sunday

(source - Tumblr)

gentle winds stirring through seasoned branches,
 verdant and unyielding, 

sharp mineral smell of rain on the gentle air
softly cloaking my shoulders; 

thoughtful, quiet; 
grateful for all that I am blessed with . . .

peaceful thoughts to nourish the soul . . . gentle food to nourish the body: we become what we are made of


Super Simple Superfruit Smoothie

ingredients:

1 cup fresh (or frozen) mixed summer berries
2 juicy nectarines - roughly chopped
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
juice of half a lemon
2 cups water
2 teaspoons ground flax seeds
a few coconut flakes to decorate 

directions:

• blitz all of the ingredients except coconut flakes together in blender / smoothie maker until completely smooth
• adjust with more water if needed to get the consistency you prefer

relax and enjoy :)

 . . . and maybe listen to a little Holden - Renata (Daphni remix)

note: if you like things a little sweeter add some honey/agave nectar, or replace nectarines with banana - although doing this will mean it isn't suitable for food combining. 

There are lots of theories and diets surrounding the idea of 'healthy' eating - it can be very confusing, but I definitely feel better and more energetic when I eat food that's as close to nature as possible (organic and non-processed), that's mostly alkaline forming (check out a list of alkaline foods on this wonderful blog by The Alkaline Sisters, a large proportion of raw food, and in a beneficial combination that works with my body rather than against it!:

mostly veg and fruits (lots of variety and lots of greens!)

nuts and seeds

quinoa

eggs and fish 

and lots of water - here's why!

it really doesn't have to be complicated - but it does have to be packed with flavour and delicious :))

new arrival!

pretty pink and white cupcakes to welcome a new arrival!

cupcake crazy

A New Year, a new decade, a fresh start.....

I haven't posted in so long, but it's all been a bit cupcake mad lately!!.... I decided that after a love affair with cakes and baking for years, I would start my own cupcake business Pretty Sweet. It was definitely the right idea, and I'm having so much fun doing something that I absolutely love. Seeing all the cupcakes lined up neatly in their colourful rows, and being up to my elbows in icing sugar and buttercream is my idea of heaven!......I have so many plans for new flavours whizzing around in my head for the new year, and a special valentine range in mind for February.

My own passion, as you will know if you are a regular reader (sorry guys for neglecting you for so long!) is for fantastic quality food - real food; so it's no surprise that this goes for my cupcakes too, and I'm passionate about sourcing excellent quality (and local, where possible) fresh ingredients. After all, it's not just about what the cakes look like - it's important that they deliver on taste too! So, I use fresh fruits to flavour and colour the cakes - no nasty additives. Although, I must admit that I have included a 'just for fun' range that indulges my love of all things bright and glittery, and the cake toppings are like I said, just for fun. That said, I am always trying to source additive free sprinkles and decorations.

I'm looking forward to the spring when all the flowers start to bloom again - they are just beautiful sitting pretty on top of the pastel cupcakes for the naturals collection and this is something that I want to develop even more. Of course, there has been a lot of cupcake eating (in the name of research, naturally!) so.... I think my new year will start with getting back to some healthy detox foods - though, of course, this will just allow me to start again with more 'research'. I wish you all a magical New Year....I have a feeling it's going to be a good one :o)

trawling 'Folksy'

do you remember those yummy foil covered teacakes - all gooey marshmallow covered in crispy chocolate?.....



This is definitely on my 'wish list'!! - from the UK version of Etsy, the curiously named 'Folksy'

why we love retro

Little known early prototype of the iPod!!


from a wonderfully nostalgic site Bills Retro World

eat real butter.....

......not only because it's better for you than synthesised chemical margarines, but,.....you also get to use a proper butter dish too, like this vintage 50's one!

How many people, I wonder, would enjoy those spreads that the manufacturers tell us are 'just like butter', and are so good for us because they will look after our hearts, if they really knew just how it's made! I've known about the process since being a Home Ec. student way back in the eighties, and I haven't touched the stuff since! Give me 'real' food any day. You know, the stuff that generally doesn't come with a list of 'ingredients' (or is that artificial chemicals masquerading as 'food'!)

"Margarine is man made. And it is one of the most chemically processed and refined substances to be found in the modern kitchen."

Firstly the raw ingredients of margarine manufacturing must undergo a series of preparatory measures. The oil - maize, coconut, olive, cottonseed, and soybean - is treated with a caustic soda solution to remove unnecessary components known as free fatty acids. The oil is then washed by mixing it with hot water, separating it, and leaving it to dry under a vacuum.

