099.

I often come across new and unusual things. 

Whether it be products I get sent

or random facts. 

I adore learning new things, 

and I thought you might too! 

So I figured I had to share :)

(maybe I should start a series - thoughts?)

So today's subject is Halva. 

What is it?

According to Wikipedia Halva refers to many types of dense, sweet confections served across the Indian Subcontinent, Central Asia, West Asia, North Africa, The Horn of Africa, The Balkans and the Jewish World.

So it's a type of dessert/confection - right? 

The world halawa in Arabic means 'sweetness' while the word halwa means sweets or candy

Tahin Helvasi refers to crushed sesame seeds (tahin)

The Halva I received from Turkish Store is Pistachio Halva (as you can see from the picture above)

What does it taste like?

Unsure of what I was tasting, I cut a tiny slither off one of the slices of Halva and put it in my mouth..

First I got the extreme nutty flavour - Almost like a nut butter

and then the Halva melted away in my mouth. 

I was expecting more of a nougat type of texture, but what I got was more of a marshmallowy texture, however, the outer edge of the halva was quite chewy - (yum!)

The halva itself was incredibly oily - I'm guessing from the nuts.

What do I do with it?

I guess the easy answer is EAT IT! 

But after googling for a while I've seen suggestions of putting it on bread, having it with coffee like a biscuit, spreading it on biscuits etcetc.

I also saw recipes for halva cupcakes but I could see it as an addition to ice cream (yes, I'm obsessed - I think this is where the halva will end up) or maybe as a garnish for a cake - Anything that lends itself to nutty flavours really.

Maybe you could put it in a cookie!

Where can I get it?

Of course if you're in Australia, I'd say head to Turkish Store

which is where I was sent the Halva from.  

Otherwise maybe have a look at your local Turkish Supermarket/store.

Or you could make it yourself!

 

Now, Share with me... 

Have you ever had Halva?

What do you think I should do with it?

and What do you think about a series of these posts? Yay or Nay?

Kristy received this Halva courtesy of www.turkishstore.com.au

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

098.

I thought I'd share a simple but oh so tasty recipe with you.

Last Christmas I was given an ice cream maker (yay!) as I'm a huge ice cream fan.

So I've been on a bit of a journey to find the best ice cream recipes out there.

This one was a mix up of a few recipes and ended up becoming a low fat recipe (win-win eh?)

So here it is, My Rocky Road Ice Cream 

1½ cups skim milk
200g condensed skim milk (sweetened)
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 tbsp boiling water
¾ cup light cream
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or 1 tsp Vanilla Essence)
1 cup marshmallows, chopped
½ cup Allen's Ripe Raspberries
1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Dissolve cocoa powder in 1 tbsp boiling water.
Combine milk, Condensed Milk, cream, cocoa powder and vanilla together in a bowl; mix well.
Refrigerate mixture until completely chilled.
Pour Mix into Ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions
Combine marshmallows, raspberries and peanuts in a bowl.
Once finished churning stir through the marshmallow mixture.

It's so quick to make and tastes super yummy!

It kind of has the same flavour as a Chocolate Paddlepop - Definitely more on the cocoa side of town.

So tell me, 

What's your favourite ice cream flavour?   

097.

Last weekend, this lovely bunch of sunshine arrived for me :)

it totally made my Sweet Saturday

I'm in the middle of a strawberry obsession at the moment. 

Like, in the last week I would've eaten about.. hm.. 4 punnets?

I think strawberries are a perfect example of a healthy food that doesn't taste like it,

I'd much prefer a plate of strawberries than chocolate.

They're super refreshing and de-lish!

This lovely fruit bouquet was from Naked Berry

and was filled with delicious strawberries, pineapple slices, melon balls and of course chocolate covered strawberries!

It was beautifully presented and came straight out of a refridgerated delivery truck wrapped in cellophane - 

No worries that your fruit will spoil!

They'd be a perfect gift for birthdays or anniversaries etcetc

and way better than flowers!

Because they don't just look gorgeous,

they taste it too!

So have a looksie at their catalog

:) 

pssstt.. my birthday is only a month away!

The fruit Naked Berry use must come from some fruit wonderland,

because the strawberries were heavenly

as were the pineapple pieces.

and the chocolate?

deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelicious :)

It doesn't count if it's on a strawberry- right?

