Marise Maas

I am still catching up on blog posts after having a week off, and tonight got to the Design Files. I was so pleased to see an interview with Marise Maas, an artist whose work I have loved and coveted for quite a few years now. Last December she had an exhibition at the Bett Gallery and I was very tempted, such lovely pieces.

images 1, 2,3

This time of year

I like this time of year so much, when there is time to go to the pub for several hours after work, it's still light and warm and you can walk to the post office to collect the last little bit of an anthropologie order, cook scrambled eggs at home and search for a cd you cannot find - but them stumble across another you have been looking for for years (Junior Kimborough- check out Meet Me In the City)! For some reason the light and little bit of warmer air make such a difference and life feels so much better.I needed that.

Pics are kind of unrelated but I did make some strawberry and rhubarb compote for my porridge.

Lately...

Sorry for the radio silence, I had the week off work and it seems I needed a week off blogging too. Rather fantastically it has felt longer than just a week and for the first time in ages I actually feel relaxed, quite sure the warm weather has a lot to do with that too!

So for my week off I spent half of it in Sydney which was great. Finally got to visit Pure and General and was not disappointed at all, that place is so beautiful and Linda was very kind and friendly, oh and passed on a great suggestion for lunch (Fratelli Paradiso). Back at home I saw Jeff Martin for the bazillionth time but he was impressive as always oh and did some taste testing for Island Menu (there is some good stuff coming up)!

Interior Love

Love Jane Cumberbatch's place, such nice light and space. Oh and that kitchen!!
Found via Design Sponge

chocolate cupcakes

A friend asked if I would mind making some cakes or cupcakes for a fair she was involved in, all for a good cause (social justice no less) so of course I said yes.... then had a mild panic attack at the supermarket on friday night after work not knowing what would be best to make. Brought some dark chocolate and sprinkles with the thought in mind that everyone likes chocolate, and then wonderfully found that my copy of the new Primrose Bakery book had arrived in the mail! I used their recipe and they turned out beautifully (yes I had a wee taste test). I would highly recommend the book, next on my list is the croissants, of course I'd really just rather go back to the store...yep.


oh and if you are interested the tea towel is by lisa rupp via etsy, I have both designs and they are beautiful!

also strawberry flan over on Island Menu

Weekending

It's been a blink and you miss it kinda weekend, lots (and I mean lots) of cooking, crazy rain, strawberry picking, bored to death episodes, and a good sleep in!

Once again!

Like a whole lot of people I loved the film Once, love the Frames and the Swell Season too, so I can't wait to see this film. Glen's voice when he goes off....awesome!

Gold

I'm not a big jewellery person but every now and again find pieces I really like, such as the little frame necklaces from Wsake and the bangle (bracelet?) from Odette via Wiksten. Love love.

Also gold is Mark Ronson and the Business Intl doing somebody to love you on triple j presents (at the enmore - love that venue) that's now up on iview - forgot how much I love that song and yet another gig I wish I'd been to but didn't get to, damn living in Hobart can have some drawbacks : ) But really only a few.

Good Mail Lately...

It's nice when there's a small packet in your letterbox at the end of the day, particularly when they are lovely and inspiring!

Bread

So I have baked three loaves of bread in the last three weeks! So good is this recipe that even I, as someone who is not big on bread, have eaten far too much. As you can see they all look a little different and I'm not sure why that is, but the taste is good and it is so simple. I wanted to share the recipe, it is from the Autumn 2010 3191 Quarterly (by the way did you see there will be another year, so great I've already signed up!)

Ingredients
2 cups self raising flour
1 cup whole meal flour (I've been using the callington mill flour)
1/4 teaspoon dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons honey
1 cup tepid water
1/2 cup of beer (I've been using cascade pale ale but was talking to my stepbrother and he suggested coopers could be nicer - I tend to agree)
1 teaspoon white vinegar

for the seed crust:
1 egg beaten
anything you like really but I've been using a mix of poppy, sesame and pumpkin seeds.

Combine the flours, yeast, salt and whisk together in a large bowl. Mix in the water, beer, honey and vinegar until the dough comes together. Cover with cling wrap and leave overnight.

The next day turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth (not too many times). Line a pan with baking paper sprayed with vegetable oil (the same size or as close in size to a cast iron pot- that has a lid). Cover with cling wrap and let sit for another few hours (2 or so).

About half an hour before you are ready to bake turn the oven onto 260 celcius and place your cast iron pot and lid in the oven to warm (not the one with the dough). Brush the top of the dough with the egg mix and sprinkle with seeds and score the dough. Take the cast iron out of the oven remove the lid and carefully move the dough on the baking paper into the hot pot. Place the lid back on and place it back in the oven. Lower the temperature to 220 celcius and cook for 30 minutes, after this time carefully remove the lid and continue to cook for another 20 minutes. Once cooked remove from the pan and allow to cool completely on a rack. The bread should sound hollow when you knock it on the bottom.

that's it, eat with butter or toasted with butter and vegemite!