Thursday, November 24, 2011

CHARCOAL GOES GLAM!...DAMIEN BREDBERG WORKS HIS MAGIC...FLOWERS!!...WE LOVE 'EM...GEARING UP FOR CHRISTMAS WITH ZUCCHINI & HALOUMI FRITTERS...PLUS!..LYCHEE AND MINT SPARKLING COCKTAILS...AND MORE!!....

CHARCOAL GOES GLAM!

Well, its not every day that you get the Movie Star treatment, and myself being a tad adverse to 'primping' and 'schooshing'...merely because I dont want to end up looking like a drag queen (had a bad experience years ago after being made up for the television show Wheel of Fortune where after an hour with a heavy handed make up artist and hairdresser with a penchant for 80's high hair.....I resembled more of a Anglo-Saxon 'Effie').

Cath casts a 'last minute' eye over the set.

And so it was with a little bit of trepidation and a whole lot of trust that we girls surrendered ourselves into the creative cosmos of photographic guru Damien Bredberg and his team of assistants, stylists, make up and hair artistes, for our latest advertising campaign with Belle Magazine.
Stylist Lucia handles the finishing touches on Colette, while Pete the Greek does his very best with the holding of the ladder......

The first dilemma in what has now been a process over a couple of months, was to find an appropriate theme for our ad and then give it the 'Wow' factor.  Having beautiful furniture to use is a great start, and so Cath and Colette began piecing together a setting, which includes our gorgeous 'Regency' Pedestal Table as the hero of the shot.

Cath gets stuck into setting the scene for the photo shoot

It helps to have a big family and lots of friends who are willing to help out, and so we had plenty of volunteers to assist on the day, and a couple of lucky ones were even chosen to be in the shot.

The girls....Brooke, Colette, Cath and Sophia 

Stage is set... 

Assistant Josh and Pete the Greek hold Caths prop for the shoot...

Easy does it.....


 Steve works his magic on Colette


The talent gets a tweaking from stylist Lucia


Multi-Award Winning Photographer Damien Bredberg and all-round great guy works his magic on the day...they say never to work with children or animals?...well he had the whole circus, and was the perfect Ringmaster.

We think Brian was the star of the show.....but it will be up to you to judge for yourself once the finished ad is featured in Belle Magazines Jan/Feb edition....stay tuned.

Brian and Craig (our Maverick for the day) take a break from all the excitement.

....and it's a wrap!...and now to eat and drink the props!

We give a very big and humble thanks to Damien Bredberg and his team.  Everyone was so gracious and helpful on the day, and we couldnt have asked for more.
Award Winning Photographer Damien, can be contacted via his website.
Click!
Damien Bredberg Photography and Post Production

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FLOWERS FROM A CLIENT


Well...what a lovely surprise.  We love flowers and to get them from clients makes us feel special.

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FOOD....GLORIOUS FOOD!



This week, we held a survey on Facebook, asking our followers what recipe they would prefer to see on this weeks blog.  There was a choice between Desserts, Finger Food or BBQ treats and so, we were thrilled when the resounding vote went to Finger Food, because we have been road testing a few different Christmas recipes, and will be showcasing them in the weeks leading up to the big day!

Zucchinis are one of those foods that you can get pretty much all year round at the grocers.  This is a very easy recipe and super delicious.  If you havent tried Haloumi before, it is yummy with a capital 'Y'.  Haloumi is great to break up and pop on a pizza because it crisps on the outside and stays soft on the inside.

  It's a cheese that you can fry.  We use it a lot in our house as its a fave of Pete the Greeks.
Follow the easy instructions below to make these lovely tasty fritters that will have your guests schmacking their lips and wanting more....

ZUCCHINI and HALOUMI FRITTERS



Makes

25

Ingredients

  • 300g (about 6-8) zucchini
  • 1 onion, grated
  • 250g haloumi cheese, grated
  • 75g (1/2 cup) plain flour
  • 2 tsp grated lemon rind
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbs chopped fresh dill
  • Light olive oil, to fry
  • Sea salt, to serve
  • Aioli*, to serve

Method

  1. Coarsely grate the zucchinis, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Place in a bowl and add the onion, haloumi cheese, flour, lemon rind, eggs and dill. Season with salt and black pepper and stir to combine. Form the zucchini mixture into about 25 bite-size patties. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm.
  2. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry, in batches, for 1-2 minutes each side until golden. Drain on paper towel.
  3. Serve the fritters warm with the aioli and a little sea salt.

Notes

  • * From gourmet food stores.
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    COCKTAIL ME!


    Cath loves Lychees...and she also LOVES Christmas (and cocktails too just quietly).  I have found the easiest and most delightfully delicious 'Lychee and Mint Sparkling Cocktail' recipe and I hope you love it.  I have never really been a fan of the strawberry plonked into the champagne...it just looks so 'obvious' to me.  Whereas the lychee with its elegant soft texture and colour is much more appropriate and inviting.  Just looking at the pic is making me drool just a little...I'm off to have another one now...Cath!!??

    Ingredients (serves 8)

    • 560g can lychees in syrup, drained
    • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
    • 750ml sparkling white wine, chilled

    Method

    1. Divide lychees and mint between 8 champagne glasses.
    2. Top with wine. Serve.
    "Is that it??"....I hear you say??.....yes, yes it is...something so delicious and sooo pretty and just so easy as this...may as well have 2...or 3!

    More Christmas Cheer to come in the weeks leading up to to the big day that children love.....Turkeys on the other hand??...well thats another story...

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    ‎'A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart ♥ and sings it back to you when you have forgotten how it goes' ♥....anonymous


    We really are ready for one of those Lychee Cocktails right now...its been a BIG couple of weeks.
    Until next week......Its a Wrap!



    The Charcoal Team...Cathie, Colette and Jen xxx


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