1 week to christmas

its only 7 days to Christmas.. *gasp...

here's a few photos of Christmas inspired goodies

Hayden's 1 month

It doesn't feel like that long ago when we got together for Nenny & Winky's baby shower. Their baby boy, Hayden is now just over 1 month old. We got together again at the end of last month to celebrate his 1 month.

A more intimate gathering compared to the shower, means more time to catch up and adore baby Hayden. He's such a good boy - slept throughout his party. hehehe..... There was time we wanted to wake him up so badly so we can he him smile, but he's a baby after all, so we let him sleep :)

It is quite customary for the parents to give out "gifts" in terms of sweets, or cakes in these 1 month celebrations. Nenny ordered some macarons to give out. Nenny, being one very talented graphic designer, found a clear noodle takeaway box to pack them in, and create a custom label for her Hayden.

And as for the cake....

a simple butter cake - inspired by the indonesian lapis surabaya. It combine both vanilla/yellow buttercake with an (indonesian) mocha buttercake, alternated and bounded together with vanilla buttercream.

A variation on the sleeping baby - I put some cloud patterns - as if Hayden is in dreamland.. and what would he dream about?

Things that he's familiar with, and things he would be attached to by this age.... Mum, Dad (who's an amazing photographer btw), toys, milk, milk, milk, .... and milk..

To make it more interesting - I decided to do a checkered pattern on the cake itself. One as taught by one of my aunt back home in Jakarta.

Be a good boy Hayden!!

Macaron Tower & the Sydney Food Blogger Xmas Picnic

look who's bum that is..

A few weeks back, I received an invitation in my inbox, for a Sydney Food Blogger Christmas Picnic. After rsvp-ing "yes" to Helen & Chocolatesuze - we get on with day to day stress. The days roll quickly and before you know it, 11th December was here.

I knew I was going to make and bring some macarons - and I had got them ready well for Saturday. However in my usual moment of madness, as I woke up on Saturday morning - after falling asleep on the couch watching ace of cakes the night before - I found myself staring at the cone styrofoam I bought from Essential Ingredients a few days before.

"Why not make macaron tower!!" (no.. not sure why...)

After gathering up all the necessary parts required to put together the macaron tower, I set up to work - determine to make a tight tower. Plenty of macarons right??

wrong...

As I went up the cone, I realised that we might have a little bit of a "houston, we have a problem" moment.

I do not have enough macarons. NOOO!!!!!!!

*think think think.... what to do....

Turned to see my pile of fondant - and thought... ok.. let's do some figurine (really?? i said to myself... yes... really.... otherwise you have a blank tower.. and what are you going to do about it) And what could be better than a Santa for the occasion :)

Those who work with fondant - will know that red and black fondant are very soft and takes a while to dry. How is the almost-all-red Santa going to be ready in a couple of hours? With lots of prayers :)

So I began forming and moulding the Santa.. the legs comes first and then the body. The head, the hair and the hat follows. Santa slid down the cone slightly - but the layer of macarons holds him up . So, all good :)

A simple foam star finished off the tower nicely.. and here's the finished look. *can breathe again now

An hour later - Monica and I are on our way to Centennial Park.

We parked and walked to the dedicated corner - and come to a conclusion that we may be a bit lost.

Tweeting started - "where are youuus" and reading tweets from fellow bloggers, hoping to get some sort of clue (Monica showed me her blackberry with the photo of the tree where they are... "does this help?" she said.... and I?.. just stared at her... are you kidding me???

)

meanwhile... I am beginning to lose feeling to my left arm... and getting very very hungry..

Luckily we found them not long after *internal yayy!!

It was quite a sight! Definitely the biggest picnic I have been to. Everyone was standing around what seems to be a giant table - and as we got closer - we saw the "table" were so full of food!!!!! *tummy did a happy dance

I could not stop smiling. Everyone was standing around the food. Everyone had their camera, and no one dare to touch the food yet - A familiar thing I know, but yet I still can't stop smiling. I think it maybe the sheer number of people, with the same thing in mind - photos before eating... :)

There was sooo much food.. sweets, savouries - everything you can think of !!

Then its time to relax and catch up with fellow bloggers

monica & mel

And then it's time for the Food Blogger Olympics!!!!

1. move 50 soy bean from 1 bowl to another using a chopstick (and no hands on the bowl please)

2. blind tasting!!!

3 & 4. are linked - you need to plate up and style whatever leftover food you choose - and the next person is to take a photo and tweet it.. *tweet tweet

and then its KK time next - see the pile of pressies in the middle? you get to choose one... or... STEAL one from someone else. hee hee hee..

thank you to Helen & Chocolatesuze for organising the picnic!!!!!