Next, the oil is sometimes bleached with a mixture of bleaching earth and charcoal in another vacuum chamber. The bleaching earth and charcoal absorb any unwanted colorants, and are then filtered out from the oil.

The oil is then hydrogenated to ensure the correct consistency for margarine production, a state referred to as "plastic" for very good reason! The oil is subjected to extremely high temperatures (about 500ºF) and pressure, and hydrogen is forced into the molecular structure to harden it. This process requires toxic substances, such as nickel oxide. The oils are mixed with finely ground nickel, a highly toxic substance that serves as a catalyst for the chemical reaction during the hydrogenation process.

An unintended side-effect, however, can result from this hydrogenation process. If the oils are only partially hydrogenated, some will become trans fats, and these have long been identified as being harmful to health

The end result of this process is a lumpy, grey, greasy substance. This is then emulsified to get rid of the lumps and steam cleaned to remove the odor of chemicals, which again involves high temperature and pressure.

The oil now needs to be bleached, coloured, and artificially flavoured again to make it palatable - after all, who wants to spread tasteless grey gloop on their toast!

Now, call me old-fashioned, but I would much rather have a rich, golden totally 'natural' knob of real butter on my toast. After all, how can it be worse for our body than a totally artificially produced tub of chemically altered substances.

Although margarine has synthetic vitamins added to it to mimic the nutritional content of butter, and the manufacturers are working to reduce the amounts of harmful trans fats. Thereby, arguing that this product is more 'healthy' for us. I think this totally deflects from the whole argument that margarine is essentially an 'artificial' substance, stuffed full of, synthetic chemicals.

Butter only has one ingredient - milk. I'd rather eat a little less of this natural food, than risk the unknown effects to my body of a cocktail of synthetic chemicals.

a rose by any other name........

frosted roses

there was a real taste of winter this last weekend, with a hoar frost that touched everything with it's magical crystal shroud...

nature can be so amazing

summer's end

It seems so long now since I last sat down to post something..... these last two months have been a whirlwind, but now life is beginning to settle a little once again!

Those first few days and weeks of hectic craziness, of everything upside down, in boxes, uprooted and misplaced - like camping out, but without the bugs! - is now slowly being replaced by a steadier pace, as we start to organise, and 'pretty up' the house. I still have no kitchen to speak of, just a borrowed cooker stood next to a rickety unit in what will be the heart of the house, and an old linen cupboard for a makeshift crockery store... but we have dreams of what it will become!

We've come a long way since our first meal of take-out curry from our local Indian on a warm July evening. We didn't even notice the peeling wallpaper and bare boards through the excitement of finally being in our new 'old' house.

Since then it's given up a few of it's secrets while we've poked and prodded, stripped back and repaired; the fireplace in the bedroom, which was draped in a musty dark yellow paint, revealed some very beautiful and ornate victorian tiles.

The garden too, has had some treasures of it's own with three apple trees. All different, and all hung heavy with fruit.

So now, with the smell of Autumn heavy in the air, the dusky evenings giving way to starry skies and coal fires, it seemed right to collect the last of the Summer's bounty and bring it in to make crumbles and cakes.

Even with the floorboards still bare, and each room awaiting it's decided dressing, this feels like home; in from the deepening evening chill to good old- fashioned apple crumble, made with the first picking of apples from our garden, eaten in front of a roaring fire - albeit an open chimney breast and old fire-basket, while we still hunt for the perfect old fireplace to put back some of the splendour this old house once had!

isn't life great!

It seems like I haven't posted anything in ages - and I'm getting withdrawl symptoms!!

The thing is, life has got really hectic lately; with my daughters home fom Uni now for the summer there's been lots of catching up to do, and family time, before they're off again! Then, at the same time B and I have been engrossed in buying a run-down Victorian house to do up, with all of the running around that that entails.....(I'm hoping to post more about that later)..... and......our lovely ginger fluffball of a cat, Willow, produced four beautiful kittys last Saturday night.

So, life is wonderful, and trying to fit it all in to just 24 hours a day (let alone go to work!) is great fun!

I apologise that I haven't had time to visit all your lovely blogs either for a while - but I'll soon be back in the swing, I'm sure; not too much time for 'creative' baking at the moment, although B did get a lemon meringue cake for his birthday last week, but it got demolished before I could photograph it! Still I'll be back very soon...

