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9
Feb
2010
Welcome to the new, improved Bake & Bloom
What can I say? I like you guys a lot. In the same way that I clean my apartment when friends come over, I have prettied this place up a bit & I am hoping you guys will come around more often.
A BIG thanks to Dionne from The Ink Studio for designing my new layout & putting up with my ridiculous requests such as “I want it to reflect my kitchen to garden approach” & “I want it to be cute & kitsch…but not too cute.” In hindsight, I didn’t pay her nearly enough. The woman has done a fine job don’t you think?
Well I am officially back at school, I finally unpacked my suitcase (yes, it took a month) I am also now seeking work experience in a florist shop so things are looking up in 2010.
Coming up this week: homemade bagels
15
Jan
2010
I’m Baaaack!
Well I have some bruises, a sprained thumb & a broken tailbone but I also have a lot of great memories.
This little Aussie has just spent nearly a month in Canada & America (& I have the cellulite to prove it!) I saw some amazing things like a semi naked man lady in L.A. Did some things I never thought I would do in my life, like shoot a Beretta assault rifle at the Gun Shop in Vegas & ride a segway in Santa Monica. I ate some things I never thought I would eat, like Hooters deep fried pickles.
I have begrudgingly now resumed my ordinary life as a receptionist/undercover baker/floral design student/blogger/wingnut
Always the optimist though (HA!) I have decided my travels will make me a much better foodie/blogger & indeed human being. Coming next week will be my nod to Canada & North America in some kind of splendorific foodie way. I brought back maple syrup guys & I am making my own BBQ sauce (not WITH the maple syrup…duh!)
For now, here are a few happy snaps. I am glad to be back guys, I missed you too much.
A frightfully good piece of halibut I had for my 25th birthday. Thank you to Diva @ the Met hotel Vancouver
Me & my birthday cake
Diva @ The Met made me a divine chocolate mousse & pear cake
The best breakfast I have ever eaten. Vanilla bean french toast & bacon. (are you beginning to see what I spent most my time doing on my vacation?)
Granville Island Farmers Market. I would kill for a market like this at home
Our concierge @ the Vancouver Hyatt got us tickets to the sold out Canuks game. I had never seen ice hockey before & it was wicked good.
From our balcony & Whistler where we spent a merry little Christmas
The view from our room @ the Paris casino Las Vegas where we spent NYE
They let us eat cake in Paris
The Disneyland "Love O Meter" told Mr Bake & Bloom how it really is
Remember that cellulite I was telling you about?
I dub these pickles...DELICIOUS!
Could this fella be any cuter? *swoon*
We shopped @ Johnny Cupcakes L.A which was total radness
& ended the trip with a segway tour of Santa Monica & Venice Beach on a perfect sunny Californian day
The end.
15
Dec
2009
Over & out for the Holidays
Adue Adue
Just a short note to say Merry Christmas & wonderful new year to everyone. I don’t know if I will be posting while I am overseas so stay safe over the holiday season & we will speak again soon my dear dear friends.
This is our little holiday playmate…His name is Herbert. I found him in a car park about 8 years ago & I have always hung on to him. Tune in next year for the Canadian & American adventures of Herbert.
I will miss my sunny beach side town, my little flat. I will miss my friends & family..I will miss the sun rising over the ocean & setting over the backdrop Chevron Island.
Goodbye blog, goodbye life. See you soon
Shannon Smyth 
27
Nov
2009
Kitchen Heroes November 09
Time to reflect on the month that was. I’m a pretty seasonal kind of a chick so it seems appropriate each Month to pay homage to the things I enjoy most in my kitchen. Here’s what blew my knickers back (where does that saying even come from?) in November..
Lemons: Of course they are a spring staple, great in syrups, cakes/muffins, sauces or just squeezed over a salad. They couldn’t be more perfect.
