A HOLIDAY SYMPHONY : DESIGNER ORCHESTRATES DESSERT PARTY.Byline: Natalie Haughton Daily News Food Editor Move over, Martha Stewart <noinclude></noinclude> Martha Stewart (born Martha Helen Kostyra on August 3, 1941) is an American business magnate, author, editor and homemaking advocate. She is also a former stockbroker and fashion model. . Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. lifestyle designer Colin Cowie Colin Andrew Wilkie Cowie (born January 3, 1962) is a famous lifestyle guru and party planner to the stars. Born in Kitwe, Zambia, and educated in South Africa, he moved to the United States in 1985. is out to give you some stiff competition in the days and months ahead. His first book, ``Effortless Elegance With Colin Cowie,'' (HarperStyle; $45) is hot off the presses, and coming with it appearances on ``Good Morning America'' and ``Today'' touting his easy party and entertaining philosophy. ``Style is not related to money,'' emphasized the pricey party planner to the stars. (He coordinated Paula Abdul's wedding in October.) Cowie won't discuss his fees, although we've read that they range from $15,000 and up. ``Style is really about the attitude we have toward one another and ourselves and how we behave,'' noted Cowie, who has a core staff of six in Los Angeles. ``I know people who have $20 million and don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. how to behave and are the most unstylish people.'' Cowie of Hancock Park
Hancock Park is a park in Miracle Mile, Los Angeles, California which is the location of the La Brea Tar Pits, the George C. Page Museum of La Brea Discoveries, and LACMA. is out to inspire consumers to entertain with ease and elegance with budgets large or small, for business or friends or relatives, for special occasions - or no occasions or all. ``Although many Americans pride themselves on their creative, beautiful homes, they don't entertain,'' noted Cowie. He sees three reasons. ``People think it costs a fortune, takes too much time and don't think they have the ability. I wrote the book to inspire people to bring their homes to life and live in them.'' The book includes 28 party menus - from casual breakfast to a birthday luncheon to an open house or afternoon tea - strategies, numerous glorious full-page color photographs and more than 200 recipes to help you succeed. Planning and organization are the keys. ``Inviting people into your home doesn't mean tying yourself to the stove.'' Cowie, who has lived in Los Angeles 11 years, came from South Africa South Africa, Afrikaans Suid-Afrika, officially Republic of South Africa, republic (2005 est. pop. 44,344,000), 471,442 sq mi (1,221,037 sq km), S Africa. to find his place in the sun, went to Malibu for lunch and landed a catering job a couple of weeks later. The rest, as they say, is history. ``You don't have to prepare everything you serve. It's more important to see your friends than to get medals for making food creations,'' said Cowie, 34. He would rather see someone buy wonderful desserts from a bakery, such as Sweet Lady Jane, Rosebud (for cakes) and Michel Richard's, or a terrific meal from an Indian restaurant (such as India's Oven in Los Angeles) than not entertain. ``I give you full permission to use takeout,'' he emphasized. Cowie notes that he entertains often because it is one of his favorite things to do. Besides dinner, he enjoys inviting friends over for Sunday afternoon tea, for cocktails prior to going out for dinner or for dessert after a show. ``The whole idea about entertaining is about having fun and bringing people together and making them feel good,'' he added. ``Entertaining allows us to invest quality time and show one another that we care. After all, the key to life is to live with gratitude and humility.'' All the economic disasters - earthquakes, fires and floods - of the last couple of years have brought us back to basics and investing time in one another, he believes. Although Cowie admits he doesn't want to be the male Martha Stewart (``I want to be who I am,'' he said), he does concede that they are both in the same business. ``But we have two very distinctive senses of style. My sense of style is to inspire people to live, have fun, entertain and use and enjoy their homes without having to do everything perfectly,'' he added. ``There are 240 million people in this country,'' he said, and that means there are plenty for each of them to inspire. ``I admire Martha for what she has done - (she has) created an awakening in a sleepy industry and gotten people into the whole house pride thing,'' he continued. Cowie's empire-building is in full swing. He opened an office in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of with a staff of two in September and has a wedding book due out next year along with a groom's guide, a wedding planner, linens, china, crystal and a wedding software package. And thanks to the disheartening dis·heart·en tr.v. dis·heart·ened, dis·heart·en·ing, dis·heart·ens To