Thursday, August 18, 2011

Another refashion

Another refashion

I refashioned another of my husband's shirts recently. This one is from a store in India that mainly features cottons and linens in their collection. The fabric is very soft and summery, and I was quite excited to convert it into something to fit my wardrobe.

Another refashion

I had less fabric to work with this time around - an Indian extra-large is a lot smaller than an Eddie Bauer large-tall.

Another refashion

I followed the same steps as I did for my last refashion. The part I found tricky was trying to incorporate the shirt's shoulder/back detail, since I didn't want the cut-out to appear misplaced on my shirt, but I think it turned out well.

Another refashion

Like the last time, the sleeves are my favourite part! I used the original cuff to make tabs so that I can wear the sleeves rolled up or down.

Another refashion


Another refashion

Another refashion

Like my previous refashion, I didn't shorten the shirt at all, and used the original hem. I left the back longer, used French seams, and finished the neck with bias tape made with left over bits of the sleeves. All-in-all, a refashion success, me thinks!

Another refashion

Thanks to my husband for helping me with the photos.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Another Sorbetto top

Another Sorbetto top

After I made my first Sorbetto top, I had planned other versions but we haven't had much sun in Paris this summer. So by the time I got down to making a second one, I had all but forgotten the design elements I had wanted to incorporate.

Another Sorbetto top

I had envisioned converting the original pattern to a racer back, but the only thing I did differently was curve the armholes in a little bit, add length in the body, and leave out the front pleat. I cut out a small pocket for the front but ultimately decided to leave it out since it was lost in the floral pattern of the fabric. I had wanted to make a curved hem but by the time I got to it, I forgot and cut a regular hem! I guess I was in a hurry to wear my new shirt before the sun disappeared!

Another Sorbetto top

Thanks to my husband for taking the photos.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Eats

Coffee and Pain au Chocolat
Coffee and pain au chocolat.

Dill ricotta sandwich
Dill ricotta topped with cucumbers and tomatoes and fleur de sel from Guérande spooned over a piece of fresh baguette.

Leek and garlic pesto pasta
Pasta with creamy leek and garlic pesto from Bittman, and Dorie Greenspan's garlicky crumb coated broccoli.

Gateau au Citron
Gâteau au Citron, an absolute favourite chez nous.

Breakfast museli
Breakfast on most days. The yogurt is not homemade but one of my favourites, Malo nature.

Caprese sandwich
Mozzarella, tomato, basil, olive oil, pepper and fleur de sel.

White beans and spinach
White beans, spinach and potato in a creamy coconut curry over couscous.

Weekly pizza
Weekly homemade pizza.

Chausson aux pommes
Breakfast on the weekends after a trip to the boulangerie: chausson aux pommes.

Leek, potato and zucchini pancakes
Not photogenic but very tasty. Leek, potato and zucchini pancakes from NYT's Diners Journal. I always add garlic.

Chocolate chip cookies
Chocolate chip cookies from David Lebovitz's Ready for Dessert.

Monday, July 18, 2011

New top with Peter Pan collar

Drafting Peter Pan collar

I finally drafted a Peter Pan collar using Gertie's three-part video tutorial that I've had bookmarked for a few months now. Gertie's tutorial is very detailed, and overall, I found the collar quite easy to draft, as I followed her directions exactly.

Adult Couture Dress & Smock Blouse

I drafted the collar for a smock pattern I've made before from this Japanese book. Once I sewed the collar pieces together, I wasn't quite sure how to attach the collar to the top but it worked out rather well in the end. I used a 2" bias strip folded in half as a facing, and again, followed Gertie's directions.

New top

As for the smock pattern itself, I changed quite a bit. I obviously left out the ties and slit down the front. I also reduced the front piece by about 1" on the fold for a better fit, and converted the gathers of the original pattern to an inverted pleat in the center. I added gathers to the sleeves by extending the original sleeve about 1" on either side at the cuff end, and finished the sleeves with bias tape.

New top

Even after having washed it once, the fabric is a little stiff owing to the sizing but I'm hoping it will soften with use. It was a cut-piece of about 1.5 meters that I picked up months ago for five euros, so I can't complain. It was perfect to practice new drafting techniques!

