Kimono Tango and a Giveaway!

A while ago my friend Chizuko made me with these beautiful cushions (she calls them pillows), plus some table runners. The the other day in the post I got 5 amazing handbags, one more beautiful than the other!



They are all made by hand using kimono and obi (Kimono belts) materials, and you can get them from her cottage industry shop Kimono Tango. 

If you like Japanese design and craft do have a look at Kimono Tango's website in English: they make cushions, bags, iPhone and iPad covers, Laptop bags and more… made to order and sent all over the world. Kimono Tango is made up by a group of Japanese mothers and grandmothers who are trying to make ends meet in the current economic crisis, which was worsened by the recent earthquake and tsunami.
They make everything themselves, often using their heirloom kimonos and obi. You can only make about 6 or 7 bags from one obi, and Kimono Tango uses fabrics exclusively from 1955 to 1965 circa, to make sure that they are real silk, and handcrafted. The handles are leather. Also have a look at their Facebook Page to keep up with new designs and news!

And what will I do with five bags? Well, the one above is my favourite, and it is MINE!!, The first one in the post I gave to my friend Flavia who is a super stylish person and came over for dinner the day after I got the bags when they were all displayed in the entrance and she was so taken by them that I asked her to choose one! Then I'll give one to my mother and one to my sister in law in Italy, and the last one is for …. you!

Yes, this is a giveaway, to enter just pop by Kimono Tango's website or Facebook Page, then come back here and leave a reply to this post saying what you liked best (bags, cushions, covers…). You have one week from now! Good luck!

 Photos by Alessandra Zecchini ©

Special Fresh As Give Away for Sweet New Zealand, and amaretti macaroons.

Attention all food bloggers and friends of Sweet New Zealand:

Remember to enter your sweet recipes this month (info here - I am hosting so you will need to email me the entries) by February 27th and you will be in the draw to win two delicious packs of Fresh As products: Raspberry Powder and Strawberries slices. You can enter old recipes as long as you add the SNZ logo. You can enter as many times as you like, winners will be chosen with Random.org, so you just need to be lucky!

Amaretti Macarons 

After the marzipan here are some amaretti, also made using apricot kernels together with almonds. These are the perfect gluten free biscuits, maybe next time I will make them without blanching the almonds (for a darker colour) except for the apricot kernels: these must be blanched and skin removed as it is poisonous. I add apricot kernels because they taste and smell delicious, like Amaretto liqueur.

Ingredients:

200 g almonds

A few Apricot kernels (up to 20)

200 g raw sugar

3 egg whites

Blanch the almonds and apricot kernels in boiling water to remove the skins, then grind in a food processor with half of the sugar (100 g). Whip the egg white until foamy with the remaining sugar (adding one spoon at the time). Fold in the almonds. Spoon on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake at 100°C for an hour or until the bottom of the amaretti comes off easily from the baking paper. Let them dry for a night before eating. They last a long time (if you don't eat them first!).

This recipe is for Sweet New Zealand #31, the blogging event open to all Kiwi bloggers (living in NZ or overseas) and expats blogging from NZ. I am the host for February, so if you like to enter a sweet recipe please contact me, or click here for the instructions. Also let me know if you are keen to be a host in 2014, and book a month!

Give Away: the family-friendly gluten-free cookbook by Sarah King!

This giveaway is now close, you can find out who the winner is by clicking here

Thank you for entering, and see you at the next giveaway!

This week I have a wonderful give away to New Zealand readers, a beautiful book by Sarah King:

The Family-friendly Gluten-free Cookbook  (RRP $39.99), courtesy of New Holland Publishers NZ

The Family-friendly Gluten-free Cookbook is the culmination of one family’s fight to eat well, after being diagnosed with varying degrees of gluten-intolerance. Author Sarah King proves it is possible for a family to follow a gluten-free diet, however challenging the circumstances and on a limited budget.

To win this book just leave a message at the end of this post from today, Monday 10 September,  through to Friday 14 September. I will pick the winner by random.org on Saturday. 

You don't have to be a follower of this blog to enter (but if you follow me of course I will be happy!)

The give away is open to everyone who lives in New Zealand (only NZ!)

Good luck!

A few words about coeliac disease and The Family-friendly Gluten-free Cookbook.

§  Over 24 million people worldwide are affected by coeliac disease. Under-diagnosis is a significant problem, with only 1 in 8 people being diagnosed.

§  Children in particular can suffer serious health consequences from coeliac disease unless they are introduced to a good gluten-free diet. Coeliac disease has a tendency to run in families. If one family member suffers from the condition then there is a 10-15% chance that an immediate family member will also have the condition.