shake or destroy the courage or resolution of; dispirit. See Synonyms at discourage. lack of social graces and bad manners in Hollywood and Los Angeles, an etiquette book for the '90s is in the works. It really upsets him that people leave RSVPs until the last minute - or guests back out of party invitations at the last minute, etc. He's aiming to package his information, he said, in an easy and user-friendly fashion. For the holidays, Cowie has designed a decadent holiday dessert party - ideal after dinner or for a group of friends after a show - with recipes from ``Effortless Elegance.'' To accompany the desserts, offer a dessert wine or a champagne cranberry cocktail and demitasse coffee. Gussy gus·sy tr.v. gus·sied, gus·sy·ing, gus·sies Slang To dress or decorate elaborately; adorn or embellish: gussied herself up in sequins and feathers. up the table with fresh flowers or roses, candles in gilded gild 1 tr.v. gild·ed or gilt , gild·ing, gilds 1. To cover with or as if with a thin layer of gold. 2. To give an often deceptively attractive or improved appearance to. 3. gold holders, and gold-gilded pomegranates and walnuts. The most important thing is to enjoy your own party,'' stressed Cowie, noting that ``90 percent of people today don't enjoy their own parties.'' They serve things that are too difficult and take too much time. Or they spend the entire night in the kitchen, away from their guests. To avoid this, Cowie recommends designing a menu that allows most of the work and preparation to be done in advance, so when the guests arrive you are 100 percent ready for them, with only lastminute kitchen details - like putting food in the oven, or bringing it to the table - requiring attention. Everyone should have fun and be made to feel 100 percent comfortable, added Cowie. ``Those are things that make for memorable moments.'' So turn on the music, dim the lights and you're ready for a special evening with these creations from Cowie's new book. Relax and enjoy! ADRIANA'S CHOCOLATE TORTE 1 cup semisweet sem·i·sweet adj. Having a small amount of sweetening: semisweet chocolate. Adj. 1. semisweet - having a taste that is a mixture of bitterness and sweetness bittersweet chocolate chips 1 cup blanched blanch also blench v. blanched also blenched, blanch·ing also blench·ing, blanch·es also blench·es v.tr. 1. To take the color from; bleach. 2. whole almonds 2 1/2 sticks butter (1/2 pound plus 4 tablespoons) 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar Noun 1. granulated sugar - sugar in the form of small grains powdered sugar - sugar granulated into a fine powder refined sugar, sugar - a white crystalline carbohydrate used as a sweetener and preservative granulated sugar 3 eggs 1 scant cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup water 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder Noun 1. cocoa powder - the powdery remains of chocolate liquor after cocoa butter is removed; used in baking and in low fat and low calorie recipes and as a flavoring for ice cream chocolate - a food made from roasted ground cacao beans Dash salt Powdered sugar Whipped cream Coat a 10-inch round springform pan spring·form pan n. A cake pan having an upright rim that can be unclamped and detached from the bottom of the pan. with butter. Line with parchment paper and then coat paper with butter. Combine chocolate chips and almonds in a food processor or blender and process until ground. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add chocolate mixture and beat well. Beat in flour. Bring water almost to a simmer. Stir in cocoa and salt until dissolved. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add cocoa mixture to mixture in bowl and beat until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated 400-degree oven 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick toothpick, n a wood sliver used to cleanse the interdental space. toothpick, balsa wood, n a triangular wedge of balsa wood used to clean the teeth interproximally and stimulate the interdental gingival tissues. inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a rack 1 hour. Remove pan sides, sprinkle cake with powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream. Makes 12 servings. RASPBERRY TART 1 cup milk 1 vanilla bean 3 large egg yolks 1/4 cup sugar 4 tablespoons cornstarch cornstarch, material made by pulverizing the ground, dried residue of corn grains after preparatory soaking and the removal of the embryo and the outer covering. It is used as laundry starch, in sizing paper, in making adhesives, and in cooking. Grated peel of 1/4 lemon 1/4 cup raspberry jam 1/4 cup water Baked Pastry Shell (recipe follows) 2 cups raspberries, picked over and rinsed To make filling, combine milk and vanilla bean in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until nearly boiling, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly. Remove vanilla bean, split open lengthwise length·wise adv. & adj. Of, along, or in reference