ONE // Easter Focaccia
Last week, I got very creative with my focaccia. I wanted to bring something to my brother's over the Easter weekend and settled on a focaccia, a usual crowd pleaser. However, I was trying to think up of a way I could give it some Easter flair. I was hoping to go for something a little sweet. So after a quick search about Easter flavours, I decided to add orange zest to the dough. Then the magic happened with the topping options. I chopped up some raisins, dried cranberries and almonds and coated them in a liberal amount of honey. I spooned the mixture on top of the dough before dimpling. This way, the fruit and nuts would get squished in and dispersed. I then sprinkled a mixture of coarse sugar and cinnamon on top. Finally, I had a brilliant idea and decided to mimic the design of hot crossed buns and make a trellis pattern on top of my focaccia. This is the detail that nailed the Easter theme! I was so pleased with the way it turned out! I think I could have maybe made it even sweater (perhaps with a light glaze before serving) but it was a great option to have with coffee or as a dessert. My niece did say it was on the dry side, so I'll have to work on that too, ha ha! But for my first big modification on a focaccia, I was quite pleased with the result. I also brought a sourdough that looked promising but we won't talk about that one...
TWO // Lindor Chocolate Eggs
Speaking of Easter, I got my fill of chocolate eggs! There were six of us around the dining room table filling plastic eggs with all the treats when the little ones went to bed. My mom had gotten so much chocolate! We all got our fill the night of and had a spare bucket to boot! Ha ha, it was nice getting to participate in the making of as opposed to the egg hunt itself the next morning. I mean, we had to sample the goodies ahead of time and determine which were the superior treats, right? We need to have a plan when picking through the loot the next day, right? All that to say that my personal surprise favourite this year has been these Lindor eggs. They are like the classic Lindor truffles but are smaller and easier to eat in one bite. I've been eating them non-stop. Think of them as the elevated version of the basic solid milk chocolate eggs of your childhood.
THREE // Beige Denim
I don't often buy jeans. To me, this is the hardest article of clothing to shop for. Over the years, I've found some jeans I really like and tend to go for more classic designs so that I can wear them for as long as possible. Well, I recently decided to try my luck with these beige ankle jeans from Old Navy. I thought about it for weeks and finally decided to give them a try. I like that it's a different colour option for spring and summer while not being white. I love my white jeans, but I wanted another option. What did it for me was the braided detail at the waist. It's subtle but very unique. I find it makes tucking in your shirt more elevated even without a belt. The ankle length makes them easy to wear with flats, sneakers and sandals. I wore them over the Easter weekend and find them to be comfortable and easy to style. The only downside - like with all light denim - is that they seem to attract stains...
FOUR // Blood of My Blood
Here we go with the Outlander prequel series! I've been really looking forward to this dropping and we finally have a start date - August 8! Having read the entire book series and being up to date with the current series, it's great to have more coming in the Outlander universe. If I recall correctly, the author is working on a book about Jamie's and Claire's parents but it has yet to be published. So it's looking like the series will come out before the book so that will be an interesting chronology of events. I'm not sure how this will all play out, but it will be a nice change to watch a series without a book's story looming over it. I can't help but compare the two. I'll get to enjoy this series for what it is. I'm so ready to delve back into the past!
FIVE // Hill House - Almost Summer
Hill House has been dropping so many capsules lately it's been hard to keep up! As usual, I love the prints they release. If I had no self-control and unlimited budget, I'd be adding to my personal collection at every drop. Sadly (or maybe not?) that is not the case. While I don't buy from every drop, I do analyze the line sheet and always add to my dream wish list. That being said the pomegranate stripe is divine and a perfect spring/summer print. I also like the light blue stripe option if you don't already have a similar one. I've noticed the classic prints tend to circle back, which is a relief for my wallet. I also noticed the Kimmy silhouette has more tame ruffle sleeves so it's similar to the classic Ellie but would be easier to layer as the sleeves are less bulky. Some really great options in the Almost Summer capsule but I think I have to hold off for the full summer drop because I suspect there will be some real gems! Summer is THE drop of the year and Hill House always delivers.
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