Author: karenschneid
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Scandal and Intrigue in the Hall of Mirrors
Have I ever told you about the one time I lost a legal argument? Did I mention that I was wearing a tutu while stating my case? Or that the litigants had come forward because they caught a glimpse of some heretofore unexposed flesh whilst, I was changing into aforementioned tutu? No? Curiosity piqued? Well,…
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The Hippie-Chic La Cucaracha
When I was a little girl, there was an arts cinema in the shopping district of Johannesburg. In the holidays, the cinema would host little events for kids. One time, my brother Steve and I arrived to discover a talent show was taking place before the movie. Steve spotted the prize, a massive hamper of…
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From Paris to Provence
I’m leaving for another foodie trip to Europe soon. Think Salon du Chocolat and white truffle hunting. And swoon. You can follow some of my adventures on my Facebook page. This last year I celebrated a milestone birthday. When my daughters were born, birthday parties became their domain. As three-dimensional, kiddified and edible versions of …
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Four Kitchens and a Courtroom
Many years ago, way before Instagram or even email, I would consume Architectural Design and Interior magazines from overseas with a voraciousness. One time, I found an article in a magazine about a beautiful, eclectic, character-full Parisian apartment. There was an immediate knowing, there was just something about it, almost a deja vu or a sense of…
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My Chicken Story (vegetarians, enter at your own risk)
The year was 1994 and I had just completed my law degree. I had studied French in high-school and for my under-grad, but I longed to talk, think and dream in French and so I enrolled at our local branch of Alliance Francais. One time before class I was looking haphazardly at the student notice…
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An Ode To Cake and the Reveal of Versailles
This is a photo of Scarlett’s Versailles, an edible version of the iconic French palace. This cake is an ode to the last fourteen years of my annual cake creation for my daughters, Saffron and Scarlett. Like a child’s doll-house, we constructed this as a cross-section of the palace, surrounded by the golden royal fence,…
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Of Family and French Fairytales
Hi everyone, Happy Friday!!!! The theme for Scarlett’s bat mitzvah was Versailles. Versailles is known for its breathtaking aesthetics. But it’s so much more: Versailles is about history and love stories. Books have been written about how Versailles sets the benchmark for modern design and architecture. That’s the overarching frame. But what you might not…
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Dessert with a Twist
Hi everybody, I know some of you from far and wide have been waiting to hear a bit of news about Scarlett’s bat mitzvah. I tantalized you by posting some pictures of our reconnaissance trip in Versailles earlier this year. Many of you know that I pour my heart and soul into the creation of…
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An Affair in Piemonte Part I
Our little factory is growing. Our marshmallows are a case in point. Until now each marshmallow has been individually hand-dipped and smothered in Belgian couverture chocolate, one at a time. So central is the ritual of chocolate dipping in our factory, that it has a rhythm – all the dippers shake off the extra chocolate…
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