The New Victorian Ruralist

Monday, December 7, 2009

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Possible Acquisition...

The pose, the moody background, the expression —

all of it makes for a striking piece of artwork.

Now — is she right for what I am trying

to achieve? A little more planning and

time will tell.

Giftwrap...

What a simple and pretty giftwrapping idea!

I forgot to mention inexpensive.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Friday, December 4, 2009

Thursday, December 3, 2009

For the Love of Chalkboards...

Make an old storage piece even more functional

by turning the doors into message boards.

Chalkboard as room divider in an already
dramatic loft space.

I love the industrial elements in this kitchen.

Somehow, the chalkboard walls seem to cozy

things up a bit.

The addition of frame lights balances the

casualness and formality.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup pecans
Canola oil for greasing
2 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean
4 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 day-old croissants
2 tablespoons coarsely grated bittersweet chocolate (from about 1 ounce)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to broil.

Put the cherries in a small bowl, cover with boiling water, and let sit for 20 minutes, then drain.

Spread the pecans out in a pie tin, place on the middle rack of the oven, and carefully watch for 1 to 2 minutes or until the nuts are golden. Cool, then chop.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease two ovenproof bowls (with 4-inch diameters) with canola oil.

Add the heavy cream to a medium saucepan. Slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds from the pod into the liquid, then add the pod. Simmer over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, then remove the vanilla bean pod.

Combine egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk together. Slowly pour in the cream mixture while whisking.

Tear the croissants into 6 pieces each and place in a medium bowl, then cover with the remaining cream and egg mixture. Allow the croissants to absorb the liquid for about 10 minutes. Add the cherries.

Transfer the mixture into the prepared bowls and sprinkle the top of each bowl with the chocolate and toasted pecans. Place them in the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until set, then serve.