If someone had to ask me – what would be my "desert island" cake, I wouldn't hesitate for a minute. It's this simple beauty. Although chocolate figures largely into the equation for many of my favorite desserts, as much as I love Chocolate Orbit Cake, I'd have to pick this Almond Cake as the one that I would choose to sustain me through thick and thin.
We made almond cake at least once a week when I baked at Chez Panisse, and I've adapted the recipe from one of my baking bibles, Chez Panisse Desserts by Lindsey Shere. Lindsey was the executive pastry chef of the restaurant, and co-owner since the very beginning. When she started baking desserts for the restaurant, she baked in a home oven stowed away in a shed behind the restaurant. That just goes to show that you don't need a lot of fancy equipment to bake something wonderful. If you have just a few ingredients, and a standard cake pan, you can bake this exceptionally moist almond cake.
This cake is endlessly adaptable, and once I baked it in loaf pans, split the cooled cakes horizontally four times, smeared a bit of dark chocolate icing between each layer, then stacked them back up. I frosted the whole thing in more chocolate icing and when I gave a slice to Lindsey, she asked me where I got such a delicious recipe. Ha!
Although chocolate is wonderful with this buttery almond cake, this cake shines equally bright when paired with lightly sweetened fresh peaches, plums, oranges, apricots, or whatever berries are the most spectacular at the time. I've also served it successfully with quick-candied cherries or poached pears with chocolate sauce. And for those who like tea-time cakes, it can be split horizontally and filled with a thin layer of raspberry or apricot jam, reassembled, and brushed on top with bit more jam and a layer of toasted almonds, then finished with a dusting of powdered sugar.
To get the paste fine enough, enlist your food processor. It makes quick work of the job and breaks up the almond paste very well. If you don't have a food processor, be sure the really get the almond paste broken up as fine as possible in your stand mixer.
Adapted from Chez Panisse Desserts by Lindsey Remolif ShereAs mentioned, this cake is best made in the food processor. If using a stand mixture, use the paddle attachment and let the mixer run until the almond paste is finely broken up. There's a few notes at the end of the recipe, including some almond paste tips and suggestions.
Notes: For this cake, I used this 9-inch cake pan, whose sides are 2-inches (5cm) high. Some readers noted that the batter rose higher than their pan, although I've made this cake well over a hundred times and have not had that problem. So use a standard size cake pan whose sides are at least that high, not a layer cake pan, which is shallower.
In the United States, Solo and Odense are good brands of almond paste available in supermarkets. I'm partial to the almond paste from American Almond Products, which is marketed in home baker-sized containers under the name Love 'N Bake.
Here in Japan, I don't have a food processor. Hell, I don't even have an oven. I bake things in my crock pot. I have the old school Rival model that came with a bake and serve pan. I get raves. I will have to use my suribachi to mix up the almond paste. It's a Japanese mortar and pestle. I will search for the almond paste in the food basements of the department stores in Tokyo. You should come to Tokyo. This city is foodie central. All the French bakeries have outlets here. They even have a shop that sells French butter.
Hi David, maybe you don't know, because you're not in the states at the moment, but does anyone know what widely-available brand of almond extract uses the pure extract from bitter almonds that is recommended here? I've found the brands that are easily available at the grocery store to be too sweet.
I've got the wonderful smell of almonds in mind (in nose??) now after reading this! Ahhhh, what a wonderful smell.
I like the idea of almond paste in an almond cake recipe. I bet it makes the cake so moist. For those needing to be gluten-free, I have seen almond cake recipes that use about 200g of almond meal/flour, and six eggs or so. A blogger friend of mine, Les rêves d'une boulangère posted an orange and almond flour version here just the other day: Orange and Almond Cake. It uses no flour. I bet a good gluten-free flour blend for your version would be great, too.
Ahhhhh, aaahhhhhlmonds. Thanks, as always, David.
thanks for the interesting recipe. I don't know about getting this almond paste in Switzerland, though… What we have here is almond "püree", which is 100% almonds, and almost liquid. That wouldn't be the right thing, would it? When you say almond paste is 33 or 50 % almonds, what's the rest? Sugar? Then maybe I would have to use marzipan, which I can get in blocks here.
Yum! Everything is better with almonds. Even almond butter is better than the peanut version.
Oh, I'd forgotten about this cake. Looks like my sweet almond binge will continue… Have to have something to go along with all the fruit right now, no?
Stefan: The 'paste' you're referring to is likely what we call in the states, Almond Butter, and is simply ground almonds. Almond paste has sweetener added. The ingredients in the one I find here in Paris include almonds, as well as sugar, glucose, and water, and (unfortunately) some stabilizers. I think the natural food stores sell almond paste here in small quantities, too.
You can visit the websites of the almond paste producers which I linked to in America to find out more about their exact composition. Then you can use that as a basis of comparison to match a product from where you live.
David: I love Tokyo and was there a few years back. Would be thrilled to return, and see more, as well as the rest of Japan.
Well, I certainly am going to try this but just with finely ground almonds as found here in France. No doubt the paste form will give a moister texture but I avoid sugar/glucose where possible (and heaven knows what else is lurking in there). Perhaps with some honey to compensate.
In any case, a perfect accompaniment for fine summer fruit!
The 'missing' the ingredients in the French paste may well be ground white beans. In the Netherlands, you have 'gevulde [filled] speculaas' filled with a layer of marzipan. This would seem to be a cookie heaven for some, BUT, no almonds – just ground white beans with added flavourings: bleah.
Thank you so much! This is exactly the kind of delicious, easy, gluten-free-adaptable, non-chocolate cake that I need in my life TONIGHT. I need to do some serious baking to combat the winter cold and the winter blues, and seeing as I just ate an entire block of Guanaja Grue, I don't want anything like cocoa in said baking.
I really like the versatility of this cake. The almond flavor will pair perfectly with so many others. Drenched in a lemon-sugar syrup would make it divine. Thanks for this!
For those people who do not have a hand mixer or blender yet, I recommend the same that David has if I remember well, the Braun Minipimer multiquick artiste. I have it too, and I must say that the quality of grounding is astonishing. The purées are soft and airy, with perfect texture (almost a mousse), even from the hardest ingredients as sundried marinated tomatoes or nuts like almonds. Plus, this blender/hand mixer do *not* break in bad fumes after two or three months, as other brands did in my kitchen before, when opposed to slightly heavier duty than usual :D. the device is a bit expensive, but I think it's a bargain considering you won't have to change it during the next fifteen years or so :D.
I need a nice friendly American to be willing to forward an Amazon.com order (since they don't ship food products outside of the US). But while I figure out the paste problem I'll carry getting my almond fix from Rachel's pasticcini di mandorle over on Rachel Eats.
Hi David! The recipe sounds wonderful and I'm going to try making it without the food processor since I don't own one. I can't find Cuisinart here in Switzerland and I'm sure they are the best. I can find, and do have 41% almond paste. So, Stephanie, if you live near a city that has a Globus store, they sell it. Mandelmasse or Pâte d´amandes.
This cake sounds absolutely perfect. I would love to try it for this weekend.
This sounds delicious — but your links may start bad habits for me! Who could resist a product called Love 'N Bake? But then once I get to Amazon, they suggest Pistachio Paste and Hazelnut Paste as well!! I may have to try cake variations using them, too. I'll let you know if it works out.
As I sit reading this with my morning coffee, I'm thinking this cake along with a side of fresh strawberries (and of course whipped cream) would taste pretty good for breakfast right now!! This sounds like the perfect accompaniment to all of the fresh summer fruits!
David, this looks amazing, will go great this weekend served with my abundance of raspberries taking over my back yard!
Hi David – an off-topic comment, but I thought you would be interested, the beloved (at least by me) Fromagerie 31 on rue de Seine has closed. I refused to believe it until Cococook opened there last week. Maybe you have already heard this? I have asked around the neighborhood shops and no one seems to know where they have gone – if you have any inside information, I would love to hear it! I'm so sad I didn't have a last 15-cheese plate there before they disappeared.
Thanks for all the great recipes and Paris tips! I am a big fan.
Almost finished with your 'Sweet Life in Paris' book. I love it so much that I don't want it to end.
I, too, love City Bakery and I curse those chocolate chip cookies!! French moment, on Page 204, it's actually Grand Central Terminal – not Grand Central Station.
In reference to your post today, you are welcome to stay with us at our place in Kenton-on-Sea, South Africa during December when we go for a month during the summer holidays (I'm American but have lived in Australia for the last 5 years). We have a beautiful view of the ocean where you can literally see whales standing on their heads to feed for minutes at a time and it's about a 2 minute walk until your toes are in the sand.
It's in the Eastern Cape near Port Elizabeth and several small private game reserves. The only catch is you would have to bring Romain and make some carrot salad and anything chocolate while you are there.
Think it over and keep up the entertaining and well-written posts!
What a great recipe David, especially since it sounds like the perfect vehicle to deliver delicious summer fruits along with some dollops of whip cream.
I have never mixed a cake in a food processsor. It really seems to be a very versatile cake with great flavor. It appears to be a little coarse in texture. Is it? I must try this. I like the one you posted with berries and cream but the chocolate layers sound very good, too.
I second your choice. A good almond cake is truly a beautiful thing. Yours looks and sounds fabulous!
This looks amazing! I need a dessert to make for a special lunch tomorrow, yours wins! Thanks!
I bought a tube of almond paste a few months ago, but can't recall why. Now I know I was just planning ahead for this. I can't wait to try it with some just picked summer peaches. I can't think of a higher recommendation than to hear that you would want this to be your lifelong partner on a deserted island.
Is a Rocky Mountain view a suitable substitute for an ocean front balcony? That, I can offer. And I offer because I can't say that I've seen almond paste here in Calgary. Then again, I've never looked.
This looks wonderful! How does it compare to the traditional Tarta de Santiago which is a traditional treat in Spain? I walked the Camino de Santiogo about 4 years ago and loved eating this treat daily!