 But do tell me,

What's your favourite healthy food? 

Kristy received this fruit bouquet courtesy of www.nakedberry.com.au

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

096.

 

What are the requirements of comfort food?

For me, comfort food isn't something that's fancy or pretty.

It's food that warms your heart and reminds you of something or someone.

Food that brings satisfaction and takes you back somewhere.

This is a post i've been wanted to add for a long, long time now,

but unfortunately my computer decided to keep the deliciousness of baked rice pudding to itself

and eat my photos.

but alas, 

I got them back! 

finally. 

 

Food isn't just about survival, 

it brings people together and creates memories. 

This is why I knew I had to share the Marysville Cookbook with you all.

For those of you that don't know, 

On February 7th 2009, Victoria was faced with uncontrollable bushfires.

Now it's known as Black Saturday.

Black Saturday saw thousands of people lose their homes, their workplaces and even their family members and 173 people perished in the flames. 

Marysville is a town that was devastated by these fires and the Marysville Cookbook was created to give hope to the people of the town.

From each book that is bought, $10 is donated to the Marysville community. 

I heard from Heather Samsa, the one who put the book together, a few weeks back to find out that the money raised from these cookbooks has already helped out local schools in the area.

The book includes a whole heap of great recipes - Real hearty country cooking

and the 165 pages also hold many pictures of Marysville before it was devastated.

So I'm going to encourage all of you, take a look at the Marysville Cookbook Website, 

read the story

and learn about what happened.

I'm happy to say that I've had a few of my friends and family purchase the book after seeing it here.

And if you do purchase the book?

You'll be able to make a super yummy, heart warming rice pudding

and know that you've helped the Marysville Community.

But do tell me,

What's your ideal comfort food/meal and why? 

Kristy received the Marysville Cookbook courtesy of www.marysvillecookbook.com

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

095.

can you guess where I was yesterday?

094.

 

Today is saturday... 

The weekend... 

 

What does that mean? 

time for some fun,

some indulgence,

time to let loose.

This is the reason I've decided that saturdays on my blog will now be

SWEET SATURDAYS!

Every saturday you'll be seeing something sweet,

whether it be a product review, 

a recipe 

or a random picture

 

Now this weeks sweet saturday comes from Cocolo Chocolate,

a while ago I was sent a box of their products. 

Eight blocks of fine swiss organic chocolate. 

With everything that's been going on I hadn't had a chance to review any,

but this week I decided it was time to be acquainted with their bittersweet chocolate.

 

 

It's only been recently that I've become a fan of dark chocolate,

I think it's definitely an age thing. 

As a child I'd refuse anything other than Cadbury.

But just as I can now eat 300 kilograms of broccoli, 

I'd also be quite happy with some dark chocolate :P

This Cocolo chocolate was delicious, 

perfect for those who haven't quite converted to the dark side.

Not too bitter and with a perfect bite!

 

It had a fantastic aroma too

and by eating Cocolo Chocolate you're not filling your body with anything nasty like pesticides or soy lecithin because it's Certified Organic! 

It's also Fairtrade, meaning that Cocolo supports the growers who they source their ingredients from.

So Cocolo really is a guilt free chocolate. 

It's also easy to get your hands on some Cocolo,

you can get it from Coles stores around Australia

as well as a number of individual stockists.

The blocks are perfect for that little bit of indulgence as they're 100 grams - 

Meaning you can keep a block stashed away in the cupboard and snack at your will :P

So I still have seven blocks remaining,

what do you think should be next?

• Dark 70%
• Milk
• Dark Mint Crisp
• Dark Almond
• Dark Orange
• Milk Hazelnut
• White Almond Crunch

Kristy received Cocolo chocolate courtesy of Cocolo

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

 

093.

Three years ago, my dad bought a pizza oven. 

That pizza oven was only the beginning,

You see, my dad has a bit of a pizza obsession.

Three years later, we have two pizza ovens

and my Dad considers himself somewhat of an expert

(Hi Dad - I mean you are an expert, of course) 

 When he was younger, my Dad fancied himself quite the pizza master.

He managed a little pizza shop, so he takes every opportunity to show off his skills. 

According to him, a good pizza has toppings you can count on one hand

and you always but cheese on the bottom and toppings around the edge. 

