From China Village to Dublin

And We're Back!

2011-02-01T19:59:00.002+01:00

Panic of the afternoon is over. The problems with my new site are fixed, thanks again to awesome Andy. I have asked him to Emily-proof the new site's content editor so I can't do anything like that again in the future.

So, after that false alarm, the site is now up and it's not even wonky anymore.

From now on, you will find me at www.fromchinavillage.com.

Thanks for being patient!

Moving Day!

2011-01-31T17:59:00.006+01:00

**Update** You'll have to wait til tomorrow to check out the new site - something's gone wonky with it! I can't be left alone with my own technology! Sorry!

Monday Visits: Brussels

2011-01-30T22:37:00.012+01:00

Did you see that title and think I went away to Brussels for the weekend? No, no, but we're starting this Monday morning by pretending we're in Brussels. Almost as fun, right?

I can't tell you how long I've been asking Michael can we go to Brussels. I have no idea why, but it has always seemed like such a neat city to me. And when I went searching for a few photos I kept coming to this one:

Once every two years, Brussels shuts down its main square and makes a flower carpet. This image is from 2010, when a 23 year old designer came up with this pattern, that includes St. Michael striking down the dragon as well as a symbol to honor Belgium's EU presidency. All out of flowers!

So I guess I was right in thinking it was a pretty neat city.

Right, beyond the dreamy flower carpet (coming up next in August 2012, and I'm penciling that in now!), I think Brussels and I think chic, structured, stylish clothing, everyone effortlessly riding bicycles down beautiful streets, and chocolate.

We'll pretend we're friends with this adorable lady:

{Image from here}

And we'll rent a bike from the city's Cyclocity programme to explore the city.

But it might be a little chilly, so we'll grab this coat from Comptoir de Cotonniers - a beautiful clothing shop that's been featured in just about every style magazine imaginable.

Or maybe this one, because I've been really wishing lately that I could pull off a capelet.

Then we'd ever-so-stylishly dismount for a quick sampling at Pierre Marcolini Chocolatier. Just click there, explore the decadence and come back to me. We've a little more daydreaming to do!

We'll zoom by this bizarro structure, the Atomium. So odd, and reminds me a little of the bean in Chicago.

{Image from here}

And linger on these beautiful streets.

{Image from here}

{Image from here}

And then at the end of the day, we'd retire to the chic, boutique hotel be Manos. Would you check out the serious headboard and unbelievable bathroom?

There, just a little (slightly random) taste of Brussels to start your day!

Did everyone have a nice weekend? Bake anything yummy?

Don't forget...BIG BIG news coming tomorrow!

Minis

2011-01-27T22:38:00.007+01:00

It's been a busy week. So far, after 3 days, I love my job. It's been total information overload, but from what I can tell it's never going to be boring, which is great! But it's still been a bit of an adjustment, and I haven't had nearly the time or the energy for as much baking as I usually would. All I managed was a batch of zucchini bread on Wednesday night because I had to use them up!

But this weekend, I think I might make up for lost time. With Valentine's Day around the corner, I'm thinking sweet and I'm thinking mini. Michael and I have never celebrated Valentine's Day - we're both kind of blah on the holiday altogether - but I love an excuse for a themed sweet treat!

So how about peppermint patties? You can't get them over here, it's tragic. Wouldn't they be festive with a little red food coloring added to the filling? The only stumbling block for Irish readers will be finding a substitute for shortening. I think you'd have to just give either butter or lard a shot and see if it works. I've got a mother-in-law with a secret stash of imported American Crisco (doesn't that sound exotic??), so I'm hoping she'll donate some to a good cause!

Peppermint Patties
{Recipe and image via Sweet Cheeks in the Kitchen}

2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup (I'm going to use golden syrup)
1 1/2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
1 T shortening
10 ounces 70%-cacao bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I'm going with Cadbury's Bourneville dark chocolate)

Make filling:
Beat 2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar with corn syrup, water, peppermint extract, shortening, and a pinch of salt using an electric mixer at medium speed until just combined. Knead on a work surface dusted with remaining 1/4 cup confectioners sugar until smooth. Roll out between sheets of parchment paper on a large baking sheet into a 7- to 8-inch round (less than 1/4 inch thick). Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove top sheet of paper and sprinkle round with confectioners sugar. Replace top sheet, then flip round over and repeat sprinkling on other side.

Cut out as many rounds as possible with cutter, transferring to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until firm, at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, gather scraps, re-roll, and freeze, then cut out more rounds, freezing them.

Temper chocolate and coat filling:
Melt three fourths of chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Remove bowl from pan and add remaining chocolate, stirring until smooth. Cool until thermometer inserted at least 1/2 inch into chocolate registers 80°F.

Return water in pan to a boil and remove from heat. Set bowl with cooled chocolate over pan and reheat, stirring, until thermometer registers 88 to 91°F. Remove bowl from pan.