The cake looks great. I still have some almond paste, so looks like I'll be making this beauty tonight. My almond paste is from Tesco's in London. It was so much cheaper than any almond paste that I've ever seen in the US and I live in California, the almond capital of the US. For GBP 1.75 for 500g, I stocked up (this was in April '09), bought about 2kg of both the natural and the "regular" variety. Going to London again in September, hoping the exchange rate is still good, and getting some more.
I love the dark crust on this cake. Generally, I run the risk of slightly underbaking any cake, assuming that a more-than-golden brown crust means dry death, but that almond cake's crust makes it look hearty and strong, with a nice firm edge. I may make this cake just so I can get those dark edges and see if I like it.
Also, the bibliography at the bottom is awesome. I've made the one on Amateur Gourmet and was less than pleased with the results, especially because almond paste is one of my favorite (and most expensive) baking ingredients. With that cake, the butter flavor was getting in the way of paste; texturally, perhaps the paste is really the only thick pasty solid you need for the recipe.
I'm going to look around for a safflower oil/almond paste cake. The Sassy Radish link uses olive oil, but I'm not feeling the olive oil right now; it's not late enough in the summer for me. Maybe I'll try to adapt the basic yogurt cake recipe….
I'm so pleased to see from Anisa's comment above that almond paste is available at Tesco! The only place I've ever found it is in Dean and Deluca last year, so I brought some back to London with me. I made a cake just like this from Jeanne Lemlin's Simple Vegetarian Pleasures with it. It was absolutely delicious so I'm delighted to find a source so I can make it again.
You had me at "Almond Cake"!
The Big Beast Cuisinart comes out only when the poor little mini is about to explode from being overstuffed with ingredients.
That looks wonderful. I haven't had almond cake forever. I have to try this recipe.
Haha, "Dessert Island". Years ago I was station in the desert in Southern California and was trying to impress a girl with a note that mentioned that she was"the best thing about this God-forsaken dessert." Lucky for me, she wasn't much of a speller, either.
Looking forward to trying out this recipe. I have a convection toaster oven in the garage that I use in the summertime whenever I get the urge to bake.
This almond cake sounds AMAZING and looks moist and deliciously dense. A piece please!
I have Chez Panisse Desserts and I LOVE it!!
that is one amazing looking cake – i couldn't imagine eating it any other way that just the way it is – no toppings, chocolate, or anything! and truth be told, i'm not usually an almond flavor gal, but for some reason i would make this in a second if i were home rather than "working"!
I have made this cake many times and it is a favorite of my co-workers at Crate and Barrel here in Seattle. I have passed along the recipe to many of them. It is a very reliable recipe and can be tweaked in many different directions. Chocolate is my favorite, but fresh fruit, candied fruit and whipped cream are wonderful. I have even accented it with lavender once. Thank you for this David!
This cake looks wonderful and simple and pure. And while I am printing this recipe right now to make this weekend, I'm not sure it's my personal desert island cake. I've been sitting here for ten minutes contemplating the question. Big decision! I think I have to go with my grandmother's apple cake. It's simple yet rich, and works triple duty (important on a desert island) as it's great for breakfast with some whipped cream cheese, or an afternoon snack with tea, or dessert with a drizzle of caramel sauce.
I'm not sure if we get almond paste in the UK or not, will have a look round at the weekend.
Have the brownies from your new book in the oven, smells good!
I will have to try this one. My wife is constantly asking me to make stuff for her to bring into work. Maybe this will be the next. My desert island cake would be a 4 layer coconut cake I make that I moisten with Coconut rum, fill on 2 layers with a thickened pineapple crush and then ice with a lightly sweetened cream cheese frosting. I wish I could say the fruitcakes I make and sell for the holidays (10% to charity) but that coconut cake rules all.
David, also wanted you to know you have inspired me to start a gourmet line of ice cream called Chubby Pug Ice Cream (named for my beloved dog, Sydney. I should be receiving my equipment this weekend. Hopefully soon I will be selling my ice cream and cakes at the local farmer's market. Again, all proceeds will go to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. That darn disease stole 9 + years of my life. Thankfully doing much better after my surgery.
A note to Hannah above: I made a similar gluten free version of the above recipe a few weeks ago and drizzled an ounce or two of amaretto liquor on top…it was divine, moist, and lasted several days without becoming dry.
Like Delia, I have a tube of almond paste in the pantry and cannot, for the life of me, remember why I bought it. Almond bread, maybe? Whatever. I know what it's going in this weekend with some fresh cherries on the side. Yum.
I absolutely love almond cake and its versatility. Just bought some Penzey's Almond extract and some of their Mexican Vanilla extract, yesterday. Hmmm, and last week got some almond paste. I think this calls for a try! I posted an almond cake recipe just a couple of months ago during Passover. My first attempt at a delicious, elegant (served with Matzo Toffee Crunch, on the side, of course) Passover dessert, that was really good and didn't remotely taste like cardboard. Though, it didn't have the lovely crumb that your cake must surely have, given the gorgeous photo. If you are feeling the need for Passover in July (like some who start shopping for Christmas at about the same time…), you might like Passover Brown Butter Almond Cake .
David, wouldn't this be good as the cake for your upside down cake recipes? I'm gonna try it.
This looks delicious! I have a question for you, and I know it does not belong to this post, but I'll try luck: after piping the macarons, do you leave them in room temperaure until the following day when they are ready to eat, or do you put them in the fridge right away? For both alternatives, do you cover them with something or put them in air tight containers? Thank you!
I make almond paste in the food processor. It is so incredible, I eat it straight with a spoon.
In a food processor, combine 7 oz. each of sliced blanched almonds and powdered sugar and process until fairly fine. It may become so thick that you need to pulse the food processor. Add one egg white, a pinch of salt and one teaspoon of almond extract.
Process until mostly smooth. Extra freezes well.
Almond paste is a little pricey, so consider making it at least once to see how easy and good it is.
This looks stunning. My grandmother makes something similar with hazelnuts which I adore as well. She makes it in bundt cake form and my favorite moment was when I got to snap a picture of it and post it on my site for the rest of the world to revel in. I will have to try the almond cake now too.
As I picked three 6 pound baskets of strawberries today on a farm in Wisconsin, I think this recipe will be another vehicle for those luscious ripe berries. Much easier than making preserves (although I will make la confiture also).
I've always used the recipe on the Solo can up to now–many thanks for this version.
I'm waiting for one to arrive tomorrow.
I've been making your almond cake for my husband's birthday the past few years and I don't expect that tradition to end anytime soon! Thanks for posting a favorite!! I like topping it with a glaze of powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract. As it drips down the sides of the cake and dries after a day or so, it gets a nice sugary crunch on the crust! Delicious!!
We actually make this very cake at our Thai restaurant in Austin, Thai Fresh. I got the recipe from your blog a while back. It's a big hit. Love it.
The lovely little Fleur de Lis bakery near my house in NE Portland, Oregon made a very similar almond cake a couple of summers ago. Your recipe stirs up incredible sensory memories–it would also be MY desert island cake!, Reminds me that I must lean on them to start offering it again this summer! Or maybe just make it myself, using your well-tested recipe!
Oooh what a great recipe. Mom and I both love almond flavored desserts-especially ones using almond paste or marzipan. Guess what cake will be baked for Mom's next birthday? Thank you David!
@ Kyle- I found a very reasonably priced almond extract that is pure and uses bitter almonds from Target under the brand Market Pantry. Check it out!
A family favorite is this cake made with Love n Bake pistachio paste. So unbelievably good. Try it!
I remember making Jacques Pépin's almond cake before, nearly the same recipe as this and he also uses the food processor. I was actually thinking about making another version with pistachio paste instead =) and serve it with some lovely Griottines instead? since it is cherry season, after all ;) I'll let you know how it goes!
I love this cake recipe. My sister made it for her sons birthday one year and served it with fresh mixed berries and a simple vanilla bean ice cream — he has requested this cake every year since. Not your typical kids birthday cake, but he loves it! Great tip about thinning out the butter — I'm taking note to try it this way next time.
Can I substitute almond powder for the almond paste? I have seen recipes for this cake using powder and wonder what the difference is.
melinda: I've not used any of their other nut pastes, but I'm not surprised their pistachio paste is as good as their almond paste. But this cake does work very well with the brands I've found in supermarkets, too.
Lillia: You could make some of my Quick Candied Cherries to serve alongside, too.
Karin: Appreciate the gluten-free variation. Because of all the almond paste in this cake, I'd imagine it's a good candidate for a gluten-free make over..
Linda H: Glad you liked it and the filling idea sounds great!
Colonel: I agree with Shawna-and ice cream cake might be a lovely idea, too.
Cooking in Mexico: Thanks for passing along that recipe for homemade almond paste. I know some people in Europe make their own from powdered almonds, but those are easier to find here than elsewhere.
I really love using almond meal for part of the flour in cakes. They sell it in bulk at Berkeley Bowl. How about subbing some almond meal (flour) for some of the wheat flour in your recipe?
I can imagine this would be delicious with the fresh blackberry sauce that I just made to go with homemade ice cream. The blackberries are just beautiful here right now, so I will have to make your recipe and try that combination.
This cake is truly sublime. I made it last night for a birthday today and (as I do with all my cakes) made a mini 4-inch "test cake." The Boyfriend, who is NOT a fan of sweets, kept "leveling it off" … just another little slice, just to even things up. I'll be serving the real cake this afternoon, sliced and filled with raspberry jam. Perfection. You've gone and done it again!
This recipe makes the most perfect summer dessert especially when accompanied by your baked vanilla nectarines and cherries. Oh, and yes also with a scoop of noyeau ice cream. Can't tell you how many times I have made it. It is simple perfection.
For a bit of a change I also make Tamasin Day-Lewis' Macaroon cake. The macaroon topping gives it a bit of a crunch.
Have you ever tried the almond cake recipe from Alice Medrich's book Pure Dessert? I have made it quite a few times & love it. I've renamed it The World's Easiest Cake. She grinds almonds & sugar in the food processor instead of using almond paste. This might be a good alternative for your readers who can't find almond paste.
