Birthday parcel & Brownie Blueberry Cheesecake

Aww take a look at this lovely birthday parcel which I got from my gorgeous friend D. today. It just arrived in all its wonderfully splendor. Filled with a fitted blouse, such an adorable card and outrageously soft and snug wrist warmers in pomegranate from my dear friend mina. And once again I immediately fell in love with the fantastic autumn color and this softness of the viscose jersey knit. She always comes up with the best selection of fabrics and materials, tailored to the particular taste of someone. Take a look at all her stunning reversible wrist warmers, which will keep you warm and cosy outside in winter. Thanks so so much my dear, I'm feeling blessed with you on my side!

Yesterday evening while it already turned dark outside, I got into a late night baking mood. I simply love to measure all the different ingredients, to stir, whisk and taste. To feel how the consistency of dough changes from fluffy to rich just by adding another ingredient. It's just relaxing as meditation. And so I created this tasty rich brownie blueberry cheesecake, mmh oh so american ;) Do you also like to bake once in a while?

Long long ago

Welcome back! It's been a while, but here I am again (with a little refreshment as well). It feels like summer left us already and while returning to my lovely flat in Amsterdam I found this video from my dear friend N.

A wonderful little movie stuffed with memories of our travels in Australia and New Zealand. We were lucky to share with each other six months of adventures, shiny moments and breathtaking landscapes full marvelous animals. What an experience and incredible time! Take a look.

     

Memories

I recovered the following video in the morning. And it brings back so many adorable memories from Australia. Watching the very first impressions of the movie, warmed my heart so deeply that it felt to me, as I would stand again (right next to the actor) on the roof of that incredible building. Breathing the air of Sydney's cold autumn night, having a drink with my love and good friends. Watching the streets full of people below us and sharing our inspiring dreams with each other... priceless moments!

The other side

I live now for 5 years in the city and on sunday it was the first time that I went on the other side of the river. I guess you will know the situation, when a loved one of yours is in town and you can - still after years - get  a completely new view for your town. You go to "new" places, walk through "new" streets and enjoy your coffee or beer in "new" bars, all because somebody refreshes your daily life. Its like watching the things with a children's eye again. Its like an holiday-adventure at home...

I put some fruits, cookies and a bottle of water inside my backpack and our bike trip started. We went down the harbour, crossed a couple of bridges, went south to Veddel, further to Wilhelmsburg and turned there to the west again. We've watched the port (which i can watch from my window) so closed.  Hundreds and hundreds of containers and cranes everywhere. Finally we crossed the river again through the Elbe Tunnel and went back home. It was such an adorable trip, with stunning views of the town and the harbour. And although I was afraid to get lost, we've found our way easily. Just the weather couldn't decide between rain and sun. But thats something I know only too well about the city...

Changing of the seasons

 Autumn arrives,...again! Again? 
Well, when I knitted that cosy blackberry scarf above it was the 12th of may this year and our east coast-trip in Australia turned to the end. We arrived in Newcastle and noticed that it became step by step bleak and windy outside. And since we were not well prepared for low temperatures, I started to knit my first combination of a scarf and a head for T.

The fact, that T. loves to go snowboarding in the winter, inspired me to this new slightly beanie-style (which still has to come along with the old-fashioned pompom, for sure!). It makes it a bit more loose-hanging and man-styled I guess. What do you think? Which is your favourite Jaskulsky-Head? 

Some, as I think, autumn inspired tunes for today:  

“He falls asleep on her chest
The best sleep he'd ever met...“

Baking Mood

Today is German Unity Day! So come that I enjoyed a lazy day off at home in the middle of the week. And since I'm back from Australia, I'm really glad to have my own bedroom and our wonderful kitchen back. And today it finally happened - my baking mood recur.... 

I baked a Pear-Coconut-Pie! ...and realized again how difficult it is to make the perfect pie crust. But still -  my first Pie after years turned out really yummy!

The Recipe

for the dough:

150g plain flour

50g (cane) sugar

1 pinch of salt

1 egg

50g shredded coconut

80g butter

1. Mix the dough with all the ingredients above. Try to work quick,  that the dough doesn't become to warm. Wrapped in foil put it for 1 hour in the fridge.

2. Preheat the oven to 180° C. Flour your work space and roll out the dough really thin. Add this to your greased pie pan and create the edge about 3 cm high. Now take a fork and add some wholes in the bottom of the dough. Insert some baking paper with dry lentils on top and bake for about 15 minutes (I used walnuts instead of lentils and it worked quiet fine). Take it out and let it cool off. Take off the baking paper and the lentils.

for the filling:
80ml coconut milk
80ml cream
40g (cane) sugar
1 EL cornflour
2 eggs
500g pear
30g shredded coconut

3. For the filling whisk the coconut milk with cream, sugar, cornflour and eggs.

4. Wash, dry and cut the pear in slices, add them on the pre-baked bottom and the shredded coconut above. In the end spread the filling all-over and bake again for another 30-35 minutes.

Instead of pear you can also use nectarine, apples or any other fruits you want... mmh, enjoy!

Retrospect II "On the Road Again!"

Es war eine Entscheidung in letzter Sekunde und ich sollte es nicht bereuen! Bis heute bin ich stolz, dass ich im letzten Jahr viel an Spontanität gewonnen habe. Denn so stolperte ich in so manch hübschen Moment, traf außergewöhnliche Menschen und landete z.B. auch in diesem  Abenteuer...

Es war eine Filmabend wie jeder andere zuvor, in einem gemühtlichen Hostel in Cairns und ich war im Gespräch mit T. und V. Sie erzählten davon, mit einem Van loszureisen, der Unabhängigkeit, den Ersparnissen und natürlich dem absoluten Spassfaktor! Ich kalkulierte meine Kosten und Zeitpläne nocheinmal neu und entschied, alle bereits gebuchten Touren, mein Busticket und die gebuchten Hostels für die kommende Woche abzusagen und mich Ihnen anzuschliessen. Eine Reise entlang der Ostküste begann... 

first meal. 5 people - one plate