When I was sent some products from iDELI

we knew exactly what they were going to make. 

In that package, I received.......

drum roll please

Two cans of San Marzano Tomatoes

San Marzano tomatoes are a variety of plum tomatoes that are considered by many chefs to be the best sauce tomatoes in the world. 

I used them to make a basic pizza sauce, adding only a few herbs. 

I definitely agree with those chefs. 

These tomatoes were full of flavour and delicious!
Nothing like your average supermarket canned tomatoes.

These could possibly become a pantry staple for me.

I also was sent some paper thin slices of Prosciutto di San Daniele

according to the iDELI website, King's Prosciutto di San Daniele is widely regarded as the finest producer of Prosciutto di San Daniele.

I can honestly say I've never actually had prosciutto before receiving these products. 

I used to be an extremely fussy eater, so things like prosciutto weren't touched by me :P

But according to my prosciutto expert parents, it was fantastic. 

I was also sent some Mozzarella di Bufala Pomella

which is Buffalo Mozzarella. 

Another ingredient I'd never had at home, only eaten in restaurants.

You see, I'm a little bit clueless. 

I seemed to have this idea in my head that buffalo mozzarella was like buffalo wings.

Meaning it had nothing to do with buffalo. 

Don't ask me why - I don't know! I was born blonde

But anyway, 

I made up some pizza dough from my never fail recipe.

Basic Pizza Dough 

(from Pizza Modo Mio - John Lanzafame) 

Makes enough dough for one 30 cm/12 inch pizza

Ingredients: 

1 tsp dried yeast

1 tsp salt

100 ml warm water

2 tsp olive oil

160g plain flour

Put the yeast, salt and warm water in a small bowl and whisk until just combined. 

Gradually whisk in the olive oil, then leave in a warm place for 10 minutes, or until the mixture starts to bubble.

Add the flour and knead for 15 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Rub the inside of a large bowl with olive oil. Roll the dough around in the bowl to coat it with oil, then place in the bowl, cover with a clean cloth and leave in a draught-free spot for 1–1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.

Punch down the dough to expel trapped air. (At this stage, the dough can be covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight or frozen. Bring back to room temperature before continuing.)

Place the dough on a baking tray lined with baking paper, cover and leave in a draught-free spot for 15 minutes, or until risen by half again.

Then all you have left to do is put on your choice of pizza sauce and your toppings.
I decided to keep it simple with just the buffalo mozzarella and prosciutto. 

The prosciutto crisped up really well in the pizza oven

and the buffalo mozzarella melted perfectly.

My verdict? 

iDELI's products were fantastic for making pizza.

It added a gourmet element to the pizzas which made it perfect for having people around. 

We often have "pizza parties" so I'd definitely consider buying these products again for one of those nights.

Plus, buying their products is so simple! Just head to their website! 

I have my eye on their confectionery and cheese sections :P 

Fairy floss and vintage cheddar... mmmmmmmmmmm

But now I want to know, 

how do you like your pizza? 

Kristy received iDELI products courtesy of iDELI, 

if you'd like a review of your product, send an email to 

ksayerphotography@gmail.com 

092.

I love Autumn colours,

it's the only thing I look forward to in the cooler months. 

I even have two gorgeous Japanese Maple trees in my backyard

that only change colour for one day 

and then drop all of their leaves. 

I'd been waiting for the maple tree to change.

....and waiting

and waiting... 

and then we left for Forster.

I told my mum the maple tree would change while we were gone

and what'd we come home to find? 

A naked maple tree. 

drats

 

Luckily there's still plenty of trees with gorgeous autumn leaves in my neighbourhood

But I guess I'll be waiting till next year for that maple tree.

091.

I

 I love herbal teas.

I can't stand coffee or regular tea,

but give me a herbal tea any day!

My current tea of choice is green tea,

I probably drink at least 3 cups a day. 

Before that it was peppermint tea 

(which by the way, makes Dello Mano brownies even better!)

A while ago I was sent some tea from neo australia,

specifically their Gorgeous Green Invigorating Tea Blend

A special blend of Japanese green tea with strawberries, mango, cornflower and sunflower which helps invigorate your system. With double strength antioxidant as compared to black tea, high in vitamin C and has been known as natural source of fluoride. 

Before I even opened the jar I could smell it

and it smelled delicious!

