Delightful Recipe

One of my friends celebrated their Birthday recently and so I made Turkish Delight (my third time) as it is one of their favorites...
and it was the best yet, so soft and lovely!!

this is the recipe according to the little book from my Mother...

Ingredients
500g sugar
150ml water
30-60g gelatine
food colouring
flavouring
icing sugar
cornflour

Method
Heat sugar and water, until dissolved. Boil to soft-ball stage.
Dissolve gelatine in water, bring to boil, add to syrup.
Colour and flavour as you wish!
Pour into square tin that has been rinsed with cold water, leave to set.
Dip tin in hot water and turn out on paper thickly spread with icing sugar and cornflour.
Cut and store in an airtight tin lined with paper.

E n j o y !

Delightful

I am an absolute lover of Turkish delight!!! And so for Easter this year I decided instead of making chocolates I would attempt to make some Turkish delight. This is one thing I have always wanted to make. I fished a recipe out of a cute little old book my Mother had, looked through my cupboard to discover I had all the needed ingredients and set about to make this delightful sweet!

My first attempt was ok, but the second was much more delightful!! I was really pleased with the results, as were my family...
But I am still keen to make some more for myself as I have discovered that it goes most wonderful with some of the berry teas that I enjoy!

Here are some wonderful little pics

It is my friend's birthday and they are a favorite, so I will be making some more...

Basil Infusion

After my Lemon Myrtle Tea discovery, I was keen to try some other interesting things...
One I had always wanted to try after reading it in this book

Was Basil Tea...
Once again it is so simple, just put a few fresh basil leaves in a pot, pour in boiling water, leave for a little and d r i n k

It is also nice cold if you like the infusion

So grab a few fresh leaves from the garden and give it a go
You never know what you might like...

Lemon Myrtle

So I will admit Uni has totally encapsulated me at the moment and i've hardly had a moment spare for anything else.... including my blog...
And as a result I have also turned to tea drinking not that I didn't already, but I mean really, like 14 Cups / Day!!!
I have found a new love for green teas as they are lovely and light with a beautiful flavour.
This week my favorites have been China Lychee, Country Berry, Berry Fruit and Japanese Cherry...  from The Tea Centre

AND...

Today I discovered Lemon Myrtle Tea (or infusion) truly amazing

All you need is some fresh leaves and hot water, that's it!

You just scrunch the leaves and place in the pot or in your cup, pour boiling water over, sit slightly and my favorite part, d r i n k

Look around for a Lemon Myrtle Tree (Australian Native) pick a few leaves and change your tea experience!!!!

Weekend in the Country

 I knew I was in the country when I saw the sprawling hills, lucerne paddocks, plowed fields, rivers, creeks and small towns. The smell of the fuel stove was the first thing I noticed when I stepped out of the car, immediately memories of winter afternoons when I was a child flooded back. The weather was cold!!! about 10deg less than what I had come from, it seemed I was slightly unprepared for this weather, but I was glad for that last thought as I ducked out the door... I might need a cardigan...
This was the weekend I had much waited for, so many things happening in town as well as the State Election and I had a few days off to make the most of it all!

Lovely Sister

Thursday:
Ducked into town had a coffee with a good friend, was keen to get home and see the property and my little sister, so headed out... After a quick tour around the animals, kittens, gertie, rusty and 17 PIGLETS!!! I got changed and started up the lawn mower.

Friday:
Into town to get my car serviced, did some filming with a friend, coffee with another lovely lady, picked up my car and raced home for lunch, more mowing and to bring my sister into town. Got my new windscreen fitted and went for dinner at The Butcher Shop Cafe (Thai Nights), followed by dessert at the Wine Glass, another one of my favourites....

New Basket!!

Saturday:
After a great sleep I was once again ready for some more farm work, so got into it early. Ducked into town at 1pm, met up with a friend, voted and headed down to the Regions on the River 100 mile Picnic to enjoy the best of the Food and Wine Festival! and what a wonderful afternoon it was... I ran into many old friends, the weather was gleaming and had warmed considerably. At the last minute I decided to get tickets to go to Mudfest an International Short Film Festival, I certainly did not regret the decision! Wood fired pizzas, tapas and picnic snacks were enjoyed while watching some fantastic talent! Though I do recommend a doona next year as it was quite cool...

Sunday:
Wonderful morning in Church, followed by a super relaxing afternoon picnic out at our property... Such a lovely way to end a busy weekend, hanging with more friends and eating some regional foods! (and some not so regional foods...) once the afternoon came to an end, Tom, Soph and I set to some more work before enjoying dinner together.

Monday:
I ducked to a few wineries including my favorite Di Lusso to get a few items including delectable oliva di olio (olive oil) Oatley Winery, rummy and some fig paste from Mudgee Gourmet Foods. Sadly the city, uni, work, appointments were all pressing and I had to leave the wonderful countryside. I'm sure it gets more and more beautiful every time I head out there...