Balance 1 peppermint round on a fork and submerge in melted chocolate, letting excess drip off and scraping back of fork against rim of bowl if necessary, then return patty to sheet (to make decorative ridges on patty, immediately set bottom of fork briefly on top of patty, then lift fork straight up). Coat remaining rounds, rewarming chocolate to 88 to 91°F as necessary. Let patties stand until chocolate is set, about 1 hour.

Okay, now just one more: zeppole. Little homemade donut holes, Italian style. So cute! Wouldn't that make a festive Valentine's brunch treat?

Zeppole
{Image and recipe via Pictures and Pancakes}

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar plus 1/2 cup for coating
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup all purpose flour
4 eggs
1 tbs orange zest
vegetable oil for frying
1 tsp cinnamon

In a medium saucepan, combine butter, sugar, salt and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the flour. Return to low heat and cook, stirring vigorously until the mixture forms a ball. Transfer the dough to a medium bowl and using an electric mixer, beat in eggs one at a time. Add orange zest and set aside. In a small bowl, combine cinnamon with remaining 1/2 cup sugar and set aside.

Pour enough oil into a frying pan to reach a depth of 2-inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Using a small ice cream scoop, carefully drop small tablespoons of dough into the hot oil. Fry several at a time but be careful not to crowd the pan. Turn zeppole with a wooden skewer to evenly brown both sides and cook until golden and puffed, about 5 minutes. Roll cooked zeppole in cinnamon sugar and serve immediately plain or with melted chocolate for dipping.

***

Next week - I have a VERY exciting announcement, so make sure you tune in! You won't want to miss it! It's BIG, BIG news!

Planners

2011-01-27T01:00:00.000+01:00

It occurred to me yesterday, as my new boss was talking a mile a minute about the upcoming meetings he needs me to attend and the projects I'm going to be working on, that I might need a little help keeping everything straight.

So I'm in the market for a planner, or a diary, as you Irish peeps call it. And since it's been ages since I've spent some time over on Etsy, I figured it was a great place to start. Have I mentioned how so many Etsy sellers have such low shipping? Even to Europe!

I love the peaceful design of this one - comes in lots of equally peaceful patterns.

{2011 Pocket Planner from dozi}

I'm such a sucker for sand dollars, and pink ones? Come on!

{Sand Dollar Planner from lettercdesign}

Great layout in this one, huh?

{2011 Planner Book V2.0 from sande74}

How cute is this planner? Silkscreened onto book cloth. Adorable!

{2011 Weekly Planner from nicopapergoods}

This one looks so stylish and sturdy, no?

{Allium Day Planner from lmoss}

Aren't they all gorgeous?

And with those pretty bits to start your Thursday, I'm off to visit the ICA's facility in Termonfecken. Hilarious name. See you back here tomorrow for some sweet treats to get you through Friday. Have a lovely Thursday!

Distracted

2011-01-26T23:39:00.011+01:00

When I was bopping around the internets yesterday looking for cute planners, I got a little distracted. Now, we don't need a wall calendar at all (we have Obama's 4 year calendar!), but they're just so beautiful I had to linger.

I'll just file these away for when we've a house with lots of wall space. I might just fill a whole wall with pretty calendars. (I'm hoping we upgrade to a much bigger house because, as of now, I already want a whole wall of maps and a whole wall of little inspirational bits. If we tried to do that in our little apartment we'd already run out of walls!)

These beautiful calendars are from The Wild Unknown (via Design*Sponge). Just so delicate.

Wouldn't this one be perfect for a kitchen? I love the idea of calendars as wall hangings. Am dying to design one...

This French desk calendar would be perfect for the desk in my studio, when it's finished. (How long have I been saying that?? I really think this weekend, but I've said that how many times now? So lame, Emily.)

What a nice tribute to the incredible things we can do with our hands when we add a little creativity. I bet I would get loads more done if I had knitting hands on my desk for a whole month.

And finally, this lovely wall hanging calendar by Lisa Rupp. Makes me think of spring!

*You can click on any of the images and they should enlarge for you!

Sifting

2011-01-25T20:19:00.006+01:00

I promised you a Monday Visit, but it's just not going to happen this week. Apologies, but I'll make up for it with a whopper visit next Monday. I promise.

Instead, I was sifting through my bookmarks and thought I'd share some of the projects, recipes and other clever things I've saved over the last few weeks.

I desperately want to make these. So smart and thrifty!

This print cracked me up.

I hinted to my mom that I'd be her guinea pig if she took a whack at this.

A little Valentine's loveliness on this pretty site.

I love no-knead anything, especially tiles.

I love this journal idea - talk about getting points for favorite aunt! (That's a hint, Carolyn, Leah, Angie, might as well get some ideas early!)

And I ate at this cafe over the weekend - it's yum and the waiter was so nice. Their ham sandwiches are made with home baked ham, you can even taste the cloves. And they do a great hot chocolate. What more could you ask for?

Witness to History

2011-01-23T20:35:00.007+01:00

Happy Monday, friends!

