From the Heart...

Brace yourselves ladies and gents... we're about to speed right past cooking and baking, detour around gardening and head to towards another of those skills that our Grandmothers kinda took for granted... Fortunately for me, I'm not going to have to explain this one from scratch thanks to the growing popularity of scrapbooking around the world. However, the skill I'm refering to isn't scrapbooking, it's the almost forgotten art of handmade cards.


According to historical records, it's claimed that the custom of sending greeting cards can be traced back to the ancient Chinese who exchanged messages to celebrate the New Year. By 1400, Germans are known to have printed New Year's greetings and by the mid 15th century Europeans were exchanging paper greeting cards and Valentine's. Of course, all this crafty creativity was headed for some industrialisation and by the 1850s printing had made mass produced cards cheaper and easier than the traditional handmade cards. Naturally, many of our Grandmothers still took the time to make their own cards as they had learned from their own Grandmothers and their patience was rewarded when by the 1990's consumers had started to hanker for the individuality of the handmade card... and that is where we come in :-)



In fairness to many of you, the topic of this blog may well be preaching to the choir (as it were), but I'm sure you'll bear with me... after all, there are still millions and millions of people who aren't interested in paper crafts of any kind - and I'm not even including tribes in the Amazon! I've also opted not to include the Tipsy Tarts... after all, Miss Twinset would be far too intense and the Other One - well - we've seen how she is with booze, so imagine how she'd be if she discovered glue?




Now, before I chucked them out for the day (reminding them that they have homes of their own to go to), Miss Twinset pointed out that you're able to buy handmade cards in most good stationery shops now. In fact, they're often really beautiful and well made. The point though is that even if they are handmade, they're usually made in some kind of quantity, which means that they're not 1 of a kind. If you make your own, you'll have the satisfaction not only of knowing that you're giving someone a card that is 100% unique, but the recipient will have the pleasure of knowing that you took the time to make them something that you thought they would like.


Take this birthday card for example... made for my Dad's birthday last year. I used a photocopy of a picture he had from his childhood. Backed onto white card, then chocolate brown card and finally onto grey card for a layered look and decorated simply with a skeleton leaf, 2 feathers and a glass bead. Other detail was achieved using gold leaf. The card was a hit, not only because it was meaningful to him (and featured a very handsome photo OF him), but because he knew that I had taken the time design and make this just for his birthday. There is no other card like it in the world and it made me feel great that he loved it :-)




















Now, of course, it's not only birthday's which are significant or special... there are also many other high days and holidays throughout the year and two of my favourites are Mother's Day and Father's Day... The reason why I love these holiday's in particular is because they're a celebration of only Mothers and Fathers and it's a great opportunity to say thank you to them for everything that they do all through the year.

Above are the cards I made for Mother's Day and Father's Day in 2010. Both of them feature things that my parents love and although they're simply designed, they took hours to make and I have to say, making them is so much fun! In fact, these cards are part of the gift from me :-)


Of course, yesterday (Sunday) was Mother's Day and it wouldn't be the same without a card, so here's a look at this years design...



















As you can see, I even included a tag that says "I love you"... just in case she didn't know :-) A little secret is that the tiny diamante crystals on the tag are actually from a nail decorating kit :-) I'm addicted to stationery and craft supplies, but I also think out of the box and the nail decor kit actually came with 10 different miniature decorations which will work fabulously on cards... so don't be afraid to try something different!


Our Grandmothers knew how to think creatively and how to make people feel special by taking the time to do something meaningful. They also understood that they didn't have to use expensive elements to make a beautiful card, in fact they were the original recyclers! As an example, they would use pictures from cigar boxes (which were often beautifully decorated). They also used bits of lace and ribbon that were left over from their own sewing projects, as well as buttons or beads that no longer had another purpose.

It's not about the money you spend on making the card... it's about taking the time to do something special for someone you love.



So... get creative and I promise that you'll find it rewarding!



Until next time...

Eggsactly!!

Greetings to all the other home cooks out there... I have to apologise for the silence of the past while... it isn't because I don't love you or love sharing with you anymore... it's a combination of 2 things... The first is something all us Kitchen Goddesses can relate to and that is the joy of spending time trying out new recipes and playing with old favourite ones. Of course, if you're in the kitchen, then you're unlikely to be sitting behind your laptop... The other problem that I've been facing is the dreaded ailment L.O.I. You'll be scratching your head and wondering what that is... Well, let me enlighten you... it's Lack Of Internet! I've been suffering ongoing issues with my wireless connection... which makes it hard to blog regularly!

