Bakerisms

Valmu for Finlayson

2012-01-23T11:31:00.003+02:00

Some previews of the new Finlayson Spring-Summer 2012 are out. At the collection also a design from Pattern Bakery -studio, grapfic floral pattern on satin, by Minttu.

Eco Tapeter

2012-01-20T12:11:00.003+02:00

Excuse the dots, the photo is a screen save from Eco tapeter, of their latest wallpaper collection called "Almost White". This rose is by Salla from Pattern Bakery -studio.

Nordic Graphic Designers

2012-01-10T12:55:00.004+02:00

Pattern Bakery is presented in a book called "Nordic Graphic Designers". It features designers from all Nordic countries and includes chapters from example Dog Design, Muotohiomo and Acne. It doesn't seem to have hit the book shops yet, but you can read more at the publisher's page.

Heimtextil 2012

2012-01-05T11:19:00.003+02:00

It is time again for the new collection to be presented at Heimtextil! Please come and see it at Studio Orbit, hall 4.2, stand C20. Our business clients can also browse the whole collection on-line on our Pattern Gallery, please request a username and a password from info@patternbakery.com.

Wishing You Delicious Holidays!

2011-12-22T14:23:00.003+02:00

We would like to wish all our friends, colleagues, agents and clients a delicious and relaxing Christmas! It has been a pleasure being in contact with you all, thank you, will be back next year!

Best wishes from Salla, Miia and Minttu

Here's a warming Pattern Bakery Winter- drink

for two

4 dl full milk
4 tsp cocoa
4 tsp sugar
1 small red chili
peel of 1 klementine
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
3 cardamon pods

to decorate

whipped cream
dark chocolate shavings

Let spices soak in cold milk for few minutes. Then heat the milk and add cocoa and sugar. Let cool a bit under a lid and pour into mugs through a sieve. Decorate with whipped cream and chocolate.

Season's greetings!

2011-12-16T17:28:00.003+02:00

We've been busy re-decorating the Pattern Bakery house ready for Christmas! You're warmly welcome for a visit! Soon it will be time to retire for Christmas holidays, can't wait...

Pulmus travel to Japan!

2011-12-12T10:59:00.003+02:00

Couple of weeks ago, we met lovely Kaori from Japan. She was setting up a web shop for Nordic handicraft and design, and we were more than happy to be included. Now she has opened Shop Yksi, in addition to our Pulmu's, there are lots of interesting and cute hand made items.

Winter lentil soup with winter mushrooms

2011-11-17T13:47:00.003+02:00

Ever since coming home with some 20 litres of the funnel chantarelle, I've been trying find new recipes as how to use it. Lovely as the creamy mushroom soup is, it's nice to try more ways to enjoy the harvest. I've crumbled the dried mushroom into meatball dough and ragu without prior soaking, and that lasagne was the best thing ever! But it took five hours to make, which for lunch is just too much. This lentil soup is from Nigel Slater, with some modifications. Really nice it was too, recommended!

serves four

1 onion
1 glove of garlic
1 small dried chili
20g dried funnel chantarelle (about two handfuls)
1,5 dl rinsed green lentils
bay leaf
vegetable stock cube
app 6 dl water (you can add more when it boils if it looks too thick)
handful parsley, or to taste
soy sauce
lemon juice
salt & black pepper

Soften onions in oil in a saucepan. Add chopped garlic, chili and chopped mushrooms. Cook for five minutes, or until the liquid from the mushrooms has mostly evaporated. Add the lentils, stock cube, bay leaf and water, bring to boil and let simmer under a lid for about 30 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Add chopped parsley. Season to taste with salt, pepper, soy and lemon juice.

Boundless Design

2011-11-12T13:16:00.006+02:00

The Finnish Association of Designers called Ornamo recently published a book to celebrate their 100 years. The book is called Rajaton Muotoilu - näkökulmia suomalaiseen taideteollisuuteen (Boundless Design - perspectives on Finnish art and design). It is a "compilation of articles by well-known Finnish experts on design, reviewing various branches of design and its importance to the national identity and economy of Finland." In other words, it offers many different opinions and viewpoints on how to look at Finnish design during the 100 year period. And also lots of interesting pictures!

With a short interview of Pattern Bakery and plasters for Belle Maison, Japan 2010.

Knit wear for your laptop

2011-11-08T09:46:00.006+02:00

The new Moda-magazine is out! Amongst instructions for warm winter knits, there are also these two models, designed at the Pattern Bakery-studio. They work as laptop cases, with enlarged computer pixels as inspiration for the patterns.

Deko-magazine

2011-11-04T11:00:00.003+02:00

One of our tea-towels in October issue of Deko- magazine, peaking on the bottom left!

Have a good weekend!

Mushroom hunting in the Magic Forest

2011-10-10T13:45:00.004+03:00

The delicious and plentiful Winter mushroom, my favorite. Also known as Funnel Chanterelle, or Yellowfoot.

New collection in Indigo, Brussels

2011-09-06T14:22:00.011+03:00

As there is a definite scent of Autumn in the air, and our new collection is ready for harvest, we thought we'd share a glimpse of the wide variety of styles and colours we have in the collection.

A part of the collection will travel to Indigo-fair in Brussels for the 13th -1 15th of September. Designs can be viewed with our agent at 9 E 116. You are most warmly welcome!

A bigger selection of our patterns can be seen in our on-line gallery for business clients. Please request a password and we will e-mail it to You.

Finlayson Pro

2011-09-05T15:11:00.005+03:00

Vilmar

Puro

These pattern designs by Minttu can be found in Finlayson's Pro -collection. Both are fire retardant curtain fabrics and come in several different colours. For Swedish customers, they can be bought from Ljungberg's Textil.

Belle Maison Autumn Winter 2011-2012

2011-09-02T21:28:00.005+03:00

The new catalog from our Japanese friends at Belle Maison has been published! Full of Kawaii things, and also with the special pages 64-67 under Pattern Bakery's name, can be found by clicking here. Other favorites with PB-patterns would include, for example, duvet covers on page 62 and rug on 58.

Re-tuning to work

2011-08-04T14:35:00.001+03:00

As we returned to work, it was lovely to find evidence in our e-mail that couple of our Pulmu-birds also look like they have enjoyed their summer, thank you Marianne!

Hot holidays!

2011-07-01T15:53:00.003+03:00

Pattern Bakery is officially on holiday for July!

Hot as it is at the moment, we'll leave you with this refreshing drink:

Green ice tea

green tea (I used green tea with wakame seaweed and lemongrass, from Thehuone in Helsinki)
mint
sugar
limes (or lemon)
ice

Brew the green tea as you would normally. It should be strong, as it will be diluted with ice cubes, but I wouldn't brew it for longer as it can get bitter. Add sugar, mint and slices of lime to taste and cool it. Before serving add ice cubes and garnish with mint leaves and lime.

Happy holidays, see you in August!

Midsummer 2011

2011-06-30T22:52:00.008+03:00

Greetings from last weekends midsummer party! I find it difficult to imagine that I would spend it anywhere else than here, summer cottage on the west coast.

Summer fabrics

2011-06-10T11:19:00.003+03:00

Miia's design called Lootus (the one on the left) for Finlayson can be seen in the latest issue of Avotakka, a Finnish interior design magazine.

Pulmus on vacation

2011-06-09T09:33:00.005+03:00

We were happy to find a photo of our Pulmus relaxing in the latest Finnish Deko -magazine. The story is of a house that can be seen in the eco-friendly holiday housing fair in Mäntyharju 27.6.-10.7.2011.

The house in question is called Luukku and has been designed by students from Aalto university. The wooden built house has won prices in Solar Decathlon Europe 2010 in Madrid in a competition to build energy-efficient housing and the Wood Award 2010. See more info here.

The interior decoration is by Kaisa Takala, Minna Piironen ja Hanna-Liisa Pykälä, all students at the Aalto university. Their comment in the Deko-magazine: "Luukku-house is very minimalistic and follows the Scandinavian design tradition. With the interior design we wanted to show Finnish summer cottage feeling in a stylish and modern way".

