073.

taken during earth hour

Easter is fast approaching!

Easter eggs have become part of my daily diet, my egg shaped cookie cutters have gotten a work out, hot cross buns are still as delicious as ever and I'm still planning our Good Friday menu. 

There's alot of exciting things that will be happening for my blog in the coming posts. 

You'll need to keep your eye out for my first giveaway! 

You'll be seeing a whole bunch of random pictures

and hopefully a whole heap of recipes!

My time off school is going to be devoted to photography, and food - of course. 

So I'm trying to narrow down my list of recipes to a selected few to share with you all. 

I've also got a cook book to share that really defines cooking for a cause. 

I have alot of things planned, but its not about me.. 

So I want to know, 

What do you want to see?!

(Now that sounds cheesy, but do share!)

072.

warning, you may need a towel to collect the drool that will surely collect on your keyboard.

I was lucky enough to receive not one, not two.. but four tubs of delicious Gelatissimo gelato. 

You can say I was delighted, but that's most defnitely an understatement. 

You see, I'm an icecream/gelato/sorbet addict, literally.

I could eat icecream for breakfast/lunch/dinner in any season 

and I think people who don't eat icecream in the winter are crazy. 

It's probably my food of choice, 

when eating at food courts I often overlook "real" food

and head straight for an icecream store.

Gelatissimo is generally my first choice when I'm near one of their stores.

I love how generous they are with their toppings in some of their gelato - Biscottino especially.

(I'm a "chunky" icecream fan - If it has chunks of chocolate/cookie etc you've got me convinced).

The flavours I was sent from gelatissimo were;

 Mango Sorbet; 

This sorbet was deliciously soft and creamy - Not icey like some sorbets can be.

I loved the strong mango flavour and how it wasn't sickeningly sweet.

There was no artificial mango taste here. 

Definitely a favourite in my books :D

Sicilian Chocolate Gelato;

This gelato was incredible

So rich and chocolatey and delicious! 

The tub had to be removed before I gobbled it up all in one go.

This was my favourite of the 4 and it was sooooo creamy.

WINNER!
I will happily eat this for the rest of my life,
seriously.

mm caramel swirl 


Macadamia and Caramel Gelato; 

This gelato kept with the trend of the others and was delicious!
I loved the richness of the caramel with the nuttyness of the macadamias mixed throughout. 
I especially loved that there was actually chunks of macadamia nut in the gelato.
This gelato was definitely addictive and I kept going back for more :P
The only problem I had was it seemed to melt alot faster than the other three - But that just means you have to eat it faster

And one of Gelatissimo's newest flavours.... 

you know you want some :)

Apple Pie Gelato; 
This was waaay better than I expected.
A deliciously sweet gelato with pieces of apple crumble mixed in the icecream.
It had a strong coconut flavour that was uber addictive. 
My only wish with this gelato was that it had apple pieces - I didn't notice any in what I tried.
But even so, it's so delicious that i'd have it again without thinking.

There's one problem with Gelatissimo gelato.... 
Its sooo good that I'm always struggling to decide what I want.
 So Gelatissimo, if you need a gelato tester - I'll happily be that person
You don't even need to pay me :D


You know you want some 

If you want more information on Gelatissimo, head to their website 
or follow them on twitter!

This gelatissimo gelato gets a 1,000/10 
Seriously, it's that good..
now make your way to a gelatissimo store, pronto!

Now I want to know, 
What is your dream gelato flavour? 


Kristy received Gelatissimo gelato courtesy of Gelatissimo Australia and TailorMaid
If you'd like a review of your products, send an email to ksayerphotography@gmail.com

071.

I love sunlight.

I don't use any lighting equipment whatsoever, only natural light.

Sometimes, this can be a bit of an inconvenience - Especially when we're having rainy periods, 

But I'd much rather wait it out than take photos with artificial light. 

I take 99% of my photos outside.

On hot days this causes choc chips sticking to marble,

and icecream melting in minutes. 

But i've learnt to shoot fast and try, try again. 

Photography has given me an awful lot of patience, 

so much patience that i'm often left behind when out with family or friends, 

waiting for a butterfly to finally land on that perfect flower

or trying to get the shot I want.

070.

Winter is right around the corner, and I'm feeling it. 

Sydney is having some crazy weather, 

super hot days and super cold days. 

Anthea (aka The Chai Girl) sent me some real chai tea to review just in time. 

I received the package when we were in the middle of a horrible rainy period, 

and a steaming hot cup of real chai tea sounded perfect. 

I loved the cute tin! and I also loved the fact that Anthea makes all of her real chai products herself.

She hand blends all of the different herbs and spices according to her recipes. 