Now, I promised in our last meeting to find something (anything) for The Other One to cook... This has been a big factor behind my kitchen safari's of the past few weeks... After all, things that the average person should be able to conquer with ease would most likely be far beyond her skillset. After all, she has staff for just about everything :-) Eventually, after I had paged through recipe book after recipe book and tried more than a dozen "simple" dishes, I came to the shocking conclusion that perhaps I should start by getting her to boil water! And then... when I had reached the end of my creative rope... inspiration struck. Hard. Hard boiled that is!

The humble egg! I had considered and rejected omelette's, poached eggs, scrambled eggs and even simple fried eggs as being too advanced for our dear lady, but a boiled egg... now that should be something that she could do. Surely? I may have been over-simplifying things of course... after all, it's not that easy to boil the perfect egg. In fact, if you google "How to boil an egg", you'll find that there are 7 360 000 results. From step by step instructions to video tutorials to advice from a thousand Grandmother's kitchen lore. Everyone has tips and tricks and it's much easier if you go and find the ones that make sense to you all by yourself. It's also true that I like my eggs hard boiled, so I can generally get away with letting them boil until there is absolutely no chance of some poor innocent bit of egg having found a way to hide from the awesome power of hot water!

Now though... let me fill you in on what happened the day we decided to teach The Other One how to "Boil an Egg". The day started much like any other, but when the Tipsy Tarts arrived, I knew I was in for a challenge. Miss Twinset had broken out her favourite yellow twinset, which she says is "sunny" but I feel was coloured in by demented toddlers with a set of highlighter pens. I swear that the space station could track her without any equipment at all when she wears it! However, she had worn it in honour of the eggs, so who was I to judge. Cooking in sunglasses is always tricky though... The other one had gone to the trouble of having her favourite designer "throw" together a cooking outfit for her, with the result that she looked rather like a stylish walking check floor with a glop of raw meringue on top. Instead of the usual "chef" outfit of pants and a simple white jacket, she was wearing a layered skirt in three different size checkered patterns. Above this, was a retro 80's blouse with more shoulder shelving than the whole cast of Dynasty put together. She'd had this customised with the words "Top Chic" and secreted away in the voluminous skirt was a secret pocket for her hip flask... Of course, I took that off her as soon as I'd finished putting her through the metal detector :-). Naturally, this wasn't the end of it... perched on her head was the most rediculous Toque (chef's hat) that you've ever seen. You see... the Toque dates back to the 16th century and interestingly enough, the traditional 100 folds are supposed to represent the 100 different ways that a Chef could prepare an egg (ironic huh?). It's even been suggested that in some kitchens the different heights would show your rank in the kitchen... well, if that was the case here, then she was definitely at the top of the totem pole! Unfortunately it did look rather like some giant had dropped some whipped cream or raw meringue onto her head and there was no way to improve it, especially as it started to flop like a limp soufflé. Tipping it back at a "rakish" angle simply made her look like an inflatable nun!

Naturally, sorting out this hideous wardrobe malfunction took more time than I had allowed for the whole adventure and then there was the issue of keeping her away from the booze while the driver went back for something more suitable (and not the glitzy cocktail number that she had told him to collect. I figured that the black silk pants and white blouse that I suggested would be better. She'd be pissed (but sober), but I'd deal with that later). Miss Twinset wasn't much help. Apart from the fact that she was a walking migraine alert, she kept slipping vodka into the orange juice I'd poured for The Other One. You can picture her drinking that neat fruit juice... she thought I was trying to kill her! I don't think she'd ever had neat fruit juice before and it was certainly a revelation. Of course, I then had to wipe down the walls where she spat it out, but in a way it was worth it :-)

So... with most of a morning gone and still forced to wear my shades in the kitchen for fear of being blinded by that twinset, I was ecstatic to see the driver holding the requested items and even happier when it only took 20 minutes and the promise of 1 great martini to get her to change into them. Finally we were able to approach the stove... me resigned to the challenge, her in a state of terror! The first step of course was to select "The Egg" and I was actually quite surprised when the first thing that the Other One asked was how she would know if it was a good egg or not. I was a tad concerned that she might be wondering if it was well behaved, but she surprised me by specifying that she wanted to know if it was good to eat. This is simple... place the egg into a bowl or glass and cover it with water... if the egg floats - it's BAD! The freshest eggs will stay at the very bottom of the bowl or glass.