§  Families find it hardest to adopt a gluten-free diet, as children demand food ‘that is the same as everyone else eats’. This book provides recipes with many Kiwi family favourites.

Recipes include:

-          Mediterranean Vegetable Tart

-          Bacon and Corn Muffins

-          Garlic Bread

-          Homestyle Chicken Pie

-          Lemon Meringue Pie

-          White Chocolate and Orange Biscotti

-          Chocolate Brownies

-          Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Filling

-          Self-saucing Chocolate Pudding

-          Baked New York Style Cheesecake

About the author and photographer:

Sarah now runs the Gluten-free Grocer in Mount Eden with her husband Mitch, as a way of sharing her knowledge with others, providing an affordable way of living gluten-free. With a commercial kitchen available through the catering company, they set about making gluten-free food themselves. The Gluten-free Grocer was the Winner of The Bloom Her Business Best New Business 2011 and Sarah was a finalist for Most Inspirational Role model in 2011. She has four children and lives in Auckland.

Devin Hart is a freelance photographer with experience in food, commercial and wedding photography. His work appears in New World supermarket’s Real magazine.

Dino is famous, and the winner is... (actually, are!)

Is this really me? Says Dino Yes it is me! Look at me, I am famous!

Dino is happy! We were shooting my dinosaur minestrone and I just thought that it would be nice to have a 'model'. I went up to Max's room and picked up Dino, who has been in our family since Max was a baby (11 years), just to see how he looked! Well, I think that Dino is exceptionally cute and well kept too for an 11 years old soft toy! And guess what: he made it, he is in this issue of Little Treasures Magazine, and I can assure you that both him and Max are over the moon about it!

Minestrone with dinosaur pasta and tomato soup with animal crackers

Out now,  Little Treasures Magazine

Pumpkin soup with bruschetta, cauliflower and broccoli soup, red beetroot soup with puff pastry grissini,
and Asian noodles with veggies

And now for the winner of this competition. But I should say winners, in all senses! As usual I put the name through the Randomizer, and below is how they came out:

There were 40 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. Fance e Vale
2. Stefania
3. 2 Amiche
4. Michelle
5. Artu
6. Iana
7. Paola
8. Ester
9. Chairina
10. Sastuki
11. Isabella
12. Mariangela
13. Melissa
14. Jennifer
15. Astrofiammante
16. Wagashi Stories
17. Alice
18. Valentina
19. Anotosh
20. Kitchen Flavours
21. Gaia Celiaca
22. Lo
23. Le cognate
24. Mariint
25. La gelida anolina
26. Sandra
27. Barbara
28. Vanessa
29. Katrina
30. Sweet Snow Flakes
31. Elena
32. Natasha
33. Chiara
34. Food, Fun
35. British Mum
36. Cheryl
37. Lucy
38. Lisa
39. Shatzy
40. Veronica

Timestamp: 2012-05-26 07:50:13 UTC

First of all i would like to congratulate Franci and Vale, who have a beautiful blog, La Signora die Biscotti. But this is not the reason why I say winners. When Stefania wrote her comment she said that the first person to write is never picked because she is already number 1 in the list, so the odd weren't with her, but she was graceful enough to start the comments and lead the way for all other entrants. And look at this! She came number 2! I am sure that everyone who knows Stefania will agree with me: she also deserve the prize! So Araba Felice, you won a copy of Party Food For Girls too! 

Thank you to all who entered the competition, I will run more in the future so stay tune, and 

congratulations to the winners, I hope that you will all enjoy the book, and make something from it.

Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini ©

1020 views, and Party Food for Girls as a giveaway to celebrate

I got close a few times, the closest was 959 in October, and I often thought that I would never reach 1000 page views in a day, and then yesterday....

Pageviews yesterday

1,020

(copied and pasted from Blogger statistics)

Yuppy!!!! 

Well, it may be an isolated case, some days seems to be better than others, but still, a cause for celebrations, and since it is all your merit, dear readers from around the globe, I am offering another

Party Food for Girls book as a giveaway to one lucky person!

Just leave a comment to this post to enter. Don't need to follow this blog unless you like it, but if you do that would be sweet! :-). Contest open worldwide. You have time until this Saturday! Good Luck!

Giveaway to New Zealand readers: FRESH AS°

Photo by Alessandra Zecchini ©

I have a special bog candy for you this week! You may remember that I talked about this plum powder from Fresh As a while ago? Well, since then I have tried a few more products by the same maker, some I used to make desserts (recipes will follow in due course), some to make smoothies, others just sprinkled over cereals, ice cream or yogurt. I  love the fact that they flavors are so intense, and that they provide natural food coloring, something I am always looking for. But most of all I am delighted to inform you that Fresh As has offered me some products for you to try!

