Lavender Soju Lemonade

Happy Thirsty Thursday, everyone! I'm delighted to share with you not only a new cocktail recipe, but my very first food & cooking video, made by yours truly! I literally did everything by myself! Just a quick mention: I know a lot of you have asked me in the past who does my photos, who edits them, etc.; when many have assumed they were strictly done by my husband (who, yes, is a pretty well-known and very talented photographer) but besides the editorial fashion shoots we try and do once a week, everything else is my own content! And when it comes to video editing, that's all done by me too. Interesting fact? I learned how to cut & edit music, plus video, from my childhood figure skating days! And with photos of myself, if it is not mentioned that it's a self-portrait photograph, the pictures of me are done by my love. :)

Now back to the lecture at hand... ha ha! I've been in a creative rut lately, feeling like my recent work has been flat. Something didn't fit quite right. Yes, I'm a perfectionist and am completely guilty of being hard on myself (too much at times). But as they say, 'when life gives you lemons, make lemonade!' I've never worked with lavender in terms of culinary use, and when the idea of a refreshing yet soothing cocktail came up on a 'last days of summer' drinks story, I knew these little enchanting flowers were the perfect choice! Plus, having the excuse to buy extra lavender is always a good one. My whole apartment smells inviting yet calming. 

My favorite part was removing the flowers from its stems. The aroma is intoxicating, I couldn't get enough of it! You can steep it for less or more than the 10 minutes I did. For a lighter scent, I'd recommend 5 minutes. If you really want to kick it up a notch, I'd go for a little bit longer than the 10. Observe the coloring, as the more it steeps, the darker the color. I also really enjoyed watching the colors combine with each other. The dark purple with the bright, vibrant yellow from the lemon juice. You can also use a juicer if you're not a fan of squeezing 'em by hand. 

Lavender Soju Lemonade

Cocktail recipe + photos by © Suzanne Spiegoski

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1c. lavender flowers
2c. boiling water
2c. cold water
1c. lemon juice
1c. sugar
5fl. oz. soju
1 tray ice cubes

Directions:

Place freshly cut lavender flowers in a pitcher; pour the boiling water over lavender; cover with plastic wrap and allow to steep 10 minutes; strain and discard the lavender from the water and return the water to the pitcher. Add cold water, lemon juice, and sugar to the pitcher and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add in soju, mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with a stem of lavender. Enjoy!

I also used pure organic cane sugar to be on the healthy side. (Even though I'm a sugar addict) And then the most important ingredient! I always use Charm Soju when it comes to this Korean liquor. It's my favorite and the quality is high. The secret is to add it last. You'll want the sugar to completely dissolve before mixing in the soju. I kept it light and simple when it came to serving the drinks. Over several ice cubes and a stem of lavender, I kept the garnishing straight-forward. But the idea of also turning these cocktails into a slushies did come to mind. Or perhaps Korean shaved-iced? Now that would be a fun cocktail to do! (Hint, hint!) 

Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out the latest cocktail recipe I created! Be sure to check out the how-to video I also made down below! (Full steps included.) We hope you enjoyed the lavender Korean-fusion inspired lemonade we shared with you today and that you are soaking up as much fun in the sun before summer ends. Coming up on the blog, a brand spanking new travel diary (so excited to go!) and lots of NYFW coverage. It's gonna be a crazy, hectic next couple of weeks so brace yourselves! ;) Stay tuned... 

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Videography + photography, styling + editing by: Suzanne Spiegoski 

Hey everyone! I got into a bit of a creative funk the past few days, so instead of whining about it I did this! It's my first food & cooking video! Better yet, it's how to make lavender soju lemonade! Cheers!

LOVE & XX'S,

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Océane Chiaroni Interview — A Parisienne in New York

A commonality of interests we share: She's known my husband just as long as I have, however, she's known him longer, and yet she is only twenty-four years old. We've both lost a loved one to suicide. We too, are both very much involved in the artist's world. And if we were to be deserted on an island, where we had to choose only one kind of food to survive off of for the rest of our lives, it'd be mashed potatoes. She's not only my goddaughter, but a close personal friend: a part of my chosen family. Her sun sign of the lioness, Océane (Ocean) has a zest for life and a warm spirit, despite enduring hardships most 20-something year olds never have to face.