So... having selected 3 perfect eggs, I had her place them into a pot and take them to the sink to cover them with water. It was then that I discovered that unless it involves booze, she's a bit challenged on the multi-tasking front. 10 minutes later, having stowed the mop, retrieved the pot and successfully picked out 3 more eggs, we decided it was easier to fill a jug at the sink and carefully carry it across to the stove to avoid a repeat demonstration that gravity is still in force. There was one thing that my Gran told me always to do when boiling eggs and that is to put a large silver serving spoon into the pot along with the eggs. Apparently this is to stop them from cracking and as they so rarely do, I'm inclined to believe her. Having added the spoon, the Other One turned the plate up to the required temperature and then? We waited.

Now, there are some people who claim that there are only 4 steps to boiling the "perfect egg". It's based on careful timing... 3 minutes of boiling, followed by 8 minutes of colling in the pot (off of the heat) before being cooled with fresh, cold water and then they're ready to be peeled. It's better to leave the eggs to cool in the fridge for 30 min, but only if you're patient. This method is supposed to prevent any grey or green ring from forming around the yolk (a sure indicator that the egg has been over-boiled). Personally I couldn't care less, but I can understand that it can be visually jarring if you're serving the eggs to guests. So.. the Other One dutifully set her egg timer and released from her booze-less restrictions, she was barely getting warmed up mixing her martini when it "dinged" (the timer, not the martini shaker). Glancing at me from time to time for reasurrance, she turned off the plate and moved the pot to a cold plate and reset the timer for 8 minutes. Of course, if you don't want to worry with timers and such, you could try this gadget which will change colour to tell you if you've got a soft boiled, medium boiled or hard boiled eggs. I haven't used it yet, but sometime soon.... Anyway, Miss Twinset was most of the way through a decent dry white by now and kept chirping instructions and suggestions, but the Other One had put herself completely in my hands and ignored her. Much to the Dayglo Diva's irritation I'm sure :-)

The Other One was so very proud of her achievement and when she had drained & dried the cooled eggs, I showed her how to peel them. She was stunned and it was then that I realised that although she'd eaten eggs in many forms, she'd most likely never seen one raw. I vowed right then and there not to tell her where eggs come from just yet... After all, who WAS the first person to see an egg come out of a chicken's "bum" and think... I'll eat that? I mean... seriously? Seriously! So... I then proceeded to crack a raw egg into a dish to show her how different it is from the boiled item. It was probably best that I hadn't started with this because a dish of clear snot with a weird yellow blob in it is hardly an easy sell to someone who only sees the finished product after her chef has had his wicked way with the ingredients!

We also discovered that although she could now boil an egg for herself, she didn't particularly enjoy boiled eggs, but it was a result none-the-less and I was satisfied that should she ever find herself in the unfortunate position of being staff-less, she wouldn't totally starve. If she were sober enough to find the kitchen.... :-) Anyway, several hours and martini's later, while she clutched a boiled (unpeeled) egg in her hand, she remarked that nature had supplied us with lunch boxes. After all, it was a tough exterior protecting a meal.... And although I had had a glass of wine or 3 by then, I found that on the whole, I couldn't fault her on that.

Until next time....

Julie and Julia...

It's quite amusing to see the different reactions when I tell people that "Julie and Julia" is one of my favourite movies... of course, some of the people I've said this to have never seen the movie, so of course their reactions are simple polite interest. Others have seen it and missed the point completely or hated it outright, so they cannot see why I would like it so much. The last group (for there tend generally to be 3 groups in all these kinds of stories) have seen the movie, have enjoyed the movie and almost all seem to think that my passion for the story stems from my desire to be the next "Julie" and have my blog conquer the world.... I'll admit, it would be an interesting ride and (in case the universe is listening) I wouldn't say no, but that's not why I love it so much. For the record, those who are close to me know that I love most movies, love cook and plan to conquer the world anyway :-)

The truth of the matter is that the movie so wonderfully illustrates that anyone with a little enthusiasm and a fearless approach to a challenge and an ability to read and follow a recipe CAN be a great cook. It's about the fact that food can be fun and a challenge and a conversation starter and a gap filler and a passion... did I mention that it can be fun? It also shows how a woman "back in the day" could find freedom and express herself doing something she loved and excelled at and how a "modern" woman could find the same passion for cooking despite a tight budget, small kitchen and little available time. It just proves that if you WANT to do something, anything is possible.