to the direction of the length; longitudinally. Adj. 1. lengthwise and scrape seeds into milk, discarding bean. In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy. Whisk in cornstarch. Pour warm milk into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Place bowl over pan of simmering water and cook, stirring frequently, until thick enough to coat a spoon. Remove from heat, pour into a glass mixing bowl and mix 1 minute longer to accelerate cooling process. Add lemon peel and set aside to cool further. Combine jam and water in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until melted. Spoon cool pastry cream Pastry cream (French crème pâtissière) is a kind of vanilla pudding used in desserts. It is a custard made on the stovetop and includes cornstarch or flour. It is made with a combination of milk or cream, egg yolks, fine sugar, and usually a flavoring such as vanilla, into Baked Pastry Shell and smooth top. Sprinkle raspberries over top and brush with raspberry jamW glaze. Refrigerate re·frig·er·ate tr.v. re·frig·er·at·ed, re·frig·er·at·ing, re·frig·er·ates 1. To cool or chill (a substance). 2. To preserve (food) by chilling. until serving time. Makes 8 to 10 servings. BAKED PASTRY SHELL 2 cups all-purpose flour Dash salt 1/4 pound (1 stick) butter, thinly sliced and frozen 6 tablespoons water 1 egg, beaten In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine flour and salt. Pulse to combine. With processor running, add butter, 1 slice at a time. With processor still running, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough forms a ball. Remove dough and dust with a little flour. Pat into a disk, wrap well with plastic wrap and chill 1 hour. Roll dough out on a lightly floured board large enough to line a 10-inch springform pan. Line bottom of a 10-inch springform pan with dough. Brush with beaten egg. Pierce crust all over with tines of a fork and line with foil. Fill with pie weights or rice. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Makes 1 crust. CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup packed brown sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups oatmeal, ground in a food processor until fine 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda baking soda: see sodium bicarbonate. 1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips 1 3/4 cups chopped walnuts OR pecans Grease 2 cookie sheets. Cream together butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, oatmeal, baking powder and baking soda. Mix until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Break off tablespoons of dough and roll between palms of hands into small balls. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven 10 to 13 minutes, until edges are brown and bottoms set. (Do not let tops brown or they will dry out.) Transfer to a wire rack See wiring rack. and cool. Makes 60 to 70 cookies. BANANA NUT AND DATE BREAD 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 3 medium) 1 egg 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup chopped dates 1/2 cup chopped walnuts Butter and flour an 8x5-inch loaf pan. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a bowl, combine bananas, egg and sugar and blend well. Stir in dry ingredients, then fold in dates and nuts. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake in preheated 325-degree oven 60 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near centercomes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then turn loaf out on a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 12 servings. COLIN'S CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES 1 1/2 pounds (24 ounces) high-quality bittersweet bittersweet, name for two unrelated plants, belonging to different families, both fall-fruiting woody vines sometimes cultivated for their decorative scarlet berries. chocolate 2 egg yolks 1 cup powdered sugar 1/2 cup whipping cream Noun 1. whipping cream - cream that has enough butterfat (30% to 36%) to be whipped light whipping cream cream - the part of milk containing the butterfat 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter 1/4 cup Scotch whiskey Noun 1. Scotch whiskey - whiskey distilled in Scotland; especially whiskey made from malted barley in a pot still malt whiskey, malt whisky, Scotch malt whiskey, Scotch malt whisky, Scotch whisky, Scotch 30 whole hazelnuts Unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted Over low heat, melt 10 ounces chocolate. In a large bowl, cream together egg yolks and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. In a medium saucepan, heat together cream, butter and remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Heat to boiling to thoroughly melt sugar. Pour hot sugar mixture slowly over yolks, whisking; mix thoroughly. Cool slightly and mix in melted chocolate. Add Scotch and beat 1 minute. Chill mixture until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, toast hazelnuts in preheated 375-degree oven 15 