Bendigo Art Gallery

hey, so what is so special about bendigo?
one thing is certain- the art gallery has a talented & resourceful curator/s!
there are some more fab exhibitions heading that way.

can anyone please tell me where and/or what else i should explore when i gallivant up there?

the quest to discover the perfect Butter!

we have ditched Margarine in this house! why? because we rediscovered Butter!
the search for the perfect combination of not too salty & very creamy has begun.
the field is wide & contestants are quickly falling at the wayside, or at least out of the Butter dish.
ALDI organic ( although it breaks my heart having to dis anything from the big A!) is a FAIL!
the best so far is a Woolies variety. it was a big hit & gone before i even had the opportunity to record it. as a consequence it is now known as 'something-a-rather Woolies brand extra creamy'.
ALDI Butterfully gets a very honourable mention. far superior to its organic cousin.

so far the 'great Butter search' has been much tastier, but probably not as healthy as the 'hunt for the perfect Soy milk'!

well, today started out...

the day started on a high note. woke up early, did some bits, jumped on the sewing machine, hung out with the chooks, started to get ready for work...then disaster struck...

whipped up this fab sack dress

harry, bluey & coco

suspected broken toe!

the culprit! maple syrup bottles & toes don't mix!

sitting on couch dunking chocolate scotch fingers into my chai!

aw well, at least i have a fab new dress & some chocolate....

look- i made a sponge cake!!!

i was issued with a challenge- to create a cake exactly like the ones the hippo chows down on from the 'hippopotamus on the roof series'. (the collection is a BIG hit in my house!)


armed with one sponge recipe i set to work.

4 eggs separated
170g caster sugar
1 tablespoon of water
170g corn flour
1 dessertspoon of flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

1. using an electric mixer beat the egg whites until stiff
2. heat sugar & water in a pot until boiling, stir continuously
3. add water to the egg whites & beat. now wack in the egg yolks & vanilla essence
4. reduce the beater speed & then gradually add all the flours (once sifted) & the baking powder
5. bake @ 160degrees for 20ish minutes

...drum roll please... da daaaaaaa...my first ever sponge (a.k.a hippo cake!)

it is iced with "steve the builder's butter cream icing" & filled with whipped cream & jam

jules X