More About That Photography Workshop

As regular readers will know, I recently undertook some mentoring from Brighton-based photographer Emma Gutteridge of Emma Lucy Photography. For amateur photographers like myself who want to learn either some camera basics or hone in on more specific photography skills, Emma offers bespoke mentoring sessions. I can't recommend her enough. On her blog, Emma has written a short post on our food photography session - check it out here and while you're there be sure to have a look at her stunning wedding photography which is jaw-droppingly beautiful.

All images on this post by Emma Gutteridge, Emma Lucy Photography. Food by Buttercup days. Props by Keep It Vintage.

A Birthday Picnic

On Saturday we threw a small 'Birthday Picnic' for Arthur and some of his friends and their parents. I still can't believe how lucky we were with the weather. Despite a less than positive forecast it stayed dry and the sun even made a couple of appearances. 

We headed to our 'local woods' at Three Corner Cospe for our picnic. Arthur loves the outdoors and is as happy as a clam when collecting sticks, leaves and pine cones. In fact he has a real stick obsession going on at the moment: every time we go out he returns with a stick or small bundle of twigs gripped tightly in his hands. We have quite a pile of them in our back yard now. He's reckoning on building a house with them apparently. So, with sticks in mind I worked on an outdoor woodland theme for the party.

I made little individual toadstool lunch boxes for the kids and filled them with some lunchtime goodies and made pasties for the adults. After lunch the kids did leaf hunts, rolled down the grassy slopes and collected sticks. I supplied each partygoer with a knapsack containing an i-spy nature book (so timeless!), a magnifying glass, twig pencil, sweets and bubbles. The kids had a great time and the adults all did too, which isn't always the case with kids parties. I expect the pasties played a part in that and the fact that the rain stayed away for the afternoon.

Four

Arthur turned 4 on Friday. He had a lovely day which started with the opening of presents before breakfast. He was as pleased as punch with all his new toys. Four is a good age for boys toys: no longer the toddler toys. He received numerous exciting new additions to expand his beloved Brio railway, Lego, Playmobil and lots of cars and track. There were also some lovely books and some great craft bits for those quieter times. One lucky boy.

That evening Arthur called the shots when it came to the dinner menu. He requested Pesto pasta, garlic bread and black olives followed by chocolate mousse made by mummy. The mousse was winner, so I shall share the recipe in a future post. In the meantime, here are some pics of the all-important Birthday cake that we enjoyed the next day at his party. It was triple chocolate: chocolate sponge, kit-kat fingers and smarties. Needless to say Arthur loved it and come the end of the weekend there wasn't a crumb left.

A Sneak Peek of What's To Come

I hadn't planned to say anything until everything was in its proper place (these things always take longer than expected), but I can't wait any longer - I'm going to let you in on what I've been up to recently with Buttercup days.

Buttercup days will start to subtly change its focus becoming more refined in its content. Specialising in food is the most natural (and obvious) path for it to take. More often than not my posts are food related and my growing portfolio of freelance writing has also channelled itself into food. The over all identity and familiarities of the blog will remain and there will still be a smattering of ad-hoc posts that sit comfortably with the elements of Buttercup days that focus on family, occasion and nostalgia. The changes in content will be delicate, and possibly had you not read this post, you would be non the wiser. However, what I hope you will notice within the next month or so is the new look that Buttercup days will be donning. There will be a brand new logo and an altogether cleaner look which will allow the images to stand out proud.

Imagery is the other area of the blog that I am currently tackling. Until now I took images using either my phone or a rather dated camera that we used for holiday snaps. Both options, it is fair to say, had their limitations. So, I bit the bullet and bought myself a 'proper' professional camera on Ebay and recently undertook a crash course in food photography with the talented Brighton photographer Emma Lucy, who has shot some of my work in the past for magazines. I am now just practising at every given opportunity and honing any underlying photography skills I may have hidden somewhere. It will no doubt be a work-in-progress. The images on this post are from that first shoot. I'd like to say a huge thank you to both Emma for setting me on my way and to Keep It Vintage for the loan of all the lovely props.

P.S. I will be running the photographed recipes over the coming weeks: pineapple upside down cake with honey & pistachios | rhubarb french toast | fig & goats cheese salad.

Milan, You Were Really Something

 

It's now day two back at home since our trip, yet my head in still in Milan. I'm not quite back to reality just yet. It was a wonderful city; one that we only had a quick taste of, but wow it certainly delivered all the expectations we went out there with. It was charming, elegant, stylish and full of history. Those shutters and ornate balconies gave even the most unremarkable streets character and history. 

As I mentioned in my previous post, we were staying at an apartment that belongs to friends who were out of the country. The apartment was stunning: it wouldn't have looked out of place in Elle Decor Italia magazine. It was vast and included, much to Lily and Arthur's delight, a playroom complete with an extensive children's DVD library. The living room had three floor-to-ceiling windows that opened out onto balconies from which we could people watch down on the street below (we were on the 3rd floor). We were well and truly in the thick of the city: the best place to be.

