Black and white is a timeless combination. It’s no surprise you are seeing it on almost every runway. Here are a few of my favourite things in black and white.

Love,

J

This month’s featured piece

BLACK AND WHITE

Happy Valentine’s day everyone! Below is a list of my favourite things I love and can’t live without.

XOXO,
J

P.S Also, check out my new online store!….and check out what we are pinning!!! Follow us!

This month’s feature piece

BLACK CONSOLE $1200.00 Custom sizes and finishes available upon request. For orders please contact customerservice@ferreiradesign.ca Dimensions 50″ W x 18″ D x 32″ H

1. That’s Xandy and me. He’s my #1 everything!

2. My Lucite tables. I love that they are so simple and minimal. They are forever pieces.

3. Lisbon is still one of my favorite places to visit. As a young girl I spent a lot of time there with my grandmother. I was there last summer and it was amazing. Lisbon will always hold a special place in my heart.

4. Lavande candle by Diptyque always helps me chill the f out!

5.  My Ipod is a bit schizophrenic. Depending on what mood I’m in I can listen to anything from classical music to gangster rap. I think Justin Timberlake is incredibly talented. He’s on repeat at the office these days.

6. Last year my girlfriend introduced me to Tata Harper skincare line which is completely natural and organic. It works wonders on my skin!

7. Nars lip pencil in Pop life. It’s the perfect red for me.

8. I was given this Ela clutch for my birthday last year….and now I never leave the house without it. I wear it day and night!

9. I always have fresh flowers in the house. Especially cherry blossoms, when they are in season!

10. Truth be told, I’m a die hard fan of Mr. Ford anything. Tom Ford Neroli perfume. Enough said.

We all know what happens the day after New Years Eve. I called on Dr. Angelina Riopel, ND to help prepare you for the day after.

Love,

J

This month’s feature piece

NESTING TABLES IN DARK WALNUT FINISH $1400.00 Custom sizes and finishes available upon request. For orders please contact customerservice@ferreiradesign.ca Dimensions 19.5″ W x 20.5 D x 22″ H

Dr. Angelina Riopel’s Hydrating tonic:

Here are 4 ways to stay at the top of your game for New Years Eve:

1)    Stay hydrated.  Skip the coffee in the morning and try drinking plenty of lemon water or the Re-Hydrating Drink, to wake up your body.  The dreaded hang-over is largely due to lack of sleep and dehydration!

2)    Sleep well.  Take advantage and have a nap if you need to.

3)    Increase consumption of antioxidant rich foods.  Consume deep dark colored fruits and vegetables.  Aim for 7-10 servings per day.

4)    Have fun and enjoy the deliciousness of family &friends!

Re-Hydrating Drink:

Blend

2 sticks of celery

½ cup of spinach

½ cup of fresh pineapple

½ of a lemon juiced

1 cup of water

Dr. Angelina Riopel www.innatehealthcentre.com

Co-Owner and Naturopathic Doctor at Innate Health Centre

5 Quebec Avenue

Toronto, ON

M6P 2T3
Phone: (416) 760-942

Hello lovely readers. I’m back! I know it’s been awhile!! I’ve been a busy bee working very hard. It’s been a long time coming in the making and I am very pleased to announce that I’m finally coming out with my first furniture line! It has been a 2 year labour of love and I’m so excited to share it with you!!! Each month I will premiere new pieces from the collection that will be exclusively sold on line through Ferreira Design. Please stay connected and stay tuned for more upcoming posts.

This month’s feature piece

LUCITE TABLES WITH MOROCCAN MOTIF $850.00-$875.00 These whimsical lucite tables are incredibly versatile, and integrate with any decor. These tables have a weightless and airy esthetic with a subtle Moroccan motif. For custom sizes and orders please contact customerservice@ferreiradesign.ca Dimentions 20″ W x 20″ D x 18.5″ H 24″ W x 24″ D x 18.5″ H

PHOTO CREDIT: Tara Noelle

I wanted to dedicate this post to two beautiful women who I am proud to call my longtime friends. They are caring mothers and loving wives. They are sincere and humble while at the same time build and nurture their families. I’m so grateful to have them in my life. Thank you Michelle and Mary for inspiring me everyday.

