Happy New Year 2014!!!

In Coming Year Enjoy every single moment. The good, bad, beautiful, ugly, inspiring, the not-so-glamorous moments. Happy New Year 2014!

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Stunningly Inviting Shenzhen Restaurant Boasting Attention to Details

The GAGA restaurant welcomes guests in an inspiring setting. The brand behind this particular restaurant accentuate their attention to details using shapes, colors and light in decorating the place where individual taste is happily satisfied: “Gaga’s care for quality is also visible in other details; from individually customized tableware to decorative pieces. No two items are alike, and each item is selected with the greatest care.”

Natural colors were braided into a highly contemporary restaurant design imagined by Coordination Asia. The deli and eatery in Shenzhen, China combines rustic wood with hues of brown and green cleverly lit to compose a warm but glamorous atmosphere. Wooden lamellas shaping the ceiling are reminiscent of sun rays. Within this unique space, floor panels draw clients inside only to surprise them when blurring into sophisticated marble floors.

Wooden shelves impose a geometric burst of energy also seen in the seating arrangements that “enable Gaga to handle high capacity while maintaining a homely and cosy atmosphere”. This welcoming environment was designed to suit people who love having coffee with friends or creative professionals on their breaks. Evenings bring a serene lounge atmosphere under dimmed lighting and jazz tunes.

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Ukrainian Odessa Restaurant Boasting An Impressive Rope Design

The city of Kiev is not only and interesting place to visit, but also a place where modern design spreads its wings more and more. The well-known Odessa Restaurant first opened in 1962 was revamped to suit a modern client base and keep up to date with contemporary dining experiences. YOD Design Lab were the ones who imagined the new face of this cozy restaurant, transforming it into a highly contemporary locale.

Completely reshaped through the use of materials and light that offer a new perspective, the Odessa Restaurant boasts an attractively lit front facade that offers a glimpse of the wonders inside. Guests are surprised to see the main hall lined in ropes lit from the ground up. Summing up to 30 km of rope throughout, this choice of materials brings a new vision based on emotional perception of the space.

Architects describe their work on this inspiring project: “Behind the bar stand there are shelves with decorated boxes placed in a chaotic order generally prompted by the famous Odessa Privoz market with its abundance. An open part of the kitchen with two copper tandoors underlines the democratic and honest nature of the place, keeping open the very process of cooking dishes. In the hallway leading to the anteroom a visitor meets a wall made of sandstone, the main construction material on the Crimean peninsula.

The smaller hall of the restaurant is more emotionally restrained, and if necessary it may be transformed into a banquet room. The key role in the organization of space of the smaller hall belongs to a central stella sheathed with a metal plate of finished steel with an impression of a topographical map of the old Odessa. Inside the stella there is a bio fireplace which we placed as a separate mobile module; such a solution allowed additional variants of placement of tables.”

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London’s Corinthia Hotel To Debut 10-Foot Edible Christmas Tree

It starts with an acrylic structure and 12 dedicated pastry chefs baking and assembling 5,000 gingerbread cookies. The Corinthia Hotel London will debut its 10-foot high edible Christmas tree on the day after Thanksgiving. The tree will eventually consume over 150 pounds of flour, 40 pounds of sugar, 6 pounds of cinnamon, and 180 egg yolks in addition to other ingredients. “We are spicing the biscuits really heavily to make the whole lobby smell deliciously Christmassy,” said head pastry chef Kimberly Lin-McCartney .

The tree will be decorated with shortbread stars, gingerbread men, chocolate bonbons, and edible holly leaves sprinkled in shimmer powder. The tree is part of the hotel’s Christmas lobby treats for guests, which will also include complimentary mini mince pies and mulled wine alongside chestnuts roasted in the hotel’s Courtyard.

The hotel is also hosting a special Christmas Eve feast at the Massimo Restaurant and Oyster Bar. The meal is a nod to the Italian feast of the seven fishes with items including Monkfish Terrine Marinated with Citronella and Pomegranate Vinaigrette Red Prawn, Chive and Lemon Zest in a Cold Broth, Sea Scallop with Black Venere Rice, Sea Urchin Risotto, and Hake baked In Rice Paper with Mushroom Pan-Fried Spiced Monkfish, Green Apple, and Crayfish.

The Christmas Day lunch menu at Massimo includes Buccleuch Beef Carpaccio, Poached Egg, and Parmesan Dressing, Salted Cauliflower, Free Range Bronze Turkey, Middle White Pork and Chestnut Stuffing, Roast Potatoes and Seasonal Winter Vegetables, Fresh Cranberry Sauce and a Christmas Pudding with Frosted Red Currants, and Brandy Anglaise among other options. There are also Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day feasts planned. Find the full details on the Hotel Corinthia website.

