floresta negra. { schwarzwälder kirschtorte: black forest cherry cake }

Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, or Black Forest cherry cake, is a layered bliss in many levels, let it be flavour or texturewise. Just you imagine a chocolate cake as light as a meringue, drenched with juicy and boozy cherries and layered between fluffy clouds of whipped cream. Got your attention already? I've taken this German classic and I've given it a delicious twist!

morning sips. { sparkling tangerine mash & lady grey chai }

I have been sharing a lot of misty morning pictures and posting a lot of breakfast and brunch suggestions lately. I have, however, noticed that, although there's always something to drink in the depicted scenarios - and to make it even more blatant, they often come in pairs - I've failed to highlight the topic of b&b beverages and to share some of my ideas when it comes to it with you.

Hence, today I decided that, before posting any other recipe, I would make up for it.

oh those winter mornings... { orange infused scones }

... when the white sheer curtains filter the cold and dull wintry light, slowly allowing it to drench the entire room, only to dilute its already washed out whiteness: from the rough snow coloured walls, on which a few thoughtfully lined up postcards hang, down to the lazy messy bulk of soft white sheets and blankets, covered in faded pink and blue blossoms.

oh how easily my heart tunes with the slow pace of these cold mornings, and how suddenly my mind is in total synchrony with the world, as if the light had somehow managed to creep in and wipe away all thoughts; oh how naturally inspiration comes to me, my eyes trying to catch all these textures and wrinkles within the soothing white wash, while at the same time I know it is just time to lay back and simply purify my mind.

this ain't no jelly for kids. { berry and triple sec jelly terrine }

Today is the birthday of a very dear friend... He is also one of the main contributors and fans of Between Kitchens and since I cannot be there to bake him a proper cake, this recipe is dedicated to him.
Hope you like it!

Terrina de Frutos Vermelhos e Triple Sec

- 250g de morangos, lavados e cortados em metades e quartos

- 100g de mirtilhos, lavados

- 2 chávenas de água

- 1 chávena de sumo de toranja

- 1/3 chávena de Triple Sec

- 2 colheres de sopa de Licor Beirão

- 1 colher de sobremesa de chá verde com morango e laranja Wittards

- 20g de gelatina transparente

- 2 colheres de sopa de açúcar

1) Espalhar os frutos numa terrina de vidro funda,

2) Ferver a água e preparar o chá,

3) Dissolver a gelatina e o açúcar no chá ainda quente,

4) Juntar o sumo e depois o Triple Sec e o Licor Beirão,

5) Verter sobre a fruta e levar ao frigorífico pelo menos três horas,

6) Para desenformar, colocar a terrina em água quente durante um ou dois minutos, passar uma faca a toda a volta e voltar sobre um prato de servir.

Berry and Triple Sec Terrine

- 250g strawberries, rinsed and chopped in halves or quarters

- 100g blueberries, rinsed

- 2 cups water

- 1 cup grapefruit juice

- 1/3 cup triple sec

- 2 tbsp Licor Beirão

- 2 tsp Wittards strawberry and orange green tea

- 20g transparent gelatin

- 2 tbsp sugar

1) Spread the fruits inside a deep pyrex,

2) Take the water to a boil and prepare the tea,

3) Solve gelatin and sugar in the still warm tea,

4) Mix the juice and then the alcohol,

5) Pour over the fruit and place in the fridge for at least three hours,

6) To unmould, place the pyrex in hot water for one or two minutes, run a knife around the sides and fold over a serving plate.

sipping summer { alcohol-free strawberry sangria }

I know, I know... I've been away for too long.
Please forgive me, for these last months have mostly been a whiteout when it comes to the kitchen.
From nothing-worth-mentioning lunches in a rush at any small eating place around the uni - or even at the studio whilst staring at models or plans - to going out for dinner or just-a-beer-with-bread-or-fries - because we're all always running out of time but still feel the need to stop and connect with other human beings -, cooking worth blogging about has been aside for a while, and my pans have holded pasta with vegetables around 50% of the time, the remaining share being hold by water for tea. As I've mentioned before, I get way too bored and demotivated cooking and eating by myself. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack time have been mixed up on a wholewheat-bread-with-quark-and-smoked-salmon bliss, which I share with my favourite series' characters, seldom not going for seconds - both on the smoked salmon and on the episodes.
Plus, my Iphone camera is somewhat broken and I have no other camera I can use on a regular basis, which takes blogging to a whole new level of impossibility.
However, this is something very important to me that has been missing in my life, and I think I would like to have it back. So I will anyway try to keep it going - an excuse for having guests more often! -, I still have a few recipes unpublished and I was also able to gather a few brand new ones already... Let's see how it goes (:
Thank you for being there all the time, thank you so much for you support and a special thanks to all the people who, even though not knowing me so well, personally encouraged me to come back.

Sangria de Morangos
(sem álcool)

- 300g de morangos, lavados e sem pé

- sumo de 5 laranjas

- 250ml de água com gás, fresca

- 150ml de água, fresca

- 80g de açúcar

- 20g de açúcar mascavado

- gelo q.b.

- 1/2 laranja, cortada em fatias finas
- folhas de hortelã

Num blender, reduzir os morangos a puré com o açúcar, reservando quatro ou cinco,

Misturar a água e o sumo de laranja com o puré de morango,

Numa jarra de vidro grande, colocar o gelo, os restantes morangos cortados em metades, as fatias de laranja e a hortelã,

Deitar o sumo na jarra, misturar tudo e servir.

Strawberry Sangria
(alcohol-free version)

- 300g strawberries, rinsed and cut tops

- 5 oranges juice

- 250ml sparkling water, cold

- 150ml water, cold

- 80g sugar

- 20g light brown sugar

- ice

- 1/2 orange, thinly sliced
- mint leaves

In a blender, process the strawberries with the sugar, leaving four or five aside,

Mix the water and orange juice in the strawberry puree,

Cut the remaining strawberries in halves and place in a big glass jar with the ice and mint leaves,

Pour the juice over, mix and serve.