Love always,

J

My Countdown to a perfect dinner party

My family and close friends are always the reason to have a dinner party. Sitting around at the table and cooking for the people I love is my favorite way to spend time together. When I entertain at home I have one golden rule – Make it fun! It doesn’t have to be complicated. The atmosphere will be much more relaxed and this gives you time to enjoy your family and friends.

24 hours before

I always pick up some wine on my way home from work. No need for an array of aperitifs nowadays, red and white are fine for everyone. I like to serve champagne, but it’s not necessary. For non-drinkers, I pick up San Pellegrino’s Arrangiata or Limonata and some sparkling water.

8:00 pm the night before

If you have kids, this is a good opportunity to get some helping hands and teach them how to set the table. I ask my son Alexandre to help and he happily obliges, but later tells me I owe him $20 bucks…this kid is playin with my money! I also do a little prep work the night before so I make my asparagus soup for my appetizers and prep my salad. (see recipe below)

8:45 am

I drop Alexandre off on my morning school run, do a quick work out, shower and go straight to work!!

5:00 pm

Wrap things up at the office and pick up a nice bunch of flowers at the market before I make it to my next stop. My faves are hydrangeas (you can easily find them all year around) and peonies to name a few. I recommend white or pink as a general rule. If you are hesitating between colors, you can never go wrong with white and yes, ugly bouquets do exist. I rush to my local butcher to pick up some fresh local organic chicken and a few other things because there is nothing to eat at the house!!!

5:45 pm

Arrive home. Kitchen is a disast! Alexandre’s stuff is all over the place! I quickly put groceries away. Prepare chicken and potatoes and throw it in the oven (see recipe below) While the chicken is cooking, I tidy up, cut flowers and put them on the table.

That’s the Martha Stewart in me nerding it out in the kitchen.

Hydrangeas are a great flower to use in a cube vase. Cut the stems on an angle. By crushing the ends about 3 inches and changing water every 2 days, helps prolong the life of your hydrangeas. Fill the cube with hot water then push the hydrangeas against the sides of the corners. DONE!

Here’s what the table looks like. When it comes to setting the table I love the simplicity of black and white together, it looks so chic and modern. I like simple black place mats with white linen napkins. I also like to mix my stemware with informal water glasses. And last but not least, fresh flowers and lots of candles!!

6:30 pm

Take a quick shower to freshen up. Can’t figure out what to wear!! I realize my little black dress is the easiest and obvious choice, and rock it with heels. DONE!

7:02 pm

Heat up soup and serve in shot glasses with an asparagus spear as guests arrive. Baste chicken so it’s nice and tasty! (try and do this often)

7:15 pm

Guests are all here!!! The asparagus shooters always look so pretty. They get devoured in minutes so I cut up a fresh baguette and serve with olives and cheese.

Pssst…Try and keep everyone a little hungry! The longer they wait the more they’ll tell you how delicious everything is.

8:00 pm

Everyone is starving by now so I cut up the chicken and serve with potatoes and salad.

Salad looks amazing! Prep this the night before because it takes the longest to make!

8:15 pm

Dinner is served. Chicken is absolutely delicious and always a hit!

1.5 hours later

Time for dessert. I always serve mixed berries with melted white chocolate sauce. I have never made this without having a friend ask for the recipe. It’s so delicious and so easy to make!! (see recipe below)

1:20 pm

Everyone is gone and I’m about to pass the f out!

