HOMEMADE: CRANBERRY, MAPLE SYRUP AND MUESLI ANZAC BISCUITS.

Posted in FOOD by jayjayne

Today is Anzac Day – probably the most important commemorative event on the Australian Calendar – it is a day that marks the anniversary of the first major military action that led to major casualties for Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. The acronym ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps – whose soldiers were known as Anzacs. It’s a solemn day – in which we remember the price of war – and are reminded that so many people around the world are still suffering through the horrific consequences of war everyday.

So today, I decided to make a batch of Anzac biscuits to commemorate this austere day of remembrance (I wasn’t able to make it to a dawn service ._. ) – and while reading-up on Anzac biscuits, I was surprised to find out a few interesting little facts, such as why Anzac biscuits don’t use egg as binding agent (treacle or golden syrup are most commonly used) - during the war, many of the poultry farmers had joined the services – thus a lack in egg produce. I have to admit to making a few little tweaks to the recipe as well – I’ve added in a small handful of cranberries (I’ve used Craisins, but any dried berry, or even chopped dried apricot will be fine), maple syrup and mixed muesli instead of plain oats – a delicious combination – and even crunchier – and super filling, to boot!

Putting my Florence + the Machine saucer to good use.

I’ll be bringing the rest of these to work for our Anzac Day Morning Tea tomorrow.

I N G R E D I E N T S .

1 cup plain flour, sifted
3/4 cup muesli
1/4 cup Craisins (or other dried berry, apricot)
1 cup desiccated coconut
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup (or golden syrup, treacle)
125g butter
1 teaspoon bicarb soda
2 tablespoons water

B A K E .

Preheat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
Sift the flour into a large bowl. Stir in the oats, Craisins, coconut and brown sugar.
Put the butter, golden syrup and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Stir over a medium heat until melted. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda.
Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and stir until combined. If still a bit dry, add a tiny amount of water.
Roll level tablespoons of mixture into balls. Place on the trays, about 5cm apart.
Press with palm of hand to flatten slightly. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Set aside on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack so they cool completely.

Enjoy with a hot cuppa – also, please feel free to ask me questions about tweaks! I’m pretty sure this is a fail-safe recipe – as I’ve somehow been able to pull it off! If I can do it, I’m sure you can too!

24Apr2013

DIARIES, A THING OF THE PAST? NOT SO, SAY I!

Posted in PERSONAL by jayjayne

Every year I trawl through the increasingly difficult task of finding a yearly diary. Now, you would of thought that this would be an appropriate topic to discuss at the end of last year, or, at the very least, at the start of this year – well, in the case of a chronic diary swapper such as I, a trimester-ly update seems more than appropriate. I say this as I have to admit – I’ve switched between three diaries ALREADY this year.

I come out to you all, ashamed. Mainly as I happen to go through the same switchy-switchy drama on an annual basis. By the time it is the end of the year; I’ve forgotten my conclave of diaries completely and have resorted to writing down important reminders and updates on aging receipt paper and vainly attempting to keep them together with a last-legs elastic band.

This year I promised myself that it would not be so – I was going to be organised. I was going to do things. Cool things. I was going to remember anniversaries. I was going to remember birthdays. IT COULD HAVE BEEN AWESOME.
But no. I have not.

After the wedding, I promptly lost my first diary, procured from Kikik.K late 2012.

The second, I drenched in coffee.

The third I purchased in Japan, only to find out that it was ridiculously tiny. My hand-writing is pretty small, but I felt like I had hands made out of leg-hams whilst attempting to scribble my daily endeavours in the postage-stamp-sized splodge of paper that they had provided for “Thursday”. Yeesh.

So I have thusly purchased a new diary – a Moleskine from Larry Post. Black. Personalised. With a pen holder. And a pen.