My Mandolin: I think I have finally forgiven this kitchen contraption for severing 1/8Th of my thumb from my body (including half a fingernail) I am happy to report my thumb has grown back & I am now enjoying the fact I have regained some sensation in that corner of my thumb. Seriously though, when it comes to lazy slicing & julienne you don’t get much quicker or more accurate than this thing. If you use the finger protector (obviously I don’t) you wont lose life or limb…probably.
Spring Garlic: Plump, juicy, fresh from the ground spring garlic, how I love thee. (By the way, how awesome is our new noodley area rug for the lounge room)
My Carafe: O.K I know this one is a little weird guys but bear with me. It’s not so much the Carafe but what it usually contains that makes me love it. It usually is the vessel which brings forth my all time favorite spring drink, SANGRIA! I am completely obsessed with making sangria for hot weekend BBQs. I could drink it all day.
Golden Echalottes: These little onions are gold, pure gold. Buy a kilo & caramelize them in your slow cooker like…right now! They add serious flavor to gravies, sauces, tarts, burgers ect. They’re amazing, they’re special..well, they’re just good, In the same way Princess Di was humble & good..they’re good.
Ricotta: The simplest of cheeses also makes the simplest of deserts, I adore honey & nutmeg baked ricotta served with grilled peaches. It is also great in pancakes, muffins & the like.
Toasted Coconut Marshmallows: pillows of heaven coasted in toasted coconut. I bought these at the start of the month from our posh local chocolatier planning to top cupcakes with them or bury them in some brownies…the only thing they have done is be repeatedly & secretly eaten by me.
I am also digging the spring lamb but it gets cooked & eaten so quickly I would need a faster lens to capture it!
24
Nov
2009
Burning the candle at both ends
Hey you guys, I miss you!
I haven’t been paying as much attention to bake & bloom as I would like lately… I really just haven’t had the time. Work has been a bit busy, my apartment was in dire need of a good wash, my laundry still remains un-laundered, my homework halfway done & oh…I went camping for the weekend with Mr Bake & Bloom & some mates.
Could someone please tell me why days are only 24 hours long..I need at least another 5 I’m sure.
Anyway enough winging, I wanna tell you about camping in Byron Bay. Well, it was bloody windy & our campsite manager was a douche but we still had a pretty rad time. (except for the scary, blowie around tent that frightened the life out of me) We ate out, frolicked on the beach, browsed the shops, listened to buskers & so on. We had a completely awesome breakfast on the last day at the Black Sapote cafe that triggered me to leave the biggest breakfast tip I have ever given to the nicest & most helpful waitress in the world.
Good times…and more to come.
I’m not sure if I have told you guys properly I have a massive holiday coming up from Dec 17Th (my birthday) – January 13Th. My trip will look something like this:
- Vancouver
- Whistler (for Christmas)
- Seattle
- Las Vegas (for NYE)
- L.A
I am super exited because this is my first big trip overseas (I went to Fiji for 2 weeks once) and my first white Christmas. I have been compulsively googling airplane beauty tricks & liquid allowances for carry on luggage for about a week now, I am pumped! Nearly a month of bliss & time off from work, school & my domestic little life.
I have a few things I really want to cook before I go though because let’s face it, my life is nothing without cooking. I have egg whites ageing in the fridge & I am determined to make some good macarons. I have tried a few times & never been able to even get them off the baking paper. I also want to do a variation on those coconut palm sugar cookies & make them into the best ever gingerbread cookies. I have a couple of Birthday cakes to make before I go too…Dad don’t go thinking just because I’m not home for the holidays that I’ve forgotten about you!
On the school front I have been learning to make wreaths & centerpieces lately. I love spinning them about on the lazy susans on our big work bench, it’s super fun. There are tons of agapanthas in bloom at the moment & I have been erm, pruning them from neighbouring gardens (in the commercial district, I haven’t been pruning little old ladies hard work!) They’re so so lovely!
Hmm I think that covers everything. I promise promise promise a proper update on Thursday.
<3 Shannon
Camping shenanigans with my bestie Maggie (& some cheeky monkey flipping us off in the background)