Sunday, September 22, 2013

Pastels In The Kitchen~













The last bouquets are being picked..nothing cohesive really..just what I see still blooming that strikes my fancy..and isn't yellow or orange..The odd roses..pansies.. phlox..hydrangeas~
I will be disappointed to not have little bouquets scattered here and there..
And  it's the time to pick the Pink Diamonds from our largest shrub that always threatens to gobble up the back porch~
I keep this old wicker basket filled with these yr round..but replace every yr..It sits on the TV armoire..and I love looking at it year after year..I am a creature of habit and get used to something..and just want to keep it that way~
I just cut them.. strip the bottom leaves and arrange..no water..nothing..and they stay like this forever.

I brought some to my daughter and she said..:"they're so big mom:)" I don't know if she meant:" they're too big for me mom"..or..they're big..:)They are..they are HUGE..I have lots of others and not one grows cones or branches like this one..Can't wait to see what Pinkie Winkie does in the years to come.

She's very sleek in her home..not fussy..I think Pottery Barn looking..Must say we finally have one here.. quite a drive..  but the things in there are quite nice indeed.:)
I had a chance to visit recently..there is a coffee table she is coveting.
Lovely~
It's like a city that shopping place.. Quite something..Williams Sonoma too..Marshalls..etc..

Also ,recently..Mari..posted this ice cream that really made me want to get up and make some..I'm not the sweet eater remember..but it was so pretty..and I had not used my ice cream maker once this year..I gathered the ingredients..
And set out to make it..
Jacques loves it~ He said :"  c'est un délice~"
That always works for me..
The recipe can be found by first going to Mari's post on the ice cream..HERE..I mean c'mon..now don't you just want to get up and make it?:)


One word of advice..don't be like me and be in such a rush that you stick your bowl in the freezer overnight and think :"voilà!"~
Cause chances are it won't be voilà..it will be oh no..did I put too much sugar etc..?
Upon reflection and quick Googling.. the bowl may need up to 22 hrs and the temp should be below 0 ideally..
so we adjuted our small fridge freezer upstairs..made room..set it to -2..and left it from morning till the next morning..
Vive la différence.
I had kept the mixture in the fridge after I removed it from my first failure..
And it worked perfectly..
I used to keep my bowl in the freezer when I made ice cream more frequently and had never had a problem..so counted on past experience..
But it had not been in the freezer a sufficient amount of time..
You need a CCCCCOLD bowl.
And le tour est joué~
I may have lacked enough purée to get the brightest beautiful color like M..I think I had barely 3/4 cup..barely..
Thank you Mari..I know you inspired others to make your ice cream too:)I saw Madonna's but I am sure there are more:)
So much fun to share and learn.♥I know Jacques likes that.
And I am grateful for that~



35 comments:

  1. That ice cream looks absolutely delicious ... hhhmmmm.....should I attempt to make some??
    LOL
    Love the flowers ... they are lovely!

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    1. Diane:-) you just made bisque..go for it!
      I like that it does not make a ton..you and your husband would like this I think:-)

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  2. Lovely pastels...and your ice cream is very tempting.

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  3. Wonderful pastels! You always choose just the right photos to convey the mood. I am especially intrigued by the ice cream, of course, - would love to make it!

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  4. I have a bag of frozen raspberries in the freezer...hmmmmm....might be a project for his week.
    Just beautiful....
    L xo

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    Replies
    1. Yes get that Cusinart out before winter..those were my thoughts:)

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  5. Beauty in your kitchen :)
    I love your pastels and that ice cream looks delicious!
    Shel x

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  6. Lovely colors! That ice cream looks incredibly tempting. That Cuisine Art machine is awesome.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  7. Les dernières fraises de l'année et toujours une douceur dans ces photos... On ne peut que se laisser bercer :)

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  8. Such pretty pastels...reminds me that I put hydrangeas in the attic recently to dry, and now I want to go bring them down to the dining area. Your ice cream is very inviting, and I printed the recipe from Mari's blog but have resisted temptation so far ;o) I was thinking of you when I was in the Homegoods store in Plattsburgh. Do you go there?

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    1. I have been:) I went this year with Caroline..there is a new highway that takes us there faster ..country roads..but we got lost.. took us longer!!Massena is much closer for us..but not a great selection of stores..
      We used to love going to Target in Plattsburgh:) Tomorrow we are going to one that just opened in Laval..QC..much closer .
      You have far better selection on most everything..
      It doesn't make too much ice cream:) A before Winter treat..Worth it..pretty..:)
      Would look great in MC ware.