Have you tried Supermercados Pueblo or Supermercados Amigo (owned by Walmart)?
Cake is in the oven but I have two questions. First, all the almond paste I can find is in 7 oz tubes and since it is so pricey (egaads $8 in California … almond capital!) I only used 7 oz. Should I have bumped up another ingredient to make up for the missing oz? Second, if I greased & floured then why does the bottom need parchment paper? Seems like double work for the same result.
Taking the cake with peaches & whipped cream to Mah Jongg tomorrow. Seems perfect with tea & tiles.
tracy: Since the batter is somewhat sticky, I recommend both greasing the bottom and using parchment as extra insurance the cake will come out. Both are fairly easy steps but one could likely do one or the other. But it'd be a shame to have trouble unmolding the cake. I've not made the cake with 7 ounces of paste so can't advise; but let me know how it turns out.
Ren: I haven't, but that's a lovely book and her recipes are terrific.
Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe ! It really sounds yummy.
crust and the custard..) which came out great too.
David: I do love this cake, since I love almonds more than any other nut (other than the ones I'm related to). A lot of almond paste recipes recommend grating the paste on a box grater, which gets it pretty well broken up prior to mixing. The Odense website is very helpful and the apple in a bag thing will help for semi-dried out almond paste. I usually stock up at Passover because I make tons of almond macaroons using almond paste. Right now the East coast is way too hot for even the thought of turning on the oven. Fortunately I leave for France on Wednesday, but no time in Paris…instead a fabulous wedding near St. Tropez and then on to the Dordogne for a real estate search. Maybe next year you can join us for my almond macaroons. We love to have a big crowd at seder and we rock it!
Cake is gorgeous! I can't wait to bury it in peaches and whipped cream this afternoon.
After taking the cake out of the pan, I see why both greasing/flouring and parchment paper is needed. Bottom came out clean as a whistle but the sides stuck a little, and I think I didn't grease/flour enough. I'll just put sliced peaches around the sides and no one will know about the defects.
The upside to the sides sticking a bit is I got to test the cake without cutting into it. Boy, is it delish. So far, it doesn't look like using 7oz of almond paste made any difference. I'll let you know if I notice anything when I slice it.
For those of you looking for the Love n' Bake almond paste, you can order it from King Arthur Flour. Their website http://www.kingarthurflour.com carries all the best baking ingredients, and I'm willing to bet that they ship internationally since customer service is what they are all about. They are an employee-owned company! I order all my stuff from them.
Grumble, grumble: in a 9″ cake pan, the batter overran and spilled in my oven. Well, now the dinner party will have almond trifle rather than cake!
Just made the almond cake for 4th July weekend – it's fantastic! Also having a Belgian son-in-law we've been a big fan of Lotus Speculoos Cookies. After bringing home a suitcase full I found out that Walgreens is a distributor! We ordered the Biscoff Spread after you wrote about it – and reordered 3 times! We've been giving jars to everyone as gifts. I also found out after talking to the San Francisco office that the NY food truck that sells waffles has been buying cases of the spread!
Thanks for a wonderful, informative blog!
David — I have made this cake using your original recipe with 10 oz of butter and I would not change a thing. Too buttery? What is that? It's perfect the way it is! This and your fresh ginger cake, are my go-to desserts. You are a sweet genius!
Made it yesterday & it came out yummy. I used a 7 oz tube of Odessa almond paste instead of 8 o.z. & it was fine. i made both a high loaf in a loafpan & a flatter cake in a low pan (the latter baked for 35 mins). the recipe produced so much cake that i could have halved the recipe. regardless, it was lovely, easy & delicious. thanks!
Ate Tracy's stab at this cake with peaches & whipped cream at mahjong yesterday….zomg! I wish I hadn't had a main course so I could've had a bigger piece. And I am NOT a sweets person. Yum yum yum!!!!
I made this yesterday using a 7 oz tube of Odessa paste and it turned out fine. I will use a springform pan next time, though, because it overflowed in a 10″ cake pan. I saw it happening and slid a cookie sheet onto the lower rack, giving us delicious crispy bits to pick on while we waited for the cake to cool!
Made this cake last night and tasted it about an hour after it was unmolded – DELICIOUS. I have some strawberries, raspberries and blackberries that I made into a sauce and just now brewed the coffee! It's a sunny morning in NorCal and I can't wait to share it with the family this AM!
This is a fantastically easy recipe, thank you! I think almond is an underused flavor in the U.S., and regularly crave the croissants aux amandes I used to eat on Sunday mornings in Paris.
This cake sounds delicious! I'm gonna try it with noisettes (hazelnuts) instead. when I was in france I had these noisettes muffins by Bonne Maman that look like they'd have the same moistness and texture.
Looks great. I love almonds reminds me of childhood and Italian pastries.
I can't wait to try this; my mouth started watering as soon as I saw the picture. If this turns out anywhere near as well as the Spiced Apple Cake people will be lining up at my door! Also, I'll have to try making it gluten-free after the initial recipe. It sounds like it could work for some members of my family.
I made your almond cake on sunday and served it yesterday with strawberries from the marché… So good ! One of my guest went home with the rest of the cake.. quel succès !
I made this fabulous cake for the first time on Sunday. For what it's worth, it baked in 40 minutes rather than 65 (and it probably could have come out a minute or two sooner). I have a thermometer in my oven so I know it is not running hot… Just thought I would share the observation. Love the Sweet Life in Paris and the blog. Such a treat!
Hi Lori: Glad you liked the cake, and the book! Interesting that cake took much less time in your oven; the recipe in Lindsey's book gives the baking time at 1 to 1 1/4 hours. But as you know, it's good to be vigilant when things are baking.
Jean: Odd that yours overflowed because as you can see in the picture, mine was just right. Good thing you had a pan underneath, but I've made this cake a zillion times and haven't had that happen to me.
& Karen: Thanks for the heads-up on the 7ounce tubes of almond paste working out fine!
I was out of almonds, so I used cashew nuts instead (and made my own paste, using the link you suggested), and it was fantastic! Only, there's no such thing as cashew nut essence — as far as I know — and so the flavour wasn't as strong as I'd like, but it was a beautiful cake. Can't wait to try it with almonds.
What can I say, My Grandad was an ALMOND rancher in California. I grew up having slumber parties with my friend Guida in the orchard. Falling asleep to the fragrance of Almond blossoms was a dream. Considering I lived in an Orange Grove at home, I had it all as a kid!
Will try the cake tomorrow as a friend returning to a 110 electricty place (poor thing) gave me a small portable oven. The Spanish HOME ovens are rather famous for failure. How I miss my BIG CONVEC oven from The Bakery.
Hey, I live walking 5 minutes from the BAY OF CADIZ.
Happy hot summer in Paris, It is 19:22 and I'm off for a swim!
This looks like a literal slice of heaven! I think I'll try it with some fresh blueberries. mmmm glad I found this recipe just in time for summer. i'm always looking for new vehicles for some marscapone whipped cream!
I LOVE Almond so I can't wait to try out this recipe. Thanx David!
Oh how I love my little neighborhood grocery store – not one but TWO kinds of almond pastes!I'm going to make this dessert for my wine group next week. I just finished making limoncello (my first attempt – better than mediocre, but not stellar) and I think I'll pour it over the cake, perhaps with some fresh fruit and powdered sugar. I'm excited to have an excuse to use my food processor, too, since I got it a few months ago and haven't used it much yet.
I just put this cake in the oven and if the taste of the raw dough is anything to go by, it will be exquisite! I made the almond paste from Joy of Cooking. I can't wait to serve it.
Hello, I found this supplier for 50% almond paste in France: http://jeanherve.fr/ The prices look reasonable.
this is a keeper .
I told everyone where I found the recipe. I am sure you will have many more fans.
Six of us went to a cabin in the north Georgia mountains for the 4th of July and I made your wonderful almond cake. It was absolutely delicious with South Carolina peaches and a dusting of powdered sugar! I like that it isn't too sweet and that the texture is fine like a pound cake. This is going to be one of my go-to recipes.
I could also only find almond paste in a 7-oz log, so added a couple of extra tablespoons of flour to compensate and a drop more of the almond extract. It may have produced a little different product, but it was spectacular. At one point I was afraid that the batter was going to overflow my standard 9-in pan, but it didn't and I ended up with a tall beautiful cake Next time I may use a springform pan.
I love your blog and wish I had known about it before I went to Paris!
Thank you for this recipe. our friends and I enjoyed this with some fresh plums tossed in plum reduction and some almond praline candies. It was simple and perfect for the wknd.
This almond cake recipe was also in Alice Waters' The Art of Simple Food. When I first saw the recipe, I wondered if I could reduce the butter from 2.5 sticks to just 2; thank you for answering that question.
There's a chocolate cake recipe in the Art of Simple Food, and I was wondering if that's also a cake that you made a Chez Panisse. I didn't see it in Chez Panisse Desserts, but I thought that I would ask anyway. If you have experience with this recipe, do you think that the sugar could be reduced? And what type of frosting (if any) do you think would be good for this cake? Thanks.
Well, I made the cake and WOW. So good. It was quite easy, too, though I wish I'd pulled it out 2 minutes sooner as the edges were a teeny bit on the dark/dry side. I have a very dark pan, too, and am under the impression that might have something to do with it.
I served it with limoncello, creme fraiche, and blueberries, and frankly the sides were a bit too much. Next time it'll be just some powdered sugar and nicely sliced fruit, I think – much like your photo above!
I made this cake for a World Cup Finale party and it was a huge hit! Folks were not expecting the almond flavor — I guess standard yellow cake is the norm. Thanks very much for sharing the recipe.
Hi David — I've made this cake about a zillion times — it's a favorite among my friends & family (and it's become the reason I keep those huge several-pound-cans of almond paste laying around). I grate the zest of one good sized orange into the batter, just to make it a little bit of my own thing. It's deelish, and people always comment on the flavor of orange.
PS — loved your post of the vegan strawberry ice cream — something else to include in the selection of desserts for my vegan friends …. cheers!