SAKURA Pigma Micron Size 02 – Black The Pigma Micron Pen is the first fine-point writing instrument offering a water-proof, quick drying, black pigment ink. They are ideal for technical drawing, graphics, drafting and fine line illustration. Unlike dye-based ink found in most pens and markers, Pigma pigment ink is of archival quality, waterproof, fadeproof and smudgeproof on porous surfaces when dry. It does not feather and will not bleed through paper. Excellent copy machine reproduction. I LOVE THIS PEN.

I have a dusty home. .____.

18Apr2013

SO THEN I GOT MARRIED, AND GOT LAZY AND HORRIBLE. ALSO, I THINK MY WRITING SKILLS GOT WORSER-RER.

Posted in PERSONAL, PHOTGRAPHY, RANT, WEDDING by jayjayne

So it’s been a good long while since I’ve been around. I, however, did manage to remember to pay for my web host and WordPress account – so there’s a slight improvement compared to last year’s pay-through-your-nose farce. And yes, I’ve always wondered why they term - “paying through your nose” – actually, scrap that, I know now, I figure it’s because it would be pretty difficult to fish a twenty from your nostrils. Fair enough.

So I got married recently – well, fairly recently. Not very recently, but recently enough. And it was pretty cool. I managed to scrape through the few days prior to the wedding on mere shreds of sanity. And because I managed to keep my mobile phone on/around me for the majority of the hectic day, I was able to scavenge a few shots and then post them up on Instagram – being the modern married minx that I am.

My wedding. In sort-of-chronological-order.

Post-wedding, the amount of relief that runs through you is exhilarating. And then you get hit with a wave of sheer exhaustion. It’s all you can do to keep your brain from hopping out of your cranium to make a slow but meaningful escape for the door. For us, we planned to honeymoon it up in Japan – a fantasmically good choice – we deserved a break, but I hate sand. I hate sand with a passion. No stupidly scenic islands for me, only a sea of food, skyscrapers, ridiculously fashionable folk and fabulous shopping as far as they eye can see.

But before I can even move on to pictures from Japan, I had better complete pictures from my wedding. Scrap that, pictures from my holiday to Taiwan. Um. I think I’ve got a lot of catching up to do.

22Feb2013

BRISBANE: URBAN LIST ITINERARY/APT7 SNEAK PEAK

Posted in ART, BRISBANE, PHOTGRAPHY by jayjayne

I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times, and I’ll say it again – I love Brisbane. We may not be as shiny as Sydney or Melbourne, but we have a laid-back debonair taste that makes our city a less cluttered, more pure, version of our sister cities. So, with keeping this in mind and after discovering the Urban List Itinerary competition, I’ve decided to put together my own little list of must-visit locations for a day out in our lovely city:

Kick start the morning with a cup of Joe and freshly smashed avocado on a smoked tomato bagel, from The Burrow. After being suitably sustained, head to the GoMA and take in the APT7 exhibit. If you’re feeling young, sneak into the Kid’s APT7 and be certain to partake in some of the free wacky-creative activities on offer. After getting your head into a spin with all the colours and activity of the GoMA, pick up a packed-lunch and take-away coffee from Sourced Grocer and trek out to the Newstead River Park and enjoy your meal perched by the Brisbane River. On your way, take in the tall iron structure of the No. 2 Gasometer frame on Longland Street. Feel tiny yet? No matter, you can remedy that with a little retail therapy at the James Street Markets and it’s surrounding shops. Be sure to pick up a bottle of vino at Cru Bar. You’ll be needing that for dinner – at Australia’s oldest and most authentic Japanese restaurant, Little Tokyo. Of course, you can choose to side-step that option and head straight for the sake. 乾杯!*

*Kanpai, (colloquial) cheers!; bottoms up!

