Shelf Styling

I have a thing for open shelves styled with beautiful artefacts that create vignettes with fresh, playful and polished personality. I love them looking like a gallery space where the items that reflect our interest are displayed as art. It's beautiful to look at books that are neatly arranged horizontally or vertically mixed with intriguing, unususal, aesthetically pleasing objects such as statues,pretty bowls,a stack of boxes, sculptural vases, an eye-catching antique, natural items [wood, coral, rocks, a plant...] - it's visually interesting to have the accents diverse in theme, texture and colour. Balance is key!

Stylish Stay-At-Home Moms

If that happens you are a stay-at-home mom [what a privilege for many] that doesn't necessarily mean that your mommy dutty, more rectrict funds and a far from active social calendar have to limit drastically your fashion options or that your style has to go out the door. It is always a matter of working with what you already have and add a few inexpensive pieces [fotunately these days we can find quality clothing and accessories at affordable prices} to keep your wardrobe current, stylish, trendy and interesting. It is possible to be comfortable and look great and taking good care of yourself is determinant for your self-esteem and confidence booster and consequently this will improve the way you take care of your child[ren] - feeling your best will certainly show and will be perceived by them. An occasional conscious splurge on yourself is no crime either and should not be  a reason for feeling guilty, specially if you have been saving for it and have been acting with responsibility. I hope these super inspirational moms will  inspire you to carry off current trends while being true to your [new] life.

This Too Shall Pass

In The Mood For

{baking mini apple pies for this weekend's breakfasts}

I always realize the year is advancing quickly into Spring when suddenly it's the Oscars night and the month of February is almost a wrap. I am more than ready to combat the announced dreary weather with movies and tasty homemade pizza in front of the fireplace but feel grateful for having been able to enjoy a couple of balmy sunny days, either with strolls through the woods nearby (there’s something so inherently magical about the woods) or simply by opening the windows ajar to air the house. I've already peeked into some store's new spring collection and I loved the light fabrics and pastel hues, not to mention the beautiful make up trends. I wish you a lovely weekend. I´m in the mood for...

{the beautiful colour of this smooth lipstick - nº310, Potent, by Estée Lauder}

{having a classical moment of fluffly soft wool sweaters and pearls}

{the sleek modern design of these gold chair}

{Dior's limited edition of a peach  springy nailpolish - nº244, Magesty}

{these new excellent books by two all-time favourite bloggers - Mimi Thorisson and Camille Styles}

{a new savory routine - homemade pizzas}

Carapaus De Escabeche - Childhood Memories #11

We have always eaten mackerel with "molho de escabeche" [kind of a pickled sauce] both at my grandparents and my parents' as far as I can remember, since I was young. A classic of Portuguese cuisine and, above all, at our table, it was served like this,in these old ceramic platters[this one belongs to my mother, I think that it belonged to my grandmother, and I remember seeing it the on table for at least thirty years], with this sauce whose base is the vinegar, not only to enhance the flavor of the fish but mostly to preserve / revitalize the fried mackerel that had been fried the day, what I always loved. Sometimes the only side dish were thick slices of bread, my favourite in the whole world! From the smell of the fried fish in the kitchen which required the windows to be open ajar to the unforgettable flavor of the seasoning this is certainly a dish full of good memories, nostalgic even, as it evokes the memory of some departed dear ones. There are such dishes, that take us back in time to moments of ineffable tenderness ... fortunately, some fragaments are still recovered in the flavour.


Ingredients:

• medium mackerels
• onion 
• bay leaves
• sunflower garlic
• extra virgin olive oil
• rice
• tomatos
• vinegar
• salt
• ground pepper
• oil (for frying mackerel)

Start by gutting the horse mackerel [I always ask to do so in the fishmonger to prevent dirtiness at home], slice them in several pieces and let them seasoned with salt overnight. The next day, wash them, dry them well and bring them to fry in hot oil, after covering them in flour. Place the fried fish between sheets of oil abroving paper towels so that it dries from the frying oil excess. In a frying pan arrange the sliced onion thinly, slice the garlic and add a bay leaf and drizzle with plenty of sunflower oil. Season with some pebbles of salt and ground pepper and bring to fry. When the onion is fried, but without being too caramelized, drizzle with a good splash of vinegar. Bring to a boil again and turn off the heat. Drizzle the mackerelthat has meanwhile coolde off  with this sauce. Serve with tomato rice.


Sempre se comeu carapau com molho de escabeche em casa dos meus avós e dos meus pais desde que me lembro, ainda eu era pequena. Um clássico da gastronomia portuguesa e, sobretudo, da nossa mesa, era servido assim , nestas travessas antigas [esta pertence à minha mãe, penso que até era da minha avó, e lembro-me de a ver a circular pela mesa pelo menos há trinta anos], com este molho cuja base é o vinagre, não só para valorizar o sabor do peixe mas, essencialmente,  para conservar/ revitalizar o carapau frito que tinha sobrado da refeição do dia anterior, o que eu sempre adorei. Por vezes,o único acompanhamento eram grossas fatias de broa, a minha predileção! Desde o cheiro do frito na cozinha que obrigava as janelas a estar abertas de  par em par ao sabor inesquecível do tempero este é certamente um prato cheio de boas recordações, saudosas até, pois evocam a memória dos que já partiram. Há pratos assim, que nos transportam no tempo para momentos de inefável ternura... felizmente, alguns fragamentos ainda se recuperam no paladar.


Ingredientes:

• carapaus médios 
• cebola
• louro
• alho
• azeite
• vinagre
• sal
• pimenta
• óleo (para fritar os carapaus)

 Começe por amanhar os carapaus [eu peço sempre para fazerem isso na peixaria para evitar a sujidade em casa], corte-os aos pedaços e deixe-os temperados com sal grosso na véspera, durante a noite. No dia seguinte, lave-os, enxugue-os bem e leve-os a fritar em óleo quente, depois de os passar por farinha. Reserve entre camadas de papel aborvente para secar do excesso de óleo da fritura. Numa frigideira disponha a cebola cortada em rodelas fininhas, os alhos laminados e a folha de louro e regue com bastante azeite. Tempere com umas pedrinhas de sal e pimenta e leve a fritar. Quando a cebola estiver fritinha, mas sem estar muito caramelizada, regue com um bom esguicho de vinagre. Deixe levantar fervura novamente e desligue o lume. Regue os carapaus já bem frios com este preparado. Acompanhe com arroz de tomate.