Cream of asparagus

• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds of green asparagus roughly chopped
• 1 pound of green asparagus for garnish
• 1 large carrot peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 5 cups of chicken or vegetable stock (see below for recipe)
• 1/2 cup crème fraiche
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation 1. Rinse the asparagus. Cut and discard the end of the spear. Roughly chop asparagus and peeled carrot. Keep 1 pound of asparagus and reserve for garnish discarding the end of spear. 2. Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Saute for about 10 minutes, or until beginning to soften. Add roughly chopped asparagus and carrot, stirring for 5 mins. Add 5 cups of vegetable broth or chicken broth (whatever you prefer) and bring to a boil then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until asparagus and carrots are really tender. 3. Let it cool for at least 15 minutes and then puree it in batches in a blender and process until smooth. Be very careful when blending hot liquids. Start slowly and work in batches if necessary (you dont want the steam to blow the lid off) 4. Add asparagus tips to boiling water and cook for approximately  3-4 minutes depending how thick they are. Don’t overcook them, they should be crunchy. Rinse immediately under cold water. 5. In a small bowl mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons  and add the heavy cream. 6. Add the mixture to the soup and stir with a wooden spoon until the soup takes on the consistency of heavy cream. 7. Add salt and pepper to taste. 8. Pour the soup in a container with a spout so you can pour soup directly and easily in the shot glasses half way. Then garnish with asparagus stalk. Soup is good hot or cold depending of the weather.

Chicken stock

• 1 organic whole chicken, washed and dried
• 3 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 large yellow onion,  peeled and roughly chopped
• 3 stalks celery, roughly chop
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 sprigs fresh parsley
• 2 bay leaves
•  1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 3 quarts of water

Wash chicken in cold water then scrub it with a handful of coarse rock salt. Then rinse again and pat it completely dry inside and out, with paper towels. Put all ingredients into a large soup pot, cover with 12 cups of cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim any foam that rises to the top, turn the heat down to low, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Let stock cool and then strain into glass containers. You can keep it in the fridge up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. The chicken makes for a great salad or you can shred it and use it for chicken soup with some diced celery and carrots.

YIELD: about 10 cups

Vegetable stock

• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 stalk celery, roughly chopped
• 1 large leek, roughly chopped
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 4 fresh parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon course black peppercorns
• 3 quarts cold water

Put all ingredients in a large soup pot. Bring to boil and simmer for 1 hour. Let it cool and strain in glass container. Keeps in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

YIELD: about 10 cups

Pomergranite, blood orange and fennel salad

• 1/2 of fennel bulb thinly sliced
• 1 cup of pomergranate seeds
• 2 small blood oranges peeled and segmented
• 1 head of romaine leaves separated, washed, dried, and rougly torn
• 1/2 head of radicchio separated, washed and dried
• 1/2 cup of arugula washed and dried
• 1/2 cup lime&balsamic vinaigrette

1. In  large bowl, combine the fennel, pomerganate seeds and segmented blood oranges with lettuce. 2. Drizzle the dressing and add salt, pepper and serve

SERVES: 4

Lime & balsamic vinaigrette

This incredibly easy two minute dressing ( if that) will never let you down and stores in the fridge for at least a week.

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup your best olive oil
• coarse salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

YIELDS: 1/2 cup

Roasted Chicken & Potatoes

Make sure to use local organic chicken!-nothing can beat taste and freshness. Remove the back bone or ask your butcher to do this and you will cut your cooking time down. For those of you who are a little intimidated by the thought of being in the kitchen, or who don’t cook very often, I highly recommend getting a timer. Even though I cook a lot, I’m a total moron when it comes to timing. I used to over cook and occationally burn my food. Now I make the perfect chicken every time.