I brewed the chai as per Anthea's instructions that are found on the back of the tin,

but I switched soy milk for regular cow's milk. 

After brewing for a total of 7 minutes I had 2 steaming cups of chai tea

which I added some honey to once they were in the cups.


My house smelled fantastic
and continued smelling great for hours afterwards.
The chai tea was incredibly aromatic.

Now, I'm no chai tea conossieur, but my dad is.. 

So he became my official taste tester.

And we've collectively decided that Real Chai is a beautiful blend 
of aromatic spices that isn't overpowering to drink.
Real Chai is nicely balanced and has an extremely smooth taste,
a perfect drink for a cold afternoon.

And Real Chai got a rating of 8/10

Next time I'll definitely try Anthea's suggestion of using soy milk. 

I was also sent a sample of Chocolate Real Chai, 

which was a delicious sweet treat. 
And this tea has real chocolate pieces in it. 
mmmmmmmm.

I could definitely see this chai used in dessert recipes, 

icecream and cake especially!

And I think I may just do that with what's left over.

 So tell me,

What's your favourite drink on a cold afternoon?

To get some Real Chai for yourself you can head to the Real Chai Website

or take a trip to one of the 4 Canberra markets real chai frequents. 

Kristy was sent these products courtesy of Anthea from Pure Chai,

If you'd like a review of your products send an email to ksayerphotography@gmail.com

069.

Yummy Hot Cross Buns from Brasserie Bread

I lovee easter, It's my second favourite eating holiday..

After christmas of course. 

As a child it was because I knew I would get tonnes of yummy easter eggs

But now as I'm getting older I get more excited over hot cross buns and good friday feasts

(But the chocolate still excites me, I am a chocoholic afterall)

Hot cross buns are my breakfast of choice over the Easter period.
The hot cross buns from Brasserie Bread are delicious

and totally different from the Baker's Delight ones I reviewed last week

Which means when I get sick of one I can always switch to the other.

win win eh?

Every Good Friday my family holds a Good Friday seafood feast,

following the tradition of not eating meat on Good Friday.
Every creature that comes out of the ocean (almost) is set out on big silver platters.

I don't eat seafood but I love the atmosphere,

having a whole heap of family and friends around talking and sharing food 

and generally having a good time. 
Plus, there's always lots of other food.

Then Easter sunday comes and I get easter eggs!

(Mind you, I've already been eating them since they came out in stores

but an excuse to eat more is fine in my books!)

I no longer have the easter egg hunts that my six year old self waited all year for,

but I'm still convinced that easter eggs taste way better than normal chocolate.
Especially kinder suprise easter eggs! 

So now I want to know something about you, 

Does your family have any easter traditions?

068.

 

Meet Donald and Daisy - brother and sister.

These two cute puppies are owned by a close family friend who we're going to call Sparkles

 

Donald and Daisy are named after the Disney characters, 

Because like me - Sparkles is obsessed with Disney.

They're "cavoodles" - A cavalier cross poodle.

You wouldn't really guess them as being brother and sister as they're so different,

Like the photos show, Daisy is the bubbly energetic one 

and Donald is like a meek and mild old man.

I went over to Sparkle's house with a mission,

a mission that I completed.

 

To take the photo you see above. 

Luckily I had my zoom lense, because as soon as I walked two steps further from where I took this shot,

the dogs came running up to the gate to greet me.

I loveeee working with animals, 

Sometimes It can be extremely difficult - Because like children, 

they don't always want to do what you'd like them to..

But it's a great challenge.

I have an (almost) 2 year old puppy who recently has decided she doesn't like her photo taken anymore.

She's incredibly cheeky and smart so as soon as the camera gets close to her face she'll bury her head in her paws

or run around crazily to get away from me. 

(She's awfully cute though)

So tell me, 

What's your favourite animal?

067.

fresh corn at EQ markets, moore park.

I loveeeeeeeeeeee fresh produce, 

and the atmosphere of the markets.

Sometimes fruit and vegetables can be the best things to photograph,

I love the different textures of the corn husks

and the uneven pattern of the corn kernels.

But I want to know something, 

What do you want me to photograph? 

I need suggestions :D

 

066.

i

 I love hot cross buns. 

They're one of the best easter foods - as well as easter eggs, of course.

Baker's Delight is somewhere I often by my hot cross buns from at easter time, its so convenient.. their stores are everywhere.

At the moment, Baker's Delight are running a competition where all you have to do is vote for your "Hottest Crossed Bun" - and here are the nominees: 

drum roll....

Traditional - For all the hot cross bun purists - 

a deliciously soft bun filled with fruit and traditional spices (No mixed peel).

There buns are perfect toasted for breakfast and spread with butter. 

