photos

This is going to be a ridiculous post, by the way.

I think E is uploading the pictures of the weekend madness tomorrow, but for now I'm going to forward to you my birthday in food.

Okay, so numero 1, A and I made Eggs Benedict (a hands-down favourite of mine, A's, AEM's and just our banterous breakfast from my LDN times) on Saturday morning, because we are awesome chefs. Egg on egg anyone? Thanks.
Numero 2, a little later on Saturday, A and I went to this awesome cosy Chocolaterie in the Old Town in Tallinn with my parents. We shared many many chocolate treats and this was my slab of cake. Milk chocolate mousse with a cream cheese layer and cherry jam-ish stuff. And it was divine. Not to sweet. Kicked butt.
And numero 3, is the pasta we demolished to put the world right again on Monday, with the pretty one, just before A's flight. We went to Vapiano (again a shared favourite of all three). My one on the left is chicken, orange-chilli sauce and pak choi, JESUS I've had it so many times and it doesn't get old. And A had her sausage and fig thing.

Nom-nom.

Eat well.
M.

bread exchange

and the Wonderful, Wonderful Malin.
http://thebreadexchange.com/

This is another one of my blog recommendations.

Malin is this Swedish young woman, currently living somewhere in Germany. And basically, she started this project called the Bread Exchange.
She started making bread just for banter at home, but as she was trying out so many new things and experimenting a lot she had loads of left-over bread, which she started giving to her friends. Her friends in return would give her...little things, whatevers, homemade jam, or write a poem, or offer to fix her bike.
In short, this grew into a network of people involved in the Bread Exchange.

It is so simple.
Malin makes bread. Posts where she will be (she travels a lot with her job) and then people can set up a meeting with her.
Malin will bring bread.
In return, you can make her or give her anything at all, whatever you want.
Everything, except money.

Her blog is a wonderful wonderful mix of her journey and the journey of Bread Exchange, with awesome photos from her travels.
And Malin herself comes across simply as a truly wonderful being.

"Everything is not for sale."
M.

Photo from the bread exchange blog.

SÜGIS

 
 I'd like to speak elvish. That would be cool. The Tolkien kind of Elvish.

I would like to spend my entire autumn in that room (the last photo) with the leather sofa and the big map. Just planning, planning, planning my next move. Planning the next spring and the next summer. Eating bread that A. has made, and smother it with the triple citrus marmalade that I've made. ("Maria's Marmalade", of course.) I'd sit there and I'd plan. And therefore every autumn I wouldn't think well, this is silly, why the hell must I wear clothing, but instead, I'd know that this was time to plan. Proper hibernation.
And I would always have candles on the windowsill, so I could say "lights will guide you home", or at least will guide you to me. I think that's why I like the Estonian day for spirits ("hingedepäev"). It's somewhere very beginning of November. And it's just to commemorate. And you know, in case there are any lost spirits or souls out there, lighting candles so they know how to find their way. It is just lovely. And I like it so very much. It just triggers some sort of sentimentality, in me. And I like candles anyway.
Tomorrow might be a day for a cracking cup of cappuccino.

The one benefit of autumn is that I want to cook more. And I don't mean make food, but seriously cook. Something like the lamb ravioli and broth below. And bake. Because, I mean, cake and autumn is just something else.

Really working at this autumn thing.
Love,
M.