60/365: Not 77

60/365: Not 77, originally uploaded by Magic Madzik.

March 1st

This morning, at breakfast, dad suddenly stopped eating, his face frozen in an expression of shock.

"Wait...wait a minute. It's not 2012 yet! I'm...I'm only seventy-six years old today!"

Well, true. But we didn't have any other candles.

The cake was made by my mum and was a big hit. It's flourless- all ground nuts to make the base. And the cream is coffee.

There was also some singing by Marcin and Orzełek.

And it wouldn't have been a proper birthday without Dad giving numerous speeches:

91/365: Mazurek

91/365: Mazurek, originally uploaded by Magic Madzik.

April 1st

500 grams of flour
250 grams of butter
150 grams of powder sugar
3 egg yolks

Mix the flour and butter until it has the consistency of breadcrumbs
Mix in the sugar and egg yolks until you have a dough. If it is too dry, add a little cream.
Wrap up in cellophane, refrigerate for about an hour.

This is your pie and cookie dough. Roll it out thin, and be careful that it doesn't burn in the oven. And let the crusts cool before you take them out of the pans and pour in the filling.

The filling is chocolate, and you're on your own there- it's a matter of preference. The general rule is to sit a pot inside a saucepan of simmering water, and melt down a combination of dark and milk chocolate. You can add nutella, you can add fudge spread- just be careful that it doesn't get too hot and start clumping.

Pour it into the pie crusts, shake them gently to spread it evenly. And then start decorating.

For the above I used mini choux, green pumpkin seeds, almonds, milk dragees, and a cookie.

Done? Congratulations, you have just made a traditional Polish Easter cake, the mazurek. But you can't eat any of it until after the Resurrection!

The idea is to get creative with your decorating. As a child I used to play with cookies and that horriffic coloured icing which comes in little tubes and requires samsonic force to be squeezed out...until somewhere around 2007 I discovered seeds.

Seeds look classy. They look sophisticated. They look rustic, quaint, traditional.

They taste better than the icing. Although I did make some of my own almost-royal icing this year and used it on some of the cakes- particularly those with no nuts, meant for my sister who claims nuts make her sick. Also, if I get too comfortable with the seeds my mother complains that there are 'no crazy mazurki'...

So, for your appreciation, here are all the Easter treats we baked this year:

...and in 2009...

...and in 2008.

How's that to make your mouth water?

Here, I made a flickr set with ALL of my mazurki pictures from the last three years.

65/365: 5th Birthday Party

65/365: 5th Birthday Party, originally uploaded by Magic Madzik.

March 6th

March is the month for birthdays. The 6th is actually my mother's, but we went to see my nephew Maks that weekend, since he had turned five on the 2nd. Just like his great-grandpa, he got a big sparkler on his cake.

I had to do lots of editing on these photos, I just haven't got the lenses or flash arrangement for good indoor evening photography. Everything is always dark and grainy. Very annoying. I can't wait for springtime when there is more light and people are more likely to go outside...

60/365: My dad's 75th birthday

60/365: My dad's 75th birthday, originally uploaded by Magic Madzik.

March 1st

This year, my dad told my mum: "Let's not invite anyone. We'll see who shows up."

Well, about thirty people passed that test. :D It's a good thing we prepared some food just in case. ;)

I could say a lot about my dad (that's him in the centre of the photo). I could tell you he's a poet, a writer, an author of musicals and songs, a man with a hundred stories to tell. I could link you to his poetry- but most of it is in Polish. Instead I am going to give you a tiny little glimpse of how he celebrated his birthday last year.

And more photos from this year's most excellent party follow:

My sister lights the candles on the cake as my mother tries not to get burned- and dad's great-grandson, who is exactly 70 years and one day younger than him, looks on.

Dad singing 'Happy Birthday' for my mother- whose birthday is on March 6th.

Saying hello to the youngest in our family, his great-granddaughter who is just eight months old.:) By the way, the hat was a gift, and dad liked it so much he refused to take it off all evening.