Fiction Friday - Mutton

I love India Knight!  She's witty, bright, clever, funny and she almost always says what I'm thinking, but in a far funnier wittier kind of way!!  In fact, whenever I'm asked my opinion now, I'm thinking of trotting out the line "oh, just ask India, she knows" in a light, airy sort of way.

It's not just her Sunday Times column that I love, or her great after-midnight tweets; or her blatant disregard for 'properness'; I just love her normality, the way she just puts herself out there, opinions and all and you either love it or hate it.  You all know which camp I'm in.  So, I've read all her books (even did the Pig to Twig which was wonderfully successful; I mean a diet that allows you to eat fat, no, encourages it! See, told you she was different) and the thing about IK's books, is that they've all made me snort out loud.  Yes, snort.  Her new book Mutton was no different.  Mutton chronicles the life of forty-something Clara; the pitfalls of growing older and the conundrums that brings, especially when your friends are looking younger and younger.  As Clara deals with her kids, her exes, her thin and gorgeous friends, we're treated to her views on pretty much everything she comes across - very snort-worthy it is too.  If you want to read a review before you read/download then take a peek here; but my advice would be, just get it, read it and don't expect to do anything until you've finished it.  I didn't.

Pinterest Projects

I think most people have come across Pinterest in some shape or form..do you have a board?  I know the pros and cons of it have been mulled over; but one of the questions I've heard asked is 'what do people do with their pinterest images once they've been pinned?'.  Do they just end up like our digital photos, languishing on the laptop?  I can't speak for anyone else, but to me my boards are more than just a digital scrapbook.  I do actually use them, as reference and as inspiration, which I then put to use in my day-to-day life. 

Here's some of the recent 'projects' that were inspired by Pinterest.

 The flourless chocolate torte was amazing as were the lemon salted fries. I made the bacon and baked egg dish for breakfast and the kale and garlicky bean stew for a healthy lunch. Perhaps my most successful pinterest 'steal' was the meal in a jar which has revolutionised my lunchtimes...and now my colleagues have pinched the idea too...

I love clothes. I do; and I've found huge inspiration from outfits put together by diligent sartorially-minded pinteresters (is there such a word?!) Seriously, I often browse the outfits on my boards and put together an ensemble as a result. These are some of the things I've been wearing recently

Books.  Glorious Books. The books below I either re-read or pinned because I'd just read, and loved them. 

What's inspired you on Pinterest?  Have you tackled a new project or baked something new because you saw it on Pinterest first?  Let me know, I'd love to hear...You can see more of my inspiration boards here.

All image sources from here

Pre-Christmas Detox - Garlicky Kale and Bean Stew

It's that time of year when parties are knocking on our doors; there's nibbles, cakes, cocktails and fizz.  We usually eat too much, drink too much, in fact there's probably too much of everything (apart from sleep!).  Anyway, into all this excess comes the saviour Kale!  Yes, really.  I quite like to go cold turkey pre-christmas on the usual excesses, to try and accomodate the inevitable overdose over the festive period and the following recipe is a fab pick-me-up and 'health in the bank' sort of meal.  I promise it'll make you feel virtuous...how could it not?  Kale packs more nutritional punch per calorie than virtually any other veg on the planet.  It is chocka with vitamin K which helps prevent bone fractures, postmenopausal bone density loss, calcification of your arteries and some studies even suggest it protexts against liver and prostate cancer.  In fact, it's one of the top cancer-fighting veggies around as it is one of the richest source of carotenoids.  It helps regulate estrogen and regulates blood pressure too, so what's stopping you - stock up on your kale and try it out...it really is delicious to boot!