Here's a little glimpse of my Saturday for you:

{Mini photo shoot in Temple Bar. Ha! You'll see why in a few days - all will be revealed!}

But now, watch out, I'm talking politics today.

It was a surreal weekend in the news here. Lots going on in our neck of the woods. On Saturday, Taoiseach Brian Cowen announced he'd step down as the head of his party, Fianna Fail, while remaining the leader of parliament until the March elections. He said he believed he was needed to steward the nation through the next few months. Debatable.

Then Sunday, the Green Party announced they were pulling out of the coalition with Cowen's party, meaning there will need to be an election sooner than it was scheduled for March 11th. I haven't figured out when the election will happen, but my guess is a few weeks? Eek, that's soon.

At the moment, it seems there's really no one leading the country. I'd probably argue that no one has been running the country since Mr. Cowen was elected, but at this very minute, I think we're up the creek without any hope of a paddle.

On Saturday morning, I heard a re-play of a radio interview with the Taoiseach from earlier in the week. I thought he was going to strangle the interviewer, he was so angry. There was no calm, cool, collected; he didn't inspire confidence. Instead, he sounded snarky and spiteful. He even defended his decision not to hire a public relations staffer because, he said, he was "in the business of substance," not personality politics.

{Image from here. I had to stop myself from putting together a photo montage of Mr. Cowen. Not very nice to kick a guy when he's down.}

He also defended the interviewer's allegation that Fianna Fail is in bed with the developers, because high profile developers were invited to the Galway Races Fianna Fail tent, by telling the interviewers how many other race tents his developer friends were in. If I were any one of his staffers, let alone a PR staffer, I would have been standing outside the studio, banging my head against the wall.

If only Mr. Cowen could have learned to communicate his (alleged) work on the substance in a way the people of Ireland could have understood, appreciated or been inspired by. He might have had a fighting chance. Instead, he's been a joke for quite some time.

Only a few months ago, he could have used a minder or two - it might have kept him from staying out at the pub for too many drinks, leading a sing-along and then calling in to an early morning radio interview sounding like he hadn't been to bed the night before.

I hesitate to make judgments about Mr. Cowen's work on the substance, but I do take issue with his assertion that communication doesn't matter.

If I ever had a passion in my political career (it was short-lived, 3 years and too cut throat for this lady!), it was helping candidates express their stances and stories in such a way that voters could feel them. And I'd argue there's nothing more important. In my book, a politician has got to be able to express to constituents empathy, impetus or passion in a way that moves people. If you can't do that convincingly, when things get rough, you'll go down with the ship.

Even though Mr. Cowen isn't directly elected by the people, the people still need and crave leadership and direction, especially in this tough economic climate.

And there's certainly no way they're going to get it from the figurehead president or the figurehead Dublin mayor or the guy who knows he has a communication problem but refuses to get a little help in that department.

This weekend, I have been trying to get all this straight. It's very complicated. Once there's a new leader of Fianna Fail (I think I'm rooting for former minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheal Martin. He never seems angry or spiteful; he's always calm and seems to have the gravitas a leader should have.)

But then, I'm pretty certain after a new leader of Fianna Fail is elected, they've got to sort out what parties are aligning with each other, and then they'll elect another Taioseach?

In the meantime, with everyone running around, re-aligning, trying to get themselves into the leadership positions, who is actually running the show?

***

What do you think? Correct me if I've got it wrong! I'd love to hear your opinions!

Enormity and Stromboli

2011-01-21T00:25:00.010+01:00

A few people commented this week something to the effect of, "How do you bake all that stuff you put on your blog and you're not enormous?"

I have three tricks, two kind of sneaky, third not so sneaky:

1. A 6'4 basketball playing husband with a pretty good sweet tooth and generally great appetite
2. An extra freezer in our back garden shed
3. About 3 pairs of running shoes a year, a good, chatty walking partner (thanks, Mama Lo!), and Miss BodyRock herself.

I can't say there aren't times when I eat every last morsel of what I bake, but my favorite part of baking is sharing it with friends, family, neighbors, unsuspecting strangers. After a reasonable amount of something yummy, I pop it into the freezer and break it out whenever a need arises!

And when I do happen to eat the whole batch myself (those darn flapjacks got me this week), I pop this lady on the ipod and head out for some fresh air.

{The original version is better but it wouldn't let me embed, grrr.}

Right, so, back to business. Some savory baking for your Friday. Last week I made stromboli. And I even managed photos (that's two in a row this week, but who's counting!).

Stromboli

Feeds 4-6 people

Dough

5-6 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp yeast
2 cups warm water (but not hot)
2 tbsp sugar or honey
1 tsp salt

In a large bowl, soften together the water, yeast and sugar. Let it sit for a few minutes so the yeast starts to do its thing. Add in 5 cups of flour and mix until it starts to form a ball and get sticky. Turn it out onto a flour covered surface and knead it, adding the last cup of flour as necessary, for a few minutes. When it comes together into a ball, put it in a greased bowl in a warm spot for about an hour.

