Chocolate of choice (today anyway)...

I think eating seriously good chocolate is one of the great joys in life....if I'm going to eat it, it's got to be worth the calorie intake! These gorgeous boxes contain my current indulgence...not only is the chocolate inside delectable but the boxes are little works of art....what more could you want?
I also keep a few of these in my 'present store' - they are perfect as hostess gifts (or just to make someone happy!) These are my special favourites at the moment - coffee & cardomom wafers and in the be-ribboned drum (actually called 'Gusto Italiano'), olives toscano (chocolate covered almonds) and chicchi di caffe (solid chocolate coffee beans).

You can see their complete range here (www.rococochocolates.com) Enjoy....

Friends & flowers...

Some of my favourite flowers are a bit like some of my favourite friends - they don't fade away along with the sunny carefree days of summer, but stick around to brighten the dark days of winter....I don't usually like blue flowers of any description but I will make an exception for these: Alliums appear in Spring, their graceful necks towering over all the other foliage and with their complex structure and dramatic silhouette, really steal the show....



Once they have finished flowering, they can be cut on their long stems and stored carefully ready to be sprayed and make another grand entrance either on the Christmas tree or as part of a larger arrangement......

Hydrangeas are like true friends - they stick around through thick and thin...flowering all summer long in the garden (and all the way through autumn into December if there are no early frosts), then into the house for a last glow of stored up summer sunshine....

and finally, to re-appear (hopefully!) looking like this: It's not difficult to make a wreath either to hang on the door or even to put on a table, filling the centre with candles.....just buy a wire frame from any good florist or garden centre, florists wire to secure the stems onto the frame, and the only thing holding you back is your imagination!

This image is from Sarah Raven's 'Complete Christmas', the ultimate accessory for planning food and flowers for the festive season.....well worth a spot on your bookshelf......

Hope you have some faithful floral friends in your house or garden this weekend......s

Bath bling..

Last night was the big switch on of the Christmas lights in Bath. I was so happy to see they had taken note of my suggestions - white lights only please, with a 'candleabra' in the centre of each one:





A Christmas tree in front of the Abbey would be nice:

And, many Bath ladies of my acquaintance would be mighty appreciative if you could get this guy to switch them on:

The nice man at the Council said he would call Nic's agent right away and wanted only to make the ladies of Bath very happy (it is the season of goodwill after all).....

So...a very merry and bright night was had by all.........s

It's time....

to break out the sloe gin!


When we stayed with friends in England (before moving here) during Christmas and over winter, invariably we were offered either as an aperitif or a post-supper liqueur, some of their home made sloe gin...it was delicious...amber-red nectar, neither too sweet nor too sour and a completely different animal from the mass-produced variety...
So, when I saw these little black beauties lining the canal path in the autumn I returned quick-smart with my basket to make sure I could make plenty & store it away (with a housewifely glow) ready for winter...
The sloe is the fruit of the blackthorn bush and looks a bit like a very small plum or damson (you can use damsons if you can't get your hands on sloes..) It's so easy to make - the hardest part is negotiating the thorns (remember blackTHORN bush!) but once you have gathered your sloe harvest it's simple:
For a 750 ml bottle you need:
About 450g sloes (or damsons)
700 ml gin (any old gin will do as you will be adding sugar)
250g caster sugar
Handful of roasted almonds
First, pick your sloes - don't wash them! Prick each one with a skewer or similar (or put in the freezer overnight & the skins will split - you want the flavour and colour to be released);
Put the sloes into a clean jar, add the gin, sugar & almonds. Seal the jar and put in a dark place for 2 - 3 months, turning the jar when you remember to dissolve the sugar.
Strain the liquid, discard the sloes and check for sweetness - if it's not sweet enough for your taste add more and shake to dissolve. I strained it through muslin to make sure it was clear...
One word of warning, if you go down the skewer route, don't do as I did and wear a white top I couldn't replace..(the sloes are black and they colour the gin red...you get the idea...)
Enjoy.....s!

Stourhead..

I arranged to meet a girlfriend here yesterday for lunch - Stourhead consists of a 1720's Palladian mansion which was the home of the Hoare family, owners of Britain's only surviving independent Bank. The magnificent interior includes an outstanding regency library, extensive art collection and furniture by Chippendale. The star of the show though and often referred to as the finest in the UK, is the landscape garden, constructed between 1741 and 1780. There are classical temples including the Pantheon and Temple of Apollo (used as the location for Darcy's futile proposal to Lizzy in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice with Keira Knightly) set around a central lake and a series of vistas which change as the visitor moves around the paths and through the magnificent mature woodland which houses an extensive collection of exotic trees. There are also two iron age hill forts in the grounds of the estate. It is breathtaking in every season and a wonderful place for a long (or short!) walk.

