Monday, March 29, 2010

Busy in the kitchen

I'm not known for my skills in the kitchen as far as day to day cooking goes. I don't enjoy it, don't have confidence in doing it so I am incredibly lucky to have a husband who does it all. I do love baking and fiddly things though. I suspect I'm happier where there is a precision in ingredients and a disipline in process.

So, I spent most of Saturday working on a victoria sponge sandwich - the easy bit unless you forgot that you put the oven on higher to get it heated quicker (the joys of a sharp knife to trim off the burnt edges); oh so trendy macaroons (apparently cup cakes are so last year darling); orange ice cream and grapefruit sorbet.

The orange ice cream involved loads of processes - infusing a cream mixture, making the custard then chilling it, reducing orange juice, churning the ice cream - so it was my main priority and I fitted everything else around it.

The results were pretty damn good.

The cake looked rustic but tasted exactly as it should, particularly with a buttercream and homemade victoria plum jam filling.

Victoria Sandwich

The macaroons were mint flavoured. I had intended them to be pale blue, but either I was too shy of the colouring or it cooked out somehow during the baking - worth remembering to make them technicolour next time. They were crunchy on the outside but chewy in the middle with a hint of almonds that even my usually marzipan hating family loved.

Minty Macaroons

The orange icecream was my favourite - zingy and sweet at the same time. It hadn't set much so was melty and delicious, just as I like it. DH said it reminded him of childhood mivvis - what could be better? The helping we had were eaten too quickly to get a photo, but there is more in the freezer so I might get a pic - not that it looks like anything much.

The grapefruit sorbet was made last and hadn't frozen. I suspect that I was a bit wild with my juice squeezing and have made it too bitter, but will have to try it to find out. The freezing process damps down the flavours, so I might be being a bit hard on myself

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Sorry - comment moderation on

So I warned on an earlier post that I would only accept comments in english, but I had a comment that was in an asian language this morning. Now, it could have been something wonderful or it could have been spam, but I'm taking no chances, hence the moderation is on

Am I being too harsh?

What do you do on your blogs?

Edited to add

And following great advice from Sarah (whose blog you should really go see if you don't already swoon at it - her etchings have me sooo inspired!) I've turned the word verification off.

Friday, March 26, 2010

It looks lovely

They could have been made for each other... oh wait, they were!!!

(click on the title of this post to see!)

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Breathing and promises

I just heard that Linda has received her shawl pin safe and sound and she loves it. I am so relieved and happy!

She has promised to send me pics of it in use on the shawl that she has designed to wear with it, so I may be able to share if that's OK with her.

I've already planned what I'm going to make at jewellery class next term - I'll be greatly improving my soldering skills because I'm going to make a chain. Depending on how I get on, it might be a necklace or it might be a bracelet.....

I did make something else last half term, but I can't share it as I've not sent it to the person it's for yet. I've got so much post to send - must get my finger out! There's also something special I made for DD, but again it's for a special occasion in her life so I couldn't possible post a pic up yet. I can't hurry the last one, but I can get the post sorted then I can share a little make....

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Linda's shawl pin


Linda's shawl pin
Originally uploaded by lalheg

Lightly textured side

Linda's shawl pin, reverse

Heavily textured size (sorry, had to get it heavily shadowed to stop the light glaring off it)

Here's Linda's shawl pin that she commissioned from me when we met at the knitting show in Harrogate in November. It's taken me some time to fulfil her request, and she's been very patient, so I hope that she likes the finished product.

This pin came out lighter than my original piece and slightly more organic. I love it and think it's easier to wear than my first one. I was almost tempted to keep it - I'll just have to make another instead.

Now I've got visions of daddy bear, mummy bear and baby bear sizes!

and as Sarah requested it, shawl pin as pendant

Linda's shawl pin in pendant mode

Friday, March 12, 2010

Have at you, possible spammers

Right, that peeved me right off. If you post a comment to my blog, better make sure it's in English, OK. I think I might have had spammers posting in an asian language. If it continues I'm sorry, but I'll put the blog on moderation. I've changed the settings on who can post comments to those who are registered users - will notch it again if I have to

Grrrrrrr

Monday, March 08, 2010

lemon cupcake


lemon cupcake
Originally uploaded by lalheg
Yum yum - the lemon cupcakes that were cooling in my last twitter were absolutely delicious. I can't tell you how many years since I used a piping bag. We had fun decorating these little beauties and this last one is going to E's teacher to thank her for such a great report on parents evening

Friday, March 05, 2010

Sometimes...............

“There are many things that we would throw away if we were not afraid that others might pick them up.”
Oscar Wilde

“A greedy father has thieves for children”
Serbian Proverb

We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.”
Frederick Keonig

Monday, March 01, 2010

Shawl pin


DSC00297
Originally uploaded by lalheg
I knew I had a photo somewhere

Hand made in chunky silver, this shawl pin converts to a pendant and it's all my own design

The scarf it's shown against is knitted in the softest yarn I've ever felt - Filatura Di Crosa Superior - 70% cashmere & 30% silk.

Crafty warm up


DSC00460
Originally uploaded by lalheg
So, inspired by lovely morsbaggers creating beauty outside of morsbags, I reacquainted myself with my sewing machine to make some new place mats.

I remembered how to do quiting as I go and make continuous bias binding. As for the bias binding maker - I was so tickled by how wonderful it was!

Unfortunately my mitred corner mojo has deserted me completely, so I contented myself with wonky rounded corners, reasoning that these things are made for use, not ornament!