****UPDATE****
Our book is available for pre-ordering now. Read more about it here!
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There is a little something we haven’t been able to tell you until now. In some strange but enchanted way we have ended up with a book deal! One year from now “Our Green Kitchen” (working title) will land in book stores around the world. Isn’t that just CRAZY!
When we started this blog we could never ever guess that we would end up writing an international cookbook. I mean with all those talented writers, professional chefs, inspiring nutritionists and natural born photographers doing their own books, what could we – two home-cooks with no culinary education – possibly have to offer? Well, after reading all comments from you – kind readers – who have tried and appreciated our recipes, we have slowly learned to trust in what we are doing. So however it turns out, we promise to put all the creativity and love as we possibly can find into this book. And hopefully it will be inspiring and useful enough to find its way onto your kitchen table.
Miraculously, after what feels like 9000 emails back and forth, we ended up signing a book deal with not only one, but two different publishing houses. Hardie Grant UK for the European and Australian market and Rizzoli in the US. We have the sweetest and most inspiring editor who keeps sending us paper samples and layout ideas, so we have no worries there. The book will be hardcover, 256 pages with 80 new recipes (even though you might recognize a few of our favorites in new costumes). We brought in David’s sister as a photographer, so expect colorful food photos on beautiful (hopefully) matte paper.
We have already been working a couple of months on new recipes, planning shoots and scribbling down our thoughts. But we have the most intense, challenging and hopefully also fun period ahead of us. This blog will go on as usual with new posts at least once a week, but if we run late a few days you know where we are (drowned under a pile of book recipes).
This definitely calls for celebration, don’t you think? We cooked up this fruity, flavorful and cooling drink that works great both with or without alcohol. We boiled the pear juice together with lemongrass to get a slightly thicker syrup with a intensely sweet flavor and a hint of lemon and rosemary. Make sure to serve it in the prettiest glasses you have.
Skål, Cin cin, Cheers from the luckiest little family in the world!
Pear, Rosemary & Lemongrass Cocktail
4 glasses
Since the size and sort of the pears vary, you need to adjust the measurements to your own taste. If you don’t have a juicer you can use unsweetened pear juice. We use twice as much juice as sparkling water. If you try this with alcohol you might want to reduce the sparkling water. All liqueurs seems to work with this recipe. If using whisky we suggest adding a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon to each glass.
5 pears (medium size)
1/3 fennel
3 sprigs rosemary
1 inch fresh ginger, more or less according to taste
1 stalk lemongrass, chopped and crushed
a pinch nutmeg, ground
2 pinches ground vanilla
1/2 – 1 cup sparkling water or soda (start with 1/2 cup, add more to taste)
Run pears, fennel, 2 sprigs rosemary and ginger in a juicer.
Pour the juice into a small saucepan over medium heat, add lemongrass, nutmeg and vanilla. Bring to boil, turn down the heat and let simmer for 15 minutes, or until thickened. Allow to cool completely before straining. Pass through a fine sieve.
Crush the ice in a high speed blender.
Place the thickened juice in a pitcher or (cocktail) shaker, add soda water and stir to combine.
Fill the cocktail glasses with ice and pour over the juice and soda mixture. Garnish with sliced pears and fresh rosemary. Serve.
Photos by: Johanna Frenkel
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