There is classical statuary in abundance......

A mansion to satisfy the most discerning......








and fortunately for us, a lovely pub right next door!



Our plan was to have a 'pub lunch' and then walk it off in the glorious grounds....I wish I could say that's indeed how it turned out but, I cannot tell a lie.....we arrived at midday and left at 9.15 p.m. (YES 9.15!!!!!) When we went to pay the bill, there was the evidence...coffee, lunch, afternoon tea & dinner!! Oh my, how time flies when you're having fun .....s

White Stuff at the Weekend...

and it wasn't snow! Just torrential rain and grey drizzle....(see, I told you people in England are obsessed with the weather...) There were a few bright interludes though...this orchid has been in full bloom and looking gorgeous for weeks (maybe that's because it's cool in the corner of the hall it occupies). Every time I walk past it gives me pleasure - pure white and perfect...
In Bath yesterday, some of the windows caught my eye as they were dressed beautifully in my favourite non-colour.....how about these belles ready for the ball?



and this little fur trimmed jacket would have been perfect for keeping out the 'neck-chill'.....

By the time I'd finished inspecting all the window displays, my half an hour trip had turned into all afternoon and I was ready for a lie-down with lacy legs and her sister...

who although not clad in white did get me thinking about those lacy tights...but that's another story....happy week everyone!

Two more things I miss...

Gardenias and frangipani are scenting pathways and back gardens all across Sydney right now - their fragrance heady and sweet....

but, after hearing that the maximum temperature forecast for Sunday is 41, I shall be content to look at them like this.....hope you ladies in the S.H find a cool spot this weekend......s

Fact or Fiction?

Well I think the decision has been made - my G.G will arrive from Sydney on Christmas morning - quite a novel idea as I have never spent Christmas Day at Heathrow airport before but, what an amazing present!!
I shall now have to re-think the whole of the festive season as I had planned to be sipping cocktails at Balmoral Beach rather than engaging in the madness which envelops the nation just after 'fireworks night' and seemingly goes on until January....not only will I be missing out on the cocktails but also the pleasure (or pain) of choosing 'THE BOOK'...
About two weeks before the endurance test of a flight to Oz I can be found on a regular basis perusing the shelves of every bookstore within a 50 (OK maybe 20) mile radius as it is absolutely critical to have the right one....it must be gripping but not too challenging (being easily distracted on aircraft), long enough to provide entertainment for up to two days but not cumbersome to carry, and above all, insightful and fascinating.....
Every time I do this (and there have been many occasions) I set out with the intention of immersing myself in some imaginative literary work (I even check out the new fiction lists in 'The Times' on a weekly basis) set in an evocative landscape...I pore over each book under consideration but I just can never find THE ONE..
I then move to the Non-Fiction section and, voila, a whole library of possibilities...biography, travel, food, homes, interiors....which to choose & eventually add to the shelves full I already own? Of the 120 or so books lining the shelves alongside my desk, only 10 are fiction (I know, I counted them)...
This conundrum maybe accounts for the appeal of the blog to a non-fiction lover? Every day, a whole raft of information is delivered to me directly, hassle-free and with no parking charges involved, to be dipped into at will - it's all about real people, with real lives, interests and passions - the perfect autobiography without the disappointment of turning the last page.
Brilliant!......s

Wild Life...!!!

I am due to leave for Sydney in two weeks but, RR having cancelled due to work commitments, I have now to decide - go alone and spend Christmas with my gorgeous girl (who is studying at Sydney University) or (try to persuade her to!) change her ticket. As I dither and deliberate, a walk seems like a good idea....so out of the front door, turn left at the end of the lane and onto the canal path.....

I took a few snaps en route - this wouldn't be such a bad place to hang out at Christmas would it?

There's even a pub at the end of the path - (those fish & chips and glasses of wine don't count when you have walked there and back again!!)

The only problem is - my G.G's idea of wild life and mine are somewhat different......s

Rain Later, Good...

Samuel Johnson famously stated in the 18th century that 'when two Englishmen meet their first talk is of the weather' - we have found this to be so....actually I would go so far as to say that English people are 'obsessed' with the subject. On any given day, I can join the queue at the local post office and, no matter what the conditions outside, listen to a variety of comments (actually read 'complaints') about the current meteorological state.

Millions of listeners tune in every day to listen to what the poet Sean Street called 'cold poetry of information' - the Shipping Forecast (if you have ever heard it you will recognise today's title immediately!). This is an off-shore weather forecast intended for the use of fishing boats, cargo ships, cruise liners and other pleasure craft in the seas surrounding the British Isles. None of the information contained therein has the remotest relevance unless you are a skipper of one of the aforementioned vessels but it remains a compulsive, and soothing, ritual spoken in a poetic-mantra sort of way (broadcast after the news on BBC Radio4 in case you are interested).

