Make : Christmas Cake

Christmas : 8 weeks to go...

So, this weekend is the time to make your Christmas cake. I published the ingredients last weekend, so hopefully you've had time to go out and gather them.
Now, the cake recipe is in the 'Make - Guides & Recipes' section of this blog.

Click here for 'Make - Guides & Recipes'

Make : Christmas Cake

Christmas : 9 weeks to go...

 Christmas cakes are best made eight weeks before they are needed; maturing a rich fruit cake gives a much better taste. Next week is the ideal time to get it made.
 I love making Christmas cake as it really kick starts thinking about Christmas. I follow Delia Smith's classic Rich Fruit Cake recipe, from her classic book 'Delia's Complete Cookery Course'
 To be prepared here are the ingredients that I'll need to get this weekend:

 I love a cake that has taken real time and effort to make, the fact that you can attend to it over the weeks to give it a 'feed', and that ultimately you can be creative decorating it. The fact that everyone can share it at Christmas is even better.
 Over the coming weeks I'll be showing my progress and I'll put the recipe into the 'Make' section of this blog.      

Black Storm : Kitchen Aid

My new gadget : Kitchen Aid Artisan Mixer

 I've wanted a Kitchen Aid for a very long time. My want has, of course, been further heightened by 'The Great British Bakeoff'. At last I've taken the plunge and bought one.
 I chose the Black Storm Artisan Kitchen Aid with glass bowl.  

 It looks amazing in my kitchen: seen here with my Marcel Wanders glass cake stand, which will be filled with homemade bakes very soon.

 So the first bake I attempted in my new Artisan Kitchen Aid had to be my 'signature' Mini Victoria Sponges. I found using the machine to be so effortless, and it mixes so quickly and efficiently.

The quickness and efficiency of the Kitchen Aid was it's initial downfall though. I have made the mini sponges countless times by the old fashioned wooden spoon method.  I guess over time I have mastered the exact consistency of the mix, and the correct amount of mixture to put in the baking tray.
 With this new extra fluffy, extra airy mix - less is definitely more, and I'll have to control the amount of mix better next time, this will create more uniform rise.

 The Mini Victoria Sponges are so delicious and light. The cream whipped up in mere seconds (rather than the 5 minutes it used to take by hand)

 Black Storm Artisan Kitchen Aid : Kitchen Aid
 Marcel Wanders @ Marks & Spencer :  M&S
 

Chase : Elderflower Liqueur / Rhubarb Liqueur

Chase : The finest Liqueurs

 A while back I discovered Chase Vodka (see previous post here) 

 Since then, I've been on the look out for other unique spirits in Chase's range. I've now added two of their finest liqueurs to my collection:

 Chase & Elderflower - The finest Elderflower Liqueur

 Chase & Rhubarb - The finest Rhubarb Liqueur

 Both are made using Chase Vodka - the finest potato vodka in the world, with the addition of the true rich flavours that come from Chase's beautifully ripened and carefully selected fresh fruit. There are no artificial flavours nor heat methods. They are the perfect compliment to champagne or cocktails.

 I came across these new additions to my liqueur cabinet whilst over discovering Borough Market and the surrounding area. Laithwaite's Wine is a cavernous wine cellar stocked full of interesting wines, champagnes and spirits. 

The spirit section at the back quickly drew my attention, mainly due to the vast amounts of interesting spirits piled high on tall wooden shelves...

 I'll be back at Laithewaite's Wine soon to stock up on some more interesting spirits, and make some inspiring cocktails too.

 Laithewaite's Wine : Stockists

 Chase Distillery : Home of 'The World's Best Vodka'

Construct : Cocktail Sunday

Cocktail Sunday : Classic Champagne Cocktail

 A simple, yet elegant and impressive cocktail - that depends purely on it's ingredients. Champagne, A sugar cube and Bitters.

 An elegant Champagne I discovered whilst in France : Canard Duchêne - Grand Cuvée Le Victorieux - Charles VII. An impressive bottle; a complex, refined and elegant Champagne.

 
 Bitters: A great travel kit to ensure perfect cocktails on your travels, containing 5 different bitters. I used 'Jerry Thomas Bitters' - these bitters reveal citrus and dried fruit aromas which unite with the spicy flavors of cloves, angostura bark and cinnamon.

 Classic champagne cocktail recipe in 'Make - Guides & Recipes'

 Champagne
 Website : Canard Duchêne 
 Bitters
 Website : The Bitter Truth
 Stockists
 Website : Selfridges
 

Chase Vodka : Coconut Martini

Coconut Martini : Made using English 'Chase' Vodka, and Coconut Water

 Chase Vodka is a British distilled vodka, made in Hertfordshire using potatoes. It was awarded the rather prestigious title of 'Best In The World' in 2010.
 

