unwind christmas time

Since we last spoke I have been in New York, Hong Kong, Bang Kok, Shanghai........

needless to say I am looking forward to some quiet family time over the holidays 

I predict I will be spending a lot of time here  

 

 

(image from pinterest source unknown)

 wearing something like this

image and pyjamas from Sleepy Jones

and well, if i must arise then maybe i will throw this on

 

lounge robe Zara 

I may even wander here 

and do a little of this 

no knead bread

whatever you are up to this Holiday season

I hope it is wonderful 

see you on the new year 

x Helen 

ROSE CUPCAKES

I bought my first piping bag last week 

While I have been an avid baker for more years than I would like to mention

For some reason piping bags intimidated me

But now I feel like we are going to become best friends 

What could be better than combining two of my favourite things 

Cakes and Flowers

 

Vanilla cupcakes with Vanilla icing

All photos by Helen James 

Copyright Helen James

LEMON POLENTA COOKIES

Lemony, Buttery, Sugary

............. no more explanation needed 

LEMON POLENTA SHORTBREAD COOKIES 

100g sugar

200g flour

100g fine polenta (cornmeal)

zest 1 lemon
pinch salt

200g cold butter

If you have a food processor

dump all ingredients and whizz for approx 5 minutes until mixture clumps

otherwise put all of the dry ingredients in to a bowl 

add butter and rub in until mixture clumps together

tip mixture out on to a sheet of cling film (seran wrap)

bring together into a large sausage shape

wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour

remove from fridge and slice into 1 cm discs

if the mixture crumbles you can just squidge it back together 

but a few more minutes in the fridge will make it easier 

bake for 30 minutes

until edges are just turning

turn oven off and allow cookies to cool in the oven with door ajar

(this makes them really crisp and crumbly)

WINTER WEAR

What do you want to wear this winter ?

Are you lusting after a teddy bear coat?

 Or maybe a fur collar

A gilet ?

in orange?

Or maybe an orange oversize handbag
This is one of my favourite hues

although all shades of camel come a close second

teamed with metallic shoes?

instant update 

 cosy oversized cardigan

 Always love me a scarf 

never thought to combine scarf and fur collar together 

Is this the IT sweater for Winter 2013 

an IT sweater now that is a sign of the times 

 How do you feel about winter white ?

and a winter suit ?

slim cut

or loose fit 

you cant beat black 

which is having a come back........ did it really go away?

love the idea of wearing all black but with a brown belt 

All photos from PINTEREST

for original links go to my pinterest page 

HEARTY WINTER SOUP AND BROWN BREAD

As the garden offers up her final fruits

The days are that beautiful autumnal crisp and heavy with the scent of damp leaves

Fire is now a ritual every evening as opposed to an occasional occurance

The seasons are vivid in the Irish Countryside

 and so much of the season is about what we eat 

 

and right now hearty soups with warm brown bread feel just about right

The thing about soup is, to me it feels a little contradictorary to offer a recipe 

as really soup, in this house, is usually about what is available or waiting to be used up 

So the following "recipe" is a guide and you should substitute the contents of your own larder

HEARTY WINTER SOUP

2 onions chopped 

A 1" piece of fresh ginger

2 large carrots

2 sticks celery

2 cups red lentils

1 tsp salt

1 stock cube 

METHOD

put onion in pan and sprinkle with salt, sautee until soft, 

add chopped carrots, celery and finely chopped ginger

sautee for 5 mins

add 2 cups of lentils 

add 3 pints of cold water and stock cube

simmer for 45 mins until everything is soft 

Blend until smooth

serve as is or with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkled with chive flowers 

(sweet potato, butternut squash and parsnip would all be welcome additions)

This was one of those occassions where I didn't have everything the recipe called for,

made some substitutes and the results were better than the original

BROWN BREAD

225g coarse wholemeal flour

100g whole spelt flour*

150g plain flour

1 tspn salt

1 tspn bread soda

25g butter

1 tbspn dark brown sugar

300 ml milk

100ml plain yoghurt

1 egg

seeds (optional)

*if you do not have spelt flour simply divide the 100g between the other 2 making it 

275g wholemeal and 200g plain

METHOD

Pre heat oven to 200c

line a loaf pan with a sheet of grease proof paper

Place flours, salt, bread soda into bowl

add cold butter 

rub in 

sprinkle in brown sugar

put the egg, milk and yoghurt in a jug and combine

add the wet to the dry mix and combine 

add a handful of seeds if desired, pumpkin, sunflower, poppy all work well

pour mixture into loaf pan

Bake for 40-45 mins 

allow to cool completely before cutting

 

Falling into Autumn

Autumn has well and truly wrapped her temperate hands around Ireland 

The balmy days of summer are a distant memory 

Although the days are shorter 

There is something wonderful about the onset of this new season 

This was a bumper year for our Apples

If you happened to visit me in the last few weeks no doubt you were sent 

home clutching a paper bag of these beauties

The excess were carefully wrapped in newspaper and stored in the outhouse 

I do foresee quite a few Apple crumbles, pies, tarts in our future 

were you surprised when you took a bite and the pink tinged flesh revealed itself

The name of this Apple is 

"Discovery"

The menu has changed 

From Tarts and salads to 

Steak and Guinness Pie

made for a visiting Brother 

With an Autumnal Pavlova to finish 

Honeycomb, chocolate Pavolva with toasted almonds and toffee sauce

On the weekends

Planting Spring bulbs 

or maybe a walk in the woods 

Spiderman costume optional 

So many mushrooms around right now 

Unfortunately I am not a confident Mushroom connoisseur 

Not a risk worth taking !

Conkers, on the other hand provide little danger 

and we filled our pockets 

Hope you are enjoying the new season too

x 

Rose bakery, Merci Paris

I Can't believe that it has taken me up until now to visit

MERCI Paris

I was pretty sure I was going to love it 

and guess what 

I did 

I was in Paris for Maison et Objet 

as were the rest of the design world 

and Merci was teaming with japanese, Americans, Northern Europeans 

This is where the inspirers go to get inspired 

After a spot of shopping 

We made our way to Le Bon Marche 

and the highlight here was I also finally got to eat lunch at a Rose Bakery outpost

Amazing

simplicity 

taste

texture

perfection

and the cakes......

I purchased the cook book 

and I have already begun working my way through it 

Highly recommended 

 

 

Salted Butter Ice Cream

Ice Cream + Butter + Sea Salt = AAAHHH DELICIOUS

Salted Butter Ice Cream 

Recipe 

400 ml milk 

320 ml double cream 

100g butter

4 egg yolks 

130g sugar

big pinch sea salt

METHOD

heat milk and cream,

In a mixing bowl whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale

remove milk and cream from the heat and add butter 

let stand for 2 minutes until butter has melted

pour mixture slowly over eggs stirring continuosly

pour mixture back into pan and heat until thickened

leave to cool completely

preferably in the fridge overnight (but ok to just leave for a few hours)

Pour into ice cream machine 

or freeze in a container and remove every hour to whisk away ice crystals 

 

enjoy 

x