Kate Fox, in her book 'Watching the English' devotes a whole chapter to the English national 'sport' of discussing the weather...it's a terrific book and well worth a read if you have an interest in anthropology or, indeed, just want to be brilliantly entertained.

Usually, the first question we are asked after disclosing that we have moved to the UK from Sydney is 'But what about the weather?'!! As winter approaches, there are more comments along the lines of 'Bet you wish you were back in Sydney'! or 'Have you had enough yet'?....

In fact, I am deeply happy to be able to indulge some of my more hedonistic tendencies.....!

As the days get cold and short, I really enjoy having the fires blazing, lighting candles all over the house, unpacking my precious collection of cashmere for winter snuggling & painting my nails a deep, winter red (Chanel's rouge noir being my current favourite).

There is a domestic goddess kind of satisfaction to be had from putting an old fashioned stew, laced heavily with beer or red wine, in a slow oven and leaving it there for hours whilst it does what stews do best and turns the meat into a soft unctuous warming treat preferably eaten with fluffy mounds of mashed potato and the winey, oniony gravy mopped up with some crusty bread....

There's also something quite delicious when the day is grey and rain lashes the windows about putting on something comfy (note - I said comfy not scruffy!) soft & warm, lighting the fire & catching up with whatever activities you don't feel inclined to do when the sun is shining and beckoning you outside...& knowing that you probably won't be disturbed...

Whatever the weather where you are....have a happy week......s

Mary Howard...

A particular group of English ladies know that it's time to start gathering and organising for Christmas when their Mary Howard Christmas Fair invitation drops through the letter-box....
I attended this event for the first time last year and was completely overwhelmed! It's a miraculous feat of organisation, finely tuned over many years, whereby you park your car on an aircraft runway and are ferried to the venue by a fleet of extremely cheerful and helpful drivers....
Just to give a little background information, I am quoting from the website directly: (http://www.maryhoward.co.uk/)
"The Mary Howard Christmas Fairs started twenty-six years ago with a small selection of stalls selling presents in her home in aid of the NSPCC, her favourite charity. The sales proved such a success that a bigger venue was needed and provided in the shape of an aircraft hangar just off the M4 at Hullavington which at that time belonged to the Royal Air Force and was taken over by the Royal Logistic Corps, both of whom have been a wonderful help in raising money. Inside there is an array of 150 stalls, all of which have been carefully selected, out of the thousands of applications for stalls received each year and they are as varied as possible. On the day of the fair, the shoppers are provided with a restaurant, creche and customer collection service. It just has to be the most hassle-free way of shopping for both the vendors and the shoppers in an atmosphere that is both fun and vibrant."

I can tell you that it IS both fun and vibrant if somewhat exhausting (not to mention stressful for the bank account)! There is a huge array of goodies for sale from mink coats to personalised tiny Christmas decorations for the tree and everything in between:

If a mink coat isn't on your shopping list, there are plenty of other options:

Decorative items for the home....

Gorgeous original art....(http://www.redhenoriginals.com/)

Beautiful silk & cashmere jackets which are really exquisite and can be tailor made to your size and choice of colour/design...

Total girlie shopping heaven under one roof!

And on a more serious note (and again quoting from their website):

"Mary Howard's support for the NSPCC and the children we seek to help has been an inspiration over the last 25 years. Her commitment, enthusiasm and energy, ably backed up by her husband Paddy, have not only resulted in funds to support the Society's work but her sales have also helped to raise awareness of the scale of child abuse."

Dame Mary Marsh, NSPCC Director and Chief Executive

Tragically, Mary Howard was killed in a motor accident at the Hullavington venue at this time last year.....the Fairs will hopefully continue to give pleasure to so many, as well as providing much needed funds for the charities she was so passionate about.......s

One thing I miss about Sydney......

is taking a trip to the fish markets and picking out the plumpest and juiciest big prawns and then coming home and cooking them on the 'barbie' to be served warm and simply with some good sourdough bread, a rocket salad and a dish of aioli to dip them in.....yum....
Shop bought mayo just doesn't work as the secret to success here (sorry to be bossy!) is simplicity but excellent quality ingredients....if the thought of making mayonnaise is terrifying, a good substitute can be whipped up in the processor using egg yolks, lots of garlic, a tsp of salt (it has to be really well seasoned) and dribbling in a bland oil, preferably groundnut, (or light olive oil at a push) whilst the motor is running......voila!!
I was really excited whilst out shopping to find these babies (Madagascan black tiger prawns, apparently) & as it was about 4 degrees outside and not exactly what you would call 'putting a prawn on the barbie' weather, I did the next best thing & put them on a shallow tray, scattered a good amount of garlic, chilli & parsley over them, drizzled with good olive oil and some ciabatta breadcrumbs, gave it all a good mix and into the oven for about 15 mins.....

