Strawberries.

I saved these wild strawberries from our friends yard, against all johns advice i decided to see if they would grow on our bedroom window and they grew a treat! so i made a cake and put them on top. 

Easy as pie.

I baked a pie, a pear and bramble pie actually!

Cooked Book

How great is this edible cook book. Made out of pasta and embossed with instructions, the pages can be filled with ingredients to create a tasty looking lasagne - genius!

created by Korefe
via underconsideration

cress!

I got some good gifts recently coinciding with getting older. This one was especially special not only because the giver is real good, but because it has provided weeks of fun and nutrition! not to mention how nice it looks on the window sill. Even the instructions where incredibly thought out  starting with 'sow contents thinly on moist compost in attractive shallow dish' ending with 'add to your favorite salad. enjoy.' Enjoy i did. Thanks Jen. 

Robo-cake

Yesterday was Sally's birthday so I thought I would celebrate the occasion by baking my first ever cake!**not from mix or with help from my mum when I was 8
Its a Robot.

Surry Hills.

After a quick stint on the tourist trail we opted to spend most our time in Sydney hanging in and around Surry Hills. Armed with a list of little shops/cafes to visit we had and excellent time getting lost in the pouring rain more than once. 

I was real excited to visit the Bourke Street Bakery most of all, as i had been drooling over the pages of their cookbook for some time now. I don't know how we managed to score one of the 3 seats inside on the rainy afternoon but we made the most of it and ate as much as we could.

not any old vintage.

We have been in Australia for over two weeks now and have been wondering all around. One place we keep returning too is this little cafe suitably named Vintage. Its surroundings suit me just fine, the people are as friendly as friendly gets, and the treats are delicious.

I think my mum would like you to know that she is a regular here also. 

Pizza!

You are never too old to enjoy making your own pizza!
Fun and delicious!

A Picnic Loaf.

You will need...

One rustic loaf - this is a pan de campagne from my work. 

Pesto - i used sunblush tomato and chili pesto

Salami and parma ham

Rocket and baby spinach

Sea salt and black pepper

Sunblush tomatoes 

Cream cheese 

I have also seen recipes with roast vegetables or feta or smoked salmon i think the beauty of this is you can fill it with almost anything and its the most perfect picnic food. 

To do...

Cut off the top and pull out the middle. 

Spread the inside with pesto and start layering your ingredients repeating until the loaf is full. 

Cover with cling film and put something heavy on top and leave in the fridge for 4 hours.

Put it in the oven for 4 or 5 mins to crisp up just before you go and cover in foil to keep warm.

Cut like a cake.

We had this for dinner in the park one sunny evening and it was more than enough for the two of us.

I adapted this recipe from Leon book 2. 

Weekend.

The best things about living in glasgow so far are seeing my best friend every day, playing bowls often, popping out for picnics when the sun comes out and treats from cottonrake bakery.

Melting Moments

When this lovely lady married one of those handsome scottish boys and moved across the pond to join us other australian kids over here in scotland, another lovely lady put together a cook book for her and asked me to participate. I was pretty excited and I knew exactly what i was going to share . . .

Melting Moments

1/2 cup Butter

2 tablespoons of Icing Sugar

Vanilla to taste 

1/2 S R Flour 

1/2 Cornflour

Icing 

2 tablespoons of butter 

2 tablespoons of condensed milk

3 tablespoons icing sugar

Vanilla to taste 

Method 

1. Cream butter and sugar and vanilla.

2. Sift flour and cornflour.

3. Add to creamed mixture and mix well. 

4. Roll into small balls. 

5. place on greased flat pan and squash slightly with a fork.

6. bake in slow oven 150 to 160 degrees for 10 - 15 mins 

7. mix all icing ingredients together. 

8. join biscuits together with icing when cold.

9. carefull they will be fragile!!

These remind me of home.

Borough Market.

Borough Markets in London was on my must do list so our friend Tom unbeknown was put in charge of getting me there he wove us through London in and out of the Tate book shop under bridges and over bridges (thanks Tom). The space that holds the markets and surrounding shops is beautiful and well worth the visit so so many old hand painted signs (if you've been reading for a wile you would know we are suckers for them.) Anyway the reason i dragged the boys around London to here was because i was desperate to visit Monmouth Coffee Co and i get stupidly excited/ and annoyingly judgmental about coffee John would tell you he hates going for coffee with me!

It was marvelous. I had a latte and Tom had a single origin filter coffee. The space was small and had a communal table with a large plate of bread butter and jam all you can eat for £3 we sat on stools at the window looking out onto the street. John was less as impressed as this coffee shop sells only coffee!! so we went for a wonder and got him a brownie he sure was spoiled for choice as we wondered around the vendors selling all sorts of loveliness.

(pictures 5 and 7 via here)