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Suomenlinna Island is a popular picnic spot here, a 15 minute ferry ride away from the Helsinki harbor. Suomenlinna was a sea fortress in the 18th century, and the incredible military architecture there still tells stories from the past.
The island has the prettiest cliffs and little valleys looking over the Baltic Sea. Our spot for a picnic! See the complete picnic guide and the recipes here.
The weekend is coming up - how about a picnic? Picnic perfect for me is simple and quick to prepare. The dishes are easy to transport and eat at the picnic site.
Here is a complete picnic prep guide for a simple picnic. After preping the menu, all you need to do is find a pretty spot to lay down the blanket.
{ picnic menu }
- greens & cashew salad
- ham & scallion scones
- strawberry citrus salad
- cold drinks
{ night before }
Pack the basket. I chose paper plates and wooden forks but real glasses. They are nicer with bubbly! Don't forget to take a pile of napkins and a bag for trash. Chill the drinks and freeze ice packs for the cooler. Fold a large blanket. If you need to, print out directions to the picnic spot.
You can make the scones the night before. Just store them in an air tight container after they are cooled down.
Scones (makes 8)
- 3 cups (7.1 dl) flour
- 1/4 cup (0.6 dl) sugar
- 1 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (1.8 dl) butter, cold
- 2/3 cup (1.6 dl) milk
- 1/3 cup (0.8 dl) creme fraiche
- 1 cup (2.4 dl) ham
- 1 cup (2.4 dl) scallions
In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the cold butter into small cubes, and add them in. Cut in the butter using your fingers until it's mostly mixed with the dry ingredients and the texture is crumbly. Mix the milk and creme fraiche together and pour in. Add chopped ham and scallions. Mix until combined.
Turn the dough onto a work surface. Flatten and fold the dough a few times, incorporating the dry crumbs at the same time, until you can shape the dough into a disc. Cut the disc into 8 wedges and place them on a baking sheet.
Brush the wedges with milk, and bake at 375 F (190 C) for 18 minutes. At the picnic, serve the scones at room temperature.
{ the morning }
The morning of the picnic trip, prepare the salads.
Greens & cashew salad (serves 4)
- 1 1/2 cups (3.6 dl) pasta
- a head of broccoli
- a handful of green beans
- a handful of cashews
- 10 strips bacon
- 1 scallion
- 1 cup (2.4 dl) creme fraiche, or sour cream
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- salt & pepper
Cook the pasta as directed on the package and drain. Blanch the trimmed green beans for 3 minutes, stop the cooking process by lifting them straight into ice water for a minute.
Cut the broccoli into smaller pieces and blanch quickly as well. Drain the greens well and set aside. Fry the bacon strips and cut into small pieces. Finely chop the scallion. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Add in the creme fraiche and season with salt and pepper.
While the salad is chilling in the fridge, put the fruit salad together.
Strawberry citrus salad (serves 4)
- a large handful of ripe strawberries
- 1 blood grapefruit
- 2 oranges
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Half the strawberries. Fillet the grapefruit and oranges. Mix the sugar in with all the fruit. Box under a tight lid, so the liquid doesn't leak out in the cooler - the salad will be really juicy in an hour. A refreshing but sweet ending for the picnic.
{ just before leaving }
Pack all the boxed food into a cooler with a few ice packs to keep them cold. I have a separate cooler for the drinks with enough space for the bottles to stand up. For four people, one bottle of bubbly is a good amount. Don't forget to pack non-alcoholic beverages as well. Orangina is my favorite! Add a few extra ice packs in the drink cooler - nothing is more refreshing than a cold drink after a little walk to the picnic spot. Oh, and don't forget the blanket!
Remember the post about my trip to Porvoo? In addition to the beautiful old style houses and streets, they have the most stylish little grocery store I have ever seen. Anton & Anton sells local produce and specialty pantry items. The idea behind the store is responsibility to society and the environment while in the same time offering customers personal service, and this way giving an alternative to large supermarkets.