Hi Julie (and others): I was surprised to hear that your cake batter rose above the top of the pan, because as you can see in the photos, mine rose nicely to the top..and stayed there. But I added additional information to the end of the recipe about cake pan sizes.
Just wanted to thank you for sharing this recipe. When I saw you post this I knew I had to make it cause it sounded so good. Made it for a potluck today and served with fresh peaches and of course there was none left at the end of the pot luck. Love the simplicity of the cake yet it has so much flavor. Also, baked it in a 9 x 2 pan and 30 minutes into it it was really rising up high and I was thinking it was going to over flow but I trust your recipe and kept it in and it turned out perfect! Thank you David!
Interesting about the rising problems! I made the cake in a springform pan (is that what you call the pans with the removeable bottom?). Mine leaked out the bottom a tiny bit, so I stuck some foil underneath it, but otherwise had no problems. It did rise a fair amount but the pan tolerated that easily.
Thanks so much for adding your note on the cake pan size, David! It really would've been all right if the batter, before baking, hadn't filled the pan to the top–that extra half inch a standard pan would've granted would've taken the batter that overflowed from my pan. I cut the muffin top and lava fall away from the cake and munched on the leftover bits, then piled the cake itself with fresh berries. It's the best almond cake recipe I've ever had, and my friends and family loved it!
Have you tried Amanda Hesser's almond cake? If you haven't seen the recipe, it's easy to Google up. I want to try that recipe, too.
Fantastic cake. I made it a few days ago. Nicely photogenic too!
I promised my mother an almond cake, and was going to make one with lemon zest and limoncello, but my niece despises anything that resembles citrus, so this cake sounds wonderful!
I think i'll make it with your candied cherries to serve on the side, along with some fresh whipped cream.
Yummmm, and thank you, David!
OMG. I have a dozen different recipes for almond cake and have baked — and loved — every one of them. But this one…this moist, perfectly balanced, endlessly delicious cake has made me toss all the others away. I make it every week, topping it with sliced peaches or sliced mangoes or….just eat it out of the pan. David, you are a freaking genius!
Although I refuse to use food processors, so I'll grind down the almond paste etc. in my mortar and then squish in the butter with my fingers.
And I'll definitely be adding orange blossom water rather than vanilla.
I just tried the recipe, the cake looks good, though the batter definitely expanded beyond the pan. I kindda had a mini dough explosion in the oven (and I'd used a 9″ pan, with 2″ high sides). I wonder if it's due to the difference between the baking powder and what the French call "levure". I've never understood that difference, may be baking powder is more potent?
Hi Olivier: Hmmm, I use American baking powder (Rumford) when I test recipes, as well as in my home baking.
I just made your almond cake recipe and it was delicious, I mean is delicious. Surely I haven't snarfed down the whole thing already! The crust on top of the cake is out of this world gorgeous. I just love the almond fragrance and flavor. It's a very heavy cake and I just realized, it's quite expensive too! If I were to buy it from a store I wonder how much they would sell it for.
I baked it in my mom's kitchen and imagine my delight when I found she had a bit of amaretto in her pantry! I brushed the top of the cake with it and it was just heavenly. Thank you so much!
I am actuallu baking this tomorrow, so if by any chance you have a chance to respond before then, that would be great!
PS. The zucchini cake was INCREDIBLE.
Kathy: i don't know about using 7oz of almond paste but would image it would work fine. If you do make it with that quantity, let us know how it works out. I like salt quite a bit, especially with the strong taste of nuts to counterbalance it. So that's why I dialed up the quantity. Happy baking!
Thanks David. I made the cake with 7 oz of almond paste and I think it works just fine (actually I noticed the previous version called for 6 oz.). Unfortunately I baked it just a few minutes too long so it was not quite as moist as usual, but I don't think that had anything to do with the quantity of almond paste. I didn't check it until 1 hr, and probably should have removed at 55″.
The cake was consumed by two French friends, with whom I sent home the leftovers so they could have it for breakfast. I don't know if it's a French thing, but these guys love cake for breakfast!
Making almond paste is easy!!!
David is right when he talks about using a food processor. Poor consistency and the risk of generating oil form all that friction.
Standing mixer meat grinding attachment. Use the blade and the plate with the smallest holes. Operate the machine at it's slowest speed. Feed the almonds into the feed tube slowly. They arrive for your use in a perfect powdery condition. Rejoice!
You don't have to spend $15.00 for some lousy tasting tube at the supermarket.
Don't forget to blanch and peel!!!!
Just wanted to say thank you for the recipe! I'm gluten intolerant, and was able to substitute the cup of flour easily for gluten-free flour. Turned out super moist – one of the best gluten-free cakes I've ever had! Thanks again.
It's extremely easy do do almond paste.
Get some almonds, boil them so you can remove the skins, then toast them a few minutes to enhance the taste, and then grind them in a food processor or in a nut grinder (Cuisinart has a good one). Or just buy the almond meal (hint: Trader Joe's).
Then mix 50% almond meal with 50% confectioner's sugar, and add a few drops almond extract, and a LITTLE water, 1 tablespoon at a time. You want rather large lumps to form not a paste. When that's done just knead it by hand and it will become a paste.
Optionally you can add some color and shape it in a log.
Maybe David can come up with an even more tasty recipe.
I've made this cake about 10 times since July (parties, piggyness, etc.). Once I turned around after the cake was already in the oven to discover, I had forgotten to add all the butter. Sacre bleu! "What a waste", I thought, of this beautiful (and expensive) 50% almond paste ($36/1000g). It was too late to add it – the sides were already rising.
It was really good. It was really, really good. Still moist. A tad rubbery in texture. But the almond flavor shined. I later made the cake twice with 8 oz. of butter and though scrumptious, it tasted more of butter cake than of almond cake.
I'm making it with less butter, today (a mere 4 oz.) for the birthday of one of the best peach farmers in California). I'm going to add Indian Blood peaches and the reduced peach syrup from the maceration process into the batter (reducing added sugar). I'm also going to top the cake with the requisite confectioners sugar plus the amazing salty sweet sliced almond brittle recipe you gave with your peach sorbet (also earth moving) recipe in the LAT some time ago. It's addictive.
Thanks for a great recipe and a great discussion.
Made three cakes with only 4 oz. of butter. Great texture. This the right amount for me. It really allows the almond to come through.
I really love this cake. I made it over the summer with spectacular results, and just took my second one out of the oven. I didn't remember it rising above the pan last time, but it did this time. No sweat, it's fine now. The top is a little browner than I remember it, but I'm going to dust it with powdered sugar when I serve it tomorrow and it will be great. The house smells divine!
My husband just mixed up a batch of the salted butter chocolate chip cookies and we're going to bake those soon too. It's a great baking night in my house!
Great site! I've had great success with your chocolate idiot cake and I'm already deciding which of your books to buy from Amazon.
I can't seem to find a reliable and affordable supplier of almond paste here in England. I'm guessing from the other comments and the tags that marzipan would be an acceptable substitute?
Hi Alan: Marzipan often has extra sugar in it so although I haven't used it, I'd be cautious about swapping it out. A few people noted methods for making almond paste in previous comments but almond paste in general, shouldn't be that tough to find.
I would imagine that Waitrose would have it. Or you might want to try somewhere online, and you can use one of the places mentioned in my post; How to Find Foods & Other Items Mentioned on the Site.
Aussie readers , has anyone had any luck finding Almond Paste here?
I ate a piece of this cake with my cup of coffee this morning and just LOVED it. I ran back for a second piece and tried it with whipped ream and then chocolate frosting (which I was skeptical about)… Both were equally divine.
Thank you!!! Great recipe. I read your blog all the time, your recipes are clear and straightforward (I also did your apple jelly). Thanks for a great blog with wonderful advice.


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Block Breaker #4
September 21, 2018 jllegend	Leave a comment
Block breakers are short stories, random ditties for which the only real purpose is to write something, anything when Writer's Block strikes. Quality, verbosity, fidelity, consistency – none of these words apply. Just write or die.
So I'm procrastinating from prepping for writing, by writing… here we go again!
P.s. (before the actual script… go figure), this one went a little weird – and it goes in a very different direction for what it initially looks like. I enjoyed writing it anyway, but it's not my normal thing.
Gone Awry
Sasha threw her cup across the room, she threw off her jacket, placed her gun in it's holster in the top draw of her desk and locked it.
"Damn it!" she shouted, when she was done, "How the hell did he get past us?"
Her assistant stood, mortified like a dear in the headlights.
"Don't just stand there you dosey git," Sasha said, "I want answers, and I want answers now. You were meant to put people on the doors."
"They were…" her assistant, a normally confident twenty-five year old, named Susan Claire, short with scarlet hair and a trim figure, dressed practically but with touches of flair. In the face of her boss's anger, her confidence was melting.
"They weren't covering the main entrance, the main bloody entrance. That areshole just walked out," her boss said, calming down. "Tell me what happened? How was it we were made to look like amateurs by a two bit conman."
"One of the silent alarms went off," Susan said, "A couple of the guys on the front went to reinforce the internal team."
"Damn it," Sasha said, "How did he slip past the remaining two?"
"I don't know," Susan said.
"Get me the names of the two on the front entrance," Sasha said.
block breakercorporatedramamisogynistprivate investigatorsexismsidewayswriter's block
Story Telling… I Admire: Babylon 5
I've already mentioned how much I admire Dune, and aspire to that level of writing, so since I'm crap at reviewing, we'll talk about what I admire about my favourites. Another one my all time favourites series, this time a TV one, is Babylon 5, created by J. Michael Straczynski back in the 90's.
A Bit of History (for those don't remember the 90's… which is increasingly more and more adults – darn time!)
Back in the 90's, and in decades before that, the majority of television shows (though not all by far), were episodic, with arcs focused on that episode, and you could probably air many episodes out of order with little to no effect on the stories being told. Most of Star Trek is like this, and it's fine – it's what we expected, nay what we thought we wanted.