It may come as a shock to know that I'm not a chef... hee hee. Even Miss Twinset and the Other One are chuckling a little at that as it can hardly be a revelation to you all. The truth is that I cook what I like, the way I like to eat it. I do it because it is fun and I don't cook things that I don't eat. So you're unlikely to find me cooking fish or crustaceans and I will NEVER bone a duck! Excuse me while I wait for the dirty minds in the corner of the kitchen to stop sniggering into their glasses. Done? May I continue?


Miss Twinset would love to actually be Julia Childs.... she figures that she has the pearls already and the "look", but I have had to explain that she's too short :-) The Other One said she would rather hire Julia Childs, but I don't think Julia would've taken slurred direction very well... As for me, I am happy and content to be ME. I admire famous cooks and chefs and feed this admiration by reading and my not too subtle addiction to the Food Network and other cooking channels, but I like being me. And I'm often happiest when I'm busy in the kitchen, toiling over bubbling pots and pans like a demented suburban witch.


I said WITCH.... not bitch. Behave or no more vodka for either of you!


I figure that women fought hard for the right to make choices. The right to have a voice. Well, if that's right, then I choose to LOVE being domestic. I chose to love cooking, baking and making preserves. I choose to love gardening and being creative. I even choose to put up with the Tarts... 'cos Lord knows we all need a little light entertainment in our lives! I run a business and this is a great outlet for me :-)


Now, Miss Twinset has suggested that we challenge the Other One to get into the kitchen and get her hands dirty. I'm sure it'll be highly entertaining, but I need to check if my insurance covers me for that first. Oh... and trawl through my recipes to find something for her to try :-)

So... I guess I'll love and leave you for now!

Until next time....

It LIVES!

You may be forgiven for wondering if I had decided to give up on the whole blogosphere due to my continued silence. You may be forgiven for losing interest in the blog due to my disappearance and you may be forgiven for wondering just what exactly I had gotten so wrapped up in that I seemed to have forgotten all about you. For the record, I never forgot about any of you and held conversations with you daily. Oh happy the day when you can blog direct from brain to internet without first having to find time to boot up a pc, but I digress. As usual.

For those who wondered, I wasn't kidnapped by aliens or locked in the Tipsy Tarts wine cellar (although it would be an interesting way to go)... I wasn't even trapped by an overgrown Venus Fly-trap bent on world domination... I was - to put it bluntly - held hostage by "life". It's that unavoidable thing which lays waste to many a well-laid plan (and dinner table) and leaves you wondering just exactly where the last two months have gone?! I'm back now though and hope that you will forgive the interruption in our regular visits. I know the Tarts have missed you and Miss Twinset has a whole wardrobe she'd like to run past you. The Other One has even managed to master the art of "boiling water" since we last spoke, but chuck an egg in there and she's hopelessly lost!

The garden is looking good, even though the extreme heat and humidity has taken its toll on some of the plants. On the whole, Phin has kept them going nicely and I'm so grateful to her for all her efforts. I bet she's looking forward to Autumn when she can start to ease off a little on her "to do" list :-) I know Ruby's in her element because during a recent baking project (over Valentine's), I found the kitchen covered in edible glitter. I checked and my supply was untouched, so I think a certain romantically inclined pixie had a bit of a decorating lark at my expense. It was very pretty, but as you know, glitter is a devil to clean up!!

Now... you may remember that I got a fantabulous Kenwood mixer for Christmas. I confess that I haven't quite finished jumping up and down in delight over it yet :-) I knew that I loved it when I first saw it in its box, but having used it now for baking cakes, cupcakes and biscuits, I can tell you that I absolutely ADORE it :-) It makes my life so much simpler and to be able to continue with any prep work while the batter keeps mixing is a Godsend! Of course, I don't let either of the Tarts near it... Not only because it's mine, but because they're usually soused :-)

There are so many fabulous projects ahead that I'll be sharing with you, from gardening exploits to the challenging of baking bread that is actually edible :-) but for now, I'm going to head back outside to enjoy the breeze that's finally come up to break the heat. Tonight promises to be another evening where the scent of unnaturally sweet flowers hangs heavy in the air, where a nice glass of wine wouldn't go amiss...