While the dough is rising, put together the filling ingredients. Think of it like a pizza - whatever works on a pizza will work in the stromboli. For mine, I usually do two different kinds, vegetables and pepperoni, and one with spinach and butternut squash. Sounds weird, I know, but it really works!

Filling:

2 large onions, chopped
2 cups frozen spinach, thawed
1/2 butternut squash, roasted and diced
3-4 tbsp cream cheese or goat's cheese

1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 tsp oregano
pepperoni, sliced

salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten

Chop the onions and divide them into two pans. Cook them until they start to get translucent. Add the peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and oregano to one pan. Let them cook until they start to get soft and then take them off the heat. With the other pan of onions, just toss them into a bowl with the roasted butternut squash and thawed spinach.

Now, divide the dough into two chunks and roll one of them out into a rectangle. Spread one of the fillings down the middle of the dough and top with cheese.

Fold the bottom side up over the filling, tuck the ends in, and fold the top side to close it. Use a little water to seal the edges together. Flip the stromboli onto a lined baking sheet so the seam side is down. Brush the top with some of the beaten egg - this isn't essential to the taste, but it makes it golden instead of floury. Really up to you.

Pop the strombolis (what is the plural there?) into the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes or until they're golden brown. Give them a minute to cool, then slice them and serve them! I like to cut them on the diagonal so they look a little fancy.

There you go! Full on stromboli tutorial (with photos!) for your Friday. Have a lovely weekend!

A Starting Point

2011-01-19T20:07:00.004+01:00

Sometimes I forget when I'm sharing recipes that not everyone bakes, and that maybe some of you get a little intimidated by lots of steps or processes.

So here's a recipe that's easy whether you're starting out or have been baking for ages. The measurements are in grams, so work away, Irish bakers!

Flapjacks (like homemade granola bars, Irish style)
{via Sarah!}

250 grams porridge oats (oatmeal)
1 can condensed milk (use the light version if you can find it)
and your choice of the following, adding up to 250 grams total:

pumpkin seeds
dried cranberries
raisins
almonds
hazelnuts
pecans
coconut

{I used roughly 3 cups of oats, then made up about 2 more cups of seeds, nuts and berries. I'm not sure if it added up exactly but it worked!}

Pour the condensed milk into a saucepan and heat it up, take it off before it boils. The idea is just to loosen it up so it coats the oat mixture more easily.

Stir the oats, nuts and seeds in a large bowl. I used hazelnuts, almonds, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds and coconut. Pour the condensed milk over the oat mixture so it coats evenly. Spread the mixture into a greased baking sheet. Bake it at 150 C for about 25 minutes. Once it cools, turn it out of the baking sheet and chop it up with a sharp knife. Enjoy!

These might be the first Irish recipe I've made and they're just delicious. I've been avoiding Irish recipes because I really didn't want to buy a weighing scale and nearly every Irish recipe is in grams. But converting grams to cups or ounces all the time isn't very exact. I haven't been avoiding buying a scale because they're too expensive, really it's just because I'm not totally on board with the system. But that's not very grown up now, is it?

As one friend recently put it, "So you're letting a €10 piece of kitchen equipment keep you from an entire country of recipes?"

Well, when you put it that way...

Peachy Pink

2011-01-19T18:49:00.008+01:00

Today was gloriously sunny in Dublin for the second day in a row, so I went for a walk to soak it all up. Guess what I saw?

These lovely peachy pink flowers - in January! I don't think spring has really sprung in Dublin yet, but hopefully the rest of the flowers and trees will get on board sooner than later.

In the meantime, here are a few peachy pinks (from a site that can actually ship to Ireland!) for your Wednesday. (To be worn separately, of course.)

Enjoy!

Oasis Sheer Sleeve Blouse

Nixon The Time Teller Watch

Carvela Bow Front Court Shoe

Blush Cropped Trousers

Nooks and Crannies

2011-01-18T12:53:00.006+01:00

Hello everyone!

I'm trying out a new recipe today - English muffins. Turns out you can't get them in Ireland. So strange since we're so much closer to England. I came across some similar muffins this weekend at Mark's and Spencer's, but they were called All Butter Muffins. They weren't terribly unhealthy, but they didn't have the nice nooks and crannies that an English muffin should have.

So, here we go!

I'm going to use this recipe, because it's the only one I could find in my bookmarks that didn't use a started, and I draw the line at complications like starters.

English Muffins

2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 Tbsp shortening or butter (at room temperature)
3/4 – 1 cup milk (at room temperature)
cornmeal for sprinkling

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Mix in the butter and 3/4 cup of the milk. Add the remaining milk if the dough is too dry.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes (Emily note: There's no way I'm kneading for 10 minutes. We'll give 3 minutes a try and see how we do!). Place in a lightly oiled bowl and roll to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for about an hour.

Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and shape into balls. Lay parchment paper on a baking sheet and spray or lightly coat with oil and sprinkle with cornmeal. Move the dough balls to the baking sheet evenly spaced apart (giving them room to rise more). Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and allow them to rise for another hour.

