I don’t know about where you are, but it has definitely been rather warm where I am! Although I enjoy light summer evenings, blue sky and warm breezes, I don’t like feeling hot and bothered, which I invariably do when summer arrives.
So, in the manner of the lovely Alison at Brocante Home, I have been thinking of my own versions of puttery treats- little things I can do to keep my cool and enjoy summer.
At this time of year, keeping a bottle of water to hand is mandatory for me, so I can sip away wherever I may be. I have always thought it would be rather nice to be a mineral water connoisseur, but so far I have been more than happy to stick to tap water. Although I will be avoiding sparkling water as it always makes me feel queasy, I shall be tipping everything from San Pellegrino to Evian!
The biggest hit at my cocktail party was undoubtedly the Apple and Raspberry Sunrises. Simply blitz a handful of frozen raspberries together with a good glug of apple juice, then thin with sparkling water. (I know I just said it makes me queasy…but only when I drink it neat!) It struck me that I would make this if I have friends round, but not for myself. But how silly! So tonight when I get home from work, I shall be making myself a glass.
Now that I have my really marvellous Vitamix machine, I want to branch out a bit and try other juices and such things. It crushes ice really quickly, so I feel a morning glass of iced fruit juice will be how I start my day.
Surely one of the worst things to do when you are feeling hot and bothered is to hurry about, or feel that you have a long bothersome list of things to do…so I shall be paring back and trying to keep it as simple as possible. Leaving 10 minutes early wherever I am going, so that I have 5 extra minutes to wander gently, and 5 minutes to repair any heat-frizzed hair and pink cheeks when I arrive!
I love to have little rituals throughout the day, and coming home is one of my favourite times of day. I like being able to gently switch off from being 'at work' or even just 'out in the world' to being 'at home' in my own little world. Shoes off, first of all. Then windows open, phone checked, drink prepared, and then as I sit and sip perhaps an iced coffee, or maybe even a cup of tea (yes, even when it is hot, sometimes nothing else will do!) I spray my feet with a foot spray. Now that doesn't sound so exciting I know, but I keep it in my fridge, so it is extra cold. Then I sit under my ceiling fan, sipping my drink and waving my feet in the breeze. Bliss!
Showing posts with label Puttering About. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Puttering About. Show all posts
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Springing Forth
Sunday was for me the first day of Spring. I don’t think that the first proper day of Spring can be determined by the date, or even by the weather, for last Sunday the morning was just as spring-like (although the afternoon was filled with hail!), but a sudden shift in the atmosphere, and a feeling you get. For me it is like Mole flinging down his whitewash brush and burrowing out into the spring air; of everything bursting forth in abundance, and my heart dancing along with the daffodils nodding in the breeze. The first day you can happily go out without your coat, and want to fling open every window to let out winter, and let in Spring.
How else to celebrate such a day than with a thorough airing of our little nest? All the washing went out to dry on the line in the breeze, and our windows were as open as they would go to let in that lovely breeze. I decluttered, hoovered everywhere (even along the ceiling in case of any tiny cobwebs!) scrubbed the kitchen and bathroom both, and then sat down with a cup of tea to drink it all in.
Carl asked me if I didn't think that I should be spending more of the day relaxing rather than working so hard. Whilst it sounded very tempting, I think that the feeling you get when everything is all neat and clean and tidy is just so scrumptious that it is worth the work!
One of the best bits about having a clean canvas is getting to pretty it all up. Along my windowsill I have a white velvet bunny peeking out, which I bought a year or so ago at Paperchase, a vase of daffodils, and three polyanthus. Oh, and a tiny bluebird on a clip that I bought in a florist on Friday. Such fun to come home to!
How else to celebrate such a day than with a thorough airing of our little nest? All the washing went out to dry on the line in the breeze, and our windows were as open as they would go to let in that lovely breeze. I decluttered, hoovered everywhere (even along the ceiling in case of any tiny cobwebs!) scrubbed the kitchen and bathroom both, and then sat down with a cup of tea to drink it all in.
Carl asked me if I didn't think that I should be spending more of the day relaxing rather than working so hard. Whilst it sounded very tempting, I think that the feeling you get when everything is all neat and clean and tidy is just so scrumptious that it is worth the work!
One of the best bits about having a clean canvas is getting to pretty it all up. Along my windowsill I have a white velvet bunny peeking out, which I bought a year or so ago at Paperchase, a vase of daffodils, and three polyanthus. Oh, and a tiny bluebird on a clip that I bought in a florist on Friday. Such fun to come home to!
