Midnight in Paris - Rhinoceros scene

Last night i saw the new film by Woody Alen "Midnight in Paris".

I was intrigued by the movie poster, featuring"Starry Night", the work of my favorite painter, Van Gaugh. Oddly enough Van Gaugh doesn't appear at all in the movie :( 

Despite this fact the movie is an absolute delight for people who a)love Paris and b) love artists and writers who lived in Paris! My favourite part of the movie is when our hero meets with Dali played by Adrien Brody! Hillarious!

Blackberry Muffins :)

So...i promised blackberry recipes....here is the one i used to make the muffins

 Blackberry Muffins Recipe
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 stick unsalted butter (4 tablespoons or 60 grams), melted and cooled
1 large egg, beaten
3/4 cup plus 2 teaspoon milk
1 1/2 cups blackberries

Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Line a muffin pan with 10 paper muffin cups or spray with non-stick cooking spray. If you have a twelve-hole muffin pan, fill the two empty cups halfway with water (this makes the muffins moist).
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar. In another bowl, together the melted butter, egg, and milk. You can also use an electronic hand mixer. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk until just blended (mixture should be slightly lumpy).
Add the blackberries to a bowl and stir them in just enough to combine.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffins cups. Bake the blackberry muffins until golden, for about 20-25 minutes. Remove the blackberry muffins from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Blackberry muffins are best served warm.

Small Luxuries!

Do you love blackberries? I know i do! So D. and I decided to make an excursion to Tatoi and pick some! In the beginning is seemed as an easy project but the blackberry bushes had a different idea. It took us 2,5 hours (and a lot of scratches) in order to collect 500gr of blackberries! But it was worth it!
I made a lovely jam with them and i kept a cup for muffins! Here are photos from the picking ...recipes will follow!

Tatoi

Blackberry shrub (these berry will be ready to pick in about a week)

Mission Impossible!

Trying to get out of the shrubs!

our precious blackberries!

 Some tips for picking them!

When you go out to pick blackberries there are some useful tips to remember. Blackberry juice will stain hands and clothing, and the brambles are covered in many sharp thorns. Therefore wear something old and sturdy (trousers not shorts, and a long sleeved shirt), and give small children gloves.

The most flavoursome blackberries are those which have grown on plants in direct sunlight. Often the best blackberries will be found in difficult to reach positions where they have had the chance to fully ripen without being eaten by birds.

If picking berries on verges, only pick berries above knee height which will not have been splashed by rain hitting the ground, or urinated on by dogs and other animals. Pick only the fully black blackberries (not red or purple) as under-ripe berries will not ripen further once picked. Good blackberries will come of the plant with just a light tug.

When you get your blackberries home, soak them for a good half hour in water just before you intend to use them, and then rinse them well before eating or using them in recipes. If you do not intend to use the berries for a few days, refrigerate them unwashed so they do not spoil, or wash them and pack them into an air tight bag or container for immediate freezing.

 source: http://www.self-sufficient.co.uk/Picking-Wild-Blackberries.htm