Monthly Musings: April 2021
Sweet friends – hello! Happy almost weekend! Specifically: happy almost Easter weekend! Did you give up anything for Lent? I once gave up meat for Lent and let me tell you, it was rough. I made it about two weeks before caving and having a big plate of my mom’s shepherd’s pie. At the time, I had a horrible cold and I remember feeling awfully sorry for myself. I regret nothing, and I think that was the last time I ever tried to give up anything. Aside from that, do you have plans for Easter? Boyfriend & I will be spending the day at home, alone obvs, eating hot cross custard buns for breakfast, slow cooked pork shoulder for dinner, and generally snacking on Easter eggs throughout the day. Ah, the joys of Easter.
Our Monthly Musings for April 2021 are below. I’ll be putting the finishing touches on my dad’s birthday present while you peruse. If I could draw your attention to one single recipe, please let it be the Lemon Cream Tart.
Side note: why are dads so hard to buy for? Seriously.
Monthly Musings: April 2021
Covid-19 update: it’s still here, we’re still here, everything is going to be okay. Level 5 is continuing for this month, but they’re making some adjustments from the 12th. The main differences for us are that we’ll be able to travel 20km from our home across the county boarder, and we’ll be able to meet up with two different households outdoors. There are changes to outdoor sports and construction coming too, but I couldn’t give a hoot. More information here.
*
Related: April is my dad’s birthday month and it’s so sad that the ban on household and garden visits hasn’t been lifted. We’re having a hard time understanding what the difference is meeting someone in a park or meeting someone in our garden? What a wild time. I think I’ll bake him this – and update the blog post drastically while I do.
*
In case you missed it, there were two new recipes on the blog last month: Lemon Bundt Cake with Sugared Blueberries and White Soda Bread. Spring has me craving allllll the lemon things and my little lemon bundt cake was exactly what I needed! The soda bread is a recipe I’ve been making for over a year now and is so great for those times you want homemade bread but don’t want to put it any effort. It’s a miracle bread, truly.
*
There were two recipes from the archives revamped last month: Classic Apple Pie / Lemon Cream Tart. I am especially proud of the Lemon Cream Tart update – it finally received the facelift it’s deserved for years! Coming at you tomorrow is an updated Curly Carrot Cake – a four layer carrot cake with candied carrot strips that’s just perfect for Easter. Watch your inboxes!
*
It’s finally Oscar month! We’ve been ticking off as many nominated films as we can, but sadly there aren’t that many available for streaming. One Night in Miami… / The United Stated VS Billie Holiday / Hillbilly Elegy / The Trial of the Chicago 7. The ones I’m really looking forward to seeing though are Nomadland, Minari, and The Father. Have you seen any of the above/nominated ones – which was your fave?
*
Are you watching any good TV shows? We finally finished watching The Crown last month. The last season was especially epic, but honestly I loved all of it. Since then, we’ve moved onto The Affair and we love it. We’ve just started season 4 and apart from the odd dull episode, we’re hooked. Sometimes I find myself thinking that perhaps my love for it is entirely based on watching Joshua Jackson hug people – but maybe it’s more than that. Also! I started watching Sex And The City in the background while I work – so sue me.
*
This day four years ago I was in Bremen with Boyfriend and gosh, I miss travelling so much! Feel free to browse my Bremen City Guide!
*
In case you didn’t see it: Grow It Yourself have a new initiative, Grow it Forward! Basically, they’re giving away free packs of seeds, and you’re meant to share them in some way with 9 other people. My little pack has yet to arrive, but I’m so excited for when it does! Apparently it comes with tomatoes, beetroot, peas, salad leaves, and carrots – hopefully my green thumb is strong enough to keep them alive!
*
Something that I’ve been thinking a lot about recently: food heritage. My ancestors were from Germany, Poland, and Ireland, and I really want to try to embrace this more in the foods I eat. Not just in the savory, but also the sweet! I’d love to learn to make some traditional German bakes, and I’ve just purchased Classic German Baking to help me in my quest. I can’t wait for it to arrive!
*
Admittedly, we were a little late to the party on this one, but we finally got around to trying the King Arthur Crispy Cheesy Pan Pizza. It’s so great! It tastes like a ludicrously soft focaccia topped with pockets of sauce and heaps of mozzarella – it’s incredible.
*
How good do these Oven Fried Halloumi Bites look? I’m salivating. I also came across this recipe for Pickled Chilies the other day and I’m going to leave it riiiight here for later. Guess I know what I’m doing with all my surplus chilies this summer!
I think that’s everything, friends! Well, apart from an update on how my Super Mario Bros DS game is going – but I’m not sure you’d be all that interested. I hope you found something to take away with you – a movie or a recipe or a TV show perhaps. Lockdown life is a bizarre thing, isn’t it? Until next month!
My love to you,
Vicki xo