Blackberry crumble cake and city life

I have had a noisy week back in the city. Not sure if I am just over sensitive, but then there have literally been workers outside my kitchen window with power tools most days this week, so I guess not (they just started up again, have been going for over 10 hours today I am going MAD). On Monday and Tuesday I chased up thesis loose ends, mostly footnotes without page numbers, mostly found with success. I did delete one sentence as I simply could not find the text I was referring to, made harder by the fact it was in French and in a 750 page 18th century book without an index, it was only a small point and I don't think its loss matters. It did remind me though to NEVER EVER leave a reference without a page number, just don't do it kids.

I had hoped to hand in the thesis this week but I only just got the final copy sent off to supervisor as a pdf for a final look over so he can sign it off, so realistically with him needing at least a day and me needing to print a lot of paper, it will be next week before I can go and buy some expensive champagne.

I have been back into the ole yoga and pilates in a big way, and I am really feeling it after 6 weeks of nothing, but it is a good feeling. Also been riding my bike, today I did it in a maxi dress and sandals, keepin it stylish as always. This is the dress, I should take a full photo but I seem to be deeply hopeless at posing so you just get a glimpse. Pretty non?

In other news I made a super delicious cake. I had picked loads of wild blackberries in Daylesford, more than I could reasonably eat. I adapted it from this recipe for a Apple and Blueberry cake, I just added blackberries instead. the crumble was all crunchy on top and the cake was very moist, delicious. Tempted to make it with another kind of fruit. here's a pic of it with blackberries just tipped on and a slice of the finished product, i did have some nicer photos but my computer crashed while I was uploading and the files are corrupted.

My friends I was house sitting for were pleased, though they said the cat now seems to think he is allowed to sleep on the bed, I denied any involvement. ;-)

How has everyone else's week been?

Whatchoo lookin at?

I am just home from my stay in Daylesford. Back to the big smoke. Back to hand in my thesis.

I miss the kitty and the garden and the peace and quite and the walnut bread from the Himalaya bakery.

Here's a photo I took at the Lavandula farm in Hepburn Springs yesterday, after trying to take a photo of the emu for ages but with no success as he kept darting off I turned my attention to the landscape and he promptly popped his head up just as I took the photo. 

Garden Snaps

I'm going to miss having a garden to wander around every day, especially this garden. My daily wander often takes me about 30mins, by the time I de-head some roses, prune some geraniums, attack some blackberries and play with the cat.

 The artichoke flowered, not sure I had ever registered an artichoke flower before, very pretty, definitely worth forgoing an artichoke for. It is always interesting to let vegetables bolt and flower. In this garden there is no vegie patch, the edible plants are just part of the general bedding. Also see this blog for some musing on flowering vegies.

 I was pleased with my fly photo, not sure what kind of fly it is, not a regular blowie or housefly, it kindly sat and let me take it's picture.

Hello kittycat! This cat is very practised at looking adorable, he especially likes to look through the branches of trees. He looks docile here but in reality five minutes earlier he was hanging upside down stuck up a tree.

Some food snaps

I take a lot of photos of food. I think the ole food photos are a real digital camera phenomenon, I used to take the odd one on special occasions with my film camera, of cakes and the like, but not very many. I think most people take them now. Sometimes I think if I didn't photograph a meal it didn't actually happen. I always mean to post them, like a lot of things, but then I don't. So here is a random selection of January ones.

Homemade choc croissants, just store-bought puff pastry rolled around squares of dark chocolate, brushed with a big of egg on top. Made these for New Year's day breakfast.

Artichoke tart on the deck. I think I posted this in another post. I realise I haven't done enough sitting on the deck. I did a lot during my first week here, but then it rained for a week, then I forgot to, then it was HOT. This week should be fine and not hot though so I must do it again.

Omelette and fennel and white bean salad. Cooking omelettes on gas is a revelation! So much quicker. 

Cheese platter at tapas place in D'ford, the cheese was pre sliced, which I don't really like as a rule, plus one cheese was under the bread so we didn't see it till we had finished the bread? The cheese was still pretty tasty though.

Walnut bread, this suddenly looks very dark on the blog. Anyway, it is walnut bread from Himalaya Bakery in Daylesford, buy some if you get the chance and eat it freshly sliced with cheese.

Or toast it and eat with plum jam and coffee.

Prosecco at the Perfect Drop. Any place that serves prosecco by the glass wins my vote.

 Taramasolata with radishes. I think I need more radishes in my life.

Freshly picked blackberries, raspberries and mulberries. I ate these with yoghurt.

Coffee at Woodend station from the coffee man. Good coffee, crisp morning, sunlight, feeling of virtuousness for getting up at 6am, leopard print scarf. Win.

Tea and blueberries with yoghurt. I like to vary my breakfasts, some people eat the same thing every morning, I could never do that, it would be like eating the same dinner every day. Do you vary breakfasts?

This was one breakfast, mmm freshly baked scones.

Pancakes with mushrooms, tomatoes and cheese, grilled. Pancakes are also super easy on the gas stove, there is also a proper grill, which I don't have at home either (my kitchen is pretty basic).

 I love beaujolais, even if I do have an aversion to pronouncing it correctly. You can put it in the fridge and drink it chilled.

My friend's pavlova. Was super dooper tasty. I had two pieces.

That's enough for now. What have you been eating lately?