say it sweetly. { lemon poppy seed alphabet sugar cookies }

Alphabet shaped cookies are astoundingly fun to make... and to eat! You can even write messages or play games like crosswords, soup of letters or scrabble with them! They are perfect for engaging children in the kitchen and this particular batter is plain gorgeous. Plus the lemon and poppy seed combo is an all-time favourite everybody will love. If you feel like it, decorate them with some lemon glaze, but they are already delicious on their own. Appetizing brain exercise, to eat by the handful.

If someone told me they would be baking sugar cookies in a day in which the thermometers rose above 35ºC, I would definitely forever label them as crazy. And yet, ironically, that's exactly what I ended up doing.

in praise of slowness, making the plan as you go and sparking creativity { lemon poppy seed pound cake with blueberries and basil }

For its exquisite yet crowd-pleasing flavour profile and its laid-back yet preppy looks, this cake suits any occasion or table just perfectly. It brings that extra something to a picnic-style brunch in the balcony with plenty other things to choose from, it is just as good for packing and taking to the park to share with friends on a sunday afternoon, or it can just as well be the star of a fancier dinner. Do not skip the glaze and the lemon zest on top, for they are not only a final decorative touch, they actually change the experience of biting into a slice.