Good Food...

Happy Monday, loves! Hope you've had a great weekend! The annual Good Food Show took place this weekend and like the prior years, it was fantastic! The show is a great way to discover what is trending on the culinary market. With all the delectable food stalls, (especially the sweet ones), I was in foodie heaven! Besides, the amazing exhibitors, there was also a super exciting celebrity chef line up. John Torode, the vibrant Jenny Morris (her cookbooks are awesome and she has a new book coming out soon), Tom Parker Bowles and of course, Adriano Zumbo, who is to patisserie, what Willie Wonka is to chocolate! The show takes place annually in Cape Town (which took place in May), Durban (which will take place in October) and in Johannesburg (which I attended). I had a great time and here are some of my favourite stalls from the show...

Fine and Fabulous...Luxury European candies and other imports . This was such an exciting store! The service was excellent as well! Really friendly and they go out of their way to help... I truly adore the Italian nougat from here... Oh! and remember to check out their gorgeous French Laguiole cutlery. Oh! and the lemonades in beautiful packaging and the other old fashioned sweets...think bon bons in flavours like anis and violet. I know, I know, that I'm gushing but I cant help myself!!! To get your hands on some of their fabulous delights, visit their website: fineandfabulous.co.za

Damas, for a divine selection of Middle Eastern sweets and breads. Maamoul, Baklava, Lafa bread, Pita and a lovely range of rusks... As I love Middle Eastern pastries, I was thrilled to find a store in Johannesburg that makes them..Will definitely be visiting this store soon

damasyr.co.za

 New Beginnings...a delightful selection of toffees and caramels.
kissestoffees.co.za

Karamella...Candy Buffets and events.

karamellacandy.com

Balsimo Beads...rose, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar beads to enhance you food presentation... think Molecular Gastronomy! I have used their products before and they are lovely.I have so many ideas  for  these little jewels, watch this space!

balsimobeads.com

 La Petite France... Delicous French Cheeses made locally.

Oil&Vinegar...they always have such yummy stuff...

oilandvinegar.co.za

Contessa La Cucina has some amazing Mediterranean food. Everything is vegetarian and it all looks so amazing! 

The Tea Merchant...A beautiful selection of loose leaf teas, teapots and tea accessories...

theteamerchant.co.za

 Le Creuset...These colours make me so happy! I feel like a kid in a candy store!

lecreuset.co.za

Chef Works...Culinary garment manufacturers. How cute are these for the piccolos?

chefworks.co.za

Hashi Fusion Japanese Cuisine with a South American twist...the best sushi that I've had in a while...(sorry about the awful pic!)
hashi.co.za

The Gaia Culture for artisan Latin American Food. Latin American food seems to be trending at the moment...
www.thegaiaculture.com

There are so many different and innovative foodie and lifestyle brands out there, that its hard to cover all! I  can't wait for next years show! 

For more information visit goodfoodandwineshow.co.za. 

 Have a lovely week and don't forget to follow me on Instagram for some more inspiration! xoxo

Sweet Gifts...

 I thought I'd have this post up sooner, but I had the Monday blues yesterday and really didn't feel like doing very much! 

After a wonderful Ramadan and then the Eid weekend its finally time to get back to the grind! Now that the holidays are over, I feel like there is so much that I need to do...I've got to get going with my studies for this semester, I'm hoping to take up some Pilates again and I've been brainstorming some new blog ideas! I'd love to be able to put up at least 2-3 posts a week...Sooo lets see how that goes! Eid was on Saturday, and I hope you all had a wonderful Eid weekend. I promised to do a post on the goodies that I made for Eid, so without further a do here it is...Enjoy!

A sweet gift befitting a sweet occasion...This was a gift that was sure to make someone happy!

My colour scheme was pink and gold so I made several types of sweets, which I placed in gold boxes and tied up with white ribbon and a pink silk rose. I tried to make most of the sweets in shades of pink and accentuated it with gold. It turned out well and everyone was impressed! This would be an amazing gift for anyone who has a sweet tooth, no matter the occasion.  Here are some pictures of what I made! Will share some of the recipes with you soon!

Just a spoonful of sugar...Dark Chocolate Spoons topped with salted caramel marshmallows and pink sugar hearts...

Cookies&Cream Chocolates in shades of pink....

French Nougat wrapped in a veil of gold sugar...

Heart shaped Rose Marshmallows...

Calisson d'aix...my favourite kind of  sweet...

Smoked Salted Caramel Marshmallows...smoky, salty, sweet, and dipped in dark bitter choc... does it get any better?

A quick peek at some of the non-edible gifts that I wrapped up for my family and friends...I kept everything uniform, by wrapping all the presents in brown paper. I added a glam touch, by tying them up with some silk and velvet ribbons and placing a pink silk rose on each. And just how awesome are these blackboard birds that I used to label the gifts? 

PS: Stay tuned for my next post! My first outfit post...I can't wait!

xoxo

Sweet Inspirations...

The joyous occasion of Eid al Fitr is fast approaching and I'm sure all those celebrating this day are busy preparing for it. Eid al Fitr is a day of celebration after the holy month of Ramadan. This year, I started prep later than usual, so I am feeling a little rushed off my feet! I've still got some finishing touches to put to my outfits and some gift wrapping to do. I'm also making a variety of sweets and candy for gifting. Every year, I make a different selection of sweets for gifting, This year, I'm making some  cookies & cream chocolates, French nougat,salted caramel  marshmallows and calisson d' aix. Oh, and of course the diva of cookies....macarons! Phew! I hope that I can get it all done on time.And here I am blogging instead of baking!  I can't wait to share it with you all! But, in the meantime, here's a quick post of what I made last year...Hope you find it inspiring!