Take care, Alfie

Arte Y Pico.. PostScript

I was amazed, and delighted, to find that Marye at Baking Delights had also passed on this award to me - two in one week! - Thank you Marye; as you say, for a non-blogger it must seem crazy to get excited about a picture to put on your blog. But really it's more about the fun and networking of the blogshere, and all the wonderful people you meet along the way!
Check out Marye's blog, it's inspiring and full of lovely recipes and interesting articles.

Arte Y Pico

Another lovely surprise yesterday..... from Angela - she chose me for the Arte Y Pico Award This award is for creativity, design, interesting material and contribution to the blogging community. I'm really thrilled to receive it, especially as I'm so new to blogging! So, thank you Angela, and as always it's good to pass on the good feeling.


As I particularly love the beautiful photos that I find on so many of the food blogs out there, it's a pleasure to pass this award on to 5 blogs that I always look forward to reading, as much for their wonderful pictures, as for their imaginative and innovative recipes! Make sure you find some time to check them out and see for yourself.

I love Milk and Cookies
Ilcavolettodibruxelles
Cherrapeno
Cannelle et Vanille
And then I do the dishes

The rules for this award are:
1. You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also contributes to the blogging community, no matter what language.
2. Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his/her blog to be visited by everyone.
3. Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her/him the award itself.
4. The award winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of Arte y Pico blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.
5. To show these rules.

Ahem!....I'd like to thank....

Yesterday I discovered that the lovely Nic at Cherrapeno had chosen me for an 'E' for Excellent Award. I only started Blogging in January as an outlet for my love of cooking and photography, and already it's a lot of fun. Special thanks go to Nic as she has been really supportive and encouraging as I took my first faltering steps into the world of Blogging. Her own Blog is full of lovely recipes with beautiful and tempting photos, and every time I visit I always come away with a list of things to cook!

Getting the Award was such a lovely surprise, and although my Blog is really just a big 'canvas' for my own foodie experiments and ramblings it was so nice to think other people like it too! Thank you to all of you who have visited my Blog, and for all the lovely comments and feedback that you've been sending.

As part of the Award I am supposed to pass it on to ten other Blogs which I think are excellent - now that's a really formidable thing to try to do; there are so many wonderful blogs out there, how could I possibly choose?

So anyway...., after MUCH deliberation, and in no particular order (they're ALL so inspiring to read, and seriously gorgeous to look at! ) here are the Blogs that I would like to pass on the Award to....












You say tomato I say tomato
and then I do the dishes
Domestic Goddess in Training
The Knead For Bread
Milk and Cookies
Nordljus
Aapplemint
Tartlelette
The Traveler's Lunchbox
Confections of a Foodie Bride

'curiosity cola'

Another lunch-time jaunt to our favourite haunt, at our local Deli....Barrington's. (Crumbs that's almost poetic! )

I love just whiling away the time over lunch, or a coffee, sat at the bistro-style tables, whilst all around is fabulous food of all descriptions; local cheeses, speciality foods and drinks, sauces and pastas, and sweet things, and, of course, my favourite deli counter with the fabulous flans and colourful salads.

Today, while trying to choose which gastronomic delight to indulge in this time, I spied sitting in the chiller cabinet this fabulous little bottle. Straight away I loved the label and the name 'Curiosity Cola' - I had to have it!

I'm a real sucker for anything 'traditional' that keeps alive old methods and is well made. Fentimans Curiosity Cola is part of a range of beverages that are the result of a time honoured process of botanical brewing. As they say 'Colas originated from apothecaries and were heralded as elixirs with health enhancing properties. Legislation now prevents producers from making wondrous claims about the medicinal properties of their drinks, but believe our cola to be somewhat curious through the inclusion of Catuaba & Guarana extracts.'

Well... I can't tell you what it tastes like because I can't bring myself to open it yet - it looks so charming just sat on the kitchen shelf!

So today, I got two treats; lunch and a new 'trouvee' to admire. It really is the little things in life and the serendipity of it all that I love...

click!......there was life before the food processor

As you have probably already guessed, I have a passion for all things vintage! As a natural result of this, together with my love of food, a collection of vintage cooking utensils has evolved, and yes.....I do use them!

There's a wonderful connection about using something that's worn with an age of producing countless meals and feasts. Food, after all, is probably one of the most basic sustenances of life, and there is something very special about preparing and providing food for people you love. As you handle these cherished living pieces of history you can almost feel all the love and energy that's gone into all the things it's ever made, and you can't help but imagine what these might have been.......in the case of this pastry blender; sunday tea-time scones, quiches and flans for summer picnics, or maybe sweet fruit tartlets for a special treat.

