a happy ending

It's new years eve, and I thought perhaps I should provide you with a happy ending... There are posters around for a newyears street party called happy ending, and I meant to post this to remind me for next year... A bit late I know, but just to finish off. Rum BALLS



Or Rrrummmkuglen which they call them here... or that's how it sounded to me, when lovely Marieke said it... rrrrrr...

This recipe is patched together from memory, I hadn't made them since I lived at home, which is over ten years ago... They used to have sultanas in them too, but adam's not a fan...

1 packet of plain biscuits, it always used to be arrowroot, finely ground.
An equal amount of hazlenuts or almonds roughly ground, it's good to still have some crunch...
1 tin of sweet sickly condensed milk
As much delicious dutch cocoa as you need to make it DARK, or to taste...
half a cup of crystalized lime or lemon or orange peel
and RUM to taste, I like em strong, so started with 1 cup then splashed in more
Roughly chopped delicious dark chocolate, also good for the crunch
Devastated coconut for rolling
I think that's all?
add other things if you like...

mix it all together, and marvel at the decadence... if it's not firm enough to roll into balls, add more ground nuts... roll into balls and roll in coconut.

this part always brings to mind Kate Bush's 'rolling the balls', maybe it's called 'Them Heavy People'? I dunno.... But you can sing that as you go... then put em in the fridge to harden up...

mmmm... delicious snowy and rummy...
mmm... then it's basically christmas even if it's not...

Happy New Year, kisses all around...

I saw a dead body

It was a shortcut home, but then I didn't want to go that way. I also didn't really want to look close enough into the ditch to know if those blue swollen hands were really dead. Adam looked closer. They did look dead.

The clearest proof I've had that I've seen WAY too much art? As I walked away, pretty convinced he was dead, the three viable options I presented to Adam were, in order of likeliness;

a) He's dead
b) He's very close to dead
c) It is an incredibly realistic art installation commenting on the transitory, lonely and utterly despairing nature of human life. Even artspeak.

Yes I am sorry. Anyway, we walked to the polizei, and told them, we think there is a dead body up the road. Hanz and Fritz took us in the car to find it, telling us to buckle up. When we got there the dead body wasn't dead anymore, it was rubbing it's sore head. Two other boys had discovered him and yelled him awake. We should have done that. Would he have understood our English?

I have seen drunk people looking like they are dead before, but never in subzero temperatures crumpled up in a ditch in wasteland by a river. It's fucking cold out there. I would die. And I probably would want someone to notify the authorities.

The body is alive but it's not okay.

Fröhliche Weinachten

The HAPPY XMAS is only so small since we are so faraway, and also I guess because we are in a lego balloon above Berlin, but the love is big, for you and your family, be merry.

x

minus

The weather has decided not to bother with positive temperatures anymore, and my little frozen finger-tips tink tink on the keyboard, only because I've been out wandering the markets all morning... People have busted out the full length sleeping bag coats all around, and yet when you go out at night It's a burden to wear a big jacket...

I had a weird experience with a girl recognizing me from flickr at the gig we went to last night. Stranger on the other side of the world. Also saw mr Ian Wadley for beers and some faux sabbath german keyboard experiences in a smoky cave.

Have been busy making stuff when not sleeping or cooking or drinking beer or walking around in the cold.

Christmas has kind of snuck up on me despite all the quite delightful christmas cheer about the place... Ice skating in the square, tobogganing at Potsdamner Platz. Last christmas I was on a plane to New Zealand. It was cold there too. My memory has big holes in it. What did we do last night, let alone last year? Sometimes I wish I wrote more (and sometimes less) things down.

I hope you're all suitably festive for the season, and I don't necessarily mean drunk.

we got flava

WE made a batch of delicious Lebkuchen... In the research phase, we discovered why you buy them at the christmas markets for your love and wear them home around your neck. They keep you safe from evil spirits and protect you in battle! Biscuit of POWER!

Lebkuchen

1/2 cup of honey
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 3/4 cup of plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup candied orange or lemon peel
1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts

Icing
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup icing sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

I put in a teaspoon of ground black pepper as I had no idea what they call allspice in germany, despite staring hopefully at the spice section for about half an hour... I managed nutmeg and cloves. I also added some finely chopped fresh ginger, because I love it. And the lemon juicey icing is me too... It's extra zesty...