Poached rhubarb with pannacotta

2011-06-03T13:10:00.004+03:00

Here's something for the weekend, as well as something for the rhubarb season. I'm always looking for new ways to use rhubarb, lovely as the pie is there is a limit as to how much I want to eat it. It's always good to have rhubarb with dairy products, as it contains oxalic acid which will use calcium from your bones if it doesn't get it from somewhere else.

This combination originates from Nigel Slater's Tender Vol. 2, and as before, had me jumping of joy. I did tweak it a bit, the pannacotta -recipe I've simplified as much as possible, and it still is lovely, and the poached rhubarb has orange juice, as I find the whole oranges bitter when roasted. But here goes:

For 4 people

vanilla pannacotta:

4 dl cream
1,5 milk
0,5 dl sugar
2 tsp vanilla sugar
2 gelatin leaves

Soak the gelatin leaves for 5 minutes in cold water. Bring cream, milk and sugar to boil in a saucepan. Squeeze the water from the gelatin leaves, add to cream, stir well and leave to cool.

Pour the cooled pannacotta mixture into small bowls. If you are worried about gelatin lumps, you can always sieve the mixture into bowls. Leave to set in the fridge for 4-5 hours or overnight.

Poached rhubarb:

a big portion, but you can have the extra later with some natural yogurt or vanilla ice-cream

500g rhubarb
4 tbsp honey
cinnamon stick
2 star anise
0,5 dl orange juice

Trim and peel the rhubarb, cut into short lengths. Put into a baking dish with rest of the ingredients. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes or so in 160 C degrees, until the rhubarb is soft.

Sweet summery dreams...

2011-05-23T18:39:00.004+03:00

... under a blanket from Belle Maison's last winter catalogue, with Salla's tulip pattern.

A Gaijin Affair

2011-05-03T17:07:00.005+03:00

See that woodcut pattern on the wall? It's from Pattern Bakery studio, in a restaurant called Gaijin that has just opened in Helsinki. Gaijin people are focusing on North-Asian food, e.g. Japanese, Korean, Chinese. I developed a serious addiction for their Pork Buns from the start and they also have an impressive sake list. The interior design has a feel of Asian combined with modern Scandinavian, wood and natural materials, and lot of the furniture has been hand made in Finland. For example that gorgeous oak table.

Help Japan

2011-04-05T15:40:00.002+03:00

Friends in Japan asked for an illustration and a short message to put up on their website for encouragement and cheering up. You can find the message here.

Help Japan

2011-03-17T13:01:00.003+02:00

Photo by Swedish photographer Hilda Grahnat, taken in Japan, all proceeds donated to Red Cross.

We all know what has happened in Japan during the past few days. Although we have had personally relieving news from our friends, our thoughts are with the many less fortunate. You can donate to help Japan via your own country's Red Cross, Finnish site at Punainen Risti.

Tea towels

2011-03-03T23:05:00.002+02:00

Couple of our patterns on tea towels made by Finnish company called Lapuan Kankurit. They have a wide linen textile collection, personally I was happy to see that they are re-producing designs by Dora Jung, perhaps the best Finnish linen textile designer. Her original work is getting pricey at the antiques market, but now there's a chance to buy them new.

But back to the towels... in Finland, you can buy them on-line here, or the veggie one you can buy abroad at least from Hus&Hem (yes I'm a secret turnip-lover!) and also featured in Print& Pattern!

Ilonakisa

2011-03-01T15:02:00.003+02:00

For this spring and summer season, one of Salla's designs decorates napkins, plates and cups in a Finnish company Huhtamäki's collection. To celebrate their new collection, and maybe a bit to celebrate spring and summer too, they have launched a competition. Your chance to win true Finnish Design Classics, Jopo-bicycle or a kicksled!

Summer dreams

2011-02-21T13:51:00.004+02:00

Miia's design called "Lootus" decorates Finlayson's products this season. Fresh and joyful with real feel of summer, you can choose between pink-red or green.

belle Belle Maison

2011-02-17T16:34:00.003+02:00

It's below -25 degrees here, but no worries! Like a breath of warm spring air is the new Belle Maison shop. Pattern Bakery -designs colour their products with fresh and lovely greens, blues and yellows. We like all of them, but somehow those quilts feel most tempting at the moment... See more here.

Let me eat cake

2011-02-03T14:36:00.004+02:00

... and my favorite cake, banana cake! It's beginning of February, and I have maybe three months of cold and snow ahead. I've deserved a bit of comfort food deluxe, and so have you! For this I used a small bundt tin I got when I was a kid, but I've seen similar ones in Ikea's kid's department. The amount of cake dough in the recipe won't all fit in that small form, so I made also about 12 muffins, or you could use a bigger bundt tin. The cake is quite sweet and moist, and seems to be favored by kids and adults alike. The flavor will be at it's best after couple of days, though the flavor of the left over dough scraped from the bowl might be even more popular...

100 g room temperature butter
2,5 dl caster sugar (I used the Finnish "erikoishieno Siro-sokeri", though you can use the regular granulated sugar as well, "Taloussokeri")
2 eggs
3 dl all-purpose flour (vehnäjauho)
1 tsp vanilla sugar
1 tsp soda
0,5 dl yogurt (cream or sourcream will do nicely too, or the Finnish piimä, buttermilk)
2 bananas

Cream butter and sugar in a bowl until white and fluffy, add eggs one by one, mix well. Mix flour, vanilla sugar and soda in a separate bowl and add to dough. Mash bananas with a fork, then add to the dough with yogurt. If using a big tin, bake in the oven 150 degrees Celsius for an hour, or for muffins, in 190 degrees Celsius for 15-20 minutes.

If you want to decorate with dark chocolate, you could do this:

70 g dark chocolate
0,5 dl cream
1 tsp butter

Heat cream in pan. It shouldn't boil, but the pieces of chocolate should melt when added. Mix so there are no lumps and add some butter to make it shinier. Drizzle on top.

Vävmagasinet

2011-01-20T18:20:00.002+02:00

Pattern Bakery has been presented in Swedish magazine called Vävmagasinet, as part of their theme number about Finnish textile world. The writer of the story is Lena Svinhufvud, who works in the Finnish Designmuseum.

Proud to be included in such good company :)

Life in the Jungle

2011-01-04T12:40:00.005+02:00

Happy new year to everyone! We're back at work after relaxing holidays. Out today is also the new Moda-magazine, with our designs and instructions for making your own, soft jungle in the kids room!

Edit 3.2.11. The lion has been christened, from now on I've been told this one will be called "Nah". Yes, indeed.

Merry Christmas to You All!

2010-12-23T11:36:00.002+02:00

Christmas time

2010-12-23T11:02:00.009+02:00

Amidst all the Christmas rush and the overflowing amount of flavors, colours and things, I find myself craving for something simple for a change. Simple and clean flavors, real comfort food I suppose it could be called, warm bowl of porridge is my choice. Though it was no fast food, as I recently got a brand new fireplace, with a wood burning oven, and I've been experimenting with it ever since. The making of the porridge took about 6 hours, but the result was worth it. (This can be made quicker on the stove or a regular oven. )

I also used, I think it's called hulled barley in English, where the barley is whole, not broken, but the outer layer is removed. (Please correct me if I'm wrong.) To the barley I added 0,5 litres of hot water, and then 1 litre of milk and a pinch of salt. After covering the bowl with foil, it went to the hot oven for about 5 hours. It's not so easy to regulate the temperature in this kind of oven, or at least I haven't got the knack of it yet, so easiest thing is to make foods that are not so particular to the exact temperature.

After few hours the porridge is ready when it looks and smells ready. With some cold milk and sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar, it's my kind of Christmas.

This Christmas is special as it's the first time I'm spending it in my new home.

Wish You All a relaxing and peaceful Christmas time, and also the Very Best for the New Year 2011!