However J. Michael Straczynski while in the shower, combined two story ideas he'd been playing with a big space opera and a story taking place aboard a dinky little space station. The big space opera would be too big, and too expensive to make in a TV show, while an episodic TV show set aboard a space station wouldn't have much life, just a few seasons. His eureka moment in the shower was that in combining the two, you could have a five year story that saw a universe at war, and peace, have politics and a consequences play out, and punctuate some action and fallout on the station to contextualise the space opera, without having to invest too significant parts of the budget for space battles.
They were doing this in the early days of the CGI revolution, now everyone with a some 3d program, and a video editing suite can put together a fleet on fleet battle, in HD or even 4k, with some time and patience.
Side note: I actually wonder if they could make Babylon 5 these days, the restrictions of budget and technology helped to create something amazing, but there aren't the same limiting factors, you can do whole series in front of blue screens without much need for a set, you don't need expensive physical models, and people are already trying to make CGI people a thing, so you might not need pricey actors either.
So, what is Babylon 5?
So back to the idea – a small contained space, operating as a space UN of sorts. It ties together smaller character driven stories and a grand epic. The factions have unique motivations to them which drive them, hurt them, and so on, and actions for against a faction has consequences for those factions and the over arcing plot.
I'm trying not to get into spoilers, but you have plots involving a character or characters place and interaction with their own state, you have law and order plots, including local (on the station), internal (with the one of the nations of the galaxy), and international, (with multiple nations involved), you have siege and attack plots, Revolutions, enslavement, spies, survivor stories, medical dramas, but also a sense of magical plots, magical tests and quests, mystical items, after life stuff, and I'm not so be with this yet, then you have interpersonal plots with romance, buddy cops, noir detectives, comedies, arguments and misunderstandings. Basically it has everything.
"But!" I hear you shoot, Star Trek has all of that – and you're right, but except on DS9, it didn't add to anything it was just adventure of the week.
Now DS9 was doing something similar, but it didn't feel as in depth, it was more focused, where as Babylon 5 went in a hundred, but coherent, didn't directions but brought it back together. What DS9 did do though was better communicate the world was ending and the war stories were just more intense, that's where the budget differences came in I think. Babylon 5 was more cohesive, and the building blocks all lead to how it ends (taking season 4, not 5 in fairness).
So What Is It I Admire, And Can Learn
So ultimately what I admire is the ability to balance personal and grander story telling. Now it is probably easier in hundreds of 45 minute episodes than writing a novel, but when you look at each series, (1 through 4 anyway), they are beautifully balanced.
Where I fail is I get lost in scenes, specifically dialogue ones, I get stuck in circles, the dialogue in Babylon 5 is what carries the story, and it's not as punchy as a Sorkin series, but still all the important dialogue is focused, and delivers three things each time, the characters personal feelings and motivations, exposition to explain the current situation, and the plan – what actions do the characters intend to do.
I like that, and I think ultimately that's what I want to learn, and it doesn't matter if it's on screen or on a page I think it's a good way to do dialogue. It will definitely help to have three things before writing dialogue scenes:
Doesn't matter what the plan is, it's not the plot of the story, it's just what the characters intend – actually that's not true, it does matter, because for the dialogue to be important, whatever the characters decide will drive the plot, it's just a matter of whether they succeed in their intentions, or are denied by another factor.
Also just to mention, as with Dune, I could go through a lot more, but I wanted to pick an element that is of particular interest to me right now.
dialogueepic storytellingimprovementlearningsci fiscience fictiontelevisionwriting
NaNoWriMo 2018 Prep : Plotting
So I've redone the plot I was working on. It's still on the same world, but I've made the story more focused, more character driven, hopefully with compelling characters in the heroes and villains. The over arcing plot of the series I'm anticipating is still the same, a multi world conquest story, but we're starting off small, and building out.
Going through a standard three act set up, with a major point in the middle of the novel, and a climatic battle at the end, so everything builds becomes bigger from start to finish, as there's a couple of smaller conflicts earlier on. Nothing really innovative there, but I'm not going for innovative, I'm going for character moments.
Five talkie bits are planned, which hopefully I can keep quite snappy and not exposition heavy, (something I'm quite prone to), outside of those moments dialogue will be functional "Go here," "Go there," "Phew! that was close", with actions and behaviours used to tell those parts of the stories. By no means is this the best way to write, it's more if I do it, I can avoid a lot of pitfalls I fall into, (like circular dialogue that fails to end at a natural point).
So character wise on the good guy side (nominally the overall plot blurs who's good and bad, but for the first novel it'll be quite clear), we have a young character, an innocent caught up in something greater, and destined for something massive, then there's the wise mentor, and a roguish mentor and defender, alongside a cast of supporting roles like military leaders, politicians, traders, and general people. A goal will be to have more dynamic and engaging secondary and tertiary characters.
On the bad guys, there'll be a couple of military leaders who have the same goal, but sit in opposition to each other on methods, with one aiming for a domination victory, and the other a very targeted crafty plot. I want them to be compelling, and to sew the seeds that they are the villains of the piece, but there's a broader ethics involved which would allow for that obfuscation of heroes and villains later in the over arcing plot.
So – a lot of work to do to make all that a reality, but at least most of the planning I'd done to this point is still valid and very useful. The history of the world still applies, though I've realised if I want to rely less on exposition, I might struggle to get some of it in, there's only really one point in my plot where I can, (and must), show the history of the world. So, some block breakers are going to be experiments in historical exposition, and exposition generally.
Block breakers are now definitely going to be part of my prep after the recent trouble of number three, I might also do an out right short story as world setup for the NaNoWriMo novel, focusing on one character's earlier life before the planned story takes place.
aspiringchallengescharactersdevelopingdialogueexpositiongoalshistorylearningNaNoWriMoNaNoWriMo 2018plotpreparationquestsun heroworldworld buildingwriting
Put the kettle on, it's my birthday…
Well actually it will be my birthday when you read this – I've no intention of blogging on my birthday, I intend on making far too many cocktails, and drinking them. Plus I want to try making gin filled cake pops. This fella knows how to celebrate.
But it's a strange birthday, it's not a number of consequence, nor is it half way between numbers of consequence… it's just a birthday, and yet it marks a very interesting point in my life. I'm in a period of change, lots of things up in the air, making some mature decisions… and of late some markedly immature decisions, ultimately trying to get to grips with who it is I want to be.
Yeah, it's a little trippy and pretentious – but it's true too. I know I've wanted to be a writer since I was a young age, but other than a bit of blogging, and one or two competitions, and NaNoWriMo, I've not really actually explored it, not as profession, or a life – it's just a hobby, no commitments. I know why, I'm not very good at it, and that's okay – I'm not very good at pool, but I enjoy playing anyway. So, writing will be a hobby for me, forever.
Other things need to change though, and hopefully those changes will lead to a healthier, happier and more balanced life, where I can afford the mental energies to write, to learn, to create, and to play. Those are the things that important to me, and yet I frequently neglect them. I'd like to show my niece a better way to live, just as much as I want to live a better way too.
To get there requires big changes, so that's the theme of this birthday. It's not a traditionally significant one, but this year it is to me.
P.s. when I wrote this I didn't realise I'd be ill for my birthday, which really sucks that optimism out of the day. Ah well…
birthdaychoicesdevelopmentgrowthhappyhealthylife
Well Shucks…
September 15, 2018 jllegend	1 Comment
I broke my 38 day streak on Duolingo because I was writing, and forgot to do it. Oopsie. I can start again on the streak, that's not an issue, what's amazing is though, when you're in that place and the words just flow, and for love nor money, you don't want to stop them.
That being said, I value education – so it's still a little disappointing, was getting quite proud of that streak, my longest yet. That's the game though, Duolingo isn't the best way to learn, it does gamify the process, keeps you ticking along with the little burst of endorphins when you achieve your daily target, with it's treasure boxes and such.
It's actually something writers can and do employ, I don't know if you've read Dan Brown's books, but the cliff hangar every few pages or so, forces you to move on and move on and move on, and it rewards you with little endorphin highs… basically it hooks you, and you have to read just one more page constantly. People tend to read them fast because of that little hook.
I'm not a big fan of the Da Vinci Code for a number of reasons, including the bait and switch psychological tricks, the dumbing, and the pretentious nature… but when I read them I fell for them all the same, page after page I would go, think the Da Vinci coode took me a day and a half. I just didn't think it was very satisfying when I got to the end, but others do, because they've never invested so much concentrated focus
I'm picking on Dan Brown here, but it's a common trick, and sometimes it's used in good books… but it feels so cheap. It's the kind of thing supermarkets and junk food purveyors employ.
Still it sells, and sells well – if you're wanting to write for a living, and not have another form of employment, then you do what you need to do. Ultimately the audience is the judge of anything and everything if that's the route you want to go down. Just promise me if you work out the technique, you'll use it with something good and worthwhile.
P.S. There's nothing wrong if you enjoy Dan Brown's books, in fact more power to you – I just don't… As with all art, it's ultimately a subjective thing, there are no absolutes, you've just got to love what you love.
Besides, at least Dan Brown doesn't bug you to spend £5 to make up for one day not reading, unlike Duolingo – thanks but no thanks.
addictioneducationlearningpsychological tricks in writingpsychologytechnique
Rules Are Meant to be Broken
So… I started off with a challenge to myself, that when I was stuck on a project, stressed, or just looking to write for no rhyme or reason. It came with a simple set of seven rules to follow, though more like guidelines. So three entries in, I broke a significant portion of them. Here's the guidelines, they're fairly simple
No editing
No revisions
Quality, verbosity, fidelity, consistency – none of these words apply
Quick and short
So, the third entry is here, it went badly. I've mentioned in earlier posts, I just fancied writing a battle scene, a few hundred words, but I lost control of the narrative.
block breakerchangesdevelopingdisappointmenteditingeditorimprovinglearningMy storymy writingrandomresourceshort story
P.s. days later, and this has turned into quite a monster, highlighted this in the Ah the Corners post, it grew and grew, pulled in research, had a few bumpy changes of directions. It's still not edited, nor even spell checked – exactly as a Block Breaker should be, but it's 8,500 words, about ten times longer than it should be. Going to be another post, just exploring this monster. However I put it out there for those with the patient, and ability to read drivel.