Garlicky White Bean & Kale StewServes 3-4

You will need:
 
Garlic Oil
2 medium onions
6 cloves garlic (I used the garlic oil instead of garlic)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional, but really delicious)
5 bay leaves
Pinch chili flakes
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
1 tin cooked white beans (lima, butter, navy, cannelini…)
2 large handfuls of packed shredded kale leaves
500ml vegetable stock
1 can chopped tomatoes
Cold-pressed olive oil to garnish

To make:
1. Heat a knob of oil in a large stockpot. Slice onions and add to the pot with a couple pinches sea salt, chili, bay leaves and paprika. Cook for a few minutes until the onions have softened, then add sliced garlic. If the post becomes dry, add a little juice from the tinned tomatoes.
2. Add all other ingredients, bring to a boil, season to taste, and serve with a drizzle of olive oil (since everything is cooked, you don’t need to heat it long). If you are going to let it simmer for a while, add the kale about 5-10 minutes before serving so that it retains more of its nutritional value,

Thinking Thankful Thoughts

It's easy in the busyness of life to forget how wonderful our lives really are most of the time; yeah it's stressful worrying about work, deadlines, children's health, paying bills and getting the washing done; but how about all those things we take for granted.  Here's some of the things I'm thankful for today:

 

being able to move around with ease (seriously, don't take this one for granted - I dread the day I can't run/ swim/go for a bike ride)

 

for my lovely home and treasured bits

 

for wonderful friends

 

for family I love, that love right back

 

for my new kitten Minxy and her soft trusting eyes

 

for enough pennies to pay for an indulgent manicure

 

for opportunities

 

for love 

 

 

What are you being thankful for today - let me know...

 

image source: here



House envy

I'm still apologising for lack of regular posts!  So sorry....am unbelievably busy both at home and at work (applying for a new job) and there just doesn't seem to be enough time...BUT, I promise after next week that will all improve and posts will be more regular.  But for now, here's a little house envy to keep you going.  It's a Danish home with a very French feel, and of course, it's white!  Enjoy my dream home...

I could...

laze here

find calm here

be oh-so organised here

drift away on dreams here

snooze here

entertain here

image source: Bolig Magasinet

Friday Fiction - Citadel

Way back in 2005 I read Labyrinthe by Kate Mosse.  It turned into a book-fest that I couldn't leave; a real page-turner.  Labyrinthe is the first book in the Langoudoc trilogy, as the name suggests set in the region of that name in France.  Since then she has gone on to write the second book Sepulchre, The Winter Ghosts and the final book in the Langoudoc trilogy Citadel.  I can't tell you my excitement when Wimbledon Bookfest managed to snap her up to give a talk, just before it's release.  I went along and was completely in awe of the dedication and work that went into writing this trilogy.  The research is painstaking, the characters plentiful and the end result is a novel that captures you from the very first sentence...throwing you deep into the underworld of the Resistance.  The beauty of Mosse's prose, is that she makes her characters so 3-dimensional that they pretty much get up off the page and follow you around as you get on with your day to day life.  So, to Citadel...

The novel takes place mainly between 1940 and 1942, between the occupation and liberation of Southern France.  As always there is a large cast of characters, but the main protagonist is the young heroine, Sandrine Vidal, an orphan who lives with her older sister Marianne.  Sandrine lives a life of innocence until one summer day she is nearly killed as she chances upon an escaped resistance fighter and his hot-on-his-heels captors.  There is another narrative running throughout the book, that of an ancient codex that is smuggled to safety by a young French monk in the 4th century; the very codex that becomes the core of the story for the Resistance fighters and Sandrine centuries later.  It's a story of courage, bravery and daring, bringing to life in vivid historical detail, the lives and trauma's suffered by people fighting for what they believe. 

I didn't want the story to end.

A Morrocan Moment

I've always been drawn to the Mediterranean lifestyle; the food, culture, way of life and that includes the way they decorate.  It's always been a dream of mine to have a little bolt-hole in my home that is just for me; a place to dream, relax, create and re-charge and in my dreams it has a Morrocan feel to it; big floor cushions, lanterns, rich colours...but then I remember I love the spaciousness of white surroundings and wonder if I can ever marry both sides of myself!  Then I came across these photographs and I realised that YES! I can have it all; Morroco in white...I'm dreaming on...

 What styles are you inexplicably drawn to and why?  I'd love to hear...

Five Friday Faves!

Sometimes it's the little things in life that bring the greater pleasure; a smile on a Monday morning; a fresh cup of coffee; a thoughtful note from a friend; a good book or a chilled glass of wine (or even better, the last two together!).  This week has been so busy; lots on at work and a birthday celebration for me.  In the midst of it all I've taken some time to just appreciate the small things around me.

