Weekend Wish

Wish you all a lovely weekend!

Retro Mother's Day Cake

It was another warm and sunny day here on the Northern beaches of Sydney yesterday. We enjoyed a BBQ lunch on our balcony with my husband's parents and I had made this retro cake for dessert. My...

Marinated Fennel and Pear Salad

I finally had a chance to try lemon and olive oil marinated fennel, highly recommended by a friend who also happens to be one of my favourite bloggers. I love fennel as it is, but the simple...

First of May

Happy 1st of May! Hauskaa vappua!

Tippaleipä for Vappu

Next week, Finland (and many other countries, for that matter) is celebrating May Day or vappu, as we call it in Finnish. I've written about this spring carnival before, here. This year I didn't...

DIY Shelf System for the Study

I kick-started the new week with a bit of DIY for our study. I needed a shelving unit next to my desk where I could keep all the things I use almost daily plus display those things that inspire me...

Reminiscing the Weekend

Weekends always fly by and although we are well into the new week, I'm taking a moment to reminisce the weekend with the help of a few snapshots. This past weekend we had some lovely summery...

DIY Ladder

I made a simple decorative ladder for the kitchen. It's perfect for hanging a tea towel, a floor brush and other every day items. When I get bored of it here I might move it to the bathroom for...

Arki - The Every Day

Hello friends I am working hard on a new project particularly close to my heart. Hopefully I am able to tell you a bit more about this in the next few weeks. In the mean while, here are a few...

The Remaining of Summer

Summer is finally starting to turn into autumn here in Sydney. We enjoyed a warm and sunny weather during the Easter long weekend, but I am also looking forward to the cooler months ahead. Here are...

Hot Cross Buns

We woke up to a cooler morning this Good Friday, so it was a perfect time to bake a fresh batch of Hot Cross Buns. I followed this recipe almost to a T, with a few adaptations as marked below....

Happy Easter!

Easter Preparations

Easter is almost here! Even after all these years in Australia, I still associate Easter with Spring. In Finland I would always grow "rairuoho" (a type of grass) at Easter as a symbol of Spring and...

Leek and Potato Soup

Sydney is still sweltering in summery weather, with temperatures reaching 30C almost daily. There was, however, a cooler break some days ago and I just had to take the opportunity to make another...

Amélie

It is so true that it's the little things in life that make all the difference. Take this bicycle, for example. I've dreamed of having one for years now. It's been one of the things I really missed...

Carrot Pancakes

My pancake addiction is showing no signs of slowing down. Savoury pancakes, sweet pancakes and now these: carrot pancakes. All these variations are actually quite common in Finland and the savoury...

Finnish Spinach Soup

There is nothing better than a comforting soup on a rainy day. I made the most of it yesterday and whipped up spinach soup, a childhood favourite served with hard-boiled egg and rye-crispbread with...

Brown Rice, Grape and Feta Salad

A quick mid-week update as I had the luxury of having a friend for lunch today. This brown rice salad was completely effortless to make, but it will definitely become my new favourite. When grapes...

Everyday Meals

I thought I'd share a few simple and quick everyday meal-ideas with you. These are the kinds of meals I cook all the time: they are virtually zero-effort, even during those hot summer days when the...

Home Maintenance

I have been doing a bit of home maintenance lately; organising, de-cluttering and decorating. Here in Sydney I don't really change home interiors according to seasons, except for adding a few cosy...

Sweet Potato-Rye Rieska

Freshly baked sweet potato-rye rieska (Finnish flat bread) for breakfast on a Sunday is exactly what I wanted. Sun is peeking through the clouds after two days of rain, autumn is on its way.

Tiger Cake (Marble Cake)

I had a chance to bake some traditional cakes (knowing they'd get eaten) whilst my parents were visiting us the other week. Tiger cake, as it is known in Finland, didn't used to be my favourite...

Barbecued Tofu and Portobello Salad

During summer, I mainly survive on salads, fruit and other cold, light meals without even craving for anything heartier. This summer we finally bought a little barbecue for our balcony and have...

Karelian Pies ... and a winner!

I have been spoiled rotten for the past few days with gifts and treats from back home. My parents are in town and I have spend some quality time with them: doing DIY home-improvement with dad,...

Recently

Gardening, knitting, crocheting and some general house maintenance of recent. Hope you are all enjoying your weekend!

Happy Friendship Day!

We'll be friends forever, won't we Pooh? Asked Piglet. Even longer, answered Pooh. (Valentine's Day is known as "ystävänpäivä" (Friend's Day/Friendship Day) in Finland.)

Laskiaispullat - Shrove Tuesday Buns

Happy Shrove Tuesday! Shrove Tuesday (Laskiaistiistai) buns filled with jam (or marzipan) and whipped cream are a traditional treat in Finland and all over Scandinavia. These buns used to be my...

Pancake Tower

It has become something of a tradition that once (or twice) a summer I need to make my own version of the traditional, Scandinavian pancake tower. Thin, crispy edged crepes layered with thick...

Runeberg's Torte

Happy Runeberg's Day! Runeberg's torte are traditionally served only once a year, on Runeberg's Day, to celebrate Finland's national poet. These cakes are flavoured with almond meal and gingerbread...

WIN a Copy of Sarah Wilson's I Quit Sugar Cookbook!

Those of you who have followed this blog for a while may remember my sugar-free journey. I was inspired by Sarah's e-book to do an 8 week program to quit sugar. 8 weeks turned into many more and...