Nourish Blog

March08

Elixir Allure :: Body and Eden

It's not every day I stumble across a new obsession. Luckily, Body and Eden tonics and elixirs came into my world last week...and I'm hooked.

Not only is their tagline "nourish yourself" -- could it be anymore fitting?! -- but these drinks blend organic fruits and veg with precisely paired superfoods and herbal infusions. The tonics and elixirs are a refreshing take on the array of calorie-heavy and sugary-sweet juices and smoothies offered by many of the "cleanses" and "detoxes" out on the market. Founders Aubrey Levitt and Hillary Deppeler wanted to create something that wasn't intended to be another cleanse, but to simply provide a nourishing, nutrient-packed boost to your everyday routine. And let me tell you, they've hit gold with their seasonal, organic custom blends via local farmers (NYC and LA areas). As someone who's always been a bit skeptical of green juices (I prefer to chew my kale and spinach most of the time), these tonics and elixirs rock. Drop dead delicious taste, low calorie (bottles range from 20 to 60 calories), low sugar to keep your energy levels stable, and they just make you feel good, can't get much better than that. Actually you can, they're packaged in sleek, vintagey apothecary jars and are perfectly portioned. Return the jar, reuse, revive and repeat. The drinks are worth every penny in my opinion and they're hot off the presses, literally, just in time for spring.

*Deliveries available in NYC and LA and soon to be stocked at Marlow & Sons in BK.

Image via :: Body and Eden

Meyer Lemon Mousse with Lavender-Spice Chocolate Shortbread

When life gives you a bunch of lemons, make lemonade as the saying goes, right? Technically the market sold me a load of in-season meyer lemons, so I figured why not test out a lemon mousse (I mean, it was Oscar night afterall, a little red-carpet indulgence was required). Meyer lemons are in-season for just a few months each winter. They're quite fragrant and less sharp than regular lemons. This is definitely a rich dessert, so dole it out in small vintage glasses, tiny ramekins or baby mason jars and you'll be spot on with managable serving sizes. To cut the mousse's citrusy-sweetness just a bit, try pairing some lavender-spice shortbread with it.

Meyer Lemon Mousse with Lavender-Spice Chocolate Shortbread

Serves :: 10 to 12

Ingredients

Mousse
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup fresh meyer lemon juice (from 6 lemons) 6 large egg yolks 2 large eggs 11/2 tablespoons grated meyer lemon peel
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or scrapings from inside of 1 vanilla bean)

*Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit

Shortbread
2 cups flour 3/4 cup powdered sugar 3/4 cup unprocessed Dutch cocoa powder 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried lavender, lightly crushed
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
buds from 2 to 3 thyme sprigs 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature  1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
dark chocolate shavings for garnish

Directions

Mousse

Combine 1 cup sugar, lemon juice, 6 egg yolks, 2 whole eggs and grated lemon peel in a stainless steel bowl. Set the bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water. Whisk until the mixture thickens, where it sticks to the back of a spoon and a thermometer inserted into the mixture reads about 160°F - this should take about 10-12 minutes to thicken. Transfer lemon curd to another bowl and allow to cool.

Combine whipping cream and vanilla in a cold mixing bowl and beat using an electric mixer until peaks form, about 4 to 5 minutes. Gently fold whipping cream into the lemon curd. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Garnish with shaved dark chocolate.

Shortbread

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, lavender, cayenne and thyme. Using an electric beater cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Transfer to a food processor and add in flour mixture slowly, half at a time. Pulse gently until crumbs form. Add remaining flour mixture and pulse until a ball of dough forms. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a log, about 6 inches long or so – make sure log is squared at edges rather than rounded. Wrap logs in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat to 325°F and place oven racks on 3rd and bottom rung. Place about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of sanding sugar on a piece of parchment paper and roll each log so that each side is well-coated. Cut each log into slices, about 1/3 inch thick. Place slices on 2 cookie sheets, about 1/2 inch apart. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes and reverse baking sheets in oven. Reverse baking sheets and bake 9 to 10 minutes more until golden brown. Transfer shortbread to a rack and allow to cool.

Food for Thought :: Just Food

The topic of food is pretty much on my mind constantly given that: 1) it's my job and, 2) there are few things better than sitting down to a simple meal that casts a splendid spell over you. I admit however, that sometimes I get lost in the mix of daily of life and work...and forget to step back and think beyond the emails awaiting reply in my box, or about what fresh ingredients I have on-hand to whip up a quick dinner. Which is precisely why I love the above quote by the well-known style blogger Garance Dore via this website. Staying relevant. Something that's quite important to many of us, myself definitely included. How do you stay relevant when it comes to something so basic and intrinsic as eating?

Sometimes it just requires a bit of inspiration to bring relevant thoughts and ideas to life. A big thank you to Just Food, the non-profit organization that connects New York communities to local food and farms. Accessibility, information, sustainability and active change are their guiding principles around food. I had the opportunity to attend Just Food's annual conference last week and the general theme of "relevance" and making connections through food was unmistakable. I had the pleasure of sitting in on two extraordinary sessions - one where editors and writers from Saveur Magazine, Tasting Table and Gilt Taste (aka Ruth Reichl's new pet project) kept coming back to the "heritage of food," going back to the roots of food and the memories that spark sensory intrigue. All of this can create innovation and gratitude -- and can promote good food existing right in our own kitchens. It's the experience of a good meal, a seasonal ingredient, interacting with a farmer or local grocer. All of this creates connections, and that furthers relevance.

The second session featured a panel of local area chefs (from the Cleaver Company, Egg, and Palo Santo) who spoke about connecting with food and the value - and health - that good food and well-sourced ingredients can encourage. When it comes to staying relevant, sustainability is certainly one ticket. Considering, even in the smallest of ways, sustainability and where our food comes from is becoming more and more a way of living - or at least it should be. A couple of memorable quotes from the afternoon:

"The idea of 'sustainable' should just be what we do because it's best for us."

"You cook with what's available - and what's at the market, what tastes best...and that's also what's most healthful."

"You care about your body, you should care about what you put into it."

Here's to eating well, eating with consciousness and eating with memorable pleasure. That's surely staying relevant.

Image via Dara Kent-Cobb