• 3-4 pound chicken, washed and dried
• 1 lemon, cut in half
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• a few springs each fresh rosemary, sage and thyme
• coarse salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• about 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 dozen fingerling potatoes peeled or yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into wedges

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. 2. Using a pair of sharp kitchen shears, remove and discard the backbone of the chicken (I save mine for making stock). 3. Lay the chicken, breast side up, in a roasting tray and press down with your hands so that it flattens. 4. Rub salt all over the chicken. Squeeze lemon, getting the juice on and around the entire chicken. 5. Toss in half of the garlic cloves, and put the rest under the skin – make sure to tuck a few underneath the bird along with the fresh herbs and lemon halves. 6. Put the potatoes in the tray with the chicken and drizzle (about 3 tablespoons) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Be liberal with salt on potatoes as they absord salt well and become really tasty! Drizzle another 4 tablespoons or enough to coat chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 7. Cover with tin foil for 1 hour. Baste with the juices that have collected on the bottom every 15 minutes, and turn potatoes occasionally to brown all sides.  Roast for an additional 30 minutes, uncovered, or until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers at least 165ºF and the skin is browned. 8. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes.9 Carve and serve

SERVES: 4

Mixed berries with white chocolate sauce

▪ 4 cups of fresh mixed berries
▪ 1/3 double cream
▪ 1/3 cup good quality white chocolate, broken into small piece

1. put the chocolate into a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water. Let it melt, stirring occasionally  2. add cream stirring until it mixes together 3. Ladle the warm choclate sauce over the berries and serve.

SERVES: 4

I don’t know about you, but December is the busiest time of the year for me. Between being a mummy, work and holiday festivities, its pretty insane. In order to look semi presentable when I walk out the door, I called on my friend and makeup artist genius, Cheryl Gushue, to teach me how to take my look from day to night. Hope this helps inspire you…check out Cheryl working her magic!

Love,

Jennifer

P.S. We are now on Twitter! Please follow us @JFerreiraDesign

DAY

Cheryl: I started with Brite Prep FX – a pearlized primer that provides a base for foundation and gives skin a fresh glow. When choosing your foundation, always match the colour to your jaw line. Using a shade by Armani, I lightly applied the foundation using a sponge.

For cheeks, I find the skin looks more natural when you use creme blush, and my favourite is Lokoum from NARS. I applied this with a blush brush to Jennifer’s cheeks.

For eyes, I usually kept the bottom bare to draw the attention to the top of the eye. Doing this gives the illusion of a lift.  On Jenn, I used a charcoal grey pencil from Lancome, topped up with Lancome Gris Noir shadow.  The shadow finishes the line so the texture is more concentrated.

Curling the lashes before you put mascara is a must for that wide-eyed look. I like the Shu Uemura lash curler because you can get right into the eye area easily. My usual mascara is good old Great Lash in Blackest Black.

For daytime, I used Jennifer’s Tom Ford Blush Nude lipstick. It has a creamy finish and the pale colour makes her lips look larger.

NIGHT

To transform this into an evening look, I used a black Lancome pencil all over the lid, up to the crease, then smudged it with my finger.  This helped give the shimmery shadow, that was applied next, a dark base to sit on. I then blended a grey Stila shadow out at the crease in a cat-like shape.  In order to keep this look fresh and modern, I didn’t apply any shadow above the crease.

To finish off this night look, I suggest:

Piles of mascara to darken and lengthen lashes.

Add a little more blush, since it will have worn off during the day, and because you will be in lower light.

To bring sexy back to the lips, add a clear or nude gloss just in the centre of the lip.

www.cherylgushue.com

photos of Jennifer by Tara Noelle

NEW YORK

This month’s travel notes are on New York City. Not only is it brought to you by myself, but also by a super hip friend of mine Ivy Ackerman. Ivy always points me in the right direction when it comes to travelling. For those of you who love to travel, and are obsessed foodies like myself, be sure to bookmark ButterAndEggRoad.com…Membership begins early 2012!

Love,

Jennifer

From Jennifer Ferreira:

Restaurants:

Cafe Tertulia

359  6th Avenue

(646)559-9909

www.tertulianyc.com

Tertulia is a really fun tapas style Spanish gastropub. It has a old farm style look with wooden banquettes and rustic tables. Mullen, the chef is a stickler for seasonal ingredients which means most of his creations are daily specials. Go with a group of friends so you can try more of their dishes. Tertulia is not to be missed next time you’re in NYC (no reservations unless you’re with a group of six). Buen provecho!