Heat the oven to 350 F and heat up a skillet on medium heat on the stovetop. Brush the skillet with oil and gently transfer the dough balls to the skillet a few at a time. Allow them to cook on the skillet for 5-8 minutes, until the bottoms are nicely browned. Carefully flip and cook the other side for about 5-8 minutes more. They should flatten as they cook.

When the muffins look as if they are about to burn, remove them from the skillet with a spatula and transfer quickly to a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 5-8 minutes. Do not wait until all of the muffins have been cooked on the skillet before moving them to the oven – as the first batch is baking, move the second batch of muffins to the skillet.

Transfer the baked muffins to a cooling rack and let cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing or serving.

If the first batch turns out like it should, I'm going to make a few extra batches to put in the freezer. I may even try adding a little whole wheat to a batch or two. Yum!

{Original recipe from Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice. Image and recipe from here}

Monday Visits: Cork City

2011-01-17T20:11:00.008+01:00

This weekend we went to Cork. Not so foreign, but it was a lovely day and a half. In fact, it was so lovely that I managed to take all of zero photos. Given, the first day it was misting and blowing wild wind, so I wasn't too eager to get the camera out. Day two was just flaky on my part. I swear, I'm going to get better! But let's see what we can work up.

We stayed in the Ambassador Hotel, which I think used to be an old hospital. We've stayed there before - and if you can get a room with one of the balconies overlooking the city, I highly recommend it. We didn't snag a balcony room this time around, but I can't complain - it was one night sleeping in a bed that isn't 6 inches too short for Michael's legs. A+ for that!

On Saturday night, we ate at the Strasbourg Goose, a quaint little cafe (and one of the only restaurants in Cork with a table for 6 with no reservations!) with a great prixe fixe menu. They had duck on the specials menu. Michael was a happy camper.

Sometimes it's a little hard to find great food for good value in Ireland, but the Strasbourg Goose was a great find. It was warm and cosy, with a fire blazing and the staff was so friendly and attentive.

On Sunday for lunch, the widowed wives and girlfriends of some of Michael's teammates went out for lunch at Amicus. Yummy food, great chats. Only wish I'd taken a photo.

We watched this guy (in the orange)

and this guy (bro-in-law, again in the orange)

kick some butt and take some names (67-56). Bring on the Cup final in two weeks!

And I even had some time to get some new makeup at Debenham's at the Benefit counter. A lovely girl named Leona (who had the most beautiful, milky skin) spruced me up and sent me on my way with some of this:

It's lip and cheek tint in a fresh, rosy color and way easy to use. It comes just like nail polish with a little brush. You just brush it on and then smudge it in. So easy and makes you look rosy and cheerful all day long!

I also picked up this eye makeup:

It's essentially all you need for pretty eyes for people who have no idea what they're doing. It comes with an instruction booklet that shows you exactly how to use the palette. So helpful.

So, that's your Monday Visit in a nutshell! Look, I managed a few photos for you after all! Next week I promise we'll take a whack at leaving the country. Well, we won't really, but we'll pretend to!

Dublin's First EatMagazine

2011-01-13T21:52:00.004+01:00

Just saw a neat free online magazine with great review of Dublin restaurants (thanks, Sarah, for posting this to your facebook!) .

Check it out by clicking on the (giant) button below!

Now, those of you who aren't from Dublin, check it out, then store it away in your bookmarks so when you do come to visit you've got a great, accessible guide ready to go!

And for the record, they are spot on with their review of the Exchecquer. I could just about live on their chocolate platter. Won't even share. Just saying.

Open publication - Free publishing - More restaurant

And one more thing...how on earth does that image get to be giant and I can't figure out for the life of me how to make my photos any bigger than tiny?! Grrrr....

Vegan Cake Review: Wacky!

2011-01-12T22:03:00.003+01:00

I got an email from my mom the yesterday saying she was going to wait to hear from me the verdict on the Vegan Orange Sticky Cake before giving it a try.

Um, oops! I forgot to let you know how it turned out!

Well, it's deadly. How's that for a review?

Really, though, there's no need to be scared of the vegan factor with the cake. It turns out it's just a Wacky Cake. Wacky cakes were a kind of cake common in the Depression Era because they didn't use eggs and butter, which were prohibitively expensive. Instead, they used cheap old baking soda and vinegar to give the cake lift. Pretty tricky!

My mother in law is nearly famous (at least among my husband's friends) for her chocolate wacky cake. I had no idea until I was researching for this post that it wasn't just her wacky name for the cake, that it's an actual category of cake. See? It has its own category. Not so scary.

The only suggestion I would make if you try the Vegan Orange Sticky Cake is to make sure you grease the sides of the cake pan before you bake it. I even did the whole thing with the parchment paper on the bottom but forgot the sides and one of the cakes did not look so hot.

The cake bakes quite quickly, so keep an eye on it. Might not want to go help your brother-in-law master the SAT for an hour and nearly forget about it.

