October 2010 / DELICIOUS BITES

Malvern Star

29 Oct 2010

I have a confession to make. I never learned to ride a bike when I was little and I still don't know how to ride one now. Some of my friends tried and failed to teach me when I lived in Canada.

Now that summer is on it's way I've decided it's time to get serious about my exercise regime, which means upping my gym attendance. I do cycle classes at the gym and have done so for about 10 years and I loathe every second of the experience. I start counting the minutes 'til the class is over as soon as I sit down on the bike.

If I could ride a bike, this is the kind of bike I'd like to own - a nice old Malvern Star bike, complete with basket and a flower trim. Isn't she beautiful?

Someone in the building owns this bike but looking at the cobwebs on the handles, I think it's been some time since she was last ridden.

I hope you have a great weekend and I want you to spare a thought for me on Sunday morning as I make my way to my first 9.15 a.m. cycle class in a very long time,

Jillian

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Paris Portrait Shoot

27 Oct 2010

When I was planning my birthday trip to Paris, I saw some photos on a wedding blog taken by One and Only Paris Photography. Bingo, I thought. I'll get some photos done in Paris to celebrate my birthday, which I'll make into an album for my Mum's birthday present (you know, the one that failed to arrive in time). At the same time, I thought I could get some headshots done for my blog.

I'm pleased to report the album finally arrived on Monday and now my Mum has seen it, I can share some of the images with you. If you check the side bar, you'll see I have a new profile shot.

Some of the photos were taken at Marché des Enfants Rouges, an old covered market. It's hard to get out of the habit of being behind the camera and as you can see, I had to take some photos while I was there.

I'm not a girly girl, but I knew I needed to get my make-up done, but how was I going to find someone in Paris? I contacted Fete in France and Anne kindly recommended a make-up artist, Laure Baruch. I also decided to buy a new dress for the portrait shoot, which meant I had to get new shoes. You know how it is.

Finding those shoes was a real adventure in itself, with the search starting in Finland before finally ending in Scotland.

It was a scorcher of a day in Paris and somehow I managed to leave my hotel room without the shoes, requiring a dash back to the hotel mid shoot.

How do models teeter around in high heels all day? I could barely walk the next day.

So which side of the camera do I prefer? I'll let you guess,

Jillian

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Nonna's Chocolate and Pistachio Cookies

25 Oct 2010

With a new packet of pistachios in the cupboard I wondered what these cookies would taste like made with pistachios instead of hazelnuts or pecans? if you're looking for the recipe, here's the recipe I adapted.

Well they taste fantastic.

I've just made a 'blonde' batch with lemon and pistachios which I plan to sandwich with some lemon butter icing. Once I've tasted them I'll let you know what I think. It's been another dreary weekend in Sydney again, I'm afraid, so I had to wait for the weather to clear a bit so I could photograph the cookies.

How was your weekend?

Jillian

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Food Magazines

22 Oct 2010

I've been collecting recipes for as long as I can remember. I have shoeboxes in Brisbane filled with yellowing newspaper and magazine clippings and hand written recipes from friends and colleagues. I have lots cookbooks on my shelves but I haven't bought one for myself in ages. I tend to use the same books time and time again because the recipes are reliable. You should see some of the pages of my Marcella Hazan's 'The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking' - they're all brown and stained.

These days I refer to the internet for recipes or to my collection of food magazines. My friends buy me gift subscriptions to food magazines for my birthday or Christmas presents and I do the same. My good friend Nat started the trend more than 10 years ago when she gave me a subscription to Gourmet Traveller Magazine. I've kept every issue and they're stored all over my flat, in baskets, on shelves and by my bedside. It's not your every-day kind of food, though I try to make one recipe from every issue. I've referred to the Travel section frequently when planning my overseas adventures.

Delicious Magazine is my go-to magazine. The recipes are usually simple and best of all they work. Bill Granger and Jamie Oliver are contributors to the magazine and their recipes usually work well without too many hard to source ingredients. I've bought subscriptions for this magazine for many of my friends and I've also purchased a subscription for work. We all love to look through the magazine and copy out the recipes.