Until next time...

Food Glorious Food!

Compliments of the Season to all of you!



I trust that you all had a safe and wonderful Christmas and New Year? Mine was fabulous and quiet... just the way we like it. Cold meats, salads, good friends, good food, good drinks and of course... trifle!! I believe that Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a trifle and in our case, a Cherry Brandy Trifle :-) There are so many Christmas traditions and even a simple sampling of close friends gave me many, many different versions of "perfect" Christmas's. The one thing that all celebrations seem to have in common is the fact that almost without fail, there was excess. Of course, you know that the Other One was nearly swimming in her booze, but I have to say that her party was amazing. What we can recall. Miss Twinset of course decided to continue her monochromatic culinary tradition although this year she did branch out a little and had two colours. I know. I was shocked too. The Theme this year was Candy Cane... so she had a surplus of red and white food :-) It was certainly different. There were even red and white drinks... simple enough because - of course - one of her favourite drinks is a martini :-)


The point is though that at this time of year, we all overindulge. It's a strange situation because after all, we know that our dinner plates are only "so" big and yet we prepare so many different dishes, that we would need plates two or three times the size to accommodate even the smallest portion of each dish. The other truth is of course that we simply cannot eat any more than we usually do. We put in a valiant effort... heaven knows, we do our best... but at some point we have to stop or we'll explode. And that would soooo be a bad look at the dinner table! We help ourselves to a little bit of everything and eat until we simply can't get any more in. Then we stagger from the table and collapse in a comfy chair trying to breathe as our lungs battle with lunch for space in our bodies. We loosen our belts and recline like beached whales. Compliments are offered to the cooks and we think longingly of a nap. Then... for it is a Christmas Day truth... someone will mention pudding. Somehow, we heave ourselves upright enough to hold a bowl and work our way through trifle, Christmas Cake, Christmas Pudding and a mince pie, served with brandy butter, cream and custard. As the last bite goes in, we can feel the food coma sneaking up on us and it's then that you have but a few minutes to assume a comfortable position before you'll be out for the count. This year, we managed not to produce too much food, but even careful planning couldn't prevent the usual overindulgence.


Now, as you can imagine, Miss Twinset is usually quite good about eating relatively healthy and staying active. After all, with a wardrobe like hers, there isn't much room for extra rolls - on either the plate or the waist! Ok... she doesn't ONLY wear twinsets, but still... you get the picture. You may recall that she and the Other One ticked off our very determined - and stunningly beautiful - kitchen pixie, Ruby. Well, kitchen pixie's are not to be trifled with (if you'll pardon the expression) and her revenge on the Tipsy Tarts was priceless and so perfectly timed! To begin with, she snuck into Miss Twinsets closet and shrunk her Christmas Twinset by just over 2 sizes. Naturally, it caused no small amount of panic, but fortunately, the spell was short-lived and wore off in time for lunch on the big day, but watching Miss Twinset jog round the yard certainly tickled the funny bone. For the Other One, her revenge was a little different. She turned an entire case of the Other One's favourite wine into some of the best cooking vinegar that you're likely to find. Of course, she waited until the Other One was slightly sozzled, but even in that state, it didn't take more than 1 large gulp to get a reaction. Forewarned, I had just enough time to duck behind an umbrella... :-)

Of course, we find ourselves a week into the New Year now and the cellular memory of all that food has started to fade. However, we still can't quite bring ourselves to cook large meals just yet. It helps that it's still the hottest time of the year, so salad is a perfect dinner. Sometimes though, you need to do something that's simple, satisfying and different.

The dish of the day? Bacon, Mushroom and Onion stuffed Potato Skins with Cheese.

Embrace your microwave. It is going to save you some time when it comes to baking your spuds. I know that traditionalists out there are gasping in shock and I appreciate that a potato baked in the oven probably tastes better, but when you need a simple meal that isn't going to take 2 hours of your time, your microwave is a lifesaver! Step one for this simple dish is to take a fork and stab the potatoes several times on both sides. Do not forget about the stabbing, even if you're using the oven. There is a large chance your potatoes will explode and it really isn't much fun to clean boiling hot potato bits off of the inside of the micro or even. Yuck.