Two lucky readers will receive the set as shown in the picture: 1 pack of strawberry powder, 1 pack of strawberry slices, and 2 packs of mandarin segments (plus recipe cards). You can also see the products here.

To enter:

- You must be in New Zealand, sorry to all the other readers.

- Just leave a message at the end of this post, with your name.

- For a double, or triple or more entries just share this post on FB, or Twitter, or your blog, or any other social media, then come back and leave me another message (one for each social media share) telling me where you shared this post. Twitter and FB buttons are at the end of this post. 

- You don't need to be a follower or subscriber of this blog to enter: follow this blog only if you like it, (and that will make me happy :-)!

But, I will give you an extra entry if you will follow the Dante Alighieri Blog (this is a charitable organization, so thank you for helping!). If you do, just come back and leave me another message.

- Remember, the more messages, the more chances to win!

- The 2 winners will be chosen with random.org on April 29 (my birthday!), after 12:00, so you have one week, until Sunday 29 April, 12 o'clock, to enter.

- Remember to come back on the 29th to find out if you won (especially if you are not a blogger and I cannot get in touch with you via the net). I will send each winner the 4 packs as shown in the picture.

- Good luck to all.

Alessandra

Wooden Kitchen Utensils, Dominion Post, and the Winner of Sweet Feast

 Photo by Alessandra Zecchini©

I have a few things to post, but I didn't want to miss out Black and White Wednesday, organized by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, a wonderful weekly blogging appointment that I hope will improve my photography skills, and it is definitely improving the way I look at my everyday objects! Last week it was the dishwasher, and today is my wooden utensils, I choose sepia because... I just felt like sepia :-)!

More press news: Arantxa was interviewed by the Dominion Post about writing Party Food for Girls (for those who live overseas, The Dominion Post is the Wellington newspaper) and you can read the article, which includes the recipe for Mimosa cake, by clicking here. Probably I will post about this again in the future (with our photo for the Mimosa cake), but I just wanted to give you the link now, since it is "today news".

And now for the winner of Sweet Feast by Julie Biuso. Once again thank you all for taking part, and sorry for those living overseas, I couldn't enter you in the draw. Well, just left only 10 names (more chances!!) and the list randomizer said.....

List Randomizer

There were 10 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. Lesley
2. Easyfoodhacks
3. Domestic executive
4. Viv
5. Vanille
6. Olly
7. Cynthia
8. Nardia
9. Sue
10. Make-do-Mum

Timestamp: 2011-11-15 20:53:10 UTC

Congratulations Lesley!!!! Please send me you mailing address at alessandra at clear dot net dot nz

Orange, Cinnamon and Honeydew Tea, and the winner of the J.Friend honey giveaway

Photo and Recipe by Alessandra Zecchini ©

Well, it isn't a tea as such, maybe just a hot drink? But very nice! Squeeze the juice of one orange into a cup, top with boiling water, add a teaspoon of honey (I used beechwood honeydew) and stir with  cinnamon quill. Nice and "Christmasy"!

And now the winner of the J.Friend and Co Honey competition. Thank you to all that took part, sorry for those of you who live overseas (I couldn't include you in the draw) and congratulation to David!!

David, please send me your mailing address (alessandra at clear dot net dot nz) and I am sure that in the end you will share the honey!!!

List Randomizer

There were 38 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1.             David

2.             Johanna

3.             Peasepudding

4.             Zazie

5.             Andrea

6.             Cheryl

7.             Vanille

8.             Luca

9.             Couscous…

10.         Judith

11.         Timefor…

12.         Olliik

13.         Hope

14.         LaVally

15.         Shelley

16.         Makedomum

17.         Kate

18.         Sirley

19.         Transparency

20.         Ostetrica

21.         Whaywood

22.         Mairi

23.         Amber

24.         Timelyland

25.         Boi

26.         Janine

27.         Amanda

28.         Sugar

29.         Aftertaste

30.         Rod

31.         Nardia

32.         Martina

33.         Gemma

34.         Plum

35.         Athena

36.         Pilgrim

37.         Louise

38.         Cynthia

Timestamp: 2011-11-15 00:52:10 UTC

 And if you missed out, and live in NZ, please remember that there is also this book giveaway, just put your name down by tomorrow!

