Hello all!
I hope you are enjoying the first day of Summer so far--It's finally here!! :D ...And I think I was this excited as to use exclamation points already by the second sentence, as well as a giant happy face, because Seattle doesn't get purely sunny days very often during the year (as you probably have already heard), so today is definitely a day to enjoy. :) It is cloudless in the sky and the birds are gleefully chirping nonstop, and I plan to savor every minute of it until the Sun goes back to its resting place. Anyway, I want to share with you the first recipe I decided to bake from, that I read in the lovable memoir A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg (I mentioned her in a previous post on this page, called Coconut Sauce and Powdered Sugar). I baked the amazing chocolate cake last Wednesday late at night, as I stirred up the hot fusion of rich butter and delectable chocolate while watching Love Bites from the corner of my eye as it played in the living room. And once the cake was ready, I had to lie to my mom that "I used oil not butter", and "No, I didn't add any sugar," to get her to enjoy the dessert...My family is very healthy, so that was the only way I could get them not to miss out on the times one may find some of life's little pleasures in desserts. Thus, I ended up eating most of the cake until I finally scraped up the last of it this morning as part of my breakfast...yet I didn't mind that one bit. ;) I have to warn you by saying this is honestly the best chocolate cake I've ever made or tasted...I needed to warn you before you also find yourself trying not to devour all of the cake! I hope you enjoy the chocolate mountain of heaven; I sure did! (see the recipe below I copied from Molly Wizenberg's well-known and well-beloved blog Orangette.) ~~MC P.S. I personally thought the cake tasted better after it was refrigerated for awhile...That way, it tastes denser as you get a stronger taste of the rich chocolate. 7 ounces (200 grams) best-quality dark chocolate 7 ounces (200 grams) unsalted European-style butter (the high-butterfat kind, such as Lurpak or Beurre d’Isigny), cut into ½-inch cubes 1 1/3 cup (250 grams) granulated sugar 5 large eggs 1 Tbs unbleached all-purpose flour Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and butter an 8-inch round cake pan. Line the base of the pan with parchment, and butter the parchment too. Finely chop the chocolate (a serrated bread knife does an outstanding job of this) and melt it gently with the butter in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring regularly to combine. Add the sugar to the chocolate-butter mixture, stirring well, and set aside to cool for a few moments. Then add the eggs one by one, stirring well after each addition, and then add the flour. The batter should be smooth, dark, and utterly gorgeous. Pour batter into the buttered cake pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the center of the cake looks set and the top is shiny and a bit crackly-looking. (I usually set the timer for 20 minutes initially, and then I check the cake every two minutes thereafter until it’s done. At 20 minutes, it’s usually quite jiggly in the center. You’ll know it’s done when it jiggles only slightly, if at all.) Let the cake cool in its pan on a rack for 10 minutes; then carefully turn the cake out of the pan and revert it, so that the crackly side is facing upward. Allow to cool completely. The cake will deflate slightly as it cools. Serve in wedges at room temperature with a loose dollop of ever-so-slightly sweetened whipped cream. Note: This cake is even better on the second day, so consider making it the day before serving.
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Lately, I have gotten in the phase of playing and replaying this song. (I get in many phases--My Jack Johnson phase last autumn, the Ke$ha phase a few months later, then my OneRepublic phase, etc etc :) ). This song came out just a few weeks ago, so it's relatively new.
