Fresh figs, KitchenAid, Turkish Ceramics

My daughter is working her way across the USA for a visit to Kansas City.  For the past year she has been hurling hints about wanting a KitchenAid.  This morning we spoke and she told me her boyfriend James had gotten her one for her birthday next week, Aahhhh!

Ryan working her way across country

This week I have had all kinds of action on these fabulous Turkish bowls on my site and found out that one of my favorite blogs, Apartment Therapy's the Kitchn, mentioned them in the context of ice cream, figs and KitchenAids. Three of my favorite things.  I want to share this fantastic recipe and the new blog I discovered.

Turkish bowls from the loaded trunk

   Fresh Fig Ice Cream – The New Taste of Summer (from Tastespotting the blog)

This feature is sponsored by KitchenAid, who is letting us play every day in the TasteSpotting kitchen with a stand mixer and a full suite of stand mixer attachments.

Figs.




Fresh Fig Ice Cream Recipe

From David Lebovitz’s The Perfect Scoop

Ingredients

2 lbs fresh figs (about 20)
½ cup of water
1 lemon, preferably unsprayed
¾ cup of sugar
1 cup of heavy cream
½ teaspoon of freshly squeezed, lemon juice, or more to taste

Directions

Remove the hard stem ends from the figs, then cut each fig into 8 pieces. Put the figs in a medium, nonreactive sauce pan with the water, and zest the lemon directly into the saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8-10 minutes until the figs are tender.

Remove the lid, add the sugar and continue to cook until it reaches a jam-like consistency. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Blend together with cream and lemon juice, chill in the fridge and then put in your ice cream maker per the manufacturer’s instructions.

Here you have it Ryan.  The bowls we hunted for in Turkey,  the Kitchen Aid you have been dreaming of and a perfect 1st recipe to make in it.

Aha Moments

I was filmed earlier this week by the Mutual of Omaha.  They are traveling to 20 some cities around the USA talking to people about what their Aha moment in life was. A quote from their sight, "Aha moments are powerful. More than an idea, or an epiphany, aha moments demand attention and action. Deciding on a new career. Jumping out of an airplane. Launching an international philanthropy, or becoming a fire dancer. "
We were was asked to bring a prop.  I brought my tinned copper Turkish pitcher with me, sort of like my blankie, and a group of my travel postcards that I use as marketing pieces for my website the loaded trunk.  

Tinned Copper Pitcher from the loaded trunk

Travel cards created in collaboration with Linh Trieu

The pitcher represented a defining moment in my life.  The travel cards are photographs that have captured some of my Aha moments.

The end result of this tour for the Mutual of Omaha is to pick 7 or so people from this large group to represent them in a commercial.  It is an interesting idea so I thought it would be fun to be a part of this piece of Americana they are trying to capture.

When they started filming and asking specific questions about what my Aha moment was, what the pitcher represented etc. I realized that there was not just one Aha moment for me: life is a chain of Aha moments, and I am always thinking of ways to get to next one.

Mutual of Omaha Take 1-Aha Moment

After exhausting myself thinking of life changing moments for the interview, I came home and spent the weekend relaxing and thought I would share a few of my mini Aha drinks!

Spinach, cucumber, lime, honey smoothie....YUM
Large handful of organic spinach
1 medium(peeled) cucumber from the Austins garden(any peeled fresh will do)
Juice of a juicy lime
Tablespoon of organic honey
1 cup of ice
I have a blender not a fancy juicer like many of my friends and this worked like a charm.

Inspired by Kelli Austin (photographed on Ikat runner from the loaded trunk)

Watermelon, white peaches, pomegranate juice smoothie
1-2 cups of watermelon, I just chunk and toss it in with seeds and all
1-2 ripe white flesh peaches( it is what I had on hand)
Splash of unsweetened pomegranate juice
1 cup of ice
Toss all in blender (or your fancy vita mix) and drink
I have been drinking these alcohol free but a few friends has suggested a nice rum might just mellow your evening.

Watermelon and peach smoothie (photographed on Ikat runner from the loaded trunk))

First Year Closes and a New One Begins

Pillows, Pillows, Pillows!  Thanks to all for commenting on the last giveaway.  Congrats to Karena!  So many lovely choices..

Photos from the loaded trunk

With exhilaration and excitement I begin my 2nd year of business at the loaded trunk.  For the final giveaway I am choosing from a group of pieces that come from one of my first trips.  They embody the nature and reason that I started this venture: the sheer adventure and pleasure I get hunting, gathering and spending time haggling with and meeting the people of countries I go to.  

These pieces are from South Eastern Turkey near the border of Syria.  A beautiful and magical place called Gaziantep. It is known for a few of the world's favorite things: pistachios, peppers, and tinned copper. My daughter and I spent days visiting and getting to know many merchants before they would even bring up the subject of selling to us and then we spent days of negotiating over these rare objects.  During this process we were constantly reminded  it was all about the relationship.  Luckily Ryan, my daughter speaks Turkish, so it did make things a bit easier and ultimately a bargain was made and these pieces became some of the 1st put in the loaded trunk. 