 My friend Shelley (of 'Trakehners Can Jump' fame) gave me a stunning gift boxed bottle of Chase Vodka, and I've been waiting to find a suitable cocktail to try it in.

 I picked up some 'Jax Coco' water (The chicest Coconut water on the market - with the bottle designed by Stella McCartney's husband Alasdhair Willis) and set about making a 'Coconut Martini'

 The simplicity of this cocktail is genius:
 Pour 125ml 'Jax Coco' 100% pure coconut water, over ice in a cocktail shaker, add 50ml of 'Chase Vodka' and a splash of lemon juice. Shake, and strain to serve into a chilled martini glass.
 The result is a fresh, smooth, light and delicious Martini.

Chase Vodka - The World's Best Potato Vodka
Jax Coco - 100% Pure Coconut Water
Harvey Nichols Food & Wine - Stockists

Bedroom Interior : Wall Art

Adding a new twist to my recently decorated bedroom.

On the back wall the aqua duck egg blue color is used as a highlight against cool coloured metallics; featured in the Biba wallpaper and silver grey velvet quilted throw and cushion.
(see previous post 'Bedroom Interior')

 The opposite wall is painted a dark French grey colour. To add interest and depth I created some wall art to break the plain wall up, and to give a modern quirky vintage feel.
 An ornate frame around a chrome Antelope bust, and two vintage cherubs painted the same French grey as the wall.

Paint: Crown (Herringbone)
Frame: Oliver Bonas
Antelope Head: G C Johnson, Essex
Cherubs: eBay

Pulse : London 2012

 Pulse at Earls Court, London showcases new design product in Home, Gift, Fashion, Accessories & Wellbeing. They also have a 'Launchpad' area for new and upcoming product designers.
 Two brands that caught my eye:

Tori Murphy

Woven & Made in England 

 

 Tori uses 100% Merino wool to create woven fabric based on her fine art designs. The fabric is woven in Lancashire, washed & finished in the Yorkshire Dales, and finally made into product in Nottingham.
 I particularly love the throws - in giant hand drawn linear checks, they are absolute British luxury. The touch of these hand finished throws is sublime, the quality of hand finishing and age old British craftsmanship is apparent throughout.

 Tori Murphy
 www.torimurphy.com
 info@torimurphy.com

 Chase and Wonder

 Fine design with British personality

 

 I was drawn to the Chase and Wonder stand by a fine art print stating: 'A man who lives within his means lacks imagination' - a great Oscar Wilde quote.

 Chase and Wonder's mission is to bring fine design with British personality back into peoples homes - they do this by producing high quality hand pulled screen prints, cushions and other home accessories alongside a range of stationary - all made in Britain. 

  

  

Chase and Wonder's new A/W 2012 collection features beautifully handcrafted stationary:

My two standout pieces are:

 Hand Letter Pressed 'A Gentleman's Writing Set' : Absolutely luxurious hand pressed writing paper and envelopes in a hand crafted wooden box. True Gent's British sophistication.

 'Sophisticated Animals Card Set' Boxed Assortment of 6 hand screen printed cards " Featuring lovingly illustrated whimsical animal portraits on greetings cards, all presented in a hand crafted wooden box.

All proudly made in Britain...

Chase and Wonder

www.chaseandwonder.com

A clean out, discovery and re-work

Re-visiting the wardrobe

 Back in the day, I used to make T-shirts for Chris and I to wear out each week. During a wardrobe spring clean I discovered one I made to wear to Madonna's Re-Invention tour back in August 2004.  Chris had a 'Madonna does it better' T, after Madonna's infamous 'Italian's do it better' T.  I remember Will Young approached Chris at the show to say how much he liked it.
 Mine was based around a Madonna dollar bill-:

My Madonna dollar T

It's a bit worn now (it's almost 8 years old) - but I was impressed (!) by how much detail I'd put into it. I've got a $1 dollar bill in my Filofax, and comparing the two - I got a lot of the original detail in.

One Madonna dollar

 So, on a slightly different vein, and to 're-visit an old skill and utilize on it' - I decided to use this idea as a basis for a gift voucher for a friend.
 It's for a Champagne tasting at a local wine merchant, which hopefully is going to be a great night. Not as much detail in this one, and a bit more sketchy - but I think the overall effect is good. And quite pleased I was a bit old school and just used pen and paper, rather than Adobe Illustrator for this.

Champagne tasting invite

So hopefully I'll write about the event later on in the month - It looks great and is part of my 'bringing a bit of SA home with me', and also re-discovering and utilizing my local area...