From Japan

2010-11-17T13:05:00.007+02:00

Few snaps of the delicacies we received from Japan last week. They are our patterns on Belle Maison products in their recent Autumn-Winter catalog. Lots of lovely blankets and dresses, and now I know what a "kotatsu" is, it's a Japanese blanket on a low table, it spreads over the whole table and you can put your feet under it while sitting at the table. Why we don't have anything like that in Finland is beyond me, we're the cold country!

Works!

2010-10-25T14:09:00.007+03:00

Really kawaii plasters!

While we wait for new samples to arrive from Japan, here's few photos of products with our patterns we haven't posted before. All products and product design from Belle Maison, Japan.

Potato pastry with apple mash

2010-10-19T18:30:00.007+03:00

One of my favorite food authors has to be Vivi-Ann Sjögren. This now over 70 year old Finnish lady, an author and an actress has traveled the world and gotten to know the flavors and recipes from all over. Her cooking is not posh or fancy, but down to earth, and she speaks strongly in favor of using simple ingredients, and basically utilizing what ever is in season and you have lying around. The scraps or leftovers are not to be thrown away, but rather utilized in a new, lovely and tasty recipe. She does remind me of Nigel Slater, or rather given her age, Nigel should be called "The Vivi-Ann Sjögren of England". For spring, there are recipes for deep-fried dandelions and for winter stews and stocks, but this potato pastry with apple mash felt very appropriate for just now, especially as I've dug up my potatoes and cooked gallons of mashed apple. I did modify it, only ever slightly, adding a sprinkle of salt to the pastry, some vanilla sugar to the whipped cream and icing sugar on top.

From Vivi-Ann Sjögren's book "Vivi-Annin keittiössä"

150 g cooked and mashed potatoes
150 g butter
150 g all-purpose flour (white wheat flour)
5 dl apple mash
2 dl whipping cream
icing sugar
salt

Mix potato, butter, sprinkling of salt and flour together and leave to set in cool place for an hour. Roll small balls from the dough and roll out flat and thin. Prick with a fork and bake in the oven, in 220 Celsius until crispy and light brown. Cool and then spread apple sauce on one piece of pastry, whipped cream on another, pile them and stock with third piece of pastry, with sprinkling of icing sugar.

Best of Autumn

2010-10-15T18:17:00.008+03:00

Time to prepare for those long, cold winter nights, time to make pickles, jams and jellies. I've tasted the pickled cucumbers I made about a month ago, and hmm... I don't think they were quite the success I was hoping for. They still look pretty in their glass jars in my cellar, but the taste leaves something to be desired for, or rather they are quite hard, not really pickled enough. But as I have a tree full of apples, and I've eaten as much apple goodie as I can, it was time to make some mashed apple sauce. I love it with some oatmeal porridge, or with crepes or toast.

There's no need to peel the apples, but wash them well, and cut in to lobes. For this size of saucepan I used less than desilitre of water, it is there just to prevent the apples from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan. Let them soften in the boiling water for few minutes, the less you cook them, the more vitamins there will be left.

Then grind or mash them.

Add some sugar and I also added a sprinkle of cinnamon. Keeps well in the freezer or in clean glass jars.

New home for cushions

2010-09-21T13:42:00.006+03:00

kuvat Pekka Holmström

Surely there is room for more cushions on your sofa? These lovely and warm cushions with interesting surface textures you can knit yourself, the instructions can be found in the latest Finnish Moda-magazine and they were born at the Pattern Bakery -studio. The yarn used for these cushions is from a Finnish spinnery called Pirtin Kehräämö, they have lovely qualities of Finnish wool and also beautiful colours.

Indigo 2010

2010-09-09T15:52:00.003+03:00

We are happy to tell you that a collection of our designs can be seen at the coming Indigo-fair, Brussels from the 14-16th of September. We will be represented by our Danish agent, Studio Orbit. The stand can be found in the hall 9, number 9D61.

Our patterns can also be viewed at our Pattern Gallery. We have now updated it with a big selection of new patterns for the coming season. Please e-mail us for user name and password, or if you already have one, to have it re-activated. See you!

Belle Maison Autumn-Winter 2010

2010-09-07T19:34:00.005+03:00

What a lovely surprise, the latest Belle Maison catalog has been published! Belle Maison is a Japanese company we have had the pleasure of working with for couple of years now. Our patterns on their products can be viewed starting from page 158. Wish I could read Japanese to know what those quilted things on tables are, but they do look warm and snugly for winter...

Time for these...

2010-09-06T20:00:00.009+03:00

Though we're still busy with the coming pattern season, there are other seasons going on as well. Like the season for fungi, this year the cep seems to be particularly plentiful. Also called in English the penny bun or porcino, it's one of the most delicious mushrooms I've ever had. Lovely as sauce, soup, or of course, as risotto, a match made in heaven. A half an hours walk in the woods gave enough ceps for a supper and some to be frozen for winter evenings as well.

For this mushroom risotto you'll need:

vegetable stock
risotto rice
ceps
onion
cream
parmesan
salt and black pepper

Chop the ceps n to app 2cm x 2 cm cubes, bearing in mind that they loose a lot of liquid when fried and become smaller. (Do I measure my mushroom cubes? Do I heck, but thought maybe I should give some kind of estimate.) Fry the ceps with chopped onion (medium temperature) in butter and olive oil, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Then add risotto rice, and fry for coule of minutes more. After that you can start adding the boiling hot stock, a ladle by ladle, until the rice is cooked and is the consistency of soft porridge. Towards the end you can add some cream. Then some grated parmesan cheese, salt and black pepper to taste.

Also season for these, pickled gherkins...

... and potatoes!

Back-to-work -chocolate cake

2010-08-13T16:29:00.004+03:00

We've all returned from our summer holidays, it has been a very hot Finnish summer this year, with temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius. Although we're busy working to bring out new designs this Autumn, there has to be time to chill out and relax too. I've started a new thing this summer, baking cakes, something I've dreaded for a long time. Even the simplest sponge cake I have often managed to bring out rock hard, but now I decided to bite the bullet and try again. The results have been encouraging so far, so much so, that I have good mind to continue practising. I've even managed to make my own version of a chocolate cake, it's not over sweet and so just to my taste. This cake is The Cake of the season, as black currants are at their best, making Autumn and returning to work bit less sour.

5 tbsp cocoa powder
2 dl milk and cream (not each, but put together)
2 dl caster sugar
150 g butter
2 eggs
4 dl all-purpose flour
1 tbsp vanilla sugar
1,5 tsp baking powder
1 dl blackcurrants

Mix cocoa, liquid and half of the sugar in a saucepan. Bring to boil and cool. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. In a separate bowl, mix flour, vanilla sugar and baking powder, then add it to the cake mixture. Mix in the blackcurrants carefully so they don't break. Rub a Bundt pan with plenty of butter and pour in the cake mixture. Bake in 170 degrees Celsius for 45-50 minutes or when a wooden pin inserted in the centre comes out clean. Lovely on it's own or with vanilla ice-cream or some sour cream.

Everyone really liked it!

2010-07-05T17:06:00.007+03:00

Happy Holidays to You all!

We're off for some sun and soak-our-toes-in-the-sea -kind of time. Be back in August with fresh ideas. See you then!

Two potato salads

2010-07-05T16:30:00.005+03:00

It's officially time for new potatoes, although my own garden will take a bit longer still to grow them. I usually cook few extra so I can have them later cold with butter and salt, as a salad, or in a salad with maybe green salad leaves, boiled eggs, some tuna, basil and olives. But here's two versions of a potato salad.

cold, cooked new potatoes

for the sauce:
natural yogurt
soft leaved herbs, such as flat leaved parsley, lemon balm, mint, basil
chives or spring onions
salt and pepper to taste

Mix the sauce ingredients and leave to set in fridge for half an hour or so. Spread on cold potatoes. Lovely on its own, or as a side dish for fish or meat.

cold, cooked new potatoes
apples
mayonnaise
shredded ginger
chili
spring onions
salt and pepper to taste

Chop potatoes and apples to same bite size. Mix with other ingredients and leave to set in the fridge for about half an hour or so. Again lovely on its own or with something barbecued.