While the potatoes are baking, chop your bacon, onion and mushrooms into small, relatively equal pieces. Start by frying the bacon until it's nearly crispy before adding the onion and mushrooms. They will pick up the flavour from the oil and the cooked bacon. When the potatoes are done, cut them in half and scoop out the middles. Place these in a bowl and mash them with salt, pepper, butter and milk (or however your favourite recipe for mash goes). I used garlic butter and also placed some garlic butter into each of the scooped out halves to add flavour to the skins. When the mashed potato is at your favourite consistency, add the other ingredients and mix well. Take the filling and stuff it into the potato skins. They will be heaped due to the extra ingredients, so don't expect it all to fit in. Top with cheese and simply microwave for 2 or 3 minutes until cheese is melted.


Yummy! These can be enjoyed on their own or with a salad and they make a fantastic side dish for a braai (bbq) or anything really. Experiment. Add spring onions, peas, herbs, anything that takes your fancy. It's a versatile dish that is easy and filling. And fun :-)

It's not all food and baking at this time of year.... The other wonderful thing about the Festive Season... is the garden! I have to say that Phin has been doing such a wonderful job!! My garden is positively blooming in every sense and I'm loving it. There are rosy tomatoes and flowers on my pepper plants. The plum tree is just about done for the season, but Phin has yet to finish painting the blush on the fruit. There are creepers creeping and vines climbing and bees a-buzzing. It makes me happy to go out there and just enjoy it all... pottering about and weeding. I even have some new plants to put into the garden and I'm having a blast planning where they should go... There exists so much possibility in growing things and at the start of a New Year... is there anything better?

Until next time....

It's All About the Gadgets...

... and I should know! You see, I'm a gadget freak... if it's quirky or fun or interesting or just a little bit Star Trek, there's a good chance that I'll love it :-) Of course, there are different categories of gadget... there are office gadgets (and I have a fair few), garden gadgets, general household gadgets and - of course - kitchen gadgets! Hold on a second while I throw something at the Other One.... *thwack*. She's sitting in the corner sniggering and muttering about "other" gadgets. Got her mind in the gutter! To give you an idea, she's slouched over drinking her martini's straight out of the shaker with a straw! I think that she's more than gotten into the holiday "spirit". Anyway - where was I?


Oh yes, gadgets. Well... as you all know, today is Christmas Day and as you can imagine, it's been a day of gifts and family, food and laughter and as I sit here, the cold meats & salad of lunch are still keeping me full and don't get me started on the trifle :-) Yum, but way too filling :-) So Christmas is always a great time in our home. NOT because of the gifts I receive (although that's pretty good too), but because I get to spoil the people I love. Even in a year when I'm financially a bit strapped. The Other One wouldn't know what that's like, but at least I know that Miss Twinset knows how to budget. Of course, as I mentioned before.... it's also a crazy busy baking time of year and I've spent the whole week baking Christmas cake. I kid you not... Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. It would've only been Tuesday and Wednesday, but Ruby had a bit of a laugh at my expense... I can laugh about it now, but it really wasn't terribly funny at the time. Miss Twinset has started to laugh so hard in anticipation of this story, that her champagne just came out her nose! Disgusting, but at least it wasn't eggnog ...


Ok, so what had happened was that Tuesday wasn't really my day. It was hot and humid and it had been a busy and irritable kinda day. Then to top it off, the outside door handle broke off of the drivers door of my car... Not my day. Then of course I started baking. Normally, this is a very relaxing activity for me and one I look forward to ... even when I don't really feel much like baking :-) For me, it's the calming effect of the measuring and mixing that makes a world of difference at the end of a long day. So, I set to work doing all the prep. I ran through all the ingredients and when all was prepared and the cake mix was ready to pour, I thought something looked a bit "odd", but I couldn't figure it out. I ran through the list of ingredients - twice! - and couldn't see anything I'd missed, so I spooned the mix into the dishes and popped them in the oven. Four (4) hours later, I opened the oven to discover the world's only fruit filled, slightly liquorice flavoured "toffee". The cakes had flopped and I was in such a state. How could this be?? The recipe is foolproof.... 24 hours later, when I baked round 2, I realised that although the recipe is foolproof... the chef is only human! As I said... Ruby was messing with me on Tuesday night.... You see I double checked the ingredients twice and never saw the word "eggs" at all. Yup... I never put the eggs in. Feel free to say "duh" in your loudest, most superior way. It still won't beat the Other One (who couldn't bake a brick) tormenting me all week about it. Naturally, the next two batches were perfect and my folks say the fruity liquorice toffee isn't that bad. Pity there's just under 3 kilo's of it (about 6 pounds).