Cupcakes and Sugarcraft Demo at Arcadia, and the Winner of Party Food for Girls

Photos by Alessandra Zecchini ©

Today Arantxa and I went to Arcadia Bookshop to present Party Food for Girls. The bookshop had a great tea party and cupcake display ready for us, and some eager girls waiting impatiently to make sugar flowers and decorate more cupcakes. Arantxa was very good at showing the girls how to create roses and rosebuds, and we had wonderful feedbacks from them, my favourite was: "This is a dream come true!". 

Girls of all ages joined in, from a tiny little 'fairy' to 'grown ups', and even a young gentelman! And you know what? He made a beautiful marzipan rose, very artistic! So there you go, Party Food for Girls can be for boys too! :-). And then our friend Valentina came to visit, and to make flowers, I forgot to take a photo of her and her creations (she was very proud of them!), I guess we got really busy chatting and catching up!

Photos by Alessandra Zecchini ©

What a great day! Thank you Doris and all the staff at Arcadia Bookshop in Newmarket!

And now for the winner of the blog candy!

First of all thank you for all your support, I was really touched by how many of you put the banner up in their blogs, 84! (even if the randomizers says 86... it seems to have two empty lines there), and I met many new bloggers, whom I am now following :-)!!! I copied all your names out on a word document (just to make sure that you had one chance each), and then I went on Random.org and clicked randomize! And the winner is:

List Randomizer

There were 86 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. 4. Tamtam
2. 74. sonia
3. 76. wagashi stories
4. 15. La Gaia Celiaca
5. 29. .B.
6. 26. Serena
7. 23. EliFla
8. 35. Rosaria
9. 48. Mamma Papera
10. 41. Penny
11. 73. LAURA
12. 83. Sarù @ Dolci Creativi
13. 59. Valeria
14. 57. Antonella
15. 45. Mary
16. 14. Gloria
17. 63. dolcetti&co
18. 32. simonaskitchen
19. 39. Simo
20. 64. piccoLINA
21. 2. franci e vale
22. 8. Saretta
23. 42. fantasie
25. 20. annabanana
26. 28. meris
27. 84. www.paoladany.blogspot.com
29. 25. Patty
30. 13. SONIA
31. 22. Ely
32. 38. Glu.fri cosas varias sin gluten
33. 49. Mil
34. 62. aTuttaCannella
35. 12. accantoalcamino
36. 69. laura.78
37. 36. dolci a ...gogo!!!
38. 70. Lui e Lei in cucina
39. 75. nonnapapera
40. 10. Vevi
41. 1. astrofiammante
42. 5. valentina brida
43. 31. Alessandra
44. 11. Aria
45. 56. Max
46. 16. Mon
47. 24. Cranberry
48. 54. LaVally
49. 19. Loredana
50. 44. I servizi del Clan_Destino
51. 72. Silvi
52. 71. monica@SemplicementePerfetto
53. 78. UnaZebrApois
54. 68. francy
55. 51. Sayuri
56. 53. Menta Piperita
57. 37. Gianni
58. 21. il cucchiaio magico
59. 34. Vale
60. 27. Ilaura
61. 3. Artù
62. 18. Fabipasticcio
63. 66. Pasticcioall'italianaenbarcelona
64. 40. Valentina
65. 77. Rosa-kreattiva
66. 43. Commis
67. 80. LaDolceIlaria
68. 58. matematicaecucina
69. 65. Valentina
70. 30. Claudia
71. 82. ciccioria
72. 7. Claudia
73. 50. DocCook
74. 9. Dana
75. 79. Anonymous (http://lescreationsdecry.blogspot.com)
76. 81. ANTO
77. 60. Mascia
78. 55. Satsuki010
79. 17. Red Nomad OZ
80. 61. accantoalcamino
81. 47. Antonella
82. 6. ElenaSole
83. 46. Bake Club
84. 33. Emily
85. 52. Lara
86. 67. Sabrina

Timestamp: 2011-10-01 05:32:39 UTC

Congratulations Tamara!!!

Tam, sono doppiamente felice perché dopo aver fatto il sorteggio mi sono accorta di aver messo il tuo nome solo una volta, mentre infatti tu avevi messo il banner su entrambi i tuoi blog!

Comunque adesso dovrai farti tradurre le ricette dai tuoi figli, o magari ti bastera’ guardare le foto e capirai cosa fare!!! Mandami il tuo indirizzo per favore (per email) e spero che il libro ti piacerà!

Per concludere volevo dire una cosa a tutti i blogger italiani: sono felice che il libro vada ad una blogger italiana: devo dire che i blogger italiani sono sempre molto generosi e felici di sostenere altri blogger e le loro iniziative, cosa che qui ancora non succede. Quindi grazie, grazie davvero a tutti, mi fate sentire a casa anche se sono lontana!
Un bacio
Alessandra