New top

I'm most chuffed about having drafted a Peter Pan collar, and about manipulating the smock pattern to make something different. I love this top! Despite the sleeves, it feels summery, and since Paris has remained rather cool this month, I really appreciate having sleeves.

Thanks to my husband for taking all the photos!

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Le quatorze juillet

Lac d'Annecy

I didn't take a single photo on France's independence day but I did enjoy being in Paris for the holiday. We started the day with a run along the Seine, looking up at the sky to watch the flypast of helicopters and jets accompanying the parade down Champs Élysées. After brunch, as we watched cyclists climb the Pyrenees on le Tour de France, I made another chocolate cake to bring to a potluck dinner.

Sunset_La Tour

This photo is months old but we enjoyed a similarly spectacular sunset with the same vantage, from a friend's apartment with a fantastic view over the city. We nibbled on delicious food and sipped on wine as we waited patiently for the fireworks. The theme this year was From Broadway to Paris, and the show didn't disappoint. La Tour Eiffel made for a grand backdrop, and it was probably the most extravagant fireworks show I have ever seen.

All in all, a splendid day in the City of Light.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Indian spiced peas with tomatoes and dill

Indian spiced peas with tomatoes and dill

In India, dill is often prepared like spinach or any other green leafy vegetable. It isn't simply reserved for garnishes or used in small doses like other herbs but rather cooked up as a side dish to be eaten with chapatis and dal.

Indian spiced peas with tomatoes and dill

When I was younger, it definitely wasn't my favourite option for dinner but as an adult, I have grown to love the flavourful 'vegetable', often prepared with roasted, crushed peanuts or roasted mung dal.

Indian spiced peas with tomatoes and dill

I had a small bunch of dill left over from this dinner but not enough to make a stand alone vegetable side. I though it might pair well with peas and tomatoes, and it does! The dill definitely takes center stage but is not overly powerful. If you aren't a big fan of dill, leave it out all together; the peas and tomato combination is wonderful by itself.

Indian spiced peas with tomatoes and dill

I realise too, that cooking Indian recipes often involve a long ingredients list which can seem intimidating if you are not accustomed to cooking Indian food regularly. So I've decided to post simple Indian recipes as and when I cook them. I can also post a few tips for cooking Indian food, if that seems useful to anyone.

Indian spiced peas with tomatoes and dill



Indian spiced peas with tomatoes and dill
Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

sunflower or vegetable oil
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic minced
2 medium tomatoes (not too ripe) cut in large cubes
2 cups fresh (or frozen) peas
1 tsp corriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
red chilli powder (to taste)
2 fistfuls roughly chopped dill
salt

  1. Add oil to a hot frying pan. Add onions and cook till translucent. Add garlic, and cook for a minute.
  2. Add corriander, cumin and chilli powder. Be careful not to burn the spices. Keep stirring and add water, a teaspoon at a time, if needed, to avoid burning the spices. Cook till 'raw' smell of spices disappears, about 1 minute
  3. Add tomatoes. Cook for a minute or two, till tomatoes still hold their shape but skin starts to pull away.
  4. Add peas, stir, and cook till peas are almost done. Add dill, stir, cook for a minute. Turn heat off, cover pan for five minutes.
  5. Serve with rice or chapatis and yogurt. Enjoy!

Thursday, July 7, 2011

No bake chocolate cake

We had a friend over for dinner last night; instead of cooking up several courses, I served a number of small plates. The spread included roasted red peppers with garlic and basil; a mozzarella, tomato, and strawberry salad (from Dorie Greenspan's Around my French Table); tomato-chèvre tartlets with homemade pesto (also from Dorie Greenspan's Around my French Table); a simple lettuce salad with balsamic vinaigrette, and plenty of crusty baguette to mop up the juices.

No bake chocolate cake

Heidi's No Bake Chocolate Cake made for a wonderful close to the meal. I kept it simple, and left out the allspice and espresso. I also replaced the heavy cream with crème fraiche, and was tempted to arrange some sliced strawberries on the top but ultimately went with some chocolate curls instead.