And when I tried looking for the official music video (which I didn't end up finding), I instead ran into this lyric video which was better than I expected! It really looks like effort and creativity was put into making it, so much so that you can be easily fooled into thinking that this is the official video that Gym Class Heroes and Adam Levine made (I'm now even a bigger fan of Adam Levine than before thanks to the great show The Voice; he just seems so nice!). ;) Also, I love this song because it's unlike the many others on the radio that talk about the same themes (love, heartbreak, etc.), which one can get tired of at some point. Even though this song does address love as its theme, it does so in a way that makes the tune stand out--through the expression of love for music itself, for the times you hear a tune that moves you to the point that you choose to admire it as well as tthe person who brought out that same aura. I hope you enjoy this video (and song) as much as I have! :) ~~MC P.S. Happy happy Father's Day! :D 6/15/2011 0 Comments Coconut Sauce and Powdered SugarFor today's Life au Cochon post, I'd like to excitedly advise you to read this quote :) ...And here it is:
"Whatever you love, you are." I ran into this quote while immensely absorbed in this lovely memoir I started reading yesterday (it's called A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg, who not only wrote this intimate life account but also created the well-known food blog Orangette, and who recently opened a pizza restaurant in Seattle; I truly admire her and all her accomplishments!). Wizenberg seems to effortlessly douse each word of the quote in a rich, creamy, pearl-hued coconut sauce, before lightly coating it in a delicate floating cloud of powdered sugar; then, in a final flourish, she heats and molds together this meltingly delicious combination, turning into a succulent union of all things one person can love. In other words, Molly sends a warm sense of comfort to the reader, letting us know that you have the freedom to throw all the things you love and enjoy into one nicely-wrapped bundle of yourself. You can bring yourself closer and closer to showing exactly who you are to the world, by fulling devoting yourself to your own fusion of coconut sauce and powdered sugar. And to that, I couldn't agree more. I personally love this quote because it convinces me that I can pick and choose what I want to devote myself to; thus, the things I choose define me--Like when I draw in my sketchbook, randomly decide to bake a blueberry cobbler whose recipe I found online (I did this last night actually...And I can still hear the subtle bubbling of the hot blueberries huddled safely under the oat-flour mix), and when I decorate my ears with the so-relaxing-it's-like-I'm-listening-to-the-sounds-of-nature jazz tunes by Madeleine Peyroux or Norah Jones. It seems relaxing and even like a giant sigh of relief, to know that you have all the power to decide who you want to be. Your identity is in your hands, and just like how you can mold a thick, charcoal-hued block of clay into any shape of bowl or cup or anything else you want, you have the all-encompassing potential and ability to shape your colors and textures that make you. What are the things that make you sing and dance on your tip-toes? What things make you want to leap with joy and start to hug random people (well, that might be going a bit too far but oh well)? :) ~~MC 6/14/2011 0 Comments SNLSNL is one of the best shows to watch for obvious reasons. :) It's a great way to get your weekly (or daily, if you're someone who enjoys watching reruns...) laughs as it has such variety in the cast, the skits and the kind of humor they all show.
I decided to post this clip from the season finale--I personally think Justin Timberlake is one of the all-time best SNL hosts, as this is one of the best monologues I've seen probably ever!! So sit back, relax, and get ready to laugh like a crazy person (well, at least that's how I ended up laughing...)! I hope you enjoy it! ~~MC P.S. Sorry the video is bad quality; I wanted to post the Hulu version which was better, but for some odd reason that didn't work...But don't worry, you'll still get to enjoy Justin Timberlake's comedy quirks and singing all the same! :) 6/14/2011 0 Comments The Most Honest ThingThis morning (and yesterday morning), I rediscovered another amazing way you can make your day better...And that is taking a walk or jog outside in the midst of Mother Nature's surroundings. :)
Not only will you get fresh air in your brain and lungs, you will also get a taste of something that presents itself exactly the way it was meant to be...I would say nature is the most honest thing on Earth, that it doesn't try to hide itself--what you see is what you get. I have always found this notion to be comforting, and so running for the first time in months yesterday brought me back to that state of silence that you can enjoy for yourself. So instead of sleeping in (which is nice too I'm sure ;) ), take some time to yourself to walk in the nature, and breathe in an air you can't find anywhere else. ~~MC P.S. I took these pictures during a jog in the park near my house last winter...It was a lovely, crisp, fresh winter morning and I didn't want to leave!...And I couldn't resist taking these pictures while running (well, not while running; I just kept stopping in my tracks to take them; though I didn't end up getting as big of a workout as I would have without my camera phone, I enjoyed being in the nature anyways :) ). 6/11/2011 0 Comments What Happened This Morning?"Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day."
I ran into this quote recently, and although it's unknown as to who actually said it, I found myself struck by its (obvious yet still profound) meaning. To me, it stated that a person always has a choice--he/she has the freedom to decide either to stay upset through the rest of the day over something that went wrong earlier, or to put that firmly in the past in order to enjoy the oncoming things that will make their day a great one. What do you think? How do you go about a day even if things go wrong? Do you find yourself spending the rest of the day questioning why things didn't go the way you wanted; or do you end up trying to remember what had happened because you completely forgot, as you snuggle up safely in your bed in remembering only the fun times you had during the rest of the day? Please tell me what you think, I am all ears (not pig ears, obviously because I am a human...). :) Have a lovely day! ~~MC 6/10/2011 0 Comments Cloud-Like EchoesHere is one of my all-time favorite Jack Johnson songs that I'd like to share with you.