For the first few days, David was working during the day and evening time at the various design events dotted around the city. All was productive and enjoyable. So during those days the kids and I stayed local, finding our feet (and the local bakers and ice cream parlour). The food was a highlight for me. The breads were amazing: perfect ciabatta, wonderful cheese stuffed focaccia and the best pizza. The local supermarket was really something too - I've never seen such an array of fresh vegetables and there were two aisles dedicated to cheese alone. It wasn't a specialist or expensive shop, just the local supermarket. I just wanted to stay longer so I could continue to shop and cook.

The only tainted part of our trip was when Arthur came down with a sudden sickness bug (we were in the Science Museum at the time!). He was quite poorly for a couple of days so we were apartment bound. It was little frustrating as it meant we couldn't see all we had planned to, but he shook it off quickly and was back in the ice cream parlour before our trip was out. Below are a few snaps of our trip. They're pretty random, due to the fact that I forgot to take my camera battery charger (or spare battery) and it ran out of juice on day two. So the phone camera had to step in and do its best. If you ever get the chance to visit this beautiful city, grab it with both hands.

Next Week: Milan.

We're off to Milan next week for seven days. I'm feeling quite excited, if a little unprepared. We only decided to go a couple of months ago. Normally, any trips we take are booked well in advance. The main reason for this trip is work. Milan is home to the world's biggest furniture fair, Salone Internazionale del Mobile - think a kind of 'Milan Fashion Week' for furniture and interiors. As well as the main event, there are countless satellite events throughout the cities various districts. 

It is our first trip to Milan, indeed our first trip to Italy. We toyed with making the trip alone, which would obviously make 'business' sense. We toyed with David making the trip on his own, while I stayed behind with the kids. To be honest I wasn't overly comfortable or happy with either option. The decision we finally settled upon was for us both to go with the kids in toe. This means that I won't really be able to do the business stuff. David will spend the first 48hrs of our trip attending the exhibitions and events during the day and the launch parties in the evenings. Once work has had its 48hrs or so, we can do stuff as a family. 

The real coup of this trip is that we're going to staying at my friend Sarah's city centre apartment. She moved to Milan with her husband and two young daughters just over a year ago, due to her husbands job. Since settling in her new city, Sarah has given us an open invite to visit. We all knew that the ideal time for our visit would be now. But, would you believe this; we will only see Sarah for a mere morning as she is coming back to the UK for her sisters wedding and will return to Milan the day after we leave. What bad timing! 

So, while David hangs out with the design world's movers and shakers in chic city spots, I will be exploring what cultural treats the city has to offer with Lily, Arthur, my terrible sense of direction and Sarah's recommendations. I speak no Italian, but am pretty good and communicating with gesture and expression, which will hopefully be enough to get us by. We will jump on the metro or travel by tram and get 'inside' the city. Lily wants to find the best Pesto Pasta and Arthur will be more than happy to try out the ice cream parlours. I just want to visit the food and flea markets, shop in the supermarket and people watch from an outdoor cafe, cappuccino in hand. As for the evenings, I'll happily give the swanky parties and bars a miss for a glass of wine on my friends couch reading through the pile of books that I will take with me. I'm happy with the simple life whichever city I happen to be in.

No doubt, I will come home with something to share on the blog, but until then, Ciao. x

Apricot & Almond Pastries

Over the long Easter weekend, I made time to try out a few new recipes: after all it was way too cold to go out. For the second year running I made my own Hot Cross Buns - both a traditional fruit and chocolate chip version. They knock the socks off the shop bought ones I can tell you. They are, and will always be, part of my Easter baking ritual now. 

I also made these Apricot & Almond Pastries. They were super quick and easy to make. Dredged with a little icing sugar and boxed up in a cushion of coloured tissue paper, they made a nice little gift for the friends we visited on Easter Sunday. The recipe comes from my favourite magazine 'The Simple Things'. I love each and every page of it: it is as if a magazine has be written for me! I like to call it my Monocole Magazine.

Apricot & Almond Pastries

1 pack of ready rolled puff pastry

125g apricot jam

Extra apricot jam for brushing

55g ground almonds

2 tbsp sugar

10g softened butter

Preheat the oven to 200C (180 fan), 400F, gas 6. 

Using a 9am cutter, cut out circles from the pastry. I managed to get 12. Place the pastry discs onto a couple of baking sheets lined with non-stick baking paper. Prick all over with a fork.

To make the frangipane mix, combine the ground almonds, sugar and butter in a bowl. Press a teaspoon or two into the centre of each pastry disc and then top with a couple of teaspoons of apricot jam.

Gently warm through a couple of dessert spoons of the apricot jam in a small pan and brush the warmed jam over each of the pastries.

Bake in the oven for 12 - 15 mins, or until golden.

Allow to cool on the tray for a few minutes and then carefully move to a wire rack. Dredge with a little icing sugar should you so desire. 

Perfect to have with your morning coffee.