Ascendant's Fire
"Brother!" Kaalem screamed, spotting her enemy across the battlefield, she charged forwards sword gleaming in the light of fire and destruction around her as it trailed behind poised to strike.
Rylan turned to face the scream, he pulled his battleaxe from it's recent victim, and as he moved into a ready stance he drew the battleaxe up ready to strike, his gaze looked on the threat charging across the battlefield.
The siblings meters away from clashing, were suddenly seperated by a wall of fire that swept across the carnage between them, blocking the way.
Kaalem screamed as she drew up short before the flames, just then an enemy soldier charged at her, lunging with a lance, she rolled to the left away from the flames, and as she found her feet, the sword struck out biting into the out stretched arm, causing it to recoil in pain. The soldier was hardy though, he switched the lance to his arm, and wielded it one handed. Kaalem feigned a roll to the right, and as the lance struck true to where she should have been, she plunged her blade into his eye, his body went limp, and as she withdrew the blade the body slumped to the ground twitching.
A ghostly figure drew up beside the warrior.
"You did it," she accused him, as she cleaned the blade.
"It was not time, you're not ready," the figure said calmly.
battlebattlesbiographicalenigmafightmagicmysteryshort storystoryswords and sorceryvengeancewarwarriorwriter's block

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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DRAGONMOUNT
A WHEEL OF TIME COMMUNITY
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The Labyrinth Index by Charles Stross
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"A bizarre yet effective yoking of the spy and horror genres." —The Washington Post Book World
The Lovecraftian Singularity has descended upon the world in The Labyrinth Index, beginning an exciting new story arc in Charles Stross' Hugo Award-winning Laundry Files series!
Since she was promoted to the head of the Lords Select Committee on Sanguinary Affairs, every workday for Mhari Murphy has been a nightmare. It doesn't help that her boss, the new Prime Minister of Britain, is a manipulative and deceptive pain in the butt. But what else can she expect when working under the thumb of none other than the elder god N'yar Lat-Hotep a.k.a the Creeping Chaos?
Mhari's most recent assignment takes her and a ragtag team of former Laundry agents across the pond into the depths of North America. The United States president has gone missing. Not that Americans are alarmed. For some mysterious reason, most of the country has forgotten the executive branch even exists. Perhaps it has to do with the Nazgûl currently occupying the government and attempting to summon Cthulhu.
It's now up to Mhari and her team to race against the Nazgûl's vampire-manned dragnet to find and, for his own protection, kidnap the president.
Who knew an egomaniacal, malevolent deity would have a soft spot for international relations?
Praise for this book
"Stross still spins a heck of a yarn." —Kirkus Reviews on The Delirium Brief
"Gaudy and gory....This is Stross in one of his darker moods....The political side of the book...signals some of the real-world anxieties that stand behind the entire series." —Locus on The Delirium Brief
"A fast-paced blend of espionage thrills, mundane office comedy and Lovecraftian horror." —SFX on The Rhesus Chart
"Alternately chilling and hilarious." —Publishers Weekly on The Jennifer Morgue
"Combines a le Carré-style espionage thriller with Lovecraftian horror to great effect." —The Guardian on The Fuller Memorandum
"Smart, literate, funny."—Lev Grossman, author of The Magicians
"A bizarre yet effective yoking of the spy and horror genres."—The Washington Post Book World
"Imagine a world where gnarly Lovecraftian demons are all too real yet are routinely neutralized with high-tech wizardry by a supersecret British spy agency, and you'll get an inkling of the genre-bending territory Stross explores in his Laundry Files novels." —Booklist on The Fuller Memorandum
About the AuthorCHARLES STROSS is a British SF writer, born in Leeds, England, and living in Edinburgh, Scotland. He has worked as a tech writer, a programmer, a journalist, and a pharmacist; he holds degrees in pharmacy and in computer science. He has won three Hugo Awards for his short fiction, including in 2014 for Equoid, a Laundry Files novella originally published on Tor.com.
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About The Labyrinth Index by Charles Stross
CHARLES STROSS is a British SF writer, born in Leeds, England, and living in Edinburgh, Scotland. He has worked as a tech writer, a programmer, a journalist, and a pharmacist; he holds degrees in pharmacy and in computer science. He has won three Hugo Awards for his short fiction, including in 2014 for Equoid, a Laundry Files novella originally published on Tor.com.
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Global crisis and conflict of civilizations
The crisis that has engulfed the world is deeper and more systemic than any economic and socio-political crisis that mankind faced before in its history. This crisis is not caused by class contradictions, ideological confrontation, struggle of elites or states for influence, territory or wealth. All that, including economic and ideological contradictions, socio-political splits, national conflicts and elite clashes, are only accompanying and derivative components of the main and deeper crisis that the world plunged into at the beginning of the 21st century.
This unprecedented global crisis is caused by the conflict of civilizations.
The crisis in the relations and interactions of the main world civilizations is complex, it goes simultaneously in different dimensions and manifests itself in different spheres of life and affairs. The main conflict between civilizations takes place in the form of struggle of group of civilizations for equal rights and positions in the system of international relations and against the dominance of Western civilization in the world affairs.
The Russian and Chinese civilizations, as well as the civilizations of the former third world, in particular, the Indian, Iranian, Arab and emerging Latin American civilization that supported Russia and China, started this conflict.
The clash proceeds unevenly, involving nations and states that comprise buffer zones. That generated active formation of civilizational blocs, striving to occupy their place in new architecture of international relations that could allow them not only to maintain their independence, but also to gain greater influence on decision-making and development of international relations.
Some civilizations are undergoing reformatting and even internal crisis. For example, Russian civilization that started struggle against the dominance of Western civilization, is going through its own internal crisis caused by the split of the «Russian world» as a result of the collapse of the USSR into fifteen independent states. Each of these states has created its own organizational political center, new economy and state ideology, in most of them based on rationalism and nationalism. Contradictions between these fragments of the Russian and Soviet past is growing, and struggle between them is acquiring forms of conflicts, riots, clashes and even wars, as we now see in Ukraine.
And yet, the most important is the struggle between Western civilization, led by the United States that seek to maintain its dominance in the world economy, finances and international relations, against China and Russia, followed by India and other states that demand equality and claim the role of pivotal civilizations in the new architecture of international relations.
These rising civilizations seek to change the system of international relations that had been created by the West based on the Western mentality and ideologies. They want to develop a new one that takes into account their interests and to play pivotal role in the new architecture of international relations.
At present, the conflict between the West and Russia has become the main episode, and Ukraine has become the main arena of a hybrid war of civilizations that threatens to develop into a full-scale third world war.
In this series of articles, I would like to analyze the war in Ukraine, where two major conflicts of Russia against the West and Russia against Ukraine converged at one point, on one territory, in Ukraine.
Conflict one. The West and Russia
For five centuries, Western European civilization subjugated other civilizations. It dominated the world and built architecture of international relations in its own interests, as well as internal socio-economic and political systems in other civilizations and states.
The era of growth and dominance of Western European civilization began in the 16th century. By the end of the 19th century, Western Europe had achieved complete dominance on all continents, with the exception of the Russian Empire, although the West had been increasing influence on Russian civilization throughout all that period, primarily through international politics, communications of elites, trade, culture and science.
Thanks to its civilizational features, primarily moral standards and mentality, the West has gained undeniable leadership in the world, seizing control over all the great civilizations, including China, India, and the Arab East. By the beginning of the 20th century, Russian civilization remained the only one uncontrolled by the West, but it was under its significant and growing influence.
Since the end of the 19th century, there has been qualitative leap, sharp increase in the influence of Western civilization in Russia, including through acceptance by Russian elites of Western forms of governance, Western forms of capitalist entrepreneurship, including banking sector, services, trade and insurance, scientific research and education. Most importantly, through Western theories of social and economic development, leftist revolutionary ideas, including Marxism and social democracy.
In 1917, Russian civilization, at that moment the last rival of Western Europe, was taken over by Western ideas. The October Revolution, later called the socialist revolution, was carried out according to the Marxist theory that considered social and economic relations from the point of view of class struggle and defined the model of future human society as classless communist society of universal equality, fully providing for the needs of mankind according to the principle "from every man according to his ability, to every man according to his needs". Most important, it denoted path to communism through dictatorship of proletariat, working class, whose interests coincided with the interests of society as a whole. However, the October socialist revolution led to the dictatorship in Russia not so much of the proletariat as of Western European social thought, and thus of the Western civilizational model.
Creation on the territory of the former Russian Empire of the first state that began to build a society according to the theory of Marxism, and attempt to turn Russian civilization into important part of Western European civilization, created deep contradiction within Western civilization itself. The winner got his gravedigger, terminator, because Marxism and socialist state built on its ideas were created to destroy capitalism in Western Europe that gave rise to Western civilization, the US being part of it.
The twentieth century was the century of the struggle between two components of Western civilization: old capitalist system and socialist system created as continuation, but also as its denial of the first. According to Marx, socialist system was supposed to destroy its parent and unite the world into classless society, devoid of private property, to providing universal equality.
The socialist state, the USSR, managed not only to defend its independence, not only to make breakthrough in culture, education and health care, to create the most powerful defense and scientific complex, to win the world war, but also to expand its influence on the world, including other civilizations. The USSR helped Indian, Chinese and other civilizations, if not completely free themselves from the influence of the West, then begin to freely develop their economic and social system in accordance with traditions, religions and local mentality. As a result, the world was divided into the world of socialism, capitalism (or the old Western European democracy) and the developing world.
However, Russian civilization did not disappear. Moreover, attempts to create socialism by combining the ideas of Western European communism with the moral foundations, principles of organization and functioning of «Russian world», including the Russian Orthodox Church and other religions on the territory of the USSR, gave impetus to qualitatively new development of Russian civilization. That was involving and drawing in other nations and peoples living on that territory into one multinational community. This process was called «the creation of the Soviet people.» In fact, a significant part of each of the more than a hundred nations and nationalities that lived on the territory of the Russian Empire, and then the Soviet Union, became Russians in mentality.
