Busy Bee Cafe

When I first saw the topic, I immediately thought of this:

Then I thought it's such an easy instrument even a monkey could play it... no offence to any monkeys of course... and thought of this:

Unfortunately my hands are in pain tonight and I just can't seem to paint what's really in my head... so this is the best I could do

INGREDIENTS

175g butter at room temprature
175g caster sugar
3 large eggs
250g self-raising flour
200g glaced cherries
55g ground almonds
1 lemon zest
3tbsp milk

1. > Preheat oven at 175C (gas mark 4)
2. > Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. > Beat in one egg at a time, adding one tbsp of flour in between to stop the mixture from crudling.
4. > Fold in the remaining flour and add glaced cherries, ground almonds, lemon zest and milk.
5. > Pour the mixture into a cake pan and smooth the top.
6. > Put it in the middle of the oven and let it rise nicely until golden brown and the skewer pierced into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
7. > Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

yati's tip: I usually slice the cherries in half and mix it with the ground almonds before folding them into the mixture. This tends to stop the cherries from sinking to the bottom of the cake.

27 June 2009

It's been so hot that my feet are all swollen. Woke up this morning and they couldn't fit into my Birkenstocks!!! How insane is that?

I think this may be another entry for Illustration Friday - Worn... because I am all worn out by all the changes in my body!

no mouse was harmed in making this image... it's all in my head!

23 June 2009

Just a scrap watercolour painting of what was in my head... and what I wished for at that point of the day

21 June 2009

I love Farmers' Markets. I love walking around finding fresh ingredients straight from the farm.

I love eggs.

And this egg is worth the wait (and weight).

Everytime I go to Borough Market, I keep an eye for an ostrich egg. They don't lay eggs when it's too cold and most of the time they 'ostrich meat' stall sells the shell but seldom is there a fresh egg.

But yesterday was my lucky day! I got my fresh ostrich egg!!

What will I do with it? Who cares! I got my egg and if I do cook it, it will serve at least 8 people! Just look at the size of it!

photo taken by Julesd

Don't ask why this image came to my head...

But then... J loves elephants so this one is for you baby xxx

Does this design exist anywhere? I've found loads of other animal booties but not bees

One medium that I really can't get along with is watercolour. I can't seem to manipulate it like acrylic or oil... so I've decided that this is the medium that I should really practice on just to punish myself. I've added colour to my previous pencil drawing of a butterfly unfolding itself for it's pupa... and yes, I need to practice more.

It's been a while since I really posted anything up. It's not that I don't have anything to say... J would vouch for this as he sometimes has to tell me to shut up... it's just that I keep thinking 'I can't write that'

It was kind of nice when I was more anonymous... and only the people that I want to know it's me knows it's me... but now... people are finding me and part of me feel that I can't really say the things that I want to say as they might feel 'kecil hati' (directly translated... small heart... or maybe more like... feeling a bit sensitive/touchy) to what I write... because I just write what's in my head... no beating behind the bush.

So... I think it might be time that I abandon this blog and start a new one... where I don't write about anything in my head but more general stuff. This way I won't be accused of hurting people's feelings.

How do you tell someone who is sooooooooooooo excited about the things that they got for you that you really don't want the things that they got for you, without sounding ungrateful?

This is why I prefer Eid (in Malaysia) than Christmas. For Eid I get money... for Christmas... I get presents and sometimes (minority of the time) have to pretend that I like the present. Hey... it's the thought that counts right? They got you something... so be grateful.

But what if I really don't like them?

Obviously I'm not talking about Christmas as it's the middle of the year and it's summer up here in the Northern Hemisphere (still think it's a bit weird that Christmas is in Summer down South!)... it's just a thought that came to my head.

Don't get me wrong... I like getting presents and most people who know me are wonderful at getting stuff for me...

But there are times...

Well... it's official...

Man flu does exist!

According to some researchers/scientist in Montreal, women have higher immune system combating the sniffles than men.

Oh dear...

From young we've been taught never to talk to stangers... especially strange people... whatever that means.

But then everyone are strangers until you get to know them and they become your friends... or you get to know them and decide you can't stand each other and therefore your 'enemy'.

I don't make that many friends and I am very picky on what I tell people. I don't tend to trust people... but J said the other day that when I do make friends... they tend to be good people and they lasts.

But sometimes I wish that I'm friendlier and have a philosophy like J. To him, people are not strangers until they become friends/enemies... everyone is his friend until they do something wrong and becomes his enemy... and I don't think he has any enemies... but he can talk to anybody about anything.

Wish I could talk.