Tuesday 10 July 2012

Get your bake on...in a cute apron!

Baking. It's like alchemy or some other sort of scientific experiment. I love cooking and baking, but in different ways. With cooking, if you follow a recipe you can pretty much guarantee it's going to taste good (unless you're like Bridget Jones, who follows instructions but still ends up with "Blue soup") Baking however, is a different kettle of fish. Your silky smooth cake batter may taste oh-so-good (huge fan of licking the bowl) but what comes out of the oven may not look - or taste - like the one in the picture.

Anyway, my brother just got back from a trip in Orlando and he surprised me with a super cute apron set from Anthropologie - something which has been on my wish list for a while. There I was expecting just a keyring from SeaWorld...score! This calls for some extra special baking! Which brings me to...

I often get cravings for Ferrero Rocher, especially since my brother flaunts the regular, massive boxes he gets from his girlfriend (he doesn't even share..what a meanie!) And then, oh!! (← that's a cartoon moment where a light bulb goes on above your head) Ferrero Rocher cupcakes it is!! After ploughing through all of the different recipes on google, I found one that seemed worthy of giving a go. Fast-forward to the moment of truth - my scientific experiment/baking session = success! Moist, hazelnutty chocolate goodness with smooth and crunchy textures throughout. Tastes as good as the real deal. I wonder if my apron gave me special powers... possibly my best sweet treat so far.

Retraction - my brother shares...on occasion... So I let him have a cupcake or two too, along with some other friends.











Here's some other deliciousness I made earlier:

 Cherry Bakewell Cake
Layered Raspberry, Marscapone and Disaronno Cake
 Kuma-chan pan (Cute Little Bear Bread)
 Blueberry Sour Cream Cake with Cream-cheese Frosting


Sunday 8 July 2012

Blogs and Zines - Spoilt for choice.

When you're in need of some fashion/cultural/lifestyle inspiration, you needn't look far these days. Whether it be on the shelf of a newsagents or a click of a mouse away, you're guaranteed to find something that will fulfil your needs.

Magazines such as Vogue, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, to name a few, are like a nation's favourite dish - though on a global level. Some of the more recent blogs and zines could be compared to new culinary delights - they look good on the outside but will it give you food poisoning? Okay so maybe that's a bit extreme as a comparison (forgive the food analogy, I'm starving!) But that's how new classics begin. It's an outlet for creative individuals and in time could become our daily bread, to the hope of their founders! 

My daily bread never really changes, only grows I suppose. Here are a few of my current ones, both print and e-based:

Glass MagazineTrendlandHUH  and Frankie are great all-rounders for fashion/photography/music/art/design/stuff and more. HUH even has a shop in Dalston.

Hunger is a new fashion biannual magazine from the makers of Dazed & Confused and AnOther, expecting some good stuff! For each issue they release both a male and female cover - take your pick! 

As for Rodeo, it's all in Swedish, but it looks promising

So, what's your daily bread?






Wednesday 4 July 2012

A pretty good way to spend a day off.


I was very lucky to have my day off on the sunniest and warmest day we've had in a long time last week. Moreover, the joyous weather stuck around for just one day! I felt bad for everyone else stuck at work...but hooray for me! 

Anyway, I've been itching to go to a gallery lately and seeing as I'd already been to the Damien Hirst exhibition at the Tate Modern (which was better than I had anticipated - you really must go!) I felt like going somewhere a bit more discreet but which would also satisfy my gallery itch - the Saatchi Gallery was the perfect antidote! There's nothing like the soft murmurs of an art gallery or museum - waves of calm, peaceful thoughtfulness hanging in the air - unless you're at the National History museum of course, which lends itself a more, hmm, vibrant experience! My favourites from the Out of Focus exhibition was the dreamy/surreality/beauty of Berndnaut Smilde, Phoebe Rudomino and the winner of the Google Photography Prize. 

While my hunger for art was satiated, the hole in my stomach wasn't! We had a brief interlude at their cafe for a ginger beer before heading to Mishkin's in Covent Garden - one of my favourite little restaurants in London. G&T to share with a dash of elderflower cordial, tasty salt beef and Reuben sandwich (we ordered one of each and shared - the best way to avoid food envy...) with dill pickles and chips, followed by a gooseberry fool - hit the spot nicely. Ahhh...at last fully satisfied!

*wearing floral jumpsuit, Japan - grey ribbed cardigan and double faced watch, Urban Outfitters - black rope necklace with gold twin hearts, Sabrina Dehoff - ballet pumps, Topshop.