Born and raised in Paris, Océane grew up rather quickly and in a creative environment. Her mother, a journalist, and her father, an actor; the path to her own discovery of who she wanted to be was an easy one. Very early on in life, she had her heart set on becoming an actress. Her father, who, after she was born, owned a bar in Le Marais - a district in Paris where many famous French humorists of stand up started out, was friends with many of them and were in her childhood home often. Seeing her father act had a great influence on her. At five years old, she was the primary acting coach to her teddy bears and Barbie's while playing with them in her bedroom. She'd help direct them, giving stern but detailed corrections. But even then, she strongly believed in herself. When she performed at her first theater show at eight years old, the feeling beforehand was something she cannot explain. She was not queasy, but the butterflies in her stomach were palpable. The anticipation of performing was more of an exciting, adrenaline-pumping sensation, not a worrisome one. Nothing else in life has given her such hair-raising goosebumps. 

And so with her dream, her parents strongly encouraged her to pursue them, adamant in working hard toward your goals. Océane is following her passion. Now a student, for nearly a year, at the Susan Batson Studio in New York City, she is currently working on a number of projects, including a web series, but one piece of her is missing. One of her biggest dreams was to always be able to clown around with her father, forever thick as thieves, and furthermore, maybe even performing in a play or movie together in the future. This hope was shattered when he took his own life over three years ago. Her world suddenly stopped, grieved to the core of her heart. At first, Océane was naturally angry (one of the many stages of grief), with feelings of abandonment and unfairness; a harsh lesson in the cruelties of life at such a tender age. She took time to take it all in, wanting to understand the why's and how's of it, trying to sort through complexities one should never have to sort through. But she refuses to let this stop her from living her life, something I myself find very commendable. Courageous. A freedom message.    

Bright beyond her years, she's taken this painful experience and is subsequently making the world more interesting; a better one. I recently had the privilege of watching her perform at the Susan Batson Studio on her current subject: Jean Seberg. And Océane's deep understanding for life and death is clear. A little inside scoop: Jean was a very talented American actress who also happened to commit suicide. The correlations between her different worlds was remarkable. Disturbing at times, where even I was uncomfortable, I was also completely taken aback by her raw talent - pulling emotions out of me I haven't even tried to unravel. And she was capable of doing that from her 5-minute act. 

My cousin took his life in 2013. She shared her experience & beliefs with me on such a difficult subject. Ever hear of an old saying as such, "You can drag the horse to the pond, but you can't make him drink the water."? If one is in denial of a problem, no one can help them, not even themselves. No matter what you try. Regardless of what the problem may be, the first step is to admit to the problem and be willing to seek help. Océane did have a friend who confided in her earlier this year with suicidal thoughts. It is with a keen pair of ears and an open heart that will aid in being acknowledged and understood. Spend every chance you can with that person. If you can't be with them, make sure other friends or family members are there. Find a solution. See what they need to get better. If they want to see a doctor, offer your hand and go with them. Be a nurturer, but not an enabler. I admire Océane's strength and openness, especially after everything. The easy way is through denial and self-loathing, falling into the abyss one so easily can fall into, but the hardest is to never give up. To be aware and never stop believing in hope, to live and carry on, no matter what life throws your way. This is passion. This is living. This is love.  

If you are in crisis or considering suicide, please go to hopeline.com to chat online now or call 1-800-SUICIDE to talk with someone. Open 24/7.  #IMAlive 

FUN FACTS

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• Biggest fear: Being like my Dad.

• Biggest pet peeve: People who are judgmental.

• Greatest regret: Je ne regrette rien.

• If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?: My kindness because sometimes people take advantage of this. 

• Favorite movie: Pulp Fiction.