It was a simple and delicious meal, focused on fresh, quality ingredients. I will definitely be making all of these dishes again!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Sorbetto top

Sorbetto top

The Sorbetto top from Colette Patterns was perfect for the one-meter piece of cotton fabric that a friend gave me. I cut out the smallest size and lengthened the blouse by several inches so that I could finish it with a wide hem. It is loose and comfortable, and it made for a quick and easy addition to my wardrobe. As for the black linen skirt, I made it using the pattern I drafted last year to make this skirt.

I made this top a couple of weeks ago but today is the first day I was able to wear it without a cardigan. I wore it to the park for a picnic lunch date with my husband, who kindly took this photo!

Friday, July 1, 2011

Salmon cakes

Salmon cakes
Salmon cakes with a yogurt-mayo-dill sauce, lemony spinach and pan-fried garlic potatoes.

Before I forget, here's what I did:
  • Mix cooked salmon, minced onion, minced garlic, lemon zest and juice, mayo, fresh dill and ground pepper together in a bowl. I also happened to have some sweet relish in the fridge so I put some in but capers or minced pickles with a pinch of sugar would taste equally good.
  • Add a lightly beaten egg. Mix.
  • Shape cakes with hands, coat with bread crumbs (I was out of panko), and fry in batches till golden brown on both sides.
  • For the sauce, mix yogurt, mayo, fresh dill, a wee bit of relish and harissa. Season with salt.
Enjoy with a nice glass of white wine from the Loire Valley!

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Eats

Pea-Mint pesto with spagetti
Pea-mint pesto with spaghetti.

Chana masala
Channa masala and chapattis.

Alphonso mangos
Alphonso mangoes. Although we didn't make it in time to buy a box from one of the grocery stores near Gare du Nord, a friend from India was kind enough to share a few that were shipped to her from Bombay! Yes, these mangoes are that good.

Picnic sandwiches
Last-minute picnic. We didn't have much at home that day but enough for a few sandwiches. Jambon, cheese, lettuce, tomato, a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.

Ricotta gnocchi
Homemade ricotta gnocchi using the same recipe I used before.

Masala omlete
Masala omlette with onions, red and green peppers, tomatoes, chillies, and fresh corriander. With crusty baguette and Bordier butter, naturally.

Dinner
Parsley pesto rice pilaf with peas, sardines, and sauteed veggies.

Lemon Bars
Lemon bars using this recipe. Very, very good but not the best.

Roasted red peppers
Roasted peppers with capers and mozzarella also from Smitten Kitchen.

Dinner
Almond flounder meunière (except it wasn't flounder; the fish monger recommended something else) with a side of braised fennel; from Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table.

Treats from Aux Merveilleux de Fred
Treats from Aux Merveilleux de Fred. Check out David's review here.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Refashion

Men's shirt refashion

For several years now, I have been wanting to refashion one of my husband's shirts into a dress for me. I have a small pile of his shirts that have either shrunk in the wash or that never fit him well to begin with, slowly accumulating in India and the US. Since storage space is notably scarce in our rented Parisian apartment, there really is no room for piles of anything. So I finally gave it a go, taking inspiration from Antoinette and her clever refashions.

Men's shirt refashion

I was working with a large-tall Eddie Bauer shirt, so I had quite a bit of fabric to work with. I started with ripping out the collar and the shirt pocket. I initially wanted to keep the collar stand but it was much too large, and it had to go. After I cut along the side seams on the body and sleeves, I converted the box pleat on the shirt back to gathers.

Men's shirt refashion

I used a self-drafted pattern to cut out the shirt fronts and back, and the sleeves. The sleeves are my favourite part!

Men's shirt refashion

I also sewed the original pocket back on the right front of the dress.

Men's shirt refashion

I added small gathers to the shoulders, which you can't see very well in these photos, and I left the back of the dress longer than the front (inspired by Wiksten's Lissa dress).

Men's shirt refashion

I finished the entire dress with french seams, and I had enough fabric left over to make bias tape, which I used to finish the sleeves and neck. I wore it the day to wander around Paris!

Men's shirt refashion

Thanks to my husband for taking all the photos of me in my new, refashioned dress.