So this morning, my folks woke up at 5:30 eager to get to their gifts, which was so much fun! Of course, I was keen to see what Santa had brought me too. Apart from an awesome book and CD which I'd asked for, I also got some really awesome - just for you and your kitchen - gifts! *picture high-pitched squeals of delight*. It started with a DVD on sugarcraft which is exactly what I was looking for as I really want to step up my decorating skills. That was followed by a book that is thicker and heavier than the average family bible... Kitchen by Nigella. I just skimmed through the book this morning, but I can already see that I'm going to love it!! Neither one of these was on my Christmas list and because I love surprises, they are perfect. Because I love things to do with my kitchen... they're splendiforous! I have to say, that Santa guy sure is paying attention to us good kids :-). If you've been paying attention so far - and not dwelling on the image of eggnog coming out of Miss Twinset's nose - you'll be wondering which part of Christmas involved gadgets. Don't worry, you haven't missed it... I haven't told you yet. You see, inside each person who loves to bake, there's a kid who would LOVE to have the gift I got today... and for this particular gift, I'm very grateful :-)



You see, I unwrapped a large - heavy - unassuming package and inside I found the most amazing kitchen gadget EVER! A Kenwood mixer! A large, beautiful, accessorised Kenwood mixer that is my newest member of the family. The Tipsy Tarts have already been warned that I will destroy ALL their booze (even the stock they thought I hadn't found, that they'd hidden in the Winter wood pile) and I think that it's a fairly good incentive for them to keep their paws off of my baby. She is the most beautiful thing I've seen in a long time and not only because she is going to make my life so much better! I think this is the start of a long and faithful relationship. I promise to care for her... accessorise her and use her only according to instructions. I also promise to try new and exciting recipes and to feature her when I can in this blog. As you can see... she's quite a looker. With a 6+ litre bowl, there's not a lot to limit me here. I'm really looking forward to seeing what attachments I can get and to trying her out. I know that many of you will be shaking your heads at the gushing praise that I'm heaping on an appliance... but out there, I'm sure that there will be some of you that have experienced the same sense of "love at first sight" when you see something that you need... something that you want.... even if it's "just" an appliance.



My kitchen gadget collection includes all manner of things and some are tiny. I coveted a small whisk that can be used in a mug and didn't rest until I had it. I needed (couldn't live without) a citrus zester and then there was the micro grater that does everything. I have juicers, mixers, blenders, donut makers, sandwich toasters and a collection of knives that makes me very happy whenever I see them, but pride of place in my kitchen is going to be MY Kenwood (my precious) lol.



I'm going to love and leave you now as I hear my cherry brandy trifle calling me from the fridge.... but I hope that you've all had a fantabulous Christmas! Here's to many new kitchen adventures for me to share with you all in the years to come...


Until next time....

And.... We're back!

I know it's been a while since I blogged... and if you're a regular reader, you may be wondering why. Well... it all started when Miss Twinset upset Ruby. She sat there in her corner of the kitchen, waving her wine glass wildly, complaining about the fact that her favourite bottle opener had vanished and blaming Ruby without thought to the fact that the Other One had borrowed it the week before. She then proceeded to burn sage bundles and waft the smoke all around the kitchen in a "cleansing" ceremony... Naturally, this is one of the quickest ways to tick off a kitchen pixie... You may be wondering how this affected my ability to blog... well, to be honest... it didn't :-) It was rather distracting though! The Other One eventually had her housekeeper 'fess up to having "stolen" the bottle opener and a thimble of the good Sauvignon Blanc was left for Ruby to appease her, but in the meantime, I deemed it too dangerous to cook while Ruby was in a snit... who knows what damage could've been done.

