Purdy...

How great is this poster/ad!

I'm so dirty about missing out on this today (I was at work) I love school fetes - I have a thing for tombola and those really hard home made toffees mokay?! - ANYWAYS I thought the pic was still worth posting for design appreciation. Primary school peeps: this is how you do!

New winter obsession

I have a strange new shopping haunt now that it's a little chillier, and that place is - Crisp on Creek.
*Note to readers it took me 5 attempts to spell Crisp not Crips.
Crips on Creek would be slightly more exciting to blog about, and I'm sure they do exist but unfortunately for you, pastry always wins over gangster for me. Can you imagine the rock paper scissor symbol for that?
I imagine pastry for some reason to look like 'Stone head' guy from Alex the Kidd in Miracle World:

For those of you who don't know who I'm talking about, it's the guy on the right. 

His head just looks like a cannoli to me. Yes, a delicious eyeball filled cannoli. Mmmm mmmm!

Anyways back to Crisp. On Creek. 

It's a tops deli on the corner of Cav and Creek Rds which stocks among other things (fresh fruit and veg, free range eggs and milk/milk products, Sugo Mi pizza bases, Maggie Beer everything, Fair trade coffee/tea and choc etc. etc.) what I like to think is the best bake it yourself bagel in Brisbane - Glicks Bagels.

Now I've stupidly decided to write about these bagels after I ate the last one this morning without taking a photo of their golden deliciousness, but I'll be off to Crisp this arvo so maybe I'll post one laters. Basically they're boiled bagels that can be frozen or just kept in the fridge which you then bake yourself at home! It only takes about 5-8 mins for crispy perfection on the outside and dreamy cloudlike carby goodness on the inside.

Yes, yes, I have an unhealthy interest in Bagels. 

Honestly though, I originally only bought this brand because the name Glick made me think of that crazy lady in the Simpsons called Mrs. Glick who thinks Lisa is a pineapple.

But then I tried a few other brands of frozen bake at home bagels, because alas, we don't make them fresh in Bristown for some reason and discovered I was onto a winner. Another frozen victory for winter from Crisp is Linda McCartney's vegetarian pies. Dear God I ddn't think I'd ever be able to find a better frozen pie than Sargent's let alone a vego one but these pies are amazing! The pastry is so flaky and melty at the same time and the tofu filling tastes like meat - not nut meat, real meat! And the maroon/purple packaging just matches so nicely to our hot purple benchtop! I don't know about you but thats a definite prerequisite for cuisine in my house - MUST MATCH 80'S DESIGNED KITCHEN.

Which is why I'm off to Crisp this afternoon actually. The pumpkin my Grandad Keith grew and gave to us has made the 'matching the bench' grade and so I'm on a mission for pumpkin meals inspiration.... maybe this?

That'll do pumpkin, that'll do.

Love you Jamie!

from

So probably my fave coffee place is Brisneyland is Jamie's Espresso - sorry to all my Moka Hut* peeps haha - on the corner of James and Robertson Sts in New Farm. The place is cute, colourful, clean and cruisy.
People who work there remember you - if not your name then at least (and more importantly) your regular order. Sometimes there is a wait, but because the people there are so unfussy and friendly it never feels like much of one. And now Jamie's has a licence! Yes! Boutique beer, delish vino and home made spanakopita for all!! Yaaaaaaayyy!!

WARNING: Beer drinking at Jamie's almost always requires a slice of his homemade Spanakopita or anchovies on french stick both available on the snack menu. Eeep.
And yes I only know because I have spent a looooong friday night trialing Jamie's's late night set up and I recommend the Nirvana pale ale and the very fruity Pacific ale.

Jamie's write up in Fourthousand

*Moka Hut was a dodgy cafe I used to work at, run by an equally dodgy couple. Probably the worst job I've ever had, but like most bad jobs - made great friends due to the crappy situation!

Latest...

Dis my pie. I maked it with 2 kinds of cheese - Ricotta and Feta, 2 kinds of onion - Brown and Spring and 2 kinds of top of the food pyramid deliciousness - Olive oil and Puff pastry. And some spinach. Basically its a simplified Spanakopita (Greek spinach pie).

I made this pie because I could, and because I was waiting to hear the results from a blood test checking for coeliac disease (no wheat/gluten) and lactose intolerance (no dairy), meaning that if it came back positive I would never be allowed to eat a pie like this again. It might have been my last pie evah. E-V-A-H.

Daunting stuff! 

Thankfully the results were negative (I don't have those intolerances) but this pie, although purdy darn good eatin', still gave me a bit of an upset stomach - mokay yes that was only after my 3rd piece, however, according to my GP I have IBS. I kind of already knew this so I was a bit peeved about having to have a blood test, but at the same time it was nice to know that I don't have anything too serious. I just have to stay away from garlic bread, hot chips and attempting to drink 500mL plus Icebreaks. 

In short, all my bogan desires. Well, not all of them, my body hasn't rejected Le Snaks just yet! Aw yeah.

Dis how I feel right noe.

Gonna make some noodles and sleep... will post someting more productive soon haha.

Cake. Is there a better way to start the day?

So after many lazy yearnings - without any actual 'questing' ^_^ - I have finally acquired a very special book much laudered during my childhood. The wonderful Australian Women's Weekly recently re-released their epic masterpiece Children's Birthday Cake Book which I stumbled upon late last week at a newsagent!
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!

I'm not gonna lie and say I had any of the cool ones like the monster one, or the piano one... no, no, I had all the ballerina/princess/fuzzy bunny ones. And I would often make my cousin Cam who has his birthday a day before mine (therefore being doomed to spend all of his birthdays in joint celebration with me) a hostage of a giant mass of pink icing and sprinkles. His name emblazoned in red/pink/purple icing right next to mine, across the skirt of a cake princess. Ah delicious humiliating memories.

To be fair though, we did share a Michaelangelo (the ninja turtle) cake one year - I was 8 he was 12 - and for his 30th his lovely gf made him a gruesome/awesome treasure chest cake JUST FOR HIM. 

I didn't even get a look in! Bah humbug! That's mokay, y'know senior citzens need special care and all that!