Oh yes, I recently (and finally), found a smidgeon of time to check out The 7th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT7) display at the lovely GoMA – The only major exhibition series in the world to focus exclusively on the contemporary art of Asia, the Pacific and Australia. Every year it lands in Brisbane, I get beyond excited. I plan to do a much more in-depth review of this amazing exhibit – but since I’m short on time, I’ll share with you a few small shots of one of my favourite displays – a series of works by Paramodel. Artists Yasuhiko Hayashi and Yusuke Nakano work collaboratively as Paramodel and produce vast and intricate installations – and adorably, “truck-sushi”.

How to make a paramodel 2012
PVC pipe, plywood toys, inkjet prints on canvas. “Water Works” card game.

Tommy sushi 2008, Tommy sushi Osaka 2009, Tommy sushi roller 2009, Tommy sushi Tokyo 2009, Tommy sushi 2009-2012

Just an FYI – all Brisbanites, if you haven’t checked out the APT7 exhibition at the GoMA, I throughly recommend that you do! It runs to the 14th of April and is free – so what are you waiting for?

10Feb2013

WEDDING: THE HAIR-DO.

Posted in PERSONAL, WEDDING by jayjayne

Well, I’ve finally found some time to scour the internet for some hair inspiration for my wedding. Actually, I’m not overly concerning about the state of my hair – as long as it doesn’t completely fall apart and doesn’t make me look like an alien – I’m certain I won’t have a mental break-down. But I’ve decided I should at least be informed and have a battalion-stock of photos at the ready when I head to my lovely make-up and hair lady, Rachel, next weekend. Keep in mind, my hair is mid-length – and fine – but I’ve got lots of hair. It looks kind of thin and inconsequential, but is actually much more than it looks like – so I’m going to have fun times looking for a hair-do. The question is to go the structured updo or the curled, romantic updo? SO MANY QUESTIONS! I put it to you, the Internets, to help me decide:

1. LE POLISHED UPDO: For a ballroom elegant wedding – actually I’m not certain if I classify as either elegant or polished.

2. LE LOOSE CURL UPDO: A much more casual style to the super polished updo, this will involve me being in a chair for a long time – getting my head curled.

A R G H ! D E C I S I O N S !

I need your help!

6Feb2013

FOOD: NEW SHANGHAI.

Posted in BRISBANE, FOOD, PHOTGRAPHY by jayjayne

If you’ve ever, in you life, been to Din Tai Fung (and if you haven’t, you really should) you should probably make your way to New Shanghai. A fairly new institution in Queens Plaza, downstairs next to Coles, New Shanghai does it’s best to provide a huge range of freshly made dumplings, noodles and soups in classic Shanghai fashion. It does it’s best, but it’s definitely not in the same stakes as Din Tai Fung. Now, if you’ve been around the dumpling scene, you’ll know that the item that will make or break a restaurant of this style are the soup dumplings. That’s right, little parcels of dumplings – WITH SOUP IN THEM. Initially, when I saw it had opened I was pretty excited.

I was originally a little hesitant about visiting New Shanghai – after reading a slew of bad reviews – however a friend convinced me otherwise – she said it was “not bad” and that it wasn’t in the same league as Din Tai Fung. We decided to take our chances – it was a soggy Saturday – and besides, there really isn’t anything that compares to Din Tai Fung, so we weren’t expecting that level of dumpling professionalism.

We were lucky enough to head to New Shanghai at 11AM. Yes, we happened to be a little hungry. If we had ended up there any later, we would of been far too late – and would of had to join the masses of people lining up outside. Another fortunate happenstance was the fact that, as early eaters, we had missed the rush – our food, by no means, approached our table at haste, but I can only imagine how long the wait would of been if we had arrived at the restaurant after the noon hour.

小籠包 New Shanghai Xiao Long Bao – Steamed mini pork bun

Appearance-wise, New Shanghai is wonderfully fitted out – with an old-1920′s-Shanghai aesthetic. Even the teapots bear amazing testimony to their attention to detail. Unfortunately, service did not reflect the same dedication, nor their prime-position location. As opposed to the cheap-eateries of Sunnybank, I’ve come to expect fair service whilst eating at city-central locations, and was sorely disappointed with the inability to flag down a waiter at this establishment. I was very close to simply leaping upon one and tying them to the table to get their attention. The other option was setting the napkin holder on fire.

