Karim Rashid's Kurve

I am an unapologetic lover of pink, biomorphic shapes, and shiny stuff. When I saw the above image of Karim Rashid's lastest design venture—the interior of Kurve, Andy Yang's new Thai restaurant in the East Village—my first response was: "when can I move in?" Karim Rashid is one of those love him or hate him type of designers: a bit Jetsons-esque, neon, and overly bulbous in his aesthetic. I noticed a number of vitriolic responses to his puffy pink design for Kurve; lots of people don't dig on pink or soft forms or non-traditional interior spaces. Whatever. I'd love to sip on a gigantic pink umbrella drink while feasting on delicate spring rolls, sitting in a big soft cozy pink chair, and discussing the timeless appeal of Barbarella.

The Posters: Hope or Nope. You Decide.

I just loved Shepard Fairey’s iconic silk-screened poster of Obama. Great simplified portrait, fantastic use of red, white and blue, and lovely clean typography. And you've gotta love OBEY and their "propaganda engineering." As the original HOPE print is no longer available, we'll just have to settle for the NOPE version. It's clearly derivative and the portrait is not nearly as flattering. The inclusion of that wretched Optima Bold McCain logo doesn't help either. But, I suppose it will just have to do. Oh yeah, it's also available on a t-shirt.

Mmm, Orange Coconut Flan

As far as I'm concerned, flan can be a hit or miss dessert. I've experienced the gamut: from creamy and delicious to cold, wet, gelatinous concoctions. However, after making this version of flan—based on a Design*Sponge post by Lorenza Barrezueta from last week—I think I've discovered the secret: a water bath. Normally I fear the water bath because I associate it with cheesecake and springform pans and quadruple layers of aluminum foil, but since flan is basically cooked in a pie plate, there are none of those pesky leakage issues at play. This recipe is simple, although I would suggest one modification: use less sugar. I like a really dark caramel, so I felt than 1 cup of sugar made a bit too much. I also added my own twist: the zest of one orange (when one has two orange trees in the front yard, lots of recipes end up with zest). I am re-printing the recipe with my own modifications:

Flan de Coco y Naranja (Orange Coconut Flan)

prep time: 20 minutes
time from start to serving: 5 hours

Stove Top Caramel

1/2 to 3/4 cup of sugar (vary the amount depending on how much caramel you like)
1 2qt round glass mold (I used a 10 inch pie plate)
1 large roasting pan

Pour the sugar into the glass mold and place over medium to low heat. Cook until the sugar is completely melted and the caramel is a nice medium amber color. Be sure to constantly stir the sugar with a spoon so as to not burn the caramel.

As soon as your caramel is ready immediately remove from the heat (it will continue to bubble off the heat) and VERY carefully tilt the dish so that the caramel evenly coats the sides and bottom of the mold. Let the mold cool, place inside of the roasting pan and set aside.

Flan Filling

1 can of coconut milk
1 can condensed milk
5 whole eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 pinch of salt
zest of one orange

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all of the ingredients in a blender and pour the custard into the caramelized mold. Then pour warm water into the roasting pan to create the water bath. The water should ONLY come to halfway up the side of the mold. Carefully place on the middle rack of your oven, and cook for about an hour. Test the flan to see if it’s done by inserting a knife in the center. If the flan is still soft, let it cook a bit longer until the knife comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool. Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. When you are ready to serve, carefully run a knife around the inside of the mold to loosen the flan. Place a dessert plate on top of the flan and invert to pop it out. Garnish with some fresh fruit and enjoy.

Paris Schools McCain

I never thought that Paris Hilton would be capable of making a presidential candidate look like a a complete buffoon, but she, and her people, have done just that. Good on you Paris for creating your own response ad to McCain's ridiculous, misleading and mean-spirited Obama as celebrity attack ad. While I realize that presidential candidates aren't in the business of creating their own ads (thank God), they do "approve" ads created for them, and I think the McCain team's use of this ad speaks to their desperation and complete lack of focus on true intellectual discourse. And now, Paris Hilton, of all people, has shown just how ludicrous political campaigns can get:

See more Paris Hilton videos at Funny or Die

Juiciful does not endorse Paris Hilton for president.

Love Stories, Bantjes Style

Could the work of Marian Bantjes be more amazing? I think not. In January, I will have the opportunity to host Marian for an exhibition of her work on campus and I can't wait (okay, I'm totally peeing my pants in anticipation). To say that I admire Marian's incredible typographic stylings is a gross understatement. Even time I see a new piece I'm blown away by both her wit and artistry. Lucky subscribers to Creative Review will receive the beautiful, touching, and funny Love Stories Monograph. I particularly like the visual ode to cake:


If you're in need of a little cry, check out the mom piece. It's tough to read, but worth the effort.

Design Mind from the Minds at Frog Design

It's always very satisfying when former students let you know that they are actually getting to do some design (as opposed to fetching lattes and doing type monkey production work). I received a copy of Frog Design's new publication: Design Mind from a recent grad who worked on both the magazine and web site layouts. The current issue includes a nice interview with Erik Spiekermann on how he developed a series of gorgeous house numbers for Design (not quite) Within Reach.


Nice work on the design, Jokubas.

Seasonally Inappropriate Dessert

I came across this recipe for Lazy Daisy Oatmeal Cake in a rather roundabout way. It looked so yummy that I had to make it immediately, in spite of how seasonally inappropriate it is. Berries and Cream, No-Bake Cheesecake, Tropical Sorbets, Semifreddo: that's the sweet stuff of summer. Oatmeal, nutmeg, and, God forbid, the broiler: perfect for a fall day in Wisconsin.

What can I say? A craving is a craving. And let me tell you: this cake is a stunner. It's super moist and delicious. Plus, I've always considered desserts than contain oatmeal to be health food, really (clearly one cup of oatmeal cancels out 3 sticks of butter):

Lazy Daisy Oatmeal Cake

1 1/4 cups boiling water + 1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Frosting:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar -- packed
2 tablespoons milk 1/3 cup nuts -- chopped
3/4 cup coconut flakes

Pour boiling water over oatmeal. Let stand 20 minutes. Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add sugar and brown sugar. Beat until fluffy. Blend in vanilla and eggs. Add oatmeal and mix well. Sift flour, soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg together. Add to oatmeal mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes in a 9" pan. [I used a 10" round pan] Frosting: Cream butter with brown sugar. Add milk. Stir in nuts and coconut. Spread over cake and broil until bubbly.

*Note: I was hoping to avoid the broiler part, as nothing terrifies me more than using the broiler, and, afterall, it is July. However, this step is not to be skipped or the frosting will taste too much of grainy brown sugar. The broiling literally takes seconds: don't walk away and be prepared to pull it out as soon as the frosting starts to bubble and melt.