Breakfast with Viv Scott-Mumby

This is one of my most favorite desserts. I first came across it  from Rachel Allen, the Irish chef.

I have altered it slightly over time, to allow for ingredients that are always available.

Last weekend we were at a friends house in California, putting on a seminar for my husband.

I made a few dishes for the occasion, including this one.  I had so many people  ask me for this recipe,  I thought I might as well blog it.

Enjoy!

 

Summer Fruit Tiramisu

4 medium eggs, separated

200 grams (7oz) granulated sugar

400 grams (14oz) mixed summer berries (blue berries, raspberries, blackberries)

250 grams (8 ¾ oz) mascarpone cheese

1 packet Ladies fingers (for trifles)

¾ cup water

¼ cup Crème de Cassis   (http://www.bevmo.com/Shop/ProductDetail.aspx?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=froogle&ProductID=13199)

A large glass serving bowl

 

Method

1. Take a large sauce pan and add ¾ cup of water, plus a 100grams of sugar and boil into syrup. About 2 minutes.
2. Mix in the fresh summer berries and turn off heat, leave to cool.  (If using frozen fruit, add to the syrup and bring back to boil, then allow to cool)
3. Once cool add the ¼ cup of Crème de Cassis.
4. In a mixing bowl place the egg yolks, mascarpone and rest of sugar, mix together with a whisk.
5. In another bowl whisk up the egg whites until firm, then stir into the egg yolks and mascarpone gently.
6. Next strain the fruit and save the juice. Soak the ladies fingers as you need them in the juice and put one layer into the serving bowl, add some fruit and then some of the egg custard mixture.
7. Repeat the process twice more, using up all ingredients including the juice. Finish with the egg custard.
8. Sprinkle with toasted almonds to serve

I was 45 years old when I met the man of my dreams. I had fought marriage and commitment all of my life, for many reasons, my work, independence, to travel.

But then I met Keith and everything changed. I realized that everything that I had thought I had wanted, really didn’t have any purpose if you couldn’t share it with someone.

I was a successful fashion designer, who was also interested in alternative medicine, so at weekends went to lots of seminars to learn all I could. One particular weekend I went to hear Charlotte Gerson talk, and one of the guest speakers was Hazel Courtney, the famous alternative health writer. She happened to mention Dr. Keith Scott-Mumby and how he was doing some amazing treatment for anti-aging. Next thing I know my girlfriend and I were booked in for some treatment with him.

Well that’s how it all got started. For 10 weeks I went for my Chelation treatments, and gradually got to know this great doctor. He was so interesting and intelligent and his world of medicine was miles away from life of Fashion. I was dreading the treatment to finish, as I thought I would never see him again. But thankfully he felt the same and we started dating, when I stopped being his patient.

That was six years ago. We got married and we have been on a constant honeymoon together ever since. We moved to America to start a new life, the land of opportunities, and we have had a lot of ups and downs since being here.

But I wouldn’t change any of it, because I have someone very special in my life. He’s kind, sensitive, intelligent, handsome and sexy and he makes me feel a million dollars.

Happy Anniversary my darling.

For more on Dr. Keith Scott-Mumby go to www.alternative-doctor.com or www.dietwisebook.com

I guess globally it make sense to hold New York Fashion week first, then cross the Atlantic, for London, Paris and Italy in that order. I’m sure that’s why it happens so all the models,fashion buyers and editors can co-ordinate their flights and time schedules.

But I always think of it as the big build up! American designers are never as adventurous as the European sector. Talented yes but no as innovative as the British or Italians. Marc Jacobs may be an exception, but he too spends a lot of his time these days in Europe.

Its not a criticism at all, Donna Karen and Vera Wang, consistently design beautiful clothes, which would make any women look good. I thought both of their runway shows were wonderful last week. Both used a color palette of warm earth tones and Vera Wang played heavily on crystalline necklines and necklaces.

Marc Jacobs stood out too, his silhouettes were perfect, but some of his miss mash of fabrics were a bit hard to digest, but there was lots of inspiration to keep the high street stores happy!

London comes next, always exciting and the unexpected. Looking forward to seeing what Christopher Kane, Luella, Emma Cook and Temperley, are going to come up with.

Well the answer is yes! But not to you the consumer, you are still getting a great deal. Just think about it, you can still buy a t-shirt, a pair of jeans or a dress and none of them have really changed in price over the last 20 years!

So how can this be, with the cost of living rising all the time, the dollar being weak against the rest of the world? Is the Apparel business making any profit? Read the rest of this entry »

Why is it movie stars and celebrities are role models for “fashion”. To me they are the worst examples! Why because they are false. Most come with a stylist, makeup artist, hairstylist and they wear expensive designer clothes. Anybody could look good given all that help. But is it really fashion? Sarah Jessica Parker, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Victoria Beckham come to mind as just a few. Read the rest of this entry »