蟹粉小籠包 New Shanghai crab meat Xiao Long Bao – Steamed mini crab meat & pork bun

Chopped cucumber tossed with fresh garlic

Food-wise, the dumplings were, as stated previously “not bad”. Not fabulous, just not bad. The skin was quite thick – and oddly enough, the broth was fairly salty. I found it a little strange since I usually add a soya sauce vinegar concoction to my dumplings, but was unable to due to fear of sodium poisoning. The saving grace, overall, was the price – compared to many other places in the city, the dollar signs were low. Tea wasn’t exorbitantly priced and the food was filling enough to sustain us till dinner – but in all honesty, if you want soup dumplings, don’t get your hopes high. This place provides basic sustenance at a moderate price – don’t let the surrounds fool you – New Shanghai is basically in a fancily dressed ‘burb eatery, plonked in the city.

New Shanghai

07 3108 7652

Brisbane CBD

226 Queen St
Brisbane, QLD 4000

22Jan2013

WEDDING HAIR IS PRETTY, BUT I WANT A HAIRCUT.

Posted in PERSONAL, STYLE, WEDDING by jayjayne

So everybody has been asking me questions about my upcoming nuptials – when is it? What am I wearing? What’s your colour? Who are your bridesmaids? What’s you hairstyle going to be? Not that I mind being asked a million questions about my upcoming complete and utter freak-out – it’s just that although I’ve sorted out a lot of things, I’m still super perplexed about a few small details – so, to be honest, my brain has gone a little bit soggy from all of the wedding-concentration. I’ve found myself staring into the middle distance with my hand half-way to a reagent in the store-room, wondering if the lovely shade of pink that the Magnesium cartridge is clad in would work as a contrasting colour to my wedding’s peach theme.

In any case, I haven’t put much thought to my wedding hair. In fact, the only instructions that my brain seems to be conjuring up are: LOW and BUN. Which are are pretty good start. Other than that, I’m a blank. In fact, I have been thinking more about what I’m going to do with my hair AFTER my wedding. This is mostly because I absolutely abhor my currently longer-than-I-have-ever-had-it hair. I want it lopped. I want it chopped. I want it dyed a ridiculous colour and perhaps piled upon my skull like a bowl of spaghetti Bolognese.

Well, okay, maybe not THAT dramatic.

What I’m thinking is something along the lines of “Rinka Hair’ – which is apparently a cute known as “pear-shaped hair” … well, because your head ends up looking like a pear once you’ve tamed it into submission and also because Rinka’s name: 梨花, the first character of which is the kanji word for nashi, なし, or Japanese/asian pear. And yes, I’ve realised that this trend is a few years old, but I don’t care, tis’ pretty!

The divine Rinka. Oddly enough, I can’t seem to find a lovely picture of her hair. WHY IS THIS SO? /GOOGLEFAIL.

Long hair has to be kept and then mangled with tongs every morning.

This one would involve a perm. I’m not sure it I’m brave enough to perm my hair again, after my experiences when I was tiny (I looked like a clown).

Cute and simple…but perhaps too cute?

This is technically not “pear-shaped” hair, I just think the cut is really cute!

Of course, she’s changed her colour (and the length of her hair is a little longer) since then but I’m looking to go essentially the same shape. Colour-wise, I’m something a little less obvious than a ginger shade – I’m loving the current balayage trend a bit too much. I find myself staring at people’s heads in envy. I’m looking to adopt something that looks a little like this:

Adorable in a bun.

The lovely Palamaro with an asymmetrical cut and balayage.

Now this is so fabulous – if only I could get away with this. Eeee! YELLOW DIP DYE!

I really should be getting my mind off post-wedding hair and into actual wedding hair. Well, maybe I’ll leave that to my next post.

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