In a medium saucepan, bring honey and molasses to the boil, remove from heat and stir in the brown sugar, egg, lemon juice and lemon zest, then stir in the candied peel and hazelnuts. In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. Add the molasses mixture and stir well. Cover the dough and chill overnight.

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C. Roll out half of the dough at a time, to 1/4 inch thickness, cut into rectangles, little men, stars or giant circles, if you wish to make flava flav clocks... Bake for 10-12 minutes until no imprint remains when touched lightly.

Brush the icing over them while they are still hot and quickly remove to wire cooling racks. Store in an airtight container with a peeled mandarin or a few slices of apple overnight... They will get soft and chewy, personally I prefer them before they get soft and chewy, but, that's how they make them here...

To make the icing: Combine the sugar and lemon juice and water in a small saucepan. Stir until fully dissolved, then gently boil until a small amount dropped into water forms a soft ball. Remove from heat and stir in icing sugar. If it becomes sugary while brushing the cookies, reheat slightly, adding a bit more water or lemon juice until crystals dissolve...

This makes a small mountain of dough, so you may want to keep half in the fridge and bake it later when the need for more arises...

happy

'flight of the conchords' is making me happy...
I had watched the music clips, but the whole series! I'm already sad in advance that it will be over sometime... but mostly I'm happy... you can be too...
also the prospect of a white* christmas in berlin. OOH!

'according to legend on christmas eve in Germany, rivers turn to wine, animals speak to each other, tree blossums bare fruit, mountains open up to reveal precious gems, and church bells can be heard ringing from the bottom of the sea.'

maybe we'll have to get more of those Hawaiian mushrooms...

they also have the best cakes... MMM...
not to mention the ridiculously cute kids and there singing. ACK!

anyway, we had the best day out, delicious turkish sweets, a walk in the park and a new and precious coffee pot, and too many coffees...
life is alright. mmmHMM...

*fingers crossed...

hello Australia!

I am all bundled up and warm in the new flat. It's a pretty old building and we live on the second floor. We have a bed, some plants, a kitchen! and some neighbours to stare into our window...



We have been watching lots of old episodes of 'curb your enthusiasm' and 'the office' because it's the only thing we have for distraction. Talk about annoyance in the form of entertainment. Sadly we've watched all of twin peaks, so that pleasing peskiness is all over. The clues are in the woods coop! woot woot!

We were in a group show last week. It went pretty well. Indulged our photobooth urges and did some stitching too. I'm working up to some more embroidery and some more drawing. Should be keeping busy with all this cold. We have decided to stay put here for a few months at least, despite the urge to spend all our money adventuring. Europe. My birthday in Prague or Paris? Nah. Berlin it is.

I'm trying to get work, and find a language school.

Have been to some museums and some galleries. Seeing big art. Making little art. Catching lots and lots of trains... and going to LEGOland...





I have some pictures in the a4 art show at westspace, If that last post wasn't obvious enough. Ok.

A4 Art

West Space Annual Fundraising Exhibition

Thursday 6 December – Sunday 9 December, opens Thursday 6 December 5-9pm.

This end-of-year event provides a rare chance support West Space while collecting innovative artworks by some fantastic and well-known contemporary artists.

Andy Hutson / Arlo Mountford / Ash Keating / Azlan McLennan / Betra Fravel / Bianca Hester / Bill Sampson / Brad Haylock / Brett Jones / Brie Trenerry / Bryan Spier / Camilla Tadich / Christian Bumbarra Thompson / Christian Capurro / Dane Mitchell / Danielle Freakley / Dell Stewart / Damiano Bertoli / Dominic Redfern / Ellequa Martin / Glen Walls / Jade Venus / James Guerts / James Kenyon / Janenne Eaton / Jennifer Mills / Juan Ford / Kate Cotching / Kate Just / Kate Stones / Kez Hughes / Lou Hubbard / Megan McPherson / Michael Graeve / Mike Chavez / Mimmo Cozzolino / Nathan Gray / Nicholas Jones / Nat Starr Thomas / Patrick Pound / Peter Tyndall / Sanné Mestrom / Sarah Stubbs / Skye Kennewell / Simon Horsburgh / Sue Dodd / Susan Jacobs / Tanmaya Bingham / Tom Nicholson / Zeljko Markov and more...