Delicious patterns

2010-07-02T18:33:00.009+03:00

Recently published cook book from Farang, modern Asian restaurant in Helsinki. The whole book is beautiful, with photos by chef-turned-photographer Tuukka Koski, but especially the front cover is to my liking, as the pattern is designed by our own lovely Salla Kangasniemi.

The recipes are another mouth-watering story...

Unashamedly postcard-pretty snapshots from Midsummer party last weekend

2010-07-02T17:36:00.014+03:00

The title says it all. The favorite Finnish holiday for many, people abandoning cities for at least few days in the country and summer cottages.

In the evening it's time for Midsummer sauna, preferably by a water feature of some sorts. Ours was on the west coast.

on the way to sauna...

...still going...

(notice how I have a thing for photographing hedges?)

...have some patience...

Nearly there!

My Midsummer scarf.

What this huu-haa was all about. The Sauna. And, yes you are supposed to take your Midsummer scarf and the rest of it off.

The view.

The view at midnight. It's called the Midnight Sun.

Ok, so not very traditional Finnish food. We did do that too, new potatoes, smoked fish and pickled herrings, but I was too hungry to take photos. My brother was responsible for these, here's the recipe, (more detailed version you can read from Farang's new cookbook):

big tiger shrimps
fish sauce
vegetable oil
lime
salt and pepper

Clean the shrimp, cut the shell open from one side and open the shrimp as in the photo. Remove the bowel and rinse the shrimp. Marinate in the fish sauce for few minutes and oil the cut surface. Barbecue in a medium grill first the meat side and then the shell side. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. You could serve this with nahm jim and a salad of spring onions, ginger, lemon grass, chili and thai basil, but we sprinkled them with lime and dipped in sweet chili sauce. Good stuff.

Merry Midsummer!

2010-06-25T19:32:00.007+03:00

Midsummer pole, a tradition specifically on the west coast of Finland and archipelago. Decorated with flowers and set up on Midsummer eve, which is today. Midsummer is one of the biggest festivities in Finland, public holiday and celebrations for summer and the sun that doesn't set. I'm off to do some barbecue on the beach and then sauna. And then the Midsummer Night, full of magic...

Happy Midsummer to You All!

Divaani

2010-06-21T10:50:00.002+03:00

Read our latest interview in the Finnish interior design magazine. The title is "pullaa ja printtejä" which translates "Sweet bread and patterns".

First of Summer Salads

2010-06-14T11:08:00.004+03:00

Although I'm still in the process of planting my vegetable garden, the herbs I decided to buy as seedlings, and this is the first dish made out of them. My version of Tabbouleh-type of salad, very herby and with lots of flavor, perfect to make now as I still don't have a kitchen in my house and if I want hot food, it will be need to be barbecued outside. This salad you can eat as a main course with maybe some bread or as a side dish with barbecues.

1 dl of bulgur wheat
feta cheese
tomatoes
fresh, soft leaved herbs, I used flat leafed parsley, mint, coriander, chives and lemon balm. (Basil would be nice too)
lemon juice
olive oil
black pepper
salt

You can either cook the bulgur in 2 dl water for 7 minutes or just rinse the bulgur and soak it in cold water for half an hour or so. Drain the bulgur and mix with rest of the ingredients. Taste for seasoning.

Chez Jouni

2010-05-28T10:46:00.003+03:00

Pattern Bakery fabrics were borrowed last summer for a shooting of a television series and also a cook book called Chez Jouni. Jouni Törmänen is a Finnish chef, with a Michelin star restaurant in Nice, his recipes now published in this book and television series that will air on the 2.6 on Finnish MTV3.

Enveloped

2010-05-12T09:46:00.003+03:00

Lovely pillow case by Maria at Pattern Bakery, and it can be yours from Envelop. Most likely there will be more products to follow, will let you know...

Rain garden

2010-05-02T22:33:00.006+03:00

Last week we received some designer samples from Belle Maison, Japan. Here's couple of photos of one of our patterns called "Rain garden" they have used for their product design, a lovely duvet cover and pillow cases. The pattern can be also bought as a curtain. We'll post photos of more of the nice samples as soon as possible.

Favorite surfaces...

2010-04-26T17:37:00.005+03:00

... in my house. Still needs a bit of fixing, but fortunately I've had little help from my friends. After tearing away couple of layers of at least 60-year-old carpet, the last thing standing between me and hardwood floors was some kind of indescribable fiber that was glued to the floor boards underneath. Luckily we discovered it was relatively easy to scrape off once moisturized with water, it was quite impossible as dry. Then some sanding and painting...

Why so quiet...

2010-04-09T17:31:00.003+03:00

Well, we've been busy with one thing and another, mostly with making a new collection and also launching our new online Pattern Gallery! If you are our client or a potential one, you can get a username and a password for the Gallery by contacting us, and view our collection of patterns in your own chosen time and place.

Something for the weekend: design and Helsinki combined, for English speaking people, an article in the Guardian.

And for Japanese speaking, our friends at Belle Maison show an insight to Helsinki and Scandinavian way of living. I so wish I knew what it says...

Meet the Pulmus

2010-04-06T18:53:00.004+03:00

We have a new retailer in Helsinki, where you can meet and purchase Pulmu cushions and fabric. It's at a local art museum, Taidehalli, where they have a little kiosque, filled with art & designs stuff.

Tomorrow is also the opening day for our exhibition of Pulmus, in Seinäjoki, Rustoopuori. The Pulmus will reside there from the 7th April until the 29th of May.

London's Finest Eateries

2010-03-31T18:10:00.019+03:00

On my recent trip to England I bought a Lord Peter Wimsey novel and now I'm amusing (or tormenting, it's a fine line sometimes...) everyone around me by blurting out expressions like “right-oh, old friend”, “- and all that” and “Makes one uneasy when a fellow departs from the straight and narrow.” My affection for Lord Wimsey is not the issue here though, but to present some of the most enjoyable food-related experiences of the journey. I would add to this list Bocca di Lupo, where the food was divine, but was so busy wolfing (sorry, couldn't resist...) it down, that I didn't take any photos.

For breakfast we headed for St. John Bread and Wine. Lovely and relaxed, good, straight forward food, and across the road is the Spitalfields Market. One of my favorite food places in London.

The Best bacon sarnie ever.

Poached rhubarb and yogurt. I must try this at home when the rhubarb grows plenty.

Lunch at Ottolenghi. They have few places around London, we went to the one in Notting Hill. You can choose 2-3 salads plus a main course. Everything was lovely, but that broccoli was the best I've ever had.

Now, I'm still not the biggest fan of sweets, but if the good people of Ottolenghi recommend someone else's cupcakes, I thought they might be worth a try. And that they were at the Hummingbird Bakery. Perhaps the most fashionable thing to bake at the moment, with recipes in every magazine, in every shape or form, it surely has reached its peak soon? First there was the macaroon (lovely as they are, quite hard to make yourself), now IT is the cupcake, what next? asks the trend forecasting -person. As a friend of Miss Marple and something less sweet, I'm (hoping of) seeing the good-old-fashioned cake bubbling under. What was on the menu at St. John Bread and Wine? Seed cake and sherry!

And last but not least, fresh oysters at the Borough Market!

React-able ReacTable

2010-03-15T22:06:00.017+02:00

I have to admit that I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to cool-looking technology - especially when it has something to do with music. Here's what's gotten my attention lately : the ReacTable. I would love to have the opportunity to try this live!

Simply put, here's how it works: the apparatus is basically a table with an interactive surface interface. The surface reacts with cubes and other modules placed on the table. Some manipulate frequency, some rhythm, some work as metronomes, and so forth. You can twist and turn the modules to manipulate the sounds in different ways: make it faster, slower, higher, lower... Take a look at the videos at their website for a better idea.

The project originated on 2003 at the Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona and it was presented for the first time two years after at the International Computer Music Conference in Barcelona. Since the launch, probably the widest popularity was gained during Björk's Volta-tour where the apparatus was played live throughout the string of concerts. The ReacTable has also won several prestigious awards.

