When I think of my two pregnancies and the excessive amount of presents we received at each shower, I really feel overwhelmed. For about two months after delivery, the postman would keep knocking at the door with boxes and boxes of gifts for these babies, who didn't even have enough days to wear everything on time. Now, they are 6 and 3 years old... and, what do we have left, out of all of those gifts?
Honestly, the only thing that still survives every closet cleaning is a pair of very simple, but super smooth wooden rattles with their names on. My girls loved them, had a lot of fun chewing them, banging them and now, they are a beautiful keepsake to remind us of their babyhood forever...
These days, handmade, wooden, baby rattles have got to an even higher level of beauty with Little Alouette!!
Modern versions of wooden rattles with bunnies, elephants or hippo silhouettes are coming out of this fun company based in Ohio. At Little Alouette, each finished piece is slightly different, every rattle is made by hand using local maple wood, sanded until it is as smooth as silk, coated with certified organic seed oil, filled with beans for a shaky-shaky sound and infused with love ... What else should we look for? This is the ohhh-soooo-cute!! perfect gift for your next baby shower...
If the baby stage is over and you are looking for an eco-friendly wooden toy for your mini one, Little Alouette also has a small line of basic toys. Animal figures, keys and blocks, wonderful to grasp and let your child's imagination fly away, so far away, that maybe you will be able to enjoy a "latte" in peace, without the usual interruptions!! ...hope, hope!!
...So, we celebrated Easter yesterday and decided to have a veeeery different party... Every year, my husband and I struggle getting our two daughters "picture-ready", dressing ourselves up, making it on time for a restaurant reservation and meeting friends... This year, we created the "Easter Brunch PijamaParty" ...No rush, no reservations, no dress-up and yeeess cocktails, good food, egg-hunt, fun and ....yummy cake!!
I picked this Walnut Cake with Coffee Syrup, a recipe from Louise Pickford's book "Brunch", as the special dessert for the occasion... I chose to unfollow that old rule "never cook a recipe for the first time when hosting a party" and went for it. The result was soooo fantastic that I've decided to share it with my virtual friends ...why? Because it is scrumptious, easy and fast to make...Perfect for busy mommies like you and I, who want to look like perfect chefs without killing ourselves in the process...
Here is the list of what you need to get:
For the cake:
6 eggs, separated
2 1/2 cups walnut halves, finely ground in a food processor
3/4 cup day-old bread crumbs (italian bread was perfect, left uncovered overnight)
9-inch springform pan, greased and lined with a round of greased parchment
whipped cream, to serve
For coffee syrup:
1 1/4 cups strong black coffee
1/2 cup sugar
3 star anise
Now get it done:
Put the egg yolks into a large bowl, add 2/3 cup of the sugar and wisk until pale.Stir in the ground walnuts and bread crumbs. (The mixture will be very stiff at this stage)
Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until soft peaks form, gradually whisk in the remaining sugar. Stir a large spoonful into the cake mixture, then fold in the rest until evenly mixed. Spoon into the prepared cake pan and bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, until risen and springy to the touch.
Meanwhile, put the coffee, sugar and star anise in a saucepan. Heat until the sugar dissolves, then boil for 5-6 minutes until sirupy, not too thick. Cool slightly.
Using a wooden toothpick, spike the cake all over the surface and drizzle with half the syrup. Set aside to cool. Serve the cake still warm with whipped cream and the remaining coffee syrup spooned around it in a pool.
That's it!! A great cake for any occasion, soft, moist, delicious!!... Sorry, got to go and get a piece...Mmmmm!! Hope you make it and enjoy it as much as I am.
Isn't it true that when it comes to decorating your baby's room, you are so inspired that you end up all confused and overwhelmed with so many styles, themes, colors? ...Months go by and the more you look, the further you get to a final decision... Kalon Studios, ahhhh!! Kalon Studios and their modern, clean, practical designs make me feel like working a deal with the stork again, juuuuust to decorate a nursery one more time... Take a look!!
Based in Los Angeles and Germany, Kalon Studios is as good to the environment as it can be...
Sustainability is their motto and the furniture is not only beautiful in form, but even more beautiful in concept. Everything is made to create a balance, "giving as much as we take".
The "Ioline" furniture by Kalon Studios is all made of durable bamboo finished with an oil they developed, that is sooo green, so non-toxic that is food grade... Expensive? Of course, so much goodness cannot be cheap, but if you think about it twice, it is worth every penny... A crib-bed, a dresser and a changing table-toy chest is all you need to decorate your little one's room for five years... You either buy the regular stuff and shop twice, for the baby and then the toddler, or purchase something smart like this and get done at once...
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