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Dining In Zurich’s Inspiring Not Guilty Nutritious Foods Restaurant

While visiting downtown Zurich, you might find yourself in the mood for a healthy snack. The Not Guilty Restaurant welcomes those who crave nutritious food in an inspired setting defined by pastel colors within a bright environment. Designed by Ippolito Fleitz - who’s work on a Hamburg-based organic food store left us craving more – this Swiss restaurant chain’s 3rd location welcomes guests with a cheery, harmonious interior design.

This flagship location offers a wide selection of salads and snacks within a long floor plan adorned with design details inspired by natural shapes. As described by the architects, the “Swiss restaurant chain “not guilty” is the embodiment of honest and nutritious foods, imaginatively prepared into many different salads and snacks.”



These promising words were backed up by natural oak wood flooring supporting a highly contemporary restaurant design. Greeted by a colorful salad bar and menu board, guests are encouraged to enjoy natural food in one of the restaurant’s areas. Whether you choose the central high table displaying lacquered branches of floor to ceiling trees or the canopied tables, the simple wooden table or the comfy sofa, you will be fascinated by the simple yet powerful details that will upgrade your healthy dining experience.

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How To Make the Perfect Thanksgiving Day Turkey

Want to learn how to cook the perfect Thanksgiving Day Turkey? It’s rather easy with our step-by-step Thanksgiving Day Turkey techniques. Additionally, we’re sharing Martha Stewart’s Perfect Roast Turkey tips and recipes. Bon appétit!

Step One – Thaw and clean your turkey: The best way to thaw a turkey is in the refrigerator. As other methods like leaving it out on the counter or running cold water over it means you run the risk of contaminating the kitchen. This is where you will have to plan ahead. Allow for 30 minutes per pound in the fridge. If you forget until the night before, you can do the cold water trick in a pinch. Secure the turkey in a plastic bag and submerge in cold water; just make sure to change the water every half hour.

Step Two – Take out the neck and giblets: While you won’t want these with your actual turkey, the neck and giblets can add an excellent flavor to your gravy.

Step Three – Butter that bird. Everywhere. Slather the entire skin and gently separate the skin of the breast so that you can spread more under the skin, over the breast meat. Generously salt and pepper the bird, including the cavity and add your favorite aromatic herbs and vegetables to the cavity. Onions, apples, sage, thyme: this is your time to be creative. Herbs placed under the breast skin will flavor the meat as well as show through the crackling golden skin when the bird is finished.

Step Four – Cook your bird at the proper temperature: In order to avoid contamination, all poultry should be cooked at a temperature of 325 degrees F or higher. For turkey, your oven temperature will be based on your cooking method:

- 325 degrees – traditional oven pan

- 450 degrees – foil-wrapped turkey

- 350 degrees – oven cooking bag

- 325-350 degrees – charcoal grill

Check in on your turkey every once and a while as it cooks and baste or spoon some of the drippings back over the bird. All that butter will reward you with a brown, crackling skin and moist flavorful meat.

For a moist and tender turkey that is cooked through, the optimum temperature on your meat thermometer should read 165 degrees. Remember, like all meat, your turkey will continue to cook for a bit while it rests (which allows the juices to run back into the meat.) Let the bird rest out of the oven for about a half an hour before you carve, so that the juices remain in the meat and not all over your cutting board.

Also, Martha Stewart has a recipe for a traditional roast turkey that includes brining the bird for 24 hours.

Martha Stewart’s Perfect Roast Turkey
Serves 12 to 14

3 cups coarse salt, plus more for seasoning
5 cups sugar
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
2 medium leeks, white and pale-green parts only, rinsed and coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
2 dried bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, plus freshly ground pepper
1 fresh whole turkey (18 to 20 pounds), rinsed and patted dry, giblets and neck reserved for gravy
Gravy
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted, plus 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
Chestnut Stuffing
Crab apples, fresh rosemary sprigs, and fresh sage, for garnish (optional)

Directions
1. Put salt, sugar, onions, leeks, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, peppercorns, and 10 cups water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, stirring until salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from heat; let brine cool completely.

2. Add turkey, breast first, to the brine. Cover; refrigerate 24 hours. Remove from brine; pat dry with paper towels. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Stir together melted butter and wine in a medium bowl. Fold a very large piece of cheesecloth into quarters so that it is large enough to cover breast and halfway down sides of turkey. Immerse cloth in butter mixture; let soak.

4. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack set in a roasting pan. Fold wing tips under turkey. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey. Loosely fill body and neck cavities with stuffing. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Fold neck flap under; secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey all over with softened butter; season with salt and pepper.

5. Remove cheesecloth from butter mixture, squeezing gently into bowl. Reserve butter mixture for brushing. Lay cheesecloth over turkey. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Roast 30 minutes. Brush cheesecloth and exposed turkey with butter mixture. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Roast, brushing every 30 minutes, 2 1/2 hours more; cover with foil if browning too quickly. If making gravy, add giblets and neck to pan 1 1/2 hours after reducing temperature; roast 30 minutes, and reserve.

6. Discard cheesecloth; rotate pan. Baste turkey with pan juices. Roast, rotating pan halfway through, until skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees and stuffing reaches 165 degrees, about 1 hour. Transfer to a platter. Set pan with drippings aside for gravy. Let turkey stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes. Garnish, if desired.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends cooking the turkey until the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees. For a moister bird, we cooked ours to 165 degrees; it will continue to cook outside the oven as it rests.

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Best Wines for Thanksgiving

Everyone, from the casual wine drinker to top sommeliers, has different thoughts about Thanksgiving Day wine pairings. Those who think the most important part of choosing wine is determining what will go with turkey generally gravitate towards middle of the road selections, light reds like Beaujolais Nouveau or Pinot Noir, or fuller whites like Chardonnay. These wines add an element of moisture to the chronically dry Thanksgiving turkey, have enough body to elevate the bird, and yet are light enough to not overpower.

Turkey is no more than a clean surface for highlighting the powerful sweet and savory flavors found in Thanksgiving side dishes. Turkey may be the centerpiece, but the really terrific flavors are in the sides. Wines to match the sides, from mashed potatoes to stuffing, should be light in body, yet complex enough that they can work with a wide variety of flavors. Put both whites and reds on the table, so guests can try both, and help themselves to whichever they prefer. Here’s our wine suggestions for the perfect Thankgiving Day meal:

Leon Beyer Gewurztraminer, Alsace 2003 – The gingery-pear flavor compliments the sweet tang of cranberries, the toastiness of nuts and the licorice-like flavor of fennel.

Furthermore Pinot Noir, Sonoma 2008 – Their Pinot Noir has a Wine Spectator rating of 92, so it’s not a surprise that we adore Furthermore. With a velvety cherry profile and light floral aromas, this light wine pairs perfectly with turkey.

Chalk Hill Chardonnay, Chalk Hill, Sonoma 2003 – I prefer the lush tropical fruit of this new world Chardonnay to compliment the richness of the sweet potatoes, plus there’s plenty of toasty oak which has gorgeous affinity with the truffle oil.

Jacquesson Blanc de Blancs Brut NV Champagne, France – One of our favorite blanc de blancs, meaning made from 100% Chardonnay grapes, on the market. It’s complex, yet delicate and racy.

Ravenswood Belloni Vineyard Zinfandel, Sonoma 2003 – The Belloni single vineyard contains some of the county’s oldest Zin vines. The chocolatey-fig flavors and scents are rich, and the finish is endless.

Rivetti Moscato d’Asti La Spinetta, Italy 2004 – The refreshing apricot-honeysuckle flavor of this wine are perfect for dessert, simply fantastic with pumpkin and apple pie.

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Fluid Geometric Design in Mumbai: Auriga Restaurant and Nightclub

Turning an old factory warehouse into a restaurant and nightclub was a challenge for Sanjay Puri Architects. Auriga Restaurant and Nightclub adorns the streets of Mumbai, India in a successful effort of proving that sculptural design can help re-imagine unused buildings.

Stripping off external walls in order to expose the interiors to natural light, architects imagined a “web of aluminum fins that are folded in angular planes”  dressing up the exterior. The first floor shelters the nightclub opening into an outdoor patio, while the restaurant occupies the upper floor from where there is a better view of the surrounding vegetation.

Abstract elements shape the walls, columns, ceiling, kitchen counter and bar, while dark grey granite floors compose a visual connection within the space. The restaurant is dominated by the use if wood, while the nightclub flaunts steel elements. Contrasting in terms of materials but closely tied together by design, the Auriga Restaurant and Nightclub plays with our perception of space and tickles our creativity. 

Quote: Love, like a chicken salad or restaurant hash, must be taken with blind faith or it loses its flavor. - H.Rowland

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