What's also great about the ReacTable, is that it works not only as a mixing table of sorts, but also as a great tool for education for kids and why not adults too. It visualizes for example structures, wavelengths, rhythms in comprehensive ways and makes it all easy to handle. The table can also be played by several people at the same time! So far it has been produced mainly for museums, science centers and galleries, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a lighter, commercial version.

The instrument seems to excite a great variety of people from hard core musicians to kids and random experimenters. And no wonder.
It looks like a blast.

(Photos courtesy of ReacTable.)

The Bestest of Helsinki Second-Hand

2010-03-10T14:27:00.007+02:00

"Pastoraali" Designer: Esteri Tomula for Arabia. In production 1965-1969

"Emilia" Designer: Raija Uosikkinen for Arabia. In production 1957-1966

These photos are from my favorite tableware second-hand shops in Helsinki. The above two are from Astialiisa, on Runeberginkatu 59. Probably one of the biggest selections I've seen in Helsinki, beautifully presented and in good condition.

The photos above are from Kaunis Arki, on Mariankatu 20. There's two little shops next to each other, full of furniture, tableware and also gorgeous lamps.

And then these are from Nasta, on Liisankatu. On top of tableware, they also have lovely vintage clothing, shoes, bags and jewelery.

The Bestest of Stockholm

2010-03-02T15:05:00.007+02:00

... or should I say my personal favorites? Anyway, here's my pick of the nicest places I found on my recent trip to Stockholm, Sweden, and I would recommend them worth the visit when you're in town.

The rug above is from a shop called Herr Judit who sell vintage fashion, accessory and furniture. We went to their shop situated in an old fire station. They also had lovely, old ladders, but I thought that would have been too much to be carrying back to Finland. Anyway, the rug will be perfect next to my book shelf.

Went to a bookstore, and bought socks. Right. Konst-ig, an art bookstore happened to have an exhibition by Yurio Seki, a Japanese Graphic Designer. She has a brand called "Salvia" and had few items and books on sale. Fell in love with the socks straight away, plus they're super comfy.

Had a lovely lunch in Urban Deli, but had to buy salt & vinegar chips too to take home, something that is quite hard to find in Helsinki. Also got some lavender, I've started to try and learn the art of baking, and so far the results have been quite promising. My favorite book at the moment is the Ottolenghi, and they had a recipe for lavender and honey muffins, which turned out really good!

Here's how I made a Pulmu pillow case

2010-02-20T12:43:00.012+02:00

You can buy the fabric for these pillow cases from our shop in Etsy, Goodis or Grape Station.

First I cut the lacy bit off from one side.

Then I used the interlocker on the edges.

And attached the cut-off next to the lacy end of rest of the fabric.

The pieces sewn together.

Then I folded the fabric to form a pillow case and sew the straight edges together.

Bob's your uncle!

Belle Maison Autumn 2009

2010-02-16T13:52:00.007+02:00

While we eagerly await new samples from the new Belle Maison spring-collection to arrive, here's few bags from last autumn.

Pulmu pillow covers

2010-02-15T11:03:00.004+02:00

Finally there's a bit more light outside, and I managed to take couple of photos of pillow covers made of our Pulmu-fabric.

Wish You Happy Friend's Day! (And lots of pulla for Good Luck)

2010-02-14T14:25:00.005+02:00

These days the Finnish nation is divided into two. Those who have their Shrovetide pullas with jam and those who want it filled with almond paste. Shrovetide (laskiainen in Finnish) originates from Christian culture, and originally marked the days before fasting, seven weeks before Easter. Shrove Sunday, which is today and Shrove Tuesday, which is also called The Pancake Day in English speaking countries, and Mardi Gras in French, has traditionally been celebrated by eating heavy and greasy food, as this has been the last chance to do it. And the greasier your hands were after eating, the better luck and crop that year.

Although as with many festive days, the original reasons for celebration have been somewhat forgotten, many enjoy the traditional foods associated with this day. Pea soup, and special sweet bread, pulla, filled with whipped cream and either with almond paste or strawberry jam. Some people like to have their pulla in a bowl of hot milk. The day is also celebrated by going downhill sledging, for example in Helsinki student groups gather in a local park with the best hill for the purpose, and get creative with their sledges, which can pretty much take any shape or form from card board boxes to sofas with skis. (Some photos of it in Helsingin Sanomat)

You can make your, now also internationally acclaimed, pulla with this recipe. Cut the top off, take some of the pulla off inside to make room for jam (I best like raspberry jam) or almond paste and some whipped cream, and put the hat back on. You can also dust the top with some icing sugar.

Today happens to be also Valentine's Day. Compared to Shrovetide, this is a relatively new day in Finnish culture, and therefore not so rich with traditions. We call it “Friend's Day”, and I would like to wish all of you lovely people out there, near and far, Happy Friend's Day! It's a priviledge and such a joy to get to know you!

Belle Maison

2010-02-04T11:15:00.004+02:00

We were happy to find out that the new catalogue from Belle Maison has been published! Again, you can find our patterns in the section labelled "Atelier Tytöt", from pages 66-75. Our patterns have been used on other products as well, my favorites are the cutest little tunic on page 18, the lovely rug on page 19 and the green bedding on page 57.

My Blueberry Soup

2010-01-29T14:12:00.008+02:00

The cup is from Tiimari, with a Pattern Bakery -pattern.

With temperatures still below -15-20 degrees Celsius, hot drinks are an absolute must at the moment. If you've preserved berries from last summer, now is a perfect time to utilize them. Blueberry soup is calming and relaxing, the perfect hot after a walk outside.

For the soup you'll need (makes 6 portions):

6 dl water
400 g blueberries, can be frozen
1 dl sugar
cinnamon stick

for thickening:
2 dl water
4 tbs potato flour (can be substituted with corn flour)

to decorate:
cream
vanilla sugar

Heat water until it boils. Add berries, cinnamon stick and sugar. Boil for couple of minutes. Mix cold water with potato flour. Move pan from the stove, add the thickening as a thin stream and mix the soup at the same time. Boil the soup quickly. Let cool a bit and decorate with whipped cream and vanilla sugar.

P.S. Guess what the new trend-food is amongst the celebrity? Image-magazine says Guardian said (phew, talk about rumors), it's porridge! Not just any old porridge of course, but posh luxury porridges with for example rice, maple syrup, stewed apple and white miso-paste. But what could be more posh than princess porridge, I ask. I wonder if they're having that?

White on white

2010-01-23T12:39:00.009+02:00

Winter in Finland is always white in some way, but this year it has been an exceptionally bright one. It is like living within the frosty world of Narnia, snow everywhere, white light even during the darkest night, all sounds muffled by the piles of white.
After a few failed attempts to capture the most breathtaking moments, I came accross these images by a fellow designer, Tia.
I hope you enjoy.

More dream houses

2010-01-15T15:45:00.008+02:00

Come new year and new design challenges. I decided it was time to make a life long dream come true and bought myself an old wooden house. Lots and lots of layers of cardboard and wallpaper to be removed and nails to be pulled out. She will need a fair bit of TLC to begin with, but I think we'll get along fine. This is what home looks like now, but I'm hoping by the end of spring I will actually be able to move in. You wouldn't be wrong in guessing there might be few more posts about the progress...

Comfort Food Extreme

2010-01-13T17:05:00.015+02:00

We've been blessed lately with snow and temperatures dropping down to -25 Celsius degrees. With this weather, I feel one is entitled to turn to real comfort foods. For me, besides all forms of potato, one of the most comforting and relaxing foods will have to be sweet bread, in Finnish called "pulla". And with cold glass of milk, please. Pulla gets eaten all year around, at festive occasions, or on your everyday coffee break. The dough is pretty simple, but you can be creative as to how you want to shape it. A big plaited loaf, cinnamon buns, simple ball shape or pulla-boys or girls with raisin eys are probably the most common ones.

These photos are of me mum making her trademark pullas. I truly apologise for the bad quality of some of the photos, my excuses are, on top of not being a professional photographer, a) although taken in front of a window, there just isn't much daylight at the moment in Finland, b) she was going pretty darn fast.