Delicious grapes and tomatoes from the farm

 What a wonderful weekend I had away in the countryside...

Quick Food After a Long Day

So after a long, productive and most enjoyable day the last thing I felt like was cooking dinner (as much as I love cooking), I just felt like something quick and simple.... And of course not compromising my health
I decided to whip together a little oven baked egg treat.

M e t h o d :

In a small ramekin dish crack a few eggs, pour in some milk, stick in some greens (left over salad leaves) and crack another egg on top, or grate some cheese (I left the cheese off this time)
Stick in oven till cooked and browned on top
Remove from oven and let it sit slightly (allowing edge to come away from dish)
Run knife around edge and tip onto plate

Buon Appetito 

(good appetite or enjoy your meal)

Here's Mine...

Nice with a sprig of fresh oregano

I am also practicing food photography for a book I am hoping to produce for a Uni assignment
What works? What doesn't?

You're comments are most welcome...

Fashion Sketches

Started... I have always loved fashion sketching and it is one thing that I would absolutely love to be good at, so I have decided to practice and experiment with different mediums etc.
For one of my directed studies at Uni this semester I am hoping to explore more fashion sketching and get some tips from a fashion designer that will help me improve, of course documenting the process as I go along...
I just recently purchased some more Copic markers from Eckersley's in Newcastle so am keen to experiment and master the use of this colour.
So here is the start, my initial sketches

 Btw... I am very open to constructive criticism...

Antique Shopping

I absolutely love spending hours browsing through a good antique or op shop, one of my favorite things to do. Today I finally ducked into the Coliseum in Mayfield, Newcastle, after driving past thinking I must go there... They now have a cafe also, open seven days!!
after spending maybe over an hour... here's what I purchased

Pretty English Plate

Some antique laces

A sieve, I have always wanted one of these sieves!!

Some cute English bowls

An Italian ice crusher

...such good finds...

Can't wait to go back again and browse the little stores

I hope you also find some great antiques!

Excess Basil

Basil is probably my favorite herb, so naturally I would want to grow some of this in order to use it whenever I want.
One thing I especially loved when I moved to the coast is the ability to grow basil and plants all year round!
No more frosts.... the life I had known for 18 years suddenly changed - I planted basil seeds they grew, I used the basil, it went to seed, I would collect the seed and sprinkle in the pot and the cycle started again...
I had basil at every stage

A m a z i n g  I was never without Basil!!

So after 2 years of this I now have quite an excess even after giving many friends basil plants.

 

I invited my cousin and a friend round the other night to have P i z z a with fresca basilico (fresh basil)

and these were the results...

Tomato base, basil, sun dried tomatoes, cheese

Tomato base, olives, garlic, basil, cheese

Tomato base, garlic, basil, sun dried tomatoes, olives, cheese

Have a go at growing your own herbs, that way they will be fresh every time!

Handmade Jewellery

Over the years I have randomly made various pieces of jewellery, some I still wear, others reflect stages of my younger years...
In fact, when I was much younger I used to have a stall with one of my friends at the local markets selling all our beaded jewellery.What fun and wonderful memories...

I  L o v e button bracelets

Jewellery making is one thing I will have to make time for as I thoroughly enjoy making and wearing handcrafted pieces.

 

Hand painted frangipani and brown snakeskin bangle

made on the metal lathe

lathed aluminum rings

 

copper twisted bangles

beaded necklace and bracelet

wire ring made by my sister

I do hope you feel inspired to make your own jewellery out of things you find...

Productive Days

I absolutely love when it when I have a whole day at home with no plans except to do those little jobs that need doing... Productive Days, how good do they make you feel...
So this morning I rose early, cleaned the shower, did a load of washing, grocery shopping, visited medicare, a little op shopping, payed some bills, cooked some biscuits...
and now...
I get to sit down at my desk and do some organising, emailing, blogging, reading, study

accompanied by a pot of Armeretto Tea from the Tea Centre

 and the squisito (delicious) biscuits that I made

Fresh Flowers

How powerful are fresh flowers... they have the ability to completely change the mood of a room. They bring brightness and cheer to dull places, they are able to change our mood, bringing peace and comfort.

They are Fresh Flowers

Created to bring delight to us

Two of my wonderful friends recently celebrated their birthdays and I had decided to get some fresh flowers. Thinking of what my parents had around their yard, there wasn't much... So I decided to be creative and mix some different things together. I was so pleased with the results and so were the Birthday girls...

 consists of: hydrangeas, lambs ear, wormwood and ivy

consists of: white roses, pale blue flower and silver bush

(unsure of names)

 

Back in Newcastle, I was visiting a friend and found these old hydrangeas, so picked a couple for my desk, even though they are old, they are still beautiful and have the same power...

Pick some fresh flowers