My blogging silence is going to come to a halt though and if you think about it, you'll see why. After all, it's at this time of year that kitchen's all around the world start to work overtime, using the total energy production of a small country (or several for that matter) and producing more goodies than should ever be eaten by the average family in a year, let alone over the Festive Season! Naturally, mine is no different! You see, it's at times like these that in most homes Granny's trusty recipe book is dusted off and opened reverentially on the counter top where wives, mothers, daughters and daughters-in-law hunch over the "magical tome" trying to figure out what their husbands, sons and fathers are after when they reminisce about Christmases past. For like it or not, all men have dishes that they remember from their childhoods, without which a celebration like Christmas simply "isn't what it was" when their Mother did it. For us girls, it's the memories we have of endless baking, the house all full of the scent of all-spice and cinnamon or perhaps it's the shortcuts of local supermarket mince pies and tinned ham that we remember.

I know that for Miss Twinset it's the almost unattainable "Stepford Christmas" ideal that she has in her head and she has a special Twinset and matching apron (along with antique pearls) that she has put aside for the occasion. She invites family and friends and tries to colour co-ordinate everything... it may sound good, but I have to tell you, that it's a whole different story when you sit down to a green and white table where most of your meal is also green! Picture plenty of broccoli, brussel sprouts and spinach. The gravy was green! The Other One is of course a different thing all together... She hires an event company to stage manage her home ("money is no object dahlings") and throws a serious party that most of the town is invited to. She had to hire a planner after the year when she purchased the entire stock of the local bottle store, but forgot to order any hor d'oeuvres! It took the phrase "liquid diet" to a whole new level and although most of us still can't remember a damn thing after the first hour or so, we have it on good authority from the local police that it was a party for the record books!

So... what is Christmas in our home? That has changed over the years as I think many traditions must. As a kid, I remember my Gran baking mince pies with fruit mince that she had made herself and bottled months before. Those are still the best mince pies in the world, though it's been many many years since I've had them. There was a flurry of baking as the season began with my Mom making literally (and I do mean LITERALLY) a 100 dozen biscuits of different types. I don't remember them lasting long, but I do remember our kitchen filled with the reassuring smell of warm cookie dough, with counters covered in trays holding biscuits in various stages of production. As a child, that kind of kitchen co-ordination is truly magical and watching simple things like eggs, flour, sugar and butter turning into mouthwatering delights, was the first time I realised that you don't need to buy the things you love to eat! Then, for a day or two before the big Christmas Lunch, my Dad (who always has and always will do all the cooking) prepared and cooked the various meats ... sometimes turkey, or goose or duck or chicken, but always tongue. Which I never eat. In fact, the Other One is noticeably paler at the thought. Miss Twinset doesn't eat it either... as she said, you never know what butt that tongue last licked. I know they wash it, but she has a point :-) He loves it though and I love him, so the rule is that he's welcome to it as long as he cleans the pot and keeps it separate from what I eat :-)

It's important to note that down here in the South of Africa in the grand old Town of Cape, that Christmas takes place in the middle of Summer... in the hottest time of the year. This doesn't exactly lend itself to a full roast with six (6) vegetables as you can imagine. However, this is what we did for years as most of my family is of English descent. It was traditional and something to look forward to and looking back, it amuses me how much food we cooked, as dinner plates are only 'so' big and simply can't hold much food. I'm sure it's the same in many of your homes too. Of course, as I said, traditions change and adapt, re-inventing themselves into fresh versions as needed, until we come to the Christmas meals of today - my adulthood. My Dad still cooks a tongue (gulp), a corned beef and a ham, but we eat them cold on the day with a selection of salads and garlic bread (oh so traditional huh)... sometimes there's a braai (bbq) as well, which is how we know it's a South African Christmas. Totally foreign to most of the Northern World as they roast chestnuts on open fires, but perfectly logical to those of us in the South :-) It's also a great excuse for cold beer :-) HA! From the look on the Tipsy Tart's faces, beer is something they won't touch... so I've finally found booze that's safe! Success!!

Some things remain unchanged though... although the mantle has fallen on my shoulders. It's now me who bakes a range of biscuits (several dozen dozen!) and of course, the Christmas cake, which is served with brandy butter (home made of course). The only thing I've yet to nail is the mince pies, but I suspect that the secret was in the mince that my Gran made... unfortunately, it's something she never wrote down and I've trawled through all her recipe books! Hmmm. Guess I'll have to experiment until I come up with a recipe that rocks and becomes a family tradition from here on out!

I suppose that's the secret of it all... We all have Christmas traditions, but they all started somewhere, so if you want to change something or introduce something new... go for it. Take the leap!

Until next time...