Saffron and Pear Crown Cake

Did you know that the ancient Egyptians can be credited with creating the celebration of birthdays? They believed that when their pharaohs were crowned, they became gods, so their coronation signified their new "birth" as a God.

Poppy Seed & Chai Mini Cakes with a Chai Cream Glaze

There obviously is no topic that is hotter and en vogue in the first month of the year than “health, fitness and weight loss!” Year for year we list our goals and, year for year these topics always make the top 5 list of New Year’s Resolutions. Over the turn of the year my WhatsApp and Telegram messages were brimming with all the tips and to dos my friends were planning as soon as January came along. The gym I go to has been uncommonly full this month with people, sweating and pushing a few extra weights, determined to stick to those earnest goals they set. Every blog and food website I have visited this month also has some awesome recipe list on “detox”, “clean” food and how we can eat better through the year. I guess that is why I waited patiently to post my first recipe of 2019. .

Cherry Coconut Clafoutis

It made a lasting impression and it deeply fulfilled my soul. Madame Maillard brought it out in a cast iron pan not much larger than a dessert plate. The sides were puffed up like a soufflé and browned on the edges, and the juices of the fruit left a blood-red trail within the ridges. Peeling off some waxed paper from a small ceramic bowl she pulled out of the fridge and to my delight, she formed the perfect quenelle of Crème Fraiche and carefully placed it on top of my very first cherry clafoutis.

Beer-Braised Pulled Pork Tacos and a Spicy Mango and Pineapple Salsa

What does a civil engineer, a teacher and an industrial mechanic have in common?

Besides sharing a friendship for over 30 years, it was a passion for beer that kindled the first sparks for three young men from Schmalkalden to establish a small brewery.

Destination Dubai 2018 | A Food Photography and Styling Experience

Dubai: big, brash, flashy and ostentatious! A metropolis that has an unrivalled character, with fantastical skylines, a shimmering oasis with skyscrapers reaching up to dizzying heights and the beautiful cream-coloured shoreline of the Persian Gulf. However, Dubai’s aura is also enriched by a more traditional heritage that is sometimes hidden under all the glitter and glam. Visitors to Dubai are often humbled by this old Bedouin heritage and culture that is still deeply rooted in this city. 

Elderflower Cordial Prosecco Spritz

It's July – already! My last post was end of May!

I had many plans through June for my blog – most importantly I wanted to celebrate my birthday with you. As a child of June, I am convinced it is the best month in the whole year. Don't think I wasn't working towards my plan though. I cooked, baked, styled and shot many delicious foods and dishes – job related yes - but also a selection for my readers here. But my plans to sit still and write a post often were interrupted by spontaneous photo shoots, travels and family fun in the sun!

Rhubarb Pistachio Frangipane Tart

Rhubarb, for many, is an acquired taste, often not acquired till adulthood. I did not acquire the taste until a few years after I moved to Germany. Rhubarb is the harbinger of springtime, and like Spring it is transient and delightful.

A Skywalk and a Lemon Scented Asparagus Egg Feldgieker Tart

On a Spring day in April, I packed my camera gear and props to make the roughly one-and-a-half-hour drive from Weimar to Eichsfeld. The weather was, as true to April's nature, fairly changeable. It was warm, my spirit was high and I was really looking forward to this trip. The district of Eichsfeld is a beautiful region in Thuringia, with its rolling hills and untouched nature, the landscape at times reminds me of something taken from the chapters of a Jane Austen book: a Nature of beauty and grace.

Quinoa Chickpea Avocado Bhel Salad

Walking along Bombay's Marine Drive or on the beaches of Bombay Chowpatty or Juhu, colorful market carts sell not only vibrant fruit and vegetables but many have been converted to sell the street food varieties India is famous for. And Bhelpuri is one of Bombay's quintessential street food, not to mention one of the most loved snacks in India.

Vegetable Biryani and 9-Legume Fry - the Punjabi Way

Growing up for years the role of my parents was always very clear cut and traditional. My dad worked in the hotel business and travelled a fair bit and my mum stayed at home, where ever it happened to be, looking after the two children.

ROME Food & Lifestyle Photography Retreat 2018

Spring is a fascinating time in the Roman countryside! Here, just a few kilometers north of the capital, lies an appealingly undiscovered niche of Italy, where the sun warms the rolling hills, the sea of poppies splash their reds against the green fields, the olive trees begin to burst into life and the light is a vibrant yellow.