Individual Strawberry Cheesecakes in Jars.

This cheesecake can be whipped up in flash and the cute packaging is guaranteed to impress! Simply layer cookie crumbs and  cheesecake in a mason jar,  Top with some sliced strawberries and you're good to go! Well not quite...Tie a bow onto the jar first, just to make it pretty!

Nougat in a variety of flavours...

Last Eid, I decided to make a variety of different flavoured nougat. Think Licorice, Gianduja, Lime-Pistachio, Ginger-Almond, Persian Apricot-Pistachio, Turkish Rose and Chocolate Chip-Candied Clementine. With a house full of nougat lovers, it went down a treat! I also packaged it up for gifting by individually wrapping them in cellophane and tying them with bows. 

Chocolate Salami, Panforte, Croquante, Turrone and Pan de Higo.

Some Mediterranean Sweets...Dark Chocolate Panforte (a totally moreish Italian sweet originating from Siena containing fruit and nuts), Chocolate Salami, Croccante (a type of Italian nut brittle), Pan de Higo (a Spanish fig cake) and Turron de alicante...This is a sweet gift which is sure to make someone happy! I tied each sweet individually in cellophane and completed it with a raffia bow. 

Flower Pot sweets...

Assorted flavoured barfee, (an Indian fudge type of sweet) piped into chocolate cups and decorated accordingly... rich but yummy! 

A variety of  cookies  and chocolates...

Attention to detail makes a world of difference.I  try to make my goodies look  appealing by packaging them innovatively.Store-bought or homemade cookies and chocolate can be packaged in cellophane bags and tied up with ribbon. I used shortbread, biscotti, mini palmiers and chocolate maltesers...use whatever goodies takes your fancy! I once packaged a variety of different biscotti and cantuccini like this...

To all those celebrating Eid al Fitr, I hope that you and your loved ones have a beautiful day filled with love, joy and blessings! Mabrook...xoxo

All Things Haute...

It's fabulous, its chic, its HAUTE COUTURE! 

Haute Couture is something which cannot be explained adequately. Each piece is constructed with so much of intricacy, taking weeks or sometimes months to create. The attention to detail and the tailoring of each outfit is like none other. So, its only understandable that Haute Couture week has me dazzled! I adore this week...and of course I take it all in from the Front Row...my laptop! From Dolce & Gabbana's Alta Moda to Alberta Ferreti's Special Collection, I'm completely hooked! So, darlings, sit back, relax and enjoy the album that I've put together to share with you! 

Chanel
Models paraded in a casino filled with Karl Lagerfelds muses in beautiful outfits crafted out of textured fabrics. The Makeup was typically Chanel...Heavy brows and over-rouged cheeks. I find the hair unflattering and too severe...Thoughts?

Alexis Mabille
When I saw this collection, I swooned... Totally elaborate and just so beautiful! Couture at its best...

Dolce & Gabbana
A weekend extravaganza in Portofino...It reminds me of something out of a fairytale! Silk printed with parrots, fruit and  flowers. This Alta Moda collection was amazing!

Valentino
The Valentino collection was exquisite. The collection emphasised on black and red pieces which were a tribute to the brands Roman heritage. Hair and makeup was kept simple with an emphasis on gold accessories.

Elie Saab
Painted silk, embellished lace, and a wedding gown that probably weighed a ton...The designer stayed true to himself.

Dior
I loved some of the beautiful capes and coats that were showcased. Hair and makeup was kept natural and pretty.

Armani Prive
Pink, Purple and Blue were the dominant colours in this collection. The outfits were beautifully crafted in a variety of textures including fringing, feathers and sequins. Makeup  was pretty, but again I'm not keen on the hair...

Fendi
This was Karl Lagerfelds first couture show for Fendi. Think lots of fur...And just how fab are the gilded feathers on this coat?

Ulyana Sergeenko
I adored Ulyana Sergeenko's previous couture collections, but this collection didn't awe me...I found that the hair and makeup looked messy.  

Alberta Ferreti
This collection took my breath away! So romantic and exquisite. Truly, fit for a princess...

Giambattista Valli
First of all, how fab are these sunglasses? The details in this show was amazing...Love, love love these dresses!

Alexander Vauthier
This collection was loosely based on a Native America theme, so it was only fitting that fringing would feature. I quite liked this dress...What do you think?

Viktor & Rolf
Named 'Wearable Art', this collection was exactly as its name suggested. This art could be worn or hung as the designers demonstrated by disassembling the frames from the models and hanging it on a  huge white wall. Wow!

Do you love couture as much as I do? Share your thoughts and tell me what was your favourite show!
Au Revoir! 

Pictures from style.com

That's Life...

I know, I know...I have been MIA lately. Been really busy...there has been so much going on in my life of late that I haven't had time to  post in a while. My last post was several weeks ago, but rest assured, I haven't forgotten about the blog! I recently took a much needed vacation and I came home and immediately started studying for my exams. Phew! I worked really  hard but  I'm happy to say  that I passed! All that hard work paid off...but alas, I feel as though I need another vacation. Oh well, since its not going to happen any time soon I'll just stare at my  pics and daydream that I'm back on vacay. I have so much to share about my trip and will do a post soon to tell you guys all about it.

I promise not to keep you waiting too long! 

To all my followers from up north, I hope your'e having a wonderful summer. Ramadan Kareem to all my Muslim followers. I hope your month is going splendidly!

PS: Paris Couture Week has started. Its not even over yet and already, I have stars in my eyes. There is just so much beauty out there. Have you guys been following it? Cant wait to share my thoughts...Love you all lots...xoxo...

The beautiful Chanel Couture show...

So glad to be rid of these...for a while at least!