe after the jump.

Breakfast Interrupted

I’m not a person who likes to waste food. I will eat every last bite on my plate, even if my gut is completely and utterly stuffed and I will often eat the last spoonful of food in a bowl, rather than throw it down the sink. But, despite my aversion to waste, I simply cannot stop watching this utterly charming food video by Bruton Stroube Studio for the Marlin Network, titled Breakfast Interrupted. While there is a small part of me that is upset about the ruining of a perfectly lovely breakfast spread, I feel like there is something oddly calming about the piece as well. It definitely makes me hungry for brunch! For more on Bruton Stroube, click here. (You can also check out short behind the scenes video below.)

The Mixing Bowl: Lemon Meringue Pie by Lindsay J. Haynes

I first discovered the work of illustrator Lindsay J. Haynes while I was flipping through the current issue of Uppercase magazine, in which we both appear. I'm in the issue rambling on about how food inspires me, while Lindsay shows up in a great article about cereal box art. I was instantly drawn to her retro-inspired take on the classic cereal box. If sugar frosted planets had existed when I was a kid, I definitely would have been buying it! (Okay, my mom wouldn't have let me buy it, but I would have wanted it!) It has just the right amount of believability and kitsch. After scurrying over to her Web site, I was pleased to discover a similar style in much of her work, including her wonderful Twin Peaks prints that I was drooling over for days!

Now on to the dessert! For her Mixing Bowl contribution, Lindsay sent in her mom's recipe for lemon meringue pie. I love family recipes and I love lemon meringue pie, so I'm really excited to try this one! When it comes to desserts, nothing says comfort food like simplicity and tradition! To see a larger version of the lemon meringue pie recipe, just click on the image at the top of this post. You can also click here to check out more of Lindsay's work online. {Thanks, Lindsay!}