And want to know one last secret? I un-Vegan'd it in the end. I didn't have marmalade for the glaze, so I made a regular vanilla frosting (with butter! gasp!) and topped it with some pretty confetti sprinkles. Totally yum. Okay, now go on. Make it. Quit being a wimp!

Here's my recipe for regular Vanilla Frosting:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
4-5 cups powdered (confectioner's or icing) sugar

With a mixer, whip up the softened butter (I usually put it in the microwave for 5-10 seconds to soften it up) so it's not lumpy. Then add about a cup of powdered sugar and beat that together. Add the milk a couple tablespoons of the milk and another cup of sugar and beat together. Then add the vanilla extract and beat that in. Now you just want to add enough sugar so that you either have enough icing or you have the consistency you want. Just don't go adding too much liquid at once - a little goes a long way.

Sometimes I make this icing cream cheese icing by adding cream cheese and subtracting some of the butter - great for carrot cake!

***

Photo Note: Wouldn't it be great if I had a cute little photo of the Vegan Orange Sticky Cake I made to prove I actually made it? I totally agree. I know it would be way more fun and satisfying for everyone if I would post more photos of what I actually do bake, but I'm a bit worried that the photos won't do the food justice and then you'll never make the recipes I suggest!

My excuse mostly boils down to needing to upgrade my camera to something that can deal with the *extremely* low light in our house (heck, in Ireland in general!). Fingers crossed that upgrade will happen in the next few weeks and you'll see a lot more of my own photos on this blog.

Aversion to Prints

2011-01-12T14:31:00.006+01:00

I'm off to start my new little job this morning, so here's a little quickie for ya!

Looking over my grown-up wardrobe over the last couple weeks I realized I have hardly any clothing with prints. I think I'm a giant wimp.

So here are a couple prints that don't make me run the other direction.

{Sparkle print blouse}

{Flower print blouse from Vero Moda}

{Sweet birds from Asos}

{Check print top from Vero Moda}

There, not so bad, huh?

And I just realized I totally forgot about yesterday's Monday Visit, so expect that later today! Better late than never!

New Routines

2011-01-12T11:05:00.006+01:00

I have a little bit of news. I got a new job, and I start Monday. Eek!

I'll be working part time, for this organization.

I think it's going to be great, although I've no real idea what I'll be doing yet!

And don't worry, I should still be right here every day on my blog! It even means you'll probably see more stories I collect on my commute to and from the poshest post code in Dublin - just a bit different from my last position in the hood!

And in honor of having to begin dressing like a grown-up again, here are a few grown up clothes I'm contemplating investing in over the next few weeks.

{Suiting from Banana Republic - not too stuffy, huh?}

{Lovely Mac from JCrew - I think great for the rainy commute}

{Booties from Banana Republic - not sure if suede's a great idea, but might not be able to help myself!}

{Dress from Gap - would be very versatile}

{Cardi from Banana Republic - what a cheery color!}

Vegan Orange Sticky Cake

2011-01-10T23:17:00.007+01:00

I don't think there is a category I skip over more than vegan recipes. I admit, I equate vegan with icky, grainy, tastes-like-sawdust. Just generally eww. And I'm not sure why, since I'm not sure I've actually had a vegan recipe before.

So I apologize to the vegans out there, I may have judged your entire category a bit too hastily.

Because this cake is vegan. And it looks delicious. It has regular flour, regular sugar, even vegetable oil. Who knew vegan recipes had normal ingredients?!

I'm making it today and I'll let you know how it turns out.

Sticky Orange Cake with Marmalade Glaze

(makes 2 9-inch round layers)

Cake
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 orange, zested
2 cups orange juice
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Glaze
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1 tablespoon rum or vodka (or water)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper and lightly grease the paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, baking soda, salt, and orange zest. Whisk until thoroughly combined, crumbling the brown sugar with the tips of your fingers if necessary.

In a separate bowl or large measuring cup whisk together the orange juice, vegetable oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Quickly mix the wet ingredients into the dry mix and whisk thoroughly. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Let the cakes cool for about 20 minutes in the cake pans, then run a knife around the inside of the pan to release each layer. Turn the cake layers out onto cooling racks. Glaze while the cakes are still warm, but not hot.

To make the glaze, mix the marmalade and rum or vodka in a small saucepan. Warm over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until the glaze is bubbling and hot. Turn off the heat and immediately glaze the cake.

Place one cake layer on a cake plate. Pierce the top with a toothpick a few times. Using a slotted spoon, lift out the solid bits of the marmalade and set them aside in a small bowl. Pour about half the liquid in the saucepan over the first cake layer. Place the second layer on top of the first, and repeat. Spoon the solid bits of marmalade peel on top of the cake.

{recipe and image from The Kitchn}

We're headed to see friends for dinner tonight (I'm bringing that cake!) and as a little hostess gift, I usually like to bring something for our friends to have the next morning for breakfast.

So the mushy bananas in the fruit bowl are getting a transformation into this recipe. That way the hosts have a little treat the next day to remember us by!

