I picked it yesterday

spring

[chocolate bread]

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup good quality cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
sieve and place all these in a bowl

1 large egg beaten
1/3 cup melted butter
1 1/4 cups sour milk (1 tbsp vinegar to 1 cup milk at room temperature and let sit for 5 minutes)
mix these together very well and add to the bowl with the dry ingredients until just blended. place the mixture into a loaf tin that has been buttered and floured. goes in a preheated oven 170ºC for about one hour. test by inserting a skewer in the middle of the bread. it should come out clean and dry. try it! it is good ...

porcelain leaves

made for some coursework. leaves that fit in my hand.
hand shaped unglazed. just the soft touch of polished white porcelain.

weekly production

what I made during the week in school ...

marie claire carrot cake

there was a time when I made carrot cakes very often. different recipes, different styles but nonetheless carrot cakes. then I almost forgotten about their wonderful spicy taste but yesterday I made one ...  this is a recipe taken from an old issue of Marie Claire idées.

[marie claire carrot cake]

150 gr butter, soften

200 gr light brown soft sugar

300 gr grated carrots

2 large eggs

200 gr plain flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

100 gr sultanas

50 gr walnuts chopped

3 tablespoons cold milk

preheat the oven to 170ºC. butter well and flour a loaf tin. beat butter and sugar together until light and smooth. beat in the eggs one at a time. add the grated carrots and mix well.

sieve together flour, baking powder and spices and add carefully the previous mixture. then add the sultanas and nuts and finally the milk.

goes in the oven for about 40-45 minutes. the original recipe recommends 1 hour but I think it really depends on your personal oven. so check by inserting a skewer into the centre. it should come out clean but slightly moist.

the original recipe has a cheese topping, which I never tried since I like it plain and as it is. but here it is if you want to try ...

250 gr fromage blanc

4 teaspoons lemon juice

50 gr icing sugar

mix all ingredients very well. when the cake is still warm cut it in half horizontally and spread half the cheese mixture, place the other half of the cake on top an then spread it with the rest of the cheese. leave it in the fridge for about 1 hour before serving.

spotting spring

I have been observing the changes in trees ...

a pretty postcard

so the sleepy day started cold and damp with hardly any pledge of a smiling sun in the sky.while rushing my way in the morning, walking through back forgotten lanes as means of avoiding the heavy roads and the traffic lights, I found hidden in an ugly corner of a neglected neighbourhood, radiant little promises of spring.

busy, abstracted people passed by. enveloped in their lives couldn't quite face the silent beauty sitting timidly against the dirty high wall happily swaying in the cold morning light.

this afternoon

working ...