Pictured above

 

Fruitless - A soft, lightly spiced bun for those who aren't fussed with fruit. 

Perfect for picky kids! 

chocolate chip hot cross bun

Chocolate chip - A twist on the traditional hot cross bun. 

There's no fruit here! Just over 100 choc chips in each bun, plus spices! 

Perfect for a sweet treat.

 

mocha hot cross bun 

 Mocha - A choc chip bun all grown up, this bun has the added sophistication of coffee - 

Perfect for a coffee break!

To enter the competition to be in the running to win an ultimate Easter hamper or 

Baker's Delight Vouchers head on over to the entry page

This Saturday (March 20th, 2010) Baker's Delight are holding a Bundraiser to raise money for sick children across Australia and New Zealand. $1 from every 6 pack of hot cross buns (Any flavour) will be donated to: 

• Sydney Children's Hospital Foundation NSW
• Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal VIC
• Royal Children's Hospital Foundation QLD 
• Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation WA
• Women and Children's Hospital Foundation SA
• Royal Hobart Hospital TAS
• Royal Darwin Hospital NT
• Starship Foundation NZ

 So why not pick up some Hot Cross Buns from Baker's Delight this Saturday (March 20th, 2010) and eat for a cause - Help Baker's Delight purchase essential medical equipment to benefit sick kids lives. 

Now I want to know, 

What's your "Hottest Crossed Bun"? 

Kristy received Hot Cross Buns courtesy of Baker's Delight Australia and Keep Left PR, 

If you'd like a review of your products or events send an email to ksayerphotography@gmail.com 

065.

C

Chocolate covered strawberries at EQ markets

Chocolate covered strawberries are delicious,

whoever came up with the combination was a genius. 

Chocolate covered anything is delicious, mind you..

I love going to the markets and browsing the different stalls, 

especially the stalls that have sweet treats. 

My guilty pleasure at the markets?

Honeyed almonds or freshly baked pastries and cakes,

soooo good.

I'd be happy leaving the markets if I only had a bag of honeyed almonds in one hand

and a bag of cherry tomatoes in the other..

And that's happened quite a few times.

These strawberries were so cute though,

I love the heart quins and the circle ones remind me of a circus with all the primary colours.

I'm often hesitant to snap pictures of people's products at the markets, 

I've had a few people turn their noses up or give me nasty looks when I remove my eye from the view finder.

I'm not sure why though, I know I'd take it as a compliment if someone wanted to photograph my products. 

So now I want to know, 

What's your guilty (food) pleasure?

And have you ever had a bad experience when taking photos?

064.

l

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have an announcement....

I have a new favourite muesli!

While making my way through my box of Carman's Muesli Products 

Carman's Deluxe Fruit Muesli was next in line.

Before being sent the products I'd never tried this muesli - Only their oat based muesli

Carman's Deluxe Fruit Muesli is a crispy, chewy, delicious combination of lightly toasted rice flakes, puffed rice, honey, cinnamon, gourmet nuts and dried fruit.

And it pairs perfectly with yoghurt.

I was inspired by the deluxe title and wanted to make something a little more special than a bowl of muesli,

so I decided to layer the muesli with greek yoghurt and fresh blueberries and top it with a drizzle of honey.

After the photos were taken and I had taken my first mouthful I was impressed,

I loveeeeeeed the chewyness of this muesli.

It's so different from regular muesli and a really nice change.

And the other good thing about this muesli? 

It's gluten free!

So that means that celiacs don't have to miss out on this delicious breakfast 

(or lunch, if you're like me)

When I was younger I had quite a few friends who were celiacs, 

and I learnt how hard it was to find products that were completely gluten free.

It also meant that my friends would miss out on eating alot of the things I would eat.

But thankfully, Food Manufacturers, like Carmans, are becoming more aware of food intolerances.

But keep in mind, just because a product is "Gluten Free" it doesn't mean that it is taste free.

This muesli is my new favourite of the Carman's range. 

And it gets an 11/10. 

And remember, Carman's is available from all super markets - 

So go out and grab a box of their Deluxe muesli to try,

Especially if you're already a muesli fan!

Or if you're not a fan of oats. 

If you wanna know more check out the Carman's Fine Foods Website

So I've asked you about your favourite breakfast,

and I've asked you for recipes..

But now I just want you to tell me something, ANYTHING!

Whatever you like :) 

A story?

A quote? 

A fact?

A joke?

063.

Forget coffee beans! I'll have jelly beans any day. 

The lovely people from Jelly Belly Australia were kind enough to send me some of their jelly beans.

I had 49 different flavours in front of me plus some of their Sour Jelly beans - That's 59 Flavours all up.

So I gathered my un-official taste testers. 