Anyway, for the dough you will need:

0,5 litres milk
50 g yeast
2 tsp salt
2 dl sugar
2 tsp cardamon (not the pods, but open them and use the bits inside)
1 egg
14 dl wheat flour
100 g butter

Add yeast to hand warm milk. Mix with salt, sugar, cardamon and egg. Add flour little by little, whisk more at first to mix some air in to the dough. Then knead until it feels alive in your hands, say maybe 10 minutes or so. Add soft butter towards the end of kneading. Let rest in a warm place, covered with a tea towel. When the dough size has doubled, knead it softly to remove the airbubbles, for couple of minutes.

Cut pieces of the dough with knife and start rolling it under your hands to form long shapes.

Cut pieces of app. 10 cms.

Press two pieces together at top.

Twirl one of the dough pieces around the other. Press the ends together to form a circle.

Set on a baking sheet on a baking tray, brush with some egg and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake in oven, 225 degrees for 10 minutes or so, until golden brown.

House of dreams

2010-01-06T19:38:00.005+02:00

We hope you all had wonderful holidays!

In my family we have a tradition of building a gingerbread house for every Christmas. The years have seen all kinds of designs including an airport, a church, a Moomin-house, several cabins, a couple of reindeer herds and the ambitious 4-floor apartment building, which turned out to be inedible. The dough was too hard. Usually buildings have met their doom on New Years eve, when children have fought over the best parts - the ones with most icing and candy.

This year it was just me building the house. I decided on a miniature model of a new playhouse, which will be built at our summer cottage next summer. The house is my parents' and my pet-project for the their grandchildren in the family. Although it took a couple of days, the process is always fun all the way from designing and drawing the parts to the last sprinkle of powdered sugar on top. Though I have to admit I took a shortcut this time: ready-made, frozen dough.

We'll see whether, once built, the actual house will have as many fans as it's gingerbread version.

Have a great year 2010!

Christmas Stars

2009-12-23T16:35:00.009+02:00

My favorite Christmas pastry. Not only because of the taste, though they are lovely, but also because they are so easy to make. Especially if you buy the ready-made dough from the store. It's just regular puff-pastry, which of course you can also make yourself.

Cut squares app size of 10 cm x 10 cm. Make an incision of app. 3 cms from each corner towards the middle. Fold every other corner up towards middle. Squeeze these corners together and press down. Add a dollop of plum marmalade or jam on top of middle part. Bake in the oven in 225 degrees Celsius for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, The Day of the Finnish Christmas. In the morning there will be rice porridge with plum soup, then sauna and after that the Christmas Dinner. In the evening a visit from Santa Claus with presents. We Finns have lots of special foods that are eaten only on Christmas, for example Christmas ham, carrot or turnip casserole, rosolli which is a special beetroot salad with whipped cream, Christmas bread etc. My favorites are the gravad lax, cold smoked salmon, herrings and roe with sour cream and shallots. So there's lots of recipes to write about for years to come.

What ever is your style of spending the holiday season, we at Pattern Bakery hope it will filled with joy and peace. Merry Christmas!

Auntie Hanna's cookies

2009-12-21T09:24:00.003+02:00

I don't have an aunt called Hanna myself, but these are another traditional Finnish cookie. Not just for Christmas, my grandma used to have these in her cookie box all year, but now my mother makes these at least for Christmas. The flavor is quite delicate, some might even say plain, but I think one of these to accompany my cup of espresso is a perfect combination.

3 dl sugar
1 tsp baking soda
3 dl potato flour (similar to corn flour)
4 dl wheat flour
1,5 dl cream
1,5 melted butter

Mix the dry ingredients, add cream and butter. Mix until the dough is firm and even. Take smallish lumps of the dough, about 1 tbsp or so, and roll between your hands. Bake in the oven, 175 degrees Celsius, for about 8-10 minutes, until slightly golden brown.

Preparing for Christmas

2009-12-17T15:20:00.004+02:00

I have a confession to make; I'm not a very good at baking things. I like the food I make, and bread is fine, but there is definitely something about the sweets I can't grasp. Even making a sponge cake is like gambling for me, I never know how it will turn out. Maybe it is because I prefer savory things to sweets or because the baking recipes and measurements should be followed accurately, and I like to make it along as I cook? I don't know, but this is my excuse for these Christmas recipes being from and made by my mother. I still wanted to post about few essential Finnish flavors and scents of the coming holiday season, and the first will be these gingerbread cookies. They come out quite crispy and therefore this dough is perfect also for building gingerbread houses.

250 g butter
2 dl sugar
1,5 dl syrup
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground clove
1 egg (on the large side)
1 tsp salt
9 dl wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda

Place butter, sugar, syrup and spices in a sauce pan, heat until it boils and whisk until the mixture has cooled.

Add egg and salt to mixture. Combine flour with the baking soda in a separate bowl and add to the mixture. Leave to set overnight in the fridge.

Roll a part of the dough at a time to a thin layer and cut the cookies out of it with a cookie mold. Place the cookies on a baking tray lined with a baking sheet and bake in an oven (200 Celsius) until brown, about 8-10 minutes.

Korjaamo Design Market

2009-12-10T17:33:00.003+02:00

We'll be at the Korjaamo Market with lots of other design people on the 12th -13th of December from 11.00 to 18.00. Come and say hello and buy a Pulmu-kit (still enough time to make it for Christmas) or buy a ready-made Pulmu-bird!

Day in Tallinn

2009-12-07T13:48:00.003+02:00

We seem to be surprisingly busy before leaving for the well-earned Christmas Holidays. Last week I went to Tallinn for work, to visit few textile factories. Luckily, Estonia is close, only two hours on the boat. After the work was done, I had couple of hours before the next boat back, so I was able to visit one of my favorite places in Tallinn, a restaurant/ café/ deli called Bonaparte. It's situated only about 5 minutes walk from the Townhall Square and well worth the visit. They do French style food, all products made at the premises. The food is lovely, as are the pastries, but to me still the best thing is the Earl Grey with jasmine -tea. It is served at the cafe and you can buy it also at the deli next door. Such a lovely scent in my bag all the way home...

The World Design Capital

2009-11-25T12:20:00.003+02:00

for the year 2012 will be Helsinki! The title was just announced at the World Design Congress in Singapore. Our competitor was Eindhoven in Netherlands. The Design Capital is expected to organize design events during the year, and the title tells about the use of design to improve the social, cultural and economic life.

Beetroot Salad

2009-11-21T09:01:00.008+02:00

The last beetroots from my garden were sent off with style in this salad. I was quite sure I'd seen the recipe somewhere, but then could not find it in any of my cookbooks, so had to make it up. It turned out really nice, and will be made again, I'm sure. This time it accompanied organic lamb, but it would make a nice lunch or light supper by itself or with some bread.

500 g beetroots, washed, peeled and cut in half or quarters if they are big
2 cloves garlic
5 tbs olive oil
1 tbs balsamico or red wine vinegar
2 tsp thyme
salt and black pepper
aluminum foil

Make a dish for beetroots and all the other ingredients of double foil. You'll need enough to cover the beetroots too. Pop in the oven for about an hour in 225 Celsius. You can eat them hot, but if you want to make this salad, cool the beetroots first.

Mix the cooled beetroots with:

goats cheese of blue cheese
basil leaves, or parsley or marjoram
toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds or cashew nuts

Finish with some nice olive oil, salt and black pepper to taste.

Morning coffee with the minister

2009-11-19T12:30:00.010+02:00

Top: the structures of the main elevators of Sanomatalo, main office of Helsingin Sanomat.

Bottom: the current minister of foreign affairs, Alexander Stubb and the former minister Erkki Tuomioja being interviewed.

Happy anniversary Hesari!

Finland's biggest newspaper Helsingin Sanomat is a 120-year old institution this year. They are honoring the anniversary for example by updating the outlook of the newspaper. This week they are serving free coffee and pulla (sweet breads typical of Finland) every morning 7-9 am! The occasion offers also live music and current conversations with acknowledged people.