• Favorite actor(s): John Travolta & Jean Seberg

• Favorite place in NYC: The Highline

• Favorite place in Paris: Le Marais

• Favorite Restaurants: Balzem in New York & L'Arpège in Paris

LOVE & XX'S,

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Ramen Breakfast Toast

Every now and again I come across a recipe that completely blows me away. Case in point: Cravings. Christine is a writer/food blogger with a talent in food photography as well. I'm always left inspired after visiting her work, but when I came across her ramen breakfast toast on Beautiful Cuisines on Instagram, I had to re-create it! I've never tried making ramen 'toast' and was extremely curious how this recipe would pan out, let alone how it would taste together with all the different flavors. And oh boy, let me just say - they invented #foodgasm specifically for this toast. 

First the latest food trend was all about rice buns, and now ramen toast. And I can understand why. All you need is some salt and eggs to coat the cooked ramen before frying it in a pan (individually) with a little bit of vegetable oil. It was not that difficult to make, though I will say that if you're not that confident at boiling eggs, just be sure to make extra for back-up. To get that nice, soft runny egg, time it at 6.5 minutes. But like I said, it depends on a lot of factors so just put a couple more eggs in for good measure. You'll be good to go!

Breakfast Ramen Toast

Serves 4
Recipe by: What Do You Crave

Photos by: Suzanne Spiegoski // Recipe by: What Do You Crave 

Ingredients:
2 packets instant ramen
4 eggs
Salt
Vegetable oil for frying
1 cup diced tomato
1 small jalapeno, minced
¼ cup diced red onion
1-2 Tbsp. sweet soy sauce*
1 tsp. fresh grated ginger
1 lime
1 avocado
Nori
Chili flakes, optional
Sriracha, optional

Directions:

Make the Ramen “Toast”
Cook ramen noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cool water for about 15 seconds.
Whisk together two eggs with a little salt and carefully mix in noodles.
Divide noodles evenly into 4 ramekins or bowls. Use plastic wrap to press noodles into bottom of the bowls and help hold shape.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Make the Soft-boiled Eggs
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil then reduce to a gentle simmer.
Carefully add in 2 eggs, one at a time, with a slotted spoon.
Cook for about 6.5 minutes for a soft, runny yolk and set white. Use a timer!
This takes practice to get right and sometimes you may find you need to adjust your cooking time to get it just right. I would recommend cooking a few extra eggs at different increments just to test it out.
Remove eggs with spoon and place into an ice bath to stop cooping process. Carefully peel and set aside until ready to use.

Prep your Toppings
Combine tomato, onion, jalapeno, ginger, and juice from half a lime in a bowl.
Add in 1 Tbsp. of sweet soy sauce and taste test before adding more. Not all soy sauce is created equal, some are saltier than others.
Mix to combine and set aside.
Slice avocado however you see fit and use the other half of the lime to prevent it from turning brown.

Cook “Toast” and Assemble
In a large non-stick pan heat a thin layer of vegetable oil over medium heat.
Carefully plop noodle “toast” out into pan. I’d do one at a time.
Cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until lightly crisp and golden.
Top each toast with nori, ¼ of the avocado slices, ¼ cup pico de gallo, and ½ of a soft boiled egg.
Serve with chili flakes or Sriracha and enjoy!

In the recipe there's a delightful homemade pico de gallo (I always manage to sting my fingers after chopping up jalapeños ha ha) with a nice heat to it. Adding thin layers of avocado brings a creamy buttery sensation to the mix. And the seaweed combined with the soft boiled egg? It's tastes a lot like regular ramen noodle soup, but without all the slurping and with varied textures. For more spiciness, add Sriracha sauce and red pepper chili flakes. I totally loved making this dish! And it's not just for breakfast, you can have this for lunch and dinner too!

I can't wait to do my own twist on the ramen breakfast toast. There's so many ways to make it! You could use kimchi, sausage, radish, and other breakfast-like toppings. So glad I was able to work with a recipe first that not only was had me try something new, but more especially, discovering new tastes in flavors. Thanks again, Christine for such an awesome recipe! I could have waited and done my own creation on this idea, but this one was too good not to share! To see more of Christine and her overall super star-ness, go check out Cravings now!