Saxon + Parole

316 Bowery at Bleecker

(212) 254-0350

www.saxonandparole.com

All I have to say is the Sweet Potato & Miso Tortellini with fried rosemary, sage, arugula and parmesan was pretty f’ing good!!!

Museums:

Daphne Guinness at FIT

7th Avenue at 27th Street, NYC

www.fitnyc.edu

Daphne Guinness – one of the most stylish women in the world in my books – has an exhibition at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Museum. Accessories and clothing from her personal collection are featured, plus films, videos and images of and by her. If you love fashion, you will definitely love this. A must see! Exhibit closes January 7th, 2012.

From Butter And Egg Road:

While on the Butter And Egg Road with Ivy, I discovered two more gems during her NYC Marathon Program – which put a spotlight on the Williamsburg neighbourhood in the borough of Brooklyn.

Dinner at Café De La Esquina

225 Wythe Avenue, Williamsburg

(718) 393.5500

www.esquinabk.com

Café De La Esquina’s original iconic building dates back to 1952 and is a landmark within the Williamsburg neighborhood. The space includes refurbished original features as well as new, unique elements to create a casual atmosphere. The food was so delish! We celebrated my birthday with far too much food and Tequila. The evening ended with an incredible Mexican Wrestler cake (which takes 48 hours to make) that Ivy had special ordered! Thanks Ivy! Needless to say the B&E crew closed the place down.

Brunch at Fatty ‘Cue

91 South 6^th Street, Williamsburg

(718) 599-3090

www.fattycue.com

Getting here was like running with bulls as I had to cross a major street to get to the resto during the NYC Marathon!

Fatty ‘Cue is a part of the Fatty Crew restaurants. Fatty ‘Cue works with local and humanely grown and raised products. Personally, I could not get enough of the ricotta hotcakes! Thankfully we had good weather so the girls and I walked it all off crossing the Williamsburg Bridge. Narrowly avoiding food coma.

For more information on Butter And Egg Road’s programs visit www.butterandeggroad.com

Saxon + Parole, Fatty ‘Cue, and birthday party photos courtesy of www.thetravelpresse.com

Ok I know it has been a while, but I hope to make it up to you in my next few posts! It’s no secret that cooking has become a great passion of mine. I have always loved food, being around it, preparing it, and most of all eating it with the people I love. Many, many years ago I was lucky to have Jamie Kennedy as the chef at my wedding.  I love Jamie and love the mission he is on. Jamie co-founded Knives and Forks which has pioneered the farm-to-table philosophy and the slow food movement. He is a big advocate of sustainable agriculture and a big supporter of local farmers. This past weekend I caught up with Jamie at Foodstock. Check out his restaurant Gilead Cafe & Bistro… you will not be disappointed.

Love,

Jennifer

Map at Foodstock

Bad weather! Bad hair! But amazing fries!!

Interview with Jamie Kennedy

JF: It’s your night off, you’re home with your family, what are you making for dinner?

JK: What I can grab from the restaurant, or I make my spaghetti bolognese. Everyone loves it.

JF: It’s 2am and you just closed the restaurant and you’re hungry. What’s your go-to food?

JK: At home it’s toast with peanut butter with a sprinkle of fleur de sel, or I go to China Town. Anywhere that is open and has steamed greens.

JF: If you could serve anything at the restaurant, what would be your ideal dish to serve?

JK: It’s not about being fancy, it’s whats delicious. Pork made from where I know they have been raised. I raise Berkshire. I cook it so its skin is nice and crispy. I would take out the bones and make it with stewed apples. Just delicious!

JF: If you were to create a 3-course meal drawn from your favourite restaurants, what would they be?

JK: Spaghetti Gaeta (olives, rapini and goat cheese) from La Fenice. A beautiful restaurant that used to be on King Street. Grilled fish from Chef Albino at Chiado. For dessert it would be Joanne Yolles coconut cream pie from Scaramouche. Or fresh baked blueberry pie from my Aunt Ruth, with a wedge of aged cheddar that has been sitting outside in the sun for about 3 hours so it’s nice and sweaty.

