Dessert Party..

Its a little early in the year to be thinking about a joint birthday party with my hubby as we are June & July babies, but I am just so excited to have decided to have a dessert only party. 

I am a real chocoholic, and my husband is a candy feign. So really, its ridiculous that we haven't had one before. 

A few years ago, on twitter, I discovered Amy Atlas, the amazing event planner that creates the most incredible dessert tables. So decorative inspiration won't be difficult..but how to chose a reasonable size menu, culling the endless list of treats I have come up with is going to be the real task! 

I will be sure to keep you posted on all my sugary plans, 

Vxx

IMAGES:

Pepperdesignblog

Designdazzle.blogspot

Leightheo.blogspot

Styleathome.com

Domesticfashionista.com

El Toro Loco Lovin'

It's been a year since my lovely fiance proposed.

So therefore, quite obviously the best gift I have ever received was my gorgeous engagement ring which he picked out himself & couldn't possibly be more sparkly cushion cut perfect.

But, the way he ridiculously spoils me, this years anniversary gift almost made me cry just the same! Especially when I unwrapped an enormous box that soon revealed itself to be filled with lots of CANON EOS goodness!

Yes, the camera I never came around to getting last month was now in my eager hands.

And over just a weekend the battery is already dead due to my snap-happiness!

Apart from the fabulous gift, he also took me to my favourite restaurant.


El Toro Loco.

A fabulous Spanish restaurant probably a little more famous due to it's dangerously good looking television chef Miguel Maestre of Miguel's Tropical Kitchen.

We did soon come to notice the place was full of women, women absolutely everywhere!...& probably disappointed women at that with no chef behind the open kitchen...sad women everywhere who were likely to have come for the mere Miguel factor alone.

Nevertheless, the tapas were phenomenal. Duck pate was to die for, amazing garlic prawns, fish croquettes, baby chorizo that had the most delicious hint of cinnamon-who would have thought! ...& how can a tomato salad taste so good?

And then there were the churros...sweet crunchy sugary chocolaty heaven ♥

And here's a little Miguel clip to make your mouth water...I'm talking about the food not the accent!

If you live in Sydney El Toro Loco is a must...if you don't..it's still a must!

IMAGES: YouTube, weheartit, Tiffany&co, andremartinphoto.com.

A mug full of heaven...

So just the other night I had a brain wave about an email I received with a fabulous recipe for making chocolate cake in a mug. It was a pretty old email, I had never tried it, but if you google it, it's been talked about time after time again. Now I know why, it is so EASY & DELICIOUS!

It was a late night treat for my sister and I so I had to scavenge through the kitchen to try & find some ingredients.

I did quite well --except for the fact that I had NO MILK!...How is it possible to not have milk...it's more than just a staple --it's MILK!!! Nevertheless, I found some light thickened cream & thought I would improvise. It panned out pretty well. There are quite a few variations on the idea here & here.  Below is the one I variably stuck to....

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)

1 large coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.

Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.

Add the chocolate chips and mix again.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts (high).

The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!

Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate or just dig in!

 
IMAGE: http://almostbourdain.blogspot.com/