I have been playing this song on my stereo every night before going to bed, or I would play it as background music while reading a book in bed, before turning the lights out. In all his songs, his calming breath of a voice takes you away within a single, melodious phrase; but this particular song will relax you and your every sense, so much so that the sounds of his voice with the cloud-like echoes of the acoustic guitar may just lull you to sleep, even when it's the middle of the day! I can honestly say that this will become the most relaxing three minutes of your day. :) So sit back, relax, and press play. ~~MC P.S. And how could one not feel even the slightest bit more relaxed just by looking at the picture of the album cover on this YouTube video? ;) 6/10/2011 0 Comments Chocolate CroissantsHello! I will start this blog with a question: What is one way to enjoy a cloudy summer day that slightly motivates you to stay within the comforting walls of your home? That is the situation I am in right now, which is why I am watching a movie...Which is my personal answer to the question. :) I am watching the movie It's Complicated, probably for the billionth time. You will never cease to be amazed by the visual appeal that Nancy Meyers puts into her movies! The brief yet profound snapshots of Jane Adler's (Meryl Streep's character) life, well-accompanied by the soothing acoustic music, will set you in a trance of relaxation. As soon as see the first shot of her adorable bakery that bursts with vibrant, bustling energy, you will find yourself wishing that the bakery sat right next to your house so you could eat their pastries whenever you wanted...and the fact that Jane makes her own honey lavender ice cream in the middle of the night makes you want to do the same! Plus, she lives in what I can pretty much call my ideal home. :) For me, this movie can be set to define your surprisingly cloudy (well, I guess not 'surprisingly' if you live in Seattle..) summer day...It sets you in a quiet comfort that wraps around you like a warm, cozy blanket you don't want to snuggle out of. This may be due to my personal love for romantic comedies and regular comedies, but I can't help but say that It's Complicated is a great movie for you to watch to get that sense of escape...Especially to watch Meryl Streep and Steve Martin make delicious chocolate croissants in the bakery! Have a lovely (croissant-filled) day! ~~MC P.S. I also strongly recommend Something's Gotta Give (which is even more comforting and relaxingly lovey-dovey than It's Complicated...It's a movie my mom and I love watching together!). P.P.S. I decided to post this video just to give you a delightful taste of the calming music. Enjoy! :D 6/8/2011 0 Comments Speaking of French...Bonjour tout le monde! Since I had already mentioned the French language in a previous Life au Cochon post, I wanted to bring the subject again in this post...In the form of song! While I was visiting my sister in LA last summer, I bought Paris Magnifique, a CD mix of lively, sensuous and yet playful French songs, both modern and from the 1960s. And after nearly a year of playing this CD almost nonstop in the house, at my uncle's house and even in the trailer my family rented for a road trip we had, we still can't seem to get enough of the relaxing, making-you-actually-believe-you-are-in-the-lovely-streets-of-Paris feeling we get from the songs. :) If you go shopping for the album, it will most likely look like the picture you see here. Or, if you can't or choose not to spend money on the CD, that's okay, because you can probably find the music on YouTube! Here I have posted one of my favorite tracks. Enjoy, et bon soir! ~~MC 6/8/2011 0 Comments Peaceful Chaos Warms my RoomThis is the first time I am writing one of my poems on Mademoiselle Cochon. Hooray! :)
I decided to post this particular one on "Life au Cochon," because it speaks of one exciting thing to look forward to in the summer time that is fast approaching...Summer mornings. One of my favorite parts of Summer is waking up every morning to hear the birds chirping, as the Sun enters and warms my room, making me feel energized to leap out of my bed and start the day in an upbeat way! So before I go on about how much I love Summer mornings, I'll leave you this poem to speak about it for itself... The Sun rises. Quiet stability and peaceful Chaos hover through the misty, light Clouds, along the vines of the tree Branches, and beside the growing Spirits of the people who Rise. And fall To the incredible possibilities of A morning day. A day of Summer. ~~MC |
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