Crock Pot's Maiden Voyage

2011-01-10T23:06:00.005+01:00

I finally got a chance to try out my new crock pot earlier this week. For it's first recipe, I decided to go with a classic crock pot staple - chili. For the gray, damp day it was the perfect choice.

I used this recipe but added several extra ingredients to it. The best part about crock pot chili? The smell that greets you when you open the door and it's been cooking all day!

Crock Pot Chili

(recipe from here, slightly modified)

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 can (15 ounces) chopped tomatoes
1 cup dried beans, rinsed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 carrot, chopped (weird, I know, but it added a nice color!)
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
2 cups chicken or beef broth
3 tablespoons tomato paste
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Creme fraiche or sour cream for serving

Put everything in the crock pot and let it cook on high for 6 hours. I used cannellini beans for the dried beans and they need some extra time. I think smaller beans would have been done in the 6 hours, no problem.

And it most closely resembled this chili, only with a few green peppers sprinkled throughout. I swear, my own photos, soon!

We serve our chili over potatoes, is that common in America too? It always seems novel to me. We cook potatoes in the microwave in a covered bowl. And I get the baby potatoes so they take barely any time at all to cook!

Enjoy!

{Image from here}

New Series: Monday Visits

2011-01-10T17:43:00.005+01:00

Happy Monday, friends!

It is dark, wet and dreary in Dublin today. Michael said to me earlier, "Now this feels like winter in Dublin." And I think he's right. No snow, no bright sunshine like we've had lately. Just dark and wet.

We've been attempting to plan a few quick weekends away to spots in Europe. We're having some scheduling issues. I call them basketball and a master's. Neither of them are mine, but I'm not too keen on traveling without my best navigator.

So until he's a little less busy, I thought I'd start a new series: Monday Visits. Each Monday I'm going to pick a fun, foreign place and give you a quick glimpse of things either from that place or inspired by it, and maybe even a few travel ideas of what to do if you ever get there. Hopefully some day in the next few months, they might be real accounts of what my weekend DID look like.

So here's a mini version for you.

Monday Visit: Paris.

A few shots from our trip to Paris a few years ago

And a few Paris-inspired Etsy finds.

1: Paris street scene print. 2: "Choose Joy" print. 3: Eifel Tower tea towel.

And in other important news, my blog is in the process of getting a makeover as we speak. Guess what's going to be different once that's done? The photos won't be so darn tiny! Yeah!

Tea for Two

2011-01-06T23:31:00.007+01:00

Just a few weeks ago, Michael and I realized our kitchen in Ireland is missing something VERY important. I thought we had it nearly kitted out, what with my awesome new slow cooker and all, but I was wrong.

I don't know how we can even call ourselves Irish. Well, technically I can't call myself Irish at all until another three years when I've got a passport in my hand, but still. We don't own a teapot. We have an electric kettle, so we can make individual cups of tea, but I'm pretty sure every Irish kitchen needs a teapot, even if we are mostly a coffee family.

But I've been poking around the internets looking for a cute teapot to properly finish our Irish kitchen. What do you think of these?

{Hand Painted Teapot from Paisley Hill Designs on Etsy}

{Word Teapot from MyDeco}

{Avoca Trinkets Teapot from Bijouled}

{John Lewis Stripes Teapot from MyDeco}

For the record, I think American kitchens need to adopt electric tea kettles instead of the stove-top version (the sound my dad's makes nearly gives my mom a heart attack every morning). Electric kettles are genius and fast and peaceful - no screeching noise! I use mine to make coffee in our French press every morning and it takes no time at all. Does that tell you something about how Irish I will ever be?

Electric kettles are also great for filling hot water bottles, which I think Americans should adopt as well. I've got my sister (whose apartment is like a tundra) hooked on them. We even have two in our house so we don't have to fight over who gets it! They're great for warming up the cold bed before you have to climb in at night.

Alright, there you go, my pitch for all things Irish on your Friday!

Recommendation

2011-01-06T16:09:00.003+01:00

When you're reading a book, do you ever feel like you really want to get to the end to find out what's going to happen, but on the other hand you don't want the book to end and be over?

I'm nearing the end of The Help, by Kathryn Stockett, and I just think it is so good. Given, I'm not the only one, it topped the New York Times Bestseller List and they really know what they're talking about.

And here's the starred review from Publishers Weekly:

"What perfect timing for this optimistic, uplifting debut novel (and maiden publication of Amy Einhorn's new imprint) set during the nascent civil rights movement in Jackson, Miss., where black women were trusted to raise white children but not to polish the household silver. Eugenia Skeeter Phelan is just home from college in 1962, and, anxious to become a writer, is advised to hone her chops by writing about what disturbs you. The budding social activist begins to collect the stories of the black women on whom the country club sets relies and mistrusts enlisting the help of Aibileen, a maid who's raised 17 children, and Aibileen's best friend Minny, who's found herself unemployed more than a few times after mouthing off to her white employers. The book Skeeter puts together based on their stories is scathing and shocking, bringing pride and hope to the black community, while giving Skeeter the courage to break down her personal boundaries and pursue her dreams. Assured and layered, full of heart and history, this one has bestseller written all over it."

