Sarah Walker The Curated House, Author at The Curated House

Design Find | {Oh!} mineheart

I recently stumbled upon a UK company whose ability to surprise and delight me with each product I explored had me saying Oh! mineheart. My guess is, they’ll have you saying the same.

ONE: Poetry Plates

I am utterly in love with this collection of fine bone china plates. If I were a bride-to-be, these would be on my registry in a heartbeat! The large 10 inch plate features a love poem, written from the unusual and quirky perspective of the plate to you. It reads “I love the way you look at me, an the way you use your knife. I love the way you eat your food, you give meaning to my life.” The medium 8 inch plate reads “I am nothing but a simple plate, porcelain skin painted gold and blue. I am not a poet, just a dish, but I’ll leave that judgement up to you.” The small 6 inch side plate reads “A little bit on the side.” The texts are written in a romantic handwritten style of a old love letter complete with dips of ink and imperfections, and they have me utterly swooning!

TWO: King Edison Pendant Lamp

Whimsy and innovation combine the utilitarian with the decorative in this surprising little pendant. At only 5″ in diameter, the scale of the chandelier suspended inside the bulb is Lilliputian – the stuff dollhouse dreams are made of.

THREE: Persian Cowhide Rug

This rug is quite simply drop-dead sexy. The juxtaposition is as tasty as salty and sweet with a traditional Persian design being printed over parts of a natural cowhide rug. The result is a piece that looks as though it is revealing the true colours of this Bovine – country field wanderer by day, sophisticate by night.

FOUR: Pillows by artist Chad Wys

With names like “General Mustard Cushion,” “Tom Green Cushion,” “Lord White Cushion,” and “Lady Peacock Cushion” the sense of whimsy and playfulness with historical portraits is not lost on us.

With other wonderfully unexpected accessories like the Magic Magnetic Feathers {pictured below}, you will definitely want to explore all that mineheart has to offer. Their line is like oxygen for the imagination. Nothing short of delightful.

Hope this finds you enjoying an inspired Tuesday!

xo
s.

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|July 16th, 2013|0 Comments

The Curated Collection | Paul Ferney

There is something about the painterly brushstrokes of the work of Paul Ferney that I find so engaging. The textural, almost gestural brush strokes transport me into a scene that Ferney has scripted and yet somehow left open to my imagination. And on a scorching hot summer’s day like today, Ferney‘s beach scenes are just where I would like to imagine myself to be.

Although San Francisco is home, Ferney and his wife {event planner and blogger Jordan Ferney of Oh Happy Day!} recently spent one glorious year in Paris. You will definitely want to check out Jordan’s blog, as her DIY ideas for personalizing your next fête are nothing short of delightful. And for your daily dose of delight right here, feast your eyes and indulge your senses in Paul’s serene and engaging oil paintings.

“I like the way paint feels, the look of paint,” Says Ferney. “If I’m painting a tree, I’m not trying to make the painting look like a tree; I want it to look like paint—to never forget that it is paint. I like how primitive painting tools are. I use hair tied to a stick to spread oil mixed with plants and dirt on cloth.”

That appreciation for the elements – the love of the process – are so evident in Ferney’s work. The medium is not lost in the message. Rather, it becomes a significant part of the message itself.

In some ways that love of the medium and the process can be most aptly appreciated in the painterly details of these smalls.

I confess I am now longing for one of Paul’s paintings in my home. Wouldn’t one of his smalls look so inspiring in the nursery I’ll be designing in the months to come? I’d also love one of his large canvases as the visual anchor for our family room, especially because playing at the beach is one of our happiest “happy places” as a family.

I do hope Paul’s inspiring work has transported you to a happy place today.

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|July 15th, 2013|1 Comment

Foodie Friday | Lynn Crawford’s Cherry Cola Lamb with Jeweled Basmati Rice + Charred Onion-Cherry Relish

I have a confession to make. I have a foodie’s crush on Lynn Crawford. She cooks with a kind of joy for the process – and a love for the people eating her food – that makes me really, really happy. She is also a world-class Canadian chef, and I quite simply love her taste in taste. She gets layered flavours like nobody’s business and her fearless experimentation is nothing short of inspiring.

In my recent search for “what to make next” with our abundant cherry harvest from our very own backyard tree, I came across Lynn’s inspiring cherry episode of Pitchin’ In on the Food Network and just had to make this main course, cherry-inspired dish for my family. And let me just say oh. my. gooooooodness. So decadent! So gorgeous! So delicious! This is one to pull out when you have good friends coming for dinner and you want to linger around the table over a beautiful meal. No one will be in a hurry to rush away and everyone will feel well loved by your culinary efforts. Trust me. Or better yet, trust Lynn.

