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Everything is just perfect – the lights have dimmed intimately, your delivery of luxury furnishings was timely and that scarf which you bought just so you could casually hang it by the arm of the leather sofa, was of the perfect, rustic brown. Your background music of smooth jazz complements the homecoming scent of woody notes. Almost perfect.

That Ed Sheeran hit or the smooth saxophone?

The home is likened to a sanctuary; a place where you can freely remove the masks donned for interactions in the day. You can be yourself without a care for any of the day’s distractions.

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It should be a place of peace and therefore wellness coaches advise homeowners against playing background songs with lyrics or with too upbeat a tempo – after all, you are wrapping the day up.

The following instrumentals were amongst those recommended to clients for a slow and relaxing close to their day.

 

You can feel it – Saxophone Music

Etude in D – Taz Steen 

Tristango – Jose Isidoro

Little Krumbs – Aurelien Trigo

Water Flows – Christos Konstantinidis

Maria Elena – Miles Higgins

Castle of Ice – Irene Weiss

Amor A La Distancia – Max Schultz

 

Any of these rhythmic beats should serve as the gradual wrap-up to the hustle and bustle of your day.

 

The best scents for your desired state-of-mind

Sandalwood. Black musk. Teakwood. Orange and Vanilla. Bergamot. Cinnamon.

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These are the commonly-celebrated scents for an inviting home. 

However, studies have shown that there is no one scent to champion as the best for the cosiest home. 

In fact, a psychology study conducted at Brown University revealed that fragrances and odours, alike, can influence a person’s mood, work performance, and behaviour.

Through associative learning, a fragrance can elicit an emotion in you if  you have associated it with an event in which you were particularly immersed in that emotion. 

Take time to recall the moments when you were the happiest, the most contented and recollect the scent input then – that would be the ideal fragrance for your home.

The Perfect Ambiance | Beyond the visual, audio and fragrance

However, the perfect ambiance goes beyond the visual, touch, audio and scent offerings of your homely abode.

Consider how inviting an environment could be if there at the dining area – was an elegant arrangement of canapés awaiting the guests’ enjoyment.

If you are in a pickle over what you can prepare – hustle-free finger food that promises bold and unforgettable flavours, fret not, this short read has you covered.

Today, we highlight two tried-and-tested recipes that nailed it at elevating the cosiness of any home of sophistication and elegance. 

Savoury cheese and strawberry tartines

Look beyond the usual fruit and cheese platter. This era calls for flavours beyond the usual.

That said, we are creatures of habit and still remain partial towards the familiar. Though, whoever said we cannot reinvent the way tired ingredients are used?

Take out the pancetta and jam you have on hand and you’re well on your way to whipping up these small bites of beauty. 

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Ingredients 

12 thin slices of pancetta

12 heaping teaspoons of fresh goat cheese, soft to the touch

Strawberry jam

12 small baby arugula leaves

6 small strawberries, sliced

Fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped

Steps 

01 Preheat oven to 205°C

02 Line your tray with baking sheet and arrange the slices of pancetta in a single layer on it. Bake the pancetta for 15 minutes until the meat slices have browned beautifully at the edges.

04 Dab the excess drippings off the pancetta with a paper towel.

03 Arrange the pancetta mini-plates onto a delicate serving dish.

04 Top each pancetta crisp with a generous heapful of soft goat cheese.

05 Carefully arrange a small dollop of strawberry jam atop the goat cheese.

06 Top the arrangement with an arugula leaf and pepper the bite with some thyme. 

07 Serve these bites of beauty, cold.

Shrimp Guacamole canapés

With its memorably poignant flavour, savoury canapes welcome guests to your home like no other. This is also the perfect entree to the treat of your home they are about to celebrate with you!

Try this out because your palate’s expectations will be hard to disappoint with this impressive assemblage of sight and taste.

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Ingredients 

Sweet potato crisps

1 sweet potato, peeled and mashed

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

 

Chipotle Shrimp

1 pound of raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Half a teaspon of cumin

Half a teaspoon of smoked paprika

Half a teaspoon of coarse sea salt

Quarter teaspoon of chilli flakes

1 tablespoon of olive oil

 

Guacamole mixture

3 small avocados

Half cup of cilantro, finely chopped

3 tablespoons of lemon juice

2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

Half teaspoon of chilli flakes

Salt and pepper, to taste

Steps 

01 Preheat your oven to 220°C.

02 Flavour the sweet potato mash with salt and pepper, to taste.

03 Line a tray with baking sheet and press a dollop of the seasoned sweet potato mash into a circle. Brush the top with some olive oil for browning during the 10 minutes baking.

04 Flip the crisp sweet potato plates over and bake for an additional 7 minutes. Remove the tray from the heat to let it cool.

05 Prepare the guacamole mix by pulsing the avocado according to your desired texture in a food processor with the chopped cilantro, lime juice, red wine vinegar, chilli flakes, salt and pepper. Set aside.                                                                                                                  

06 Prepare the Chipotle Shrimp by adding the shellfish in a small bowl with the ground cumin, smoked paprika, coarse sea salt, chipotle and chilli powder. Massage the fragrant spices into the shrimps to ensure the spices’ full coating of the shrimps.                                                            

07 Cook the shrimps on a heated, oiled skillet over a medium fire. Sear the shrimps for 3 minutes on each side.                                                      

08 Assemble the work by topping each sweet potato crisp with a heapful the guacamole mix, then the beautifully-seared shrimp. Garnish the assemblage with freshly-chopped cilantro before serving.

Set up the serving platters in white minimalist dishes. Your handmade canapés and tartine are the stars of the show – of course, second to the visual beauty of your home!                                    Pop that bottle open and enjoy your evening over a hearty discussion with loved ones on your newly-found home.