(My) photo of the day

Today's picture of the day is of a cake that I made for Henry and Jen. Although not the prettiest cake around, it was very tasty, and that is what matters most. I hadn't made a cake since, Jen's birthday, and realised that over one and a half months is too long to go without making one. I've attached the recipe below, if anyone is interested in trying it out.

Blueberry Coffee Cake

Covered in blueberries that reside between a layer of cake and a cinnamon flavoured streusel, the cake itself can be eaten hot or cold. It doesn't have to be blueberries on top, and I've already got in mind some raspberries for next time. It works just as well with blackberries, apples, plums or pears. The trick is to use enough fruit to cover the entire surface of the cake batter and then top it off with the streusel mixture.

Streusel Topping:

1/3 cup (45 grams) all purpose flour

1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup (56 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Cake Batter:

1 cup (140 grams) self raising flour

A pinch of salt

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, room temperature

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup (80 ml) milk

2 cups blueberries

Preheat the oven to 180 ˚C). Butter a 20 cm tin and line the bottom with greaseproof paper (this will allow you to get the cake out nicely!). Set aside.
For streusel topping: In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter with a fork until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside while you make the cake batter.
In a separate bowl mix together the flour and salt. Set aside.
In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar, beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Add the flour mixture, alternately with the milk, and beat only until combined. Spread the batter into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Arrange the blueberries on top of the cake batter and then sprinkle with the streusel topping.
Bake for about 45–50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool slightly.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Then EAT!

Ah, Joe, you never knew the whole of it...

I still have the robot on the job. Here you can see the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery . And here is a poem: Soliloquy for One Dead Bruce Dawe Ah, no, Joe, you never knew the whole of it, the whistling which is only the wind in the chimney's smoking belly, the footsteps on the muddy path that are always somebody else's. I think of your limbs down there, softly becoming mineral, the life of grasses, and the old love of you thrusts the tears up into my eyes, with the family aware and looking everywhere else. Sometimes when summer is over the land, when the heat quickens the deaf timbers, and birds are thick in the plumbs again, my heart sickens, Joe, calling for the water of your voice and the gone agony of your nearness. I try hard to forget, saying: If God wills, it must be so, because of His goodness, because- but the grasshopper memory leaps in the long thicket, knowing no ease. Ah, Joe, you never knew the whole of it... I like Bruce Dawe. He just my be my favourite Austral

Zeal, n. A certain nervous disorder afflicting the young and inexperienced. A passion that goeth before a sprawl.

Here I have tried my hand at the homemade sepia-toned photo. I wasn’t happy with the way that the sun had washed out some of the colours in the original, so had a bit of a fiddle because I like the look on Henry’s face, and didn’t want to pass on posting it. I have a tip for those of you burdened with the great, unceasing weight of parenthood. I have a new recipe, in the vein of the quick microwaved chocolate cake . Get this, microwaved potato chips . I gave them a run on Sunday, Henry liked the so much I did it again last night. Tonight, I shall be experimenting with sweet potato. I think that the ground is open for me to exploit opportunities in the swede, turnip, carrot and maybe even explore in the area of pumpkins. Radical, I know. I’m a boundary-pusher by nature. It's pretty simple, take the potato. Slice it thinly (it doesn't have to be too thin, but thin enough). Lay the slices on the microwave plate, whack a bit of salt over the top and nuke the buggers for five minut

This will hurt me...

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