Flickr love – Anna Ådén

July 24 2013
6 Comments
tags:
by emma

I’m fascinated by Anna’s Flickr stream, it’s incredibly atmospheric and enchanting.  Freelance portrait photographer Anna resides in Northern Sweden, an area which fascinates me and has an almost mythical, fairy tale quality.  I was hard pressed choosing photos to profile in this post as, although Anna only has a limited amount of photos in her stream, I love every single one.

Wouldn’t you just love to live there?

Oh, also!  The first photo reminds me of the 1970s Australian movie Picnic at Hanging Rock, has anybody seen it?

Anna Aden

anna aiden

anna aiden

anna aiden

anna aden

anna aden

anna aiden

All images from Anna Ådén

Lemon streusel muffins with home made lemon butter

July 21 2013
7 Comments
tags: , , , , , ,
by emma

I felt like something super lemony the other day, you know?

So these little cakes are fluffy, soft and citrusy with a buttery streusel topping; they’re perfect with a cup of coffee.  I just love lemon desserts with coffee, it seems a perfect match.

Of course, I couldn’t leave well enough alone so I made lemon butter to go with them, for that extra lemony, creamy goodness.  You don’t have to make the lemon butter – plain butter or, even nothing would do, as these muffins are lovely and soft.  However it’s worth making, being super easy and goes with so many things if you wanted to make a lot to last a couple of weeks.  I’ve used lemon butter on blueberry pancakes and toasted brioche and it was just lovely.

If you plan on storing the lemon butter for a while though, just make sure to follow proper sterilising procedures (I’m too chicken to do this and tend to make just enough for a couple of days or so).

Read more

Spicy turkey and vegetable sausage rolls with chutney and cheese

July 14 2013
5 Comments
tags: , , ,
by emma

I love these tasty little pastries – if you make them for a group of people, as I have, watch them disappear.  There’s just something about sweet and spicy minced meat, melted cheese and flaky pastry which appeals to party people and adding some mango chutney was a perfect combination.

The great thing is that you can make the filling in advance, refrigerate or freeze if until you need it, defrost when required, and use puff pastry from the supermarket to put them together relatively easily.  I also made them a little lighter using turkey, heaps of vegies and reduced fat pastry.

Serve them hot from the oven with pots of chutney nearby and an icy cold beer or cider alongside!

Read more

The Americans

July 5 2013
1 Comment
tags: , ,
by emma

I’m really enjoying this series.  Like any child of the 80s, I grew up learning about cold war politics and still find it fascinating.

The Americans, set in 1981 USA, stars Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys depicting undercover soviet agents masquerading as a seemingly normal, suburban American family.  With it’s references to the KGB and FBI, loyalty to the motherland, old-school technology, clever yet subtle disguises and appropriately placed 80s songs (it’s not like they’re playing Culture Club but you can tell it’s the 80s), this show is intriguing, atmospheric, weirdly nostalgic and well executed in quite a subtle way.

And I say weirdly nostalgic because, although it’s not meant to be, the sleeper agents/Cold War storyline reminds me of school and being young as I grew up in that era.  Much like Mad Men though, it shows a darker side of the time period than we’re used to seeing.

Also the best thing … there’s no internet or mobile phones and because of that, thankfully lacking the insidious iPhone product placement of so many current TV shows and movies (I’m already of the opinion that recent popular culture has been somewhat ruined by modern technology and the product placement just makes it worse).  And if I never heard that iPhone plink plink plinka sound again, I’d be very happy (Offspring I’m talking to you).  Don’t get me wrong – mobile phones are fine.  But we don’t all need the same one do we?

So have a great weekend all!

Images from TV series the Americans, USA, 2013, DreamWorks Television

Two Hills jewellery

July 3 2013
3 Comments
tags: ,
by emma

I spotted this beautifully delicate jewellery collection via bawkbawkbawk the other day and was immediately seized with a desire to find my credit card … so tempting.  Two Hills are based in Melbourne and specialise in home made jewellery; they make to order which means no two pieces are the same and you can choose between sterling silver, 9ct yellow or rose gold for quite a few items.

I just love simple, sweet and pretty jewellery like this, I’m not into big clanging things hanging off me, so this collection was right up my alley.  Some of my favourites as follows (if you click on the links, they’ll take you to the original sources and prices etc):

 Images from Two Hills and photographed by Jacinta from bawkbawkbawk

Indoor plants for interiors

June 19 2013
2 Comments
tags: , ,
by emma

I grew up with a mother obsessed with indoor house plants and gardening in general .. our home (inside and out) was filled with lush, bohemian greenery, macramé holders, potted maidenhair ferns (remember those? They’re so pretty and frothy looking) and leafy vines dripping luxuriously down bookcases and such.  Then I moved out of home and gradually over the years it wasn’t cool to have house plants, or at least you didn’t see much of them around and I missed that lush greenness inside my own home.

Lately though, indoor plants appear to be making a come back, from recently reading some of my favourite blogs and interior design websites.  I’m loving the look of these beautiful images below and I think when the weather gets warmer I might have a look around for some for our home, although space could be a problem!

and if all else fails, in other words if you aren’t really a full on planty type person, we could always bring back cactus plants.  I had heaps of these little pots when I was at uni, sitting on my windowsill, I think they’re super cute and of course, very low maintenance.

Images via:
Honestly WTF
Tales of Endearment
Row Host Nest
Nordic Living
Moon to Moon
Somewhere Here
Pinterest
The Sill
The Lovely Dove

Spicy beans ‘n chorizo with garlic sweet potato mash

June 16 2013
6 Comments
tags: , ,
by emma

I whipped up this Tuscan inspired, tasty little dish on a rainy, cold day and it was lovely.  I don’t use a lot of cured meat in cooking but I do have a thing for occasional chorizo in dishes because it just adds a little spicy something.  It might seem simple but the flavours of chilli, sweet tomato and capsicum with creamy beans make for an interesting, tasty little dish.

tuscan chorizo stew

Read more

Flickr love – Lucy Ferguson

June 12 2013
1 Comment
tags:
by emma

I spotted Lucy Ferguson’s Flickr stream recently.  Lucy shoots with film and photographs the everyday in a soft and thoughtful way with such subtle attention to detail … spot the warm and cosy colours of the shop down the end of the rainy street in the 3rd photo, for example.  I can just imagine walking down there!

Click on the images to take you to the original source.



Images used with kind permission from Lucy

Date and nut roll cake with maple butter

June 9 2013
10 Comments
tags: , , , ,
by emma

I realise a lot, if not most people, wouldn’t have nut roll tins in their cupboards.  I also realise that this traditional Australian recipe is really old fashioned, in fact my grandmother used to make these when I was a kid.  Despite that, I love this cake precisely because of it’s lack of foodie coolness, and you can always use the tins for all kinds of cake recipes.  Nut roll tins act in a similar way a pudding tin might; the cake steams and rises within the tin and it makes for a tender cake.  This is also a healthier, low fat version of cake with wholemeal flour, dates and nuts and it freezes well.

Nut roll tins are quite difficult to come by, so if you’re on the lookout you might need to go to a kitchenware store and ask if they can order them in for you (I recommend the non stick ones – mine aren’t and are dented from bashing them on the kitchen bench to remove the cakes.  Also, you should really buy two as most recipes fit two tins).  Alternatively, you can use old, clean fruit juice tins with the label peeled off by opening up one side and using double foil as a cover for the top.  eBay also has quite a few for sale.

This soft, sweet cake full of chewy dates and crunchy pecans with a hint of spice is one of those perfect teatime baked treats.  I love having a piece or two with maple butter and a pot of tea.

   Read more