Sarah Walker The Curated House, Author at The Curated House

Cabin Fever

I have a confession to make. I have cabin fever. Not the kind where I can’t wait to get OUT of a cabin. This kind can only be cured by time IN a cabin. In the woods. By the water. Surrounded by trees and silence and beauty and inspiration.

With no quick means to get my fix, today’s post features some gorgeous glass cabins, perfect for drinking in the serenity of their surroundings.

The cabin above – a hybrid of dreamy, glass-enclosed sleeping quarters with a simple potting shed – is featured in this month’s Elle Decoration UK. Designed by Helsinki architectural firm Avanto, This little piece of heaven has utterly captured my imagination.

This charmed and serene little cabin in the woods is available for rent in the far recesses of Wisconsin. In my mind, this would be the perfect weekend getaway for me and my man {if only Wisconsin was within driving distance!}.

This last one – a wood and glass structure by Finne Architects of Seattle – feels as though it was magically dropped down into the middle of the woods. I love the massive skylights flooding the centre of the space with natural light. The simplicity of the wood, stone and glass seem a perfect framework to the picturesque landscape from inside and the refined elegance of the structure’s interior from the outside.

Where is your perfect cabin getaway?

xo
s.

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|August 23rd, 2012|1 Comment

An Easy Summer Dessert | Grilled Apricots with Mascarpone and Lavender Honey

Remember yesterday’s endless summer dinner party? Well, I thought I’d let the evening linger a little longer. I can still taste the mix of herbs and fresh ingredients, the savoury and the sweet, and I can still hear the laughter ringing in my ears. Satisfying to heart and palette alike, it was an evening well worth savouring.

I’m afraid I can’t share photos of the main course with you as we were so enjoying it {and more importantly, each other’s company} that it didn’t get photographed! But our simple and delicious dessert did, along with the simple and delicious process of making it. The recipe is really as straight forward as reading the photographs, but I’ll include it below.

The Ingredients:

4 ripe, organic apricots
Raw lavender honey
Mascarpone

The Method:

Wash and halve your apricots, removing the pits. Heat BBQ and sear the apricots face down so that the cut flesh caramelizes from the heat of the grill. Plate 2 halves per person and drizzle with the gorgeous, golden goodness of the raw honey. Savour the slow and decadent dance it does on the way down to the plate while enjoying the wait. It’s worth it. Top with a good dollop of mascarpone on each apricot half and ENJOY. {Pairs well with tea lights hanging in trees, wood-burning fires and great friends.}

xo
s.

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|August 22nd, 2012|1 Comment

Summer Salads: Beet, Basil + Goat Cheese Stacks with Arugula + Walnuts

I love a casual dinner with friends. The kind where you cook while catching up and linger so long over the first course that you almost forget there’s more food waiting to be eaten. The kind where good food is only overshadowed by better conversation. The kind where you feel as if the night could just saunter along forever and no one would mind even a bit.

We had one such charmed evening with friends recently. I thought I’d share a few shots of the evening with you {and a recipe as a tasty side dish to go with the photos}.

BEET, BASIL + GOAT CHEESE STACKS WITH ARUGULA + WALNUTS

The Ingredients:

4 organic beets, peeled, boiled and cut into 1/4″ slices

Raw goat cheese

Organic baby arugula

Fresh Basil Leaves

Raw, organic walnuts

Good Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Balsamic Reduction

Chives for garnish

The Method:

Peel, slice and boil the beets. {Funny side note: I attempted to keep each individual beet’s slices grouped together in the pot so that they would fit back together like a puzzle when it came time to create the stacks. This beautiful idea did not work at all. The boiling naturally shifted the pieces all around the pot leaving me with a beet puzzle and a whole lot of pieces that looked exactly the same. I managed to find pieces that fit fairly well with one another, nonetheless. Not quite as I had envisioned, but still quite lovely.} Cool the beets by running them under some cold water in a strainer once they have boiled.

Plate a bed of arugula. Begin to arrange your “stacks,” layering the beets with a blanket of basil leaves and then a thick, delicious slab of goat cheese in between each piece of beet.

Scatter a handful of raw, organic walnuts around the plate. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a good balsamic reduction. Finish with 2 or 3 long chives leaned decoratively against the beet and goat cheese stack.

Enjoy with good company.