minutes. Place handfuls on a kitchen towel and rub to remove skins. Set aside. Roll cool chocolate mixture around each hazelnut to form a truffle truffle (trŭf`əl) [Fr.], subterranean edible fungus that forms a mutually beneficial (symbiotic) relationship with the roots of certain trees and plants. The part of the fungus used as food is the ascoma, the fruiting body of the fungus. about 1-inch round with a hazelnut center. Place on a baking sheet baking sheet n. A flat rectangular metal pan, often with at least one rolled-up edge, used for baking. lined with wax paper and chill thoroughly 2 to 3 hours. To finish, melt remaining 14 ounces chocolate over low heat. Dip each truffle in melted chocolate, making sure it's covered completely. Lift out with a fork and roll in cocoa. Return to baking sheet and chill before serving. Makes about 40. HAZELNUT GENOISE ge·noise n. A delicate buttery sponge cake. [French, from feminine of genois, Genoese, after Genoa.] Noun 1. IN A CHOCOLATE MOLD HAZELNUT GENOISE: 3 tablespoons hazelnut oil 1 teaspoon vanil1la 4 large eggs, at room temperature 1/2 cup superfine superfine a class of merino sheep with wool finer than that of fine-wool. Usual limit is wool of 18.5 microns or less fiber diameter. sugar 1/2 cup cake flour 1/2 cup cornstarch 2 tablespoons hazelnut-flavored liqueur liqueur (lĭkûr`), strong alcoholic beverage made of almost neutral spirits, flavored with herb mixtures, fruits, or other materials, and usually sweetened. The name derives from the Latin word to melt. CHOCOLATE RIBBON: 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted CHOCOLATE GANACHE ga·nache n. A rich icing made of chocolate and cream heated and stirred together, used also as a filling, as for cakes or pastry. [French.] : 1/4 cup whipping cream 2 ounces semisweet chocolate Unsweetened cocoa powder To make Hazelnut Genoise, grease a 9-inch springform pan. Cover bottom and sides with parchment paper. Grease paper and dust with flour. In a medium bowl, combine oil and vanilla; set aside. Place eggs and sugar in top of a double boiler double boiler n. A cooking utensil consisting of two nested pans, designed to allow slow, even cooking or heating of food in the upper pan by the action of water boiling in the lower. Noun 1. over simmering water. Stirring with a wire whisk, heat mixture until frothy froth·y adj. froth·i·er, froth·i·est 1. Made of, covered with, or resembling froth; foamy. 2. Playfully frivolous in character or content: a frothy French farce. and volume is almost doubled, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and place egg mixture in a large mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on high, beat until very thick and creamy about 10 minutes. Sift together flour and cornstarch. Pour 1 cup egg mixture into oil and vanilla. Whisk until well combined. Set aside. Gently fold 1/2 of flour mixture into remaining egg mixture in a bowl. Add remaining flour; add oil mixture, fold until all are incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 25 to 35 minutes, until sides pull away from pan. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack, 10 minutes. Invert in·vert v. 1. To turn inside out or upside down. 2. To reverse the position, order, or condition of. 3. To subject to inversion. n. Something inverted. on rack, lift off bottom of pan and remove paper. Turn cake right side up and cool completely. Place hazelnut liqueur in a small bowl. With a cake tester or fork, pierce small holes in top of cake. Brush with liqueur. To make Chocolate Ribbon, cut a 4 1/2x10-inch strip of parchment paper that will go around side of cake. Using a metal spatula spatula /spat·u·la/ (spach´u-lah) [L.] 1. a wide, flat, blunt, usually flexible instrument of little thickness, used for spreading material on a smooth surface. 2. a spatulate structure. , spoon and spread melted chocolate on parchment paper. Place chocolate strip around cake with parchment on outside. To make Chocolate Ganache, in a medium bowl, bring cream to a boil. Add chocolate and whisk until chocolate has dissolved and mixture is smooth. Carefully spoon chocolate on top of cake. Refrigerate cake about an hour, until ribbon and ganache has set c1ompletely. Carefully peel paper from ribbon. Dust with powdered cocoa. Makes 1 cake. NOTE: To make additional ribbonlike garnishes or curls for top of cake, prepare additional Chocolate Ganache with whipping cream and semisweet chocolate as directed above. Put or spread Chocolate Ganache on a sheet pan and just before it dries or sets completely, hold a spatula at an angle and push it away from you to get a ruffled ruf·fle 1 n. 1. A strip of frilled or closely pleated fabric used for trimming or decoration. 2. A ruff on a bird. 3. a. A ruckus or fray. b. Annoyance; vexation. 