Friday, 6 June 2008
Not My Usual Friday
I love waking up on a Friday morning when it is not my Friday to work. Usually I can look forward to spending the day with my Mum, but today is going to be a little different to usual. I needed to stay at home this morning to wait for the oven repair man to come, and for another man to deliver a new washing machine! Mum had lots of little bits to do at home, so we decided to take a raincheck on our usual Friday.
I really love the posts Alison at Brocante Home does occasionally, where she details the comings and goings of her day, so I thought I would have a go at doing that today. I will pop back every now and again to update the post.
Friday morning...I opened my eyes to the soft light of our bedroom lamp, and heard Radio 4 marking seven o'clock as Carl set a cup of tea down for me. He told me not to get up and make his lunch but stay in bed instead. As much as I do love making him a packed lunch, a late night last night meant I was more than happy for the extra nap time! I got up at half past seven, washed and dressed (in my favourite dress du jour, a simple black dress, upon which I have sewn buttons in the shape of flowers) and got the kitchen in order. I took out the rubbish and recycling, and whilst I puttered about, putting away the drying up and so on, put some rhubarb, vanilla sugar and raspberries on to stew, and the kettle on to boil. I made a breakfast of coffee and homemade yoghurt layered with rhubarb and raspberry compote and banana, topped with muesli, tipped the rest of the kettle of boiling water down my sink, and settled down with the new issue of Marie Claire Idees.
The phone rang, and I had a lovely chat with Mum. It is alwasy so nice to catch up, and when I had finished chatting, I went about our dear little flat, flinging open all the windows to let in the cool morning air. I checked up on a book Mum had spotted for me on ebay (Laura Ingalls Wilder Cookbook) then settled down to knit on my sock, and watch Come Dine With Me on catchup tv (I love to plan out menus that I would serve for that show!) , but thought I would just do a little blogging first.....
One moment all was quiet in my little flat, the next it was full of hustle, bustle, men, and the most fearsome noises! Two men worked on removing our old washing machine and brining in the new one, whilst another got to work on mending the oven. I was slightly embarrased when they asked for an old towel to mop up some water, and I realised I don't have any! We only have our new wedding towels...and most of my tea towels are pretty vintage affairs. Happily I found some old ones at the back of the airing cupboard! There was a strange smell of something scorching, and then as rapdily as they arrived, the men left, leaving me with a fully working kitchen!
After a celebratory cup of tea, I popped to the shops to get some vanilla extract, milk and cupcake cases. When I got back, I whipped up some vanilla cupcakes for Ben's christening on Sunday. I made 30 in all, and iced each one with a letter, so when put together the cakes spelled out his name. I iced them in white, with blue lettering, and then sprinkled the whole lot with edible glitter. Well, I am a fairy godmother after all!
Vanilla Cupcakes
Tie on your floweriest apron, and think sparkly godmotherly thoughts. Put on some pretty music, and preheat the oven to 200 oC/180 oC fan/gas 6.
Place 12 cupcake cases in a bun/mufffin tin.
Heat 75ml milk in a saucepan until nearly boiling, then stir in 1oz butter until melted.
Meanwhile, sift 3oz plain flour and 1/2 tsp baking powder into a bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk 2 eggs with 1tsp vanilla extract for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Whisk in 5oz caster sugar.
Whisk in the sifted flour and baking powder.
Whisk in the buttery milk mixture.
You will have a very runny batter; spoon it into the cupcake cases, and bake 10-15 minutes.
Mostly these come out nice and flat ready for the icing, but if you but mistakenly put in 1 1/2 tsp baking powder like I did, you will want to slice off the little peaks!
When the cakes are cool, stir 3-6 tbsp single cream into 6oz icing sugar, then beat in 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. The icing should be thin enough to spoon onto the cupcakes, but thick enough that it is opaque and you can't see any cake through.
Dust with edible glitter, and enjoy!
Evening falls, somehow....not entirely sure where the day has gone. I take a hot shower, trying out a new shampoo after my hair suddenly got tired of my old one...with my hair in a towel and my oh-so-soft dressing gown on, I settle on the sofa with a supper tray. I am so elegant tonight! I have fish pie for one, which is one of my favourite dinners, and a tiny bottle of babycham, which I drink, of course, from a vintage babycham glass. When I have finished this, there will be a tiny scoop of lemon sorbet, and a cup of tea. The lights are dim, and I have a dvd to watch - 'Cake' with Heather Graham, who looks very much like Goldie Hawn in this film. If you were here with me, we could paint our toes bright pink, and sample cup cakes whilst giggling over the film...