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  9. Love your hydrangeas in the pretty basket. I have a big bunch that I've had for years that still look good. For once I dried them properly and they've lasted much better. Others I've picked for the season and I keep them until they start to drop peddles all over.

    Be careful with Pottery Barn. It's addictive. We opened an account when we bought a large item and now they send save $$ when you spend $$. Nice to have, but I find myself spending, spending, spending to save. I think they have us figured out.
    Sam

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    1. I think my days of buying are over until we move..:)You have had so many projects..and Pottery Barn availability..I am sure they have your number.The whole store is set up so attractively temptations abound:)It is nice to know there's a store that's your style:)

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  10. Pretty in Pink!
    Why I so often get fraise/strawberry ice cream and am too often disappointed :))

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  11. Monique, I did not think your photos could get better, and then I clicked on - I am just in awe. So gorgeous! Thank you for the mention. I am in love with Mari's recipes. I have made many and each have turned out wonderful. This ice cream did not get icy like some after a day or two in the freezer - I attribute it to the cream cheese.

    Madonna

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  12. Those last gatherings from the garden seem very special to me! Thanks for the tip on freezing the "bowl". I'll do that next time ice cream is on the menu.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  13. I enjoy learning with you. You make it so fun and beautiful. :)

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  14. Tellement joli, tout ça ... Tout en douceur ... Que j'aime ça ...
    Bisous
    hélène

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  15. Pansies and Roses and Hydrangeas, it doesn't get much better than that. I just love how you arranged them :)
    Cream cheese raspberry icecream sounds delicious!

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  16. Smiling because I learned that lesson with the freezer too. :) Now I keep the bowl in there all the time. You never know when you're going to want ice cream! This looks particularly delicious, Monique. And such a pretty color...it matches your flowers!

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  17. Purely decadent and yummy. Gprgeous pastels by the way. Your photos are breath taking.

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  18. It must be the camera these days:)
    It's certainly pas moi..
    I know... I ..in 80% of the posts.. send you elsewhere..
    But it is where I learn...
    And as soon as I am inspired to try something.. if I make it and it works..
    I truly enjoy sharing the discovery..
    Be it a painting lesson..a texture for Photoshop..a graphic..a download..a recipe.. a journal..a photo..a faraway charming blog..or a close up one..
    I am usually not the author..but try..and then I share:)
    I am really glad most things do work so well..and we get to all learn together.

    There are no newspapers for me anymore ..except my immediate..neighborhood ones..
    I much prefer to see what someone has posted.Sometimes Jacques will say there is a smile on your face..
    Oh the girls sent me new pics of the boys!♥
    OR..
    I am reading a post or an email from a netfriend..:)
    From the other end of the world.. or close by.



    Thank you~

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  19. I have only a few sad looking roses left in the garden. Unfortunately, not enough for a bouquet. A few heavy rains usually put an end to the season. I have had the same experience with the ice cream bowl...not cold enough. Homemade ice cream made with fresh fruit is one of our favorite desserts.

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  20. Mon ami, I make more ice cream and sorbets than Ben & Jerry's. Even in the winter months. What I can't make is pretty flowers grow.
    That magic will forever lie in your hands!

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  21. Love pastel Monique loom and always love Ice cream just beautiful!!

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  22. You create such a beautiful environmnet, chez vous, for the senses. I love the delicate nature of these photos. PS Thanks for visiting my blog & I'm enjoying my visit here!

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  23. Visits are great.. they are keys to opening up inspiration:)
    Have a great day..so pretty out.

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  24. One thing I don't have in my kitchen is an ice cream machine-)) Next year-)

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  25. Voila or not, it looks fabulous Monique! I have an ice cream machine and I never use it, mostly because I never have room for the bowl in the freezer. I think I need a more expensive model that you don't need to do that with, but alas . . . it's not easy to save my pennies up for one. You need mucho denaro for one of those!
    xxoo

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    1. I got it for free Marie..w/ our Royal Bank points:)

      And it takes me yrs to get there:)

      At first I get a toothpick..

      :)

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  26. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  27. Ooops, I previously commented under the wrong post, so I deleted it!


    Beautiful, beautiful photos and post Monique. I love the flowers, all of them ~the casual ones are my favorite kind of arrangements. So sweet that your pansies mirror those on the darling bottle label. You have such an eye for beauty!
    So happy you liked the ice cream (and good tip about getting the bowl really, really cold.) I usually keep mine in the big freezer in the garage, so I didn't even think to add that to my notes.) I read somewhere that the back corner of the freezer is usually the coldest place if you are freezing it in a refrigerator/freezer unit...

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    1. You were my inspiration..and Jacques is very happy about that~:)
      Thank you..
      As always~

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