Why did it happen? Because a significant component of the process of socialization, communization of the peoples of the USSR was the introduction of communal forms, including collective farms, cooperatives and state enterprises, whose work was carried out on the basis of the ideas of collective ownership and collective property management, even in conditions when the real right of management and disposal belonged to the party and state bureaucrats.
Failure of Communist experiment in Russia
The main reason for the failure of the communist experiment lay not in the weakness of the Marxist idea and not in the strength of capitalism and Western democracy, but in the fact that in building socialist society and state in Russia, the communist leaders and bureaucratic elites relied on Western European principles of social and state systems, essentially capitalist.
They blocked the process of socialization of production and state structures, which was at the heart of Marxism. They rejected any search for new ideas, including those aimed at the development of Marxism, making Marxism dogmatic collection of fetishisms. They also blocked economic reforms and development of political and social spheres based on traditions of Russian civilization.
Rejecting the state system of tsarist Russia that hindered development of Russia and its peoples, the Russian communists have been carried away by the ideas of the West and did not rely on traditions and experience of the Russian people, although Vladimir Lenin after the victory in Civil war and against the invasion by foreign states, in 1918-1922, saw "complete constipation" of the policy of "military communism". He accepted two elements that reflected precisely the Russian civilizational principles and were brought into revolution by people: the Soviets (or communal councils) as main elements of public and state systems, and cooperatives as most socialized and therefore socialist by nature, as fundamental forms of ownership and organization of production. This was expressed in Lenin's formula: «Socialism is Soviet power plus cooperation.»
However, Lenin's ideas about building socialism in Russia on traditional for Russian civilization principles were discarded after his death.
In 1937, with the adoption of a new constitution, the system of state administration subordinated to local Soviets was replaced by Western system of direct election of members of the Supreme Soviet, the Soviet Parliament, that became subordinated to the Communist party leadership.
In the 1950s, after the death of Stalin and the rise to power of Nikita Khrushchev, cooperatives were declared as obsolete. The idea that state property was identical to public property was imported from the West and declared as truly socialist. That gave rise to economic problems, shortages of goods and services, made the Soviet economy completely dependent on party and state bureaucrats, who created an underground crypto economy and later, in 1991, collapsed the USSR to privatize "public" property.
Differences between Western and Russian civilizations
There was another contradiction inherent in the first socialist state that caused failure of the communist experiment in Russia. That was contradiction between the system built on class and group ownership and management of property, wealth, means of production and public organizations immanent to Western Europe, and communal system of life and relationships of majority of population in pre-revolutionary Russia, as well as in the Soviet Union.
Russian civilization was based on the communal structure of society. Moreover, Russian village communities were territorial, not tribal, nor family, nor clan, and it was this territoriality that determined and shaped mentality and character of Russian civilization. Everyone who was ready to become member of community, regardless of nationality, could join it and have equal rights in community.
It was the Russian communal peasants, who made up over 90% of the population of Ancient Russia, the Russian Empire, and then Soviet Russia. Only in the late 1920s did the structure of the Russian population begin to change rapidly. This change was the result of industrialization and policies aimed at developing and strengthening of working class, as well as the cultural revolution and creation of new party and state apparatus by drafting in workers and peasants. The share of communal peasants in the Soviet Union began to decline sharply. Peasants became workers, engineers, poets, writers, teachers, soldiers. In the early 1960s, the share of collective farmers and workers in industrial cooperatives fell to 50% of the total population of the USSR.
However, despite the policy of the Communist Party based on Marxist dogmas, communal mentality of the majority of Russians was preserved and passed on to subsequent generations.
Members of Russian peasant communities at the genetic level avoided sharp aggravation of conflicts. Relations in the community, based not on private, but on communal ownership of land and communal use of forests, subsoil, rivers and lakes, forced community members to keep relations of peace and mutual assistance within the community, to avoid conflicts or quickly find compromises.
Dispersal of village communities over vast territory covered with forests, isolation from large cities and remoteness made village communities easy targets for robbers and invaders. Those threats created special type of character. For Russian, conflict that poses threat to existence of community and lives of community members cannot be resolved by compromise. The result of the conflict can only be destruction of the enemy or death of community members.
Western European civilization was based on mentality of rivalry, struggle for one's interests, on initiative, active search for new opportunities, options, innovation. Western democracy presupposes upholding and tough protection of one's interests from the very beginning of any conflict. Conflict is acceptable form of searching for opportunities, it develops abruptly and grows to its limit. However, when there is a threat that losses in the course of conflict may far exceed any possible gains in the event of victory, Europeans and Americans begin to search for compromises that are formalized into laws and rules to regulate and block similar conflicts in future.
For European-American civilization, compromise is the natural result of conflict, and for Russian, compromise is the natural way to resolve conflict at its initial stage. For Russian, most of the conflicts end with heavy losses and destruction of one of the parties to conflict. For Europeans and Americans, compromise creates basis for further development and is the natural ending of the conflict …
Now, let's return to the modern conflict of civilizations and analyze the war in Ukraine as manifestation of the conflict of civilizations, mentalities and ideologies that dominate and determine decisions and actions of the West, Ukraine and Russia…
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Some civilizations are undergoing reformatting and even internal crisis. For example, Russian civilization that started struggle against the dominance of Western civilization, is going through its own internal crisis caused by the split of the "Russian world" as a result of the collapse of the USSR into fifteen independent states. Each of these states has created its own organizational political center, new economy and state ideology, in most of them based on rationalism and nationalism. Contradictions between these fragments of the Russian and Soviet past is growing, and struggle between them is acquiring forms of conflicts, riots, clashes and even wars, as we now see in Ukraine.
However, Russian civilization did not disappear. Moreover, attempts to create socialism by combining the ideas of Western European communism with the moral foundations, principles of organization and functioning of «Russian world», including the Russian Orthodox Church and other religions on the territory of the USSR, gave impetus to qualitatively new development of Russian civilization. That was involving and drawing in other nations and peoples living on that territory into one multinational community. This process was called "the creation of the Soviet people." In fact, a significant part of each of the more than a hundred nations and nationalities that lived on the territory of the Russian Empire, and then the Soviet Union, became Russians in mentality.
Rejecting the state system of tsarist Russia that hindered development of Russia and its peoples, the Russian communists have been carried away by the ideas of the West and did not rely on traditions and experience of the Russian people, although Vladimir Lenin after the victory in Civil war and against the invasion by foreign states, in 1918-1922, saw "complete constipation" of the policy of "military communism". He accepted two elements that reflected precisely the Russian civilizational principles and were brought into revolution by people: the Soviets (or communal councils) as main elements of public and state systems, and cooperatives as most socialized and therefore socialist by nature, as fundamental forms of ownership and organization of production. This was expressed in Lenin's formula: "Socialism is Soviet power plus cooperation."
However, Lenin's ideas about building socialism in Russia on traditional for Russian civilization principles were discarded after his death.
Western European civilization was based on mentality of rivalry, struggle for one's interests, on initiative, active search for new opportunities, options, innovation. Western democracy presupposes upholding and tough protection of one's interests from the very beginning of any conflict. Conflict is acceptable form of searching for opportunities, it develops abruptly and grows to its limit. However, when there is a threat that losses in the course of conflict may far exceed any possible gains in the event of victory, Europeans and Americans begin to search for compromises that are formalized into laws and rules to regulate and block similar conflicts in future.
For European-American civilization, compromise is the natural result of conflict, and for Russian, compromise is the natural way to resolve conflict at its initial stage. For Russian, most of the conflicts end with heavy losses and destruction of one of the parties to conflict. For Europeans and Americans, compromise creates basis for further development and is the natural ending of the conflict ...
Now, let's return to the modern conflict of civilizations and analyze the war in Ukraine as manifestation of the conflict of civilizations, mentalities and ideologies that dominate and determine decisions and actions of the West, Ukraine and Russia...
Запись опубликована в рубрике Новости с метками conflict of civilizations, Russian civilization, war in Ukraine. Добавьте в закладки постоянную ссылку.


This Bourbon is expertly crafted from 10 unique Bourbon recipes. A favourite for creating mixed drinks with a sophisticated, contemporary flair. Bright amber with caramel, grain, vanilla and spice aromas; smoothly integrated flavours of caramel, toasted oak and spice last on a long finish.


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Back to Inverness & Loch Ness
Home Destinations Highland Scotland Inverness & Loch Ness Strone House
Strone House
Loch Ness, Near Drumnadrochit
BK7 Guest Rating
Strone House is a stylish, detached house that occupies a stunning location on the banks of the west shore of Loch Ness, just 1.5 miles from the picturesque village of Drumnadrochit.
A private drive leads down the little hill to the house and you start to appreciate the amazing setting immediately as you approach. Inside the large, airy sitting room has an impressive stone fireplace with modern multi-fuel stove at its centre, with comfortable seating and French doors on two sides that keep it very light and bright.
The sizeable kitchen is sleek and contemporary with a central island that provides informal breakfast bar seating and a further dining area set alongside French doors so you can admire the loch as you eat. The large glass doors between the sitting room and kitchen can be folded back completely to give an open plan feel. There is also a handy shower room downstairs and a smart utility room that houses the laundry facilities.
Upstairs there are four bedrooms with lots of wonderful loch views - two twin rooms, a double room and a master double bedroom. The master bedroom is spacious and bright with an en suite shower room and doors that lead out to a charming balcony that enjoys the best view of the loch. The other bedrooms share a family bathroom with a bath and large walk-in shower.
Outside, the house stands in sloping grounds that lead towards the loch, with parking just above with steps leading down to the house. There are expansive views to admire from the extensive deck (with furniture) that is partly covered so it can be enjoyed in any weather.
Sleeps: 4/8
Loch or River View
'We are delighted with Strone House for our stay and will take good care of this beautiful place. Stunning views and everything is fantastic - we have out parents here and it's quite special for them!'
Boyd party
'Strone house was an outstanding property and we had a lovely holiday. Thanks again.'
