dim sum é amor. { hosting a dumpling dinner: pork and chive dumplings }

I will not lie to you: making dumplings is not for the faint of heart. If shaping them requires some dexterous steady fingers, to get through the whole batch one must possess otherworldly perseverance and patience. The silverlining: it gets easier after the first couple of them, plus making the filling is a no-brainer! One thing you'll need is help: call your friends and family over to the kitchen, hand a different filling to each person in case you're making several sorts and let them choose their own dumpling design. And what's better than gathering everybody at the table and feasting on warm delectable homemade dumplings in the end? They are so worth the mess!

have a christmassy tea time treat! { gluten-free mini cinnamon rice gugels }

'Bolo de Arroz', the portuguese rice muffin, ocasional replacement for a Pastel de Nata as a side for an espresso or a meia-de-leite, was the inspiration behind these mini gugels. I have spiced up the original recipe up and made it totally gluten and lactose free! Mini lemony cakes, with a texture similar to that of madeleines, they are the perfect as a coffee or tea-time treat and for sharing with friends!

pastries party - part I { danish pastry dough and two handpies to use it in }

oh decisions, decisions...
i've been saving them all for the weekends and when they finally arrive time just seems to slip through my fingers. and at the same time i need to get some rest and inspiration too!
i have a lot ot things to thing through - indeed. but i'll get there and i'll make the right call - because there is no right or wrong when it comes to the questions which have been bugging my mind.

meanwhile, i've been baking - what would you expect!? - but i still have some goodies from Portugal to share with you. and as i promised, today is double recipe day!