Lovely cooking school in Italy

Ashley, a fellow food blogger happens to also run a cooking school in Italy with her chefie husband and she just send me some pictures from their past cooking classes. It really triggered my wanderlust. If the photos of the food and happy people is anything to go by - it must be a great experience and so much fun. Who wouldn't want to enjoy their home cooked dinner at a table outside under the stars like you see it here?

But first comes first: the cooking takes place in an old farmhouse taught by chef Jason Bartner. His credo is to take the ego out of cooking by creating simple, seasonal dishes at their organic farm and cooking school in central Italy. From the farm to the table at La Tavola Marche.

Dogs are the real champions in the truffle sniffing game. And - they don't eat them after they found them!

La Tavola Marche has been featured in many food magazines and it is definitely on my to do list when I am in Europe next.  Tutti a tavola! Can't wait!

Barbie cake for a birthday girl

Maggie, a friend's daughter turned 5 last weekend and I again made a barbie cake for her birthday bash. This time she asked me if I could dress barbie in rainbow colours. Rainbow colours can look a bit over the top but then I thought I might get away with using lots of different pastel colours to make up (or nearly) the colours of the rainbow.

I had not a great plan when I started of how I wanted the dress to look like it kind of evolved and it was so much fun! I guess I just still like playing with barbie even when I am way too old :-)
My daughter insisted on all the pearls and loved pressing them into the little flowers, couldn't have done it without her help. Just had to make sure she didn't eat too many before dinner, or no wait,  they must have dropped off the table (or so she said ;-).