Everything in the store is carefully selected and the visual design is simply stylish. Anton & Anton shopping experience was a real treat.
I'm in love with POM - pomegranate juice (and their stylish packaging design). I drink it on its own, and really like the pomegranate flavor in desserts as well. This panna cotta is all about the pomegranates with a taste of tangy orange. Making it is a quick deal but remember to allow it about a four hour sitting time before serving.
Ingredients (makes 6)
- 2 cups + 3 tablespoons pomegranate juice
- 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin, or as product directs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup creme fraiche
In a separate cup, mix 3 tablespoons of pomegranate with the gelatin. Heat up 2 cups of pomegranate juice and mix in the sugar in a small pot. Boil for around 10 minutes until the mixture has reduced a bit. Remove the pomegranate syrup from the heat. Reserve 1/3 cup of the syrup into a little pitcher.
Add the gelatin mixture into the remaining syrup in the pot, and stir until dissolved. Mix milk and cream fraiche until smooth. Add in the orange juice, whipping cream and milk-creme fraiche mixture. Pour the panna cotta mixture into 6 teacups. Chill for 4 hours until set.
Run a knife around the edges and remove the panna cottas from the teacup to serve on small plates. Serve with pomegranate syrup on top.
If you feel like more pomegranate goodness, give this drink a try. Here is a link to my { pomegranate raspberry drink } recipe.
Today, I got a new print in the mail that I have wanted for a long time. The color is seafoam - it's so pretty!
This cake is a result of improvisation in the kitchen. I'm crazy about the sweet strawberries now in season here, and the pink mini meringues were calling my name in the store. So, the only thing after getting those red and pink beauties, was to make a quick cake to go underneath them.
This brownie cake is so chocolaty and rich in flavor without having actual chocolate in the batter. Making the cake only takes a moment, and you can top it with basically anything you have in the cupboard - perfect for surprise guests!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2.4 dl) cake flour
- 1/3 cup (0.75 dl) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/4 cups (3 dl) sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla sugar
- 2/5 cup (1 dl) butter, melted
Topping
- whipped cream
- strawberries
- mini meringues, store-bought
Mix flour, cocoa powder and salt in a separate bowl. Whip the eggs, sugar and vanilla sugar until fluffy. Combine the mixtures. Add in the runny butter and mix just until combined. Before pouring the batter into a spring-form cake pan, cut a round piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan.
Bake at 400 F (200 C) for around 20 minutes. The dark cake is easy to burn, so pay close attention during the last few minutes. The middle of the cake is supposed to stay a bit moist and doughy. Remove the sides of the pan. While the cake is cooling down, whip the cream. Spoon a thick layer of whipped cream on top of the brownie cake, and decorate with halved strawberries and mini meringues.
Kolo offers style details chosen with great taste. Mari, a stylist and a visualist, has created a precious little place selling 'flowers and things' as the simple slogan says.
The store has a service window in the front but you can also step inside to the world of color splashes on black background. I was totally smitten with this place and the owner of it. Mari's way of seeing life is inspiring, just like Kolo, her test run style project.
Mari was wonderful and took the time to answer my questions about her store and creative views about style and life.
1. How did Kolo begin? What is the idea behind the store?
I had seen the space empty for a long time in downtown Helsinki. Last fall when I was in Paris, I had a feeling that I needed to do something slower paced and peaceful in contrast to the fast moving job of a stylist. I remembered the space and called to Helsinki to make an offer. The space is in a theater building, so their only condition for me to rent the place, was that the store would sell flowers prior to the shows. I had no plan of exactly what I wanted to sell in the store - it was more like a visual atmosphere that I had envisioned. I'm not a commercial person, so for me it is enough that the store pays for itself.
2. What is your background?
I'm a stylist. I do interiors, surfaces, exhibition spaces and photo shoots.