JF: When you are you in NYC where is your favorite place to eat?

JK: Esca

Jamie Kennedy’s Bolognese Sauce

30g Sunflower Oil
1 kg of ground beef
750g peeled and diced onion
6 finely chopped diced garlic gloves
30g hot paprika
12 coarsely ground black peppercorns
100g finely diced carrot
100g finely diced celery
30g tomato paste
1.5kg canned tomatoes, roughly chopped
dried oregano to taste

1. Heat sunflower in large casserole. Add beef, stirring regularly, until all moisture evaporates.
2. Add vegetables and spices and continue stirring over medium heat.
3. Add tomato paste and raise the heat, stirring continuously, until it begins to caramelize.
4. Add the tomatoes. Bring to boil. Add oregano to taste. Reduce heat to simmer and cook covered for approx 2 hours.
5. Pack leftovers into sterilized jars.

I’m not a chef or a trained professional. I’m an amateur cook with a love for cooking. I come from a family of gourmands, who I learned a few things from over the years, but really only started cooking myself about 9 years ago when I became a mother. When my son was born I started reading about all kinds things that were making us sick that were associated with eating processed foods, pesticides, growth hormones and preservatives. I quickly became obsessed with what my son and I were eating. I know some of it’s environmental, and some of us are predisposed to certain diseases, but why not do what we can control. When I cook at home I try to eat locally, seasonally and always organically. I stick to organic 2-legged animals (duck, turkey or chicken) and eat fish – that is either local or line caught and sustainable. We have such a big farming community here in Ontario so you just cannot go wrong with buying seasonal fresh food. I go to Wychwood and Brickworks on Saturdays, or Dufferin Grove farmers market on Thursdays. Check them out. They’re awesome!

Really good reasons to buy from your local farmers…

- You get fresh goodness within a day or two of picking, and food that hasn’t been transported across the planet.

-  So much healthier for you!

- Tastes so much better!

- You’re helping keep local farmers farming!

- You’re helping preserve agricultural green space.

- You’re stimulating the local economy.

- Reducing your carbon footprint by buying food produced nearby.

Interview with Anne Van Der Heyden from Wooler Dale Farm. 

JF- How long have you been farming, and what made you want to become a farmer?

AVDH- It will be 29 years this year! I grew up farming and growing organic food. I hope to pass this on to the next generation.

JF- Tell us a bit about what is in season?

AVDH- Spinach, mustard greens, lettuce mixes, herbs and an amazing crop of asparagus!

JF- How long can we eat locally?

AVDH- We can eat locally up until November, but we have winter storage all year around.  We store parsnips, beets, carrots, potatoes, onions, garlic, salsify and lots of squash.

Wooler Dale Farm is located 15 minutes north of Prince Edward County. If you want to get some organic deliciousness from Anne you can find her at Wychwood Farmers Market every Saturday. Rain or shine!

Here are two quick and easy recipes, one that I make a lot that always tastes delicious and never fails me. This is for all my foodie friends that have been asking me for my chicken recipe forever!

Roasted Chicken & Potatoes

Remove the back bone (ask your butcher to do this and you will cut your cooking time almost in half).  I buy my local organic chicken from the Healthy Butcher or Whole Foods. For those of you who are a little intimidated being in the kitchen, and that don’t cook very often, I highly recommend getting a timer. Even though I cook a lot I’m a total moron when it comes to timing. I used to occasionally over cook and sometimes burn my food, but then went out and got one. Now I make a perfect chicken every time.

