Swing set love

[family album]

I love the look of disbelief on the kid's face in the background.

Tuning fork

Architecture in Helsinki sound like a marching band who have been lost in the jungle for six months with nothing but their instruments, rain water and an endless supply of native fruit (with hallucinogenic properties). At times serene, other times hyperactive and bewilleringly delightful. The chaotic clash of ideas, hramonies and instruments, is always incredibly original and infectiously danceble.

I am excited for their new album. Yippee!

The Strokes you continue to woo me so with your jagged riffs, solid high hat drumming and delightfully messy audio production. Bon bon bon! Most music blogs are heralding the band's return to form - but I don't think they ever lost it, every release has made me dance like a cat on a hot tin roof or buy a leather jacket so I too can strike rock n' roll poses.

I'm also keen to sink my ears into Bright Eyes new release The People's Key.

Sweets

I'm trying to get into top form for a couple of upcoming races in May, June and possibly July. So that means cutting out cake. Sigh. Luckily for me the ABC are sedating my sweet tooth with some delectable eye candy.

Adam Hills Live in Gordon Street Tonight is hosted by none other than Adam Hills. It's like a toasted marshmallow - by all appearances it looks innocence and sweet, with homely rustic touches but it has saucy centre. Adam Hills is a gentleman comic and brings out the best in his interviewees, even rambling streaks of sexual innuendo - I hope that this show is a long stayer.

Then there's Marieke Hardy's new show - Laid. A wonderfully dark humoured series about Roo McVie's attempts to figure out why her past thrusts are ending up dead. A bizarre concept, but works well so far as it's carried on the shoulders of a cast of quirky but realistic characters.

Here horsey horsey

When I saw this bike on Lucky Pony, my heart skipped a beat and I felt equal parts

- joy (that such a beautiful bike exists in the world)

- misery (that I don't own it)

Love hurts.

To pick me up I did the only sensible thing...sing The Horses. Loudly and passionately.

Flippin'. Me. Out.

These sweet, sweet songs are flippin' me out. True story.

- Local Natives, “World News”

- San Cisco, "Golden Revolver"

- Kid Cudi, “Erase Me"

- Dead Letter Chorus, "Run, Wild"

- Born Ruffians, "What to Say"

ps. I can't find the original link to the photo! If it's your photo - snaps for the perfect timing of the shot. Bon bon bon!

Mish's Madeleines

I had a bit of spare time on my hands today and resolved bake something delightful for afternoon tea. After flipping through one of my favourite cookbooks ‘The Cook’s Companion’ by Stephanie Alexander I decided to make use of my Madeleine tray.

Honey Madeleines

110g unsalted butter

½ a tablespoon of honey

2 eggs

1/3 cup of castor sugar

1 tablespoon of brown sugar

Pinch of salt

1 drop of pure vanilla

90g of plain flour

1 teaspoon of baking powder

Pure icing sugar

Melt the 90g of butter with the honey on a low heat. Allow the mixture to cool.

Combine the eggs, castor sugar, brown sugar, salt and vanilla in a food processor.

I was a bit heavy handed with both the vanilla and the honey with no adverse effect on the end result.

Transfer this mixture to a mixing bowl; sift in the flour and baking powder. I sifted the flour and baking powder together a few times before combining it with the egg mixture.

Add the cooled butter and honey to the bowl and combine.

Leave the mixture to rest for at least an hour or overnight, I left the mixture for an hour because I’m impatient but I can see the benefit of mixing this up before bedtime and baking them for a lovely Sunday breakfast.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius

Grease the tray with the remaining butter, dust with flour and shake of any excess.

Spoon the mixture into your madeleine tray, the recipe suggested filling the moulds two thirds full and using two trays, however I used the large moulds and filled one tray.

Bake for nine minutes, make sure to set your timer!

Allow the madeleines to rest in the

tray for a minute. The recipe suggests to dislodge the madeleines by rapping the edge of the tray sharply on your countertop, this move worked a charm!

Allow to cool on a wire rack, patterned side up. The madeleines will crisp up on the outside.

Dust with icing sugar before serving. They are best served fresh from the oven on some beloved china accompanied by loose leaf tea or good quality coffee

xo Mish

First place: tied

[carottesauvage]

Holey moley - these pants are perfection.