This morning the coffee was fresh, pulla delicious and conversation funny and inspiring. On the panel were Alexander Stubb, the present minister of foreign affairs, and the previous placeholder Erkki Tuomioja. The refreshing contrast of the two men's opinions created a pleasant and thought-provoking conversation on the "finnish brand" and how our country is perceived abroad. Where Stubb is keen on actively fortifying the positives of the brand, Tuomioja is more sceptical of "branding" countries at all.

See the whole conversation and other morning talks here (in finnish only).

Fair Food

2009-11-13T15:58:00.005+02:00

We were honored to have our fabrics used as a back drop in the first Fair Trade -cookbook in Finnish. It's sold nationally in book shops and grocery stores. The first thing I'm going to try is the banana bread...

2009-11-11T11:57:00.003+02:00

Back in August, we did a little picture puzzle, and as a result, one of our tea-towels traveled to Hamburg. It was lucky to find a home in Siobhán's kitchen.

2009-11-07T11:14:00.002+02:00

A Shared Success

2009-11-06T17:19:00.004+02:00

Our recent interview in the Finnish Moda-magazine.

Volt's Designers Of The Month

2009-11-01T12:07:00.001+02:00

You can read our latest interview this weekend in Hufvudstadsbladet's monthly Volt- magazine.

Last but not least

2009-10-29T15:02:00.008+02:00

The last soup for this soup month is maybe my favorite - a creative vegetable soup. It's always a bit different, sometimes a pleasant surprise, sometimes an opportunity to learn from your errors... Basically, you can use almost what ever vegetables you have in the fridge. Potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, peas and onion for example. Anything that can be boiled and liquidized. It's usually nice to have at least couple of potatoes, this will make the soup a bit thicker. Clean, peel and chop the vegetables, fry in oil gently for few minutes, then add vegetable stock enough to cover the veggies, and simmer until the vegetables are done. Then liquidize, add cream and reheat gently. Season with salt and black or white pepper to taste.

The cream you can of course leave out, or substitute it with cream cheese, sour cream or milk. You can add some toasted nuts, seeds, croutons, fresh herbs, crumbled feta, blue cheese or goat's cheese on top to make it a bit more interesting.

So simple, cheap and good! Go experiment! Now!

Potato and leek

2009-10-27T10:48:00.007+02:00

This potato and leek soup we had the other day at our weekly meeting. A classic, with lots of comforting starch. We had it nice and hot, but it you were to make this during summer, you could have it cold, and it would be called vichyssoise.

1 onion
1 white part of a leek
5 floury potatoes
enough vegetable stock to cover the vegetables in pan
1 dl cream
butter or oil for frying
salt and pepper

garnish with toasted sunflower seeds or nuts, fresh parsley or croutons.

Soften the chopped onion in butter or oil. Add cleaned and sliced leek and peeled potato in cubes. Fry gently for few minutes. Add enough stock to cover the vegetables, and simmer until potatoes are done. Liquidize, and if you want a really smooth soup, pour through a sieve. Add cream and reheat gently. Add salt and pepper to taste.

You can also have this chunky, without liquidizing. Then its best to use firm potatoes meant for boiling, and you can also omit the cream.

As the soup is not that lively in colour or texture, it's nice to decorate it a bit. The nuts, seeds and croutons add a lovely crunch, and herbs even more flavor.

Keittokuu-kausi

2009-10-22T17:52:00.010+03:00

Looks like this month is turning out to be a month for soup recipes. Suppose there’s something very comforting about a steaming hot bowl of soup when It is A Dark And Stormy Night outside. Here’s one of my favorite recipes, creamy and velvety soup of Jerusalem Artichokes, which are also in season at the moment.

1 clove of garlic
1 onion
500 g Jerusalem artichokes
2 potatoes
thyme
1 liter vegetable stock
2 dl cream
salt and black pepper
butter or oil to fry

to garnish: hazelnuts or sunflower seeds

Soften the chopped onion and garlic in a large pan, then add the peeled and chopped artichokes and potatoes, and fry gently for few minutes. Add the stock, thyme, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Liquidize, for a really smooth result pour through a sieve, add cream and reheat. Season to taste. Garnish with toasted nuts or seeds.

(A footnote warning: Some people call them Fartichokes. Appropriately, I think)

More mushrooms

2009-10-19T14:10:00.010+03:00

Even though we've already seen the first snowflakes, the yellowfoot chanterelle can take few minus degrees easily, and it's still worth hunting. They're also easy to dry and can be used through out winter. A big thanks to auntie Leila, who has taught me everything I know about yellowfoot chanterelles, where they live and what to do with them. The best places to pick them are also best kept secrets, but this recipe from her I can share.

1 liter yellowfoot chanterelles (You can use this recipe for any other kind of mushroom soup too)
1 onion
1 carrot
app. 8 dl vegetable stock
1 tbsp flour
1 dl cream
butter or oil
salt and pepper

Fry the cleaned and chopped mushroom in butter or oil few minutes, so most of their liquid evaporates. Add chopped onions and roughly grated carrot and soften for a while. Add flour and mix, then add vegetable stock. Let simmer for 30 minutes. Add cream, and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley, if you likes.

Harvest

2009-10-12T10:12:00.008+03:00

When the first frost decorates the leaves, it's time to collect the carrots and beetroots. The frost makes them a bit sweeter, but of course they shouldn't be left for long. I had only a little vegetable patch, but it was enough to share a borscht-type beetroot soup with few friends, and maybe some roasted beetroots in the future. For a starter we had pickled gherkins with honey and sour cream, and an apple goodie for dessert. Here's the recipe for borscht for 6 person:

6 beetroots
1 potato
1 onion
1 carrot
4 tomatoes, or a can of whole tomatoes
250 g cabbage
2-3 jalapenos
vegetable stock
salt and black pepper
vegetable oil

to garnish:
fresh parsley
sour cream (or smetana in Finnish, this is very thick sour cream, about 42% fat)

Chop the beets, cabbage, potato and carrot into small matchsticks. Soften the chopped onion in a saucepan big enough to hold the whole soup, app. 2 litres. Add the vegetable sticks and soften for few minutes, don't let them brown. Add enough stock to cover, the de-skinned tomatoes and chopped jalapenos. Let simmer for 25 minutes or so. Take app. half of the soup aside and pure the rest. Combine the smooth soup with the chunky, add salt and pepper to taste and reheat gently. You can also add more vegetable stock if you think it needs more liquid. Sprinkle parsley on top and add a dollop of sour cream on top of the soup on your plate.

Design-market

2009-10-06T13:46:00.004+03:00

First Pulmu bird flew home and made a little girl very happy!

We will be in Design Market in Korjaamo, Helsinki on Saturday 10.10.2009 from 18.00 to 21.00 with our new Pulmu -fabrics and pillows. Come see them and us and say hello!

Pulmu -birds

2009-10-03T11:26:00.005+03:00

Our new birds are finally here! They will be in shops starting next week. We will concentrate on selling the fabric for making the birds yourself, this lets you have the pleasure of making them, and it's also environmental friendly, as we can use less packaging material. You'll be able to use all of the fabric, what strips of fabric you don't sew, you can use as filling for the birds.

We'll be posting instructions how to make different products out of the fabric here on the blog during next months. But first, here's a little story on how we make our Pulmu-birds, though of course you can make them as you wish. Don't throw away the rest of the fabric! There's more you can do with it.

1. You'll need the fabric, scissors, measuring tape, pencil, pins, sewing machine, thread and a needle and filling for the bird.

2. Measure 2 cms from the edge of the printed bird and make a marking with pen.

3. Cut the bird off along the marks.

4. Do the same with both bird prints.

5. Stich the edge of the cut-offs with an interlocker or zigzag-stich.

6. Pin the prints together, right sides towards each other.

7-8. Stich them together with the sewing machine, but leave about 10 cms gap for turning the bird and filling.

9. Iron the seam allowance as in the picture, this will make it look a lot tidier when filled.

10. Turn the bird through the gap so that the printed sides are on the outside.

11. Insert filling through the gap into the bird. We use polyester filling made for cushions, it can be washed and there's no lumps. If you have cushions that you're not using anymore, wash them if possible and use the filling for these birds.