Donna Hay Magazine

Donna Hay magazine is a new one for me. A copy of the magazine mysteriously appeared in my mailbox a few weeks ago. I hadn't ordered it, so I went through my list of friends trying to work out who could have bought it for me. Although I have a few Donna Hay cookbooks, I don't cook from them a great deal. Most of the recipes I use are for main meals so expect to see a few more baked goodies courtesy of the magazine.

What about you? Do you have any favourite food magazines or cookbook authors I should check out?

Jillian

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African Violets

20 Oct 2010

As it's Hump Day today, I thought I'd post something pretty for you. I have a confession to make - I'm a geeky African Violet grower. It started 2 years ago when I returned from my holidays. I found a purple african violet left on the window ledge at work. It was looking a little sad and lost, so I watered it. A little while later a hot pink african violet arrived and as no-one else seemed interested, I started watering it as well.

Last year a client bought me this ruffled beauty and since then I've added 2 more purple weeping african violets to the fold. I'll have to take this back to work tomorrow but in the meantime, I hope you enjoyed the prettiness.

Jillian

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A Birthday Cake and a birthday mouse

18 Oct 2010

The 4 days I spent in Brisbane were wet, wet, wet. I didn't want to go outside but the cat did. She wasn't very happy about the inclement weather so spent the weekend either sulking or sleeping. She was so grumpy that I renamed her Grumplestiltskin.

Whilst the cat was sleeping I baked an almond cake for Mum's birthday cake. The cake is our family celebration cake and I've made it many times before - I think it's featured on my blog 2 or 3 times already. Yes you did count correctly - the cake has 8 eggs in it. I had to return to Sydney before the cake was cut but Mum assured me that it tasted fine.

I left Birthday Mouse sitting on top of the cake tin, where Mum found him on her birthday.

Birthday Mouse told me that someone may or may not have had a slice of cake for their dinner one night last week. I won't tell you who that was because that would be telling.

See you all again later in the week,

Jillian

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The Birthday Mouse

15 Oct 2010

For the past few years I've been purchasing goods via the internet. Most items arrive in a week or two and are well packed, apart from Amazon books which are so badly packed they arrive damaged and need to be replaced.

What do you do when the internet fails to deliver your Mum's birthday present on time?

You run to the local gift store and buy a birthday mouse, that's what you do. He's quite sweet, isn't he?

I'll see you all again next week. Have a great weekend,

Jillian

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The Design Files

13 Oct 2010

Have you heard about this blog, The Design Files? I received a google alert on Friday and when I checked the link it led me to this article on the first Melbourne Finders Keepers Market which was held last weekend.

When I read through the article I noticed they'd used quite a few of my photos from the Sydney Finders Keepers Market. When I do a bit of blog surfing, it's amazing where and how often my images pop up!

If you'd like to use any of the images you see on my blog, please email me and I'll be happy to help out.

Jillian

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lemon pistachio shortbread

11 Oct 2010

Greetings from sunny (not) Brisbane. It's rained constantly since I arrived last Saturday and unfortunately I brought all the wrong clothes with me. I've been wearing some of my brother's way too large for me but comfy sweaters to keep me warm. Apart from a quick dash to the store with my Dad this morning, I've not left the house. So much for going to the Valentino exhibition.

I made these cookies on Labour Day and brought them into work for morning tea. The recipe comes from side of a supermarket flour packet. I'm not at home; my parents don't use the same brand of flour and unfortunately, I haven't been able to track down the recipe on the internet for you so apologies. The texture wasn't quite as I'd anticipated - not quite shortbready enough and they certainly weren't sufficiently lemony for my taste. The lemon icing was yummy though and I finished off the bowl for my lunch.

I took the cookies into work, a bit worried that my workmates wouldn't like them. The biscuit tin was empty by day's end, which is always a good sign.

I kept a few at home and I have to say the biscuits do improve their flavour on keeping. I bought another packet of pistachios on Saturday and I have a bag of lemons in the fridge so I do have plans to make some more lemon pistachio shortbreads. I have lots of lemon flavoured treats to make first then I'm going to try making them again using another shortbread recipe I've used before.

I hope you all had lovely weekends and that it wasn't quite so rainy wherever you are.