Hey presto.....

Prawn heaven - every delectable, sweet, salty. garlicky, chilli flecked mouthful......The only thing we were missing was this:

Ah, well.........s

Tuesday means......la classe de francais....!

RR & I recently planned a last minute trip to the south of France to celebrate a 'big' birthday - we made the bookings by phone & e-mail, summoning every bit of 'school' French we could & overall, managed OK (we thought)....we arrived at our first destination (luckily owned by an English couple) and had a wonderful stay at this place, near Tarascon:


This was our next destination - a beautiful old 'bastide' in a very rural setting - Madame had decorated all the rooms in the most beautiful classic French style - we managed to converse with her and the other guests happily, using the smattering of words I could remember (the only words RR could remember were those of his over-enthusiastic French master yelling 'travaille, travaille' whilst rapping his knuckles with a ruler!) Lots of gesticulating and smiling got us through all but the most awkward situations -

Even the markets didn't faze us too much.....although unwilling to try out my very basic vocabulary on a 'real' French person, armed with my very ancient copy of the Usborne Guide to French (Simple phrases and how to say them) surely it couldn't be that difficult to fill my basket with some delicious saucisson, fromage and a couple of baguettes? (could it?)

We were almost at the end of our French sojourn when reality struck....we were invited to an event at the beautiful 'Chateau Premont' - there was to be a polo match in the morning followed by lunch and then in the afternoon, the impressive spectacle of a D'Acoso y Derribo....(Spanish bull chasing)....in the old days, the 'garrochistas' would bring down the bulls using wooden lances in order to mark them or for medical treatment...it was cheaper and easier to do this rather than running them into a pen. This art of running and bringing down the bull by two horsemen has now been made into a regulated sport...and is a test for both the horses and the riders who have to learn to accelerate quickly, suddenly change direction and of course avoid the fallen bull in their path...

We intended to go later in the day, after the paella lunch was over to watch..when we arrived, we were told that the polo had gone on longer than expected and lunch was being served late. We thought to leave and come back later but were persuaded by our English host to stay and have a seat with the assembled guests at the long tables laid for lunch. There followed an embarrassing few hours during which we both intently wished we had 'travailled' a bit harder in the French classroom...

Upon our return, we immediately enrolled for what used to be called 'evening classes' - these take place every Tuesday night at the local college and our class is a varied bunch of mostly couples who plan to retire to France or go there to open a business of some sort. There are also a quite a few who, like us, wished they had paid more attention in la classe de francais.....s

Rainy Sunday.....& poppies......

I realised this morning that RR has a meeting tomorrow at the MH and supplies were needed! After looking out the window and deciding that maybe what was in the storecupboard would have to do, I gathered flour, butter, eggs, spices, sugar and as I usually do when spending time in the kitchen, turned on Radio 4.....
I heard the last post playing and looked at the clock....checked the date...and turned up the volume a little...such poignant stories and sad, sad recollections....brave women coping with life changing loss & mostly with a fortitude I'm not sure I could muster...






My heart went out to those wives, mothers and daughters whose loved ones aren't coming home to tea......s

The Granary....

I stopped by here today:

It's a complex of very old barns around a central Tithe Barn built in the 14th century forming part of a medieval farmstead which once belonged to Shaftesbury Abbey. King Ethelred gave the Manor of Bradford to the Abbess of Shaftesbury in 1001 and it's now looked after by English Heritage....

Two of the small barns have now been converted into shops, collectively called The Granary....the ground floor houses toys, cards and jewellery and upstairs there are dressers and tables laden with china, glass and textiles....as you walk up the stairs they usually have lanterns and candles burning which smell delicious... All the furniture is also for sale and they are happy to paint anything to your colour specification if you want to step away from the traditional pine...

The stock changes according to the season and is currently predominantly themed towards Christmas.....if I'm looking for a different greetings card or an unusual gift, this is my first stop..

One building is specifically for items for the garden and gardener - at this time of the year, it is magically transformed into an Aladdin's cave of seasonal goodies - every possible Christmas trimming you could imagine...it's the sort of place where you could go back again and again and not notice the same things...there are trees of every height and shape groaning under the weight of decorations...but not for long, you have to be quick if you want the pick of the bunch.....

On a very cold, wet and misty autumn day this was a warm and inviting space to spend a little time...I don't usually manage to come away empty-handed but as I will be packing my suitcase again soon for a Sydney Christmas I was uncharacteristically restrained....s

The Granary*

Pound Lane, Bradford on Avon

*They also have a shop in Broad St, Bath