Jelly beans are fun, 

Their shape is fun and their size

and they always remind me of parties I had when I was little. 

The 59 different flavours also made it a whole lot of fun,

as we scrambled to find the flavour we were looking for.

Sometimes the root beer jelly bean we thought we had turned out to be cappucino.

or the green apple was actually jalapeno. 

It almost turns the whole experience into a lucky dip. 

And you can make jelly bellys more fun by using the recipes

With 49 original flavours plus 10 sour flavours,

there's something to please everybody

from little kids to grandparents.

My favourite flavour is definitely licorice,

much to my boyfriends disgust :P

I'm a bigggg licorice fan, so a licorice jelly bean = <3

I also really liked the sour flavours, 

they were packed with flavour like the original jelly bellys

but I did think they were lacking a little bit of that sour punch. 

But that's probably just because I'm a big sour candy fan.

My taste testers and I really enjoyed the Jelly Belly Jelly beans 

and have given them a 9.5/10 rating!

Only because the sour ones weren't as sour as we'd like.

And now, 

I have a pretty jar of jelly beans displayed on my kitchen counter.

Cute and delicious!

Jelly Belly products are available from a whole variety of stores - 

To find where you can get Jelly Belly products near you click here!

See their official flavour guide here!

And you can also buy in bulk right here in either assorted flavours or single flavours!

Remember people, I like licorice! :P 

Now I want to know something -  

What's you favourite jelly bean flavour?

Kristy was sent Jelly Belly products courtesy of Jelly Belly Australia.

If you'd like a review of your products, send an email to ksayerphotography@gmail.com 

Edit: I have a new favourite... ROOT BEER :D

062.

 

taken at eveleigh markets

 Lately i've spent alot of time on product photography, 

something that's totally out of my comfort zone.

 But i'm loving it, 

I love to learn about new techniques and I love adapting to new things,

This is probably the main reason I enjoy photography.

I don't think there's is any photographer in the world who knows everything.

Photography also makes me face my fears, 

I'm freaked out by spiders and bugs - bees especially

But i'll do anything to get that shot, 

even if it means crawling through gardens and twisting myself into awkward positions.

I'm also exploring new places,

venturing into areas I never would have thought about before.

I'm loving having a passion that is so satisfying. 

And the best thing of all?

Comments from all of you, 

You make me smile

and laugh

So now I want to know something about you, 

What's your passion? 

061.

 

another muesli review!

this time I wanted to do something different, 

so I made cookies! 

I was trying to think of things I could do with the muesli to make it a little bit more interesting than 4 muesli reviews

and I suddenly had a craving for cookies.

So I scoured recipe books, hoping to find a good recipe. 

 

 I ended up creating my own recipe because I really wanted chewy muesli cookies 

and I only had a small amount of brown sugar

Kristy's Chewy Muesli Cookie Recipe 

300 grams butter, softened (I actually used light nuttelex)

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups wholemeal flour (you can use regular white flour if you like)

1 tsp baking soda

3 cups Carman's Classic Fruit Muesli

Preheat oven to 180 Degrees C (355 degrees F)

Cream butter and sugar with a mixer.

Sift flour and baking soda and add into creamed butter and mix until combined.

Slowly mix in muesli, making sure everything is combined.

Shape into balls with two spoons (or a cookie scoop) and flatten.

Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until golden brown. 

Makes about 20 Medium sized cookies.

 

You have to make sure you really cream the butter and sugar to make sure you get the right texture.

You also might want to refridgerate the dough for half an hour or so to get a more workable dough as it's really soft.

The cookies will come out a little soft in the centre when you take them out of the oven - But don't worry, they firm up once they cool.. And it just makes them soft and chewy in the centre.

These cookies were really delicious! 

However if you want crispy cookies you may want to reduce the butter in the recipe and cook them for a little longer.

The best thing about using Carman's Classic Fruit Muesli in cookies is that I didn't need to add any nuts, fruit, cinnamon etc. Like I usually would in an oatmeal cookie recipe. 

These cookies should keep in an airtight container for about 3-4 days - If they last that long! 

 and they also freeze really well, so once you've shaped them you can pop a tray in the freezerand put them in zip lock bags once their frozen.

So that when a cookie craving occurs all you have to do is break off as many cookies as you'd like and put them in the freezer,

Just add 5 minutes or so extra cooking time.

  

I'm starting to see a pattern with Carman's Muesli, 

its all extremely delicious! 

And I can't wait to make my way through some more products in the coming days. 

Another 10/10!

So tell me, what's the weirdest food you've ever had a craving for?

And how do you like your cookies?

Kristy received Carman's Muesli courtesy of Carman's Fine Foods,

If you'd like a review of your own products send an email to ksayerphotography@gmail.com