little lady salt n pepper shakers

I received some beautiful gifts for my birthday, keep an eye out here for more pics of cute crockery....
This little lady salt n pepper shaker is dainty, small and full of character. My friend spotted this in Stylist magazine and contacted the maker Katy Leigh, who was apparently was a pleasure to deal with and left a sweet thank you note in the package.

Check out her other ceramics here:
http://www.katyleigh.co.uk/Site/For_Sale.html

victory in soup

After months of preparation the day had arrived for 'Raelina's Wartime Soup Off'

I planned a menu inspired by wartime rationing, although I think we ate all of our week's rations in one evening. I dragged my shopping trolley to Islington Farmer's market, only to discover it had moved...loaded the trolley with the freshest seasonal veg for the menu....and prepared my own vegetable stock. First time!

Here's the menu I prepared (not all captured on camera)



Appetizers
Elderflower cocktail
Potato floddies
selection of Wartime salads
Lincolnshire cheeses and West Country chutney

Soup
Butternut Blitz and Pommy Pear , served with rainbow chard
Served with freshly baked rolls


Dessert
Chocolate and Beetroot Brownies



I did most my prep the day before - those floddies took me hours to fry. It's basically grated potato with flour - pretty yum! Soup was successful and I think it was worth making the stock. The Butternut soup is made by simmering the squash with sweet potato in the stock and in a separate pan caramelise onions with pear and then add the two together- voila!

Baking is not my strong point but the brownies were really yum, the beetroot added something extra. mmmm

I'm sad the 'soup offs' have come t o an end. It's been great having evenings with the girls that are a bit different to look forward to. Apparently we're having movie evenings next....watch this space!