Fryer party
'We enjoyed our stay very much. You have built a magnificent house - beautiful, functional and bright. We enjoyed the 180 degree view from the dining table and the sheltered table outside.'
Labouchere party
The iconic Urquhart Castle is just quarter of a mile away and is open to the public with plenty to explore, a visitor centre and countless photo opportunities. It is particularly pretty at night when it is floodlit and really stands out against the backdrop of the loch.
Drumnadrochit (1.5 miles), known by the locals simply as 'Drum', is about half an hour's walk away and has a small supermarket, pub and petrol station. There are two 'monster museums' dedicated to the Loch Ness monster in the village - the Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition and Nessieland. Boat trips run out on the loch if you fancy venturing further whilst keeping an eye out for the ever elusive 'Nessie'.
Just outside Drumnadrochit is a riding centre that offers riding and pony trekking (lessons available). The Great Glen Way passes very close by the village. This walking/cycling route stretches right across from Fort William up to Inverness and is 80 miles long in total with some breathtaking scenery to take in along the way.
At Corrimony (10 miles) is an interesting ancient chambered cairn that is said to date back over 4,000 years. The cairn is encircled by large standing stones and you can even go inside, albeit on hands and knees. Past the cairn is the Corrimony RSPB Reserve that is home to a population of black grouse, as well as ospreys, whooper swans, fly catchers and bullfinches.
A particularly scenic boat trip departs from Dochgarroch (11 miles) on Thomas Telford's historic Caledonian Canal and sails along the canal and out onto Loch Ness, giving a magnificent view of Urquhart Castle from the water.
The bustling city of Inverness (16.5 miles) has plenty of shops, pubs and restaurants, as well as a train station and airport and is dominated by the impressive Inverness Castle. There is also an 18-hole golf course and a leisure centre with climbing walls and swimming pools (with flumes). Just north of Inverness the Kessock Bridge links up with the Black Isle peninsula and is a great spot for dolphin spotting.
Shop: 1.5 miles
Supermarket: 1.5 miles
Riding Stables: 0.5 miles
Marina: 16 miles
Imposing castle on the shores of Loch Ness
Strathspey Railway
Steam train travel with dining and themed events
Speyside Wildlife
Day and evening wildlife watching experiences
Loch Ness Cruises
Loch Ness cruise fun for the all the family
Learnie Red Rock Mountain Biking Trails
Black Isle trails suitable for all enthusiasts
Laggan Wolftrax Mountain Biking
Purpose built trails with facilities and views
Invereshie and Inshriach Nature Reserve
Pine forest reserve with tracks and views
Insh Marshes Nature Reserve
Marshland reserve with trails and wildlife hides
Glenmore Nature Reserve
Woodland reserve with activities, café and shop
Highly acclaimed Highland distillery
Glen Affric Nature Reserve
Iconic reserve with waterfalls, trails and views
Imposing fort with museum and visitor centre
Creag Meagaidh Nature Reserve
Mountainous reserve with trails and picnic areas
Craigellachie Nature Reserve
Reserve with trails and live camera facility
Cawdor Castle
Castle with activities, gardens, café and shop
Ben Wyvis Nature Reserve
Mountainous reserve with trails and picnic area
Outdoor activity centre and equipment hire
Sitting room with inset multi-fuel stove and TV/DVD
Kitchen/dining room with dishwasher, induction hob and electric oven, fridge/freezer, etc
Utility room with washing machine and tumble dryer
Double bedroom with en suite shower room with WC and wash basin
Bathroom with bath, separate shower, WC and wash basin.
Bed linen and towels are INCLUDED. The first £40 of electricity (normal usage) is INCLUDED with any additional usage payable by meter reading at the end of your stay. Heating is by air-source pump which runs wet underfloor heating throughout the ground floor and wet radiators upstairs. There is also a wood-burning stove (fuel INCLUDED) in the sitting room. WiFi is INCLUDED (subject to a fair usage policy). Sorry, pets are not accepted. No smoking.
Please note: For Strone House, the tariff for 4 persons is based on two bedrooms only being made available.
Rental - Date Range Sleeps 4 Sleeps 8
06 Jan 2022 - 04 Feb 2022 £795.00 £895.00
05 Feb 2022 - 01 Apr 2022 £895.00 £995.00
02 Apr 2022 - 22 Apr 2022 £1,495.00 £1,495.00
23 Apr 2022 - 06 May 2022 £895.00 £995.00
07 May 2022 - 27 May 2022 £1,495.00 £1,495.00
28 May 2022 - 03 Jun 2022 £1,795.00 £1,795.00
04 Jun 2022 - 24 Jun 2022 £1,495.00 £1,495.00
25 Jun 2022 - 22 Jul 2022 £1,795.00 £1,795.00
23 Jul 2022 - 26 Aug 2022 £1,975.00 £1,975.00
27 Aug 2022 - 16 Sep 2022 £1,495.00 £1,495.00
17 Sep 2022 - 07 Oct 2022 £895.00 £995.00
08 Oct 2022 - 28 Oct 2022 £1,495.00 £1,495.00
29 Oct 2022 - 17 Dec 2022 £795.00 £895.00
18 Dec 2022 - 27 Dec 2022 £1,995.00 £1,995.00
28 Dec 2022 - 05 Jan 2023 £1,995.00 £1,995.00
04 Feb 2023 - 31 Mar 2023 £895.00 £995.00
06 Jan 2024 - 05 Jan 2025 POA POA
For Strone House, the tariff for 4 persons is based on two bedrooms only being made available.
Great views - Quiet and relaxing property close enough to walk into town.
A thoroughly enjoyable and memorable experience.
Beautiful house in excellent location, furnished and equipped to a very high standard.
Beautiful views and house. Exactly as described.
We love Scotland and to stay in this wonderful house with stunning views all around made our holiday perfect.
Sleeps: 4/8 Bedrooms: 4
Party Size 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8


I've been thinking about the "Up" project for about 6 months now and today was the day to start cutting out figures.
Thanks to the great collage assignment quarter making series of things is now just fine by me.As one of my classmates shared it's actually the process that's fun for her.I'm finding it a good place to.
Today the fun continues with creating paper beads to act as the limbs from the off cuts.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized on April 24, 2012 by debbie.
So this is the theme for our show at UW tower in June.
This is one of the completed pieces of paper-cloth for the installation.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized on April 22, 2012 by debbie.
Yep it just had to be done!
Yesterday we had some young students join us for the tactile art class.We had fun !
My technical knowledge of clay is a pinch pot and a coiled pot.This was enough of a step off point for this small group.We explored surfaces,form and the muscle memory needed to create.
I also got to share my prototypes for the final show.All three classes that met them yesterday gave positive feedback.After I did some very guerrilla art installing while a very high brow conference was in process at UW tower.
Coat hanger will go but I really needed to check the scale.The blue crew will go for the final installation they are just sizing tools. 12 white sentinels and 42 green themed guys each representing an article of the children's rights charter will be included.I have 18 pieces of hand painted,layered and stitched paper-cloth.Hardest part is cutting the first one up !
This entry was posted in Journal, Out and about on April 20, 2012 by debbie.


Business competition in Indonesia is becoming faster and more competitive, especially in the fashion world. With many famous brands emerging with elegant designs on offer, CV. Chidehafu has the initiative to create a brand that can compete with the famous brands, with more elegant designs. The EGO brand is ready to sell elegantly designed leather fashion. The EGO Brand also serves retail and wholesale in order to facilitate business with customers.
CV.Chidehafu and EGO brands have the same office address at Jalan Pulau Moyo No.1A Pedungan - Denpasar Bali and Telp + 62361 723753, so that it is easier for consumers directly to see our fashion collections. If out of town or overseas, you should not be afraid to order because the EGO brand provides a reliable website to do business with us.
CV. Chidehafu is a company in the garment industry on the same level as other large companies because of increasing demand from customers; this has forced us to think to expand this company so as not to diminish the satisfaction of our customers. Therefore, April 14th 2016 is the date of the inauguration of a subsidiary of CV.Chidehafu. The company is CV.Natural Perkasa Abadi that specializes in wholesale demand, especially cow leather bags (Taselir). CV.Natural Abadi Perkasa has its own office at Jl.Pulau Moyo No.34 Pedungan - Denpasar Bali. Telp +62361 721067.
CV. Chidehafu is a company in the garment industry. The targeted market of CV.Chidehafu is the customer from overseas, but we are not limited to the overseas market. We provide facilities for our customers, especially overseas in transferring products, because we have our own delivery services. The delivery service is PT. Chidehafu Sejahtera Cargo which has its own office located at Jalan Pulau Moyo No.1A Pedungan - Denpasar- Bali. Phone Number: (+62361) 723753 and fax: (+62361) 726897. We also offer a delivery service of goods not produced by CV. Chidehafu.
As life needs to be balanced between seeking and sharing. Chidehafu knows to do both. Mr. Tri created Chidehafu foundation for those who needs help and care especially kids and orphanage. We provide free shelter and education for those who cant afford to have it. We have helped so many poor family where their kids can't have their right to be educated. We make sure that they can go to school and have their life goes as normal as other kids. Chidehafu Foundation is managed by Mr. Surahmad. For those who need our attention, please free to contact us at : +628989741374 (Mr. Surahmad) , +62361 723 753 (office). Or meet us at Chidehafu Main Office. It's at Jalan Pulau Moyo No.1A.


Su Beifong and Kuvira. "You'll be captain of the guard one day.". Wallpaper and background images in the কোরার কিংবদন্তীঃ অবতার club tagged: photo kuvira suyin beifong su beifong beifong legend of korra avatar.
team অবতার on the roads!!!!
BOOK 3: Possible Earth কুইন / Lin's Sister REVEALED?


"We compete when we can, and we love to help others to get acquainted with the sport. We set this stream up to help improve our own Pinball skills.
We also want to help people out who are interested in Pinball, and have a lot of questions.
We aren't the best, we aren't the worst, but we're very knowledgeable about the sport itself.
Well, there's a lot to like about that.
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