Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Retro Baking : Lemony Lemon Brownies Thermomix

Instead of spending all of our time in the office today for Retro Respection, Miss Ricebubble and myself decided to spend some quality time in the kitchen baking with the children (4 in total with us both having 2 each). Since we are both lovers of vintage we always prefer to use our vintage kitchen items with the exception of Miss Ricebubble's thermomix, which I am a little bit apprehensive about but willing to try. So today we were using a recipe from Nat's Thermomixen In The KitchenLemony Lemon Brownies. This recipe has been made using the Thermomix but I'm sure it can be easily adapted to make in any way you like, modern or vintage.

STEP 1
Find the perfect apron!
Left To Right: Pink PoodleDish DolliesPink Diamond and Puppy Dog.
STEP 2
Collect lemons

"Reach! You can do it!"


Left To Right: Enamel mixing bowl set and enamel basin



STEP 3
Preheat oven to 180c.
 Place 150g raw sugar and the rind of 1 lemon in the Themomix bowl and blitz for 10seconds on speed 9. Scrape down and insert butterfly.
Top To Bottom: Mikasa Orange Sherbert Paprika Sugar Bowl 
and Ornamin Ware Melmac Side Plate

"In goes the lemon rind"


"It's a bit noisy!"

STEP 4
Add 100g of diced softened butter and 50g creamed cheese, whip on speed 4 for 2 minutes or until creamy. Remove butterfly and lick clean. Add 2 eggs, a pinch of salt and the juice of 1 lemon. Mix on speed 6 for 6 seconds.

We use eggs from "Eggs By Ellah" because she is a Western Australian lady who is dedicated to raising happy healthy hens and producing delicious free range eggs. Also included in this picture is a Anchor Hocking Fire King Measuring Jug 

STEP 5
Scrape down, add 150g of plain flour and 1tsp of baking powder and mix on speed 4 for 3 seconds or until just combined. Pour mixture into a lined brownie or similar tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes until set in the centre and edges are just starting to turn golden.

Left To Right: Flour Cannister and Persinware Scales. Flour sifter not for sale.


"Keep it in the bowl please guys"
Just before baking

STEP 6
Slice and enjoy!
How good do these look!


These came out more like a thick sponge cake than a brownie consistency but they were super yummy! I will definitely be making these again and will use my "old school" methods as I do not have a Thermomix at home. This has been such a fun day and a great way to spend quality time with the kids while endulging in my love of vintage. Most of the items photographed above are available at Retro Respection. Thankyou so much to Nat for this great recipe!

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Chickabilly - Business Of The Month - August

I am so excited to introduce to you my first "Business Of The Month" post and it features one of my favourite online businesses,Chickabilly, run by the lovely lady Neety. Chickabilly is an online store for rockabilly, kustom kulture and pinup inspired bags and accessories. I came across Chickabilly soon after I began experimenting with my vintage look and I just fell in love with all the fabric combinations for headscarves and bags and it wasn't long til I had worked up a bit of a collection of scarves, flowers and my first Chickabilly bag! Neety's eye for detail is superb and her items are of such high quality and you know a lot of love went into them. A big make it or break it point for me when buying anywhere is customer service and Neety is brilliant! Here is the interview I had with Neety and I will share more on her items over the month of August. 

Here is my custom made Chickabilly bag! Hot pink and white polkadot outside, gorgeous green and white polkadot inside. Topped off with an adorable bow! 

How long has Chickabilly been running for and how did it begin?

Chickabilly has been running since early 2010. I have been sewing my own vintage inspired garments for a few years now. In late 2009, I began to look for a Bamboo Handled Bag that was rockabilly, pinup and Kustom Kulture inspired for myself, to no avail. In fact, I could not find a Bag with Bamboo handles at all, let alone anything that was unique, well made, and especially made in Australia. Therefore, the hunt for fabric and bamboo handles began. I produced a few samples of my small sized bags to begin with and carried them around with me wherever I went. I initially had no intentions of producing Bags to sell, but after receiving so many enquiries from friends and friends of friends, I decided I would begin making them for the public. I then started to receive enquiries for a larger bag and variations of handles, fabrics embellishments etc. The hunt for Rockabilly Hair Roses that sat flat on the hair to no avail also led me to start making my own. What started off as just a Facebook page, then quickly turned into an online business. I have had experience at designing my own websites in the past, so starting an online business was not new to me. Therefore, I jumped straight into it. The response was overwhelming to say the least. I am still blown away and extremely grateful at how Chickabilly has evolved in this very short period of time. 
You can have a reversible headscarf made in whichever fabric combination you like! Chickabilly has a very wide range of colours and prints. 

What is your favourite item that you sell? 

My favorite item I make and sell would have to be my Bags. They are a true labor of love. They have evolved in quality since their beginning. Every Bag is now constructed with a top quality interfacing, and each one is handmade with love, by me. I am very proud of my attention to detail, and I find joy in being able to provide my customers with unique bags, kustom made just for them. My Roses and my Reversible Headscarves come a very close second. 
 












What are your plans for Chickabilly in the future?

There is a lot in store for Chickabilly in the future. New design additions and items are always in the works and I am always on the hunt for new unique rockabilly inspired fabrics. I plan to introduce new hair flowers very soon. I also have another very exciting surprise in the works that I cant mention just yet  Make sure youre a fan of my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Chickabillyau to be the first to hear about this very exciting new addition coming to Chickabilly in the new year. 

Do you embrace a vintage inspired look of your own? 

Yes I do. I adore the 40s and 50s fashion era mainly and have for some time now. I try to dress vintage daily, well as much as my bank account will allow. I am inspired by both the modern pinup look and the vintage pinup look, depending on my mood and the weather. I often feel naked without my red lippy. My favorite fashion item would have to be my 1940s high waist dungaree style jeans, which I wear all the timeI have two pairs so I can wear them interchangeably  I love my circle skirts and dresses also, for that 50s look without going to too much effort look. However, I am by no means a vintage snob, I also spend much of my down time and study days wearing my comfortable tracky dacks and big baggy jumpers. 
What do you love most about vintage styling? 

What I love the most about vintage styling, especially the 40s and 50s, is that there is a sense of empowerment I see in women that comes from wearing vintage style clothing. It can make a woman feel classy, demure, strong and sexy all at the same time and allows all women to feel beautiful, no matter of our shape, size, or creed. Oh and the lipstick, the nails, and the hair. Oh, the hair!
CHICKABILLY OFFER TO MY FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Neety has offered all of my lovely friends a discount over atChickabilly for the month of August 2013 so head over there and grab a bargain! Use the following code for a 20% discount on all items! This is to be used once per person and not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Coupon code is : MISSDOLLY20