SERVES: 4

• 3 to 4 pound chicken, washed and dried
• 1 lemon, cut in half
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• a few springs each fresh rosemary, sage and thyme
• coarse salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• about 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 dozen fingerling potatoes peeled or yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into wedges

Preheat the oven to 500ºF. Using a pair of sharp kitchen shears, remove and discard the backbone of the chicken (I save it for making stock). Lay the chicken, breast side up, in a roasting tray and press down with your hands so that it flattens. Rub salt all over the chicken. Squeeze lemon, getting the juice on and around the entire chicken. Toss in half of the garlic cloves, and put the rest under the skin – make sure to tuck a few underneath the bird along with the fresh herbs and lemon halves. Liberally pepper the chicken and drizzle over enough olive oil to coat — about 4 tablespoons. Put the potatoes in the tray with the chicken and drizzle with olive oil to coat (about another 4 tablespoons) and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Be liberal with salt on potatoes as they absorb salt well and become really tasty! Roast for 15 minutes or until skin is brown. Baste with the juices that have collected on the bottom every 15 minutes, and turn potatoes occasionally to brown all sides. Cover with foil and decrease the temperature to 400ºF. Roast for an additional 45-60 minutes (depending how big your chicken is).

Shaved Raw Asparagus Salad

I recently took a trip to NYC with my son and one of our many highlights was having lunch at Mario Batali’s Eately. I had the shaved asparagus salad that was off the hook! I had to try and replicate it. When I returned home I went to the farmers market the following Saturday and bought a ton of fresh asparagus. This is what I came up with… Bon appetit!

SERVES:4

• 2 pounds medium asparagus, tough bottom ends cut off
• 3 ounces Parmigiano or pecorino coarsely grated
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons warm water
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• flaky sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons of coarsely chopped fresh mint

Using a vegetable slicer or vegetable peeler, thinly shave the asparagus, making long diagonal shavings into a large bowl. Put the cheese in a small bowl and whisk in the lemon juice and warm water. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the oil to make a loose emulsion then add it to the asparagus and toss gently. Stir in the chopped fresh mint, season with salt and pepper and serve at once.

In my next post I will be hanging out with my favourite Toronto chef. He will be creating something for you that’s super easy and delish! Stay tuned folks!

My lifestyle blog has been a long time in the making. You can’t imagine how much I thought about this very moment. Making notes, collecting information, I’ve thought about it forever! So here it is finally! This month I wanted to begin with my favourite ways to decorate. Simple ways to make any room have meaning and beauty. Timeless and elegant. The art of keeping things simple.

Love,

Jennifer

BOOKS

I really don’t like the idea of clutter so I always eliminate before I decorate. I buy fewer, but nonetheless beautiful pieces, rather than lots of little things. I always start with books. A home without books is a home without a soul. I don’t have a rule what you should buy, but it should be whatever speaks to you and moves you. It could be your favourite painter, artist, architect, photographer or fashion designer.  Books inspire us, change us, and make us better. I can’t think of any other object that does that. They are my must-have accessory. I have them all over the place.

FLOWERS

There is nothing more beautiful than walking into a room to find fresh flowers.  They can really transform any space.  I’m always drawn to white, pink and fuschia. Right now I’m absolutely obsessed with Magnolia branches….anything that blooms from a branch. If you purchase Magnolia branches in early April they can last well over a month until they bloom in May.

THROW BLANKETS

Throws can make any room feel comfortable and cozy. In the winter you can use thick cable knits, and switch to lightweight wools in the summer.  A very simple way to add color.

CANDLES

I admit I’m a major candle junkie. My all time favorite brand is Diptyque. They are legendary makers of luxury scented candles, and when I light mine I always feel a little bit of Paris at home. I have one in almost every room. You can create an alluring environment with candles, and they can last forever if you use them wisely. I only burn mine for about 30 minutes – usually before entertaining so the house smells amazing. You can find a big selection here in Toronto at Holt Renfrew on Bloor Street. I  also discovered Quintessence, a Paris-based perfumerie from Advice from A Caterpillar. These candles come in various fragrances, but my favourite is Aiguille Rouge. When I finish mine, I recycle the containers and refill them with disposable tea lights. They make for a perfect candlelit dinner.

 In my next post I will be meeting with my local farmer and will share one of the easiest, most delicious (my all-time favourite!) no-fail roasted chicken recipe.