Last night French Boy and I decided to eat out. It’s a rare decision for a Monday night, but I hadn’t made it to the grocery store during the day as I had planned (note: I didn’t MAKE the time to GO to the grocery store) and we had no food to speak of in this little boat of ours.

So off we went, with no plan in mind of where to go.

We ended up at the only Indonesian restaurant that we truly love here in Amsterdam. Dining in this restaurant is a rarity on any given night because usually it’s too packed and we are too spontaneous to make a reservation so we just don’t go. But last night, it was just nicely packed which means we didn’t have to wait too long for a table. So we went to the bar and ordered some wine, and then in no time, our table was ready.

But I’m not writing all this to tell you about the restaurant, or what we drank, or what we ate. I’m writing to tell you how this place makes me feel. And the only word that I can find that comes close to the feeling is ‘home’.

However. I’ve never lived in Indonesia. I don’t speak Indonesian, and let’s be honest, my skin is almost as white as it can come, with a splattering of freckles to boot.

So how is it that the moment I open the door to this bustling dining hall, I feel ‘home’? Well, this is my theory…

(Click here to read more…)

As if this week wasn’t exciting enough!

Admittedly I was asked a month or so ago if I’d like to be ‘in the kitchen with’, it just took me this long to actually get the recipe and photos together! It’s been a busy month, and as its turned out, the post is lovely timing with the book release. The best thing is that while I was cooking this recipe two beautiful water creatures came to visit me so I grabbed my camera, grabbed the dish and snapped away…

Check out the full post and recipe for my pea, mint and feta risotto right here.

And if you do make this recipe please let me know what you think of it – I tend to add ingredients as I go, tasting along the way (I’m an artist and not a recipe writer! unlike my own (blog)house kitchen guest) so if you feel there is not enough of one thing or it needs more of something else, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Merci Grace and Kristina!

xx

PS I STILL can’t believe I actually got a photograph of the risotto with the swans in the background. wowsers.

miam.

these gorgeous photographs were taken by blog)house guest Riley Salyards. See more here

…my beautiful guests are busy in the (blog)house with strawberries and rhubarb! please check out riley’s new post in the guest quarters here, and yvette’s new post here. Also Yvette just started her own blog – yeehaa! Please visit her and give her a warm encouraging welcome. (Now it’s your turn to start a blog dear Riley! you know I won’t stop nagging you until you do it).

xx

beautiful rye stalk image from here.

I have an urgent stylist’s request for you my dear readers – I need to find rye stalks for a shoot this week. My preference is for fresh rye stalks as opposed to dry, but I don’t think it’s the season for rye here in the north but even still, i can’t seem to find anyone who grows rye or even happens to have rye lying about the place.

So, I’m wondering, would any of you know someone who grows rye or sells rye, or even if you live near a rye field? Or live near somewhere that sells such a product? Or know a baker that might have some rye stalks?!

I know, crazy request!

But as a stylist i often have to find crazy things and I thought I might extend this query out to you, in the hope that by the off chance you might have some rye, wherever you are in the world. And if so, if you’d be so kind as to send some my way. My deadline is this Friday, so if I can get some before then, oh I would be a very happy girl!

beautiful rye field image from here.

Thank you dear readers!

xx