I of course documented the process with some photos, but this recipe is 100% a Lynn Crawford original. I would highly recommend watching the corresponding episode of Pitchin’ In. Lynn just makes me love cooking and people and natural gatherings all the more when I watch her in action. And the way she turns one key ingredient into so many variations on gorgeous? Well, it’s something to aspire towards. Thank you for such abundant inspiration, Lynn!

CHERRY COLA LAMB with JEWELED BASMATI RICE + CHARRED ONION-CHERRY RELISH

by Lynn Crawford

Cherry cola lamb? Why not!

Breakdown of times:

Prep Time: 60 minutes

In-Active Time: 120 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Preparation time: 180 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

Cherry Cola Lamb

3 cups (750 mL) cherry cola, or 2 cups cola (500 mL) + 1 cup (250 mL) cherry juice {Sarah’s side note: This is what I did and used Zevia cola instead of the sugary stuff. Just blended up a cup of cherries in my Blendtech, mixed it with 2 cups of the Zevia cola and voila!}

3 shallots, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, chopped

4 sprigs thyme

1 teaspoon (5 mL) red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt

1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) pepper

1 boneless butterflied leg of lamb (about 3 lbs/1.4 kg)

2 tablespoons (30 mL) extra virgin olive oil

Golden Jewled Basmati Rice

1 tablespoon (15 mL) extra virgin olive oil

1 cup (250 mL) basmati rice, rinsed several times in cold water and well-drained

1/2 cup (125 mL) sun-dried cherries

1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt

1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) pepper

1 pinch EACH saffron threads and ground ginger

2 cups (500 mL) chicken stock

1/2 cup (125 mL) toasted slivered almonds

2 green onions, finely sliced

1/4 cup (60 mL) finely chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

Charred Onion-Cherry Relish

1 tablespoon EACH extra virgin olive oil and unsalted butter (30 mL total)

2 large yellow onions, peeled and quartered

1 cup (250 mL) halved, pitted fresh cherries

1/2 teaspoon EACH salt and pepper (5 mL total)

1/4 cup (60 mL) finely chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

METHOD

Cherry Cola Lamb

Stir together cola {and cherry juice if you’re using this method}, shallots, garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, pour over lamb, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to allow flavours to meld. Remove lamb from marinade, pat dry, then rub both sides with oil and grill over medium heat on preheated barbecue to medium-rare, about 10 minutes per side. Discard marinade. Let lamb rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Golden Jewled Basmati Rice

In a saucepan set over medium heat, add oil, rice, sun-dried cherries, salt, pepper, saffron and ginger and stir-fry 5 minutes. Stir in stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until all the liquid is absorbed and rice is al dente, about 15 minutes. Stir in almonds, green onions and parsley and keep rice warm until ready to serve.

Charred Onion-Cherry Relish

In a skillet set over medium-high heat, add oil and butter, then add onions and sauté until dark golden brown, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cherries and cook until fork-tender, about 5 minutes, then stir in salt, pepper and parsley.

TO PLATE:

I pulled out the good china because why not? Life’s too short to save it just for when company comes.

I started with a swipe of fat-free plain Greek yoghurt on the plate. Why? Because I saw Lynn do it. And because every nice meal I’ve had in the last six months has had a swipe of something on the plate. Apparently it is de rigeur for the serious gastronomes these days.

My only departure from Lynn’s recipe was to add some green beans to the plate, and only because we didn’t start with the salad she served her guests when she made this meal. OK, also because I have been preaching to my son since he was a baby and started on solids that “green is the most important colour on your plate.” And the colour did give a nice contrast to the cherries and the lamb. I just sautéed them until they were al dente with some butter and fine herbs.

Next, a heart-warming mound of the Jeweled Basmati Rice.

Top that with a gorgeous helping of the Charred Onion-Cherry Relish.

And finally, the pièce de rèsistance, the grilled lamb – medium rare and melt in your mouth delicious.

Cherry tree or no cherry tree in your yard, you will want to try this recipe for yourselves. One of my favourite meals I’ve made at home in a long time – and my guys loved it! I truly believe you can taste the love in really good cooking, don’t you?

Have a lovely weekend, friends! Eat, explore, rest, read, be inspired…and pull your loved ones close and kiss them more than once. ‘Cause life really is too short.

xo
s.

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|July 12th, 2013|0 Comments