3. What kind of future plans do you have for the store?
I have only a year contract for the space, and the theater will be closing for construction soon as well. So in a way, the kiosk is a test run to see how the networking produces results. I do have the fall selection planned out: wool, hats, scarves, some organic products and just things! My motive for having this store is to feel good and get happiness from this project even with "+ - 0" profit.
4. What do you love about running Kolo?
I'm a very social kind of person, and I love working with the customers. I'm so happy when someone leaves carrying a flower bouquet wrapped in black silk paper with a smile, and says that they will come again!
5. How do you let people know you exist? What kind of feedback have you received?
I believe in the word of mouth, and that the news travels around. Little by little there are more people who know about the store. It's actually pretty interesting how the word spreads. I have got such positive feedback.
6. Who are your customers?
People who are interested in trends and style but also ones who just happen to walk by. There are also surprisingly many men customers. People stop by spontaneously, and ask what kind of store this is. They buy flowers or soap for home and say 'What a nice store!'
7. What are the most popular items?
Flowers, herb cans and Finnish soaps. Cloves are my favorite - I want to make them a trend flower in Finland!
8. Tell about a memorable moment in the store.
A lady asked if she could come inside. - There is a window but it is also a real store, so you can come inside too, I said. She was so amazed and impressed with the store that she asked for a job. - I speak many languages, am really good in customer service and would love a work place like this. Here's my phone number, the lady said and left waving happily goodbye.
9. What is your advice to people who want to make their home pretty, and feel like home?
A home has to always be a home for yourself. It is good to find some kind of harmony with things and colors. You shouldn't buy things just because they are nice in the store, but rather think about if it can be nice in the surrounding you have created in your home. There are so many beautiful things in the world but just like with everything, life situations and living, decisions have to be made. Don't follow trend but choose things that feel homelike, warm or cold, whatever you prefer.
10. What are the principles of your own style?
Clear lines and therefore long lasting choices. I have not bought especially anything new for my home in years. Nothing is irritating, and I don't get tired of anything. I do change the colors of the textiles occasionally.
11. What is the basic idea, the core of Scandinavian style in your opinion?
I think it really is the simplicity and being ascetic in a good way. To be this, the home doesn't need to be empty. I would rather call it calm.
In addition to the kiosk, Mari has other interesting projects going on as well; Maja is a guest house decorated with Finnish design, not to forget about Mari's charming gallery called what else but Kolo. Thank you so much Mari for sharing your thoughts with us.
This adorable cottage is located in the Catskills, New York (via Simplesong) . The owners completely renovated their new second home with a budget of 10 000 dollars. Such a harmony of colors. I want a pastel mint door too!
I had a wonderful lunch at Toscanini restaurant located in downtown Helsinki. Their slogan promises a taste of Tuscany, and the lunch on the patio really was like a quick trip under the Tuscan sun.
I had a delicious tomato bacon pasta with the perfect balance between olive oil, tomato, garlic, chili and Parmesan cheese. My lunch date (my fiance) had a lovely plate of grilled chicken on roasted vegetables.
Tons of food inspiration for home cooking on a quick lunch break!
I crave for veggies. And feta cheese. It must be the summer; you feel like something light but savory as well. These stuffed peppers combine the best flavors of a good Greek feta salad, and they are fun to cook on the grill. Not to forget one of the best things about this recipe - dinner's ready in less than half an hour.
Ingredients (makes 4)
- 2 red peppers
- 1 cup (2.4 dl) feta cheese
- 1 red onion
- handful of cherry tomatoes
- 10 green olives
- small handful of basil
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
Cut the peppers in half, and remove the seeds.
Mix the chopped onion, halved cherry tomatoes and sliced olives. Add in the cubed feta cheese and finely chopped basil. Drizzle with olive oil and season.
Divide the mixture between the pepper halves, and arrange them on a baking sheet.
If you are using a grill, wrap the peppers in foil. Cook in a hot oven or on a rack over the barbecue until the veggies are tender.