I really love the posts Alison at Brocante Home does occasionally, where she details the comings and goings of her day, so I thought I would have a go at doing that today. I will pop back every now and again to update the post.
Friday morning...I opened my eyes to the soft light of our bedroom lamp, and heard Radio 4 marking seven o'clock as Carl set a cup of tea down for me. He told me not to get up and make his lunch but stay in bed instead. As much as I do love making him a packed lunch, a late night last night meant I was more than happy for the extra nap time! I got up at half past seven, washed and dressed (in my favourite dress du jour, a simple black dress, upon which I have sewn buttons in the shape of flowers) and got the kitchen in order. I took out the rubbish and recycling, and whilst I puttered about, putting away the drying up and so on, put some rhubarb, vanilla sugar and raspberries on to stew, and the kettle on to boil. I made a breakfast of coffee and homemade yoghurt layered with rhubarb and raspberry compote and banana, topped with muesli, tipped the rest of the kettle of boiling water down my sink, and settled down with the new issue of Marie Claire Idees.
The phone rang, and I had a lovely chat with Mum. It is alwasy so nice to catch up, and when I had finished chatting, I went about our dear little flat, flinging open all the windows to let in the cool morning air. I checked up on a book Mum had spotted for me on ebay (Laura Ingalls Wilder Cookbook) then settled down to knit on my sock, and watch Come Dine With Me on catchup tv (I love to plan out menus that I would serve for that show!) , but thought I would just do a little blogging first.....
One moment all was quiet in my little flat, the next it was full of hustle, bustle, men, and the most fearsome noises! Two men worked on removing our old washing machine and brining in the new one, whilst another got to work on mending the oven. I was slightly embarrased when they asked for an old towel to mop up some water, and I realised I don't have any! We only have our new wedding towels...and most of my tea towels are pretty vintage affairs. Happily I found some old ones at the back of the airing cupboard! There was a strange smell of something scorching, and then as rapdily as they arrived, the men left, leaving me with a fully working kitchen!
After a celebratory cup of tea, I popped to the shops to get some vanilla extract, milk and cupcake cases. When I got back, I whipped up some vanilla cupcakes for Ben's christening on Sunday. I made 30 in all, and iced each one with a letter, so when put together the cakes spelled out his name. I iced them in white, with blue lettering, and then sprinkled the whole lot with edible glitter. Well, I am a fairy godmother after all!
Vanilla Cupcakes
Tie on your floweriest apron, and think sparkly godmotherly thoughts. Put on some pretty music, and preheat the oven to 200 oC/180 oC fan/gas 6.
Place 12 cupcake cases in a bun/mufffin tin.
Heat 75ml milk in a saucepan until nearly boiling, then stir in 1oz butter until melted.
Meanwhile, sift 3oz plain flour and 1/2 tsp baking powder into a bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk 2 eggs with 1tsp vanilla extract for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Whisk in 5oz caster sugar.
Whisk in the sifted flour and baking powder.
Whisk in the buttery milk mixture.
You will have a very runny batter; spoon it into the cupcake cases, and bake 10-15 minutes.
Mostly these come out nice and flat ready for the icing, but if you but mistakenly put in 1 1/2 tsp baking powder like I did, you will want to slice off the little peaks!
When the cakes are cool, stir 3-6 tbsp single cream into 6oz icing sugar, then beat in 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. The icing should be thin enough to spoon onto the cupcakes, but thick enough that it is opaque and you can't see any cake through.
Dust with edible glitter, and enjoy!
Evening falls, somehow....not entirely sure where the day has gone. I take a hot shower, trying out a new shampoo after my hair suddenly got tired of my old one...with my hair in a towel and my oh-so-soft dressing gown on, I settle on the sofa with a supper tray. I am so elegant tonight! I have fish pie for one, which is one of my favourite dinners, and a tiny bottle of babycham, which I drink, of course, from a vintage babycham glass. When I have finished this, there will be a tiny scoop of lemon sorbet, and a cup of tea. The lights are dim, and I have a dvd to watch - 'Cake' with Heather Graham, who looks very much like Goldie Hawn in this film. If you were here with me, we could paint our toes bright pink, and sample cup cakes whilst giggling over the film...
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