LOVE & XX'S,

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Peach Melba

Cheers, it's almost the weekend and I'm about to have me some fun! I finally found my edible flowers, y'all! After patiently waiting until Wednesday, I happily went to the Union Square Farmer's Market and picked up some vibrant babies with Windfall Farms. They have the freshest flowers to work with and ever since they've caught my eye during the start to spring, I've been dying to add them in my practice with plating. Plus, edible flowers can really bring a dish together with its fragrant and earthy qualities. Not to mention how aesthetically sound they are, especially with desserts. 

recipe + photos by © Suzanne Spiegoski

Peach Melba

Ingredients:

Peaches:
1 1/2c water
1 3/4c sugar
1 vanilla pod, split lengthwise
1Tbsp lemon juice
2-3 peaches

Raspberry sauce:
1 1/2c raspberries
1/4c confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 pint of vanilla bean ice cream
Raspberries & peanut granola to garnish.

Directions:

Put the water, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla pod into a wide saucepan and gently heat to dissolve the sugar. Bring saucepan to a boil and let it bubble for 5 minutes. Turn heat down to a fast simmer.

Cut the peaches in half, and if the stones come out easily then remove them. If not, you can get them out after poaching them. To poach, put peach halves in the sugar syrup for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side depending on the ripeness of the fruit. Test the cut side with the sharp point of a knife to see if they are soft. Remove with slotted spoon.

Peel skin off peach halves and let them cool. Be sure to remove stone after. To make raspberry sauce, blend fresh raspberries, confectioners' sugar and lemon juice. Sieve to remove the pits and pour the puree into a jar.

To serve, allow 1 -2 peach halves per person alongside with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Spoon raspberry sauce over each.

One of my all-time favorite desserts (originally from France) is the peach melba. The combination with the sweet peach and tartness from the raspberries is a symphony in your mouth. Add in the vanilla ice cream and its oozy, creamy combo will definitely have you feeling some type of way! Instead of doing it the traditional way, like how I used to get it at the retirement home I worked at as a teenager (yup, true story), was a scoop of ice cream, half of a poached peach, and with some drizzling of raspberry sauce. Nothing fancy. And it doesn't need to be. But I have such a passion when it comes to cooking, I'm always trying to elevate dishes to the next level. I even formed my first ice cream quenelle! So here you have it: My deconstructed version of the peach melba dessert. You can download the recipe by clicking on the button above. Got questions or comments? I love hearing from my readers! Write your thoughts down below. I've got some really exciting content coming up for the rest of the summer! And yes, it will include some traveling! Yay! Plus I'll be celebrating my one year anniversary since creating MaQ + Suz, and of course I'll be doing a post on this! Stay tuned...  

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Cape Cod Style

WEARING: ROMWE WHITE STRIPED SPLIT DRESS | ZARA CORK + LEATHER WEDGES |
ALDO CROSSETT CROSS BODY | J. CREW PANAMA HAT | NATHALIE GARÇON SCARF | 
ROMWE GOLD RINGS

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Hey, everyone! I'm back! I've been away on our mini-vacation to Cape Cod, and what a treat it was! My husband and I celebrated being together for ten years, and bringing our boy, MaQ, was the icing on the cake. The Cape is such a magical place. Keep your eyes open for a travel diary post in the next coming days. I'm excited to share with you our amazing adventures! We even ran into another German Shepherd in Provincetown and let them play together in the marina one afternoon. What are the odds of that? :)

I've partnered with ROMWE, a lovely clothing line that's chic and affordable for every woman, in all shapes and sizes. They've got some crazy discounts and deals at the moment. Trendy long-sleeve dresses are 60% off your first order! That's only one of the many specials they currently have. Ladies, definitely check them out! I love my casual white striped dress that I wore non-stop while in the Cape. With drawstrings and pockets, it's a sporty feel with comfort and style. Perfect for summer, especially this long weekend approaching us! The dress can be worn over your bathing suit or for a casual stroll through the many magical destinations of Cape Cod. 

It felt good to take a break from the internet and social media, but it's also great to be back! I have many upcoming projects I'm just dying to share with you! Stay tuned...

Photos by: Gilles Decamps

Sponsored post in collaboration with ROMWE.

LOVE & XX'S,

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