Pizza and winter jumpers

I have always been a pizza lover. I remember being the tiny skinny girl that I was but I could eat two full size pizzas! People looked at me like I was some strange thing as they could not work out where those pizzas could fit in my skinny frame.

Italian food is something that if I had to select one cuisine to take with me to a deserted island it would be Italian cooking particularly the pheasant food type of rustic Tuscan cuisine. It is just simply delicious and as we all know from the recent Blue Zone series it is also a very healthy way to eat.

The past weekend I was really craving for a pizza. We have had a bit of an issue for a few years as our daughter got a tummy bug accidentally when she last ate pizza so she has had a very funny aversion to pizza for a long time. It was finally a time to break that aversion.

For those of you who buy ready made pizza bases it is time for an upgrade. When you make your own pizza dough it will be crustier and more authentic. Also simplicity of the toppings is essential, don’t make American style thick base with too much stuff on top. Go simple just crunshed tomato, olive oil, mozzarella and basil. That is an absolutely perfect pizza! Below my guaranteed pizza dough recipe.

Ingredients:

– 2dl (1 cup) water

– 1 sachet dry yeast (7g)

– 1 tsp salt

-4 tbsp olive oil

– 5dl (2 1/2 cup) white flour

Method:

1. Mix warm water and yeast

2. Add oil, salt and flour

3. Let it rise for 30min

4. Make two big thin pizza bases

Toppings:

POLPO finely crushed tomato, fresh big ball of buffalo mozzarella sliced, fresh basil and olive oil! Yum!

Bake it in 230-250 Celsius degrees for 12-15 minutes.

It’s also getting colder here in Melbourne. Today is very rainy and we have finally hit the autumn chilliness. Apparently it will rain all day! Inspired by the changing seasons and winter coming I made a winter styling video: Mastering Winter Style: 4 Chic Jumper Looks You Need to Try Now!You can watch the video on YouTube via this link

Cashmere -The simple look I had to copy…

I guess part of turning to 40 was the realisation that materials and quality is everything. I have never been a big consumer of artificial fibre knits and that is probably because I knit a lot myself and I respect a good quality yarn. The last two winters my wardrobe has gone through some renewal process and I have focused more and more on the woollen fibres I enjoy wearing as they are soft, non-itchy but warm. This is exactly what cashmere is all about. It is no wonder its origins are in a very cool mountain climate where heat resistance and keeping warm is crucial.

I saw Victoria Magrath rocking in the new Lilysilk brushed cashemere sweater and once I saw it I had to get it. The thing with Lilysilk is that they are committed to crafting silk and cashmere products that meet the highest ecological standards. In addition to this the packaging is absolutely gorgeous. You feel you order luxury when the parcel arrives.

I know it is in the middle of the summer here in Australia but unfortunately to find the best winter items you have to follow European seasons as if you don’t purchase the items once they get launched most likely the best pieces are sold out by the time you realise it is cold enough for you to wear them here. The other reason I shop based on European fashion seasons is that I get very good bargains. For example for European winter sales that is exactly what will land to Australia a few months later, same with summer, spring and autumn. Once you get a hang on the upside down seasons it is actually a benefit to live in the bottom of the globe and be 3 months behind in fashion seasons 🙂

The way I copied the outfit was to pair the light grey cashmere jumper with a very basic button up white collar shirt.