You can definitely pick up the sweetness from the mango and strawberries

So I brewed up the tea

and poured myself a cup :) 

And it was really nice, 

a good change from my plain old green tea. 

The sweetness of the fruit really came through in both the taste and the aroma. 

neo australia tea is available from their website 

and a 120g jar of their Gorgeous Green Invigorating Tea Blend will set you back $25.00 

and they don't just do teas. 

They also have hair care, body butters, deodorants etcetc. 

So check it out! 

But before you go,

do tell me. 

What's your winter beverage of choice?

Kristy was sent neo australia tea courtesy of neo australia

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

090.

i

I'm still here!

and I'm alive!

yes, I may be coughing and spluttering, but I'm alive! 

I feel like my poor little blog has been super neglected,

so I've come to explain! 

First the issue was computer troubles

and then once that was fixed I thought it was back to blogging.

But then, a death in the family meant I had to spend a week away from technology

therefore, no blogging 

But I came home and thought "yes! back to blogging!"

only to be overcome by the worst flu i've had in a long time. 

So i've spent the past week in bed. 

But don't worry! 

I'm back! 

And not giving up.

I have lots I need to share with you all!

and I'll find my way around the computer troubles. 

Is anyone else finding this Sydney weather horrible? 

Cold, wet, miserable... ewwwwwwwwww

Let's just say I've become extremely well acquainted with my fireplace :) 

But now that, hopefully, fingers crossed, i'm back to blogging, 

I want to know what you want to see

Because, afterall, you're the ones who read my posts 

:D 

So tell me!

089.

 

“Life is like a box of chocolates... you never know what you're gonna get.”

Forrest Gump

 

 That quote is not only fitting for this post, but for what's been going on too.

I promise I haven't forgotten about you! 

I just haven't been home or around internet to blog.

 

However, I thought I'd jump right back into it with a super sweet post! 

 

 

A little while ago, I received this perfectly wrapped box of chocolates from Belgian Delights.

I carefully unwrapped the box to what I thought was twelve gorgeous chocolates.

I soon found two that were hidden :P

So, I took out my knife,

Gathered my taste testers

and began to dissect the chocolates. 

It's an extremely technical activity. 

The first of the chocolates I tried was the Heart Caramel.

A super rich dark chocolate shell with a gooey caramel centre.. 

I'm a biggggg caramel/chocolate fan and this caramel was almost butterscotch like.

Next up was the Heart Croquant

which was a smooth white chocolate 

with a nutty hazelnut praline and croquant inside.

Definitely a favourite!

I then chopped up the Horse Marble Praline

which became an instant favourite with its smooth marbled praline.

Hazelnut + Chocolate = Heaven.

The next chocolate in line was the Mylene,

a dark chocolate that held a creamy praline filling topped with a hazelnut. 

The Mocha was next,

a rich coffee buttercream enrobed in super smooth milk chocolate, topped with a coffee bean.

I'm no coffee fan, but my caffeine junkie taste testers loved this.

This is the Mannon,

a white chocolate with coffee flavoured marzipan and walnut pieces. 

We found this had an almost fruity, coconutty taste. 

But that may have been the chocolate overload on our taste buds.

 

These milk and dark chocolate squares made up the fourteen chocolates, hidden under another square.

I loved the simplicity of these chocolates, it was a nice break from the intense flavours.

I would've loved a white chocolate square though!

 

The Perfecta was a rich chocolate rum ganache

coated with dark chocolate 

The Coffee Diamond was a milk chocolate that held 

a brandy and coffee flavoured ganache.

The Sasha Mango was a dark chocolate 

with a light and fruity mango ganache filling. 

Verrryyy tropical

The Macadamia Praline was a milk chocolate with a smooth,

nutty praline filling topped with a crunchy hazelnut.

Not photographed was the Ginger Marzipan that was marzipan

with rum soaked ginger pieces, coated with dark chocolate

My taste testers and I collectively agreed that our TOP TWO 

were the Horse Marble Praline and the Heart Croquant.

The white chocolate was super smooth and not overly sweet. 

But all of the chocolates had great flavours!

Good enough to score an 8/10!

 So tell me, 

What's your dream chocolate combination?!

Kristy received Belgian Delights chocolates courtesy of Belgian Delights.

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