4. look. Cool completely, then use to garnish top of cake in design desired. MARBLE CAKE 12 tablespoons butter 3/4 cup sugar 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/4 cups sifted self-rising flour self-ris·ing flour n. A commercially produced mixture of flour and leavening. Noun 1. self-rising flour - a commercially prepared mixture of flour and salt and a leavening agent self-raising flour 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line bottom of pan with wax paper. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla, then fold in flour. Transfer 1/2 of batter to another bowl. Add melted chocolate to one bowl and stir to blend. Drop plain and chocolate batters alternately by large spoonfuls into prepared pan. Using handle of a wooden spoon, make a single swirl through batters to marbleize mar·ble·ize tr.v. mar·ble·ized, mar·ble·iz·ing, mar·ble·iz·es To marble. Verb 1. marbleize - make something look like marble; "marbleize the fireplace" marbleise . Bake in preheated 350-degree oven about 45 minutes or until cake tests done when a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Let cake cool in pan 5 minutes, then remove cake from pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Makes 8 to 10 servings. MADELEINES 2 eggs, separated 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/4 pound (1 stick) butter, melted Grated peel and juice of 1/2 lemon 1/2 cup self-rising flour, sifted Powdered sugar Lightly butter 2 madeleine pans. In a bowl, beat egg yolks with granulated sugar. Stir in butter, lemon peel and juice. Fold in flour. In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold egg whites into batter, then spoon mixture into madeleine molds, filling about 2/3 full. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven 20 minutes. Cool in pans 2 minutes, then remove and 1cool completely, fluted side up, on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar. Makes 24. SPOTLIGHT ON ... Colin Cowie Age: 34. Profession: He refers to himself as a ``lifestyle designer,'' meaning that he deals with anything relative to fun and gracious living. Hometown: Born in Kitwe, Zambia, he now makes his home in Hancock Park. Food background: Cowie has traveled extensively around the world for the last 15 years, following chefs and their careers and formulating his own food style by mixing and matching different cuisines and cultures. ``My mother was a lousy cook but a good organizer,'' he said. Most popular dish he makes: Herbed herbed adj. Flavored with herbs: herbed vinaigrette. Rack of Lamb Noun 1. rack of lamb - a roast of the rib section of lamb crown roast rack - rib section of a forequarter of veal or pork or especially lamb or mutton lamb roast, roast lamb - a cut of lamb suitable for roasting With Tomato Bordelaise Sauce. Pet peeves: High centerpieces; people trying to impress one another. Favorite foods: Indian cuisine and all ethnic foods. Secret food passion: Caviar. Favorite cookbook: Roger Verge's ``Entertaining in the French Style.'' Favorite restaurant: Fredy Girardet's restaurant in Switzerland and India's Oven in Los Angeles. Favorite thing to cook and eat: Pasta with chile, garlic and parsley. Favorite kitchen gadgets: Cuisinart food processor; mandoline man·do·line n. 1. A utensil consisting of a base into which adjustable blades are set, used to slice or cut fruits and vegetables. 2. A mandolin. [Variant of mandolin.] (a hand-operated machine used to cut firm vegetables and fruits with uniformity and precision). Ideal vacation: ``Some destination I've never been to before.'' What does he do when he is not working?: ``I work all the time,'' he responded. But he also snow skis, swims, exercises at a gym, runs, plays the piano, scuba dives and reads. ``I haven't spent more than two nights in the same city since the first of October,'' he said, adding ``I spend lots of time in airpots and hotels.'' Worst kitchen disaster: Arriving at someone's home for a party with 60 pieces of rack of lamb that needed cooking and finding out their oven didn't work. What did he do? ``I made very good friends with the neighbor very quickly,'' he said. He used their ovens. Most memorable meal: At Fredy Girardet's restaurant in Switzerland; another memorable meal - sitting in Cape Town, South Africa, eating peri-peri prawns - ``spicy big prawns that are to die and go to heaven for,'' he noted. If he couldn't be a lifestyle designer, what would he be?: A doctor (a good general practitioner general practitioner n. Abbr. GP A physician whose practice consists of providing ongoing care covering a variety of medical problems in patients of all ages, often including referral to appropriate specialists. ). Dream job: ``What I'm doing right now.'' CAPTION(S): 5 Photos, Box Photo: (1--color) Colin Cowie shares a dessert extravaganza, great for a holiday party. Terri Thuente/Daily News (2-color) Raspberry Tart (3--color) Hazelnut Genoise in a Chocolate Mold (4) Colin Cowie puts finishing touches on desserts in his kitchen. Terri Thuente/Daily News (5) Colin Cowie travels the world in search of culinary perfection. Terri Thuente/Daily News Box: SPOTLIGHT ON (see text) |
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