"Indeed, pastry is one of the most important branches of the culinary science. It unceasingly occupies itself with ministering pleasure to the sight as well as to the taste; with erecting graceful monuments, miniature fortresses, and all kinds of architectural imitations, composed of the sweetest and most agreeable products of all climates and countries." (Mrs Beeton from 'Mrs Beetons' Book of Household Management')

So, although this post isn't linked with a recipe this time, I thought it was time to remind ourselves that there was life before the food-processor! Not that I'm saying that it doesn't have it's advantages, but sometimes it's good to get back to the basics and really get in touch, and 'up close and personal' with the food that we're making.

As Mrs Beeton said "It must be remembered that..[the kitchen].. is the great laboratory of every household, and that much of the “weal or woe,” as far as regards bodily health, depends upon the nature of the preparations concocted within its walls."

Mrs B would be so proud!

This is my entry for this month's Click! event at Jugalbandi

simple sunday breakfast

This morning the sun streamed in through the open kitchen door. Ahead of me was a lazy, unstructured day - nowhere particular to be, nothing particular to do........a rare oasis of audacious self-indulgence. So....... I relaxed back in my chair, relishing the warmth on my face, and enjoyed an uncomplicated breakfast of vanilla yoghurt with raspberries and pistachios. (Yep!, those bewitching green fellows still have their spell cast on me! )

Lolling in that elusive - and at this time of year, oh so fleeting - glimpse of sunlight; promise of pleasures to come, the words of Art Garfunkel floated through my mind...

"Slow down, you move too fast,

you've got to make the mornin' last,

just, kickin' down the cobblestones,

lookin' for fun, and feelin' groovy"

I love how the sunshine changes everything..........


























.............colours glow brighter, light floods all the forgotten corners, and life feels good.


" Through primrose-tufts, in that sweet bower.
The periwinkle trail'd its wreathes;
And 'tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes."
William Wordsworth


Sometimes the best things in life really are the simple things!

Venetian pastries and gothic arches

Last week B and I escaped to Venice for a couple of days....we've never been before and it truly was a wonderful place despite the hazy fog that accompanied our visit! Our room had a balcony overlooking the Grand Canal, and it was amazing to watch the hustle and bustle of everyday life from our window.

In the morning we were woken early by the clanging of the church bell across the canal, calling people to Mass. Below the window, office workers and students made their way to work, wrapped up against the February chill. It was absorbing to watch a busy city going about it's business as we took our time enjoying a leisurely breakfast of ham, cheeses, eggs, and light vanilla-y croissants that tasted so good they didn't even need butter!

The narrow meandering streets were full of wonderful pastry shops 'Pasticcerias' with windows stacked up with tempting goodies..........of course, we had to sample them!

Pistachio seemed to be a big theme

and boy was it GREEN!

It was so easy to get around on foot that we spent all our time wandering the alleyways between the beautiful old buildings around the Grand Canal. As you turned each corner there was another vista, another view,............... all so evocative.

At times the architecture reminded me more of Morocco than Venice, with all the gothic arches!

This building is all overgrown and looked so romantic and eerie

........and, I loved the sheer simplitic beauty of the religious icons that we'd come across unexpectedly on walls and buildings.
Even though the streets are bustling with tourists, life inevitably goes on as normal for the Venetians living in the city.

What I wasn't prepared for though, having only seen the Venice portrayed in films and on travel programmes, was that, obvioulsy, as Venice is built around canals, and there are no roads, everything, and I mean everything, has to be transported by boat, and then hiked around the streets on big trolleys especially designed for getting bulky and heavy loads up and over the constant narrow bridges! We watched smiling as we were passed by DHL delivery boats, ambulance boats, and small boats perilously piled with washing machines, building supplies and wheelbarrows........they even have no entry signs..........who knew!

Among the tourist shops, cafes and rambling streets there were markets with all sorts of fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, and meats. These Raddichio Treviso caught my eye, weird and wonderful, all red tendrils like some exotic sea creature.

And there was Pizza, of course! In all shapes and sizes.......bellisima!
We couldn't go to Venice and not visit Piazza San Marco..............the Basilica was amazing, but I much preferred the simplicity of the Doge's palace, shrouded in the February mist that hung over the City


and the intricate carvings on the columns, ceturies old, but still alive and bewitching

as were these carvings near to the Bridge of Sighs

I'm definitely looking forward to going back again...