Avocado Mango Yellow Lentils Lime & Chilli Verrines

Many relationships are forged and strengthen over meals or social events. Emotions evoked and lasting impressions are made when people come together at the table to share a meal. As a daughter of an hotelier our family moved often from country to country, always leaving behind friends and a community that had taken us in. It was never easy and yet I watched my parents form new friendships and build a social environment in each new city with ease.

Recap: Destination Dubai 2017 - The Experience

It really has been quite some time since I did a proper recap of a photography workshop here. Not due to the fact that there weren’t any last year but more due to the fact that things were on a constant move in 2017. I was chasing and realizing goals, dreams and basically reassessing many things in my life. Not to say that my photography and styling workshops and retreats aren’t part of my goals. They most certainly are. Nowhere else am I challenged to think out of the box and to be creative while planning such a workshop or retreat. Nowhere else do I meet incredibly talented and creative people who strive to go after their own goals and find inspiration when they sign up for these events. Nowhere else do I get to work and partner with brilliant and extraordinary people who fall in step with me to provide the best possible experience for all who take part.

Lingonberry Lebkuchen Festive Cake

It’s December! Again. I have dusted of some of the speckles of lint beginning to gather here. An unwanted break from the blog that extended into a bit of a Summer / Autumn interlude. And now here I am – it’s December and time for Christmas!

Middle Eastern Style Buddha Bowl: Giant Couscous, Baked Falafel, Hummus, Spiced Lentils, Pickled Vegetables and Kalettes

  

If I was to describe some of my favorite foods and dishes I would say whatever one can pile into a bowl and mix together to savor all the flavors. Not only of each individual ingredient, but also as each item intermingles with the other there are a range of flavor explosions! That is the real kick I get from a dish. 

Chamomile and Saffron Crème Caramel

 

As a child of the 80s, the crème caramel was the epitome of all desserts for me. As a daughter of an hotelier I spent a lot of the 80s giving into the gentle jiggling charm of this dessert. Somewhere into the 90s the dessert disappeared from its pedestal of fame. Apparently the crème caramel had occupied a huge amount of space on restaurant menus around the world for a large part of the 20^th century and probably had to make room for the liquid nitrogen dessert trends that took the 2000s over by storm. Or how about the fusion of any two ingredients possible – cronut or cruffin anyone? 

Cardamom And Orange Infused Quarkbällchen / Doughnuts

The last couple of weeks I’ve had my head down (mostly) and have been trying to get a lot of paperwork and organization done. The big “T” has been looming in our house and I have been procrastinating on this for as long as I possibly can. 

Ramen Bowl with Sesame Poppy Seed Venison and Ginger Chili Kale and Swede

Bavaria meets Asia!

One of the current projects I am working on for a new Travel, Food and Lifestyle magazine, will take me to Bavaria a couple of times this year. I am really looking forward to it as not only does the State of Bavaria have a uniquely varied landscape and wonderfully multi-faceted locals, but also the Bavarian cuisine, which is hearty and rustic traditionally, has been undergoing an impressive reform. That is where my project docks on and takes it a step further.

Punjabi Style Curried Lamb and Peas - Keema Matar

My life – most of it – has always revolved around food. My mother’s father was a hotel / restaurant inspector and my father is a hotelier. As a little girl I spent most of my time in the various kitchens of the hotels. I watched as the pastry chef made my sweet patisserie dreams come true, squealed in disgust as the butcher axed the chickens, was intrigued by the way the sous chef magically whipped up the smoothest sauce béarnaise or waited impatiently as the trucks came into the delivery loaded with tropical fruit and vegetables from all over the world.

Raspberry Rose Coconut Smoothie Bowl with Almond Butter Fruit and Nut Granola

Allow me to out myself first: Smoothie bowls are not my most favorite breakfast. Now that we have set that straight let me tell you a bit about my reasons and what I have observed about these very attractive looking super bowls that seem to be taking everyone by storm and is the big trend raging through social media and across many blogs. I also break down the smoothie bowl and consider the practicality of the super smoothie bowl vs. the real smoothie bowl! Oh yes there are many questions I need answers to!