Everyone knows my penchant for hearts and this is a new addition that I've draped round my sparkly birdcage...

More new additions - to my bathroom...a cross-looking blusher brush and cute tweezers.  They are fun and quirky and I'm never going to lose them in my make-up bag as they're stuck to the mirror.  You can buy these and a whole host of other cutees like this from here.

We all need to dream, and a lovely friend gave me this to help my dreams come true.  The question is, which dream do I save for?

A beautiful Begonia, a present to cheer up my office window-ledge.

Last, but very much not least...this beautiful hand-painted fresco.  Another birthday gift.  Isn't it beautiful.  The colours are far more vibrant than this photo shows and I absolutely love it.  It's by Sarah Hocombe and she has painted a series of beautiful fresco's on small pieces of reclaimed brick. Many of the brick fragments have been salvaged from the river Thames, some date from the 17th century. The frescoes have different subject matter: hands, faces, buildings, wings and landscape. These small pieces have backgrounds painted in fresco (mineral pigment painted onto damp lime plaster) and details painted in egg tempera (egg yolk mixed with water and pigment).  I keep staring at this beautiful scene and can just imagine myself sailing away into my dreams...


Have a wonderful, whimsy weekend...xox

Wonderful Weekends

Well, my birthday celebrations began a little early this year and mainly revolved around food!  So often I get to the end of the weekend feeling a bit dissatisfied with what I've achieved - or not!  Not this time, as my weekend was full of the things I like doing the best; some me time with a bit of pampering, dinner with friends, a class at the gym, a walk in the countryside followed by the BEST sunday roast I've had in a long, long time and finished off with drinks with friends that I haven't seen for aaaages!

Here's a few snapshots (mainly of the food!)

Beautiful foliage and colours en-route to the hairdresser...

Baked Camembert and crudites (20 mins in hot oven. Done.)

Blackberry ice-cream cake.  I'm not a pudding kind of gal - either eating or making but when I saw this, the colours were so beautiful and it was so simple, even I could manage it.  Here's how:

You'll need.
100g of almond and chocolate biscotti
200g blackberries
1litre of good quality vanilla ice-cream
40g butter
23" springform cake tin

Let the ice-cream soften while you make the base.  Put the biscotti in the blender until they resemble fine crumbs.  Melt 40g butter and mix with crumbs before patting into a 23" springform cake tin.  Chill for ten minutes.

Lightly smash the blackberries (reserve some for decorating) with the back of a fork until you have a beautiful black puree.  Fold through the soft ice-cream and place on biscuit base.  Place in freezer for approximately five hours or overnight.

There are a myriad of fruits you could do this with, from summer berries through to pomegranates and blueberries.  I loved the colours of the blackberries however, a wonderful nod to autumn.

Blackberries were obviously a theme this weekend...after eating the best roast  (here) that I've had for some time, I finished off with a dessert that I haven't eaten since I was about ten years old! Baked Alaska.It was heaven on a plate.  Crisp hot meringue on the outside, gooey soft meringue on the inside, the cold ice-cream making it a taste and texture dream, and then the blackberry and fruit topping, just tart enough to off-set the sweetness of the other ingredients.  If you live in London, The Mulberry should be on your hit list.  It's about a 40 minute drive away, just outside the beautiful village of Chiddingfold.  The staff are helpful and knowledgeable, it has a small garden which we enjoyed with the last of the autumnal sunshine and a glass of wine; but most importantly, the food was amazing.  I've had so many roast dinners that have disappointed.  Not so at the Mulberry Inn.  The lamb was tender and cooked to pefection, pink in the middle and meltingly aromatic. All the vegetables were just the right side of al-dente and there is a good wine list with a range of prices for different budgets.  Make that booking. Now.

Cheers!

Here's hoping your weekend was as full of fun and friends as mine! x

Party-time

After all the introspection of the last few weeks, it's definitely time for some frivolous frippery.  As Christmas rapidly approaches and party season pokes it's head round the festive mantel, the perennial question "what am I going to wear" is overheard in almost every gathering where there is more than one woman present.  I've had my eye on a few things and here are some that I'm currently coveting...

