Équilibre

It’s my birthday on the weekend and i’m planning to indulge…

As soon as I caught sight of this Raspberry and Hazelnut Sour Cream Cake I knew that I had to have it as my birthday cake this year. I am going to relish not only the eating part, but also the experience of baking it – a rare occurrence these days. I’ve been promised the time and space to create it from scratch, which is a gift in itself. I can’t wait, and only hope I can do it justice!

It was love at first sight when I saw Alexandra Nea Graham’s blog, The Art of Afternoon Tea. Its an exquisite showcase for her life’s loves – drawing, baking, family, friends and gorgeous tableware. Each week, she posts one of her charmingly lovely hand drawn afternoon tea illustrations, accompanied by a recipe (handed down from a friend or relative) and displayed on beautiful pieces from her own extensive collection.

Alex’s blog resonated with me not only because of her gorgeous aesthetic, but also for the way it harks back to a more traditional, simple, slower paced way of life. In our fast-food, frenetic, over processed world we lose sight of the fact that indulgent treats like this should take time and energy to create, be made with wholesome ingredients, be beautifully presented and most of all, shared with those we love.

That’s what special treats should be about – an opportunity to feed our soul rather than our waistline – and so much better (and healthier) for us than grabbing a packet of Tim Tams on the run and gobbling them down mindlessly.

Thanks for the gentle reminder Alexandra, i’ll be attempting to reinstate the delightful art of afternoon tea on occasion, and watching your future posts with much anticipation. In the meantime, I have a cake to bake…

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