These copper pieces come in all sizes, designs, and shapes. With their various states of age and handling, each piece has as much personality as the people of Turkey. So the winner may choose one from the pieces below and through them feel a bit of the travel bug I feel each time I touch them.

Just remember when you leave a comment leave your contact information in order to be considered.

old-world relics meet modern entertaining in these pitchers.

Add significance to your daily rituals with these unusual hand-made pots: Flatter company with the “good” teapot

Turkish tinned copper teapot

Turkish tinned copper teapot

 iyi sanslar (good luck!)

Folk Art Market Wrap Up, Farewell Friend and Hello Rue Magazine

It seems as if an age has past since I last wrote anything.  It's a funny thing once you start blogging, (at least for me), I can't keep up with all of the creativity and things to write about.  I am going to go backwards and update you via Charlene Cerny, the executive director of the Folk Art Museum in Santa Fe .  In her words below is a brief wrap up! To see the full article head to their blog.

Photo by Roni Jaco

Wow! There is so much to say and to tell you now that the 2010 Market is over, but I thought I should at least share some highlights with you.

This year’s Market saw some wonderful new developments and great success “by the numbers” (these are preliminary figures and subject to change):

• Collectively, artist sales totaled over $2 million, a 7% increase over last year
• Attendance is estimated at nearly 25,000, a increase of 6.1%
• This year, for the first time, we inaugurated “International Folk Arts Week” in collaboration with the Museum of International Folk Art and many businesses around town.
• The Friday night Market Opening Party was attended by over 1,500 eager buyers and partiers.  
• The Million Hearts for Haiti booth, all proceeds of which are going to Haitian artisan initiatives, was wildly successful—and by the end of the weekend had earned over $32,000. Overall, Friday night buyers spent close to $450,000—supporting artists all the way! 

Last week I wrote a blog "Travel Fever", about missing Turkey and my friend Albert who that same day was loosing his battle to cancer in Istanbul, Kismet?  He loved life, his friends, family, food and wine, I am not sure which order.  He will be missed.

The Face and T-shirt say it all

I want to end this post with enormous optimism and congratulations to a brilliant group of (women) bloggers, all of whom I am sure you are familiar with for their sense of style mixed with great writing.
I wish them the best of luck with this huge and exciting endeavor they are collaborating together on a new online magazine called Rue Magazine. Look for the premiere issue this September!
Break a leg ladies!

Photo by Emily Anderson

I heard it through the grapevine that a few of The Loaded Trunk Pieces might have made the cut for one of the 1st issues.  I am crossing my fingers.

A Girl Can't Make Up Her Mind

It has been a busy hot summer week.  I can see why I have received only one suggestion for this weeks giveaway.  Thanks for the pillow suggestion Karena.

I still want you to choose your fav, so I am going to let the winner pick a pillow from the group.

Picture by the loaded trunk

• Leave a comment 
• You win
• You choose one from
• All Pillows $90 and under

Enjoy browsing!  Please don't forget to leave your contact information.  Winner picked on Saturday.

Travel Fever

I can't seem to sit still.  There is such a long wishlist of countries and places that I still have not been to.  So while I am plotting and planning and figuring out how I will be able to get to the next place,  I reach back and remember old trips and think of old friends.  Today Albert is on my mind.  I have know him for many years.  When I am in Istanbul I stay with him.  He saw my children grow.  When I think of him it is always with a smile and food on my mind.  So here is to you Albie, a Roni version of your Turkish salad that I made last night.

I don't use recipes much, so you will have to wing it as I do...here are the ingredients I used.

• Cup or 2 of cubed watermelon
• Cup of broken or cubed Feta Cheese
• Chiffonade a bag of Arugula
• Cup of cucumbers, english or regular, no skin or seeds, cubed
• Chiffonade a handful or more of fresh basil and a bit fresh mint put it all in a bowl

Now here is where Albert and Turkey come in.  Add a healthy dose of dried Turkish red pepper, Kosher salt or sea salt,  a bit of EVO,  fresh lemon juice to taste and the final move is to drizzle not just any Pomegranate Syrup all over and toss gently and dig in.

Somehow without the view of the Bospherous or the simultaneous sounds of call to pray it tastes a little different.

 Not just any dried pepper-Turkish Pepper

Not just any Pomegranate Syrup

photo's taken by Ryan Jaco

Oh, and of course a bottle of some yummy dry Rose.

New Discoveries

I am delighted to announce the winner of the Bali Temple Umbrella.  Taylor, she has a blog, an etsy store where she sells her 'Taylormade' jewelry! Cudo's to you Taylor.  As a traveler I particularly love the way you shot this lovely necklace on the map of the USA.

Photo's by Taylor from her Etsy site

Photo's by Taylor from her Etsy site

This tribal looking necklace makes me restless for an new adventure.  Look for next weeks giveaway on Sunday.  

Have a wonderful weekend.