See you all again on Wednesday,

Jillian

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Apple Cinnamon Scrolls

8 Oct 2010

Do you remember me telling you a little while back, my struggles with yeast cooking? Well, never the one to give up I tried making some apple cinnamon scrolls last weekend. I used this base recipe but left out the butter in the dough and the accompanying steps.

I had problems with the yeast failing to activate and when I checked the expiry date on the bottom of the tin it was 2008! As I didn't have any fresh yeast I persevered and although the buns didn't rise as much as they should have, the scrolls were still delicious.

I froze half the unbaked scrolls and have tried the rolls both with and without the icing. Either way they are delicious. It's something in the way the apple, brown sugar and butter caramelizes that makes them so scrumptious.

I'm going to make these scrolls again but this time I plan on increasing the bun to filling ratio by doubling the flour, sugar and liquid quantities, cos you can never have too much of a good thing.

I'm heading to Brisbane for a few days so I'm not sure what I'll be posting next or when. I'm going to try and see the Valentino retrospective at the Queensland Art Gallery when I'm in town and get some summer clothes shopping done.

I hope you all have nice, relaxing weekends. See you all next week,

Jillian

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shopshoot - miljo

6 Oct 2010

I know you've been waiting a while, but here is the shopshoot I did of Miljo late last month. As you know I recently visited Scandinavia but couldn't carry back as much as I would have liked. I thought Miljo might have some of the items I sadly had to leave behind.

The Miljo shop is housed in a fairly typical Bondi building on Curlewis Street and the shop is on the ground floor. Bondi is a pretty funky place for those of you not in the know and as you can see, it was an absolutely glorious day that Saturday.

The shop is light, bright and airy and filled with all things lovely - lighting, ceramics, glassware, jewellery, shoes clothes, fabric, brushes and so much more.

I have one of these serving boards at home.

I grew up in a household filled with Scandinavian goodies, so I guess I inherited my love of sleek goods and blue and white china from my Mum.

Sleek Scandiavian fashion.

How can you go past such simple but well designed homewares?

My own favourites are the Tonfisk warm range from Turku in Finland.

I managed to contain myself, but only just.

My favourite colour way.

I'd like to thank Ainsley for putting up with me while I photographed the shop and to Sarah for granting me permission to shoot her shop.

See you all again on Friday,

Jillian

2016 edit - Miljo is no longer open for business

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Luna Park

4 Oct 2010

Hi Every-one,

I hope you all had lovely weekends. We've just had a 3 day weekend for the Labour Day holiday. As expected it rained and rained so I didn't take a single photo of my trip to Bowral. I'd planned to share some food photos with you today, but when I found out it was Luna Park's birthday I looked through my old film files to bring you these images.

Luna Park is an old fashioned amusement park and today is Luna Park's 75th birthday. I didn't grow up in Sydney so my first visit to Luna Park was as an adult, when I was studying photography. Luna Park is a great place to take photos and I've always wanted to shoot a wedding there.

I must admit I'm a bit scared of rides.

My favourite part of Luna Park is the fabulous face, complete with eye lashes. This photo and the following one are the only photos I have of my own on display in my apartment.

I wonder how many first dates have taken place at Luna Park? The last time I went to Luna Park was with some workmates. I think they went on every ride imaginable and I can confirm, that adults have as much fun at Luna Park as children.

I'm not very good on rides so this Merry-go-round was about the only ride I could manage.

Happy Birthday Luna Park! I'll be back on Wednesday with some more Miljo shop images.

See you all then,

Jillian

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In the Garden - Part II

1 Oct 2010

Well it's officially spring here in Sydney so I thought I'd share some spring blossoms with you. The weather is still in a state of confusion though. Last weekend we had a touch of summer when the mercury hit 27ºC. This morning, when I left for work it was 9ºC, so go figure.

We're celebrating Labor Day on Monday, so I'm looking forward to a 3 day weekend. I'm heading down to Wollongong but with rain forecast I mightn't return with too many photos.

I'd like to thank Holly for featuring my photos of miljo store on decor8. I'll prepare some of my images and post them next week so you can see my take on the store. I'd also like to thank Remodelista for featuring my photos of the Bison Australia store. I'd forgotten how gorgeous Brian's work is. I might need to drop by the store and pick up a few goodies for myself.

SLIDER

29 Oct 2010

27 Oct 2010

25 Oct 2010

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