Tea For One

Ach, the perks of having a tea time for one: All cupcakes can be eaten by oneself. I wanted to try this recipe for a considerable time, but never found a proper occasion for doing it. When I was sick a few weeks ago, I decided that this would finally be the time to try them: lemon biscuit cupcakes with a rosé meringue-top. They're not exactly my favourite cupcake but certainly a great option for an easy dessert with a lot of impact.

~Lemon cupcakes with meringue top~

The recipe for the cupcakes is adapted from here, simply switch the orange with a lemon and use half the ingredients for 12 cupcake tins.

~For the rosé meringue top you'll need~

 3 eggwhites

at least 300 g muscovado sugar

a few drops of red and yellow food colour

Preheat the oven to the maximum heat and turn on the grill-function. Beat the eggwhites until really stiff, then slowly add the sugar and the food colour until the eggwhites are nicely coloured rosé. Arrange the eggwhites on the cupcakes {you may want to use a pastry bag} and put them in the oven. Don't leave the oven and take the cupcakes out as soon as they start to brown (maximum 2 minutes).

Spot The Difference

On the left hand side: Buffalo ballerinas for the thrifty customer {damn you, bar exam!} and on the right hand side two examples for the ever classy and timeless Salvatore Ferragamo ballerina. Not exactly the same, I know, but not exactly different either... Happy day!

For The Male Friend

{1} Alfred Dunhill ~ Palladium Plated Bracelet

{2} Skultuna ~ Thin Dark Brown Leather Bracelet

{3} Monocle ~ World Map Poster First Edition

{4} Rothirsch ~ Leather Weekender

{5} Lock & Co. ~ Classic Panama Hat

{6} Linley ~ Tom Aikens Bread Board
{7} Salviati ~ Highball Glasses

There's nothing tougher than picking a gift for a male friend {or male family members}. Men are much more pickier than women and are not easily fascinated by glitzy, pink decoration and lush cosmetics and sweets. A manly gift should be of high quality, at least in some way useful and after all has to represent a form of understated luxury. Here are my thoughts on this years birthday presents for my BF. As I said, it's a tough choice...

Roasted Carrots

I'm constantly on the lookout for cheap, quick and easy to prepare lunches. I discovered these carrots in all kinds of colours {dark violet, yellow and classic orange} in the supermarket and wanted them to keep their colour {so no cooking!}. Seasoned with pepper, salt, fresh herbs and a little feta added on top, they make a great lunch which can be prepared in the evening and taken into the office the next day without any loss of quality.

Roasted Carrots {serves 1 as a lunch}

4-6 coloured carrots
olive oil
sea salt

pepper

different herbs and spices

a hand full of feta

Wash, shave and cut the carrots into slices. Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper and spread the carrots evenly (they shouldn't be overlapping). Sprinkle them with olive oil, add the salt, pepper and the herbs and spices according to your taste. Put them in the oven for around 10-15 minutes on 180°C. Five minutes before removing them from the oven, add the feta by sprinkling it on top.

Spring In My Step {Not Yet}

Hopefully, spring is going to arrive soon! The cold weather is seriously killing me and my motivation to go out and spend time with friends, go for a walk or even to do little errands is on its low point. I'm in desperate need for some happy-hormones and so I unhealthily increased my sugar and chocolate intake. Snap! In between cupcakes eating I managed to find a new way to style my hair and tried a new recipe including carrots and feta crumbles {more about that next week!}. I also can't wait to bake a batch of muffins in these cute little paper tins... Happy thursday!

Monday Musings

{picture via thisisglamorous.com}

Great Expectations

There's not been much consistency in my life lately, but I thought I was sure of where I belong and where to go back to in a few weeks from now. All over a sudden this has changed and I started to question my decisions in the last weeks, months and even years: Was it the right thing to move to Zürich? Do I feel comfortable where I live? Am I really that close with {certain} people that I rarely see? Is this really how it should be? Would life be easier somewhere else? I think it is normal for our parameters to shift every once in a while. But what is there to do if the parameter has changed ITSELF?

All over a sudden I am in doubt about my future, about my plans and even about my wishes for the future {even though they seemed very straight and elaborate in my mind}. I believe this is only a result of pressure and the long absence from my {yes, it actually still is!} home in Zürich. I'm hoping to regain my perspective on why I love this city and to become again aware of the fact that my expectations in life can only be met there. Next week-end, I'm invited to a classy ball and am planning to wear the vintage earrings pictured above. The expectations are great {great people, good food, having a fantastic time} and I long for some of the sparkle to affect my daily life.

Stay classy!

Valentine's Day Is Over...

Valentine's Day is over...but it's always the right time to give a little love. The week has been filled with little surprises and get together's with old colleagues. My only plan for the week-end is to stay in bed with a good cup of coffee and a piece of cake... preferably from this baby pictured above. This cake is the perfect {pre}easter treat: a light, yet sweet and moist orange cake with the simplest ingredients. The dough is prepared with olive oil only {pretty healthy, huh?} which makes it very close to being a biscuit-dough.

Bundt Cake with Oranges

4 eggs

250 g sugar

1.5 dl olive oil

1 orange peel

1.5 dl orange juice

2 tblspoons baking soda

1 pinch salt

300 g flour

Grease and flour a bund pan and preheat the oven to 190°C. Whisk together sugar and eggs until foamy. Then add the olive oil, orange peel, orange juice and the salt and mix it up with the egg and sugar foam. Then add the flour and baking soda and whisk together to a smooth dough. Pour the dough into the cake form and bake for 40-45 minutes.

Optional {pink} glazing: Add 3 cups of confectioner's sugar with one cup of water and add one minced strawberry {or two, the more the redder}. Pour over the cake as soon as it has cooled.

Home Wishes

{1} Haseform Bookshelf

{2} Wagenfeld Table Lamp
{3} Poul Henningsen Lamp

{4} Louis Ghost Chair

{5} Chesterfield Sofa via von Wilmowsky

After all, a new home is not in my cards this year. It's true, I'm a bit sad about that. I already had plans how to decorate the rooms and settled a budget for new furniture (at least that's a good thing, I'm going to safe a lot of money!). Still, I didn't want to waste my research on this topic so I decided to put together the basics of my eternal home interior wish list (as seen above). One day, there will be a new home to furnish and by then, I will certainly be prepared...

Happy Week-End

{Picture from the Chanel website blog}

The week-end is near and my plans are great! I'm off to the mountains for some skiing, eating and sleeping. Nothing gives me a better night's rest than a day on my ski's... After a day of fresh air, speed, cold feet and nose- to sink into a warm, soft bed, the white linens a reminiscence to the fluffy snowy mountains one saw all day... it's the perfect and fulfilling feeling to finally get the rest one's really earned.