12. Fold the interlocked edges inside and close the gap with pins.

13. Sew the gap by hand for tidiest result.

14. Love for years to come.

Arts and crafts company of the year 2009!

2009-10-02T12:41:00.013+03:00

One of the patterns Miia designed for the city of Seinäjoki earlier this year.

Today Pattern Bakery was awarded the "Arts and Crafts company of the year 2009" title! The award was announced at Seinäjoki, Finland in a ceremony held at the annual fair. We are very pleased and happy about this recognition!

We are especially delighted for the open mindedness of the jury as they have understood us as something more diverse than just a design studio. We actively pursue to develop connections between areas of design and craft and to create tools for companies and creators to use. The jury especially thanked the versatility of Pattern Bakery as well as the abstract, conceptual design so typical to the present times.

Here are some other of the criteria from the jury:
- a fresh business idea, complete concept to create patterns for an extensive variety of purposes
- the quality of design shows not only talent, but also the depth given by of education
- ability to find the networks that best benefit from their skill as well as suits the group itself
- As the web is an important marketing channel, the company's website is well thought, very functional and looks great. You can almost taste the deliciousness and smell the freshness.
- The company idea represents a successful way of working. The design is up to date and fitting to national as well as international markets. The company has a global attitude and already something to show of international success.

This year the competition was by invitation only and there were five competitors from all over Finland. The jury consisted of the editor-in-chief Kati Ekko of Moda magazine, interior designer and entrepreneur Anne Melender from Sisustuksen Koodi, director of Sedu adult education center Virpi Lehtimäki and the president of the Etelä-Pohjamaa Crafts Organization, Kaija Uola.

See their press release (in finnish).

Pulmu

2009-10-01T19:16:00.014+03:00

Here is our newest friend Pulmu the bird. She comes as a fabric you can cut up and sew yourself! Purchase your own Do-It-Yourself kit at our shop at Etsy. Pick one of the three delicious colors. We will be posting how-to instructions for a bird-shaped pillow as well as other ideas on what to create with the fabric. We would also like to hear from you: what did you create with Pulmu?

In Finland, you can also buy Pulmu-kits from Goodis in Helsinki, or by getting in touch with us directly by e-mail.

Belle Maison - Atelier tytöt, Vol. 1.

2009-09-30T23:40:00.012+03:00

Last week we received the designer samples from our Japanese client Belle Maison. They have designed these cute products and used our patterns and prints on them. These are our photos of few of the samples, more you can view on their catalogue, on "Atelier Tytöt", on pages 17-27.

The "hideaway" ring

2009-09-30T10:58:00.010+03:00

My new favorite idea: the hideaway ring by the Seattle based John Welden. Wanting to create something extra-special for his wife, the crafter came up with an idea of a plain band with a twist.

While closed, the ring seems a a plain titanium ring.

When opened, it reveals a single, bright diamond.

Photos by courtesy of John Welden.

Welden created the mechanism as well as some of the tools needed to create this ring himself. Read more on his webpage.
This piece is beautiful as well as ingenious.

Muotoiloa lapsille/ Muoto+iloa=Muotoilua

2009-09-23T13:56:00.017+03:00

Here's few views of a book aimed at to be used in school's design education. The graphic design of the book is by Salla of Pattern Bakery.

Suunnittelijatiimimme jäsen Salla suunnitteli graafisen ulkoasun juuri ilmestyneeseen muotoilukasvatuksen oppaaseen. Muotoiloa! – opettajan opas muotoilukasvatukseen on Marjo Kenttälän toimittama ja Kerhokeskuksen julkaisema kirja, joka on suunnattu luokanopettajille.

Kirja esittelee raikkaalla ja perusteellisella tavalla muotoilun maailmaa. Oppaassa työtään valottavat eri aloilla työskentelevät suomalaismuotoiljat. Sisällön keskeinen osa ovat harjoitustehtävät, joiden avulla opettajat voivat avata muotoilun maailmaa lapsille. Muotoilukasvatuksen päämäärä on mm. evästää lapset tiedoilla ja taidoilla, joita tarvitaan rakennettaessa vastuullista tulevaisuutta ja luodaan pohjaa tiedostavalle kuluttamiselle.

Kuvissa näette ripauksen Muotoiloa-kirjan sisällöstä. Kirjan visuaalisena punaisena lankana toimivat muotoilijan arkipäivään kuuluvat perusmuodot, joita löydätte Sallan suunnittelmasta kuosista ja taittoa rytmittävistä elementistä. Salla on yksi kirjan esittelemistä muotoilijoista. Hän kertoo Muotoiloa!-kirjan visuaalisesta reseptistä sekä työstään Pattern Bakeryssä.

Lisätietoa kirjasta Kerhokeskuksen sivuilta.

Apple goodie

2009-09-22T12:55:00.012+03:00

Few months after having the Finnish Hanami under the apple tree blossoms, it's time to harvest. Apple crumble is the season's recurrent dessert, so easy to make and oh so good. My family has always called it "omenahyvä", which translates apple good.

Peel the apples and cut them into lobes, and sprinkle into a buttered, oven proof pan. Mix the apples with sugar and cinnamon. On top goes a crumble mix, rub about 100 g of butter with app. 2 dl wheat flour, 1 tsp both vanilla sugar and salt. Bake in the oven in 200 degrees Celsius, for about half an hour, or until the crumble is nice and golden. Some vanilla custard or ice-cream would be nice here too...

Preparing for cold, dark winter evenings...

2009-09-21T16:06:00.009+03:00

Excessive amounts of currants in the garden. What is a girl to do? As there are lots of rules and restrictions about advertising alcohol in Finland, you have to guess yourself, I best not say no more.

Sauna Savu

2009-09-17T14:34:00.009+03:00

All pictures and photos courtesy of Sauna Savu.

This beauty is my favorite of Habitare -fair last week. A sauna called Savu, one of the four finalists in competition for architects and designers under 35, this years theme was to design a sauna.

Made out of left-over or used, recycled timber, the surface on the inside and outside has been burned, an old but forgotten way to protect the wooden buildings from weather. Burning the surface has been used at least in Nordic countries and Japan, away burn also inpurities like dirt, mold or concrete otherwise maybe found in recycled timber.

This object to me is the epitome of what sauna should be. Pure, calm, almost like a nest, safe haven, place to relax and empty your mind. Both visually and in athmosphere, it was beautiful.

From 21st of September to 8th of October, Sauna Savu resides at Cable Factory, where these photos are from. Every evening from 18-21 it will be heated for public use, and during day time and weekends it can be viewed as an exhibition piece. More info here.

Habitare 09

2009-09-16T17:43:00.008+03:00

For the past couple of weeks we've been privileged with an intern. Annika is studying for a BA in Textile Design, with a specific interest in free-lance pattern design, and she has been great help with assembling the new trend and colour charts for future seasons. Last week we sent her to Habitare -fair, and here's few things she found interesting at the fair.

Beautiful Käpy (cone) paper lamps by Anne-Mari Vierikko.

Designer Anu Penttinen of Nounou design had made a wall of perhaps trial pieces? The different colours and shapes created an interesting surface.

Lovi's products are for self-assembly. Made in Finland, mainly of birch plywood, they are easy to put together to make the final three-dimensional shape. At the fair they had for example different sized trees, birds and balls, their smallest items are postcard sizes.

Finlayson had an interesting, big, cube shaped fair booth, decorated with one of their Autumn patterns, also seen here on the left. It's called "Kuutio" (cube) and inspired by Rubik's cube.

Brainwood had made an interesting wall for their fair stall by combining different surfaces out of plywood. The company makes panels for interior design and acoustics for both public and private spaces.

Mushroom picking last weekend

2009-09-15T10:54:00.012+03:00

Northern Milk Cap (haaparousku)

Hedgehog Mushroom (vaalea- ja rusko-orakas)

Woolly Milk Cap (karvarousku)

Yellowfoot Chanterelle (suppilovahvero)

Chanterelle (kanttarelli)