So you don't even have to take my word for it - the experts think it's great too!

What about you all, are you reading anything great at the moment? Send on over some recommendations!

Orders

2011-01-05T11:32:00.004+01:00

Good morning, everyone!

Last night, I got a call from a family friend who was looking to order four dozen cupcakes for a luncheon Thursday. She's not a big dessert lady, so she's leaving the flavors and icing choices up to me. So fun!

Did you know you can do that? Yep, I take orders. Sadly, the edible treats can really only be ordered by those living in the Dublin area. But if you're thinking of hosting a party, brunch or tea and don't want to take on all the baking yourself, you can place an order with the China Village Bakery (the name's a work in progress!). Anything else, like this cute baby mobile or these wreaths, you can order to be shipped anywhere!

Before Christmas, I got an order for two pumpkin cakes and a batch of cookies for a principal, a secretary and a teacher. Then I made an order for two Christmas stockings for two lovely little boys. They ended up being red and white stripes and mini polka dots with embroidered initials. Too cute!

My hope is that within the next few months, you'll be able to easily order edibles and inedibles from a page on this site. But in the meantime, you can email me at fromchinavillage@gmail.com for more information!

For tomorrow's order, I'm going to make vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting:

and carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting:

And I'm still pondering a chocolate cupcake recipe to throw in there as well. I figure three flavors are way more fun than just one!

{Images from here and here.}

Zuzana-ing

2011-01-04T14:12:00.006+01:00

I've told a few friends about this site I use instead of belonging to a gym, but I'm always forgetting to send them the link. So, here it is!

It's called BodyRock, and the (really jacked) lady who does the workouts is called Zuzana. She's Czech and her husband is Canadian. They travel a lot around Europe and they document their adventures on the site as well.

Her workouts are designed so you can do them at home with minimal equipment. Most of them require no equipment at all. The theory is that you can use your own body weight to build muscle and stay fit.

I like her workouts because she always seems like she thinks they're really difficult too, even though she probably has about 1% body fat and serious muscles. It helps when I'm huffing and puffing that at least she is too!

And I like that I can do the workouts in our small living room, sometimes watching TV, and they don't take forever! Some of the workouts take her only 12 or 17 minutes. They take me longer, but I'm usually done in half an hour!

They're hard at the beginning, but they get a little easier and you build muscle really quickly.

For each workout, she does a video where she demonstrates everything . I usually watch the video once or twice so I know what each exercise is and see the correct form, and then I do the reps on my own. I set up this free interval timer on my computer and off I go!

Right, so there's my Zuzana pitch as I'm spending a few days coming down from the sugar buzz of the last few weeks.

Here are my top 5 favorite workouts from the site. And don't let the names scare you! Or her slightly provocative workout outfits. Ha!

1. Sexy Pain Train Workout

2. Eight Exercises Drill

3. 600 Rep Workout

4. Rock Your Body Workout

5. Turbo Fat Blaster Workout

Obviously, I can't guarantee you'll look like her by doing the workouts. Heck, I don't look like that and I do them several times a week. But that's because I like sugar. I could eat chocolate for every meal (I actually did eat chocolate for most meals over the last few weeks!) and I usually choose sweet tooth over Zuzana bod. But I think I'm fitter than if I belonged to a gym, and saving myself lots of money on a gym membership!

Enjoy!

Resolved

2010-12-31T17:22:00.005+01:00

I love new year's resolutions. I think of them for months leading up to the new year, trying to figure out what will be the best way to start the year on the right track. I know some people find them too much pressure, but I suppose I've never been too worried about breaking them.

And I figure even if you break them, at least you tried and that's a step in the right direction!

My most successful resolution I've ever made was in 2007 to stop cursing. I had been working on political campaigns for a few years and I'd picked up the campaign lingo, which generally involved a lot of cursing (sorry, parents!). So in 2007, I made a resolution to stop cursing.

Four years later, it has nearly worked. Nearly. It just goes out the window when it comes to cat poop and certain very important domestic disagreements when I really need to make my point (sorry, Michael).

So this year, I'm re-resolving to really stop swearing altogether.

I'm also making a resolution to write a letter, not an email or a facebook message, each week. Everyone loves getting letters, and I think it will make 52 people smile!

A few months ago, I started writing a book, then got caught up in my blog and put it down. But 2011 will be the year I finish writing my (first!) book, and maybe 2012 will be the year you all see it in print!

Of course, I have a long list of crafty, arty projects I want to start and finish, and lots of recipes I want to try. And even my lovely blog is getting a serious makeover in the coming weeks which I think you all will like.

What about you all? Did you make resolutions? Are you scowling at me through your computer because you hate resolutions? Come on, I know you're out there!

{I'm not sure where those images are from! I saved them before I started this little blog, so if they're yours or if you know where they're from, please tell me so I can give credit!}