Heels from Dune (I've had my eye on these for a while!)

Two-tone rose bracelet from Michael Kors

LBD with lace sleeves from LK Bennett

Beaded box clutch from Zara

What's on your list for party season?

Heavy Load

How often do we cling to things that make us unhappy, worried or stressed.  We worry at them, clawing apart the fabric of their dark bulk, shredding the little unhappy fibres deep into our being.  It doesn't help; we know it doesn't help, but we just keep on picking at the source.  We might seek professional help, or build in a few extra sessions at the gym; we may talk to a friend, or seethe and worry silently, losing weight and snapping at those closest to us.  It seems too complicated to sort out, too painful, too confrontational;  But mostly if we approach it from a different perspective we can see it for what it is.  It's actually more simple to resolve than we thought; a simple thought can be all it takes; a wilful decision to just. let. go.

How do you let go when you're worrying or cross?

Getting a perspective

I know! I've been very quiet on the blogging front - apologies!  Just been a bit overwhelmed with other stuff and it's taken up so much time that there's not been much energy or inspiration for anything else...so... I took a week off and went up north; partly to see family and partly to get away from the day-to-dayness of 'stuff'; I really wanted some time to recharge and re-think plans for the next year or so...

Well, I'm not sure I got too far on the planning front, but I definitely got my life into perspective; I mean, who wouldn't when you're on top of a fell, and there's all that majestic beauty around you...here's a glimpse of what I've been up to over the last week or so and what put life into perspective for me.

A wonderful walk up Simonside, past Dove Crag to the top of the escarpment

 A walk from Embleton to Low Newton by the Sea with a fantastic view of Dunstanburgh Castle

'Natural' art beach-style!

There's nothing quite like an amazing sunset to get things into perspective

The top of Dove Crag, Simonside

Bleak moorland

Bony silhouettes

A hopeful foxglove, bravely fighting the winds on the fellside

It was a fantastic week away - if you've never been to Northumberland, off you go and book yourself a holiday; you won't regret it!

Seasonal Meringues

Meringues are always a favourite in our house; this Pavolova recipe always goes down well.  I absolutely love the billowing clouds of white as you whisk them up, soft cushions that crumble, melting-in-the-mouth heaven!  I usually serve mine with summer berries, but this recipe makes them more sesasonal; I'm loving the crimson juices against the white dusty meringue.

Pomegranate Meringues

*makes about 5-6 meringues

For the meringues

•6 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature

•1 + 1/2 tsp cornflour

•1 or 1/2 tsp red food colouring (depending on colour strength desired)

•A pinch of fine salt

•1 1/2 cups sugar

•2 pomegranates, seeds only

•1 1/2 cups whipping cream

Pomegranate and orange blossom water syrup

•Juice of 3 fresh pomegranates

•1 1/2 tbsp orange blossom water

•5 tbsp sugar

1.Preheat the oven to 140° C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2.In a large glass bowl, whisk the egg whites (I use a pair of electric whisks) and salt on a high-speed until frothy – try to keep the whisk position as horizontal as possible. Add the cornflour and sugar (1-2 tbsp at a time) gradually and continue whisking. You should add the sugar in small quantities until the end of the process.

3.When the egg whites form stiff peaks (this usually takes about 10-15 minutes), gently fold in the red food colouring, creating swirls. With the help of two large slotted spoons, spoon the egg whites onto the parchment-lined baking tray. The meringues should be about 10-12 cm large and 6 cm high. ‘Twirl’ your spoon around and finish off with a spiky peak.

4.Bake for about 1 hour. Switch off the oven, and leave them to cool inside the oven with the door slightly open for 15 minutes.

5.For the syrup, squeeze the juice of the 3 pomegranates. Heat in a saucepan, add orange blossom water and sugar. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer until thick and glossy. Leave to cool and set aside.

6.Serve meringues with whipped cream, a handful of pomegranate seeds on top and drizzle with the pomegranate and orange blossom water syrup.

images: via