Children

...are life’s most precious gifts, full of promises and wonder as they grow, learn, and become the future. They are circles of love that honor our past and welcome our future. (unknown)

by Anja

I couldn’t be happier to welcome our new baby girl Lina June. A new life – it always feels like a miracle.



Our hearts are overfilled with joy and gratitude for our healthy little angel. We love her unconditionally and will do everything to be the best parents.

Our two girls receive so much love, and do not lack anything. They have plenty of healthy food and clean water, shelter and the safety of a loving home, all the education they want. They grow up in peace without any violence. They are girls, and living in Switzerland that doesn’t mean there would be any disadvantage. They have the same rights and the same opportunities as any boy.

That, however, is not true for thousands and thousands of girls worldwide. Girls all over our planet are denied access to education, are married too young, are sexually abused, trafficked, or are never born just because they are girls. It breaks my heart whenever I start thinking about it.

Once you start thinking about all the terrible things happening in this world, about the 40% of the world’s population that lives on less than $2 a day, about the estimated two million girls disappearing worldwide - aborted, denied medical treatment, starved to death, sold into slavery, raped, tortured and killed - it is hard not to become disheartened and frustrated about how much should be done and how little one can do as a single person. But it’s important to start and do whatever one can do. Inspired by dear friends who have been supporting various charitable organizations such as Plan International, SOS Children's Villages or Somaly Mam Foundation (just to name a few), we decided with the arrival of our second healthy daughter to sponsor a girl in need. We just felt our family is so lucky that we wanted to share a bit of our fortune with a girl whose life is completely different from the ones our daughters live. It is not much, I know, but it is something we can do. Hopefully we'll make a little difference in a girl’s life by providing her with some support to fight poverty and give her some education as a start into a more promising life.

On a lighter and happier note: our Julie just turned three and of course we celebrated with cupcakes. Milky vanilla cupcakes! We all loved them, sweet little treats with a velvety texture.






Recipe from sweet trolley, translated and slightly adapted

Ingredients (yields 24 cupcakes):

4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
400g (2 cups) sugar
300g (2 1/3 cups) all purpose flour (sifted)
300ml (1 1/4 cups) milk
10 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch salt

In a large bowl, thoroughly beat eggs until fluffy, for about 5 minutes. This is really important for a nice texture oft he cupcakes. Slowly add sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, add milk and vanilla, mix well and slowly add to the batter while beating.

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Fill batter into cupcake-forms and bake 15-20 minutes (depending on your oven, check after 15 minutes). Let cool.

Frosting:
300g (about 1 1/2 cups) mascarpone cheese
180g (about 3/4 cups) cream cheese
80g (about 3/4 cups) powdered sugar (sifted)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Mix everything until well combined. Spoon into a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe the frosting using a spiralling motion onto the cooled cupcakes in a large swirl. Decorate as you like.

To all children in the world!

From our partner: LO+JUNE

From our partner: LO+JUNE
Artisanal French products in our Swiss fine food boutique